Jul 11 2025
Selling England By The Pound
Genesis
3
Jul 12 2025
The Wall
Pink Floyd
Very highly produced. Great guitar tones. More a performance piece like theater than an album.
4
Jul 13 2025
James Brown Live At The Apollo
James Brown
So so good. The model used by Prince and Springsteen and Elvis. Designed to entertain and please a crowd and it did.
4
Jul 14 2025
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
Saturday Sun is solid as is the first track. A lot of same sounds and vibes after that. Well produced and performed. Listened while walking.
3
Jul 15 2025
Violator
Depeche Mode
Sounds like a big inspiration for NIN. Electronic music and very dramatic. Def a sound of its own. Personal Jesus and Policy Of Truth were standouts on first listen. Memphisto is a pretty intense instrumental. Definitely a solid record that sounds like nothing else.
3
Jul 16 2025
Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Still has an edge like you sitting right there with them. But it’s major chords and subtlety all around. Nothing in your face but it’s got an edge. Should be shot into space for other realms to get and enjoy.
5
Jul 17 2025
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
Great album that I only knew one song on. Sounds precisely like David Byrne. 70s snare sound. Guitars and bass sound like they’re in my head. “Memories Can’t Wait” was a favorite on first listen.
4
Jul 18 2025
Maggot Brain
Funkadelic
Perfect performances and production. Can only hear it here. There is no copying this act. Eddie Hazel was 17 when he recorded this. In lesser hands this would be tacky and inauthentic.
4
Jul 19 2025
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
Complex and hard to access but also listenable. Great guitar tones. Out there instruments. Willie The Pimp is silly. The musicianship is top notch but I don't know who this is for other than music students.
4
Jul 20 2025
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
Highly listenable and quality. Not anything I would normally reach for but impressive. “Sweetest Decline” is a great track. Natalie merchant sounding voice. Nice lyrics. Great instrumentation and production. Glad I was exposed to this.
3
Jul 21 2025
Lady In Satin
Billie Holiday
Sounds like it’s time - late 1950s. Her voice isn’t what I expected - not grand and big. The orchestra is very loud. She believes in what she is saying even tho these types of records always seem sterile to me but that was the design at the time. This is a major project.
3
Jul 22 2025
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
Kind of the same thing over and over. Very 90s sound. Anger disguising sadness - familiar with that. But there isn’t enough dynamics of sounds and tones. The turntable part kinda grinds me.
3
Jul 23 2025
Night Life
Ray Price
An interesting record. Kind of a performance - like they are making a record and tell you that they are. Songs are well performed and produced but mostly all the same. A good listen.
3
Jul 24 2025
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
Perfect performance. Perfect production.
Iommi sounds huge. Bass and drums are right there. Supernaut is a classic right away. One of the all time greats.
5
Jul 25 2025
Arise
Sepultura
They listened to And Justice For All. All treble. Would love to know how loud they recorded this. Doesn’t seem to have the same virtuosity as Metallica. Definitely not bad but this can be gotten in many places. And I think I like more melody in the vocals.
2
Jul 26 2025
Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
Sounds like early U2. Some good songs but a lot of treble in the production. First song is solid. Night Shift is too. Didn’t really hold my attention though. Listened in a long hot walk.
2
Jul 27 2025
The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
Total energy even in the laid back tracks. Raw power with a huge group. I know we love genres and labels but I don’t think there is an emotional difference between this and The Stooges. Both are muscular and assertive. Maybe Basie isn’t try to pick a fight but it’s definitely wild and he does want you think they are badass. Even though there is a full orchestra you can still tell that there is a swagger that is coming from one person.
4
Jul 28 2025
The Predator
Ice Cube
A little more monochrome than I remember but it’s a protest record by concept. Definitely a document of its time. A lot of Parliament Funkadelic. LA riots feature in a few songs.
3
Jul 29 2025
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Simon & Garfunkel
Very short album. Didn’t love it but I get why it’s important. Sounds like Northampton liberal elite stuff. Weird sound collage about Vietnam war. Very earnest sounding bordering on pretentious.
3
Jul 30 2025
The Sensual World
Kate Bush
Very 1980s sounding. A lot of separation between tracks. Peter Gabriel vibe. She has a great voice but it gets buried in the mix too much. Glad I listened. Probably wouldn’t again.
