The debut from R.E.M. opens with "Radio Free Europe", which sets the tone and gives us a glimpse of what to expect on Murmur - jangly guitars, thumping but melodic and interesting bass lines, catchy choruses, and Stipe's cryptic lyrics delivered with a certain distance and murkiness. The rest of side A is just as strong as the opener. "Pilgrimage" carries on with more ambiguous lyrics ("Your luck, a two-headed cow"), followed by the moody "Laughing", the instantly memorable "Talk About the Passion", and the twitchy, guitar-driven "Moral Kiosk", which features some sharp, off-kilter post-punk riffing. The side closes with "Perfect Circle" which highlights the band's ability to build tension and release it in unexpected ways. On side B, Peter Buck pulls a page out of the Gang of Four or Minutemen playbook with his angular guitar work on "9-9". Only here, it’s filtered through his trademark clean, jangly tone. Other highlights here include "Sitting Still" and "West of the Fields". Murmur manages to perfectly bridge post-punk energy with accessible songwriting. While the musical ingredients were already there, R.E.M. combined them in a unique way, creating a distinct sound of their own, and would later inspire countless alternative rock bands in the 80s and 90s. Unlike many of their post-punk and new wave peers, R.E.M. carved out their own lane. The tracklist is very consistent and manages to keep the quality up all the way through, even if the first half feels a bit stronger. 4.5/5

An interesting album that served as an inspiration for artists I love, such as Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and later Rickie Lee Jones. The vocal performance is a bit unconventional, but still strong - Laura is a very good singer, even though I can see how the voice itself can get a little tiresome for some people after a while. The falsettos and the wide vocal range reminded me a bit of Kate Bush too. The accompanying band is excellent as well, which is no surprise with names such as Chuck Rainey and Ernie Royal among others. There’s a progressive and forward thinking side to this album - occasional interesting instrument choices, tempo and time signature changes and complex song structures. You literally cannot anticipate anything when listening to this album, and I loved that about it. The album is definitely ahead of its time and very influential, while still being grounded in that late 60s/early 70s sound. For instance, in 1968, when this was released, Joni was just starting out, and not taking anything away from her, this album definitely seems like it could’ve been a big inspiration for Joni’s later, more jazz inspired albums, such as "Court and Spark". The lyrics feel very stream-of-consciousness, and the delivery is often free-form and unconventional, which actually fits perfectly with the unpredictable nature of the songs. I still liked them for how unique and offbeat they are. All in all, if you're a fan of the artists mentioned above and enjoy music that's a little unusual (but still with plenty of catchy hooks), full of twists, and backed by great musicianship, this album is definitely worth a listen. Just keep in mind it could take a few plays to click - I remember trying to get into this a few years ago, and it’s only now that it finally clicked for me. 4/5

The production feels quite dated, which is to be expected given the release year, but the idea of using jingles and fake radio station ads is a really interesting concept for the era. I get the impression that Queens of the Stone Age borrowed that idea for Songs for the Deaf, as that's the only other place I've heard something like it. Some of the lyrics are genuinely funny and clever, and overall, the more I listened to the album, the more I appreciated it, even though it felt too weird on first listen, it’s definitely a grower. And that cover art actually complements the music perfectly, as absurd as it is. I really appreciate them trying something interesting and unique especially considering when this was released There’s some filler here and there, but the highlights are definitely on Side A (Armenia..., Mary Ann..., Our Love Was, I Can See for Miles, etc.) I Can See For for Miles in particular I really liked and it kind of reminded me of the Piper at the Gates of Dawn era Pink Floyd (along with some other songs from this album, the Hall of the Mountain King also kind of reminded me of that early Syd Floyd) 3.5/5

Not much to say about this album that hasn't been said yet. One of the definitive 90s records and for me the peak of trip hop, a genre they, alongside Massive Attack, have pushed into the mainstream, blending hip hop beats with bleak, introspective lyrics, sprinkled with jazzy guitars and organs, creating a cinematic noir atmosphere that no other band has been able to capture in the same way these two did. What's crazy is that this was their debut, and to come out with something like this, with such a mature and refined sound, is pretty crazy to me. + Sour Times, Roads, Glory Box, Mysterions = Strangers, Wandering Star, Biscuit - N/A

