I wasn’t expecting to like this, but the longer I listened the more I did. There are a few great tracks on here like “Uncontrollable Urge” and “Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy)”, songs I recognized but never knew were Devo’s. As a whole, it’s still very much what you’d expect from Devo, but underlying the weird are some really solid beats.
Favorite track: Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy)
The three tracks--you know the ones--are all certified hits. But the rest of the album is filled with soft muzak and I realized I just don't care for MJ's voice. Expected to like it more than this.
Solid album from beginning to end.
Masterpiece of an album leaning heavily into melancholy. I regret not listening to a full Beck album sooner.
While I don't love Ozzy's vocals, the guitar, bass, and drums go so hard in this album. It's hard not to enjoy the music. This is 70s rock at its best. Favorite track: Snowblind.
The biggest thing going against The Bends is that it's not Radiohead's other albums (aside from Pablo Honey). But when evaluated independently of their other work, and in comparison with the other albums on this list, you realize even if it isn't OK Computer, it's still an absolute banger of an album.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I've listened to it before and went through a phase of loving it. My biggest issue on this listen, however, was that the songs blend together a bit too much. It was tough to pick out a favorite track, not because there are too many good ones, but because none really stand out from the rest. But I suppose it would have to be between "Biscuit" and "Glory Box", with the latter taking the cake.
He sounds like discount Tom Petty or Randy Newman lite. Too much organ/electric keys too. I don't hate it enough to give it a 1, but it was really pushing the lower limits of a 2.
Lovely singing voice and simple but effective drums. "The Windmills of Your Mind" might not have been original, but her take on it is pretty special. It would be easy to distill the album down to just that track and "Son of a Preacher Man", but there are some deeper tracks that are great in their own right.
This one grew on me over time. You can definitely hear The Doors influence, and I’m here for it. It’s mostly solid from beginning to end, but is hurt by the last track, which commits two sins: being a live version and it’s a song about poop… 3/5
Am I... a thrash metal fan? Decades of listening to indie and folk rock, and this was a punch to my ear holes, but in a good way. It made me want to pick a fight with a mailbox, but as I was in the office, I had to settle for gently nodding my head and bouncing my legs.
Like other albums before it on my list, this album mixes some big hits with a lot of duds. I dislike the interlude in “Bargain”; “The Song Is Over” made my eyes roll; and “Getting In Tune” made me straight up annoyed. But the slosh in the middle is bookended by two all time classics in “Baba O’Riley” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. Ultimately I decided that as a whole I didn’t like it enough to give it higher score, so it gets 3/5.
It's fine. Nothing offends but nothing really shines for me. "One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)" and "I Want You" are the standouts for me. "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" would join that list if it weren't 11 minutes long. There's no need for that, storyteller or not. Dylan's vocals are certainly unique, and while I don't love his singing style, I can get past it to the music itself, which is often really good.
I nothing this. It’s jazz. A medium I know precious little about and what appreciation I have for it comes from Damien Chazelle and Cowboy Bebop. It’s a firm 3. For jazz to be 4 it would have to be really upbeat and fun. For it to be a 2 or worse, it has to be the kind of jumbled “mess” many associate with jazz. How do you pick a favorite track? No really, how do you?
It's easy to see why The Beatles were such a hit. The key to their success might secretly be that there's no wasted time on any of these tracks. Every single track is under three minutes, and two of them are under two minutes. So you get punchy, catchy tunes that don't overstay their welcome. And you'd be hard pressed to call a single one "filler". Top track for me is "Things We Said Today".
I was unfamiliar with the term “baroque pop”. Turns out it’s a fusion of rock and classical music, which as it turns out applies to so many bands I like: Arcade Fire, Beirut, Andrew Bird, San Fermin, Vampire Weekend, etc. When I first saw John Cale described as baroque pop, I assumed it would be full of harpsichord (which I hate), and thankfully this was not. Instead, what I found was a delightful album, Paris 1919, that’s right up my alley. The songs vary pretty greatly from one to the next in terms of the accompanying instrumentation, and I love it. This was an incredibly pleasant surprise, and nearly earned my second 5/5, but a couple tracks in the middle were a bit weaker for me, so it slides to a 4.
This album rocks. It's anger distilled into musical form. But over time the tracks start to blend together. So while it's still a great album, I can't elevate it to a favorite. 4/5
With very few exceptions, I don't like live albums. This is not one of those exceptions. I don't need to hear ladies screaming high pitched through my headphones. The music itself is good. If this were a normal recording, I'd probably give it a 3/5, but I'm docking it a point for being live.
Apparently this album was very influential to a lot of bands I love. I see inklings of why, but unfortunately the lead vocals and the organ ruin it for me. 2/5
"Producer John Simon incorporated recordings of crowd noises to give the impression of a live album. . .Only "Ball and Chain" was actually recorded live in concert."
Thanks. I hate it. Just that decision though. The album itself is really good. The guitar and bass playing is great. And it's obvious why Joplin gained fame as a solo artist before her tragic passing.
Good from beginning to end and great at times. “Sweet Virginia” is a fantastic song, and has the benefit of being attached to the ending of Knives Out. The Stones are great, no more notes. 4/5
This is rock opera. I don't like rock opera. Earlier in this project I hypothesized that part of the reason for The Beatles' success was that their tracks are short and to the point--every track on Hard Day's Night is under 3 minutes. This is anything but that. 4:19 is the shortest track. Three tracks are 8 minutes or longer. Also clapping? Please don't. Heavy sax? Also a no for me. 2/5
It's ok. That's the best I can offer it. Even the hits on this album are meh. It's not so bad that I'd say I disliked it, but it's pushing it. 3/5
This is jazz as I understand it: orchestrated chaos. It takes a more educated mind than mine to truly appreciate it, I'm sure. At times it dragged on, but at others I quite enjoyed it. Makes me feel like I'm listening to the soundtrack to L.A. Confidential or something, and that's a good thing.
