143
Albums Rated
3.74
Average Rating
13%
Complete
946 albums remaining
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Taste Profile
1990
Favorite Decade
Metal
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Cheerleader
Rater Style ?
19
5-Star Albums
0
1-Star Albums
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By Genre
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By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Kimono My House
Sparks
|
5 | 3.06 | +1.94 |
|
Sea Change
Beck
|
5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
|
3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul
|
5 | 3.45 | +1.55 |
|
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
|
5 | 3.48 | +1.52 |
|
Funeral
Arcade Fire
|
5 | 3.56 | +1.44 |
|
The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
|
5 | 3.58 | +1.42 |
|
Exile On Main Street
The Rolling Stones
|
5 | 3.6 | +1.4 |
|
A Grand Don't Come For Free
The Streets
|
4 | 2.65 | +1.35 |
|
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
|
5 | 3.67 | +1.33 |
|
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
|
5 | 3.68 | +1.32 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Water From An Ancient Well
Abdullah Ibrahim
|
2 | 3.04 | -1.04 |
5-Star Albums (19)
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Popular Reviews
David Bowie · 1 likes
4/5
Not sure how I lived my whole life and had never heard even one song on this album that I really recall - it doesn't really have any "hits" in the classic Bowie canon but still enjoyed this overall. The remastered version sounds great, and the band seems pretty locked in - the piano playing in general stands out, and some excellent guitar riffs. Musically interesting enough but still anchored in classic rock sounds. It's glam but in sort of a sleazy way, plenty of sex/drugs/rock and roll to go around in the lyrics. Hard for me to rank this in the context of his overall discography but I certainly wouldn't put it above Ziggy Stardust, but still an enjoyable listen.
The Waterboys · 1 likes
4/5
Really liked this - knew this band but not this album in particular. Cool mix of sounds, in general I think I liked the ones that best straddled the line between the various influences here. Sweet Thing for me is the high point of the album - interesting beat, more Pogues-esque vocals (with a cool riff on Blackbird at the end) and a really need fiddle part. I think it slows down a little when it gets really traditional Celtic-style towards the end (nothing wrong with Celtic folk music, it's just not as interesting when played "straight" here) but Stolen Child has a great atmosphere as an almost-closer (odd choice to throw in a snippet of This Land at the very end?) Overall this was really good and will definitely have replay value for me.
All Ratings
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Right up my alley jazz-wise, not too “challenging” like some later Miles Davis or Coltrane but clearly Evans is a master at his craft and is playing with two other guys who are locked into the same wavelength. Will definitely get some repeat spins.
The Cars
4/5
Epic opening three-song run of classic hits that is pretty unreal for a debut album, a few others that I'd not spent much time listening to before that are still great in their own right. I'm not sure too much else sounded like this in 1978 with the sort of punk roots, but pop sensibility and quirky synth leads. Ric Ocasek is a legend
Iron Maiden
5/5
One of the best and most influential metal albums ever, a true classic. Sonic signifiers that became standard for a whole sub-genre of metal - chugging riffs, dueling double/triple guitar leads, soaring vocals. I love it.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
Huge influence on a lot of stuff I love including one of my favorite bands of all time (The Hold Steady), Phil Lynott was so effortlessly cool and I love how much his bass playing stands out here. Some classic tracks I knew, others I didn't - Emerald was a standout that I hadn't heard before. Band is super tight, ripping guitar solos (overdubs be damned), great energy.
MGMT
3/5
This is a weird one to rate - three absolutely spectacular (pun intended) songs that might represent the apex of aughts indie rock, and then a lot of tracks that are sort of...fine? I don't think it's actually great as an ALBUM. I'll admit the back half of this record never got a lot of spins from me even when it first came out so it was sort of like listening to it for the first time. Weekend Wars is probably the "best of the rest" for me. I do like the production and sort of the proggy psychadelia of it all but but it just feels like there is too much filler.
Nina Simone
4/5
Some absolutely stunning songs - Four Women is one I had somehow never heard and absolutely floored me both musically and thematically. For me the slowest songs are the best, her voice is truly unique and I love how unprocessed, raw and in some cases slightly imperfect it sounds. The piano playing is incredible and I don't think I'd every fully processed just how good she is. The R&B and blues-y numbers are still good but don't hit quite as hard, but still show off her versatility. Truly a one of a kind artist.
Abdullah Ibrahim
2/5
I really wanted more from this - with the album title as well as the artist being a prominent jazz pianist from South Africa, I thought we would get 1) more piano (seemed mostly buried by the horns) and 2) some sort of different musical flavor identifying this as being from somewhere discernible. It was just sort of middle of the road jazz, pleasing and proficient enough, but just didn't do much for me. Some pretty moments and I like the base line on Mannenberg a lot but other than that pretty forgettable.
The Beach Boys
4/5
I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting - I thought this would be more of the early garage-rock/surfin' all the time vibe and actually could hear in the music where this leads into Pet Sounds and what Brian was trying to do later on. The instrumentation seemed much more ornate and you can hear the "wall of sound" influence from Phil Spector that makes it sound huge. It actually feels like more of an album rather than just a collection of songs and I actually liked the back half a lot more with the slower songs (which I think was intentional in terms of the album structure). Not in the realm of "masterpiece" like I'd consider Pet Sounds and Smile, but a lot to like about this for me.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Hard to give an album that closes with "Free Bird" anything less than 4 stars - agree that it's rare to see a band come blazing right out of the gates like this (see also: MGMT). Hadn't heard the songs outside of the big 4 but honestly quite liked the groove on "Poison Whiskey", the others were a bit more forgettable but fine. Not a band I listen to regularly but they certainly have their place in the annals of American rock.
R.E.M.
4/5
Sensing a theme here - despite containing perhaps my single favorite REM song (The One I Love) I hadn't spent a lot of time (or any) with many of the songs here. I'm an absolute sucker for this early indie jangle-pop sound and this does not disappoint in that vein. Finest Worksong comes roaring out of the gates, echoes of "How Soon is Now?" for sure. I love how much of a time capsule this is from 1987 thematically as well, so many socio-political references including the 392 contained in just End of the World itself (which is fun but not my favorite REM song by any stretch, although what other song allows you to shout LEONARD BERNSTEIN at the top of your lungs). Disturbance at the Heron House is another highlight I hadn't heard before. Really enjoyed this one overall.
Pulp
3/5
Having only ever heard Common People before as one of the all-time Britpop anthems (and a great song) this one was sort of interesting to dive into. I do like the overwhelming wry British-ness of it all and the sort of smothering sense of dead-end working class lives that he represents, it's certainly not very uplifting but really invokes a sense of place. Some cool musical moments, like I Spy with its lush orchestration and feeling like a Bond credits song but being about class warfare. Some fun melodies and whoa-oh-oh parts. Did I love it? No, but definitely don't hate it either.
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
A lot to like about this - although I'm not a "jam band" guy per se, I can definitely appreciate the creativity and musical virtuosity on display all over the place here from basically one of the two OG's of the genre. Duane is rightly regarded as one of the best guitarists of all time even though his time with the band was cut short later this year and his fingerprints are all over this recording (Whipping Post in particular is just an incredible feat of ripping solos). The rhythm section is tight, Gregg's vocals sound like he's a seasoned 50 year old blues guy despite being in his early 20s here, and just the overall live feel and energy of this is great. I think this set a high early bar for best rock live albums and for me it's not too hard to see why.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
I'm sure this will be another generally despised album in a string of rough ones for the group but I actually kinda liked it, having heard of Jonathan Richman as an artist before but never this band per se, and was my first listen to this album. I can hear how you can draw a line right from the Velvet Underground through these guys to eventually what punk would become, and enjoyed the relatively lo-fi and straightforward nature of the songwriting and vocal delivery. Roadrunner is a super fun song and I like the self-deprecating and sort of downer lyrics on some of the other tracks. May not get a ton of repeat spins as an album but I can totally see why this was influential and found it a pretty fun listen.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
While feeling the need to acknowledge the importance of this period of time and this artist in the history of American folk music, not really for me. It was cool to hear Woody Guthrie on the song about NYC and read more about how Ramblin Jack was a bridge from him to Dylan but musically there's just not enough going on here to warrant repeat listens.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Slam dunk 5 stars here for one of the best albums ever made - I don't know that it would be in my top personal favorites, but its cultural import is nearly unmatched. The production is awesome (thanks Quincy Jones) and the songs speak for themselves for the most part with almost no weak moments - if I had to pick one (and it feels bad to say with it being the one feature from another legend) the weakest track is probably The Girl is Mine, but even the other two lesser-known songs are actually pretty great. Baby Be Mine is a lovely little funk groove and slow ambience of The Lady in My Life is kinda nice too. An absolute classic for a reason!
