Goddamn, Quincy Jones could make some hits, man. Half of this album is bangers. I actually thought the title track was the weakest offering. The King of Pop isn't someone I listen to with any regularity, but this is very good. Big time problematic legal troubles aside, MJ's musical talent is undeniable. 4/5
Sad white boi hours over here. It was ok, but then they used a similar drum beat for damn near every song. 2/5, did not enjoy all the bland sadness.
This is like if Alanis Morrisette and Noah Kahan had an English baby. Her voice reminds me a little of Dolores O'Riordan. It was solid! Scratches my 90s itch.
Very solid classic rock, but nothing to write home about. Heavy on the organ, but that's kinda Deep Purple's signature anyway. Child In Time is the obvious standout, but don't sleep on Speed King or Hard Lovin' Man. It's the wonder of nature, baby!
A couple good songs, but too much big band accompaniment for my taste. Not exactly what I think of when I think of Ray Charles. 2.5/5, perfectly average album.
First dud for me on the list. The vocal style of Morrissey is dogshit, the lyrics are heavy-handed, and most of the songs sound the same and drag on too long. The guitar work was good, but not enough to save this album. Not for me. 1/5
Goddamn, Quincy Jones could make some hits, man. Half of this album is bangers. I actually thought the title track was the weakest offering. The King of Pop isn't someone I listen to with any regularity, but this is very good. Big time problematic legal troubles aside, MJ's musical talent is undeniable. 4/5
If you're an angsty teenager or 20-something going through a phase, I bet this album hits like crack. If you have more mainstream tastes, this probably doesn't mean much. The sound mixing was good, and I liked a couple songs, but listening to this entire album was a bit of a slog. I can appreciate it for what it is, but to a guy like me it's just average. 2.5/5
A very nice listen, perfect for a sunny, quiet morning.
This one was a lot of fun! High energy, good beats, nice mix of instruments and styles. Plus, I recognized one of the songs from playing Madden 05, so that was a nice throwback. 4/5
Easily one of my top 20 albums of all time. Huge hit songs, powerful riffs, and Ozzy's haunting vocals all contribute to perhaps the perfect heavy metal album. My dad gifted me his original pressing from 1970 that I still cherish and play to this day. I love this album, I'm gonna listen to it again. 5/5
An incredible debut from one of the greatest bands to ever do it. More bluesy than I remembered it being, but it works so well. Not much else to say, just a fantastic piece of music. 5/5
I'm pretty meh on this. "Hippie doo-wop" would be the most apt description of the album. California Dreamin' is good. Not a bad listen, but not something I'm likely to ever listen to again. 3/5
A very relaxing listen. Very good instrumentation and melodies. Language barrier is what it is, but I enjoyed this. A lot of blues influence in a lot of the songs. 3.5/5
Felt like the soundtrack to a Tarantino movie or Red Dead Redemption 2 in parts, then Mexican jazz in others. An eclectic blend of styles, but it's very smooth and easy to listen to. I like it! 4/5
Just on the strength of the three hits alone, this is a 4/5 for me. The album trails off after the first half, but I enjoyed most of the songs, all but two. A seminal albums for Millennials that continues to hold up.
Fantastic piece of music, no notes other than it's great. I love it and will be listening again. 5/5
Some good beats, and a couple of them had me bobbing my head. The last few songs weren't good, but the first two thirds of the album I could dig! Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. 3/5
This is nothing special. A few good guitar songs, but the vocals are so off-putting, I can't give this more than a 2. Disco is more relevant to music than whatever this is. 2/5
Fantastic album, but the two 15-minute each noodling tracks bring it down to a 4/5. Jimi was at his best when he melted your face for 3-5 minutes, not letting his drummer ting on his set for minutes at a time without hearing a guitar. Also, Dylan sucks and Jimi rules; AATWT is made 1000% better by Hendrix.
I don't go deep with Oasis, but the hits are good. Solid 3/5, above average album.
Like Coldplay, but worse. Lots of slow, monotone singing. I enjoyed one song, but the opening song was so bad I think it tainted the rest of the listen for me. A generous 2/5
This is the kind of album I want playing in a dimly lit dive bar that still allows smoking. And you know what, I will have a couple of those cigs because this shit rocks. Heavy, hard rock blues is how I'd describe it. A few of the songs meander a bit, and the closing song is such a bummer after the title track, but it's still a solid 4/5 for me
Sad white boi hours over here. It was ok, but then they used a similar drum beat for damn near every song. 2/5, did not enjoy all the bland sadness.