This was a chore to get through. It seems like a "diversity" addition to the list. I personally couldn't really connect with this, which is understandable given the cultural and language barriers, even though I do listen to a fair bit of foreign language music (although I have certainly never listened to a Senegalese artist). There's some good instrumentation scattered throughout, which cool time signatures and even some funk influence. The vocals weren't really for me and I'd even go as far as to describe them as a bit annoying, although they're definitely unique. In general the album didn't sound particularly genuine to me and struck me as more of a world music record crafted to appeal to Western listeners. I could be totally wrong, though, just my completely uncultured impression. Production sounded mostly very dated. It's understandable that this is not like a sonic masterpiece and I didn't expect it to be, but I genuinely laughed out loud when I heard the cheap saxophone keyboard effect at the start of "Gidelam," which is not the only instance of amateurish production on this album. Still, I have no clue what it looked like recording and producing music in Senegal in the '90s, so I may just be completely ignorant here. All in all, don't feel like I'll be getting back to this album, or to any particular song, which is unfortunate because I was super curious about it and really wanted to expand my taste. Also I'm honestly confused by so many 5s in the reviews - might have to read through them to see what I'm missing with this one. 2/5

Not much to say about this album that hasn't been said yet. One of the definitive 90s records and for me the peak of trip hop, a genre they, alongside Massive Attack, have pushed into the mainstream, blending hip hop beats with bleak, introspective lyrics, sprinkled with jazzy guitars and organs, creating a cinematic noir atmosphere that no other band has been able to capture in the same way these two did. What's crazy is that this was their debut, and to come out with something like this, with such a mature and refined sound, is pretty crazy to me. + Sour Times, Roads, Glory Box, Mysterions = Strangers, Wandering Star, Biscuit - N/A

I must be missing something here. While I do like a couple of songs on here (Seven Nation Army and to a lesser degree Ball and Biscuit and Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine), the rest of the album is filled with unimaginative songwriting, sloppy playing and weak vocals. Why Jack White is considered a revered and influential guitarist is something I will never understand. I can applaud him for his tone occasionally (though it's not like he's super influental in that regard), but his playing is neither groundbreaking, technically good, nor particularly interesting. I have spared the drummer here but similar things apply there. Most of the tracklist, aside from the few songs I mentioned above, sounds more like rough sketches or ideas than fully realized and developed songs. Like they recorded the first thing that came to their minds. Honestly, I was genuinely shocked at times by how little effort seemed to go into these tracks, both compositionally and performance-wise. Sometimes it felt like I was listening to random highschoolers messing around in their garage - they sound completely out of sync and seem to have no chemistry whatsoever. Maybe some people call that "raw, gritty, and honest," but I’d just call it skill issue. 1.5/5

The production feels quite dated, which is to be expected given the release year, but the idea of using jingles and fake radio station ads is a really interesting concept for the era. I get the impression that Queens of the Stone Age borrowed that idea for Songs for the Deaf, as that's the only other place I've heard something like it. Some of the lyrics are genuinely funny and clever, and overall, the more I listened to the album, the more I appreciated it, even though it felt too weird on first listen, it’s definitely a grower. And that cover art actually complements the music perfectly, as absurd as it is. I really appreciate them trying something interesting and unique especially considering when this was released There’s some filler here and there, but the highlights are definitely on Side A (Armenia..., Mary Ann..., Our Love Was, I Can See for Miles, etc.) I Can See For for Miles in particular I really liked and it kind of reminded me of the Piper at the Gates of Dawn era Pink Floyd (along with some other songs from this album, the Hall of the Mountain King also kind of reminded me of that early Syd Floyd) 3.5/5

This was a chore to get through. It seems like a "diversity" addition to the list. I personally couldn't really connect with this, which is understandable given the cultural and language barriers, even though I do listen to a fair bit of foreign language music (although I have certainly never listened to a Senegalese artist). There's some good instrumentation scattered throughout, which cool time signatures and even some funk influence. The vocals weren't really for me and I'd even go as far as to describe them as a bit annoying, although they're definitely unique. In general the album didn't sound particularly genuine to me and struck me as more of a world music record crafted to appeal to Western listeners. I could be totally wrong, though, just my completely uncultured impression. Production sounded mostly very dated. It's understandable that this is not like a sonic masterpiece and I didn't expect it to be, but I genuinely laughed out loud when I heard the cheap saxophone keyboard effect at the start of "Gidelam," which is not the only instance of amateurish production on this album. Still, I have no clue what it looked like recording and producing music in Senegal in the '90s, so I may just be completely ignorant here. All in all, don't feel like I'll be getting back to this album, or to any particular song, which is unfortunate because I was super curious about it and really wanted to expand my taste. Also I'm honestly confused by so many 5s in the reviews - might have to read through them to see what I'm missing with this one. 2/5