You know why you’re listening to this album—a 36-minute album and the titular track takes up 19 of those minutes. But as it turns out, the rest of the album is better than ok! Kinda gives me The Doors vibes. “Are You Happy” is genuinely a great track, with strong drums, keys, and bass. I was torn between a 3 and 4 for this one. But it grew on me enough to slide into the 4 spot.
I was expecting this to be weird, and I wasn’t wrong. At the same time, it was far more digestible than I was expecting. Her singing is unique, and I tipped towards loving rather than hating it. “Come to Me” is my favorite track. The instrumentation in some of these songs is great, and it was close to being a 4, but there’s a little too much 90s European electronica going on at other times (see: “Violently Happy”). 3/5
I'm not shy about the fact I dislike live albums. Cash's prison concerts were special. But they're still live. It has it all: sections that are just Cash talking for minutes straight; people whistling and hollering during the music; we even get an immediate reprise of San Quentin. The album has its charm, but the live aspect is too much of a distraction for me. Ends up sounding more like a comedy act with music than an album. So even though I like the music itself, it's no better than a 3.
When you think of "cohesive" albums, you think of "Dark Side of the Moon" or "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea". Add this to that list. This album is a warm blanket in front of a fireplace with a cup of cocoa on a cold rainy November. The only thing keeping it from being a 5 is that even after two listens, no single track jumps out as being a hit. It’s The Wire of albums: consistently good from beginning to end. 4/5
The guitar riffs in this album are strong. There's nothing really to complain about, and yet it's missing a certain something that could elevate it from good to great. 3/5
From a story-telling perspective, it's great. Musically, there are some truly great tracks on here: Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2, Hey You, Comfortably Numb to name a few. But part of me feels like I'd only give it a 5 because it "should" get that. The other part feels this double album is too drawn out and experimental at times to merit the top score. 4/5
I just could not find myself enjoying this. It's too 90s pop. I understand that Madonna was highly influential to other solo artists and to pop in general, but that doesn't make me like the music any more. 2/5
This album was a surprise. The beats are great and the skit stuff/joke songs were often actually funny. I found myself enjoying this immensely, and so it gets my second 5/5
It’s jazz, rock and roll, and comedy(ish). And when it focuses on the first two, it’s really good! When it tries to be funny though, it’s a miss. But tracks like “Jump, Jive, An’ Wail”, “Oh, Marie” and “Buona Sera” are jams. There’s even a cover of “Night Train” which you’d recognize from the Enchantment Under the Sea in Back to the Future. The music is upbeat and strong enough to merit a 4 with some of the sillier lyrics on some tracks preventing it from hitting a 5.
There are many valid criticisms of The National, some of which I've made myself: their music can blend together and they often all feel like they have a formulaic slow build to an instrumental crescendo at the end. But that doesn't change my opinion that this album may end up being the apex of their discography, with Boxer and Trouble Will Find Me on either end of it. It's gloomy but beautiful, and I could listen to it on repeat, which to me is the mark of a truly great album.
Being Pink Floyd can't save you from a bad score. This was bland at its best and unlistenable at its worst. "Astronomy Domine" starts with annoying beeps; the obnoxious gibberish at the start of "Pow R. Toc H."; the fading in and out of the L/R audio at the end of "Interstellar Overdrive"; the buzzing/feedback in "Chapter 24"; and they finish the album off with a minute and a half of bullshit horns and bells in "Bike". There's a reason I had not heard of this album, and there was definitely an addition by subtraction situation with Syd Barrett leaving. This gets my first 1/5. It's garbage.
Somebody else described this as "Thom Yorke sings Broadway tunes." It's pretty accurate. When it's good, it's really good. Tracks like "Oh What A World", "Pretty Things", "Go Or Go Ahead", and "Want" are very good. But the rest feels too much like lounge music or something. While it's not outright bad, it's just not to my liking. 3/5
I'll give this a 3.5 and round it up. The beats are really strong in this album, but the lyrics are over the top at times and the comedy tracks are cringy when they're not outright stealing from others, like De La Soul.
Lots of chooglin' in this album. It's solid but nothing spectacular. 3/5
This one required multiple listens. Initially I was turned off by the 80s pop rock vibes. I dislike electric keys and Prince's singing is more screaming at times, which I don't care for. But man could the guy play guitar. The more I listened to this, the more I enjoyed it. 4/5
It's super ok. It's about as average as it gets.
I think part of my problem with this list is that you have albums by artists who were highly influential. And so maybe it’s that you HAVE to listen to these albums because of how important they were in changing music. But at the end of the day, it still has to be good of its own merit, regardless of what it sounded like contextually. With all that said, this album is good, but simple. 3/5
My first exposure to Kendrick Lamar and it was a tough one for me to rate. I went from 4 to 5 and back again a few times. The musical production is so complex and works so well. The lyrics are mostly great with a couple exceptions (looking at you “Shit don't change until you get up and wash yo' ass”). There’s so much going on in this album, and at the end of the day I can’t help but label this as a musical piece of art. 5/5
I like that there are musical themes that come in and out. But aside from Pinball Wizard and a couple other tracks, it's a lot of filler that outstays its welcome. And some of the lyrics, yeesh. 3/5
You’ll recognize “Karma Chameleon” and that’s it. Given the music style (80s new wave pop), I was expecting to really dislike this. The fact that I didn't is testament to what they accomplished. None of the songs offend. But it’s still what it is.
I'm biased in my review of Dire Straits as Brothers in Arms was one of the first albums I ever owned. Listening to their debut album now, they'd be on my blues rock Mount Rushmore. I love Mark Knopfler’s voice. The guitar playing is awesome. Every song is great, capped by "Sultans of Swing". This becomes my fifth 5/5.
