One of those bands I'd heard about but never heard. Everything I heard about them sounded like they aren't my thing. Listening to this confirms they are not my thing.
A classic, stone cold. The smoldering 6/8 burn is strong with this one.
Not a fan of Black Keys. I'll try to give it a listen.
Welp, still very meh. I don't see the appeal to these guys at all.
The heavy riffing songs are the epitome of swamp music. That opening drum groove on "I Ain't The One" really sets it all up. I'd be surprised if that hasn't been sampled for a bunch of hip hop songs. I never need to hear "Free Bird" or "Simple Man" ever again. Those have lost all their punch due to being overplayed, and Free Bird just being a straight up punch line.
This is one of those albums that is like air. It's such an integral part of the musical landscape that I can't imagine what pop music would be without it. That said these songs are also so ubiquitous that I rarely seek them out on their own. Wait a little bit and if you're listening to the right radio stations you'll hear one of them.
Well fuck. I wrote a long, almost thoughtful review for this one and when I had to refresh the page it got lost. Fuck it, now you get two stars because I'm petty like that.
Very mopey and weepy. I'm glad I didn't discover this when I was a sullen teenager full of imaginary heartbreak. I skipped a lot of these songs, too slow and boring. I was going to give it two stars benefit of the doubt for being a product of its time, then I realized that "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?" was the only song I listened to all the way through. I'm okay to never hear any of these songs again. Glad the BeeGees left this behind for the more energetic tunes in the mid '70s.
This aged better than I thought it would back in the day. Could say more about my thought process back then. Super solid grooves. My one gripe is that it's too long. Everyone was trying to fill the 70 minute capacity of the cd and I get worn out before it's over. Could've been two albums.
I've known about "That Lady" for decades, feel really foolish for sleeping on the rest of this album. Their choices of covers and the arrangements just kick ass. I gotta go buy it and add it to my library. These songs need to be in my regular rotation.
Everyone knows "LaGrange" and "Jesus Just Left Chicago". The real killers on this album are "Master of Sparks" and "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers". One of the very first albums I bought with my own money (5 or so years after it came out) because of LaGrange and I had no idea what I was in for!
Definitely an album that is of its time. The style isn't really my thing but the playing and production are top notch. Great guitar/bass interplay and a locked in drum beat are hard to resist.
The themes they're singing about are still way too relevant today. The level of cognitive dissonance of right wingers listening to this and interpreting it as a paean to corporate bootlicking is off the charts. This band had something righteous to say and those tools took that message 180° in the opposite direction.
I didn't listen to this back when it came out but I remember there was a lot of hype and praise around it. I was pretty ready to not like it and was pleasantly surprised when I enjoyed this one.
It started to feel pretty same-y to me so the different voices on "Get Out of My House" and instrumentation on "Fit But You Know It" were really welcome change-ups.
I'd listen to this again, maybe more in chunks than the whole thing though.
Dug it, a lot. Haven't listened to it in years and it kinda took me by surprise as I'd felt like I'd had my fill of Radiohead. Reminded me of why they're such a great band.
Starting off great. Recognized "Ponta De Lança Africano" from a mixtape given to me in the '90s. This bodes well. Apparently Rod Stewart yoinked the melody for "Do You Think I'm Sexy?" from "Taj Mahal". And no Rod, I don't.
This record grooves hard! I also appreciate that most of the songs are in the 3-4 minute range. It's going on my cookout/picnic playlist for sure.
Being a 'young punk' in the late '70s I was stupidly dismissive of anything with a synth and programmed beats as 'new wave fluff'. Listening to this decades later with more accepting ears I'm realizing how much I missed by being a young proto-hipster snob. This album is kicking ass. The bass is killing it from beginning to end. Social inequality themes are still all too topical.
A+ record. Been listening to these songs since the early '80s and they still sound as fresh as back in the day. Say no more.
This is hitting the spot on a Monday morning. When "One Two Cha Cha Cha" came on I got a big smile. Now I want to see this movie!
The local dosa restaurant has contemporary Indian music videos playing all day. The old white dude cultural bias in me wants to hear these tunes in there. Next time I go I'll look for some similarities or nods to the oldies in those videos/songs.
Listening on a Tuesday morning. This one isn't landing with me very much. I really got into "Hail To The Thief" but I'm just not feeling this one. A little too samey tempos makes the songs all kind of blend into one long Thom Yorke moan. A little goes a long way. This one might work for me if I'm in the right mood but I doubt I'll give it another chance. Too many other things to check out.
Worked for me as background music and certainly a cut above meditation music. Some good themes going on but for me could've used a little more tension/release moments. The youtube cut I found was ripped from vinyl and had some hisses and other noise. Being old and remembering the days of scratchy records I really appreciated that.
1977? Feels like this one's been around a lot longer really. I tried to leave as much of my memories and feelings about the hits on this one behind for this listen. Had marginal success. "Get It Right The First Time" felt fresh at least. I still think "Everybody Has A Dream" was unnecessary. That one feels like he was angling for the Saturday Night Live outro song. I"d have put my feelings about the hits behind and given this 4 stars if not for that song.
This one's took me on a fantastic little trip. Works to either sit, listen and get lost in the music or to have on when doing something to help keep me going. I'd love to sit and listen to this on vinyl through a state of the art early '60s hi-fi, as God intended.