I have to say, I feel like Tim's unusual singing style and voice, which had worked so well and felt completely natural on his previous avant-folk albums, don’t carry over into this funky style all that well. Although at times I actually thought the vocals were really great and delivered with a lot of passion (maybe a bit too much at times), I found all the crooning and moaning a little tedious to listen to at times. For instance, I think Robert Plant did the sort of thing Tim was going for here a lot better. That said, I was really impressed by how smoothly and effortlessly he made the switch to this more funk influenced sound here. The instrumentation is generally excellent from start to finish, with the funky songs grooving pretty hard and some nice orchestrations (like on Sweet Surrender and Make it Right) and some bluesy-folky stuff (Hong Kong Bar) providing a bit of stylistic diversity. But looking at the credits and seeing names such as Chuck Rainey and Ed Greene here, it's no surprise that the playing here is top-notch. What even are some of these lyrics though? The prominent sexual theme feels a bit over the top and forced throughout the whole album. Some tracks, especially "Devil Eyes" (which is definitely my least favorite on here) made me cringe with how obvious and frankly a little nasty the lyrics were with all the toe licking going on. I mean, I don't mind some R-rated lyrics in my music, but a little more subtlety would have been appreciated. So in the end I had to knock the rating down a bit because I wasn't really a fan of the lyrics and the vocals were just okay, but if you focus on the actual music and great musicianship, this is yet another strong record in Tim Buckley's catalog. I'm just hoping either Starsailor, Lorca, or Happy Sad are also included in the list. 3.5/5

After listening to Tim Buckley go funk yesterday, today it's time to explore the genre's origins with James Brown's "Live at the Apollo Theater". Admittedly, I haven't listened to James Brown much beyond his hits. But I did see a couple of videos of his coked-up concerts from the 70s, and as energetic and raw as his performance here is, it's still a much tamer version of him than the one I'm familiar with. The crowd losing their minds tells you everything you need to know about how good he was live. The vocals are superb, as you'd expect. It's not only his voice (which is, of course, one of a kind) and control that make it so, it's also how he handles those slower, more restrained sections. However, aside from the vocals and his performance, which I had expected to be good before going into this, I really didn't connect with the album at all. The songs sounded a bit samey, the lyrics aren't particularly compelling, and I was left with the feeling that I've heard something similar countless times before. And all the screaming and noises from the crowd were a bit annoying. 2.5/5

The Suburbs is Arcade Fire's most personal and down to earth album, and also their most sonically cohesive. Even though I didn’t grow up in the suburbs myself, I could still relate to the feelings it describes of nostalgia, aimlessness and the frustration of watching your world change and you cannot control it. The album looks back on childhood and teenage years and it’s not all warm memories and sunshine. It feels more like remembering what shaped you, but also made you feel stuck and confused. If you're someone who often has these feelings, this album will hit hard. The music is simpler than on their earlier albums, but it still has a lot of variety. You can hear influence from rock, punk, shoegaze, synthpop, and even a bit of country, but nothing sounds out of place and it all comes together beautifully. The band doesn’t show off or try to impress you with big sounds all the time and instead focus on what each song really needs. Even louder songs like "Month of May" or "Empty Room" feel controlled and focused. A big part of this album is the feeling of time passing and wondering what it all meant. Songs like "Wasted Hours" and "City With No Children" talk about feeling empty or unsure as an adult, while "Modern Man" and "Suburban War" remember the past with both sadness and care. There are a lot of lyrics about driving, but not like to escape, it’s more like driving (going) around in circles, not really getting anywhere. That feeling of being lost in a familiar place is what the album does really really well. Even though the mood is often quiet or sad, the album still has some hopeful moments. The best example is "Sprawl II", where Regine sings over bright synths and gives the album a powerful ending. It’s different from most of the songs before it, but it doesn’t feel out of place, it feels like finally breaking out of the grey and seeing color again. It’s full of life and energy, even if the message is still serious. The Suburbs doesn’t grab your attention right away, but it grows on you the more you listen. It’s about feeling caught between the past and the present, and trying to understand how your memories shaped you. It’s not about running away, it’s about thinking carefully about where you came from, and what that means for who you are now. The tracklist is a bit inconsistent, the album is kind of front loaded and the middle section drags on a little, but it all comes together in the end. 4/5