Things that could be described as "funky" that I enjoy: coffee, sour beers, blue cheese. Music is not one of them. I did not like this. Don't make me pick a favorite song. 2/5
Some will hear this and be annoyed by the fact the lyrics aren’t in English (and often not even in a real language but the band’s made up Hopelandic). Some will listen to the marvel of sound engineering and arrangement, but hear only cacophony. That is not me. This album is a monument to the human experience, from the shock of birth, to the sweet naivety of youth, dreariness of adulthood, and ending on the bittersweet joy of existence. Though this was not the album that at first cemented Sigur Rós as one of my all time favorites (Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust was my introduction), there’s no denying—for me at least—that this album is a masterpiece. 5/5 and my current #1 overall album from this project to date.
I’m not that big a reggae fan because I’m not a fun person. The music is catchy and all, and there are a bunch of hits on this album, but I still didn’t find myself getting really jazzed about the music. Still, it’s an inspiring, feel good album that flows effortlessly in its message of peace and love in overcoming conflict. For that, it gets a 4/5.
Picture this: you're staying at an Airbnb on the foothills of a national park. It's a quiet and cozy evening, and there's a record player in the room. You flip through the stack of records and grab something at random. It's Tapestry (1971) by Carole King. You drop the needle and as you settle in with a glass of wine to relax after a long day of hiking, you take note of the simple pleasures in life.
Whimsy aside, this album is fine. The internet says this is apparently one of the greatest albums of all time, but I don't hear it. It's comforting but not groundbreaking. I was surprised by the number of songs I recognized, but none of them are ones I was excited to hear. 3/5
This is one of those that I felt like I was supposed to like more than I did. It’s good, but largely forgettable. The big surprise is that “Black Hole Sun”, a great track, was not my favorite. I loved “Head Down”, maybe because it didn’t sound like most of the rest. 3/5
This is one of those that operates within the murky space of not outright disliking it, but not exactly liking it either. It just is. I did learn that Will Smith sampled "He's the Greatest Dancer" for "Gettin' Jiggy With It". That took me down memory road.
Heck of a debut album with three huge hits. The rest of the album is solid. It’s a fun album, but not one I’d necessarily go out of my way to listen to again. Still, I’ll bump it up to a low 4/5.
Ordinarily I don’t think I’d enjoy this much piano and sax, but the E Street Band really makes it work. Growing up, the Greatest Hits (1995) album was one of the few that was on permanent rotation in our van’s 6-CD changer. I prefer that to this. Born to Run is really good, but some of the non-hits don’t hit hard enough to merit a 5. So it gets a 4/5 for me.
Setting aside the problematic lyrics—I always choose to see these things contextually—this album is great. It is to rap what Rage Against the Machine's self-titled debut album would be for rock. Anger at the system. I enjoyed the parallels of NWA sampling Beastie Boys and referencing Brass Monkey (a song released two years earlier) to them writing the lyrics "Mix 'em and cook 'em in a pot, like gumbo" being similar to “I’ll stir fry you in my wok” in Intergalactic Planetary. Probably wasn’t an homage back to N.W.A., but still fun. Eazy-E and Ice Cube are the standouts in this album. 4/5
Having never listened to a full Hendrix album, it's crazy how many of these songs I recognized. And some of the ones I did not recognize were stellar as well, "51st Anniversary" being one such example. For being a three-piece band this is so rich and full of sound, and an incredible fusion of different genres. Loved this top to bottom. 5/5
Somehow, despite this having released while I was in college, I did not recognize any of this. Probably because my roommate was immersing me in the world of indie rock and I wasn't listening to more mainstream stuff. I’d label this as interesting. I kind of enjoyed this I guess? But probably not enough for a 4, so it gets a 3/5.
It's good, but among the other rap/hip-hop albums on the list I've heard so far, falls below. Could be the simplicity of the beats, but I just wasn't pulled into it as much as NWA, Kendrick Lamar, or De La Soul. 3/5
This was extremely hard to rate objectively. But that’s not the point of this is it? It’s far from their best album in terms of individual tracks, but as a cohesive piece, it’s arguably a masterpiece. Musically, it’s a great mixture of their (at the time) newer electronic experimentation and alt-rock origins.
Of all the Radiohead albums, this one has the strongest attachment to time and place for me, and the memories that entails. Listening to this album gives me such a delightful feeling of nostalgia, the way Don Draper described it: “It’s a twinge in your heart, far more powerful than memory alone. . .It takes us to a place where we ache to go again.” It’s a 5/5.
This sounds like every British rock band of its time. I'd never heard of this band and didn't recognize any of the songs. The advantage of it sounding like everything else like it is that it's not bad! The disadvantage is that it's nothing special. There are some fun tracks but it's otherwise forgettable.
Another reviewer said of Illinois (2005) by Sufjan Stevens “This sounds like what a Wes Anderson movie would sound like if it were an album.” But where they see that as a negative, I see it as a great thing. Like many Anderson films, on the surface, Illinois is a fun and at times silly journey. But when you dig deeper, you see something profoundly emotional.
Though less explicitly religious than his preceding album Seven Swans, Illinois deftly weaves in and out of the highs and lows of his faith. As a result, his music often feels like a peek behind the curtain of his soul, and you’re left feeling like you saw something deeply personal. But don’t be turned away by the Christian themes—in the words of a Pitchfork reviewer, “Sufjan invites not our religious conversions, but our innate human compassion.”
To some, this may be too long with tracks overstaying their welcome. To me, the instrumental interludes provide a moment’s respite as you prepare for what’s next. 5/5
This is experimental noise rock and the thing about experiments is they’re often a failure. 6 tracks and 40 minutes, meaning you get a 17 minute track that’s just slamming on instruments. If that were the only offense I could get over it, but it’s not. The opening track ends with cringe inducing noise; “The Gift” is story time with minor background music; “Lady Godiva” starts ok until you get bad talk singing out of nowhere followed by an annoying heartbeat sound; and “I Heard Her Call My Name” has some really obnoxious guitar. Not since Pink Floyd’s debut album have I been so disappointed in an artist I otherwise like. This is bad and it should feel bad. 1/5
This album was fine. Highlight was "Shangri-La" but mostly because it was used in the show Last Man on Earth. Nothing excels and nothing really offends.