2
Jul 31 2025
Blood And Chocolate
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Hits hard at start of first song with a ton of treble. After that the songs are well performed and produced but some are too long. Sounds like this could border on indulgent pretty quickly but it never gets there. Glad that I listened. Might seek it out again.
3
Aug 01 2025
Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
Weird for the sake of weird. Wouldn’t listen again but I get that they werre trying to be strange. I think they are better technical musicians then they sound like here.
2
Aug 02 2025
Bossanova
Pixies
Interesting. Well produced and performed. Definitely a Nirvana influencer.
3
Aug 03 2025
3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul
Made me realize and learn once and forever that you create art for yourself and if others enjoy it all the better. This is one of the most creative and expressive albums ever. Every song on it has something in common with all others but is also totally different.
5
Aug 04 2025
69 Love Songs
The Magnetic Fields
Way more to listen to than I can handle in a single day. But what I listened to I like a lot. Definitely a vibe. Some off kilter instruments and sequencers. Singer doesn’t have a range but uses what he has very well.
4
Aug 05 2025
Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
I know every note, sample and lyric on it. The height of creativity merging hip hop, folk, metal and rock. Completely unheard of when it came out and brought rap to a white audience. Made me appreciate KRS One, Public Enemy, RUN DMC, Tribe Called Quest and others because I probably wouldn't have heard of them otherwise. Is there a RATM without Licensed to Ill? Paul Revere is a top ten song of all time. Bonham, Fogerty, Dylan, among others, all make an appearance thru sampling. A stone cold classic.
5
Aug 06 2025
American Idiot
Green Day
The safest version possible of The Misfits. Same sense of melody mixed with loud rock band but it much more orchestrated and produced. Great drum performances but the overall mix pulls back at points - see Novacaine. Overall a very fun, melodic concept record that is an overall package and not just a bunch of songs.
3
Aug 07 2025
Apocalypse Dudes
Turbonegro
They made a record and I never have. But I can play at least this well. Nothing bad about it. It is maybe a weekend warrior bar band level sound but it lacked energy.
2
Aug 08 2025
OK
Talvin Singh
Kind of cool. Didn’t know what to expect. I like and respect the effort to make something new and different. Got a little monotonous but def glad i listened.
3
Aug 09 2025
Tommy
The Who
It’s very ambitious and certainly a timeless piece of art. Gets a little self indulgent at times. It’s more of a show than a record in that sense. Great performances though. Moon is way calm down in this.
4
Aug 10 2025
Pictures At An Exhibition
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Highly experimental with a weird energy I didn’t expect. Very arty and out there. Must’ve been a very early use of synthesizers. Wish I had more time with it because I think there’s a lot here.
4
Aug 11 2025
Remedy
Basement Jaxx
I got the point three songs in. Not bad but nothing I would ever turn to. Very limited art form.
2
Aug 12 2025
Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
Trying to not grade on the curve cause it’s Sinatra so I give it 3 stars. Very well produced and performed. But like the EDM record from the other day it is a lot of the same thing over and over. I’d listen again though.
3
Aug 13 2025
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
Perfect album. Perfectly performed and recorded. You feel like you’re in the room. Tempos and keys and feel varies constantly. 1959 was an amazing year. This record is one that any citizen should be required to know.
5
Aug 14 2025
The Slider
T. Rex
A really fun record that I should have much better than I do. Great songs and excellent guitar tones. To me it is great garage rock. No pretense - bare - fun. The coolest part is that it comes across as a bit reckless and slapped together but in reality I think it’s very honed.
4
Aug 15 2025
The World is a Ghetto
War
Excellent. It’s a live album without an audience. Great performances and production. Can hear everything. Total vibe record. Probably never played the same way twice. Wants to be political and serious but it’s just exceptional musicians playing together perfectly.
4
Aug 16 2025
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Top 10 live record - combines every style of playing and performance that Neil has at his command.
4
Aug 17 2025
Eli And The Thirteenth Confession
Laura Nyro
I didn’t know this one at all. Starts very strong and has great playing and production throughout. She can really sing and has some great players with her. But about 2/3 of the way thru it all sounded alike. Definitely a great project to be introduced to but I probably won’t turn back to it.
3
Aug 18 2025
Band On The Run
Paul McCartney and Wings
Has the McCartney sound all over it. You can tell it’s him. A fun record with a lot of stuff on it that you can’t find other places. Very well produced and performed. I do wonder if it would as well thought of if he wasn’t a former Beatle.