9 songs, 21 minutes, the perfect punk album. I fucking loved this. Raw anger, killer guitars, really gets you going. It was so short, this was the first album on this list that left me wanting more. I will be purchasing this on vinyl. Was a tad bit one-note musically, but it's still a high end 4/5 for me.
In the running for best album cover, look at that! This album is all industrial rock with a medieval flair. Lots of gravelly vocals in German, chanting, and trumpets. Good music to March to. I commented to my wife that this sounds like it should be in a warfare video game, and lo and behold, one of the songs was in Command and Conquer: Red Alert. I didn't want to skip anything, as a few of the songs had me giggling for unknown reasons. If you dig industrial Rock, this is for you. If not, it's still an interesting and somewhat entertaining listen. 3/5
I love their sound, prog rock gatekeeper dickheads can fuck off. These Canucks rock. 4/5
I enjoyed some songs, but it was mostly just OK. Kind of an underwhelming pick to be part of the 1001 best albums ever. 3/5
Vocals were nearly spoken word poems. I hated it. 1/5
Listen, I completely understand Dylan's impact on music and the cultural zeitgeist of the 1960s. I think he's a great songwriter who can put together very impactful lyrics. That said, his voice and performance style are just awful, so whiny, grating, and unpleasant. I like A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall. This is a 2/5 for me.
Such a beautiful, pleasant listen. Perfect calming effect on your mood. The harmonies just wash over your brain. 4/5
It's a lot of noise with a handful of decent arrangements and harmonies. Only weirdo boomers and true music snobs will appreciate this. 2/5
It's alright. It's nothing groundbreaking or really special. It's just a woman with an OK voice singing over some mildly interesting 1970s beats. She's the lady in the background of Metallica's 'The Memory Remains.' 3/5 I guess.
Fuck kanye West, die slow Nazi motherfucker. Not listening to his bullshit. 0/5 Instead, I listened to The Fame Monster (2009) by Lady Gaga. This should have been on the list anyway, so let's dance on Kanye's grave, baby. Essentially a deluxe edition of The Fame with an EP attached, there are an insane amount of hits: Just Dance, LoveGame, Paparazzi, Poker Face, Bad Romance, Alejandro, Dance in the Dark, Telephone. What more do you need from a debut?! There are a few superfluous tracks towards the end of The Fame that could have been cut that are holding it back from being perfect, but that's the only minor note I have. I love this album, I love Lady Gaga, and cannot wait to see her next weekend at MSG. 4.5/5
Well, Eno wasn't lying when he said it wasn't meant to be listened to. Just some soft sounds and piano on a loop. Nothing bad persay, but it's not good either. 2/5
Just a chill listen that kinda blends together. All the beats are very similar, but still fun. Smoke trees, baby! 3/5
Come for the Bohemian Rhapsody, stay for Brian May singing like a quarter of the songs? BR being on this album puts the floor at a high 3/5. There’s definitely some filler, but there’s also some really solid deep cuts on here, too. “I’m in Love with My Car”, “Sweet Lady”, and “Love of my Life” are all good. Queen was sneaky good at creating beautiful harmonies, but a few too many jaunty, circusy tunes keep this at a 4/5 for me.
An eclectic mix of Brazilian soft rock, jazz, and folk. I thought it was solid! Give it a chance! 3/5
I think this is the most annoyed I’ve been by the list author’s choice in the 45ish albums I’ve listened to so far. I have not seen the film, so without the context of the movie it was composed for, this is just a bunch of electronic xylophone noises over simple bass lines. Also, if film scores were eligible, where the hell are the likes of John Williams or Hans Zimmer? The scores for A New Hope & Interstellar are way more influential and important than whatever this electronic schlock is. 1/5
I am growing weary, as this is my third electronica album in the last five. One of the things I’ve discovered that I didn’t know about my music tastes is that I genuinely dislike electronica/techno. I’m sure it’s technically brilliant and all that, but it’s just not a pleasant listen for me with all the beeps and boops; it just all sounds too fake to me. It was better than yesterday’s abomination of a film score, but a low 2/5 is the best I can do. Please give me something with real instruments tomorrow.
