Surely not a bad record, but also not one I will probably revisit soon. But I can see why it is included in this list, as it seems to have an interesting middle position between Americana of old predecessors and US American rock bands that have made the 90s a great decade for guitars and rock music.
Highlight: „Grace“ as second to last song that gives both the guitar and the whole sound of the song more space and creates that slight ‚getting out of hand‘ atmosphere.
My 3rd record suggestion by the Albums Generator and the first one I own. Perfect for a hot summer day to open the windows and let the neighbours participate… The first two thirds of the record feel like a collection of (partly great) ideas, the last third starting with „1983“ has great, expressive and creative tracks in a row. And the drumming gives a great counterpart to the guitar play and layers! It is certainly not a cohesive record, but do we really want cohesion from a Jimi Hendrix Experience album?
Highlights: I like the two almost 15 minute long tracks the most, as they feel like having enough air to breath and to capture the jam atmosphere. The studio bystanders in „Voodoo Chile“ that clap and cheer add nicely to this. From the shorter tracks, „Still raining, still dreaming“ is the most complete for me.
This is pure joy to listen to and sometimes hard for me to grasp how an album can speak to so many generations in a way that they all can sing a long. It is full of ideas, lyrics and music are still interesting, it is often heartwarmingly playful and has a great flow. But who to convince?
Highlights: The album‘s beginning with „Come together“ is truly iconic, as are other parts for sure. But I have a special attraction to „Octopus‘s garden“ and the little fantastic world it creates. I never researched the inspiration for and/or meaning of it and will do so immediately :)
It‘s the only Springsteen album that I have listened in its entirety before. It still is not for me. The title track and „Dancing in the dark“ are powerful songs, but overall too less is happening over the course of the album. I almost get annoyed by the repetitivness of the drumming, until „Dancing in the dark“ washes that thought away (side note: I enjoy the almost drum-computer-like drumming on e.g. The war on Drugs records - there the drumming feels like a necessary anchor to hold everything together; on „Born in the U.S.A.“ it feels like a pure byproduct). I like the boss‘s voice but overall the record invites the listener to much to just sway to it…
Highlights: Next to the two mentioned tracks, I liked „Downbound train“ and its sligthly more nostalgic vibe. One reason might be that there is less drumming here as well ;)
I did roughly know what to expect from a Fatboy Slim record, but had never listened to a whole album. I was in for a treat here: Energizing and directly into the legs (great while cooking, although I don‘t know if it added any spice to the yellow curry tonight ;) ). I am not familiar with the genre, but the use of the break beats must be bold. The well-known singles are probably the best tracks, but the album is a great listen overall - also with its fun use of samples and interludes.
Highlights: „Right here, right now“ and „The Rockafeller Skank“ certainly give the album a kick-start. But also the next three songs keep the pace up. Almost all gas, no brakes!
I listened to this album this morning and was pleasently surprised at first, as the first two songs were somehow calm and matched an early morning mood. But overall, the album is mostly lackluster and has mostly superficial and disappointing lyrics that might have led to 90s wall tattoos (that were regreted after). Madonna was probably never the best singer and her voice feels too pressed, e.g. in the higher notes of the title track. But I am open to give it another try with records from different, less esoteric, phases of her career.
Highlight: „Frozen“ is probably the best song and the string arrangements are a nice change of scenery. The same holds true for „The Power of Good-Bye“.
I think I finally clicked with Bob Dylan while listening to this album today. I own "Bringing it all back home" and I have listened it in the past, but got never attached. But it is a coherent record, interesting to explore musically and lyrically and after listening it twice today I can see it becoming a 5/5 for me in the future. The mixture of Folk Rock and more acousting Folk is very well balanced, although I tend to like the more classic Folk-oriented songs even more. I can see why this is a true classic!
Highlights: I especially liked the trio of the last three songs, starting with "Gates of Eden" that creates a great open space with its lyrics. But I also like the fuller, heavier Blues Rock appeal of "Maggie's Farm".
Fun Fact: One of the albums of my personal list of "classic German-speaking records" from Christiane Rösinger (and Andreas Spechtl) called "Songs of L. and Hate" does a great reenactment of the well-known "Bringing it all back home" cover. A great recommendation as well!
The album feels like a true child of it‘s time and has not aged overwhelmingly well. The only reason from my today’s view, why it is included in this list, is probably the commercial success. It‘s clearly Pop music, but has no pop appeal. I like Morten Harket‘s voice, but it is often overwritten with uninspired 80‘s synthies. Even „Take on me“ does not work for me (anymore).