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Tale of two halves for me on this one - I definitely prefer the fast and funky side of this band rather than the slow-jam soul side of this band, and it seemed like they were consciously trying to rotate back and forth between every track. Overall the musicianship is impeccable, and they just exude tightness, with every horn stab and guitar lick in just the right place for maximum groove on the faster tracks (bass playing in particular is a standout). Shining Star is a 70s funk classic for good reason, and Happy Feelin and Africano are great. The slow side loses me a bit though, even though I can sort of see the seeds of 90's R&B here (the talking part on All About Love?!). Closer could have been more interesting with fun time signature to start but then sort of devolves into a basic bossa nova. Overall a pleasant enough listen but I wanted more as a whole album honestly.
The Triffids
2/5
I feel like honestly I probably should have liked this album more than I actually did - I do resonate with this sort of very dramatic 80s production, I like the vaguely folk-y instrumentation in parts, the brooding/dark (almost emo at times?) lyrics. Had never heard of this band but maybe they were sort of like the Australian answer to the Smiths or Simple Minds, which I SHOULD like in theory, but something about it all just didn't quite work the same. Blinder by the Hour is actually a pretty decent song and I enjoyed it quite a bit, but some clunkers for sure. Didn't hate it but not likely to return to it.
Patti Smith
4/5
For an album so massively influential in genres I like, I'd never listened to this all the way through somehow but I think it's pretty amazingly original, and would probably go 4.5 stars if I could. The opener is just awesome with the opening lines, starting slowly and then just taking off into punk (before punk was really even a thing) fury. Her vocals are so versatile, ranging from like a Joni Mitchell-esque beauty to the snarling punk with those little yelpy inflections that would be copied by so many to come. The lyrics are beautiful in a surreally weird way and just so atypical for the genre this spawned that eventually would lean very no-nonsense and often political - she definitely thought of herself as a poet first and foremost and you can totally see why. Nothing sounded like this in 1975 and to me Patti Smith is rightly lauded as a patron saint of punk.
The Only Ones
3/5
Not bad honestly and has some things I kinda like - sort of slacker British vibe with sad-sack lovelorn lyrics, some bits of punk and classic rock, decent guitar work. Another Girl, Another Planet is the standout and kinda reminds of the Replacements or the Hold Steady even. Some sort of ska/reggae-ish bits that remind me of the Clash. The faster/rockier songs are definitely the best. Didn't hate it overall.
Gorillaz
4/5
Although it's not a completely even album in terms of back-to-front quality, I remember when this first came out and just how original and unlike anything else it felt. Seeing the video for "Clint Eastwood" for the first time on MTV was pretty mind blowing and that song is still the high water mark for me - Del's verses are incredible, the production is moody, and just creates the sort of dark creeping unease that maybe it is "all in your head". You can still hear Blur in some of the songs but this is clearly Damon's outlet for his weirder impulses to mess with sounds and genres and it does make for a super interesting listen. I also love Dan the Automator and his sort of old-school hip hop production leanings, and can see how this connects to Deltron 3030 (another personal favorite) as well. Tomorrow Comes Today is another highlight that I just love the atmosphere of. Overall certainly not a perfect album but a very enjoyable listen.
ABBA
4/5
I liked this more than I thought I would - I think there is a tendency to dismiss ABBA as "boomer music" that is so vanilla that even everyone's most conservative relatives still like it, but when you actually listen to it I can really appreciate the songcraft and the meticulously layered production. Dancing Queen stands with its own place on the list of all-time great pop songs, but I really liked a few others I hadn't known before, like Tiger. Is it a bit cheesy/maudlin at times, sure, but not any more so that a lot of other pop that followed and was influenced by this. I had to look this up but the original closer on the album was the song Arrival - I found this a pretty stunning listen honestly, and looked up that the original title was "Ode to Dalecarlia" which is actually the province in Sweden where my family is from. I can hear the traditional fiddle music that my aunt got us into and I actually spent some time learning as a kid, which is pretty cool.
The Thrills
3/5
Didn't mind this at all, sort of dig the sunny 60s Laurel Canyon sound and harmonies. Does feel like a bit of an artifact of its time, although this predated things like the Kooks that sort of followed the template here and got way bigger. I can see why some find his voice grating but it added a little charm and something unique. Seems like good music to put on hanging outside by some water, not bad at all but not mind-blowing.
PJ Harvey
4/5
Despite knowing a decent amount about PJ Harvey as an artist I've not spent a lot of time with her music, but probably will after this. I listened to this twice through to make sure I actually liked it and was not just rating based on "importance" (which I do think it is that as well) and landed on it being pretty great. Emotional, dark, angsty, raw, feminist - I can definitely see how Patti Smith was a forerunner for this in some regards (and people like St. Vincent very much follow in PJ's footsteps), but I don't think much existed like this in 1992 quite yet. Kurt Cobain was a big fan and apparently this was a big influence on In Utero. I love the dexterity of her voice (when she goes into the sort of falsetto parts at the ends of phrases especially) and some of these lyrics hit pretty hard ("ease myself into a body bag", woof). Musically a lot of pretty crushing but simple riffs, and I really like the drumming. I actually started listening to her follow up album and feel like I'll probably like that one even more.
Elton John
3/5
I’d probably go 3.5 on this if I could - the first two songs are unquestionably great, Tiny Dancer timelessly so. We know Elton’s voice, it’s great here and he definitely sounds young. Piano playing is excellent per usual. I think my issue is the back half of the album sounds sort of mid-tempo same-y? I like the orchestral flourishes but maybe they’re used too much? Bernie Taupin’s lyrics are cool in places, sometimes a bit obtuse. Nothing wrong with this at all, just didn’t strike me as the greatest overall entry in Elton’s catalog (wait until we get to Yellow Brick Road)
Muddy Waters
4/5
I'll preface this review by saying I've never been a "blues guy" - I know many people in my life that love this music (and rightly so, there's a lot to love) - I've just never really gotten it. Muddy is a legend, undoubtedly, and helped to translate where Robert Johnson started to a whole new audience with his electrified Chicago sound. His talent and influence are clearly on display here and this for me went from 3 to 4 stars just based on who this man was. I do love the raw Delta blues influence here rather than maybe a more polished BB King sound - my hot take is that there is only so much you can do with a 12-bar blues pattern, and there often just isn't enough variety for me to hold my interest across a whole album. My favorite song here might actually be the acoustic "I Can't Be Satisfied" just because it was so different from the relentless shred surrounding it. One other musical critique - the overdriven harmonica originally started out being awesome, but became way too much by the end, I felt it made the music too busy and cluttered a lot of the verses, could have used more space to breathe. All in all this is really good, I just have to acknowledge my own personal limitations when it comes to interacting with this style of music.
Stan Getz
4/5
I've known about this album before as the thing that brought bossa nova to the masses (like our grandparents generation who had vinyl probably definitely had this one) and certainly have heard the opening track but hadn't gone much further than that with it - despite my initial gut feeling that this is "muzak-ish" (which maybe it kind of is) there's really a lot to love here. The hushed intimate production, how in the forefront the vocals are and some of the melody voicings, the sax tone, all great. You can envision yourself in the 60s in a smoky, dimly lit bar by Copacabana sipping a capirinha and subtly nodding along to the vibes. It's just all so calming, maybe the critique is that it's too much so by the end, and the bossa nova pattern gets a bit repetitive, but overall not a lot to dislike here at all. Can see this being in the "calm jazz afternoon" rotation for sure!
Pere Ubu
3/5
I tried to come at this one with an open mind and feel like it definitely benefited from a second listen. As someone who is a fan of some music with non-traditional/out-there vocals, I actually found the utter uniqueness of his approach to be pretty amazing and like nothing else I've ever heard (some David Byrne parallels in his weirder moments maybe?) This band is rightly lauded as a pioneer of "art punk" and although it's really hard to find any super direct influences, there are for sure seeds of this in later indie rock bands that I can think of like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. It's a weird unsettling soundscape in parts, but also has some very cool musical moments behind it that feel a bit more straightforward. Caligari's Mirror is a standout for me - the deranged delivery, the drunken sailor chorus overlaid on an almost Skynyrd-like riff, I loved it actually. Trying to sort of keep my ratings in context and I'm not sure I'd quite go 4 but found this a super interesting listen.