This is the audio equivalent of shoving those nerd electronica albums into a locker. Kind of the perfect album to start your Friday morning if you are a hard rock/metal aficionado like me. Nine of the twelve songs are hits, a crazy rate for any album, let alone a debut. Listening to this is like eating a greasy cheeseburger: you know it's not good for you and it's not particularly complex, but goddamn is it tasty and fun. 5/5, this is THE hair metal album.
Not really my cup of tea, but there were some good songs on this one. Slightly above average for me, 3/5.
That's some good heavy metal. Halford can really belt out a tune. 4/5
Really enjoyed this one, never really listened to any of Jack White's solo stuff before, but this has got me listening to his others. Very cool! 4/5
I am not the biggest fan of folky, singer-songwriter stuff, but this is an exception; I thought this great. Simon is very talented at both the songwriting AND the singing parts (looking at you, Bobby Dylan). A couple of meh tracks keep it from a 5, but I've already added more Paul Simon stuff to my listening list. Solid 4/5 for Mr Simon!
I would describe this as proto-Ska, with a bit of teenagers mashing on a bunch of instruments. Our House is a decent song, but the rest of it waivers between alright and god-awful. It's borderline experimental in parts, and doesn't sound good. 2/5
This is not good punk like Minor Threat, this is quite shitty punk music made by some English weirdos. This album was a chore to get through. The vocals are grating and the song structure was all over the place, to the point of being spoken word in some spots. Some interesting instrumentation saves it from a 1, but it's still a low-end 2/5 for me.
It's ethereal, college indie folk crap. Music for day traders who think they are interesting people. Did not like this, will not explain further. 2/5
This was pretty good! Very high-energy swing/big band record with a couple nice slower songs mixed in. Kinda like the last gasp for big band music before it was relegated to the dustbin of history. An enjoyable listen! 4/5
If you like 90s hip hop like me, this is your jam. Really smooth flow, good lyrical composition. Docked a point for the simplicity of the beats, but a great album nonetheless. 4/5
It's got Breakdown and American Girl, but the rest of the album is really forgettable. Lots of filler, but it's still Petty, so it's not bad. 3/5
Sounded kind of like alternative punk, I dunno it was hard to pin down, especially on the songs that just droned on. I enjoyed a few songs, but most of the album was just OK. 3/5
It had some promise at the outset, the first few songs were a mixture of electric rock and folk with cool arrangements and lyrics, but then it all went downhill and devolved into standard acoustic folk music. 3/5, mainly on the strength of the first three songs.
Meh. I don't have feelings one way or the other about The Police (the band, not law enforcement, ACAB always). Their sound is just so milquetoast. 3/5, slightly above average is fine for me, as I did like Message in a Bottle and Walking on the Moon.
A buttery smooth blend of R&B, rap, and soul, this album deserves all the praise. Found myself bobbing my head during every song, even during Killing Me Softly (although I prefer the Roberta Flack version). These guys were at the top of their game in 96, there isn’t a bad song on here. I gotta get this one on vinyl. A rare 5/5 from me, it’s great and probably a top-10 album from the 1990s.
29 minutes of mostly bad music with a guy doing a Bob Dylan impression. 2/5
I really dig Deep Purple, and this is basically a greatest hits concert when they were at their peak in the mid-70s. Absolutely ripping it up during this show, great guitar solos and psychedelic sound. Only detriment is a couple of the songs are pushing 20 minutes with unnecessary noodling. A solid 4/5
This is peak dad rock. It's not overly complicated or interesting, just lots of classic rock hits (like, a ton of hits for a debut). I wavered between a 3 and a 4, but I'll go with a low end 4/5. There's just too many jams to deny.
This was alright, nothing spectacular, but it was a moderately fun listen. 3 or 4 songs I enjoyed, but had some filler/annoying songs too. Definitely deserved to be on the list, though, as their sound was pretty unique for the 1970s. 3/5
It’s an Irish alternative rock band who are basically doing Oasis but with a faster tempo. ‘Lose Control’ was a great opening track, it was tuned down and had a more punk edge than the rest of the songs, and I wish they did more like that. ‘Kung Fu’ and ‘Let It Flow’ were good, but the bulk of the album was kinda bland. 3/5, it was good in spots, but mainly just OK.