Ah what the hell, first one (I'm only 20 in) I listened to twice in one day.
Aw hell yeah! I remember when this came out, it wasn't my scene but a lot of it was inescapable. Listening to it as a whole today I don't know if I would've liked it then as much as I do now (which is a lot). Sadly the themes are all too relevant (maybe even moreso) in 2025. Music and loops are definitely of their time but are still super solid grooves. I will be revisiting this fairly regularly.
Making 'simple' songs sound so vital and alive is no small task. Enjoyed this listen, haven't heard a lot of these songs in years. "Who'll Stop The Rain?" still can stop me in my tracks.
I don't usually go for extended editions and bonus tracks but noticed that Booker T and the MGs are on a bonus track of "Born On The Bayou", Had to give that a listen and I wasn't disappointed.
Good lord this makes me cringe at what a blockhead I was back in my early 20s. I dismissed it as fluff, akin to the bubblegum pop that was all over AM radio in the '70s. If it wasn't fast and loud with distorted guitars and snide vocals I had no use for it. Listening in the intervening years I've opened up to the substance behind the slickness. There's some great music here. The hits are the strongest tunes, but there are a lot of those. Happy to hear this on a busy Wednesday morning.
I had this one back in the day (thanks, BMG Music Club) and don't recall what happened to it. Listening now I know why I don't miss it. I really appreciate the bigger names collaborating and bringing attention to Mr. Hooker, but the songs don't really bear repeat listens. JLH doing vocal vamps over Hooker-esque grooves laid down in a workmanlike fashion ends up with a somewhat sterile result. Oddly enough the track furthest from my sweet spot, "No Substitute", is my favorite one on the album. Taking it back to just JLH and a 12 string guitar has the strongest punch of the whole album. For that track and putting John Lee Hooker in the ears of a lot of people who had never heard (or heard of) him before I'm giving it three stars.
The blueprint for the 'Neil Young Sound'. I was hesitant to even give it a spin at first being pretty familiar with these songs over the years but I'm glad I did. I always seem to like the Crazy Horse stuff. Hearing the full album in order really gave me a lift.
I guess you had to be there. I get it, they were on fire and playing the hell out of their instruments. It just doesn't move me, and I'm familiar with a lot of the songs. From Wikipedia, "but were unenthusiastic about recording a live album..." and I can see why. There's something lost in the translation to vinyl here for me. Would have been a fantastic show to have attended but not having been there I'd rather listen to the studio versions of these songs. "Lazy" is maybe the exception to that feeling for me. This version is killing it. However I don't need a twenty minute version of "Space Truckin'"...ever.
Another of those bands whose name I was familiar with but the music not so much. Started off okay, pleasant sounding tune that moved along well, until it didn't end. These guys have a serious problem of not knowing when a song should be over. An unhealthy addiction to reverb too.
Meh. A pretty high chaff to wheat ratio. I'm not into this much. It would've gotten a higher rating if I'd never listened to it.
One of the few live rock albums I honestly enjoy listening to. Most fall into the "had to be there" bin for me. The too long version of "Need Your Love" cost this one a star in my rating. Other than that one this album has it goin' on.
eh
I liked this a whole lot better than I expected to. Cave's uber-goth reputation precedes him. The title of the album is a giveaway about the subject matter. It does grow old over the length of an album (a couple three of them per album is just fine) but damn, the music and the musicians really make this a standout album for me. I will get it and let it live in the shuffle section of my music library.
Solid '90s indie pop music. Nothing particularly compelling to me. Better/different than my preconceived idea of what they were about so they get 3 instead of 2 stars.
This is what it sounds like when the dentist cranks the nitrous oxide up to eleven. That can be good or bad depending on how long they're drilling.
Dang! I was familiar with "Love and Affection" and even saw her SNL performance back in the day. I'm really digging this much more than I expected. One of the community radio shows I follow (The Time Machine on WDBX) plays her occasionally but more of the mellow tunes as opposed to the bangers. That DJ is doing Joan a disservice. Love the breadth of styles and feel.
A classic for sure.
Laying out the Foo's blueprint. I like that this is before he got way too shouty. Overdoing the shouting really detracts from the songs but I guess that's what the hitmakers require.
Boring. Sounds like it was made with the idea of selling the songs to commercials and overly earnest mid budget indie movies. Did not finish.
Damn good stuff.
Do you realize...you could've done just about anything else with that last hour?
Good stuff. I didn't really seek out or get into much hip hop back in the day, my loss.
So goddamn much fun! The release date bumps it from four to five stars for personal reasons.
When Elvis outgrew his "angry young man" days I kind of drifted away. I was bound and determined to stay angry well into my old age. Eventually I did mellow out and you know what? I really like this album. Maybe the Attractions have something to do with that.
Stoked to see this one this morning! Still sounds as in your face and immediate as the day it was released.
Was going to just give it a three based on how much it's part of our cultural soundscape and not really listen. I'm glad I did and it was the perfect album for Halloween.
5/5, how could I not? I wasn't much of a Beatles fan growing up in the '60s/'70s, they were pretty inescapable back then. I may not always be in the mood for these tunes these days but can't deny how f-in' good this album is.
