How do you turn a 3 minute song into a 21 minute song? Pad it out with 85% self indulgent drivel. I thought the album would never end and was so exhausted by the end of it I stopped listening to music altogether.
Amazing talent but pure junk food, cheese pizza with extra cheese.
Immigrant Song is a strong opener from which it fizzles out and never recovers. If I wanted twangy mandolins and folksy ballads I wouldn't be listening to Led Zeppelin.
Such an upbeat mellow mood
If I had to name 1001 albums I'd probably be clutching at straws, too. But not this straw; never this straw.
Is doing the opposite of making enjoyable music creative genius? Or is it just choosing to make mistakes everyone else is aware of and avoided?
Even if I was listening full blast with headphones and my eyes shut this would still be background music. It's fine just not something I'd listen to again
An imperfect album only because one song is more perfect than the others, but if this doesn't get a 5 I'm not sure anything will! Love how you can hear their influences and who they influenced, despite having a clear and recognisable sound, even with so much variety on the album.
It's Aretha. It feels like someone took half of a best-of and added some filler but let's face it, it wasn't written as an album, it's just recording a bunch of songs. But who else could record a disparate collection of covers and make it sound like a best-of?
Amazing but not something I'd listen to again.
Thought it was alright at the time but 10 minutes later I certainly couldn't humm a single track. Generally forgettable angst-rock
Grew on me the more I played it, but its way too long. The middle segment turns into one long drone before Régine takes over the vocals and saves us with the most energetic, dynamic and unique track on the album.
After a couple of listens I put on arcade fire radio and loved everything I heard, so their influence is obvious, perhaps I just don't like Win's nasal whine.
I don't always listen to reggae, but when I do I'll probably start with this again
I enjoy Buddy Holly but the more you listen the more it sounds the same.
I do try to seperate the artist - so I won't deduct points for him being a physically violent cocaine addict - but its impossible to disregard that the art in question is itself two hours of rich white London kid, doing a poor Stevie wonder impersonation, singing about a climate crisis while collecting hundreds of exotic cars, wearing sacred headdresses from the other side of the world, and backed by yidaki.
George puts the p in funk
Aggressively normal rock, but you can hear the smiles.
Mediocre monotone mumbling. 28 songs and can't remember any of them.
Can't say I've ever felt the need to be transported to Clapham in 1992, but I imagine there's no better album to take you there!
They describe their sound as "adjusted and refined to take into account the new musical environment in which we found ourselves operating, and also to reflect our belated understanding of the aesthetic shortcomings of some of our less-than-accessible, more doggedly surrealist effort."
I'll settle for "boring and pretentious."
Yes, this was Music by Madonna. Though if you asked someone to sing a song by her I can't imagine any of these would be among them.
Yes, it's too much Hammond. But it's still a solid 5
The Indy rock bits are good, but then it goes straight back to weird electro
Bookended by masterpieces, but after a couple of re-listens even the ones in the middle were really enjoyable
Love the pared-back production, headphones on and it feels like they're playing in front of you.
Some of its ok but you can't escape the sheer insanity of the "artist"
Pretty boring - Dylan with a banjo
A reluctant 4 only because it's not something I'd have to be in the mood to put on. But if you are in the mood, boy is it a rewarding listen, and the more attention you give it the more impressive it gets.
Aka that time Robert Smith felt emo about his commercial success so recorded his most commercially successful record. Word is he's still emo to this day...
Sounds like someone brought some coke and a casio and started trying to sell raps to sesame street. There may be a reason I'd never heard of them.
This Quincy Jones guy is pretty good, hey?
I will never understand why there were so big. The first half of the record with their songs are bright and spangly and fun, but not unlike what you'd expect from any 60's pop record. The second half with the covers is extremely underwhelming and lacking in the soul and intensity of the originals. At least they had Ringo to stop it being boring!
Gave up after 10 mins. Then checked reviews, found out I'd been listening to the wrong thing, found a playlist of the right album, gave up after 10 (slightly better?) mins. But given the entire genre seems to be defined by the one bar of drums being on repeat, 20 mins was a lot.