I was trying to figure out why R.E.M. has just never landed for me, when I remembered a scene in Always Sunny in Philadelphia where the gang visits a bar in town that's winning all the awards. It's bright, pop music blares, and everybody's kind. After ordering drinks, Mac remarks about the bartender "Too soft! I want a little edge in my bartender." That sums up my feelings about R.E.M. and this album. There's nothing offensive about this album, not even Stipe's iconic voice. It's just all too soft for me. There are some good tracks, but "good" is the highest praise I can offer them. 3/5
Like going to a Cirque du Soleil show, but wearing a blindfold the whole time. Somebody's going to have to explain to me why this was so important to listen to. Almost gave this a 3, but realized when trying to pick a favorite track that I didn't like any of them.
Martyn said this was written for his friend Nick Drake, and you can definitely hear Drake's influence, especially in "Over The Hill." This album was kind of all over the place stylistically. Very folky at times, jazzy at others, funky and a bit of bossa nova. And while I didn't love all of it, there were enough good tracks that had me interested in listening to this some more and to more of Martyn's music in general.
I've never understood why Leonard Cohen is held with such reverence. He talk-sings half the songs and the music is mostly uninteresting. The songs overstay their welcome too: 7 of 8 are 5 minutes or longer; 4 of 8 are 6 minutes or longer. I enjoyed “Famous Blue Raincoat” but could skip the rest. 2/5
At first I balked at the long run time. But as I listened, I found myself enjoying this more than some Beatles albums. Ordinarily I don’t like jam bands and there was a lot of jamming in this album, but I still found it to be pleasant to listen to and it finished much quicker than I was expecting. There are a few jams with “Let It Down” and “Hear Me Lord” as the biggest standouts for me. 4/5
I generally like the Beatles, but this album was bordering on bad. There are very few good songs on this one and it was balancing on the knife's edge of a 2.5 rating. In the end I nudged it up to a 3 rather than down to a 2, because while I didn't like it per se, I didn't outright dislike it. The overall rating is the "it's the Beatles so it must be good" effect.
This was my first experience listening to a full David Bowie album. I'm familiar with his hits, but didn't really know what to expect from the deep tracks. And man, is it weird in the best possible way. This album goes from Bowie rock (for lack of a better descriptor) and does a 90 degree turn into soundscapes. I thought I was listening to Blade Runner background music. And yet it didn't bother me for some reason. It's weird and out of place, but also not. And then he presumably said, "maybe I'll throw this Secret Life of Arabia track in here at the end just cause." I actually listened to this twice to make sure I did actually enjoy it, and yes, yes I did. 4/5
This is a long album at an hour and 14 minutes. Somehow it felt even longer than that. I don't like the Chilis, and listening to an entire album through didn't help that. A couple tracks were ok, but most of it I was just counting the seconds until it was over. 2/5
"I like to create soundscapes. Imagine one instant of a song expanded to be the size of the universe. . .This one's called, 'Earth Rise On The Moon.'" -Gabe Lewis, The Office
Well I did it. I finished this. It sounded like backing tracks for various 90s films. And honestly? It was more palatable than some other stuff I've had to listen to. I have no clue why this made the list, and it's way too long, but it didn't feel too punishing. Rounding it down to a 2/5 because of the length.
Led Zeppelin’s self-titled debut album (1969) is one of those that I felt obligated to score highly, but after listening through in its entirety, couldn’t bring myself to do so. As a debut album, it’s obvious why they burst into the scene, as it’s filled with lots of popular songs people love, like “Good Times Bad Times”, “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”, “Dazed and Confused”, and “Communication Breakdown”. The problem is in the catalog of Zeppelin hits, these would all rank in the bottom half or near the bottom for me. So while I thought this was good, it just wasn’t great. 3/5
Was not a huge fan of theirs growing up, but man this album is filled with jams. At 15 tracks and 38 minutes, none of the songs outlast their welcome. You get short, punchy songs that are full of strong guitar, bass, and drums. This was fun and I gave it a 4/5.
It's fun to get some different global representation. This was catchy and easy to have on without devoting my full attention. Was I blown away? No. But I also didn't dislike it.
There are two hits on this album I instantly recognized. The rest I was unfamiliar with. I instantly see how she’s been so inspirational to many current stars. The front half of this album is packed with great songs. Unfortunately, there’s a drop off with the last four tracks (“Witness” is ok I guess), which I did not care for. But on the strength of the first six tracks, and given the fact that I was happy to listen to it a second time to evaluate, I’m giving this a 4/5.
This is the power of nostalgia in how we rate albums. I'd never heard of this band or any of these songs. It was released my freshman year of college, and I'd likely have loved it had I heard it then, in which case I'd be inclined to give this a high rating. Listening to it without that lens, it's good not great generic indie-rock sounding like so many other bands. And so while I liked it, it's only just ok.
Me: These songs are all jams! Me after ten songs. Oh, it's because they're all the same exact beat just with slightly different notes. No really, listen to the first few seconds of "Blitzkrieg Bop", "Havana Affair", and "Listen to My Heart". They're slight variations on the same thing. At the same time, this album is non-stop punk rock at its pinnacle. On top of that, it has "Judy Is a Punk", which was used to perfection in The Royal Tenenbaums when Raleigh St. Clair (Bill Murray) and Richie (Luke Wilson) learn about Margot's (Gwyneth Paltrow) past relationships. So while I have to dock this for it all blending together, it's just too much fun to give anything less than a 4/5.
