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 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.

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