146
Albums Rated
3.23
Average Rating
13%
Complete
943 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1990
Favorite Decade
Punk
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
16
5-Star Albums
4
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Gold
Ryan Adams
|
5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
|
Highly Evolved
The Vines
|
5 | 3.03 | +1.97 |
|
Achtung Baby
U2
|
5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
|
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
|
5 | 3.32 | +1.68 |
|
Tidal
Fiona Apple
|
5 | 3.45 | +1.55 |
|
Dirt
Alice In Chains
|
5 | 3.47 | +1.53 |
|
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
|
5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
|
Ramones
Ramones
|
5 | 3.58 | +1.42 |
|
Hot Fuss
The Killers
|
5 | 3.74 | +1.26 |
|
American Idiot
Green Day
|
5 | 3.77 | +1.23 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fifth Dimension
The Byrds
|
1 | 3.07 | -2.07 |
|
Raw Like Sushi
Neneh Cherry
|
1 | 2.7 | -1.7 |
|
Bummed
Happy Mondays
|
1 | 2.65 | -1.65 |
|
Welcome to the Afterfuture
Mike Ladd
|
1 | 2.56 | -1.56 |
|
Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
|
2 | 3.43 | -1.43 |
|
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
|
2 | 3.39 | -1.39 |
|
Eliminator
ZZ Top
|
2 | 3.37 | -1.37 |
|
Music From Big Pink
The Band
|
2 | 3.36 | -1.36 |
|
The Yes Album
Yes
|
2 | 3.31 | -1.31 |
|
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
|
2 | 3.3 | -1.3 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Green Day | 2 | 5 |
| Beatles | 3 | 4.33 |
5-Star Albums (16)
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Popular Reviews
Yes · 1 likes
2/5
Wow! These guys are good at their instruments!
The Beta Band · 1 likes
4/5
Hold on. Am I . . . am I about to give a 5 to an album that I've never heard before? I'd heard of The Beta Band, but I had no idea what they sounded like.
For starters, I love it when an album sounds nothing like what the cover makes you think it's gonna sound like. So maybe I'll justify the 5 by saying I'm rounding up for that.
There's so much to like here. Some elements hint at other bands I love, but nothing is overly derivative. And there are easily accessible sounds and melodies that would get annoying if they were the basis for an entire album, but they mix it up enough so that's not a problem. And despite the "mixing up," they still manage to maintain cohesion. I think this might be a really great album. I'll have to keep it in my rotation and find out.
Joni Mitchell · 1 likes
3/5
When this is all over, if at least 50% of my reviews are threes, then I will say that I have assessed correctly.
1-Star Albums (4)
All Ratings
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
I've always loved Rufus's voice in small doses, but feared that listening to an entire album of his might just be too much eccentric crooning to bare. My fears were largely confirmed. Three or four songs in, I was really digging it. The classical arrangements and melodies were doing for me. But by the end, it has turned into background music.
Rod Stewart
2/5
This listen confirmed by general impression of Rod Stewart: He tries VERY hard to be soulful and earnest. When he hit's the mark, it's beautiful, but when he does not - which happens more commonly - the result is some combination of boring and humorous (or "cringe," as the kids would say). I did get a nice little chuckle from "Only a Hobo," which, aside from the unfortunate title and chorus line, might be the best song on the album.
Yes
2/5
Wow! These guys are good at their instruments!
Pantera
4/5
Man! I haven't listened to this album since college. What a righteous jam! It sounds loud AF even if you listen to it quietly. For me, though, the ceiling for an album like this is four stars, simply because of the sameness of it all. But it hits that ceiling with authority. Or should I say . . . a vulgar display of power.
Prefab Sprout
4/5
Prefab Sprout . . . Who knew? The prospect of discovering albums like this is what got me excited about doing this project. I had some ambivalence about it on first listen, but I've come to learn that that's often the sign of a very good album. This is solid songwriting with a unique voice. The '80s production sheen is there, but it's not overbearing. (The production sounds remarkably modern, actually.) I was initially thinking three stars, but I enjoyed it so much more on my second listen, I think it's gotta be four.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
2/5
There are places for bluegrass in this world, but on a double album coming out of speakers in my home is not one of the them.
Patti Smith
3/5
I've always felt I should like Patti Smith more than I do. Considering the music I like, all the components are there. But alas. I can appreciate her music on an analytical level, but I just didn't enjoy listening to this album very much.
Little Simz
3/5
I don't hate rap, but I think there's a ceiling to how much I can enjoy it, primarily because it doesn't deliver emotion the way singing does. I enjoyed this album somewhat. The lyrics are sharp and the tracks lean towards an organic sound, which I like. And British rap will always get a little bump just because the accent adds a level of interest. Bonus points for going with Little Simz instead of Lil' Simz.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
The personal connections I have to this album make it very special to me. I'm happy it came up on a Sunday, and I was able to sit with it and enjoy it. It's really great. "Transcendent" comes to mind.
James Brown
3/5
This was alright. I don't have much to say about it. James Brown is one of those artists for me where . . . I understand why people like him, but he just doesn't connect with me. And I can't listen to him without thinking of Eddie Murphy's "James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub Party." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAJnpaFRrlw) I kinda wanted to go two stars, but that felt wrong.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
I was initially intrigued by this offering. I liked what I knew of Marvin Gaye, and I was excited to listen to an entire album. But man, this has a lot of filler. That's what's going on: Meandering, there-are-a-lot-of-problems-in-the-world stuff that at times borders on comical. "Save the Children" is a prime example. Of course, there are great tunes on here too, but I'll probably stick to the top tracks when listening to Marvin Gaye in the future.