I don't like funk. Was expecting to really dislike this, and while I wouldn't say I liked it, it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Never knew "Rill Rill" by Sleigh Bells heavily samples "Can You Get To That". That's the thing about funk though: it's heavily sampled by other bands, but I almost always prefer the new use to the original. "Wars of Armageddon" was bad, but at least the album is only 36 minutes, so for that I'll sneak it up to a low 3/5.
Let me start by saying there are some really good songs in this album. But the rest is an absolute slog. It's too long and I found myself having to push through with surprising effort. It's weird that 79 albums in, this is almost the one that derailed me (plus getting sick).
Some of this is a lot of light-hearted fun. But over time it just doesn't build on itself and overstays its welcome. I found this mostly just ok.
This was glam rock but without Bowie’s charming weirdness. It was fine to listen to, but nothing jumped out to me as really all that good. 3/5
A delightful album that rides the back of an incredible voice. It's a warm blanket of an album and deserves a 4/5.
Despite the lack of major hits, aside from Shake Your Rump and Hey Ladies, this album is catchy and easy to groove to from beginning to end. 4/5
Why is this on here? Was counting the seconds until this was over. The drums are pretty wild though. And 3 of the last 5 songs weren’t awful. Basically when they decide not to just scream at me, the music was palatable. Still a giant 2 though.
I knew almost nothing about this group before this. This album is great, each track flowing into the next smoothly. It’s nearly a 5, but kinda blends together over time. Still really enjoyed it though. 4/5
CCR to me is one of those bands I’m always surprised by the number of songs I recognize. I’ve never sought them out as something I want to listen to, but when they come on it’s usually pretty good. I recognized more than half these tracks, and the ones I didn’t were pretty good in their own right. Definitely liked this more than the other CCR album I listened to. 4/5
While I appreciate the artistry of this album, nothing from it stood out as something I loved. 3/5
This is noise rock. It's not for me.
There's a strong message of anger at the system, but the music itself lacks some of the power of other hip hop with a similar message I've listened to so far. It's good, but for me, not great.
This album gets a ton of praise, and I wondered how much of it was just hype. It's not just hype. Hill's voice is absolute magic in this album and the beats are great. That said, I could have done without the classroom intermissions, which made the album drag on. While I get why they're incorporated in the bigger picture, it's not something I want to hear on repeated listens. And some of the other tracks go on for longer than they need (5:51 for the D’Angelo song was 2 min too long). So for that, it's a 4/5.
Wasn’t familiar with a band, though I’m sure I’d heard their “Mrs. Robinson” cover before. This was pretty good! They must have taken a page out of the Beatles’ playbook, because almost every track is short and to the point. The longest track is the aforementioned cover. The titular song is really good, though I actually liked the demo version more as it’s slower and gloomier. All in all, pretty enjoyable! 4/5
Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde was… ok. Musically it could be really good at times, but for the majority of the album it’s pretty juvenile and just not to my tastes. “Passin’ Me By” is a classic though. I’ll give it a 3/5.
I have no clue what I just listened to. At first I thought I was listening to music from the soundtrack of a Civilization II expansion. At other times it’s like background music for a 90s action film. And then there’s relatively normal rock. And some funky, electronic, and psychedelic stuff. Did I like this? Not especially. But I also didn’t dislike it? It’s all over the fucking place. It gets a low 3/5.
My second Stones album. First one I thought, this is really good but I recognize less than I was expecting. This one I thought, "Ok, here we go--I'm going to recognize a bunch of these." Nope. You get 'Sympathy for the Devil' and 'Street Fighting Man' and the rest is some pretty laid back bluesy rock. And it's quite good!
While I recognize that Aretha's voice is beautiful, the music itself is just not that interesting to me. It's good, but doesn't make me want to listen to it any more often. 3/5
I’d never listened to Wish You Were Here (1975) in its entirety before. I’ll admit, I was immediately skeptical when I saw it’s just five tracks but 44 minutes, thanks to the Shine On You Crazy Diamond bookends. I was expecting another The Wall, which I thought was good but not great. Instead, what you get is something more akin to Dark Side of the Moon. This truly felt like a perfectly cohesive album. I don’t know if it’ll end up beating out Dark Side when I get there, but this has risen to the ranks of 5/5.
I was told to enjoy the Irish folk rock, and boy did I! Track 2 is “We Will Not Be Lovers” and it is an absolute jam of a song. (Somehow has only 70k listens in YTM, compared with the 22M of the title track.) Super quick climb to near the top of my playlist. “Sweet Thing” at track 5 is also fantastic. At this point I thought it was a lock for a 5/5, but while the album is a lot of fun, it kinda peters out over time and gets a 4/5.
It was ok. Pixies are one of those bands where a little goes a long way. No one track jumped out as being exceptional, and none were particularly egregious. 3/5
Me initially: I don’t recognize a single track in this album. Me as it went on: Ok, I get it—this album rocks. I don’t think I could point to a single song in this album that really shines above the rest, but as a whole, this album is near perfect. Before this, I liked, didn’t love, Queen. But this album increased my appreciation for the band substantially. It earns my 11th 5/5.
My 100th album was Ill Communication (1994) by Beastie Boys. I liked this more than Paul’s Boutique. “Sabotage” is obviously legendarily good, but there are a bunch of other tracks on this album that are great. And the instrumental interludes (e.g. “Futterman’s Rule”, “Eugene’s Lament”, and “Ricky’s Theme”) seem an odd fit for a hip hop album, but are really good and fun in their own right. This almost got a 5/5, but they leaned a little too heavily into that distorted mic sound, and it got a little old. Still a really high 4/5.
While I didn't thoroughly enjoy this, I didn't dislike anything about it. Some of the singing is pretty impressive and the music good at times, but mostly it's just not my style. 3/5
The music isn't horrible at times (but mostly is), but then there's the voice over and the laugh track and ugh. Way more moaning than is needed or wanted. We have this included, but not Neutral Milk Hotel. 2/5 because there's a track or two that are ok.