4/5
Thought this was really good and musically interesting - some Beatles-esque parts to be sure but I really liked the orchestration, cool little horn parts, etc. first half of the album is much stronger, Easter Theatre in particular is stunning (hints of Grizzly Bear) and also loved Greenman. A couple slightly cheesy songs in the second half but finishes strong. Really enjoyed overall.
Pere Ubu
3/5
Despite being more straightforward and less overtly weird I’m not sure I liked this quite as much as Dub Housing? Still some good instrumental moments and odd soundscapes that made it an interesting listen and a template for more arty post-punk bands.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Similar to many other so far, this is an album with one timeless classic that I'd never really listened to as an album. Stevie is an artist (I had this same reaction to EWF) that I prefer as "fast and funky" rather than "slow and sentimental" but there were a few surprises in here that I really liked. In particular Lookin for Another Pure Love - had a suspicion when he said "play it Jeff" but confirmed that the solo and overall cool guitar work were indeed Jeff Beck. Loved the social commentary on Big Brother and lyrically how it was a break from the mostly love-oriented lyrics on the rest of the album. I will say that even on the slow songs though - the chord voicings are often interesting and atypical and evidence of his musical genius. Overall, maybe not quite his apex yet, but very very good.
The Temptations
4/5
Honestly not what I expected at all based on the sound of most of their classic hits, but really dug it - this is apparently where they pivoted sound almost entirely from their romantic Motown roots and I loved the funkier, grittier, more psychedelic sound, as well as the more sociopolitical themes. Sounded more Stax records than traditional Motown which is the sound of 60s soul that I greatly prefer. Cool instrumentation, extended solos, excellent vocals - sign me up.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Fantastic album and pretty revolutionary for 1990 when this sort of eclectic sample approach to beatmaking was just starting to take off. I’d give it 4.5 stars if I could but am trying to situate this within the rest of their discography and know I have two 5 star classics to come. Honestly despite being part of the group I was surprised at how little Phife Dawg there is here and it primarily comes off as a Q-Tip project (not a bad thing by any means as his flow and production approach are just so unique). Bonita Applebum is probably my favorite song and is in the list of their all-time greats, but so many other good moments. Footprints is one I hadn’t listened to a ton but hard to wrap your head around just how different this beat was in its time and how much this style would influence 90s boom bap. Overall super super good just not quite my favorite Tribe.
Van Morrison
3/5
Nothing wrong with this at all - didn’t make it quite all the way through but heard enough to form an opinion. Tend to agree that although the live stuff feels live, some of the adlibs that in some cases adds to the song (piano in particular) sometimes the vocal rework of familiar songs doesn’t quite come off. In general totally fine but Van just hasn’t really ever been a favorite of mine.
Solid enough blues rock. Rod Stewart has sort of this almost incomparable rasp to his voice like he smoked 3 packs a day for years (even though he is apparently only 28 here). For me the standout is the keyboard work (intro to Stay with Me is pretty iconic) as well as some of Ronnie Wood's guitar playing - you can hear what he brought over to the Stones in just a few years from when this was recorded. Fun Chuck Berry cover. Didn't knock my socks off mostly but competent and good energy.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Not a lot to say about this album that hasn't already been said, but an easy 5 if there is one. Like Thriller, an almost unbelievable amount of timeless songs packed onto one album. The counterpoint of the Buckingham songs, the Nicks songs, the McVie songs, it all works. The harmonies are impeccable, the songwriting is excellent (the build on The Chain is almost worth the price of admission alone), the instrumentation, everything. An all-time classic and bestselling album for a reason!
U2
4/5
I'll start by saying I love this album - it's just not quite in the S-tier of U2 for me so I can't quite justify 5 stars. However - the highs are very high in terms of their overall discography. New Year's Day is certainly on my personal greatest hits album, and Like a Song and Drowning Man have always been massive favorites of mine that have never gotten the same level of attention. The guitar work and harmonics on the latter are like nothing else they've really ever done and are just stunning. I love the way this sits at sort of the transitional period between the more raw post-punk energy of Boy/October and the more anthemic Unforgettable Fire/Joshua Tree era. Perhaps the sociopolitical themes here are more pronounced than any other U2 album, even for a band known for their public activism. A few songs that are more forgettable than others that probably hold this back from getting into the top tier for me, but still a personal favorite.
Aerosmith
4/5
This actually shredded a lot harder than I was expecting and I liked it quite a bit. It comes screaming out of the gates and I think this was the only song on the album I'd actually ever heard before. Steven Tyler's voice is pretty incomparable, and Joe Perry's guitar work on this is really really good and maybe I've underrated him. Great riffs, great solos, musically interesting enough moments that keep it from feeling too same-y. Loved the vocal harmonies especially on Sick as a Dog. I certainly wouldn't call this heavy metal, but I can see how this sort of bridged the gap between Zeppelin (see: Nobody's Fault) and later metal and hard rock acts (I see seeds of things like GnR here as well). Loved to be pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this overall.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Tough one to rate. The title track is amazing and absolutely floored me, probably my favorite single song I've heard from her so far. Even more dark and unhinged than her debut and I was ready to like this album even more. The second song is really good with an almost Midwest emo-like guitar pattern to start. However, nothing really super grabbed or stuck out to me in most of the rest of the album, despite liking some of the tone and energy. The drumming is still great, even heavier guitars, more contrast in the quiet/loud sections, production is pretty raw (thanks Steve Albini), but maybe the songwriting just isn't as good (or at least didn't speak to me as much)? Dylan cover is kinda cool, I liked especially the vocals on Me-Jane as well. Overall a step down from Dry for me.
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
Really like this, and had somehow never really given these guys a chance. Great vocals and even better guitar work - some really unique chord voicings that I think set this apart from a lot of other 90s alt bands. Actually loved the acoustic "Small Black Flowers" with the harp, and a lot of neat production flourishes throughout - it just sounds great and polished which to me is not a bad thing here. I spent too much time trying to figure out if this was Britpop or not (maybe adjacent?) but you can see how it sort of fits next to Oasis and early Radiohead while still very much carving out its own lane. The closer is amazing, just a fantastic riff. Definitely will listen to more Manics after this!
CHIC
3/5
We finally arrive at the disco era! This was just sort of OK - Le Freak is clearly one of the all-time great dance grooves, and I Want Your Love is pretty good, but most of the rest of this album didn't do too much for me. I'm giving it two stars just for the bass playing alone which is pretty phenomenal, and another star for Nile Rodgers being a songwriting and producing legend, but there's too much filler for extended song durations, especially on the slow songs, for me to love this as an album.
The Stooges
4/5
Has any album every been as perfectly encapsulated in the title as this one is? It's certainly raw, very powerful, and just overall a fun listen. Pivotal in the development of punk rock and really like very few other things that existed in 1973. Some slower Doors-esque moments that are still good, but when this goes it goes hard, and it takes off right from the outset. Iggy was a front man that broke the mold and I think this somehow captures almost a live energy in the studio. A monumental and influential rock record and I loved it.
Arcade Fire
5/5
I'll admit some bias here but this was a "love at first listen" album for me in college, and I hadn't revisited it in totality in a while. I think it's an almost perfect indie rock album that is bombastic and over the top in all the right ways, both vocally and instrumentally, but also gives you a break at the right times. Putting the monumental anthems of Wake Up and Rebellion (Lies) back to back would have been almost too much, so Haiti is in between as a bit of a break before diving right back in. I love the counterpoint of Win and Regine's vocals, I love the ornateness of the arrangements, the mid-song changes in direction, how it all flows, everything. I still think this is their best album of a pretty great opening three-album run (yes Suburbs is great too) and to have this be a debut is just stunning.