4/5
There's not anything that I can add to the zeitgeist about how great this album is. It's a masterpiece, especially considering the time from whence it came. Still, I'm gonna give it four stars, not five. I have to leave room above it for albums that are more "my thing." And it's not even my favorite Beatles album.
Sebadoh
3/5
Say! These guys are pretty good! Someone should sign them to a record deal!
Anywho . . . this was a blast from my past. And I was definitely surprised to see this record come up. Sebadoh has better albums than this one, and I'd be even more surprised if there was ANOTHER Sebadoh album on the list. But I guess this is the "important" one? There are some good tunes on here (mostly Lou Barlow's), but as with most Sebadoh albums, it's a very inconsistent listen. I found myself wondering if I had talked myself into thinking I liked the band more than I actually did just because they're a Dinosaur Jr. offshoot.
Also, I find my patience for the lo-fi approach, which I claimed to love when I was younger, has faded. Maybe it's just the improved home-recording technology. It's hard to get past, "I could record something that sounds better than this." (And if you think THIS album sounds lo-fi, take a listen to the albums they released before this one.)
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
I have liked every RUN-DMC song I have ever heard, yet I was still somewhat skeptical whether I could tolerate an entire album from them. And even as I got through the brilliant trifecta of It's Tricky, My Adidas, and Walk This Way, I was still questioning whether I could hang for seven more songs.
Silly me. This is a great, FUN album, front to back. I realized there's something kind of punk about RUN-DMC's simplicity and the aggressive vocal delivery that's right in my wheelhouse. I like.
3/5
The Kinks are great, and this was an album of theirs I was not very familiar with, but I was just not in the mood to listen to this yesterday. I get the sense it might be a very good album. I'll give it a spin in a few days and see what I think. On a different day, it might have been a 4, but today . . .
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
Note to self: Good background music for when you open a restaurant - Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart's, "Rising Above Bedlam".
Jurassic 5
3/5
I forgot about Jurassic 5! What a treat. I enjoyed this album front to back. I have a hard time giving it a four, but there's a very good chance I will listen to it again.
Girls Against Boys
3/5
I only listened to the first two songs on this album, but based on my rubric, I think I can rate it anyway. 😊 It's definitely not a 1 or a 5. And unless it takes a drastic turn, it's also better than a 2. Based on my (limited) familiarity with Girls Against Boys, I also highly doubt it reaches the level of a 4. So there you go. #cheating
Jimmy Smith
3/5
I'm not a jazz guy. So I feel like I can't really pan this album, because it's jazz. But also, I don't love it . . . because it's jazz. In all, this is a pleasant-sounding album. I'm glad to be aware of its existence. I'll definitely keep it in my quiver.
The Who
3/5
The Who was a great live band, and this is an example of that. (I could listen to Keith Moon play all day.) I have trouble grading live albums on the same scale as studio albums, however. They're totally different creatures. So, I think it's gonna be 2's and 3's for me for live albums from here on. 3 if I enjoyed listening to it, 2 if it felt like a chore.
Michael Jackson
5/5
This record is the sound of my early childhood. Hearing it still brings visions of my parents' stereo system. And despite all of the changes in my musical preferences since I was five, it still makes me dance in living room. G' damn classic!
Green Day
5/5
Green Day's work is so inconsistent that I sometimes get tricked into thinking that American Idiot isn't as good as I think it is. But then I listen to it and remember that it's fucking great. It's an all-timer for me. The context from which it came and the musical only add to the certain "je ne sais quoi" quality of this album. I will say, the back-to-back of Holiday and Boulevard of Broken Dreams had me a little bored. I always felt that's the weak spot. But it gets right back to business afterwards.
Happy Mondays
1/5
Uh, yeah . . . No, thank you
Brian Wilson
3/5
I've always felt that the genius of Brian Wilson is appreciated more on an intellectual level than an emotional one. As such, I've never really connected with The Beach Boys or his solo work. I was only vaguely familiar with Smile. I feel like if I sat down and gave it a few focused listens, I would probably like it more. But for this exercise, it comes across mostly as a collection of unreleased Beach Boys tracks that I'm not vibing with all that much.
The Icarus Line
3/5
There's a lot to like here: Noisey guitars, the drum sound, some interesting song structures. At first - given the first song and the release date - I thought I was in for a noisy emo treat, but the more I listened, the more it sounded like Buckcherry. In total, it probably lands somewhere in between Buckcherry and At the Drive-In, and that's not a positive. The vocals are a little too cock-rock for my tastes, and the songs often seem self-indulgent. It's ... fine. But I don't need it in my life.
(An aside: Listening to this randomly brought to mind the fictional band from Almost Famous. I have no specific memory of what that band sounds like, but I swear it's something like this. I'll have to check on that.)
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Alright ... I didn't listen to this album yesterday. It was Friday. I really didn't feel like harshing my vibes with The Rolling Stones, the most overrated band in the history of the world. But I feel I'm familiar enough with it to give it a rating. It's a three. That's what the Stones do. They make albums that are threes.
Bill Callahan
4/5
An interesting listen, for sure. At times Willie Nelson and at times a middle-aged dad going through a midlife crisis who decided to turn his poetry hobby into an album. At least it's good poetry, though. These are the sorts of albums that I'm going to struggle with for this exercise. I'm thinking three, but if I spent more time with it, I feel I might move my rating to a four . . . or a two. Regardless, it's refreshing to hear something that sounds so unique. For that, and in the spirit of "needing to hear," what the heck ... I'll just just go four.