I remember when a college buddy introduced me to Neutral Milk Hotel and I thought Jeff Mangum was atrociously bad, but for some reason I wanted to keep listening. Fast forward a bit and I'd fallen completely in love with them. With the opening track of Third, I thought I’d hate this album due to the lead singer. But as I kept listening, I started to appreciate him and the music more and more. I really enjoyed their indie rock vibes, especially when the strings start appearing. I'll likely listen to this again, and probably check out some more of their stuff. As such it was a surprising near 5, and falls just short to a solid 4/5 for me.
When this project started, I knew In Rainbows, with other Radiohead albums, would score a 5/5 for me. What I was unsure of was how I'd order them. I've been high on this album of late, but maybe it's something about this project that made me realize it doesn't feel as "the whole being greater than the sum of its parts" as I was expecting. There is a plethora of great tracks but you could probably listen to this album on shuffle and have a similar experience. As such, it's still a 5/5, but will likely be supplanted by OK Computer and Kid A when I get to those.
One of those where I wasn't certain what score I'd give it, and had to look at my ranking of albums to date to determine where I'd slot it in the order of "want to listen to again". There are some solid tracks in here, and an awful lot of filler. In the end, it's pretty chill with some great tracks sprinkled in. 4/5
U2 is the Coldplay of U2s. Or something. This album is fine. "Beautiful Day" was my jam back in the day, but most of these tracks kinda blend together. So while I didn't mind listening to it, it didn't move the needle much for me either. 3/5
A few very recognizable songs in this album. Not a Linkin Park fan, but I can see why they were popular. I didn't hate it. 3/5
Not even a Christmas music Grinch like me can grumble much about this album. There are so many classics in this album. Weird one to rate and rank, but heck, I'll give it a 4/5.
Never heard of this band or album. Apparently it's one of the first true progressive rock albums. At times, it was very appealing. But there's a bit too much experimentation and empty air for my tastes. It was at times a 4/5, but drops down to a 3/5 for those weird moments between rock.
After loving Queen II, this one was a bit disappointing. It has some good songs, but never hooked me like the other. 3/5
This is unspectacular 80s music. I’m generally not a huge 80s fan, so this didn’t excite me much. Something to get through, but not so bad as to warrant a 2/5. I’ll give it a low 3/5 and be glad to move on.
If you’re going to name your album “The Genius of [Your Own Name]”, but better be ready to back it up. I had never really listened to much Ray Charles before, and honestly, he was pretty darn talented. I enjoyed this and wouldn’t mind owning this on vinyl, though it didn’t move me enough to warrant a perfect 5/5. Solid 4/5 instead.
It's just so overproduced. The underlying music is solid, but it's buried under a mountain of synth, 80s clap beats, and sound effects.
This is a fine 60s rock album.
This had great potential. A few really good tracks, and some so so ones bring it down to a 3/5 for me. Not enough to get me wanting to listen to the whole thing again.
It's weird from the get go. And at first I thought "this is my kind of weird." But it took it a little too far and while I didn't enjoy it, I was glad when it was over.
This may be drawing some building ire undeservedly, but I'm failing to see what about this was something I had to listen to. It's unphenomenal electronic bleh capped at the end with a bad cover of a great song. It's far from the worst thing I've listened to in this project, but it's not exactly good.
Home of the absolute classic "Paper Planes". And while the rest of the album can be fun at times, it's way below the bar the aforementioned track sets. Some good stuff, some bleh stuff, it's a 3/5.
Maybe it's nostalgia, but this album is a jam. A lot of catchy beats and some big hits with "Breathe" and "Firestarter". Normally this kind of music isn't my thing, but it was fun and upbeat. 4/5
It’s right there in the album name. J/k, this is fine. I never got into Garbage personally, and my opinion hasn’t changed. I like her voice, but a lot of the music felt generic and commercial.
Woody Guthrie left thousands of songs worth of lyrics without music behind. Guthrie’s daughter then worked with artists to write accompanying music, including Billy Bragg, who approached Wilco to collaborate on this album. Wasn’t familiar with Bragg, but I love Wilco. What you get are some really great tracks (mostly Jeff Tweedy’s) and some that are just so-so. The big standouts for me are “California Stars”, “Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key”, “One By One”, and “Eisler On the Go”. This found its way to the low end of 4/5.
This was pretty decent early indie rock. A few solid tracks and nothing offensive. I'd listen to this again and so I'll slip it up into the low 4/5.
I like Young, I could leave Crosby, Stills, and Nash. This is solid, but I just don't love all the lead vocals.
"I'd like to tell you a little story now." "Ok." Live albums are not my thing. This funny interaction aside, this one's no different. I just don't enjoy the sound of people screaming or shouting. The music is good, but the rest is too distracting to enjoy it fully.
A good album bookended with two great tracks in "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want." "Country Honk" is also a fun version of a very good Stones song. I don't know why, but I'm always surprised by how bluesy and honky-tonk their music is, but it's a pleasant surprise each time. 4/5
You know how sometimes you’ll have two movies with very similar plots released the same year? That, except music, with this being the counterpart to Carole King’s 1971 release Tapestry, just less interesting. It’s easy to listen to, and that’s the highest praise I can offer it. 3/5
This is peak 60's psychedelic pop rock. That's not necessarily a good thing. I listened to this and while I didn't dislike it, I could barely be said to like it.
Based on the beats and the lyrics, this deserves a 4/5. Except I don't like Q-Tip's voice. This is a case where with the right singer this would be stellar, but I found his voice grating. For that, it's a 3/5.
I don't particularly care for ska. This wasn't too my liking, but it wasn't bad. 3/5
I was expecting to like this more than I did. Maybe for it to rival their debut album which I gave a 5/5. But this album was too polished? Too soft? Too much of that synth piano and weirdly placed smooth jazz? Too... something. Even the hits "Money for Nothing" and "Walk of Life" fall short of expectations in the context of the former album. I miss the guitar heavy tunes of their origins. "Brothers in Arms" is a jam though.
