Aug 12 2025
The Stooges
The Stooges
Pretty sure I’ve heard some of this album before. It’s a really chill hang, sounds very much like a record from 1969. I always confuse the Stooges with the Velvet Underground. Iggy’s vocals are iconic, that snarl really draws you into this psychedelic world. I Wanna Be Your Dog is a classic song, reminds me of The Rolling Stones. I know Iggy from his bonkers performances while wearing transparent plastic pants on The White Room in the mid 90s which I watched every Saturday night at midnight on my shitty little TV that was sat at the foot of my bunk bed. I had no idea about The Stooges, I just thought he was a provocative old rock star who everyone just tolerated because of his legacy. The worst sunburnt skin you’ve ever seen. Now he’s got a BBC radio show. Go figure. This gets 3.5/5 from me. Doubt I’ll listen to it in full again.
3
Aug 13 2025
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
This is so not for me. I can’t get into gangsta rap, I respect its impact - I mean I listened to good kid maad city just the other day, incredible album - but I can’t connect with NWA. I had to skip through most of it. Hardly any melodies, the type of lyrics that make me clutch my pearls. Misogynistic nonsense. Hate it deeply. Straight Outta Compton is a great song though. Matt Dillon shoutout on Something Like That. I’m also considering this album just minutes after watching Ice Cube in the 2025 sci-fi masterpiece War of the Worlds. Can’t reconcile that with what I’m listening to. I will not be listening to this one again.
2
Aug 14 2025
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles
I have such a soft spot for this album. Listened to it for the first time as a student working in a record store and it just made me happy. The whimsy of it all really speaks to my heart but I’m sure were I to give it a listen some other time it would’ve grated my tits. The vocals are such a pleasure to have in your ears. I’ll admit I can’t tell John from George sometimes, Paul’s just very familiar to me by comparison. Every Beatles album I’m going to come across on this site will undoubtedly send me down a rabbit hole. I’ve watched so many Beatles documentaries (thanks Dad!) and feel like most of my exposure to their music has been through osmosis. I’m by no means an expert, it’s all vibes to me. So I’m really looking forward to Revolver and Abbey Road coz then we’ll probably get more serious about it. So no, Sgt Peppers doesn’t feel like a ‘serious’ album. Good songs, great vibes. ‘Within You Without You’ is a vibes banger. But damn songs like With a Little Help from my Friends, Lucy, A Day in the Life… these will outlive us all. The most devastating closing track on an album. Must’ve set the bar in terms of wrecking your listeners via album closing track. John is on one with A Day in the Life. The gear must’ve been so very good back then.
4
Aug 15 2025
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
Yo! This rocks! I always assumed Black Sabbath were a metal band but this is pure hard rock.
I groaned when I saw this was my album assignment for the day but this is a fucking banger. I knew I'd love it when the songs I wasn't familiar with were making me head bang while brushing my teeth.
Opening tracks War Pigs/Luke's Wall and Paranoid are perfect. So epic. Knew those ones going in. The guitars are healing me. Very influential, I see that now. Obviously thinking about Ozzy RIP.
A weirdo I once knew said Ozzy had one of the best voices he'd ever heard and ofc I thought he was a poser. But yeah I get it now. 20+ years later.
I should definitely listen to this again on headphones.
4
Aug 16 2025
Hunky Dory
David Bowie
This album has Life on Mars? on it. 'Nuff said. Was familiar with quite a few tracks - Kooks, Changes. I'm not the biggest Bowie person. My favorite of his is the last album he released Blackstar. Love the piano on this. Not as impactful as Ziggy Stardust.
3
Aug 17 2025
Blur
Blur
Now we're talking! Finally an album I already have. This opens with my favourite Blur song of all time - Beetlebum. This song is transcendental.
I love these songs. Death of a Party is such a lekker vibe. Essex Dogs is ahead of its time. This album still sounds fresh and full of ideas. I can now hear how it’s influenced current bands - especially the guitars. Alex Turner heard Chinese Bombs and decided he wanted to be in a band.
I guess I should say something about Song 2. I'm very pleased that Blur have this big crossover hit that's also a rock banger. And they've never tried to recreate that magic in a bottle moment. Respect them for that, plus a whole load of other things that probably have nothing to do with this self titled album!
Damon Albarn is one of the greatest frontmen and musicians and musical visionaries. He doesn't get enough credit. I've loved him for over 30 years and listening to them as an older person makes me emotional.