Lambchop
2/5
When the Wikipedia entry said "American rock band, Lambchop," I took that to mean that Lambchop was a rock band. My bad.
Really, there's not a ton of difference between this and Bill Callahan. Callahan's record has a sparser production, which I like, and, to me, his voice is more interesting. The easy-listening style orchestral production on this record is just hard for me to sit with for very long.
Beatles
5/5
Who am I to give this album anything but a five? It is quite good. Though I do think I prefer Rubber Soul by a smidge.
Duke Ellington
2/5
This is an album for a jazz enthusiast, which I am not. I'm glad I listened to it once, I guess, but the lengthy talking between songs kinda kills what I'm personally looking for in a jazz album.
Big Black
2/5
I just don't have the patience for lo-fi anymore. I used to claim to like it, but now I'm doubting whether I ever did. Maybe I was just going for hipster cred. With so many albums in the world that are pleasing to the ear, why would I choose this?
Anywho, whether it's lo-fi or intentionally industrial, I'm not a fan of the production on this one. It's a shame, because there's a lot of potential here. Also, one-star automatic deduction for the use of a drum machine with punk rock.
Johnny Cash
3/5
I do like Johnny Cash, and I certainly appreciate the significance of this album, and it's an enjoyable listen - between-song banter and all - but I doubt this is the album I'll ever choose when I want to listen to Johnny Cash. I see no compelling reason to abandon my live-album rating parameters for this one.
Tears For Fears
3/5
I came across a YouTube video the other day of one of the Tears for Fears guys playing Head Over Heels solo on the piano. I realized that it's a really good song, at its core. I think that applies to a few songs on this record - the hits and maybe a few others - but it can be hard to hear it through the din of the very-80s production. I did enjoy the nostalgic trip of listening to Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, etc, but much of this album had me bored to tears. (Hey oh!)
Rush
4/5
I've always enjoyed Rush, but I've avoided really diving into their catalog because it feels like too much work. That applies singularly to 2112 as well. I only had time for one listen, and I liked it quite a bit, but this is the sort of album that requires multiple listens over multiple days to truly understand how you feel about it. I can make an educated guess, though. I was inclined to go 3, but because I feel like I've probably been sleeping on Rush over the course of my life - to a criminal degree - I'll bump it up.
The Go-Go's
3/5
I can enjoy the Go-Gos in spurts, but I've never attempted an entire album. It was a bit of a slog after three or four songs. Pop records be like that, I guess.
Holger Czukay
2/5
I'm glad stuff like this exists, but ranking it on the same scale as some of these other albums? C'mon. A two is being generous.
De La Soul
3/5
De La Soul has a distinct vibe, which I appreciate. But, similar to the Go Gos, it's a vibe that grows repetitive and tiresome midway through an album. (It's a very personal thing, I guess, how long one can tolerate a particular musical sound. There are plenty of very repetitive punk albums that I could listen to on repeat.) I enjoyed this album, but it's hard to imagine I'll ever choose to listen to it again. If I feel like listening to this rap sub-genre, I'll probably go with Jurassic 5 or Digable Planets, both of whom I find more interesting.
The Byrds
1/5
This is not my bag, man. Made me think maybe I should have given De La Soul four stars. There's just nothing interesting about this. I listened on my open-ear headphones while walking the dog, and I literally tuned it out. The sound of traffic, roofers, and ACTUAL birds was more engaging.
Prince
3/5
I was excited to see this album come up, but it wasn't nearly as good as I remember it being. I probably would have liked it a little more without all the shrieks and "eww!"s.
The Clash
4/5
Great album! I wasn't quite as familiar with this as London Calling, I'll admit. I'm glad it came up. Funny story: Autoplay started playing EMI by the Sex Pistols after the album was over, and before I recognized it, I'm thinking, "Oh! I like THIS one." 😆 Says something about where I stand on Clash v Sex Pistols.
The Zombies
3/5
I've always found Time of the Season to be a decent song, but an entire album in that vein is a little much to take. However ... I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I was driving through rural Oregon while listening, and it was a nice soundtrack for that. And I'll give them an extra star for their crazy story.
Willie Nelson
4/5
This is a songwriter's album. Just a great collection of songs, well played and well sung, and captivating. And the concept album-ish nature of it makes me like it even more (Denver into O're the Waves is just ... chef's kiss). I've always enjoyed Willie, but I've never taken the initiative to dive into his catalog. Maybe I will now. I'm definitely keeping this one in my collection.
Janis Joplin
4/5
Janis is an artist who slipped through the cracks for me, which is a shame because I've always known I love her voice. This did not disappoint. It's a great album. I'm withholding the fifth star because that noodley 70s southern rock sound turns me off. But Janis herself . . . wow.
Spacemen 3
2/5
Ehhh . . . I don't know. I only had the time to listen to this once. Definitely not enough time to really get into something like this, though it's hard to imagine it making it into my library on a permanent basis.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Oh, man. I really like this one. Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld. I'm a sucker for brooding stuff that makes me cry, and this definitely does the trick. In the parlance of the times . . . this is some real ass shit!
Songhoy Blues
4/5
Hmm. The blues, born of African music, returns to Africa. Fascinating. I genuinely have never heard anything quite like this. I was thinking three at first, but four is calling.