The debut from Queens of the Stone Age sees Josh Homme and co. (including fellow ex-Kyuss member, drummer Alfredo Hernández) trying to evolve their signature stoner rock sound after moving on from the legendary stoner rock band. Here, you can hear the early outlines of what would later be perfected on albums like Rated R, Songs for the Deaf, and ...Like Clockwork, but it's not quite there yet. Still, as you'd expect from a Josh Homme project, this album packs a punch and delivers riffs for days. The guitar lines are often repetitive and fairly simple, but still very memorable. That repetitive nature calls back to krautrock bands like Can (which Homme himself cited as an influence on this record), but it's blended here with the heaviness of stoner rock. The result is a sound that remains hypnotic, but is now sleeker and more refined. This album won’t wow you with its complexity, but it shines in its rawness and weight. It draws you in and makes you feel part of its world, much like Kyuss did. From the very first note, you’re teleported into the scorching heat of a California desert. While I like Homme as a vocalist, I do miss what the late Mark Lanegan would later bring to the table on subsequent records. The lyrics are serviceable. They’re not the star of the show, but they complement the music well. One lyrical standout is “How to Handle a Rope,” which features some clever lines laced with wit and dark humor. Overall highlights here are “Regular John,” “Mexicola,” “You Can’t Quit Me Baby,” and “If Only.” 3.5/5

The debut from R.E.M. opens with "Radio Free Europe", which sets the tone and gives us a glimpse of what to expect on Murmur - jangly guitars, thumping but melodic and interesting bass lines, catchy choruses, and Stipe's cryptic lyrics delivered with a certain distance and murkiness. The rest of side A is just as strong as the opener. "Pilgrimage" carries on with more ambiguous lyrics ("Your luck, a two-headed cow"), followed by the moody "Laughing", the instantly memorable "Talk About the Passion", and the twitchy, guitar-driven "Moral Kiosk", which features some sharp, off-kilter post-punk riffing. The side closes with "Perfect Circle" which highlights the band's ability to build tension and release it in unexpected ways. On side B, Peter Buck pulls a page out of the Gang of Four or Minutemen playbook with his angular guitar work on "9-9". Only here, it’s filtered through his trademark clean, jangly tone. Other highlights here include "Sitting Still" and "West of the Fields". Murmur manages to perfectly bridge post-punk energy with accessible songwriting. While the musical ingredients were already there, R.E.M. combined them in a unique way, creating a distinct sound of their own, and would later inspire countless alternative rock bands in the 80s and 90s. Unlike many of their post-punk and new wave peers, R.E.M. carved out their own lane. The tracklist is very consistent and manages to keep the quality up all the way through, even if the first half feels a bit stronger. 4.5/5

An interesting album that served as an inspiration for artists I love, such as Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and later Rickie Lee Jones. The vocal performance is a bit unconventional, but still strong - Laura is a very good singer, even though I can see how the voice itself can get a little tiresome for some people after a while. The falsettos and the wide vocal range reminded me a bit of Kate Bush too. The accompanying band is excellent as well, which is no surprise with names such as Chuck Rainey and Ernie Royal among others. There’s a progressive and forward thinking side to this album - occasional interesting instrument choices, tempo and time signature changes and complex song structures. You literally cannot anticipate anything when listening to this album, and I loved that about it. The album is definitely ahead of its time and very influential, while still being grounded in that late 60s/early 70s sound. For instance, in 1968, when this was released, Joni was just starting out, and not taking anything away from her, this album definitely seems like it could’ve been a big inspiration for Joni’s later, more jazz inspired albums, such as "Court and Spark". The lyrics feel very stream-of-consciousness, and the delivery is often free-form and unconventional, which actually fits perfectly with the unpredictable nature of the songs. I still liked them for how unique and offbeat they are. All in all, if you're a fan of the artists mentioned above and enjoy music that's a little unusual (but still with plenty of catchy hooks), full of twists, and backed by great musicianship, this album is definitely worth a listen. Just keep in mind it could take a few plays to click - I remember trying to get into this a few years ago, and it’s only now that it finally clicked for me. 4/5