My initial response to learning there are nine Bowie albums in this list was to cross my arms and grumble. A handful of his early albums I could understand including. But a late stage album from an aged artist? But then I listened to it. I had to listen twice to realize that yes, this album is fantastic. It's a lot less weird than his early stuff, but there are so many great tracks in here. And so to my own surprise, I'm kicking this all the way up to a low 5/5. I thoroughly enjoyed this.
There are 12 tracks, but the track lengths are all either 7:16, 7:18, 7:24, 7:57, or 8:01. Is there a significance to that? I don't know and it doesn't actually matter. The album itself is interesting, and I can see why Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is counted among the greatest voices/singers of all time. Despite it falling well outside my typical musical fare--can't say I listen to much Sufi Islamic devotional singing--I enjoyed it enough to merit a low 4/5.
Setting aside feelings of the artist, this album is really good. It’s longer than it has to be, but there are a lot of great tracks, in particular “Wild Flowers”, “Nobody Girl”, and “When the Stars Go Blue.” 4/5
While I recognize how talented he was, and what an incredible voice he had, and can appreciate the music, I don't feel an urge to listen to this again. And by that measure, it gets no more than a 3/5 for me.
Needs more pan flute. No really. I don’t really have many complaints with this album. There’s a wide variety of instrumentation. The guitar playing is so good at times (see: “Armistice Day”). “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” makes me think of The Royal Tenenbaums, so it has that going for it, which is nice. I enjoy Paul Simon's singing. Despite all this though, I can't quite elevate it to a 5, but it's still a high 4/5.
Talk about a band that could have been great but decided to instead use their studio time to record them screaming in my ear. There are glimpses of good music, but too much of it is long instrumental sections that overstay their welcome, talk singing, or outright shouting. 2/5
At a certain point, all his songs start to blend together. It's not strictly unpleasant, but boy does it get dull as the album goes on. Another reviewer wrote, "they don't call him The Boss for nothing," and I agree. Most bosses kinda suck but you have to like them publicly. Jokes aside, Springsteen has some great hits, but the deep tracks are just kinda there. 3/5
After dunking on Darkness on the Edge of Town the day before, I drew Born in the U.S.A. and was happier with the results. I enjoyed this more, and would probably listen to it again, but his voice does wear on me over time. Still, 4/5
It took me a while to push through this. What some think about Thom Yorke, I think about Dylan. You named your first two albums after yourself and have two tracks in this one that have your name in it? gtfo. And it’s not so much his voice that bothers me, as the way he sings. And yet I still feel like I’m "supposed" to like him. And even though there are a couple good tracks in here, I just can’t stand sitting through an entire Dylan album straight. So fork it, this gets a 2/5 with no regrets.
Cohen addressed most of the complaints I had with "Songs of Love and Hate". The tracks are shorter (not one over 5 minutes long where the aforementioned had 7 of 8). This album's music is also much more interesting, with beautiful strings accompanying many of the tracks. Cohen still talk sings, but I found it less annoying. Instead, when paired with the strings, it was somber and affective. And so it came as a surprise to me that I enjoyed it and would listen to it again.
Never heard of this band before, and had no clue what to expect, though the name pointed at electronica. Instead what I got was some solid space rock. I don't like making comparisons, but it felt like it could have inspired subsequent bands like Explosions in the Sky, though this album includes singing. Though the music can be repetitive, it's often in service of a slow building crescendo. "Shine a Light" in particular is guilty of this to great effect, and yet through the cacophony you order to the mayhem. I enjoyed this a good deal, and though I can't give it a full 5/5, it's a solid 4.
Might catch hell for this, but I didn't love this as much as I thought I would. There are some jams ("Heart-Shaped Box", "Dumb", "Pennyroyal Tea", and "All Apologies"), but then there are some that are so bad that they nearly ruin the whole thing for me ("Scentless Apprentice", "Milk It", "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter", "Tourette's"). When a third of the tracks are barely tolerable to outright bad, there's no way you can earn a 4/5, no matter how strong the hits are. A disappointing 3/5.
I’ll preface this by saying that lyrics factor little in my ratings. It appears this is highly regarded as an anthem for feminism, and that’s great! But musically, this is mostly bad. There are glimpses of greatness, but it’s often ruined with their avant-garde style. I think there were just two songs where I felt it wasn’t at some point ruined with something weird (“Eau D’ Bedroom Dancing” and “Les and Ray”). The songs are short, but they feel interminable. It was not to my liking. 2/5
This is fairly entertaining, but not groundbreaking. I had not heard of this band, though I had definitely heard "Bang a Gong (Get It On)". I don't have much more to say about this one. 3/5
I'm not a hair metal fan by any measure, but I can still appreciate the level of guitar work that's going on here. For a debut album, this rocks. A few big hits and nothing offensive. I'll give it a low 4/5.
This is pretty good generic English punk rock/pop punk. I enjoyed it, and I'd probably listen to it again, though I'm not going to go seeking it out.
Me initially: Why does this sound like I'm listening to a Broadway musical? Oh, because Ute Lemper was a stage actress specializing in cabaret. And that's what you're getting in this album. I didn't hate it, but it's also not my bag. 2.5/5 rounded up to a 3.
Started this album and thought, “I like the music, but she’s not a very good singer.” As the album went on, the music continued to be consistently good, and her voice started to grow on me. In the end, this nearly joined the 5-star club, but fell just short. Maybe it’s because her voice can still be a little irksome at times, but in general this is a great album. It earns my highest 4/5.
"Take Me Out" came out while I was in college. It was a jam then. It's still a jam now. The rest of the album is fun. Not revolutionary or anything, but an enjoyable listen. 4/5
I don’t know what it is about The Beatles, but I find it so hard to listen to an album straight through. My working theory is that their songs are so varied and complex that they’re overstimulating and I need a break. (This at least being true of their later stuff, not the simplistic early stuff.)