Good greasy rock'n'roll. Feels like getting ready to hit the town on a Friday night.
A good warm up for his next album (I'm Still in Love with You), favorite Al Green album. Needs no extra tracks, the 34 minute run time is just the right amount.
A much more compelling listen than I remember. Pretty badass that this came out in '81.
Put it on while doing some house cleaning. It was okay for that. Mostly it reminds me why I don't smoke dope and sit around in my underwear giggling at nothing for hours on end. Bailed on it way before the halfway point. This ain't my cup of tea.
Put it on while doing some house cleaning. It was okay for that. Mostly it reminds me why I don't smoke dope and sit around in my underwear giggling at nothing for hours on end. Bailed on it way before the halfway point. This ain't my cup of tea.
This is really annoying. I've heard of them and had the impression they leaned into twee. This is far worse than twee. Skipped the first few songs after about 30-45 seconds and then bailed on the album. Make it stop.
Good Lord! I'm 17 years old again and "that kid" in school introduced me to punk rock. This is going to be part of the soundtrack at the old folks' home I get sent to.
Oh yeah. Yesterday the Circle Jerks, today Sinatra and Jobim. Everything's coming up Milhouse! Setting a supreme '60s mood. I want to throw an elegant dinner party but that would mean cleaning the house. Much better to chill out and listen to this goodness.
Undeniably excellent. I'm not always in the mood for this kind of music but when it hits it hits. Any time the Crazy Horse lineup is most of the musicians on the album it's a lock I'm going to like it.
Good stuff but most of these songs I've heard so much I don't care if I ever hear them again. Up On Cripple Creek is the exception, still love hearing that one.
Title song is a classic. I remember hearing it as a little one and wanting a coat like it myself. "A Better Place To Live" shows Dolly's been true to herself for a long time. All that said this album lands differently to 2025 me than 1975 me, as it should.
Back when I was a teenager and all about the Who and the Stones I really neglected the Kinks. I wish I'd given these guys more attention, this is some really good shit.
Still sounds as vital today as it did 40+ years ago. It was fun to hear it again as a full album.
Tried listening to this maybe 25 years ago and really didn't get it. It sure did click today. I feel like I've been missing out but I guess I just had to wait until I was ready.
Never really listened to Ice T. This one surprised me. Seeing 24 tracks I thought I was in for a slog. I turned it on and started doing some chores. These songs got my attention, in a good way. Really kind of cinematic (not just New-Jack Hustler). Telling stories and painting pictures with words. Frequently troubling and disturbing, but that's the point.
The title song is ubiquitous that it's become a meme. I listened to it and it's still an undeniable banger. Brings back memories of my friend's mom driving us around in their VW Beetle and singing along to the AM radio cut. Loss is a big theme of this album, but it really just made me numb to the impact of the later songs, particularly "The Grave".
I pretty much checked out on REM after "Life's Rich Pageant". I no longer have that 'ew they sold out' hipster mentality but their later albums still don't really hit with me the way their early ones do. This is okay I guess. None of the songs really move me though.
If this doesn't move me check for rigor mortis. People like Louis Prima and Louis Jordan don't get as much credit as Little Richard and Ike Turner for being part of the creation of rock'n'roll but without them things just wouldn't be the same today. This music really lights me up and sets me off. A double espresso for my ears! Even though most of these tunes are already in my library from various compilations I'm adding this album for sure. Even the 2002 bonus tracks.
A double album? Uh-oh. First track is 7+ minutes long? Big uh-oh. So many similar tempo songs. Everything just kind of blends into one long meh. Y'know Dimery, I really would've been fine with not ever hearing this album.
It's alright. I liked "Ill Communication" better. I do appreciate the shorter tunes but the yelling vocals get old pretty quick.
Good stuff, definitely of its time. Glad I listened to the whole thing but also not really feeling any need to revisit it.
It all sounds good and is very well made. He can definitely establish a solid groove. I just don't find anything here very catchy, none of it really sticks with me. I probably wouldn't turn it off if it came on the radio in the car but I'm not adding it to my library.
Once again the generator wiped out my review. I think it was along the lines of innocuous aural wallpaper.
Disappointing. Each song was pretty monotonous. The beats seemed like an afterthought. That's what draws me in and gets me to pay attention to the words. Without an interesting beat it loses my attention fast.
Bringing the bombast with swagger- in the best way possible.
This album cover is pretty iconic, surprised I've never listened to these guys. Here goes! Ah well, it's not for me. 28 year old me would've dug this when it came out but old me doesn't have the patience for all this slow dissonance.
This is pretty close to right in my wheelhouse. I'm sure I've heard a few of these before but never really got into these guys back in the day. It does kind of have a generic proto-grunge sound, could've been any of a number of early '90s bands. The ballads -"When We Two Parted" and "I Keep Coming Back" really make this album a chore to listen to.
Really ambitious and over the top. Where a fever dream and a passion project collide. The ballads really suck all the energy and fun out of it. The musicians are killing it all the way through which makes it a joy to listen to.
The boogie and swagger tunes are on a par with Big Star's best tunes. The anthems are dirgey slogs on a par with Aerosmith's most overwrought late stage power ballads. Unfortunately the ratio of slog to kickass is like the rent- too damn high.