Liked his self titled album much more
This lives up to the hype. Truly their magnum opus. 5/5
Good power rock album. Really like the lead singer's voice. 4/5
Good but not great. Did not know this guy was the artist behind Season of the Witch, which is a song I really like. Rest of the album was pretty standard fare 1960s music. 3/5
Never been a fan of REM's music, and this was no exception. Very boring sound, and the vocals are monotone. Only kinda liked the opening track. 2/5, not a good listen for me.
I’ve never gone further than the hits with NIN, so I was excited for this listen. This album was very good! The sound and production is top-notch, and each song has its own distinct feel. My favorite track was not one of the hits (‘Closer’, ‘March of the Pigs’, ‘Hurt’), it was surprisingly ‘Heresy’. There were two tracks that were basically noise rock that kept it from a 5, but I will give this a solid 4/5, very cool album.
This is the definition of an average album. Wasn’t bad to listen to, but literally nothing stood out either. Just kinda played in my ears, then it was over. “But Adam, what about the Mrs. Robinson cover!?” What about it indeed; I tend to change the station nearly every time it comes on the SXM Lithium channel. I don’t think it’s very good. Rest of the album is fine, but it is all forgettable. Not a great choice for this list. 2.5/5
Two hours and ten minutes of bluegrass/country fusion, I feel like I just lived an episode of ‘Justified’. I think bluegrass is out of all of our wheelhouses. I never seek this out, but every time I listen to bluegrass, it’s pleasant enough. There were a handful of songs on here I’d listen to again, but this was a huge collaboration album with traditional country legends, and it seems like they recorded every song in one take. Lots of chatter and improv before and after the songs, which I guess is part of the bluegrass experience; it’s basically hillbilly jam band. All that said, it was fine, but too long and way too much non-musical talking in between songs to garner more than a 3/5 from me.
I dunno man, I just couldn’t get into this one. I kept a running list of all the genres of each song, and there were six different styles on the album: soul/R&B, rap, big band/swing, funk (with one song completely ripping off the beat from the B-52s ‘Rock Lobster’), classical, and electronica. This album doesn’t know what it wants to be, and it suffers from that identity crisis in my eyes. Some people think that makes this a visionary album, but I’m not some people. Look to The Fugees The Score for an album like this done correctly. 2/5
Back before they sold out to become that turd Jimmy Fallon's house band, The Roots actually made really good and interesting music! Found myself grooving to nearly every song. The beats are immaculate on this album, and their use of actual instruments gives this hip hop album and edge that others lack. A very solid 4/5 from me.
Some of the beats and rhyme schemes may be a bit dated, but I still think this album holds up. The songs are fun, and the hits are still great. I'll never be annoyed if someone plays the Beastie Boys (hey, that kinda rhymed!). 4/5
This is Kendrick’s best, easily. Perfect mix of personal reflection, social commentary, and a bit of comedy, all brought together by excellent beats from Dr. Dre. Not a single skippable song on here. It’s on my short list of all-time best hip hop albums. This could be affected by the album being released during my senior year at IU and listening to it a lot, but I’m standing by my rating: this will be my seventh 5/5 in 74 albums.
A pretty good Brazilian lounge singer from the 60s/70s. She has a good voice, and it was fine listen, just nothing to write home about. I'm sure her music means a lot to others, but I can't give this anything higher than a 3/5 simply because it didn't really move me.
Half the songs are soft, pretty, lo-fi arrangements that I would describe as similar to the background music in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The other half of the songs are strange experimental pieces in the style of Zappa or something; lots of chanting, clanging, and noise. I was unsurprised to learn this was produced by Brian Eno. I really enjoyed the traditional lo-fi tracks, so I will give this a 3/5 based on those. Without the awful experimental stuff, this album would have been a 4/5 easily.