The Smiths
3/5
I hadn't listened to this album in a looong time. I enjoyed revisiting it, but there's a reason The Smiths never really made it into my collection. They're just not quite my thing.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Well. By Jason's metric, I suppose I needed to hear this. It was certainly entertaining, in a B-movie sort of way. I dig heavily orchestrated stuff, so I found the music to be pretty cool at times. So the real issue here is this damn singer. I don't think I have ever heard such a dichotomy between the content of the lyrics ("If you were a horse, I'd clean the crap out of your stable nd never once complain") and the way in which the lyrics were sung. Hello, Johnny Mathis. Y'know . . . I'm gonna round up just for the chutzpah of the whole endeavor.
Paul Simon
3/5
Albums like this are hard to rate. I enjoyed it. They're great songs. I appreciate the mastery. I FEEL like I should be giving it a four or five. But am I ever going to listen to this again? Unlikely.
R.E.M.
3/5
First, a confession: I presented my Paul Simon review yesterday as though I had given the album a careful listening. Truth be told, I had it on in the background and kinda just assumed what I was hearing was "okay" because it was Paul Simon. But when Jason said "Cars are Cars" sucks (paraphrasing), I had to revisit. And I can confirm: It sucks.
Anywho . . . On to a subject matter that I'm an expert in: REM being boring. I wasn't exposed to them until Green, so I'm much more familiar with their latter material. I had never consciously listened to Murmur in its entirety, so I was hoping "their early stuff" might be better. No. As per uush, there are a couple of engaging songs on an album that's generally, zzzzz . . . .
Portishead
3/5
Again, I'd probably like this more if I listened to it more. But not that much more. Not really my vibe, man.
Wild Beasts
3/5
Again, I'd probably like this more if I listened to it more. But not that much more. Not really my vibe, man.
U2
4/5
As a young man who enjoyed Achtung Baby (my first U2 album), I went and explored their back catalog and somehow convinced myself that I didn't like War, and I haven't listened to it since. What the heck? It's a great album. It has a wonderful rawness that caught me by surprise, despite being familiar with Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day, of course. The Edge's guitar never sounded so good. Maybe I wasn't ready for it back then? Who knows. (Side note: I was also caught off guard by the similarities to The Clash on this album. I haven't heard that talked about before. But it's definitely there.)
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
A friend of mine, who was the hip music guy at my high school, loved this album. And I remember there being a lot of hype about it in music publications. I didn't get it, and I still don't. I mean, it's pretty good ... just not great, by any means. I will say, I think I like it more today than when I was in high school. There are lots of cool moments, but they're mostly instrumental moments. The vocals fail to bring it home for me.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Meh, Depeche Mode. I could take 'em or leave 'em. They are skilled at writing earworms that won't leave you alone, I'll give them that.
David Gray
2/5
Uugh! I did not need to be reminded of this genre of music. Thing is, these are pretty good songs, and he has an appealing voice. And the production style is fine . . . for a song or two. It absolutely does not sustain for an entire album. By the end of the third song in a row of this stuff, I've had it. I'm out. Sitting in a coffee shop and watching David Gray play these songs by himself on an acoustic guitar would probably be fantastic, but as presented, I can't go higher than a . . .
The Flaming Lips
4/5
My established opinion on this album was that I wanted to like it more than I did. My logical brain is going, "You like this. This is good," and my emotional brain is going, "Do I?" Listening to it now, that still holds somewhat true, but it definitely hits me in the feels a lot more than it once did. It's an admirable and delightful piece of work, but I'm stingy with my 5's so . . .
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
This is fine. Not really my thing. It's got some classic songs on it. I don't feel qualified to give it any lower or higher than a . . .
Madonna
4/5
This isn't normally my style of music, but there's a certain je ne sais quoi about this record. I don't THINK I'm saying that based on nostalgia, but I could be. When I was in my early 20s and freshly free of school for the first time, my roommates had it on repeat. So it definitely reminds me of that fun period of my life. But whatever.
Some of the more techno-dance tunes on the latter half are forgettable, but overall, it's better than a 3. So . . .
Linkin Park
2/5
Ok. I feel a little better about my Ray of Light rating. This album was from the same period and was also played on repeat by a certain roommate. . . And I do not like it. It's just so contrived. I'll never understand how this band got so popular, or at least why people don't make fun of them the same way they do Nickelback. "In the End" is okay. Like they sort of stumbled across something approximating authenticity. And it's a fun sing-along song. I'll dole out an extra star for that. So <checks math> . . .
White Denim
3/5
Nice to hear some proper rock and roll back in the queue. It would be easy for me to give this an extra star just for that, but this is a little too jammy for me to love. I'm more of a song guy. I don't see reason to go higher than a . . .
The Beach Boys
5/5
Straight bangers, front to back. That's a . . .
The Monks
2/5
Given that this was a YouTube-only listening experience, and that I didn't find out about the YouTube option until after I was done with work, this album had a very limited opportunity to grab my interest and make me either sit in front of my computer or with my phone open to listen to it. It failed. Cool story about the band, but this project is hard enough to keep up with as it is. And it's so easy to put music on the streaming services. I'm deducting a star for inconvenience. So, that's a . . .
Alice In Chains
5/5
I've listened to all the big "grunge" albums from this era many, many times. There are only a few of them that still draw me back. Dirt is one of them. There's a freshness and urgency about it that still feels new every time I listen. It's got the whole package for me: It sounds friggin great, it's got pleasingly weird song structures, the lyrics are good, the vocal harmonies are fantastic, and Jerry Cantrell's guitar work is just *chef's kiss*. No way this isn't a . . .
Prince
3/5
Two Prince albums in as many months have made me realize that he is just not my thing. Respect to him as an artist, though. (If you haven't seen his guitar solo from George Harrison's Hall of Fame induction performance, I definitely recommend you look it up. It's equal parts miraculous and hilarious.) So . . .