Nanci Griffith
4/5
Actually thought this was quite good - it's sort of a pleasing/innocuous package at first, but I like some of the story-based lyrics and some of the more subtle musical flourishes with the steel guitar and dobro. There's definitely more Joni Mitchell and folk in here than classic country I would say. Could see listening to this alongside Alison Krauss to some degree although there's not much bluegrass.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
2/5
I might come back to this one to try and get through the whole thing (I didn't make it) but yeah, this just really isn't for me, although I think it probably almost perfectly encapsulates what it was like to watch a noodly psych-rock band in San Francisco in 1969. I've said I'm not a jam guy really, but appreciate great musicianship - the problem is this is even way more experimental than the Dead and certainly less musically proficient than the Allmans, and just feels too aimless at points. Maybe I'd raise the rating with a more careful listen but I just kinda wanted to move on which is probably a bad sign.
Massive Attack
4/5
Hadn't been familiar with this one outside of Unfinished Sympathy (which is fantastic) but this is such a novel mix of styles and genres and has such a unique flavor. I think I like the tracks with more of a dark/foreboding/minor key atmosphere, the opening song is just immaculate in this regard with the pulsing baseline, the vocal, and the synths providing the overall mood. Great stuff. The rapping/flow does sound a bit dated at times but then I remembered it was 1991 and the hip hop scene was pretty nascent in the UK. Although their sound would certainly develop further in later works this is a pretty great debut.
The xx
4/5
This is definitely one of those "vibe" albums that is perfect for late night listening, and I think it's pretty effective at that. It's sparse and minimalist but quite beautiful at times. Intro is such a good opener and there are a lot of moments I really like. The back and forth vocals, the use of space, the way the instruments sort of reverb and decay into space. I get how this isn't for everyone but I think it fits an interesting niche.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
Wow, I generally consider myself pretty well-versed in hip-hop and had no idea this even existed, and was surprised to learn that it's actually Michael Franti! Thought this was really good if perhaps a bit too on-the-nose for our current times even though it was released in 1992. My first thought was Public Enemy, which is probably valid to a point given the subject matter and his Chuck D-like baritone, but he's relentlessly socially conscious in a way that PE never quite was. Satanic Reverses hits hard right out of the gates and the message never really lets up. I like the somewhat non-traditional samples even if the beats themselves are a little more standard for the time. The best song from the album (California Uber Alles) wasn't streaming so I looked it up on Youtube and was not disappointed. Overall really enjoyed and some songs from this will definitely go in the rotation.
Radiohead
4/5
Although I wouldn't put this in my personal Radiohead top 5 albums, it's still great, and sits at an interesting position between the glitchy electronica of Kid A/Amnesiac and the relatively more "traditional rock" In Rainbows (Phil gets to play drums on almost every song!) Some songs here that I absolutely love, like Sit Down, Stand Up and There, There, and this is probably the most political Radiohead ever got. Some pretty dark repeated snatches of lyrics that have stuck with me over the years ("walk into the jaws of hell", "I will eat you alive") and just an overall sort of paranoid vibe. They're always musically interesting, and although it isn't the top of the mountain for this band, there's still a lot to love.
Public Enemy
4/5
Pretty damn good and as uncompromising as PE became known for. Although I don't think it quite reaches the heights of Nation of Millions or Fear of a Black Planet, there are some great songs here. Shut Em Down is a classic, and Bring the Noise goes so hard and is a near-perfect early example of what a rap/metal hybrid should be. By the Time I Get to Arizona is super funky and I love the live instrumentation feel. Overall the production feels a bit weaker than the classic Bomb Squad era but Chuck's flow does feel more updated for the 90s. Really liked this having not ever listened to it as a full album before.
Alanis Morissette
5/5
To me, this is a pretty monumental statement of an album (turns out it wasn't actually her debut though) that captures such a wide range of emotions with a pile of pretty great songs. Part of this may be nostalgia for hearing so many of these songs ALL the time on the radio growing up (at least 6?!) but I do thing there is actually a lot going on musically that I love as well. You Oughta Know is such a behemoth vocal performance, but I think what really sets it apart are the quite/loud dynamics and Flea's awesome bass lines. On a full listen though, I think Forgiven might stand out as the best song on the album, both lyrically and musically, just a stunning song, even though it was never a single. My wife pointed out that there was a hidden track on the original CD that was just acapella and it's amazing as well. This album inspired a generation of female artists and has a well deserved place on many all-time best of lists.
David Bowie
4/5
Not sure how I lived my whole life and had never heard even one song on this album that I really recall - it doesn't really have any "hits" in the classic Bowie canon but still enjoyed this overall. The remastered version sounds great, and the band seems pretty locked in - the piano playing in general stands out, and some excellent guitar riffs. Musically interesting enough but still anchored in classic rock sounds. It's glam but in sort of a sleazy way, plenty of sex/drugs/rock and roll to go around in the lyrics. Hard for me to rank this in the context of his overall discography but I certainly wouldn't put it above Ziggy Stardust, but still an enjoyable listen.
The Byrds
3/5
The Streets
4/5
I tried to give this as open-minded of a listen as I could and came away thinking it was actually pretty good. As with Pulp, there's something about overwhelmingly British music that I sort of gravitate to and I liked the way this captures the mundanity of a slice of working class life in a sort of endearing way. His flow is atypical and almost qualifies as spoken word rather than hip hop but I think you sort of have to take this as a whole narrative sweep with the overarching story. Boy loses money, finds girl, loses girl, finds money, but along the way wrestles with alcoholism, gambling addition, crappy friends. Blinded by the Lights really stood out to me as capturing an uneasy night out at the bar not sure if his friends were going to show up, taking drugs by yourself just for something to do, and eventual paranoia leading to euphoria. Some pretty catchy choruses throughout. Probably one I'll come back to!
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
One of the easiest 5 stars I've handed out and would go more if I could. This is a monumentally incendiary achievement of an album and almost single-handedly invented a genre (that would come to be poorly copied and maligned eventually - and I supposed Licensed to Ill might like a word here but it's such an apples/oranges comparison I think). The opening 3-song salvo of Bombtrack, Killing in the Name of, and Take the Power Back is just unbelievable. The "mother****er!!!!" in Killing in the Name is one of the most viscerally angry moments in all of music for me. My middle school self loved this album but certainly didn't appreciate the message - that came with time, but Zack's lyrics are what really set Rage apart from their peers. Tom Morello invented sounds that literally never been heard out of a guitar before, and the rhythm section is just pummeling. No skips on this album for me, Wake Up is another high point and Freedom is just an epic closer. It's just so good and arguably they never quite recaptured these heights as a total work, although later albums had their individual high points. A stunning debut on all fronts.
David Bowie
4/5
Quite interesting to get this one on the back of Aladdin Sane (how random is this really?!) but almost a 180 in tone for a guy who was known for constant reinvention. Completely left the glam rock behind and went almost yacht rock in parts, in a good way? Another album where I knew a few songs (the bookend tracks, which are the "hits" and probably still the best songs) but hadn't listened to the rest. Some great grooves throughout (Fame being my favorite), funky instrumentation, but the backing vocals are what really stand out. I read that this was a then-unknown Luther Vandross which is a fun bit of trivia. Nice take on Across the Universe. Overall quite good, don't think this is a genius-level work but solid.
Oasis
3/5
So I generally quite like Oasis, I just think this didn't quite get past the level of "pretty good rock album" for me. If I could give it a 3.5 I would, don't think it's quite a 4 though. IMO the only truly great song from their catalog that shows up here is Live Forever (honorable mention for Slide Away and Supersonic). The opener is pretty rip-roaring as well, but the album overall just doesn't hit anywhere close to Morning Glory as a whole for me. Nothing wrong with it at all and probably a generally decent debut all things considered but just placing this one in context for me, it's much less of a standout.
T. Rex
3/5
Thought this was pretty good, maybe didn't rock quite as hard as I expected for what I knew of T. Rex's influence on the glam scene, but I do really like Marc Bolan's voice and can see how this influenced a lot of more indie-minded bands in years to come (like I definitely heard some MGMT in their more psychedelic moments here as an example). Get it On is a fantastic song, some unique instrumentation choices throughout (bongos?). Overall didn't leap out to me as a masterpiece but found plenty to enjoy.
Tina Turner
4/5
An icon who resurrected her career with this album and actually I really liked it. It's super 80s in production but for me that's not such a bad thing at all. Her voice is a weapon - the rasp, the grit, all of it. When she goes up the octave on the title track (which I learned was written by Mark Knopfler?!) it's quite something. Steel Claw I had never heard before but rips pretty hard. Some great covers, I think Can't Stand the Rain is the best but also a unique take on Help! Would listen to again for sure.