4
Aug 19 2025
Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin
I mean it is Led Zep IV.
5
Aug 20 2025
Groovin'
The Young Rascals
This is a very fun record that has a lot of creative aspects to it. I imagine in its day it got lost in the whole Beatles / Beach Boys thing. Very good performances and production. The songs are solid tho a few border on a little goofy. Overall a great record that I am glad I was introduced to in this project.
4
Aug 21 2025
Rattlesnakes
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
Nothing incredibly unique. Nothing stood out. Sounds like it was made when it was.
2
Aug 22 2025
I Against I
Bad Brains
It’s creative and different. Unsophisticated. Feels forced in spots. Don’t know how this wasn’t bigger. Must have lacked mtv appeal
2
Aug 23 2025
Parachutes
Coldplay
Really good guitar and bass tones and production. More in the singer/songwriter vain than the rock one which is different than I remembered. A solid record but you get the point 75 percent of the way thru.
3
Aug 24 2025
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
Really solid songs and they are longer than I remember. Elton can really sing and it shows on this LP. The production is typical of the time - can barely hear the drums and when you can they are high end and dry. But there’s a lot of players and a lot of signal. Very good record.
3
Aug 25 2025
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
Just ask the Axis. The knows everything. This is the height of creativity and a record you must know. It’s an hour long but doesn’t feel like it at all. The bands performances are great and jimi was getting away from blues driven volume rock and into compositions. If 6 was 9 sounds like it could be released today.
5
Aug 27 2025
Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)
Loretta Lynn
Perfect performances and production. It’s very intimate in parts not just because of Lynn’s singing but how alive the players sound. At one point the vocal mic overdrives because of her power. The pedal steel and guitar solos overlap and at first the levels are slightly off.
Still, the songs are all about the same topic which makes Lynn come across very one dimensional.
All in all a record of huge historic import.
4
Aug 28 2025
Diamond Life
Sade
Two hit songs. Songs are well written and the performances are very good. Songs are recorded terribly. All treble and too much separation.
2
Aug 29 2025
This Nation’s Saving Grace
The Fall
This is an awesome record. I didn’t know it before. My test of awesomeness is if I need to acquire a record in vinyl that I don’t have. This one of them. It’s got swagger and doesn’t care if you like it or not.
4
Aug 30 2025
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
Come on. It’s perfect. Never will happen again. The magic of it all lining up. Everything from the cover art (which Coltrane always had down) to the production to the playing.
5
Aug 31 2025
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
Ok songs but muddy production makes it hard to hear. Some interesting ideas but that’s it.
2
Sep 01 2025
Vulgar Display Of Power
Pantera
1000 percent what it advertises. If you’re looking for melody or high fidelity, this ain’t it. But if you’re looking for a feeling of raw power and emotion, this is it. I wish they recorded it more fully - it’s midrange and treble but that’s was the style in those days. In Justice For All made it that way. “Walk” is an anthem. So good. Not a record for every day but if you need this it is perfect.
4
Sep 02 2025
Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
Such a classic. Sounds like a very well performed live recording. Great energy and interesting arrangements. It’s great.
4
Sep 03 2025
Junkyard
The Birthday Party
It’s on the list cause it’s Nick Cave. Definitely some ideas here but it’s very uniform in its production and recording. Cool vibe. Excellent album cover.
3
Sep 04 2025
Horses
Patti Smith
It’s a good record and important socially. Songs are pretty good. I get why - it is documenting a very important period of American music. But it’s overrated.
3
Sep 05 2025
Yank Crime
Drive Like Jehu
It’s ok
3
Sep 06 2025
Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
Otis Redding
So well performed and recorded - this is what all bands should try to sound like.
4
Sep 07 2025
Dog Man Star
Suede
It’s good but you know precisely where the band is from and when it was recorded by its sound.
2
Sep 08 2025
Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
So glad I listened to this. I know the hits and a few other cuts. But this record is the result of virtuosos coming together and playing what the song needs. Guitar tones are amazing. It’s very midrange but it all works.
4
Sep 09 2025
Murmur
R.E.M.
You can tell they are great. Pop music sensibilities done artistically.
4
Sep 10 2025
If You're Feeling Sinister
Belle & Sebastian
It’s fine. Won’t go back but glad I came across it.