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
I don't really get industrial music. It sounds cool sometimes, but it feels emotionally flat. I had so many friends try to get me into Nine Inch Nails from middle school through college, I'm pretty familiar with this album. And I still find it to be "meh"
Fela Kuti
3/5
This is fine. Again, I don't feel genre-qualified to rate it above or below a . . .
The Band
2/5
Nothing here for me.
Fiona Apple
5/5
"I should listen to Fiona Apple more" is one of those mental nags that lives in my head right next to "I should exercise more," "I should eat healthier," and "I should drink less." So I was very excited to see this come up. It's just a fantastic album with a beautiful voice. The songs themselves are brilliant, and the quirky production takes them to another level. ¡Viva Fiona! That's a . . .
Deee-Lite
2/5
Groove is in the Heart is a totally infectious, stone-cold jam. (I don't think I've ever been in a band with a bassist who didn't play that bass line at practice at some point. It's up there with Billie Jean as one of the best ever.) I was hoping, searching, praying for a couple of songs on this album that come close to Groove is in the Heart, but I was disappointed. The rest of it is brutally repetitive and just not that good. I'm going with a . . .
Television
3/5
This was an inconvenient album to drop on this particular day, for me. Television deserves more of my attention. Every time I've listened to Marquee Moon (which is maybe two or three times ever), I think to myself, "There's a lot to like here. I need to commit myself to this album and really get familiar with it to fully appreciate it." And then years pass without me listening to it again. Yesterday was not a day in which I had time to "get into" Marquee Moon. I put it on, but while doing other things. So, recognizing the ceiling might be higher, I'm gonna have to go with a ...
Thundercat
2/5
I appreciate the weirdness and non sequitur humor here, but it's not really what I'm looking for when listening to music.
Radiohead
3/5
The Bends and Ok Computer are all-timers for me, but Radiohead lost me with this album, and I have not since returned. A few songs are pretty good ("Optimistic"), but generally, "music from the planetarium" is not a genre I'm into.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
I was prepared to hate this, but it's actually a collection of some pretty good classic songs sung by an appealing voice (there's a little bit of Janis in Dusty Springfield - who knew?). I mean, I'm not gonna be bumpin' "Do Re Mi" with the windows down on a warm summer day, but the degree to which many of these songs have become embedded in the cultural lexicon makes this album at least a . . .
50 Cent
3/5
There was a time when I thought this album was ok, but now it just sounds like novelty songs. But based primarily on the soft spot I have for In Da Club, I'm going to be VERY generous.
R.E.M.
4/5
I find it hard to love REM. Their music just doesn't "hit me in the feels." They've got some undeniably quality songs, though, and many on this album. It deserves a . . .
ZZ Top
2/5
I can get into some ZZ Top . . . for about three minutes. The remaining 41 minutes, which are essentially the same as the first three, are quite tedious. Still, I'm glad this exists. It's good for movie soundtracks and funny videos on the internets.
k.d. lang
3/5
Decent songwriting, I suppose, but there was nothing in the presentation to grab me. I put it on while doing some other things, and my brain barely acknowledged that there was music playing. It's better than a two, so I'll round up.
Talking Heads
3/5
The Talking Heads have some great moments, but they delve too much into prolonged jammy-weirdness for me to really get into them. Solid ...
4/5
Muse is a great band. What holds them back from being a top band, for me, is that they're a little too perfect. This could likely just be the result of them being great musicians, but still, I feel a dash of humanity would do them well. If I found out they were an AI band, I wouldn't be all that surprised.
Absolution is my favorite album of theirs because it's more "rock band," but this one's pretty dang good. They started delving more into fancy-pants electronic stuff on this record, but it's not overbearing.
Björk
2/5
I started out with high hopes for this one. Into the first song, at least, those hopes were being met (Stonemilker is friggin' gorgeous). But then the melancholy just kept going, and the quirky weirdness I was hoping for never arrived. This could be one of those albums that it takes many listens to appreciate, but I'd bet not.
The Thrills
3/5
Irish indie-pop songs about . . . California? Hmmm. Sounds a bit like Phantom Planet, but not as good. Off-brand Phantom Planet. Overall, not objectionable, but kinda meh.
Megadeth
3/5
Yup, that's Megadeth and all right. Exactly as expected. Metal like this is a very particular sound. Either you can enjoy it or you can't. I've got some metalhead in me, so I don't hate it, but it doesn't rise above either.
Sonic Youth
4/5
It turns out that while I like the concept of Sonic Youth, I don't like their music.
Just kidding . . . kind of. As long as Kim Gordon isn't "singing," their music is pretty dang good. There are just too many times over the course of any Sonic Youth album where I'm thinking, "Alright, already with the noise jam. Get to the song."
My favorite Sonic Youth albums are the ones with less noise jamming (and less Kim) and more song. Daydream Nation is pretty coherent and has some really great moments, but there's just too much stuff that I feel compelled to skip to go higher than a four. And even then, I feel I'm being a tad generous.
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
If this album were any good, I'd be conflicted on how to rate it, as Malcolm McLaren is a serial appropriator of musical sub-cultures who attempted to capitalize on whichever cool new thing came wafting through his window. Thankfully it is not.
Nick Drake
3/5
I was into it for the first couple of songs, then I forgot there was music playing. Relatively pleasant, but I have enough albums in my quiver to meet my needs when I want to listen to this type of music.