Blur got even better after this - Think Tank is my favourite Blur album - so gotta save my 5 stars for that masterpiece.
4
Aug 18 2025
Peace Sells...But Who's Buying
Megadeth
80s metal is so far from my wheelhouse it may as well be astrophysics. There's just so. Much. Guitar. Waves and waves of it. All the trickery unleashed in one song.
There's a coherence in there somewhere but I can't with lyrics about summoning the devil and then sitting through 10 snarling guitar solos.
I'm doing my due diligence and giving each song a minute but it all sounds the same - the tempo never changes, the Guitars are unrelenting. As someone who went to a Guns n Roses concert and sat barfing throughout most of it, I'm having great difficulty with this much ROCK.
1
Aug 19 2025
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
I have a beef with this band for maybe dumb reasons but I don't fuck with them. Old fart music that makes me believe they were weird with young women back in their day.
Ricky Don't Lose That Number I'd heard before. This stuff sounds dusty and uninteresting to my ears. The vocals are painful on this Monkey in Your Soul dirge. It's mercifully short but the odor of its pretentious is inescapable. Can't wait to rate this one star.
1
Aug 20 2025
The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators
Oh yeah! Well familiar with the opening track 'You're Gonna Miss Me' because I used to best friends with the High Fidelity OST back in the day.
Now why TF are there 27 MF tracks on this album? 27?? I think the reason is drugs. I find most early psychedelic rock to be up it's own arse. This is no different.
All the songs sound the same especially as they all use the same bird call woo woo wah wah type of sound effect or instrument that was cool on Miss Me but gets so old over, let's not forget, 27 fucking tracks.
I started listening to the mono version then unintentionally switched to the 2008 remastered version and it's definitely a more tolerable listen in stereo. Only just.
2
Aug 21 2025
Vulnicura
Björk
This must be what it feels like to have been walking through the desert alone and starving and then coming across a pristine river surrounded by trees bursting with fresh fruit.
What a beautiful, emotionally resonant, fully realized piece of art this album is. I could cry. Admittedly as big a Bjork fan as I am, I fell off after Vespertine. I guess in my mind I figured that album was perfect and couldn't be surpassed. My exposure to Vulnicura was very limited. Kicking myself now because this is so gorgeous to immerse yourself in. Heaven.
These songs are lush and hopeful and full of love, if you will. There's a song 'Atom Dance' feat. ANOHNI that just builds and works it's way into your brain.
The strings on this album! Bjork's arrangements have always been faultless. This is her 8th album. Stonemilker is a killer opening track. I'm already playing the album again.
5
Aug 22 2025
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
This is a pretty good folk rock album, sounds more American than I'd have guessed. 'Street Fighting Man' sounds innovative and kinda fresh.
But this album is not connecting with me emotionally, we're not vibing. To my ears this just sounds like some good musicians jamming and grooving.
2
Aug 23 2025
Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Another Americana folk rock album. Strong melodies, but still kinda boring.
'Bad Moon Rising' is on this which has become a song heavily used in advertising. Sounds like a joke song in 2025.
2
Aug 24 2025
Faust IV
Faust
I just rated a Bjork album 5 stars so I'm no stranger to indulgent soundscapes but this one's opening track is testing me. It's again one of those albums where you recognize how influential it is but you prefer the bands that it influenced. I hear a lot of post-OK Computer Radiohead in here.
It's not as experimental as I was expecting when I read 'German krautrok'. OK I take that back - it gets so much better as it goes on. This is a great discovery for me.
Will surely revisit this album when the mood is right for noise rock.
Loved the songs 'Jennifer', 'Just a Second', 'Giggly Smile', 'Lauft...'
4
Aug 25 2025
The Cars
The Cars
I've gotten a lot of albums already where I'm like ugh not another old people band, and this one is no different.
I know one The Cars song and it's THAT ONE so what we have here is not like that song.
But almost immediately I can hear how it's influenced a lot of 90s rock and post punk like Weezer, the Pixies and even indie sleaze - LCD Soundsystem, The Strokes for sure. I'm really digging this. I'm sure it shook things up a lot in 1978.
But it does not include THAT SONG which came much later coz the vibe of this album - punky, precise, synthy, sunglasses at night - is so far away from THAT SONG.
3
Aug 26 2025
Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz
Just gorgeous gorgeous vibes. I'm floating.
Imagine having a vocal style like Astrud Gilberto. The coolest. The Girl from Ipanema is one of the greatest songs ever recorded.