Out of their first five masterpieces (I'm reluctant to include Sabotage in that category, although I really like that one as well), Vol. 4 is arguably Sabbath at their most progressive. So much so that they even pulled out a mellotron on "Changes." The riffs are as mean, dark and heavy as ever, but the songs are generally more complex and varied, with interesting time signatures and changes. In terms of playing, what really stood out to me here was Tony Iommi’s soloing, it's top-notch throughout, even though he's not usually praised as a lead player. His cleaner tone and chord choices are also excellent here. The guitar work in general might be some of Iommi’s best. At its peak, the album shows Sabbath firing on all cylinders. Tracks such as the opener "Wheels of Confusion", "Supernaut","Snowblind", and the closer "Under the Sun" showcase a band sounding tighter and more confident than ever. Unfortunately, the whole tracklist doesn't maintain that level. I've never really cared for "Changes", Ozzy's delivery feels awkward and the lyrics a bit cheesy. Sabbath has always had that one "softer" track to break up the heaviness, but earlier examples like "Planet Caravan" or "Solitude" felt more authentic and in line with their aesthetic. Thankfully, "Laguna Sunrise" takes the role of a slow Sabbath song this time and does it really well (it reminds me a bit of Zeppelin's "Rain Song". Then there's also the bizarre interlude "FX", which sounds like Iommi just messing around with effects pedals. It adds nothing of value to the album and feels like filler. On the production side, don't know if it's just the Spotify release, but it felt really uneven at times (for example, "Cornucopia" sounds muffled, kind of like it has a high pass filter over the whole guitar track, will have to check out other recordings to see if this is a persistent issue on all issues). In general, I feel like the production here is a little worse than their previous album and not up to par with other 1972 releases. In summary, if you'd leave "Changes" and "FX" out of the tracklist, this is very easily a 10/10 album. 4/5

Lazer Guided Melodies is the definition of an album that’s greater than the sum of its parts, which, arguably, is what the album format should aspire to in general. In isolation, no single song stands out as exceptional, but when experienced as a whole, the intention and the concept come into focus and become completely apparent. It’s less about individual moments and more about the atmosphere it sustains. And speaking of atmosphere - this album is full of dreamy, layered textures and spaced-out noises and drones. And while I really appreciate it for this, I still needed something more to latch onto here - a brilliant melody, an interesting lyrical line, something unexpected. At times, the band feels low on momentum: hypnotic, yes, but also slightly lethargic. It's an approach that Jason Pierce would refine with more emotional and dynamic contrast on future records. That said, Lazer Guided Melodies succeeds fully on its own terms. It creates a world of its own and pulls you in for an hour, and immerses you in its atmosphere. 3/5

A legendary live performance, but I have to be honest - it's very uneven. Take side A, for example: it opens with two classics in "About a Girl" and "Come as You Are", but then soon after you have the underwhelming cover of "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" and "Pennyroyal Tea". Thankfully nestled in between, there's a great cover of Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World". This trend continues throughout the whole tracklist - the highs are high, but it doesn't maintain that level during the whole performance. And honestly, while the more stripped-back versions are nice and offer a contrast to the more angsty and raw version of Nirvana, I think I mostly prefer the originals. There's something about Cobain's usual intensity that gets lost in translation when filtered through acoustic guitars and MTV's sanitized studio atmosphere. Still, I'd say this album's appeal is larger than the actual performance and the music on it. It's kind of the 90s packed in a CD, and serves as a great summary of Nirvana's career - capturing both their punk roots and their later career vulnerability. I will use a term that I usually hate, but applies really nicely here - the album has a sort of aura about it that transcends the actual auditory experience. 4/5

Well this was certainly a completely new sound to me - a mix of blues, punk, some surf rock and country influences. It makes for a relatively interesting listen, but personally, I really didn't enjoy this one very much. It starts off strong with IMO the best song on here in "Sex Beat". Other highlights include "She's Like Heroin To Me" and "Ghost on the Highway", but the rest is ranges from average to bad, especially on the B side, when I was just waiting for the album to finish. The production is intentionally raw and minimalist - I guess it fits the style, but it was kind of harsh on the ears, especially how the drums were mixed. The singing style which draws inspiration from the likes of Lou Reed was also a bit annoying. All in all, a pretty forgettable listen. 2/5