Highlights: Other than „Take on me“, other singles such as „The sun always shines on T.V.“ and „Love is reason“ have stand the test of time a little better.
I have to admit that I had never heard of The Cars before. And while this is probably not a record for the eternities, it was fun to listen to and more than (unknowingly) expected.
I liked the simplicity of the rock songs, the often times clean and crisp guitar and bass lines, but also the synth pop elements and the Queen-like choir parts. Probably quite at the forefront for a late 70s album.
Worst thing is the cover that surprisingly matches bad AI art from 1-2 years ago ;)
Highlights: My favourite tracks were „Just what I needed“ and „Don‘t Cha Stop“.
This was so far the definition of an average album on this list and listenings. Nothing to complain about really, but also nothing to get excited either. So a 3 out of 5 in the most average way and I am not really looking forward to hear it again.
I was a little surprised, how stripped down this record sounds compared to later albums of the band. Sometimes even rawish for them. But overall the record feels like it was being created with the brakes on the whole time, very moderately. I could not hear any individual or Independent sounds and rather a band that still needs to find its own style.
Highlights: I liked „Four Kicks“ the most, which stood out at least a little bit.
This is a nice and somewhat innocent record - a type that you seem to hardly find today anymore. It is not that I miss similar contemporary albums, but it was a nice change of pace (not more).
Highlights: „Anyone who had a heart“ could easily be her Bond song. And I found that her voice shined the Most in „Twenty-four hours from Tulsa“
I never heard a "The Temptations" record, but it was a nice listening session this morning. The vocal harmonies are often times adorable. The same is true for the string and brass arrangements. I like the overall goldish glow that the record has from its original era, although it is a little bit too cozy for my taste in its entirety.
Highlight: I immediately took "Love woke me up this morning" with me. The title itself is already amazingly romantic and the fairytale opening of the track makes it even better. Will be a great addition to any mixtape or playlist!
I am into noise rock and concept albums, so this was a great find for me personally. Listened to loud enough, it started already ringing in my ears and this is a great starting point ;) If you read about the origin story of the concept, it becomes clear that it is rather on the superficial side of concepts. But while being dense musically with the tribally driving drums, this gives the record a fun touch, which you can already tell from the track titles. Bonus points as I am living <200km away from the Brocken!
Highlights: The album is consistent in its weirdness, but I liked the middle part with „We fenced other gardens with the bones of our own“ and „They don‘t want your corn, they want your kids“ the most!
I wasn‘t so familiar with this R.E.M. record and yes, it might not be their best and certainly an eclectic one. But Michael Stipe‘s lyrics and singing and Peter Buck‘s guitar play alone will probably never result in a lower-than-4-star rating for me :)
Highlights: I prefer the seemingly darker and slightly harder songs such as „Orange Crush“, „Turn you inside out“ and „I remember California“ over the more ironic R.E.M.-type Pop songs in the beginning of the album.
This is an album that I actually listened when it came out. Transporting me back to 2013, even back then I would have not included it on a list such as this one. This opinion has not changed. Even then, the record felt a little too uninspired and tame for me and I remember seeing Chvrches live and getting home with the same feeling. All the songs are a little too same of the same and I personally was never a fan of Lauren Mayberry's voice either. The synth pop of that time was probably just not for me. 2/5 stars as the record meant a lot to my friends back then and I will ask them how they (would) hear it today.
I am probably the only one here that is not able to listen to an album a day ;) An advantage is that this gives you a good catalogue of music to choose from, depending on your mood. „White Blood Cells“ recently appeared on my list and I was craving to listen to it: Simply, as the punchy White Stripes Sound can energize me most of the time. Yes, some songs might be a little lazy, but its the good lazy as in ‚we are free on what to do‘. There is a 5/5 record further down their discography, but this record still has the iconic White Stripes sound and asthetics.
Highlight: „Aluminum“ is the noisiest track here and has Jack White as a kind of siren - my highlight!
Hard to rate „Die Mensch-Maschine / The Man Machine“, because of all the iconography the band has build upon itself. Did the electro-pop of „The Man Machine“ partly assemble Kraftwerk as the icon they are today or does them being still so iconic positively reflect on the album even after all these years? Probably both. It certainly is a classic and has great sounds and patterns way ahead of their time. Maybe they are „the German Beatles“. If so, they found a very different way to gain this title than the original Beatles: They found a kind of universal musical language that can easily cross borders, although it might be more distant and sometimes clinical, not heartwarming. But pioneering in minimizing music and lyrics to their very core, without being simple or shallow. No wonder that so many artists and genres could find inspiration in this accessable musical landscape.