4
Aug 27 2025
Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
Unfortunately it's quite good.
2
Aug 28 2025
Slayed?
Slade
What? No.
1
Aug 29 2025
American Beauty
Grateful Dead
Never heard a Grateful Dead song before today, and they're yet another old fogey 70s band I'd been served this week, so naturally was dreading the worst.
So color me pleasantly surprised. This album is a jam, very chilled vibes and vocals I shall describe as pleasant.
It's also great to boogie to which again, surprising!
3
Aug 30 2025
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Sublime artist whose words (sadly) still ring true as I listen to them in 2025.
Tracy Chapman's voice immediately transports me to my childhood, and all the thoughts and feelings I had hearing songs like 'Fast Car' and 'Baby Can I Hold You'. Songs that feel like opening a time capsule.
She's one of the greatest songwriters of our generation. And to think this was her debut album...
5
Aug 31 2025
Cosmo's Factory
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Man... this shit again? Marginally better than the one called Green River (?) mainly because of that 'Heard It Through the Grapevine' cover.
2
Sep 01 2025
Post Orgasmic Chill
Skunk Anansie
Fuck me. Haven’t listened to this in decades. To say I was surprised to see this one come up is to put it mildly. Skunk Anansie is one of those bands we forgot about very quickly as the new century rolled around.
This is urgent, propulsive and full-on hard rock. When ‘Secretly’ came up I started belting along through tears. ‘You want to do someone else/ So you should be by yourself/ Instead of here with me/ Secretly’. Floored by these lyrics, this arrangement, this bruised and angry performance. Thank you Cruel Intentions music supervisors, your work continues to be appreciated in 2025.
Secretly is the highlight but it’s surrounded by pointed, observant and just great late 90s rock music. Skin is an incredible vocalist. We did her so wrong.
4
Sep 02 2025
Abraxas
Santana
The musicianship is undeniable but this is not connecting with me. 'Oye Como Va' is an A+ classic rock song. But the rest is just boring to me.
2
Sep 03 2025
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
The Byrds
More boring ass slow poke Americana. Every song sounds the same. My kingdom for something with some grit, some balls.
1
Sep 04 2025
The Sensual World
Kate Bush
Just over 3 weeks on this album project and I just realized how few female artists I've been served and how I'm mostly awarding my 4/5 star reviews to them.
Well today is a good day for another one of the best to ever do it. Kate Bush's legend is legendary in itself. Though outside of the big songs, I'm not familiar with her albums. And that's about to change with immediate effect!
This album is very horny. Lots of groans and whispers. I imagine many babies were made to this album. Though it closes with This Woman's Work which is a big, aching ballad that almost doesn't fit here.
I'm quite sure she has at least 5 albums that are better than this one.
3
Sep 05 2025
Stardust
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson is a blind spot for me outside of his big hits like To All the Girls I've Loved Before and Always on My Mind and, erm, bong hits I guess.
I am so glad this is my first Willie album. It's completely beautiful.
When the 2nd track Georgia on My Mind came up I did a double take. This is a Willie Nelson song? That prompted me to read the album notes on YouTube Music which revealed this is a covers album of standards.
I'd never have expected to find a covers album on here but I can see why this one stands out. Willie has such an effortless and intoxicating way of singing I was transported by his entire vibe.
He is a treasure and I'm grateful that I finally got to learn this otherwise well known fact.
4
Sep 06 2025
From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
This is a whole vibe. Never listened to a full Elvis album before and I enjoyed this trip.
Something about the arrangements and production feels like it was recorded last week. Except for that one song y'know.
Elvis can SANG y'all.
Any Day Now is a great song. Then it's followed by In the Ghetto and I had a good chuckle. The way he sings the word 'ghetto' is just ludicrous. Stop having babies in the ghetto you guys! They're going to turn into hardened criminals.
Suspicious Minds a classic. Elvis's vocals really make this one feel real and immediate. And this production is top notch.
3
Sep 07 2025
Microshift
Hookworms
Why is this even on here?
I have some vague memory of listening to this at the time it came out but have certainly never heard them referenced in the years since. It's the opening track rang that a distant bell but this album sounds like an early to mid 2000s post punk electro relic. No way this album only came out 7 years ago.
This has gotta be the most curiously inessential album so far. And the story behind why this was the last thing Hookworms ever recorded is some dark shit.
2
Sep 08 2025
Go Girl Crazy
The Dictators
Never heard of this band before. The album is fantastic! Had a very enjoyable Sunday morning shaking my rump to these songs.