3
Sep 11 2025
Group Sex
Circle Jerks
It’s over before you know it. It’s more melodic than I thought it would be with all of the obligatory punk themes from the late 70s. Solid playing especially by the drummer with some pretty good production.
4
Sep 12 2025
Devotional Songs
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
I need a lesson in what to listen for with some kinds of non-western music. So I don’t feel like I’m qualified to judge. Interesting from what I can take it but I wouldn’t rely on my opinion. I couldn’t find this on Apple Music or Spotify so I listened to a playlist someone compiled with the same name.
3
Sep 13 2025
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
Means a lot that two records by Miles are 5 stars.
5
Sep 14 2025
Only By The Night
Kings of Leon
Really solid record - compressed production but the songs are solid. Didn’t listen all of the way thru. Singer is very solid.
4
Sep 15 2025
I'm Your Man
Leonard Cohen
This record is an enigma. I wonder if the cheap sounding production is part of the aesthetic that was intended to match a vibe. Lita definitely interesting.
4
Sep 16 2025
Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
Great melodies and performances. Very good players and the production is perfect. It sounds like when it was recorded but in the way that you want - like a document not something that got stranded there. Nothing typical about it but you also feel like it is familiar.
4
Sep 17 2025
Grace
Jeff Buckley
Exceptional performances and production. I know I’m supposed to know this record and I am very glad I now do.
4
Sep 18 2025
Done By The Forces Of Nature
Jungle Brothers
Wasn’t available in any streaming service
3
Sep 19 2025
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Genesis
Surprises at how accessible this was compared to what I expected. I wish it was a little shorter but I am definitely glad I came across this.
4
Sep 20 2025
Low
David Bowie
Bowie stands out. Even his weak albums sound unique and like him.
4
Sep 22 2025
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
If I don’t discover another album that I didn’t previously know, this record makes this project worth it. Exceptional performances, the production is perfect and some great lyrics on here. So glad I came across this. It will be on my rotation of regular listens. I’ll even buy it on vinyl for permanent access.
5
Sep 23 2025
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
It’s legendary. I mean come on.
5
Sep 24 2025
Midnight Ride
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3
Sep 27 2025
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
Come on. It is a classic. Even the cover art is perfect.
4
Sep 29 2025
Sound Affects
The Jam
Interesting. Wouldn’t go back to it but glad I came across it.
3
Sep 30 2025
Ten
Pearl Jam
A stone cold classic.
5
Oct 01 2025
Greetings From L.A.
Tim Buckley
Not funny enough to be weird.
2
Oct 02 2025
Kimono My House
Sparks
Kinda cool.
3
Oct 10 2025
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Masters of war brings it down. A little too earnest.
4
Oct 11 2025
Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
A lot of fun!
3
Oct 12 2025
Let England Shake
PJ Harvey
Really creative. Artistic and inspiring.
3
Oct 13 2025
Hunky Dory
David Bowie
My favorite record of his. Exceptional from beginning to end.
5
Oct 15 2025
Made In Japan
Deep Purple
A great, great live record. Everyone must listen.
4
Oct 16 2025
Jack Takes the Floor
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
Had to listen to him but it this record exactly since it’s not on Apple Music or tidal. Woodie Guthrie type stuff. Inspired a lot of folkies I am sure.
2
Oct 17 2025
White Light / White Heat
The Velvet Underground
Pretentious as can be. Indulgent. Hard to listen to.
1
Oct 18 2025
Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
A classic.
4
Oct 19 2025
Broken English
Marianne Faithfull
A very good and introspective record with interesting sounds on it. This kind of record is why I am in this challenge. It’s exposes me to everything especially things like this that I should know.
4
Oct 20 2025
Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
Very well performed and well produced creative record. I love when artists have a unified idea for a record and make it cohesive. My only issue is it too long so some of the originality gets lost since some of it sounds similar to other parts. Cut 5 or 6 tracks and this is 5 stars.
4
Oct 21 2025
Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
A lot of great grooves and tones. Very fun.
3
Oct 22 2025
Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
Really great document - just too long.
3
Oct 23 2025
The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys
Sounds like nothing else.
4
Oct 24 2025
The Only Ones
The Only Ones
It’s good. No reason to go back but glad I heard it.
2
Oct 25 2025
Lust For Life
Iggy Pop
Such a great record. Sounds like the band is live in the room with you. The energy is what really sells it.
4
Oct 26 2025
White Ladder
David Gray
Seemed very predicable and one note.
2