The Beta Band
4/5
Hold on. Am I . . . am I about to give a 5 to an album that I've never heard before? I'd heard of The Beta Band, but I had no idea what they sounded like.
For starters, I love it when an album sounds nothing like what the cover makes you think it's gonna sound like. So maybe I'll justify the 5 by saying I'm rounding up for that.
There's so much to like here. Some elements hint at other bands I love, but nothing is overly derivative. And there are easily accessible sounds and melodies that would get annoying if they were the basis for an entire album, but they mix it up enough so that's not a problem. And despite the "mixing up," they still manage to maintain cohesion. I think this might be a really great album. I'll have to keep it in my rotation and find out.
Sonic Youth
3/5
The Magnetic Fields
3/5
Kudos to anyone who made it through all three hours of this. I did not. After volume 1, I decided there were probably no surprises hiding around the corner. This seems to be a quality collection of pleasant songs. With its length, it would be great to put on as background music at a party. Other than that, there's not much to bring me back to it. Also, one of the singers sounds exactly like Bill Callahan.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
My ear is not trained to distinguish the quality of this from any other salsa music I have heard. I like it, but I'm not gonna put it on unless I'm trying to set a very specific mood.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
I like this version of Michael Franti much more than the roots stuff I'm more familiar with. This comes across to me as a very 90s style of wrap, and I'm here for it. The early 90s was the only period of my life where I listened to rap with any regularity, so I guess it makes sense that I like it.
It's also worth mentioning the strong similarities between this and Rage Against the Machine. I first thought this must have been an influence on Rage, but then realized that this and Rage's debut came out the same year. So it's more of a "music of the times" situation.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
I'm gonna get rambly here. This is a special album for me. Growing up without an older sibling or older cousins or hip friends to show me new music, I had to wait to stumble across something to be turned on to the benefits of rock music. This was that album for me. It was my entry point. (I learned to play drums to this album.) For that, I will always love it.
Unlike other albums from that period that I have worn out and no longer care to listen to, this is one I still spin on occasion. And it still friggin cranks! You can feel the energy of the music being PLAYED in a way that's not like any other album. You can hear the energy and nuance in each string-pluck and drumhead-slap. It amazes me to this day how this album sounds. And John Frusciante? C'mon! The dude is freakin' unreal on this album.
I also love how the songs have no gaps between them. One right into the next, taking the listener for a ride. Because of this album, I always have a higher appreciation for other albums that do that. And when I record with bands of my own, I always push to take that approach.
Now . . . Is some of the lyrical content problematic to my more mature ears? Of course. Thankfully, I'm very good at compartmentalizing. So I can fully enjoy the music without thinking about such things. But if someone wanted to take this album down a star or two because of it, I wouldn't fight them. That said, I've always thought Anthony Kedis is a good lyricist - not in that what he says is so profound (it's def not), but in his use of words and syllables and playing with the language around the music. And he's at his best with that on this album.
I could go on, but I'll leave it there. 6/5
Supertramp
3/5
This is fine.
Van Morrison
3/5
I've listened to a lot of Van Morrison because Jenny really likes him. While I don't mind him, I have trouble distinguishing between one song and the next, except for the "hits," I guess. Like . . . nothing stands out in any way. This album - which I may or may not have heard before - follows that pattern.
Happy Thanksgiving, all!
Funkadelic
4/5
This one's a real mix for me. The guitar playing and more rock-focused moments are pretty awesome (check out Mike Watt and J Mascis's cover of Maggot Brain, btw, if you're into that sort of thing), but I get lost and my mind starts drifting to other things during the hooting and hollering funk parts. Not really my bag. But what they hey . . . In the spirit of the holiday, and shredding guitar licks, I'll be generous.
Skepta
2/5
Not a lot for me to get excited about here. If it caught me in a different mood, maybe I'd like it more, but I gave it a few tries and . . . meh.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
I was surprised to see a MBV album from 2013 come up. I had no idea that they released new material. I was also hoping for perhaps a slightly updated sound (audible drums would be nice). I was disappointed on that count. There is definitely something aurally pleasing about MBV, in a "rain on the window pane" sort of way, but I have a hard time getting very excited about their music. If I cared about my street cred, I'd give this a four, but apparently I don't.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
There are a few great songs on this album, but the ooey-gooey "apple of my eye" stuff is pretty unappealing to me. This was a very love-it/hate-it listening experience.
Saint Etienne
2/5
I didn't spend a lot of time with this one, but it feels safe to assume it wasn't gonna surprise me in the third act. And I gotta catch up anyway.
R.E.M.
4/5
Alright . . . I don't dislike REM, but I've always had this feeling about them that they don't quite get there. As in, they don't quite transcend to a level of excellence.
Vocally - while his lyrics are generally fantastic - Stipe's voice is initially appealing, but then halfway through a song, it always starts to feel monotone and like he's not quite using it to its fullest potential. And oftentimes, on the more indulgent songs, it reaches the point where it sounds like he's just singing to hear himself sing, and there's not much engagement with the lyrics.
Musically, it's the same problem. So many of their songs have great moments that feel like, "Ok, I like this. This is going somewhere." And then it goes nowhere. It so often falls short of reaching the change or climax that I was hoping for. Again, monotone - in the musical dynamics sense. Their music doesn't play with your emotions, in that, there are rarely changes in intensity, or the building and release of tension. It's all just flat.
All that said, Green might not be REM's best album, but it's MY REM album. It's one of those pre-indtroduction-to-rock-music albums that stayed with me after my musical awakening. I first heard it when a babysitter played it for me when I was 9 or 10, and I've continued to listen to it. So I have a soft spot for it. And it was a kick to listen to yesterday for the first time in a while.