Very early English punk album, this was a pretty good listen. A little lacking in the anger and edge departments when compared to someone like Minor Threat, but I can give it a pass since this was recorded in the mid-70s. Much more polished than I expected, it’s closer to pop-punk like The Offspring or Green Day than a true punk band. Overall, I liked it and wouldn’t be mad if I heard it again. I really wish there were half ratings, because it’s better than a 3 but not quite good enough for a 4, so on here I’ll give it a 3.5/5
My grandpa almost always played Cash when we rode in his truck, so this listen came with good memories. This album is live (obviously), and there’s a lot of chatter in between songs, but I feel the chatter between Cash and the prisoners is part of the album’s charm. Only a couple of his hits are on here, but he definitely created the set list special for this show, as damn near all of the songs told stories about prison life and pining for home and freedom. Cash had a great voice and understood the plight of the common man, and he’ll always be a legend worth listening to. A strong 4/5
This was mostly bad. I would describe it as "industrial folk." Odd choices in production, including multiple songs where her dogs interrupted her recording and she just left it in. Lots of the vocals are spoken word and little chants and chirping noises. Weird, bad album. Low end 2/5
Complete dogshit. Electronica is bad enough, but this is the nonsensical shit that played over yogurt commercials from 1991-1996. The vocals they used seemed like joke takes they were so grating. Extremely dated and nothing special at all; does not belong on this list. It's like a parody of rave music. 1/5
Really enjoyed this one. Kinda like Joan Jett with more edge and guitars tuned way down. 4/5
As the youth say, this was extremely mid AF. Starts strong with two good songs (Band on the Run, Jet), but the rest of the album is a pile of nothing. Boomers like my dad eat this slop because it’s Beatles-adjacent. Just because it’s Paul McCartney doesn’t mean it’s a masterpiece. This is the plain toast with butter and a glass of milk of rock and roll. A generous 3/5.
I had never heard of this band, but apparently they are a beloved cult classic rock/power pop act. You should know the third song on the album (In The Street) as the theme song for ‘That 70s Show.’ I would describe their sound like a combination of Tom Petty & Bad Company. A solid listen, and at only 37 minutes, they didn’t overstay their welcome. Nothing very memorable though. A just slightly above average 3/5 for me.
A difficult album to describe, but I’m gonna try. Hauntingly beautiful songs and instrumental arrangements put together by a deeply troubled and depressed artist (he died a few years after this album’s release from an intentional OD of his antidepressant meds). Kind of like a dark Paul Simon who plays a guitar like Guy Clark. The songs’ themes are all melancholy, but he makes them calming and lovely with his instrumentation not only on the guitar but string and woodwind instruments as well. It’s been a while since an album has hit me in the feels like this one. I will reiterate: all this praise is coming from me, the guy who prefers metal, 90s gangsta rap, and Lady Gaga, and can’t stand folk music. This means you should definitely listen to this record. Five Leaves Left is my 80th listen; there’s so many albums to go, but this will probably remain one of the best I hear. Nick Drake joins the top of the pyramid as my seventh 5/5.
It's not Talking Book or Innervisions, but it's still really good! 4/5
I am familiar with her from listening to SXM’s Outlaw Country channel. This was OK. The kind of music that would play at a dusty roadside bar in the middle of nowhere Texas. The storytelling is good, but with this kind of music I would prefer Ray Wylie Hubbard. 3/5
A 1-star improvement from Meat is Murder. Still not good. Morrissey sucks balls.
You get a steel guitar, and you get a steel guitar! Lots of songs about love and heartbreak; classic country/western music and themes. Dolly has a nice voice and is a documented wonderful person, but I can't give this more than a 3/5 due to the simplicity of the music and basic formulas of each song.
I expected to like this more than I did, just something about it didn’t fully click with me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still good, and I liked the themes and storytelling, I just had expectations that weren’t met because all I’ve ever heard was that this album was awesome and I didn’t think it quite got there. Another one where I wish that there were half-ratings because I want to give it a 3.5/5 (I’ll probably give it a low-end 4 on the actual page because I have to pick 3 or 4)
This was alright at best. I enjoyed a few songs (Working Class Hero, God), but most of these tracks are vanilla weirdness to me. On a couple of the songs it sounded like Dr Seuss wrote some of the rhymes. John Lennon has a lot of good stuff, but this ain’t it. A barely passable 3/5
Pretty much the opposite of what luckynewman13 listened to. Did not enjoy this one at all; I think I’m not a fan of the 60s “Beatlemania” type music. I think it’s bland and unimaginative. There was one good song on here (Waterloo Sunset), and the rest sounded like they were either written by an 8th grader in the throes of a crush, or they raided the dumpster behind McCartney’s flat for the songs he threw out. Not a good listen. 2/5