Keith Jarrett
4/5
This is what this project is all about for me - would probably have never known of or listened to this on my own (despite playing piano myself and this being, apparently, the best selling solo piano album ever?) His playing is so impressive, especially for an extended improvisation, and he finds these mesmerizing sort of grooves in parts. Runs that display his virtuosity but also slow and atmospheric vibes as well. Very cool chord voicings (I heard some echoes of this in Hornsby's playing). Really really enjoyed this one.
Frank Zappa
4/5
Actually really enjoyed this, and from what I know, this is about as "straightforward" as Zappa gets. It's jazzy, funky, bluesy with a layer of experimentation in there, but not too experimental. Excellent instrumental performances all around, some violin shredding from Jean-Luc Ponty, great drumming. Willie the Pimp is an absolute standout song with a super cool groove and amazing Captain Beefheart vocals. I dig it.
Bob Dylan
4/5
This is the Dylan era that hits just right for me, when he had just plugged in but still straddled his folk-y roots. Some epic lyrics here and great songcraft from a songwriter and lyricist par excellence. Some songs I'd definitely never heard, standouts were Love Minus Zero and It's Alright Ma. Enjoyed this a lot.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Definitely don't hate this and can find things to like, although I may not quite believe the praise of this as quite a masterpiece. The percussion is probably the best part, full of skittering beats, hand claps, and found sounds. Her vocals definitely show a wide range of emotions, bordering on unhinged at times, and some great (funny? wry?) lyrics at times, Under the Table, Cosmonaut and For Her in particular stood out in that department. Not sure how many repeat spins this will get from me (I did listen a few times when it first came out, but not much since), but can appreciate what she achieved here.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
Another band where I know the hits but not much else, and really liked this. Pioneers of electronic dance music for sure, some club-ready disco flavored tunes, and also some slower moments that I really enjoyed (It Couldn't Happen Here is pretty stunning). It's a Sin is probably the highlight of the album but a lot to like here for me.
Otis Redding
5/5
Amazing album. This is the sort of Memphis soul that I'll take over Motown any day - that classic raw Stax sound with Booker T and the MGs as the house band, and one of the greatest voices of all time. Some great takes on classic songs that are either Otis covers of more famous versions (My Girl, Change is Gonna Come) or original songs that became classic covers for others (Respect). 60s soul doesn't get much better than this for my money.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
Janelle Monae is so impressive as an artist and performer, and this is a hell of a statement of a full debut album. The concept, the breadth of styles, vocal prowess, the instrumentation, it all works. Embodies cool androgyny more than anyone since Prince (which makes sense as I think they were close). The orchestral suites just add to the grandness of it all. I loved it, would go 4.5 if that were an option :)
Nirvana
5/5
Not a lot of albums that changed the face of music and popular culture almost with one fell swoop (and yes I know Nirvana didn't invent grunge), but this is one of them. Colossal album that deserves its rightful place in history.
D'Angelo
4/5
I love turn of the millenium neo-soul and this is ground zero right here. Although it doesn't quite reach the heights of Voodoo, this is such an impressive debut. One of the great pure singers of all time for me, especially his falsetto, and there's so much gospel-influenced multi-tracking of harmonies that I love, particularly on Me and Those Dreamin Eyes, and Higher is gospel to its core. Title track is a perfect fusion of Native Tongues boom-bap with R&B that was so outside the norm of what R&B was in 1995. Lady speaks for itself, what an impeccable song. Only one really weak track for me which is When We Get By. Great stuff overall.
Hugh Masekela
3/5
Fela Kuti
4/5
Great stuff here, fabulous drumming (no surprise), excellent horn section. Fela's vocals are energetic, I like the parts where the whole band sings as well as some of the call and response. Only critique is that sometimes the songs stretch on a bit long without enough melodic development/chord changes, but overall really enjoyed the energy.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Not much to say about this one that hasn't been said, but a classic in every sense of the word. Each song (except for maybe Four Sticks) is timeless in its own right. Plant wailing, Page shredding, Bonham playing the ever-loving crap out of the drums, JPJ being the underrated glue guy holding it all together. Opens with an iconic acapella verse and ends with an iconic song that starts with one of the greatest and best-sounding drum beats ever. And a little song called Stairway to Heaven in the middle that is still great despite being played to death to the point it almost became a meme (thanks Wayne's World). One of the best albums ever.
The Charlatans
2/5
Nothing wrong with this really at all, a few nice songs, but I had to go back to my Definitely Maybe review to make sure I rated this less than that. Oasis is the first touchpoint that clearly came to mind - although it's maybe not totally fair to call them a knockoff as they pre-dated Noel and Liam, but this just felt like pretty paint-by-numbers Britpop. It did have some keyboards, though, so maybe Oasis with Organs? Pretty forgettable in the end.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Prince
4/5
As a huge Prince fan, I do love this album - you can hear the seeds of the sound he perfected on Purple Rain (trying to pin a genre on Prince is a bit reductive, but electrofunkpop?), but it's not quite the overall masterpiece that I think the latter is. Two all-timers right out of the gates, and then it loses a bit of steam before picking up in the latter half. DMSR is awesome with the party call-and-response vibes, and the groove on Lady Cab Driver is impeccable. Some great solos but not quite as much shredding as you might want. Overall great, 4.5 if it were an option.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Janis' voice is a tour de force for sure, but I didn't think this was quite as much of a knockout as I maybe expected? Piece of My Heart is an unbelievable song but nothing else hits quite that hard. The Summertime cover was a little much with some of her vocalizations. Overall wanted more although I can definitely appreciate her as an artist.
Metallica
4/5
No one would ever accuse Metallica of being a prog metal band, but this is about as close as they ever got. Some absolutely crushing riffs on this one but enough changes in song structure and tempo to keep it interesting, and the longest songs they ever wrote. Blackened rips as an opener and One is somewhere up there on the list of best metal songs ever IMO. Frayed Ends of Sanity isn't noted as one of their "hits" but is awesome and has about everything you want in a metal song. The mixing/sonics are maybe a knock on it (famously very little bass) but overall this is a very good album, if maybe not quite their best.
Mike Oldfield
3/5
It's kinda weird, it's kinda cool at times, it's kinda legendary, it's Tubular Bells. It was in the Exorcist and somehow went to #1. I don't hate it?
LL Cool J
3/5
LL morphing out of his 80s loverboy/party guy image and towards something harder and more 90s, but feels like it has feet planted on both sides of the decade. The high points are very high - the two classic hits are great, and Murdergram is also fantastic, the kind of hip hop song I love with just a frantic beat and straight bars. A decent amount of filler on the rest though which holds it back from a higher rating for me.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Side 1 of this album is on par with anything else Zeppelin ever did - In My Time of Dying is just a slide masterclass, and to have it culminate in the epically orchestrated Kashmir is awesome. I don't think this is a 5 as the rest of the album is a little less even, although it does still have great moments.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
Can't deny the influence of this, but certainly sounds like a product of its time. Hip hop in the early 80s can't help but feel a bit cheesy now but this was certainly important, and the title track is one of the cornerstones of the genre. Some of the rest of it is kind of uneven though - some fun party jams (It's Nasty) but some utterly awful ballads (the Stevie Wonder song). Hard for me to go too high with this rating but still respect it a ton.
The Libertines
3/5
The Crusaders
3/5
It's pretty fine? It sounds good, technically proficient, everyone knows what they're doing, but just isn't quite interesting enough to get too much in the way of repeat spins.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
Really good stuff. A few songs I’ve spent a decent amount of time with but many I had not, Guinevere in particular was stunning. Harmonies are as great here as they came to be known for.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
For such an important artist to the development of genres I generally like I'm surprised I haven't listened to that much Siouxsie, and I thought this one is excellent. Not sure if you'd call her the Godmother of Goth (maybe that's not an original name) but the spooky vibes are really dialed up and I'm here for it. A whole ode to a severed head?? Sign me up. Instrumentally it's super solid, both uptempo and midtempo tracks are propulsive largely due to the drumming and the fantastic guitar work. Will definitely listen to more of this.
The Kinks
3/5
I actually really like the Kinks and appreciate their influence on garage/indie rock, but think I prefer their later era stuff more. The first two songs here are really great, and Ray Davies is an undeniably excellent songwriter, but a lot of the later tracks are a bit forgettable.