It's The Who, but it ain't Who's Next. Also could only find Deluxe version which was a bit long and had some chaff
Definitely starts strong, but very quickly starts to drag
Sounds like someone put someone in a studio for a week with no supervision, recorded everything and have no notes
Less poppy Ben Folds. I don't dislike it but I wouldn't necessarily put it on or remember the name
Britpop's weird cousin - frantic, slightly confused, and charmingly chaotic.
Why does every hiphop album need to be an hour long? Is it just too easy to produce compared to other styles, so you may as well add more songs while you're in the studio? Is it too many bedroom producers not getting notes? Because the result is albums like this, and its ok, but I feel like if it was half as long, it would be twice as interesting and its commentary would hit twice as hard.
Duran Duran, Roxy, Depeche... They all wish they had a bassist like Mick Karn!
As sparkley 80's pop as it gets. If you can name a single Cyndi Lauper song you've heard this album.
The voice grates but the bop is boppin'
I wanted to like it, I tried to like it, but the ambivalence is overwhelming. In parts you know it might be really good, but the singer just sounds bored, the sound effects are irritating, and its all sort of dull
I know it's an assortment of covers, but every song is a banger and she owned each one, and that's kinda more fun to listen to than a mixed bag of originals with a few standouts like a couple of the other 5-stars I've handed out...
A powerful, bleak wall of sound, but very droning and repetitive
Exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to discover! Jangly psyc pop from the guy who wrote "Walking on Sunshine" mixed with surrealist poet and Dylan aficionado who wrote the folk music for a film I saw a couple of weeks ago. Annoying that streaming always seems to only offer the longest possible versions of albums packed with bonuses; but the structure, variety, and pacing of the original 10 tracks is great, and the extra tracks are still a vibe
All OMD sounds about the same, really. As someone who is used to The OMD Singles, this is a big more bland than the best-of
Gotta get me some African drums...
Sad boy with an acoustic sings background music.
On hold music. I actually forgot it was playing at one point.
Nick Cave is just private school Kanye
Surprisingly little umph, might just be hope clean the mix is but thought they'd hit harder
One of these lines was made up by AI, but you'll need to listen carefully to work out which!
"Swung from a chandelier, my planet sweet on a silver salver"
"You think you're a vegetable, never come out of the fridge."
"A clockwork swan on a silver tray, its feathers cast in concrete blue"
"C-c-c-cucumber. C-c-c-cabbage. C-c-c-cauliflower. Men on Mars. April showers."
...but I think the albums more enjoyable if you try not to hear the words
There's a lot of live albums on this list aren't there?
You can close your eyes and put yourself in the room, but that doesn't mean its particularly memorable.
Good fun blues rock, amazing cast of backing band
Solid fast fun punk. Lot of variety but no cohesion, just a mish-mash of songs. Apparently they had an album then threw together some more just to beat Husker on play length, then ordered them by band member, and 'chaff,' neither of which helped. But that bass is amazing, you can hear why Flea loved them
I'm clearly missing something but this feels very self-important and melodramatic. Like the very concept of basing an album on the battle of trafalgar, with ye olde time lettering, then singing about having a broken heart? What am I missing? And how is this their 9th album? Who was buying this? Naval aficionados? It's like yacht rock without the rock. Why did everyone try to sound like the Beatles most boring stuff? Was honestly surprised to discover it was nearly half the length of yesterdays, felt like forever.
Peak Zeppelin, back when they were a rock band, before Plant's weird folk nonsense. At no point could anyone else listen to this and think "hmm, now maybe slow it down and add some mandolin."
Took me a couple of listens but as into it but I still don't enjoy shoegaze
Nothing to write home about, its a pleasant enough listen but not quite getting what the significance behind it might be
I gotta go, but you keep on having a party.
When you go home, keep on having that party.
No matter where you're at, remember I told you; keep on having that party.
The title kinda gives it away; it's Dusty, in Memphis.