The older I get the more I'm enjoying OG punk sounds. This is very much my jam. I still know nothing about this band. Think I'll keep it that way.
4
Sep 09 2025
Elephant
The White Stripes
I'm by no means the biggest White Stripes wankophile out there but this album is undeniable. Like how did they do that?
You feel it in your innards. Ball and Biscuit man. Right in your large intestine. Hardest Button to Button is prob my favorite White Stripes song. Seven Nation Army today sounds like a song they play during a sport event or broadcast.
4
Sep 10 2025
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
These are some of the best pop songs of my generation. I always say the 90s has the best music but damn the decade that followed just fucked so hard.
This album is making me nostalgic for a time when I was young and idealistic and didn't have a mortgage. This is exactly the album I needed right now. Listened to it repeatedly today.
Time to Pretend is a song whose lyrics made listen in wonder. The fullness of the story, the resigned despair at the end while this funky spacey groove unfurls behind it. Genius.
The hypnotic effect of the repeating lyrics, the cosmic potency of their best song Of Moons, Birds and Monsters. This album sounds better today in 2025 than it did 18 years ago. The vibes, as they say, are immaculate.
This is a classic psychedelic pop record that's better than anything Tame Impala has ever done.
5
Sep 11 2025
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
Zappa is another of my (many) blind spots. The songs are pretty good, I see the vision.
It gets really noodly and indulgent but not in an off-putting way. I like the jazz influences. The guitars sound great. Oh, there aren't any vocals.
Thankfully short tracklist which should be mandatory if you have any songs over the 8 minute mark - which make up half this album.
3
Sep 12 2025
E.V.O.L.
Sonic Youth
I've tried many times to get into Sonic Youth but all I can think about is how Thurston Moore cheated on Kim Gordon.
3
Sep 13 2025
Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
I mean sure. But also no.
2
Sep 14 2025
Private Dancer
Tina Turner
The hits on this album are capital shouty letters HITS. Tina Turner was one of a kind, may she RIP.
4
Sep 15 2025
Crazysexycool
TLC
This album is too long but it contains some of the most formative RnB songs of my childhood. The confidence in these vocal performances is undeniable. This is sit up and listen music. Creep and Waterfalls are their biggest hits but Red Light Special is hands down my favorite TL song and the sexiest song of the very sexed up 90s.
5
Sep 16 2025
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
Go on, have your 5 stars kings.
5
Sep 17 2025
Connected
Stereo MC's
Thing about me is that I can't do intoxicants. Makes me paranoid. But I can fake it. Very well.
So when I was introduced to Stereo MCs as a 9 year old, I took one look at them and fully understood their vibe. And pretended to be on that vibe. I did the same thing this morning, 30 plus years later. These vibes are impeccable. This, to me, is jazz.
4
Sep 18 2025
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
I love Damon Albarn and think he can do no wrong. My most enduring musical crush. An understated genius. This album is so lovely to listen to. Calming, grown up, contemplative.
4
Sep 19 2025
The Renaissance
Q-Tip
Really cool vibe. Closing track Shaka I've heard before.
3
Sep 20 2025
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
This website continues to expose (then correct) my blind spots. I like to pretend I know Bruce's music. I know him as this big legacy Stadium rock icon. This album is changing that. The early hallmarks are all there. The xylophone which I love.
Every song is a bop but it really takes off in the 2nd half. Streets of Fire is great! But don't think I'll be reaching for this one again.
3
Sep 21 2025
Gasoline Alley
Rod Stewart
No thanks mate.
1
Sep 22 2025
Ten
Pearl Jam
I can't be the only person who can't stand Eddie Vedder's diction. Wtf is this man saying??!
Enunciation (or lack of that) aside, this album was always hard for me to get into. I can recognize these songs anywhere but they mostly leave me cold. A 3 star album of note.
3
Sep 23 2025
Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin
Stairway to Heaven is incredible but I just don't fuck with this band.
2
Sep 24 2025
...The Dandy Warhols Come Down
The Dandy Warhols
Veronica Mars!
4
Sep 25 2025
American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
I remember how white old dudes were creaming themselves over this album when it came out. Considering I was very young at the time I'm glad to get the opportunity to listen to it now I too am middle aged.
This is a very gently played, affecting album. Johnny Cash sounds wonderful, you can hear the years in his voice. Very interesting choice of songs. His version of NIN's Hurt is kinda devastating.
I doubt I'll listen to this again though.
3