Beck
5/5
One of my favorite albums ever. The overall vibe of this album is just so immaculately melancholy, it's an almost perfect soundtrack for contemplation. We listened to this SO MUCH in my freshman dorm room in 2002 so it does carry the weight of nostalgia, but I've listened to it relatively regularly ever since. Lost Cause is my personal favorite, but there are so many other great moments - the orchestral flourishes on Paper Tiger, the Rhodes accents throughout, the washes of synth and subtle electronics, the interlocking acoustic guitars on the closing track in particular. It's all just so good.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Obligatory start to this review by saying Jerry Lee was rightly regarded as a terrible human for a multitude of reasons, but if we're taking all of that out of the equation and just rating the album...this kinda rips. Short and to the point but a bombastic amount of energy here, and it sounds like he's actually trying to physically destroy the piano. The hits are strong and a few others that I didn't know. I'm not sure how much credit we're supposed to give him for any musical innovation in early rock and roll, or if like Elvis he made a living ripping off lesser-known black artists (I think this is true) but it's a pretty great collection of songs here.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Love the vibe of this - even though it doesn’t have as many hits, some great playing and unique sounds to his catalog here (Concrete Jungle, etc). A very good late-night listen.
The Temptations
3/5
Tough one to rate - comes out of the gate strong, but really loses steam in the back half as it gets more ballad-heavy. 12-minute version of Papa Was a Rolling Stone was sort of cool but lacked enough changes in direction to sustain interest for that long (feel sorry for the bass player). Overall a pleasant enough listen but found myself wanting more.
Ministry
3/5
While acknowledging that this more or less launched a whole metal subgenre and has some awesome moments, it's just not even enough of an album. Bands like Rammstein and Fear Factory probably don't exist without Ministry but hard for me to call this one a masterpiece. It's probably best at its most electronic, and worst when it loses those industrial elements that set it apart from more generic thrash.
Madness
4/5
Had not heard much Madness beyond Our House (which is epic), but really really enjoyed this. Much more experimental than I thought and almost felt like sort of a concept album. The horns are awesome (expected from a ska band I guess?) but overall just some very cool instrumentation and interesting musical choices. Also really like his voice. Overall just a fun listen.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Only 2 years before Number of the Beast but I was much less familiar with the debut and think I liked it significantly less. I don't think it's just not having Bruce Dickinson, although that is partially it - this just sounds a lot closer to 70s hard rock than 80s power metal. The guitar work is still excellent in places, but I don't like it as much when it's more boogie-ish (for lack of a better word?) and less driving/chugging. Being more like Thin Lizzy is not necessarily bad, but I came to like the more thoroughly metal later sound and this was just an adjustment. Phantom of the Opera is the standout track, but the first/last bookend tracks are also very good.
Supergrass
4/5
I think I've liked this most of all the Britpop we've gotten to so far. It has definitely has more of a power-pop/pop-punk energy that is different than Oasis or Pulp and I'm here for it. Comes ripping right out of the gates with a few great tracks, and Alright (as the only song I already knew) is fantastic. Some weird moments that I actually quite liked such as We're Not Supposed To. A band that I had known about but never listened much to, and was pleasantly surprised.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
Pretty much Jake's review! I feel like I should love this more than I do as they basically forged the Stax sound of the 60s as the house band for other amazing artists, but there aren't any super standout moments past the title track/reprise. Some nice Memphis blues moments, Steve Cropper has some guitar licks, but it's not too much more than a pleasant listen through most of it.
Various Artists
4/5
This one definitely gets heavy rotation around the holidays for me, and despite Phil Spector's wild and sordid back story I've always loved his Wall of Sound production style. Some classics here for sure.
Jurassic 5
5/5
This might get an extra star purely for nostalgia, but I love this album and it was my gateway into underground hip-hop. The relentless positivity was refreshing (even if some probably found it somewhat cheesy) but some great beats and rhymes throughout. Chali 2Na has one of my favorite voices/flows in all of hip-hop. What's Golden is probably the peak but A Day at the Races is pretty underrated, just bars stacked on top of bars. I'd call this a classic.
David Bowie
4/5
So I knew the context of this one and how Bowie was writing this in light of his imminent death, but had not actually ever listened to it before now - some stunning moments here to be sure. The opening track is absolutely haunting - the mental imagery of a solitary candle "in the middle of it all" (what does the villa in Ormen mean?!) really stuck with me for some reason. Musically it's very cool as well. Lazarus is clearly another high point. This seems like the sort of album that rewards repeat listens and parsing the subtext of the lyrics, which I haven't really had time to do, but overall feel this is quite good.
Stereolab
4/5
Really enjoyed this, such a unique blend of styles, and I like the polyrhythmic layering of little guitar riffs, percussion, and particularly vocals. Reminds me a bit of indie bands I came to love in college like Deerhoof and Belle and Sebastian. I think the opening track is the star, but little bits of stuff I loved throughout. Just a very interesting listen and I'll definitely check out more of their discography.
Elvis Costello
4/5
I think Elvis Costello is an impeccable songwriter and can especially write vocal melodies like few others. They are poppy but musically interesting. Really like the two opening tracks, it sort of ebbs and flows throughout the rest of the album. This is Hell is such a pretty melody with a dark undertone. I don't think this album is the best thing he ever did, but still quite good.
Beatles
5/5
Not only my personal favorite Beatles album, but one of my favorite albums of all time. So many good songs here and it's really the transition point from their early sound to what the later albums would represent. The eastern influences and sitar starting to pop up, the more complex orchestration (Eleanor Rigby stands on its own here, one of my favorite songs ever, but even Yellow Submarine starts to hint at the the horns that would really flesh out on Sgt Peppers), the impeccable guitar work on And Your Bird Can Sing, just awesome from start to finish. Tomorrow Never Knows is such a great closer, second maybe only to A Day in the Life in terms of album closers. Impeccable songcraft throughout and a masterpiece in my opinion.
Steely Dan
4/5
I’ll preface this by saying that I’m partial to Steely Dan as it’s one of the primary bands my father in law played in the house while my wife was a kid. They tend to get dismissed as ground zero of cheesy dad rock but I actually think there’s so much to admire in their work. Donald Fagen was a master of jazzy keyboard harmonies turned into rock structure, and most of their compositions are so lushly and interestingly orchestrated (and sound great on record through nice speakers). Starts with an absolute classic and doesn’t lose too much steam by the end.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Beast of an album and crazy to think how much of a step forward this was for heavy music (not sure you'd quite call it metal yet) in 1970. 3 of the first 4 songs are all-time great riffs, and a few of the latter half songs essentially created the template of sludge/doom metal. Ozzy and Iommi get a lot of the credit (rightly so) but the rhythm section is pretty underrated I think - really appreciate Bill Ward's playing on this one in particular. A stone cold classic.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
I feel like I SHOULD like this more than I actually did honestly. It checks the theoretical boxes of other styles I typically like (morose shoegaze-y post-punk) but there's just something lacking in the execution. Some great songs to be sure, particularly Happy When it Rains and April Skies, but I think my problems are partially with recording quality (hardly any bass/low end?) and the drum machine just taking away from the overall energy of many of the tracks. The guitar work is a little too rudimentary in places as well, on some tracks it sounds nice and full but on some it just sounds thin. I think I was expected more based on what I knew of this band and was just a little let down.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
I had never listened to more than 1 song on this album before, but man this was very ahead of its time and sounds nothing like anything else happening in 1988. I don't think anyone realized guitars could sound like this. There is definitely a star here for sheer innovation - not all the songs here are equally good and a few of the noisy moments can get pretty noisy (it is MBV after all) but the highs are very high. I actually like the acoustic-tinged ones the best, and think Lose Your Breath is the high point for me. But this established a sound that became often imitated but probably never duplicated. Guitars go with out saying, the drumming is great too, but the standout is the female vocals and I think what really puts the icing on the cake. We'll get to Loveless at some point but really impressed with this overall.