[Gordon Ramsay voice] Finally, some good fucking music. Smart lyrics with clean beats infused with jazz, this is great hip hop. Only minor critique I have is that a few of the sounds and references are a bit dated, which is to be expected from a hip hop album recorded in 1990, but Phife & Tip are so charming and smooth that you won’t care about any minor flaws. Super socially conscious material, humor, and the infectious grooves all combine to make this a great listen. A solid 4/5
A Wu-Tang solo project! All the Wu-Tang members feature on most of the songs, so it’s basically a Wu-Tang album anyway. The beats are so so good on this, RZA knows what he’s doing when producing a rap album. I didn’t like the skits in between songs, which for some reason was a staple in 90s hip hop, because they interrupt the flow of an otherwise great collection of rap songs. If you listen, just hit the skip on all the skits and vibe to the beats. 4/5
Making a funk/psychedelic rock album in 1996 was a wild choice, but The Cardigans totally made it work! Interesting and infectious pop grooves mixed with a little disco and funk, this album was a true throwback in the best way. 'Lovefool' is the obvious standout, but there wasn't a bad song on here IMO. A solid 4/5
Another one I thought I would like more than I did. I think this album has a reputation it can't quite deliver on. Music was a little too medieval ren fair for me. If you're into prog rock with a TON of flute work, then this one is for you. Overall it was OK, but there was nothing I loved, not even the title track. 3/5
Long before he was a reality TV star and even longer before he was arresting pedos on Law and Order: SVU, Ice-T was making albums that go hard AF. I’m sure many will be turned off by the blunt delivery of his rhymes, but the lyricism is so good you’ll have to overlook that. Not the smoothest flow in the 90s rap game, but there’s a lot to like on this album if you’re a fan of the genre like myself. I actually thought his best track on here was ‘Body Count’, backed by his heavy metal band of the same name that he would later go on to make many records with as their front man. This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I enjoyed the raw emotion and surprisingly good production. Low-end 4/5 for me
Let’s get this corrected right off the bat: this is not “World Music.” Songhoy Blues are a blues rock band in the style of like a Stevie Ray Vaughn, it’s just the lyrics are in their native Malian tongue. I really really enjoyed this one. They are all about the art of the electric guitar, and man can they play the hell out it. Really difficult to not move my body to the grooves while here at my desk. I will definitely be looking out for these guys to tour in the future, as I feel listening to this in a club would be fantastic. Read up on their story, too, as they have persevered through a ton of hardship to get their music out to the world to try to uplift their war-torn community. Just two meh songs toward the end of the record keep it from the almighty 5, but this is a very strong 4/5. Give em a listen!
Another goddamn electronica album. 66 minutes of the following: Lt. Cmdr. Worf saying “Time is a loop” on a loop for 2 minutes, static & silence for 2 minutes, a Super Mario 64 desert level track, a Mortal Kombat ripoff, “HEY-AH” repeating over a beat for 4 minutes, and a track with both vuvuzelas and a fucking didgeridoo. This music is not meant to be listened to, it’s meant to be in the background at a club to dance to while you’re tripping balls on molly and trying to get laid. Anyone who puts this on in their car to earnestly listen to it is a psychopath. Now, the bar for a 1 is set at “Is it better or worse than The Shamen?” It is slightly better, so it gets the lowest of 2s, but I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone.
This was better than the first Sonic Youth album I got (Dirty), but still didn’t love it. The opening song has like 30m streams but I didn’t like it because it sounded like they were doing a Beach Boys impression. The next 6 songs were pretty good hard punk, and I enjoyed these and I’m basing my score mainly off these tracks. The second half of the album devolved into noise rock, which I hate. All this adds up to a respectable 3/5. Still don’t get the hype around this band.
Annoying avant garde experiment band with a lead singer doing a bad Robert Smith impression. One song had a kazoo as the primary instrument. It is saved from a 1 because the opening song wasn't bad, but it went downhill quickly from there. A low-end 2/5
I've never been a big fan of the Beatles, but this was a very good listen. So many strong songs, just couldn't deny it anything less than a 4/5. Blackbird is a lovely song.
To borrow a phrase from a fellow who is also doing this list, this album is cheese of the highest order. Almost every song is about sex and/or BJs, sung in the most bombastic rock opera style possible. It's super overproduced, but also kind of fun? I enjoyed some songs, but it was so much cheese I don't think I'll shit for a week. 3/5
A pretty good album, I really dig the “swamp rock” sound they have. Suffers just a bit from the songs sounding similar to each other, but it’s not like it’s an unpleasant similarity. ‘Green River’ is a strong opener and was the song I put on my 1001 playlist. I was wavering between a 3 and a 4 for this one, but it put me in a good mood after listening, so I’ll bump it up to a low 4/5.