The lyrics change every few minutes but its still the same song. Except when it isn't, and then it's worse.
Raw Power, and a bunch of songs that sound like Raw Power.
I don't hate it, I just wouldn't listen to it. Best electric / dance pop type record thus far, just not my music
I didn't know I liked Prog-folk-blues-rock either
Maybe I'm just old, but maybe I just never got into the club scene because there's music you don't need to take pills to enjoy?
I'm surprised I'm rating a Hip Hop album so highly too, maybe I'm just in a good mood today. But I can't fault it.
The poetry, the imagery, the storytelling, but then the grating voice, and the harmonica...
So background you'd forget you were listening to it
Starting to think I need an acronym for "yeah its ok, but I wouldn't listen to it/not my genre." Perhaps "glad to have heard it once, but ready for the next"
Funky! Lost points for being a bit short and very "live," but can appreciate why, being self-funded and capturing the raw energy of the godfather of funk, this was an important album.
Excellent production but KISS are just pretty bland. They're significant for putting commerciality above creativity and marketing above music, but that doesn't make it an amazing listen, they just sound like watered down versions of other bands.
I'm clearly missing something that makes it special. Not offensively bad, just offensively bland if you interpret the lyrics as "drugs" rather than "deep?"
A big theatrical rock opera. Long, but glorious. Pretentious, but you know about it beforehand. If I was going in blind I imagine I'd have had a very different score
It's alright, like shoegaze but with a bit more going on. Just not enough to be memorable.
It's Ella. It's Gershwin. It's great. It's also really long. If you want to put on background music, or dip and out of, amazing. But waaay too much to just actively listen to in a sitting.
Nice to sit down and listen to an album you only know the hits from. But the rest of it does sound the same, and synth pop becomes background drone very fast
Kinda funny how much the American reviewers complain that its not hard enough, given how much its poking fun at their poser culture, but ultimately while I enjoyed it I dunno if I'd listen again
Not the worst electropop or whatever, but thats not a high bar for me.
Haven't I heard this one before? Pretty sure this is my third Nick Drake and the repetition is probably hurting how much I enjoyed it.
Meg is such a vibe. Opens strong, ebs and flows, solid album
Pretty good ambient, sets a mood, but is it an album?
A solid reminder how blues is the basis of all rock music.
Excellent crash course. I should get some tabla.
More fun than I was expecting. Its theatric but musically sound and great drum and bass riffs.
Enjoyed much more than I thought I would
Maybe you have to be in the mood for it, but I found it very draining and very repetitive
Sounded a lot like the other one
Why do Americans love vibrato so much? Just sounds like the poor girl is trying to sing with a massage gun to her throat
Thought I must've clicked the wrong thing when I only saw 4 songs, but this is a solid album. Slow burn, mellow grooves. Title is perfect.
Nü Metal? What's wrong with Öld Metal?
Another one of those "someone did something bad so that someone later could expand on it more tastefully" entries.
Slow groove, should look up their other stuff. A couple of BPM from being a 4
Nice voice but the whole thing just feels like a checklist of "add drama" production cliches. And girl does not need more drama; this is her celebrating her 25th birthday by whining for an hour about "how mad I am at getting old" and her high school crushes not working out. Gotta wonder how she feels listening back ten years on, for an album about being old she's probably the thing thats aged the best.
Given how much variety there is and how fresh it feels at the start, its amazing how fatigued I feel by the end. Could've been a banging 40 mins, especially if they cut Imagine.
Aggressively normal vocal jazz
Might be unfairly upvoting as a familiar fave, but name a better synth rock album about pink robots and the meaning of life, love and caring the weight of the world
It sure is pretty country but I don't know enough about to genre to see what makes its a standout or what influence it had
Can see how neatly this fits between Souxie and The Pixies. Loved it
Bad poetry, excellent drums and organ
Lost a point for having saxaphone, but despite falling into that generic 80's new wave sound it evokes sticky bandroom floors and dark laneways more than bright neon.