Very middle-of-the-road record to my ears. There are some nice progressive and jazzy ideas here and there, but as a whole, the music just isn’t compelling enough for me, and at times, I found it downright annoying. A good example is the Laura Nyro cover, "And When I Die". How did they take such a beautiful song and turn it into this? Their rendition of "God Bless the Child" is nice enough, though. I must be missing something with this one, but the only positive I got from listening was that the playing was pretty solid throughout. Still, I have no intention of revisiting it. 2.5/5

I found myself torn between rating this album a 4 or 5. While I still consider Station to Station and Heroes superior works, Low stands as a masterpiece in its own right, making it hard to compare it to its predecessors. This album marks a big transformation in Bowie's artistic trajectory, presenting what feels like two distinct albums unified under one vision. Eno's influence can be heard on every track, even on Side A, which features some of Bowie's most compelling material. The sonic palettes and experimental textures clearly draw from Eno's solo work, particularly Another Green World and Before and After Science, yet they're seamlessly integrated with Bowie's trademark (but evolving) aesthetic. What emerges is a collection of songs that maintains the art rock sensibilities you'd expect from Bowie, but executed through an entirely fresh and distinctive lens. Lyrics here don't really tell stories and remain vague and fragmented, but there are still some striking and interesting lines, especially on "Sound and Vision" and "Be My Wife". Side B features mostly ambient work, except for Bowie's vocals in an invented language on "Warszawa". What I find compelling about the lyrical/vocal aspect is how it matches perfectly with the atmosphere that evokes alienation, desolation, and cold beauty. Even though you won't understand a word Bowie sings, the vocals still feel emotionally potent and powerful. It sounds like some forgotten language being sung through ruins in a post apocalyptic world. There's a haunting, ghostly atmosphere throughout the entire second side, which is fitting since at the time Bowie was living in Berlin and drew inspiration for the sound and atmosphere from his bleak experience passing through grey post war Warsaw on a train. You can hear this album's influence even in modern music, a perfect example of an album with similar traits is Radiohead's Kid A. 5/5

American Dream finds LCD Soundsystem returning without reinventing themselves. Instead, they refine their established style - sarcastic, self-aware lyrics, hypnotic grooves, and a heavier focus on synth textures that give the album a colder sheen. When it works, it works well: “how do you sleep?” builds slowly into a tense, driving peak, as does the opener “oh baby”, while the title track “american dream” blends melancholy synth layers with one of Murphy’s most affecting vocal performances. There’s also a strong Talking Heads influence here. “change yr mind” sounds like a Remain in Light B-side, complete with Adrian Belew-like noisy, eclectic guitar lines. But too often, the payoff isn’t worth the wait, with some songs unraveling so slowly that they lose their grip. Several tracks run past seven minutes without evolving enough to justify their length, circling around ideas that eventually lose momentum. Murphy’s lyrics dwell on aging and nostalgia, still sharp at times but occasionally too on the nose, as with “tonite,” which lacks the layered subtlety of his best writing. It’s a solid album with flashes of brilliance, but also one that feels overlong and under-edited. The synth work is richer, and the themes are relatable, but pacing issues and an uneven tracklist keep it from reaching the heights of Sound of Silver or This Is Happening. All in all, american dream is still an enjoyable listen. It may not rank among LCD Soundsystem’s best work, but there’s enough here to reward repeat plays, with moments that reveal more on subsequent listens. Even if it doesn’t fully justify its length, the album offers a mix of sharp writing, rich synth textures, and occasional emotional weight that makes it worth revisiting. 3.5/5