I enjoyed this listen as a fan of “outlaw country.” It’s morose and heartfelt at the same time. The songs are about hiding pain as a man, being forlorn over a woman, feeling wronged, fortunes gained & lost (monetary and otherwise), and facing consequences. It’s the platonic ideal of what country music should be. A couple goofy songs keep it from being perfect, but it’s a strong 4/5. I think only Willie might have a chance to beat this one in the country genre.
Not a bad listen, but nothing really memorable either. I hate to call it “standard fare punk” because punk isn’t supposed to be standard, but I think that’s the best way to describe it. Good, up-tempo guitar riffs, most of the songs are about 2 minutes long, and the lead singer’s voice is exactly what you’d expect for a British punk band. I did have a hard time choosing a song for the playlist because they were all the same level of OK. 3/5
As you know, the policy around here is no streaming revenue for Nazi scum, so I’m listening to: Born This Way (2011) by Lady Gaga This is such a fun album. 12 of the 14 songs are certified bangers; if this doesn’t make you want to dance, I’m gonna question if you like music. It’s a celebration of love, the LGBT community, feminism, sex, and just being young and free. A bonus is that ‘Judas’ pissed off the religious community, which is always fun. Every time I listen to this album it puts me in a great mood, and today was no different; an excellent way to start a Friday. It won’t count in the official rankings since I will be giving the Kanye album a 1, but this will unofficially join the ranks of my elite albums as my ninth 5/5.
While I appreciate and applaud what The Boss stands for (the working man, equal rights & opportunities, etc.), I have never been a fan of his music. His musical style and voice is just not for me. That said, this album is pretty good. His biggest hits are on here and are far and away the best songs, as the rest of the tracks are just sorta there. I did enjoy the lyrics that went over a lot of boomers’ heads, like how the government is mostly bad and will throw you aside (‘Born in the USA’), and that you’re a loser if you peaked in high school (‘Glory Days’). On the strength of the hits, this is a solid 3/5 for me; liked it, didn’t love it.
Ah, the days when criticizing the government was so simple and uncontroversial; they literally call Bush a Nazi on ‘Holiday,’ something that wouldn’t even register to anyone today. This “rock opera” style album was a big shift for Green Day, and I think they pulled it off quite well. The tracks all flow together, but it doesn’t lose the pop-punk sound that they are known for. This album was in heavy rotation in my high school days when all my other peers were listening to Toby Keith & AC/DC, so it was fun revisiting this after I hadn’t listened to it in years. The messaging is still topical, and the riffs are good. I’m giving this a 4/5, I don’t care, I loved it.
I have to say, I am not well-versed in the soul genre; I have no idea what makes a soul album good or bad. This was just alright to me. Mr. Burke has a good, powerful voice that delivers the lyrics with great feeling, but after a few songs, they really started to meld together. There was very little variety from song to song, both musically and thematically. I’ll give it a 3/5 because it was mostly enjoyable, but kind of bland.
I was quite enamored with Nick Drake’s debut album Five Leaves Left when it came up about a month ago, so I was excited when this came across the screen today. This one is his third and final album before he passed away in 1974. This was a big time sound shift from Five Leaves Left; all the backing instruments have been stripped away, leaving just Drake and a guitar or piano (he played all the instruments himself). It’s amazing how much he gets out of such simple arrangements combined with his vocals, which truly sound like a man who is nearing the sad end of a battle with depression. His lyrics will make you feel all kinds of feels, with ‘Place to Be’ and ‘Which Will’ hitting me particularly hard. The guitar work on ‘Free Ride’ is superb. I’m not sure if I liked this more or less than Five Leaves Left, but it also might be equal because I listened to it twice in a row, so this is gonna cross the threshold as my ninth 5/5.
Funny Simpsons jokes aside, I thought this album as a whole was mostly bad. Generic, paint-by-numbers acid rock that boils down to five tracks of “Oooo baby I love you so” before we get to the title track that has its moments, but it’s way too fucking long and goes nowhere in the middle. Very disappointing listen. 2/5
Another British punk album. It was exactly what I expected to hear. It was fine, if a bit boring and outdated. I really don’t have anything else to say about it, most of this early punk stuff does nothing for me. There are too many British bands on this list. 3/5