I can appreciate how they were doing something different, countering the typical machismo and violence of rap lyrics with yo mamma jokes, but still not something I'd come back to
"Omg look at me, I'm like soo random!"
Because I guess why does politically charged music have to be punk rock? What if its dance fusion?
Never fails to disappoint when seeing the other reviews how many Beatles fanboys downvote everyone band from the period who isn't the Beatles. Who, of course, did not hit the studio until the year after they listened to this. It's almost as though they weren't the only band in the world, and had a greater appreciation for what was happening in the music scene then their fans...
Just couldn't get into it
As a Christmas present, Spector surprised Ronnie Bennet (the singer he used on this album, whom he had an affair with during his first marriage) by adopting twins Louis Phillip Spector and Gary Phillip Spector.
Who the ₣ʉ¢₭ thinks kids are a Christmas gift?
Exactly the kind of person you'd guess. Spector imprisoned Ronnie and subjected her to years of psychological torment, sabotaged her career, and forbid her to perform until she escaped barefoot with the help of her mother. In their divorce settlement, she forfeited all future earnings and custody of their children because Spector threatened to kill her.
With his second wife out the way, Spector decided to re-gift his "Christmas Gift" and in their words, Donté and Gary were "kept captive as children" and were "forced to perform simulated intercourse" with Spector's then-girlfriend. "I was blindfolded and sexually molested. Dad would say, 'You're going to meet someone,' and it would be a 'learning experience'." "He was not a people person… [but] he shows in his own way that he cares."
On February 3, 2003, Spector shot actress Lana Clarkson in the mouth while in his mansion. He claimed it had been suicide then as evidence piled up against him attempted to use parkinsons as a defense, blaming a tremor for the trigger-pull, which did little to explain why she was forced down in a chair while he stood above her with a gun in her mouth.
That's the sort of person who'd give kids as a "Christmas Gift." So no, I do not want a Christmas Gift from Phil Spector.
...And if all that wasn't bad enough, this album is full of Christmas music. Gross.
Excellent example of how wonderful the world would be without saxophones.
I feel like they may have drifted off after Girl from Ipanema, and you might too!
Haven't seen the movie, but such a mood-setting album I don't think I have to!
Ian Paice does some amazing things, occasionally joined by the band. However a disappointing live recording devoid of atmosphere
You can take Morrissey out of The Smiths but you can't take The Smiths out of Morrissey. Obvious parallels aside, its rockier and grittier, dark wit delivered with teeth rather than melancholy. It's a bit emo, but actually a fun listen
Take 5 plus some other Brubeck
Actually enjoyed despite his voice, but the harmonica at the end...
Whole new appreciation for The Juggle Book
Lou Reed samples and stuff about eating apples
I did know Randy Newman, and when I recognised the voice I was not expecting some punk level societal takedowns. Maybe the scathing social commentary hit harder because I didn't see it coming, and it may not be much of a bop, but this is some damn fine satire.
Forgettable background yehaw
It's simultaneously angry and joyous, dirty yet clean. But it's unmistakably the blues. It'll remove you that rock came from blues, but this is the blues.
A boo de-ba, ba de-ba ba bar! Something like that...
A lot less annoying that some of the other psyc rock I've listened to, but just as forgettable. A fun listen, just don't expect any earworms
Bunch o songs about how funky they are. And no denying how funky they are, but there's nothing that jumps out as particularly special or interesting.
Bland country with a distortion pedal with awful singing and worse vocalisations
Shine on you crazy diamond!
It's obviously brilliant, but not something I'd put into rotation. If anything it might be too smooth, and without some more edges it kinda all blends together.
On the one hand, it's Jimmy. If this was a list of 1001 artists to listen to he's right up there. But this album? There's no escaping it's a disjointed mess. It feels like rehearsals and jam sessions picked up off a cutting room floor. There's some gold, but it's not a great album. It might not even be good. Go listen to Axis again then tell me what this does better or how it was more influential.