Now this is a really interesting pick! I've heard of Faust before, but never really listened to them, so I was happy to see them here and give them a chance. What I liked about this album is how forward-thinking it is, while still offering moments of simple and nice songwriting, sometimes paired with playful musical ideas and sarcastic lyrics. Some ideas here would appear in music much later - like the opener, "Krautrock", which is an almost 12-minute-long drone piece that slowly evolves and grows over time. It adds subtle layers, with the track fully developing when drums come in, very late in the song's runtime, around the 7-minute mark. Here, you can hear the influence on post-rock bands such as Swans and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, but maybe a bit of Sonic Youth and Stereolab, too. Hard to believe this came out in '73. On "The Sad Skinhead", we get a complete 180 - a track featuring playful, sarcastic and absurd lyrics I previously mentioned, combined with psychedelic guitar sounds and a xylophone solo that reminds me of Zappa’s 70s fusion work. A really cool and fun track. "Just a Second" starts with a funky groove, but halfway through breaks down into an unpredictable ambient/drone mix of synths, piano, and guitar. The way these two parts are joined strangely reminded me of some of The Mars Volta’s sudden changes. This track feels a bit under-developed - like the band wasn't sure where the opening idea should go. For me, another highlight is "Giggy Smile" - an energetic mix of jazz, prog, and blues with unusual rhythms and creative instrumentation. It has a restless energy that brings to mind the adventurous Canterbury scene. However, not every track works this well. Some experiments feel more like sketches than finished songs, and the album’s flow can be a bit uneven. The last two tracks explore some folky ideas, which is another complete left turn in this album, providing even more musical diversity. Still, Faust IV balances humor, surprise, and real musical ambition and inovativeness, while still providing enough . At its best, it's fascinating and bold. At its weakest, it feels a little self-indulgent. I’d give it a solid 3.5 out of 5 - definitely worth listening for its highlights and historical importance, even if I wouldn’t listen to it all the way through very often. 3.5/5

The title track of this album is a 21 minute organ heavy prog rock suite depicting the birth and battles of a mythical armadillo-tank hybrid. If an idea that ridiculous doesn't pull you in and make you curious, I'm not sure what else will. Unfortunately, the execution does not completely live up to the imaginativeness of this idea. While the title track undeniably showcases the band's musicianship, especially Keith Emerson's virtuosic command of keyboards, and there are some really interesting ideas to be found here, the epic occasionally feels like an exercise in music, where complexity exists for its own sake. However, I still really enjoyed some sections. Side B is a collection of shorter, unrelated songs, where a few were downright annoying. A prime example is "Are Your Ready Eddy?" which sounds like a parody of Rock & Roll and really has no place on this album. On the other hand, "Bitches Crystal" is a fun, ragtime inspired track and "A Time and a Place" once again shows the band's chops. On this track, the whole band truly shines - Carl Palmer's drumming is as tight as ever, Greg Lake is singing his heart out, while all that is accompanied with hard hitting organs. All in all, while technically impressive, this album did not resonate with me. Except for a few sections of the title track, and the aforementioned two songs on Side B, the rest ranged from average to bad, so I doubt I'll be coming back to this one that much. 2.5/5

Well, this was a pretty pleasant listen. I'll admit I'm not particularly well-versed in hip hop beyond the most popular stuff, but I appreciated the old-school vibe here. The turntablism, the flow, and the rapping all evoked the early hip hop I’m familiar with. The sampling was tastefully executed, showcasing an impressive range of genres: you’ll hear touches of soul, jazz, organ-heavy cuts ("What’s Golden"), sprinkles of reggae (the opening track), and even the psychedelic sound of David Axelrod on "A Day at the Races" (possibly my favorite on the album). There are also engaging interludes and spoken word segments woven throughout, keeping things interesting. Lyrically, the album leans heavily into social commentary, as you might expect from a hip hop release. These are solid overall, though at times they fall back on familiar phrases and tropes at times. Other themes include mortality, self-reflection, and relationships, providing enough lyrical diversity. Overall, it’s a fun and well-crafted album that I enjoyed, but I’m not sure it has lasting replay value for me. Nothing quite stood out as exceptional, and after three full listens I feel I’ve already uncovered most of what it has to offer. Also, while they do their best to keep things interesting and fresh, the tracklist was a bit too long for me. 3/5