I can't stand the big hit from this album, just horrible, no redeeming qualities. Held my breath and started with the second track, mostly meh at best. Still nowhere near as awful as the opening song. Holy shit! 75 minutes long!? I'm never going to make it through this dreck. Fuck you, Dimery, you can kiss my ass.
In the early aughts I once described Coldplay to a friend as "Watered down Radiohead for mass-consumption." (Martin's falsetto may have had something to do with that take) I don't even give them that much credit today. Complete dreck.
Oddly I just listened to "Back To Black" yesterday after my sister in-law said she like Winehouse's music. I was only passingly familiar with the hits which turned out to pretty much all be on BtoB. I liked it okay, got a little too samey with the heartbreak and dysfunctional relationship themes but the music is all top notch. I have the same impression of "Frank" and can see how it grew into BtoB. To me these songs are better suited to being on a shuffled playlist where they pop up once in a while. Strung together on an album is a little too much of the same theme beaten into the ground.
Back in the day I checked out on the Pixies after "Doolittle". Most likely due to my late twenties hipster tendencies, once they had a hit they couldn't possibly be cool anymore. Listening to this today the songs don't grab me the way those first two albums did, but now I'm quite a bit older so things hit differently these days. It's alright, still very Pixies and off-kilter at just the right moments.
Albums like this are what I'm doing this for! I'd heard of Monáe before but never really listened to her music. I assumed she was another neo/retro R and B artist, boy was I wrong. I really dig this and now have to listen to the first suite and this all the way through in order. So many different sounds and styles all done with extreme aplomb. This one's got to end up in my library.
Goo Goo Ga Ga Ga!
Starts out a lot different than I was expecting, that's a good thing. I don't remember hearing about them back in the '90s. Evokes some of the early Pixies sound, not just because of the woman's vocals but the off-kilter riffs and dynamic shifts. I'm also hearing Chairs Missing era Wire and maybe a touch of early Gang of Four. Still sounds like a fresh take on those post-punk sounds, smart guitar rock with attitude.
I was a freshman in high school when this came out. What's lost in all the (deserved) talk about how EVH changed the landscape for guitar players is how damn hard Alex and Michael swing. While Eddie is the tinsel and lights (DLR providing the ornaments) all over the tree the rhythm section is the trunk and branches holding it all together.
All in all a pretty fun and nostalgic trip for me. Kinda hard to not give this five stars for its historical significance alone. So even though the non-singles tracks don't add much to the statement/album, that's what I got.
Q: Has there ever been a better debut album?
A: No
Hot Damn! There was a point in my life when I had three copies of this album in my record collection. I wonder what happened to all my old albums?
This is also my third debut album in three days- Van Halen, John Prine, and New York Dolls. Merry Christmas to me! This is going to be the perfect soundtrack to whatever prep I'm doing today for tomorrow's dinner. Hell yeah! The swagger and attitude and ambition are pure rock and roll.-We're doing this and you can't stop us. Hitting as hard as diner coffee at 3am.
Enjoyable enough. It's hard for me to separate what a shit human being Phil was from the music. The musicians are killing it, Hal Blaine in particular seems to be really getting his jollies. Spector's squick aside after a while the wall of sound becomes a barrage of sound to me so the 34 minute run time is just about perfect. Overall fun takes on some classics and a fitting soundtrack to getting started on Christmas dinner.
The generator's back on debut albums after the Christmas bump. A bold statement to kick off the album with a blatant rip on Horace Silver's "Song For My Father". At least "Do It Again" doesn't linger there and goes off in a different direction. A lot of nostalgia tied to this one. Then I realized that the only ones that really stuck with me were pretty much the 'hits'. "Reelin' In The Years" just moves along so well, still moves me, but "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again" is really kind of a dud of an album closer. Might've rated this higher on a different day.
Another debut album, that's five in a row (leaving out the Christmas 'bonus'). Not as gimmicky as I was expecting knowing about the band's penchant for costumes and clowns. The drum sound is pretty awful though. Between that and the shouty unintelligible vocals I'm not sure I'll be able to make it through the whole thing. When the singer forgets to pretend he's a monster with a sore throat the vocals are pretty good. I suppose that is supposed to reflect angry and disaffected youth, I can get behind the sentiment but have a hard time dealing with the delivery, to each their own. "Diluted" is my favorite track. I could see going back to this song. Seeing the 19+ minute run time of "Scissors" I was fully prepared to bail on it - then I was reminded of hidden tracks, haha!
Started out kinda cool. Early songs have a fun, "We're going on a weird sonic road trip, hop in and enjoy the ride." But by the middle it feels like driving through Nebraska, a lot of the same and it ain't going by very fast. If the beginning vibe kept up this could've been a 4 maybe 5 stars for me. I really wish it had lived up to the promise of the first couple songs.
It's okay I guess. Good rocking but it starts sounding samey to me after a handful of songs. I know the hits from this one and they're good tunes. I just don't see myself coming back to this one.
Love the energy and attitude. Another pretty samey sounding album but this one doesn't overstay its welcome. That said it's not going into my library. Okay songs if I hear them in the wild but nothing to go out of my way for.
Not much I can say about this one. The '70s wouldn't be the same without ol' Cat. I barely even noticed it was over, not much difference between this and silence.