We have a least one more REM album to go in this project, but I will speak no more of REM. Next time, you're just getting stars.
The Sugarcubes
4/5
This is quite good. I had heard of The Sugar Cubes as "the band Bjork used to be in," but I had never listened to them. Musically, it made me think of Midnight Oil, while there was enough sonic variety to keep it interesting. And it turns out that I do actually like Bjork, beyond just the-concept-of-Bjork, in the right musical setting. On an album like this, I could listen to her howl and scream all day. It's just lovely.
Santana
3/5
As someone who's not a big fan of "jamming," this does not really appeal to me. I don't find it objectionable; it's fine for background music. But it doesn't get me excited either.
The Verve
4/5
Due to the pervasiveness of Bittersweet Symphony, I was turned off from ever giving this album a shot in its heyday. That's too bad, because it's pretty solid. However, despite there being a lot of brilliant songs (including Bittersweet, which is a lot more fun to listen to after I haven't heard it for many years), there's also too much filler for me to go full-5. It comes damn close, though. Special acknowledgment to Lucky Man. That's a great friggin' song.
Dead Kennedys
4/5
A classic album with many classic and important songs. I love it. But the ceiling for this type of punk album, for me, is a 4.
Pixies
4/5
The Pixies have always struck me as pretty good, but not great. I feel like I should like them more - all the stuff I typically like is there - but they just don't quite connect. I've listened to their catalog quite a bit, in an effort to try to like them more, and I can't think of an album I would give a 5 to . . . or a 3.
Green Day
5/5
There are a thousand sound reasons why this album does not deserve a 5. In fact, before re-listening, I was pretty sure 4 was going to be the rating. But I was immediately reminded that this album surprises me every time I listen to it. As in, my memory of how good it is does not match its actual quality.
It's a banger, and it's revolutionary. Revolutionary not only in that it pioneered a much-copied sound that persists to this day, but revolutionary for me personally. Not only was it my introduction to punk, but it also shaped so many of my musical sensibilities. There are moments upon moments in this album that make me think, "Oh, THAT's why I play drums that way," or, "THAT's why I do that on guitar." For that alone, for me, this album deserves a 5.
Also, these are just great songs (especially considering they were 20 when they recorded the album), delivered with an infectious energy that makes you want to run through a wall. (Interestingly, though, I find the two back-to-back hits, Longview and Welcome to Paradise, to be the weak point. Def my two least favorite songs here.)
Super Furry Animals
4/5
I hadn't heard this before. It's creative and a lot of fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it. And g' damn if the singer doesn't sound exactly like Damon Albarn. In fact, the whole thing calls to mind Blur . . . but perhaps a better version of Blur? Anyway, good stuff.
PJ Harvey
4/5
This is an interesting album. I've listened to it maybe five or six times in my life, and every time, I quite enjoy the experience while listening ( I love the way it sounds), but it never sticks with me. I'm left with no desire to return to it, and when I do, years later, it feels like I've never heard it before. I think this one sits between 3 and 4 more so than any album yet. I bad about giving it a 3, because it's better all the threes I've given out, yet it doesn't really deserve a 4 either. In the end, I'll round up for the concept of PJ Harvey.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
If I were 10 years older, I could see myself being a big Bruce fan. I generally enjoy his stuff, I've just never really engaged with it. This is one of the albums I'm more familiar with, and it has lots of undeniably great tracks, including what is perhaps the most misunderstood song in American pop music. "I had a brother at Khe Sanh, Fightin' off them Viet Cong. They're still there, he's all gone."
U2
5/5
There are so many things that make this a great album, one could go on and on. The specific things that struck me this time, listening to it for the first time in a while: The pleasing sonic quality of The Edge's guitars and his unique approach to playing; Bono's voice is a little raspy - like he's singing on a tired voice - and it just pairs perfectly with the guitar sound; And the songs are just fucking great ... and unique.
Neil Young
4/5
Fantastic album, but like most of Neil's work, it doesn't quite get to the level of a 5 for me. It's like, there's a persistent feeling that it's not quite as good as it could be ... or as I want it to be. 4, but a very high 4.
Side note: How have I not noticed before how much Wayne Coyne sounds like Neil Young?
The Adverts
4/5
Hmm. I'd never heard of these guys before. Shame! This is quality 70's British punk. I was definitely in the mood to hear this today, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Nothing groundbreaking, but I'll likely listen again.
Don McLean
2/5
In an alternate universe, I'd give this 3. But because American Pie is the most annoying and overrated song in the history of music, I'm Scrooging it and going with a ...
Van Halen
3/5
Y'know ... I do like the SOUND of Van Halen, but listening to this made me realize that David Lee Roth is a real turn off. His misogynist-dickhead vibe is just 🤮. I think I prefer Van Hagar, but not by much. Van Halen is definitely a sum-is-less-than-their-parts band for me.
Billie Holiday
3/5
There are some lovely and classic songs on this album, but I am not qualified to give it anything other than a 3.
The Soft Boys
4/5
Pretty good, but way to old and British for me to fall in love with. And drums that sound like cardboard boxes are always gonna be a turn off for me. I'm very pro-drums-that-sound-like-drums.
Johnny Cash
4/5
This is the definitive Johnny Cash for me. Always a joy to listen to. When I'm in the perfect mood for it, it's a 5, but today, it's a 4.