Ugh… I could tell this was going to be a long listen from the very start. Lines like "In Tennessee, the sun's goin' down / But in Beijing, they're headin' out to work" (thanks Kacey for pointing out that time zones exist) on the opening track Slow Burn already set the tone. I might be able to look past lyrics like that if the music was more engaging, but sadly, that’s not the case here. To me, it just sounds bland and uninteresting and completely forgettable. The production doesn’t help either. Everything, especially the vocals, feels too clean, too pristine, too compressed, which is often the case with modern pop albums. Her voice also has a slightly whiny quality that I personally find offputting. The lyrics throughout tend to be overly straightforward, but not in a clever or impactful way, just kind of flat. Honestly, I could imagine this music blasting in a H&M or some fast fashion clothing store, which just makes the experience feel even more nauseating. That said, there are some redeeming moments on here. Every now and then, there are some interesting sonic choices: an unexpected sounding keyboard or guitar line (Velvet Elvis), some Daft Punk-style vocal effects (like on Oh, What a World, though again, the lyrics here felt very naive and cliche), the unexpected disco influence on High Horse. These little touches are what kept me going and you can see that whoever produced this wanted to elevate songs that would otherwise be pretty uninteresting. And I’ll admit, when all the elements like banjos, keyboards, slide guitars come together just right, there are some flashes of beauty. But overall, those moments were few and far between. 1.5/5

This is a decent album. None of the songs really grabbed me until "Expecting to Fly," a beautiful and sublime track that stands out as the highlight. The album's biggest issue is its lack of cohesion. While that's to be expected with multiple songwriters, the difference in writing quality and ideas is at times too stark. Take the first three songs, for instance: "Mr. Soul" could be described as a Rolling Stones cover with Beatles-esque guitars which help lift an otherwise average song. Next, we get a run-of-the-mill country tune in "A Child's Claim to Fame", followed by the quiet and reflective, but ultimately unremarkable, "Everydays". "Bluebird" is also a high point - an electrifying, psychedelic folk-rock song with an interesting banjo-led ending. After a few more average tracks, the album closes with "Broken Arrow", another favorite of mine, featuring unexpected shifts and great storytelling. Ultimately, it's a pleasant but somewhat forgettable listen. 3/5

I had never really given Manic Street Preachers a proper chance before, even though I was familiar with a couple of their songs. This album led me to explore the band’s history, and the story behind it is both fascinating and unsettling. Everything Must Go was the first record the Manics released after the mysterious disappearance of their rhythm guitarist and lyricist, Richey Edwards. He vanished in 1995 and has never been found. While many believe he took his own life, as he had struggled with depression for years, his fate remains uncertain to this day. Some of the lyrics on this album were actually written by Edwards before his disappearance, which makes them feel even more significant. The lyrical themes on this album are varied and thought provoking. There's a song about the renowned photojournalist Kevin Carter. "Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky" deals with animal captivity but can also be read as a broader reflection on human existence. Another track references Sylvia Plath, while the most popular song on here, "A Design for Life", is about class struggles. The sound is generally grand and expansive, with sweeping string arrangements, soaring choruses, and wall-of-sound guitars. What I appreciate about the production is that, despite the sheer volume and density of the mix, all the intricacies and details remain clear. Take the chorus of Enola / Alone, for example: despite layers of guitars, drums, and bass all surging at once, every element is still distinctly audible. My main criticism is that the album sometimes leans too much on familiar Britpop formulas, which makes certain tracks, like "Removables" and "Further Away", feel somewhat generic and forgettable. I also find the vocals a bit jarring at times - James Bradfield often pushes into a forceful, almost shouty delivery that can feel overwhelming. 3.5/5

Holding Back the Years is a classic. Come to My Aid and Money’s Too Tight (to Mention) are pretty good. Look at You Now is also decent (why does it kind of remind me of Talking Heads? Then again, they did cover "Heaven" on here - not too successfully, though). The rest is a bit too cheesy for my liking, with production that sounds too pristine and dated (though I can’t really fault an ’80s record for this, it’s just that I don’t like this kind of sound). Open Up the Red Box made me very uncomfortable. No Direction would be decent if not for those "spooky" voices Mick is making - I found those pretty hilarious. The playing is pretty good throughout.

An album with really high points, arguably The Smiths' highest (The Headmaster Ritual, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Well I Wonder, Barbarism Begins at Home) held back slightly by a couple of duds (Rusholme Ruffians, the ending title track which is especially bad etc.) Marr's guitar work shines here - alternate tunings, jangly riffs, interesting use of the delay pedal on How Soon Is Now (unfortunately not featured on all releases, only US release IIRC), the acoustic guitar on That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore. It's not quite as good as The Queen is Dead, but it's pretty damn close!