Depeche Mode
4/5
While I wouldn't call myself a Depeche Mode superfan, I've always appreciated their dark take on electronic music and feel like they were pretty big innovators in bridging some club-ready sounds with very non-pop lyrical content (Just Can't Get Enough aside). I don't think this album is quite as good as Violator but still very good. The synths sound great and layered, good melodies, Dave Gahan's voice, a pair of epic orchestral closers just for good measure. It all works for me.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Feel like I'm stuck in a rut of giving everything a 4 lately, but I just can't justify giving Hendrix less than that. A true guitar visionary and innovator and some great things going on here. Little Wing is the "hit" and speaks for itself, but hadn't heard a lot of other songs here. Spanish Castle Magic was my other favorite, just a ripping groove. Mitch Mitchell was a a beast of a drummer and has plenty of room to show off throughout. Very psychedelic in parts and some cool stereo panning effects. Good stuff and wouldn't have expected any less from one of the best to ever do it.
Al Green
4/5
This is good. Legendary title track that is almost worth the price of admission on its own (the vocal melody on the second verse, "what I neeeeed" is incredible). Al's voice sort of straddles the line between that raspy Otis Redding/Stax sound and a smoother Motown vibe, also an idea that is sort of reflected in the musical arrangements as well. La-La For You is a great one I'd never heard. Overall a really nice listen.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Wow. I had not revisited this as a whole in quite some time - the hits are the hits (and great hits they are) but it's so impressive to have a 2 hour run length but not have it feel bloated, no real duds or must-skip tracks. The scope and sweep of this album is just incredible - within the first three songs you get a microcosm of what it's all about; wistful ethereal intro, the sweeping grandeur of Tonight, Tonight, and the pummeling, propulsive aggression of Jellybelly. Galopogos is probably the track that stood out most on a re-listen. Jimmy Chamberlin is an INCREDIBLE drummer and Billy's legendary focus on guitar tone and just layering track upon track is evident (and awesome). This isn't my personal favorite Pumpkins album (that goes to Siamese Dream) but is pretty breathtaking in its ambition. I love it.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
I can't remember if I actually listened to this when it came out, but if I did it had not stuck in my brain whatsoever. Some decent moments here, but I don't think that even the highs are anywhere close to their other two records. The sonic textures are there, I think it just succumbs more to aimlessness and lack of variation? Not bad by any means but probably the worst entry in their catalog by a fair bit.
Neneh Cherry
3/5
This is very much a product of its time like most 80s hip hop, but I did like it. Buffalo Stance is the only one I'd heard before but is a GREAT song (I somehow have the single on vinyl). The rest of the album doesn't quite approach that, but I do like some of the almost European pop influences throughout, that I think set this apart from some other contemporaries like Queen Latifah or Salt N Pepa. Not a bad listen at all, not amazing.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
I'd probably give this a 3.5 if I could, parts of it are quite good, parts are more just "fine". Keep On Growing is a pretty great song, and the title track is certainly an all-timer (made from a good song into a legendary song primarily due to the piano outro). No disputing Clapton's status as a guitar god, and fun to hear him with another legend in Duane Allman. Some of the more straight-ahead blues moments are kinda just OK for me. Still a good listen, probably not one I'd revisit too much outside of a few songs.
Radiohead
4/5
While I'm a Radiohead fan and would consider them somewhere in my list of favorite bands of all time, I don't think this is quite an S-tier album. Some great songs to be sure - Fake Plastic Trees, Street Spirit, High and Dry (haters be damned) - but I just think I like Radiohead more in their "weird experimental" mode rather than "more straighforward rock" mode. This is starting to hint at where they'd start to take things on OK Computer, but I just don't think it's quite a masterpiece. Still a very good album, maybe just not a great one for me.
Sparks
5/5
This came so out of left field for me and truly exemplifies what this project is all about. I had no idea this existed but ended up thinking it was absolutely brilliant. The vocal melodies alone are worth the price of admission, and there is just such a unique and quirky vibe to it while still fitting into the pantheon of glam rock. By the time Amateur Hour hit I was smiling ear to ear, just haven’t heard a lot like this from that era. Really really good and probably the best surprise so far.
Grateful Dead
2/5
I kind of hate to give this a 2, it has its moments and I do respect the free form improvisation and how they basically created the idea of a "jam band. There are plenty of Dead songs I like in their later eras. But like the Quicksilver Messenger album, there's just too much aimless noodling here. Some cool moments but they are a little to few and far between. I've never gotten the 2 drummers thing and hard to see where that's really super evident in the music here. I dunno, maybe on another more careful listen I'd find more to like but didn't really find myself eager to go back through it.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
David Bowie
4/5
I don't think I'm quite a 5 on this, but probably the best Bowie we've had so far for me. Changes kicks things off with a bang and soon we get to Life on Mars, which is right up there with my all-time favorites of his, and to follow it up with Kooks is just awesome (I'm sort of addicted to the chorus and the little trumpet part). I like the piano-led and more stripped down nature of a lot of the songs, and some nice vocal melodies throughout. This one is a winner.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Say what you want to say about Dylan's voice (and in the early years it's pretty good actually), but the man could write a SONG when he wanted to. Some of his best work here for sure - leads off with one of his best, and North Country Girl is stunning as well (some chord voicings that are kind of unexpected for him). Don't Think Twice is one of my favorites of his. A few that I care less for, but overall this is Dylan at his finest.
Deerhunter
4/5
Some really good mid-aughts indie rock here that brings me back to the days when this kind of stuff was a good chunk of my iPod. Some very Grizzly bear-like moments, even a song that reminded me a ton of Spoon (Coronado). I think the middle part of the record is the best - Revival, Memory Boy, Desire Lines are all great, somewhat poppy, rock songs. Enough variation going on with sonic textures to keep things interesting. He Would Have Laughed is a nice closer. Overall really enjoyed.
Milton Nascimento
4/5
The absolute best part of this project is finding stuff like this - the first song in particular absolutely FLOORED me. The vocal melody, the guitar part, all of it is just incredible. The second song is so different but also stunning. I was like "holy crap this is going to be an easy 5 album that I had no idea even existed" - at the end of the day I don't think the greatness of the opening tracks is quite sustained over the whole thing though. Um Girassol is a nice sort of laid back song with cool orchestration, and Clube da Esquina No 2 is also great. I love the laid-back Brazilian vibe without it sounding like bossa nova. Maybe not quite a 5 on this but pretty darn close.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Everyone knows at least 2 songs on this album, but honestly, I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to. The first 4 songs are all nearly-perfect 80s pop songs, and for me Money Changes Everything was a song that I hadn't remembered listening to much and is just great. I love the 80s production (not for everyone, I get it). Her voice is certainly "unusual" in a really good and surprisingly powerful way. Time After Time needs little further elaboration but is an all time great song. Second half of the album loses a little bit of steam with a few more throwaway moments, but on balance just a really fun listen.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Pretty much Raine's review. I can see some stuff to like here, see how this was influential to sort of sad-sack indie rock like Pavement, but the high moments were a little too few and far between.
R.E.M.
4/5
Another solid entry in the REM catalog. The guitars in particular stand out to me, just some great moments. Orange Crush is probably on my Mount Rushmore of best REM songs but honestly many others on this album I didn't know. I think the floor of REM albums is pretty high, they didn't really ever make anything bad as far as I'm concerned and this is no exception.
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
I would have sworn this band was Irish (not Canadian) after the opening notes. Pretty haunting stuff, and overall despite having heard this band's name before this is not what I'd have expected them to sound like for some reason. A pleasing enough listen, not enough that really knocked my socks off here.
Boston
4/5
I wanted to give this a 5, I almost did, I'm not QUITE there. Probably a 4.5 for me, but it's hard to think of a better opening 3 songs in the annals of classic rock. Tom Scholz was an avowed studio nerd and the production is just so high quality (perhaps this is a detriment for some, I love a lot of shiny and overproduced music from this era). The multitracked guitars, the vocal harmonies, many parts of this are perfect for what they were trying to achieve. The intro to Foreplay is one of the all-time great rock intros for my money. There's a few low moments, I think when they are trying to be too "authentic" rock and roll or bluesy is when it goes off the rails a bit. Overall a great listen despite knowing most of this already, it was fun to revisit.
Prince
5/5
Couldn't smash the 5 stars fast enough for this one. Prince is one of the few people on a relatively short list that I'd truly call a musical genius, and it's on full display here. Although perhaps not his most sonically adventurous work, the songs are just SO GOOD. It's futuristic, it's funky, it's epic, nearly a perfect package. Kicks off with a bang and barely lets up. Side 2 is just an impeccable run of songs - When Doves Cry and I Would Die 4 U are all time greats, and the transition from the latter into Baby I'm a Star is perfection. The title track is one of my favorite songs of all time, made even more impressive that it was a LIVE RECORDING from First Avenue in Minneapolis. Stunning stuff all around.