The Vines
5/5
This album got a lot of flak for being a straight Nirvana rip-off, but I don't hear it that way. The influence is there, of course, but where isn't it in modern rock? The Vines lean way more into Beatles sensibilities than Nirvana ever did, and they do it well. (Factory is a superb Beatles/Nirvana mash-up.) I admire the way this band somehow makes straight bangers like Get Free and whistful sing-songy stuff like Country Yard sound like they belong together. Great album.
Side story/humble-brag: Jenny and I saw The Vines in Paris in 2004. We had seen them a few months before in Denver, and the show was so-so, but we liked the idea of seeing a concert in Paris, so we went. It ended up being one of the funnest shows I've ever been to. To start, there was no opening band. The show started at 8 pm, and The Vines walked on stage at 8 pm. How novel! And the French crowd was WAY more fun than those stick-up-there-ass American crowds. Also, it seemed the band was way more excited about playing a gig in Paris than in Denver. Go figure. It was just a blast . . . and then it was over by 9:30! The night was still young.
Anywho . . . Merry Christmas, if that's an appropriate thing to say to you!
Various Artists
2/5
What a totally random coincidence that this came up on Christmas! Phil Spector's wall-of-sound production really lends itself well to Christmas music. I'll have to add this to the Christmas music rotation (if I remember it a year from now). If I were rating this album on a scale of Christmas music, it would get a 4 or maybe even a 5. But I'm not. And I'm not gonna be spinning this in July.
Talking Heads
4/5
I'm too old to be introduced to another band that sounds like this.
Ms. Dynamite
2/5
This sort of thing ain't my bag, baby.
Elton John
3/5
Better than a lot of stuff we have to listen to, for sure. My thoughts during Tiny Dancer were, "Y'know, this is pretty good. Let's see what the deep cuts sound like." And then (surprise!), they sound just like Tiny Dancer. I was teetering on a 4, but in the end, not enough variety to get me there.
Donovan
2/5
Uh . . . I don't know, man. I don't like it very much, but is it a 2? Or maybe 3? I can't tell anymore. I'm questioning everything.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
When this is all over, if at least 50% of my reviews are threes, then I will say that I have assessed correctly.
Beck
4/5
Better than I remember it being, and a very welcome relief from recent fare. Jack-ass is one of the gems on this album, and I swear I saw a live version of Beck doing it with Willie Nelson. Can't find it in the internets, though.
Mike Ladd
1/5
Shite.
The Cure
3/5
Oh hey! A bunch or Cure songs I don't know that sound just like the ones I do know!
The Damned
4/5
I came for the raucous noise punk, and I stayed for the sweet pop sensibilities.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Hippsters like to say the Pumkins' best album is Gish. WRONG! It's Siamese Dream. Even so, I've always felt this is a somewhat inconsistent album. Some of the stuff feels like filler, but the good parts (and perhaps Cherub Rock, Quiet, and Rocket alone) make it worthy of a 5.
Portishead
3/5
This was a good background music vibe for making french toast this morning. But background music is inherently not great music. Great music demands attention.
Neneh Cherry
1/5
Oh, c' mom!
Ramones
5/5
When you’re in the right mood, the Ramones are just 🤌. Just crank it to an ear-bleeding level and succumb. I was thinking with this listen about how much the world of modern rock owes to Johnny Ramone. He created this sublime chainsaw guitar sound that became the template for so much guitar rock going forward. This album is probably a 4, but because it’s the ONLY Ramones album on the list . . .
Mariah Carey
2/5
Fatboy Slim
2/5
To my ear, music like this just sounds like undeveloped ideas. Like, this is cool, and this is cool, and this is cool . . . And while each individual part is indeed "cool", nothing ever goes anywhere. It's like a band jamming and trying to write new songs, but it never gets beyond the jamming phase. I've been in bands like that, and it sucks.
System Of A Down
4/5
To 4 or to 5, that is the question. Though I'm not as familiar with this album, I feel it's not as good as Toxicity, which is definitely a 5. But that's based mainly on consistency and flow. It's still pretty damn great and has songs that are as good as anything on Toxicity. Based on the overall quality of albums in this project, I could certainly justify a 5. But my gut says 4, and I've got to stay true to my principles and continue to be stingy with my 5's and my 1's.
The Killers
5/5
There are a surprising number of "breakthrough albums" by artists for which the lead single - the song that got them famous - is the worst song on the album. That's certainly the case here. Somebody Told Me is the weak link . . . but it's still pretty good.
Koffi Olomide
3/5
I am not qualified to rate this up or down. And man, my music-suggestion algorithm is really getting fucked.
Beatles
4/5
A bit plain-sounding, compared to their later work, of course, but still great.
Muddy Waters
4/5
I'm not intimately familiar with this genre, but some artists are immediately apparent as being a cut above, regardless of how familiar you are. I think I need more of this in my life.
Ryan Adams
5/5
As a fan of great songwriting, I'm gonna go ahead and just give this a 5. This cat can write a song. There are plenty of arguments for why this album's not quite a 5, but it just hit me in the right mood on the right day. I really enjoyed the listen. And New York, New York by itself almost makes it worthy of a 5 anyhow. Great song. If you haven't seen the video for that, recorded in NYC on September 7th, 2001, it's worth checking out.
Björk
3/5
I feel like I like this more than the last one? I don't know. Maybe it's just my mood. Anyhow, her singing is fascinating and engaging, but the bubbly drip-drop electriconia grates on me. So in the end, it's a mixed bag.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Enjoyable enough. Janis is amazing. But I don't think I'll be inclined to listen again.
Pere Ubu
3/5
I don't hate it, but not a lot to really grab me here.
Tricky
2/5
Hugh Masekela
3/5