This is an easy five star. It loomed large in the soundtrack to a lot of my Saturday nights/Sunday mornings in the '80s. I hadn't listened to the entire album as a piece in almost thirty years, really glad to see it come up today.
Holy Cow! Must crank this one. Takes no prisoners. Get in the car and step on the gas.
So many similar tempos in the mid section of the album, hard to tell when one song ends and the next begins. At least "Minus" kicked this one out of the doldrums for a short bit. I don't need to hear this again, not sure why I needed to hear this once.
Didn't hit with me the way OG did. I dig the martial arts influences for sure.
Don't even have to look at the release date to know this is from the '90s. It's good '90s though.
Smooth, makes me feel like I'm cool just for listening to it.
So cheesy it's gooey sometimes. The music blows me away, the choice of songs tends to amp up the cheese factor. EP's delivery is what it is. He really knew how to use his voice as an instrument. Would've loved to have seen the sessions- the musicians and back up singers were really firing on all cylinders. All in all though a three is about it for me. It's interesting from a pop music history perspective but not something I'll listen to again.
Hadn't heard of them so I checked wikipedia and saw the 1982 release date. I figured I was in for something good. This makes me want to mosh like Beavis and Butthead! If this had come out ten years later it would've been cartoonish, instead it's a blueprint for a lot of what followed. Very cool.
Brings back memories of discovering "Art Rock" in high school with the other stoners. Nice little nostalgia trip- didn't listen to the extended edition, 40 minutes is enough. These guys could play their asses off and they sure wanted everyone to know that.
Rather meh. None of these songs stuck with me. Also none of them grated on me or otherwise made me want to skip them. Sort of like a beige wall I guess.
Really hitting me as a novelty album, not sure why it's on the list. That said it's more enjoyable than some of the other things on the list. Wavering between two stars for wtf and three stars because I don't really dislike it. Sounds like it was a helluva lot of fun to make this album anyway.
Not bad, not great either. The hit off this is "Keep The Car Running" and it's definitely the best song on the album. The rest sounds kind of like that song but not as good.
You name your band Queen and you better show up with the bombast and swagger. They sure enough do just that. Really goes hard for the first half but kind of loses energy in the last couple songs.
Don't know anything about them and decided to not look at the wikipedia before listening. Here we go.
Kind of a modern-ish take on tropicalia I guess. The electronica influence sands off the more interesting edges of '60s tropicalia though. Would work as aural wallpaper for a dinner party with your parents. I didn't bother finishing it.
Eventually looked at wikipedia. When one of the more notable things in the wiki article is "...included in the book 1001..." it tells me it's most likely not essential listening.
Straight up five star album. I don't need to listen to this for the project but I sure as hell am. So badass.
Solid without filler. I generally don't connect with live albums, mostly come away with a 'you had to be there' feeling. This is some good stuff, band is firing on all cylinders and it's m-fing Phil Lynott!
Bought this when it came out. First listen was on my morning commute. I was non-plussed. It felt way more like an atmospheric piece as a whole and while I could appreciate the ambition and experimentation it really wasn't my jam. I put it on the shelf.
Through the years a lot of these songs have become very familiar to me but I probably hadn't listened to the album all the way through since that first listen. I watched the documentary about its creation and that was an interesting look into the process and the band drama but the album still didn't resonate with me. I'm sure the tempos and sleepy-eyed vocal delivery are a big part of that.
Listening today I have a bigger appreciation of how it fits together as a piece but still had a hard time sticking through the entire album. The songs are good and the interstitial 'noise' works but I still have a hard time with the tempos and delivery. Still worthy of four stars for everything around that album.
Lullabies for the Gatsbys. So well performed and meticulously recorded, so beige. It's like taking a master craftsman and having him roll white paint on ceilings.
Hmm. Something that's been as ubiquitous as air for the past 50 years. I don't know if I have to listen to it again. I've already heard it enough times in my life. There was a time when I'd have given this one star just to be a smug contrarian but I think I've mostly outgrown that. It is a hell of a piece of work but I'm not sure if it's overexposure or if it just isn't fully in my tastes.
Recurring theme of back in the day me dismissing something outright before even giving it a chance. This is a pretty fun album but does tend to feel same-y after awhile.
Leans a bit too chill for me but overall fine for something to have on while doing things. Got way too samey as it went on, kind of forgot it was even playing.
Surprisingly I've never listened to this (or really any) Elliott Smith. Maybe not so surprising given the sad boy reputation surrounding Mr. Smith. That said I was pleasantly surprised (3 surprises, no waiting) to find that I didn't cringe my way through this one. In fact I'd say there's probably 25% of these songs I'd choose to hear again.
Damn right! This is one I've owned for many years. Brother Wayne don't mess around. Attitude, anger, righteousness and drugs. Don't listen to it as much as I used to but when the itch hits this is just the right scratch.
The sisters' vocals with Rogers/Edwards is pretty irresistible. Cool how I recognize some of these from being 'in the air' but never knew where they came from, "He's the Greatest Dancer" being a strong example. I really wanted to like this more than I did. Outside of the title track and Dancer nothing really stuck to me.