Blur
4/5
I actually really like this album - similar to my Pulp review (and The Streets I guess too), something about the working-class mundanity of some of these classic Britpop albums just sticks with me. And this one is arguably THE classic album of the era. The first four songs are pretty stellar - Girls and Boys is just a pop banger, and Tracy Jacks may be my favorite song of the album. Sort of a lull in the middle and then it picks up a bit towards the end. I dig it.
Tim Buckley
3/5
The father of perhaps my favorite pure singer of all time and I can definitely see where Jeff gets it from. Tim's vocals are definitely the highlight here - there are a few other cool music moments elsewhere and it's certainly more adventurous that typical 60s folk, but really not as much to hold sustained interest. Pleasant Street is probably the best track to me, the title track is also pretty epic. I'd put this in the realm of "pretty good but not great" and not sure how many repeat spins this will get, but I'm also interested in checking out more of his later work.
Mike Ladd
3/5
Couldn't help but be let down by this after reading reviews referencing MF DOOM and Deltron...don't think this is really anywhere in that league. It's not bad by any stretch, but feel like it should have been something I'd gravitate to a lot more given the era and proximity to the Definitive Jux style of hip-hop that I loved in college. Best track by far is the one featuring Company Flow, which isn't a coincidence I don't think. Some decent atmospherics and beats which probably pushes me to a 3 rather than a two, but ultimately kinda forgettable.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Was waffling between a 3 and 4 for this, probably a 3.5 in reality. I admire the experimentation on some of the songs, enjoyed some of the weirder electronic moments, but maybe there wasn't quite enough of it? Some good pop songcraft and nice melodies, and the orchestration is very lush on many songs. No Sympathy is the highlight ("you deserve to die" is just heavy) but yeah this didn't quite jump out to me as a masterpiece.
Nirvana
4/5
Clapton probably put Unplugged on the map, but this is the first one I remember taking over the zeitgeist. I remember when this started popping up in kids' CD cases in 5th grade or so, and all I knew at the time was it had a few cool versions of the hits we'd all heard at that point, and a bunch of weird cover songs that I had no context for (at the time I probably didn't even know who David Bowie was let alone the Meat Puppets). Both parts of this album though just work - awesome alternate versions of huge songs, and cool interpretations of the work of others. The memories of hearing songs like Plateau for the first time still stick with me - such an odd song, with an odd delivery, and weirdly haunting lyrics. Cobain's deadpan patter between songs is sort of funny and endearing, and the rawness of the vocals is so apparent with the stripped-back instrumentation. Really good stuff.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
It's Bob Marley, it's pretty good as most of his stuff is, but it mostly sounds the same as most of his work? For someone who isn't super into reggae but knows all the Bob Marley hits that everyone does, it's a pleasant enough listen but not too much really jumps out at me here. This jauntier version of No Woman No Cry takes some getting used to and probably still greatly prefer the more famous live version. Standout track that I didn't know is probably Them Belly Full. Backup vocals provided by the I-Threes are probably one of my favorite musical elements of his sound and they show up in some cool ways here. Nothing wrong with this at all but not a standout.
Talking Heads
5/5
Somehow, I'm not sure I ever recall listening to this all the way through, but I'd definitely call this a masterpiece and the best thing Talking Heads ever did. What stood out to me most is just how relentlessly RHYTHMIC this is - it's groovy and percussive, just not in typical ways. Born Under Punches maybe typifies this, with slap bass and the plunky guitar, but it doesn't sound very much like typical funk. The production is so cool and layered and most songs just have so much happening. Once in a Lifetime truly lives up to its namesake as a song - I know of nothing else really like it. I was maybe most surprised by the closing track and how brooding and ominous of an atmosphere it creates. Overall just a fantastic record.
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
AC/DC
4/5
I surely can't give AC/DC a 5...right? I don't think I quite can, but no doubt that this album is big, fun, and kinda dumb all at the same time. But the RIFFS man...some all-time iconic licks here that are just undeniable. Half of this album almost everyone knows and speaks to how they were able to carry on with Brian (not going to open up the Brian vs Bon debate, but the man has pipes) and not just survive, but thrive. No one is awarding this any merits for lyrics but I guess that's beside the point with this type of hard rock (note: not metal). It's a sort of least-common-denominator classic probably because it doesn't ask you to think that hard and just rock.
The Waterboys
4/5
Really liked this - knew this band but not this album in particular. Cool mix of sounds, in general I think I liked the ones that best straddled the line between the various influences here. Sweet Thing for me is the high point of the album - interesting beat, more Pogues-esque vocals (with a cool riff on Blackbird at the end) and a really need fiddle part. I think it slows down a little when it gets really traditional Celtic-style towards the end (nothing wrong with Celtic folk music, it's just not as interesting when played "straight" here) but Stolen Child has a great atmosphere as an almost-closer (odd choice to throw in a snippet of This Land at the very end?) Overall this was really good and will definitely have replay value for me.
Pantera
4/5
I feel like I'm in a run of albums that are so disparate in sound but that I enjoy, but not quite enough to call them 5s. This is another one that is definitely a classic and has some game-changing influence but isn't quite "masterpiece" status. That said it rips pretty damn hard - the guitars are really a cut above. Dimebag Darrell's playing is so good here, just razor-sharp, and he created tones that hadn't really been heard in this way before, with a downtuned chugging attack married to shredding solos. Walk is just an iconic blunt-force bludgeon of a song and there are other moments here that have shades of almost metalcore. This Love in particular vacillates from an almost Alice in Chains ballad to what I'd almost call a hardcore breakdown, really cool. This influenced a ton of stuff that I'd come to love in the early 2000s (Lamb of God, etc) and I totally respect its place in metal history.
The Gun Club
2/5
Although I can see what this brought to the punk sound in terms of the blues/rockabilly/even country influences this just didn't really do a ton for me. The energy is OK on some tracks, the flourishes of steel/slide guitar on some songs is sort of interesting, and I can see how this probably influenced bands like Social Distortion or even the White Stripes. I feel like I haven't rated anything a 2 in a while so was due, and most of this I just didn't care for.
Solomon Burke
4/5
Although for me this doesn't quite hit lit Otis or Wilson Pickett, I can see how influential Solomon Burke was. This seems like it sort of straddles the line between a cleaner Sam Cooke sort of R&B vibe and that gritter, later-60s sound. His voice can do it all. Cry to Me is the biggest one I knew but I think is more of that earlier sound - Someone to Love Me is one of my favorites I'd never heard and definitely shows more about why he was so influential to "soul" being known as a genre. Good stuff.
Röyksopp
4/5
Oh man this one brought me back to college. The first three songs of this album are SOOO GOOOD - two dance-y bangers and one downtempo, absolutely gorgeous song. I was ready to smash the 5 right there - it does sort of lull in the middle for me a bit though. Remind Me did in fact remind me in the best way how awesome that song is as well. It's just not quite even enough as a whole for me to call this a 5 but it's pretty damn close.
Steely Dan
3/5
This is probably a 3.5 but not my favorite Steely Dan on the whole. Show Biz Kids and My Old School back to back are pretty great. A few other moments here and there, the closer is pretty good too with the wah-wah guitar and the cool synth line. I actually would consider myself a fan of Steely Dan but this is a little lower in the hierarchy for me.
De La Soul
5/5
One of the classic albums in hip-hop history, and I think rightly deserving of its place. Absolutely groundbreaking in 1989, along with Paul's Boutique it just took sampling so much further forward (and also sparked years of legal disputes). I don't think anything else really sounded like this at the time. The hits speak for themselves (edge to Eye Know with the "Peg" sample I think, but Me Myself and I is also just such a fun song) but there were some gems in here I didn't really know, such as Ghetto Thang and Buddy). Probably an extra half star for sheer influence here, but this provided a sonic template for so many others to follow.
The Police
4/5
Another "tale of two halves" album for me - first few songs are decent to good, Mother is super weird (admire the audacity), but by the time the title track hits, the rest is near pop-rock perfection. King of Pain is my personal favorite Police song and the closing song is one I hadn't listened to a ton, but is beautiful. Not quite consistent enough to be a 5 in my book, but I love a good amount of this one.