Me: I don’t like some of these tracks. Also me: playing “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” back in my head the next day. And so, I started listening to this as a contrarian wanting to give it a 3; realizing “ok, this may not be overhyped” and deserves at least a 4; and recognizing by the end that this really is as good as people make it out to be. Each track is a journey in and of itself, but especially in the second half it feels perfectly assembled. Maybe I finally understand The Beatles. The becomes my 14th 5/5 through 150 albums.
It's 39 minutes of electronica soundscapes. Not bad to work to, and much pleasanter than some of the other electronica I've heard. And so while it's not bad, the ceiling for these things is a 3/5 when it's done well, which is what it gets.
The dude sucks. But the music is good.
You know the background music that’s playing in every movie fight scene set in a club? You know the one: Collateral, John Wick, Bad Boys, Blade, etc. That’s basically this album. Or at least one hour of its one hour and thirteen minutes. It’s background filler that occasionally pops up to be interesting and then dips back down into dull electronica. Still, it wasn’t inherently bothersome. Just boring. 2.5/5 rounded up to a 3.
Never been an avid fan of The Black Keys. Wasn't expecting much from this, but it turns out their music is great heard in succession. This was a very pleasant surprise of an album, and rises to the ranks of 5/5.
I appreciate the technical skill. But I don’t care for jam bands, and I don’t care for Hetfield’s voice. This just didn’t get me amped up like other heavier rock bands I’ve listened during this project. It’s fine, but didn’t do much for me. 3/5
Pleasant music from a Malian guitarist in collaboration with an American. Blues with a Malian twist. While I enjoyed it, it wasn’t as impactful as some other foreign language stuff I’ve listened to in this project. 3/5
While this is no “Spirit Journey Formation Anniversary”—which came to Geddy Lee and Master Shake in a dream, performed in collaboration with Zakk Wylde—there’s a lot to enjoy on this album. I’m far from a Rush fan and the 20 minute overture to start the album is a bit over the top, but I found myself reasonably entertained by this. But I don’t think it passes the “would I listen to this again” test, so it’s a 3/5.
Never heard of this band, and it was a fun discovery. 80s Scottish rock band that has enough weirdness to it to interest me. Gets a little too dreamy at times, but otherwise was a fun listen. 4/5
Solid rock, solid soul, and a good voice. It’s a very average album for me. 3/5
To me Jethro Tull and Aqualung were more of a punchline than something to be taken seriously. An Anchorman bit. Having listened to this album in full, this thing rocks. Yes there’s the flute, but there’s also some great electric and acoustic guitar riffs, some lovely strings bits, and some solid piano. I wavered between a high 4 and a low 5, but with no stinkers in the album, I ultimately felt that this was surprising enough to warrant the 5/5.
This is one of those examples of a record that I know is good, and know is highly regarded, but that doesn’t move the needle much for me. I just don’t love the falsetto singing, and lead vocals go a long way towards whether I’ll enjoy a band. So it’s a good sound, but not my cup of tea. 3/5
Tim: You don't need your Slipknot mask!
Trevor: YES I DO!
Tim: When are you going to use it!?
TREVOR: TAKE A SHOWER.
That short scene from Detroiters is the best thing Slipknot has going for them. Because the music itself was bad. This is the second Slipknot album I've pulled and it got worse. Screamo metal with screechy guitars. "Surfacing" has what sounds like an alarm going off at times which is awful. When they're not gargle singing (or breathing like Gail the Snail) it's not too bad, but in this case I think that only happened in one song. I don’t often comment on lyrics, but I swear 50% of the lyrics in these songs is “fuck”. Poets they are not. All in all this was an assault on my ears that I hope never to experience again. My third official 1/5.
Back-to-back 1999 albums, and this one was much more enjoyable. I feel like the name is vaguely familiar, though couldn’t say for certain if I’d listened to him before. Immediately reminded me of artists like Okkervil River or Damien Jurado, maybe early Iron & Wine or Phosphorescent. Really chill indie folk that’s exactly in my wheelhouse. Easy 4/5 upon first listen, and I listened to it a second time to decide if there was enough to inch it up to a 5/5. Is it revolutionary? I don’t think so? But who’s to say how much he influenced those other artists I like. So my gut says that if I enjoyed it twice in a row, and would gladly listen to it a third time, it’s gotta be a 5/5.
I’m starting to feel like once you listened to one Stones album, you’ve listened to them all. Good thing for them they’re all consistently good. “Wild Horses” is obviously really well known, but the final track “Moonlight Mile” really stood out to me. Still, I’ve yet to find an album of theirs that transcends really good to great. 4/5
I am an avowed Santana hater. I gave this as honest a shake as I could give it and… I strongly disliked it. I’m having a hard time articulating what about it I dislike so much. The guitar? The organ? The percussion? The long-winded instrumental sections? "But aren’t you Latino?" Yes, and I dislike it all the same. Give me some cumbia. It’s not enough to warrant a 1, but it’s certainly a 2/5 for me.
Some 3/5's are just kinda average. Others are this. Can something be fun, but you also not particularly like it? That's this album. Good for a listen, but I've no interest in listening to it again. To much synth and too many talk singing parts.
TV on the Radio is one band that did not enter my usual rotation of 2000s indie rock artists. In general, when they slow things down , they’re fantastic. The album starts out just ok, but really picks up steam with “Stork & Owl”. It’s hard to pick a favorite track, as there are many really great ones, but “Family Tree” and “Love Dog” were my big standouts. This album slid from a low 4/5 up to a near 5. Just one or two too many tracks I didn’t enjoy to warrant top marks.
P.s. shoutout to that one scene in Breaking Bad that used “DLZ”, a great track. “Stay out of my territory.”