Mostly okay. Some dance floor songs, some radio songs. Madonna appears to accomplish what she set out to do here. Mostly not my thing but she does it very well so there's that. I did skip the auto tune song, using that as an effect is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Oh no, did not need that cover of "American Pie". Not at all.
I checked out on Aerosmith around Draw The Line/Night In The Ruts. Familiar with the hits from this one and wasn't expecting much from the other tunes but I genuinely like them a lot more than the singles. The interstitial sounds and songs bleeding into each other was pretty cool too. I scrubbed past the first five minutes of that power ballad dreck to hear the little hoedown thingy at the end, that was fun. I practically have an allergic reaction to power ballads, really suck the fun out of an album.
Didn't really even need to listen to this one, but you bet I sure did!
I wish we had Bob around for a lot longer.
The longer it goes on the worse it gets.
I'm glad the Velvets were a thing. I'm glad they opened the door for so many bands. I'm glad I listened to them a lot in my younger days. I don't listen to them much these days.
This is one of the holes in my early punk listening. The short songs are definitely in my wheelhouse so with open ears here we go. I vaguely recognized "Bored Teenagers", I'm sure I've heard it on a mix tape or in a bar or both. Mostly fun stuff and if I'd heard it in the late '70s I'd have bought the album.
Not much to say about this that hasn't already been said. "She Is Leaving" is the only blemish on it for me. Cloying and maudlin and really out of place on this album.
The day after Sgt Pepper! A cool concept served by some great Kinks tunes.
Good stuff, Maynard.
Glad this album exists and for its time it made great shockwaves. At this point though I've heard these songs so much that I don't really get much out of them anymore and at worst start yawning before they're over.
went to the youtube playlist and hit play then read the quick wiki and saw they're a 'noise' band so had a bit of apprehension i'm liking this a lot, way more than i thought i would kinda wonder if it would've landed differently if i had no expectations but it's too late for that i'll save the youtube link, i'm sure there will be a mood/time when this one will hit the spot
The first Bowie album I ever bought. I still think it's one of his best.
Stone classic.
Holy 32nd notes Batman!
Kicking ass with a shit eatin' grin!
Not really for me. Sounds like something club people might listen to when the rave is winding down. I kinda liked "State Of Mind" but it did go on too long. That super fast snare/hat thing gets old after about 17 seconds, it's on every damn track.
Not enough stars.
I was dismissive of this one when it came out. I gave it a serious listen about 6 years later and became an instant fan. "Would" is an all-time favorite song.
I'd mistakenly thought Grizzly Bear was part of Animal Collective. I couldn't get through that album, it made me angry. I'm glad I gave this a chance. I like it for the most part, definitely appreciate the ambition and the craft even though some of it's not for me. That's okay it doesn't all have to be for me. D'oh! Just noticed the youtube link took me to a bonus tracks playlist. I thought it meant the full album plus bonus tracks and I intended to stop at the end of the original album, instead all I was listening to was the bonus tracks. Starting the album now. It's much better than the bogus tracks. "Two Weeks" still sounds like it was written to be a tv commercial. The last few tracks really kinda sucked the air out of things.
Cool album, some over the top playing by the band. Not sure it's an album I needed to hear before I die but I do like it. I've seen reviews mention how often Janis Joplin and Robert Plant scream "Baby", I have to say Tim's use of "Mama" is right up there with them.
Sounds like if Daft Punk decided to make their own "My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts". I could maybe see putting the title track on a mixtape but other than that nothing here really that I'd go out of my way to listen to again.
I ain't slogging through this. I know there's some good tunes on it but the radio killed them for me.
I've heard the name referenced a lot. I had ideas about their sound but never listened. I like it but not enough to add to my library, just not in my wheelhouse. Post punk proto screamo I suppose sums it up. Good playing and twisty songs.
Not a big Rod fan but this record is undeniably great.
It's okay I guess. I do try to push myself out of my comfort zone and am sometimes really happy I did. Other times I'm just bored. Unfortunately this album falls into the latter category.
An easy five.
I can usually only take so much of Yorke's plaintive moaning. Case in point, this album.
Really good stuff! Seeing the band name I was expecting some horrid stomp-clap-shout garbage and was pleasantly surprise to hear frenetic guitar rock instead. worthy of repeat listens.
Oh no, another Radiohead album. They're very hit and miss for me, unfortunately mostly miss. We'll see what this brings. Apparently I like the idea of Radiohead more than I like the music of Radiohead. "Optimistic" is okay enough, Yorke's voice works best in "Idiotique" and "Morning Bell".
Okay, I get the idea. Really only had to know that "Walk" is the best tune on the album, even though a couple come close. Nothing I really feel compelled to hear again.
Nice. Not sure I can give a first five* Talking Heads album anything less than five stars.
*Little Creatures and later have their moments but aren't as end-to-end solid as the earlier albums.
Solid pop album, nothing new really going on here.
meh
Can't find a version that isn't the remastered version. That snare would merely be obnoxious if it were in time. I've heard a lot about how Lars takes tempo as a suggestion but come on. I've heard amateur bar bands that couldn't count to four evenly still be better than this. Why would you put that out in front of everything?
Tried again later and still couldn't stand that drum sound or get over the complete disregard for timing. At least the rest of the band seems to understand tempo.
I'd rather not.
Mostly better than the song from the movie.
An easy 5. Even though I like El Dorado better.
Super solid representation of a style of the Nashville Sound. While I like it I am wondering what about this album makes it a must hear over others from its time and genre.
"I Really Don't Want To Know" put a smile on my face when I realized I first heard the song on Jason and the Scorchers' "Lost And Found" album, help me Warner!
Not what I was expecting to hear (not that I'm sure what I was expecting). It's perfectly fine jazz, not sure why it merits being on the list though.
It was a simpler time. No airport sounds like this anymore. I don't really want to hear what an airport sounds like today, I kind of miss 'simpler' times.
Funk yeah!
Really don't care for Rose's voice. Some solid songs but mostly pretty worn out.
I like. Going to add this one to my library. Also going to look more into Chao's catalog.
Reminds me of college.
Wore the needle out on this one back in the day. I gave no fucks about Beatles vs. Stones, it was all Jam vs. Clash for me and my friends.
Wore the needle out on this one back in the day. I gave no fucks about Beatles vs. Stones, it was all Jam vs. Clash for me and my friends.
I dig it. Not a style of music I listen to often so my take is a bit uninformed. Good sounds and definitely worth a revisit. Would be cool if I found the motivation to dig deeper into Latin music.
Electric Dylan > Acoustic Dylan.
Leaving The Table kinda says it all.
"Dry" hit me right between the eyes- raw, aggressive, angry, tender, and above all musical. "Rid Of Me" picks that torch right up and tosses some gasoline on it.
I only know the hit from this one. Let's see how the rest sounds. A lot of similar energy going through these other tunes. All in all a good album but not really one I feel I need in my collection. Ooh hey, I recognize "This Fire" too. That should've been as big a hit as "Take Me Out".
Not sure if they’re going for hypnotic or ambient here, it’s mostly just boring. Some of the songs seem to start with a good idea but then never develop into anything more. Aural wallpaper that does nothing for the room.
I like the title song. Not too much else I want to hear again.
It's okay, songs get a bit monotonous. I did like the nod to the riff from "Fearless" in "Here Comes A Soul Saver". A lot of these songs sound like a Pepsi commercial.
Been listening to this since the early '80s and it still kicks ass.
Some really pretty songs, maybe his best stuff to my ears. I still can't warm up to that disaffected delivery though. It kind of suits the material here but it's the same delivery on every album and loses all it's effect in this setting.
Too damn good. Even the 'filler'* songs are head and shoulders above a lot of people's best work.
*not really filler songs of course
I don't like this guy's voice, at all. Side one is pure dreck.
Now we're talking! This is totally my wheelhouse/comfort zone (and an album I've been listening to since it was released).
Let's get it on!
Then let's get it on again.
How about gettin' it on some more?
This ain't enough gettin' on yet.
Why aren't we still gettin' on now?
Oh c'mon, let's get it on.
Solid stuff but nothing that made me stop what I was doing to listen more closely. Good dinner party music or relaxing outside on a beautiful day.
Brings me back to college. The guy across the hall from me in the dorms had this and I was hooked! Easy five stars.
Cripes. I'm 14 and having my mind blown all over again. Not their best but it was their 'breakthrough album'.
Cool concept and I think he pulled it off quite well. Hadn't heard of this so I read the wikipedia after listening to the first couple songs. First song took me a bit to get into it but the second one really hit. Might have to get this one, I don't have enough of this kind of thing in my library.
Opening track is worth five stars alone.
I remember another band from back in that day called The Mondays. They leaned heavily into twee. I knew they were different bands but I couldn't get that twee business out of my head. Really glad this album subverted my expectations. I'm liking it. I wonder if I'd like it as much if I wasn't so relieved that it wasn't twee crap. More than likely will give it another spin.
Yeah, that's an easy five.
Oh okay, I remember the Humpty Dance. RIP Shock G. I also remember Doowutchyalike and like that one even more than Humpty Dance.
I was so dismissive of that "new wave synthesizer stuff" back in the day. My loss then but at least I can enjoy it now! "Enjoy The Silence" is so so good.
Growing up in Chicago this music was pretty ubiquitous. I tend to take it for granted and not pay it much attention. Glad to hear this today and remember why it's so damn special.
Ah wonderful, sad bastard music. I suppose the title is kind of a giveaway. Not something I'd ever care to listen to again.
Hell yeah! Get the taste of yesterday's album out of my ears in fine style.
Billy's voice, ugh. Billy's personality, double ugh. I will groove to "Cherub Rock" and "Mayonnaise" is the only SP song in my personal music library so I can't deny there are some great moments here.
Dayum! 5 stars for Chain of Fools alone.
Right on Buck! I haven't searched the list to see if there's more than one Buck album. If so "In Japan" is the one that should be in here. This is solid Buck Owns of course so at least four stars.
I see the bridge between "Three Imaginary Boys" and where they went after this. That said I think this is weaker than what came before and after.
Ha! Just played in a band and "Come All Ye" was one of the tunes we did. After listening to it I let the whole album keep rolling so this was in my ears only a month ago. Fairport Convention does their thing damn well. One of those bands that I'm not always up for but when I am nothing else will do.
Good album. I can see where the Lion King folks swiped their shtick. This is better than that. Like a lot better than that.
So many songs. I'm speechless.
I was snootily dismissive of this when it came out. I'm glad I got more open minded as a got older. Lotta good stuff on here, Quincy Jones has the magic touch. However any time I see David Foster in the credits I cringe. "It's The Falling In Love" does nothing to tell me that cringe is inappropriate.
Oh yeah, this is hitting today.
I was really into this one when it was released. I got tired of the vocal gymnastics after a lot of listens. It's still a great album but I don't care if I ever hear it again.
Holy cow! You couldn't escape this album in '76, it was everywhere. Still a damn good album and kinda changed the landscape for live albums to come.
I really only know the album "Jacques Brel Is Alive and well in Paris". Looking forward to this one. I recognize a lot of these songs even though they're in French. The sometimes bawdy English versions make me laugh out loud, these still bring a smile to my face.
Liking this a lot more than I expected. I wrote them off as a generic hair band back in the day. They definitely owe more of their sound to the New York Dolls than Ratt. Not necessarily something I'll return to but I won't turn my nose up if I hear them mentioned anymore. I gained some respect for these guys.
This one didn't move me much when it came out, still doesn't today. I think Petty's a better songwriter than he is a singer.
Solid PJ album. Digging the tunes. A good candidate for my music library to go along with Dry.
Björk is nothing if not interesting. I had "Homogenic" when it came out, it was exceptionally good for creating a mood. Ex took that in the divorce so haven't listened to it in years. I'm liking this one a lot. I may have to go get this and "Homogenic" for my collection.
Title track is the best on the album. I'm beyond tired of Tiny Dancer and never much cared for "Levon". They do make some sense in the context of the whole album. The Indian song is good but definitely dated. That said the musicianship, composition and arrangement are stellar. However, there isn't one song that has a tempo higher than a coma. I was really bored after a while.
The little bit I've encountered of this band had me keeping my project paused for almost a week. I'm not looking forward to this one. Let's see if they prove me wrong.
Two songs in and it's not going well. They sound like a mashup between the godawful retreats they made us go to in Catholic high school and a bunch of Ren Faire types. Not the OG Ren Faires but the modern corporate "Fantasy" Faires. Like they took an already enshittified experience as their starting point. I suppose it doesn't help that I don't care for their voices. I get that they're good singers and really know their harmony but damn, the tonality and timbre of those voices really hurts my ear. Drenching it in reverb is just the moldy icing on the shit cake.
Fuck this. Listened to the whole first song and then began skipping the next ones successively sooner than the one before it. Hit the first three seconds of track #7 and noped out of the rest of the album.
I can see there's a lot of talent and skill on display here, too bad it's in the service of sounds that make my skin crawl.
Been listening to this one for years. It never gets old.
Cool beans. Shows a lot of promise that delivered in so many ways throughout his entire career.
Not my cup of tea but can't deny the excellent production and performing. I first heard "Same Old Love" done by a string band at the Teluride Bluegrass Festival. That song is good any old way it's played.
Is this my third or fourth Bowie album? Who's counting, eh?
I have to get past the title track and all the baggage it carries being (intentionally?) misinterpreted for political gain. When I do that I find that there are some great tunes on this album.
Side one is too damn cool for school. Side two kinda puts me to sleep Why did I own "...Warm Jets" but not this one too? Gonna fix that soon (at least keep S1 in my library).
Not these guys again, ugh.
Digging this one a lot. I hear a lot of influences in the music and they all work together for some funky goodness. Tower of Power, Isley Bros, James Brown, P-Funk and I'm sure others I'm not so familiar with. "Blow Your Mind" was a standout for me. I will be revisiting this to get more out of the lyrics and dig deeper into the musicianship.
Not really my thing but I'm enjoying it. One or two tunes overstay their welcome but maybe that serves a particular audience (I'm guessing dance floors). All in all a really nice listen. Not something I'd put on regular rotation but definitely would put some of the songs into a playlist.
Starting off way more interesting than I was expecting. Themes develop and then drift off as a new one comes in. Good background music for doing house chores. If I still sat around doing bongs and thinking I was deep this would be on repeat.
The knee-jerk in me wanted to not give this one 5. Listening to it brought back so many memories and it also has some damn good songs on it.
First impression- 18 songs, too many. Listening and I hear a lot of the Gnarls Barkley vibe in the first few tracks. Good stuff but to me it suffers from bloat. Could've been one 4-5 star album if it was pared down to 11-12 tracks.
Kinda generic '90s indie guitar music. I'm not hearing much notable so far (four songs in). The longer it goes on the less I like it. A song here and there might be okay but the whole album as a piece is a real dud.
Calling themselves The Auteurs and naming an album that sounds like this "New Wave" was either the height of oblivious pretentiousness or master level trolling.
Good stuff. Not really my thing but I see the greatness in it.
Good stuff. Not really my thing but I see the greatness in it.*
*This was also yesterday's review
Damn, listening to this brought back some strong memories of Tommy McCracken for me. That alone merits five stars. Tommy was a blues singer from Chicago (Cincinnati originally) who learned his trade opening for BB King. I had the opportunity to play bass for Tommy on several occasions, most notably his 82 birthday. This one got me right in the feels, as the blues should.