Quirky, frantic and fun dub-punk. A lot of energy and excitement held back by some solid grooves
Just gives me pictures of a weird guy mumbling to himself at the end of the bar. Very repetitive, very mumbly, and makes you want to cover your drink. Like cool, you worked out minor chords sound sad. What else you got? And this is his third album? Without subtitles, how can you tell?
Iggy croons dark lyrics with his typical raw punk attitude, while Bowie adds an unmistakable richness and accessibility. You can hear both artists clearly, and easily place where this fits within both their careers.
American beer tastes watered down.
American Zepelin sounds watered down.
But it made me smile and bob my head during work, so 4 stars
Hanging on the Telephone, One Way or Another, and Picture This are an amazing opening sequence, only to be followed by Heart of Glass and Sunday Girl towards the end. Which isn't to say it lags in between, but three songs in they've already covered more breadth and versatility than most albums, and just warming up. Its anything but parallel lines, it's a twisty turny rollercoaster and Debbie, Clem et al are gleefully squeezing your hands as you ride along.
Why play a 2.5 minute song when you could play a 25.5 minute song?
On the one hand I guess this is how classical music works? You have motifs and build and manoeuvre and shift mood within an extended suite of work. I've also had listened to many albums on this list that have had less variety than this one side. And some people like soundtracks because they offer length and mood over rhythm and melody. So there's that. But on the other hand, I myself will never ever listen to this again because it's boring and drags on forever.
When I think "Who do you love?" I think of Bo Diddley barking a command, over gravel and guitar. It's a catchy hook. You heard it in your head just reading it. What you didn't hear is 25 minutes of self-indulgent phrasing, mindless meandering and generally beating a dead horse around a bush.
Moody alt rock with mellow drawl and interesting instrumentation. Should remember to look up their other stuff
Thank you Muddy for giving us the Stones, Hendrix, ACDC and Zeppelin. Pity about Clapton, though.
Love a funky bit of Nu Prince. Tightrope is an obvious standout but the whole thing is an impressive soundscape/cyberpunk opera/work in 18 movements
House of Fun, Our House, and Baggy Trousers are the three songs that spring to mind when I think of Madness, and two of them are on this album.
There's a seriousness and melancholy that weaves through the other tracks which makes it stand out from their other albums, but while different I don't know if I enjoyed it any more. And there's only so much ska I can listen to in a sitting.
Kinda sound like an uptempo The Doors, but if Jim's mouth was full of cotton wool balls. And without anyone pretended the lyrics are deep. Which as boring and horny as they are, is kind of refreshing
Sometimes dark and visceral, sometimes bright and poppy, but always energetic and constantly walking a tightrope between subdued and chaotic. And so many hooks!
Warm and jangly meditations on watching other peoples lives from your bedroom. There's a dry wit and charm that protects it from being emo, and the pared back melodies are just interesting enough to stop it growing dull
Fast loud and dirty. Who knew they had this many songs? But an excellent live recording of what must've been a hell of a show.
Don't try to pretend this is anything but a room of arseholes trying to fart over the top of each other.
Enjoyed, but didn't feel the same impact I did from "it takes a nation," so if I were to listen again it wouldn't be this album
Oh yeah, I know Girl From Mars! Not sure about the "britpop" label though, are Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth or Weezer britpop? Can't some Irish lads partake in a bit of garage rock without being reduced to just a country of origin?
When the band name contains "so and so and ..." you know you're about to get some self-indulgent prick who'll respond to any feedback with "who the f do you think you're talking to?" No wonder half the band quit on the way to the studio.
And so you end up with this, where every song seem schizophrenic, going too long and squeezing in too many ideas. Or just randomly switching back to choruses from earlier songs when the ideas ran out. I'm sure a half decent producer could've distilled something great out of this, but who was going to tell Paul without him cancelling them?
I forget how short this album is. Four of the six tracks are absolute bangers, and the other two while less memorable offer much needed release in the context of the album. Takes you on such a raw emotional journey you don't realise you've only been gone half an hour.
If "I totally have a girlfriend, she just goes to another school. In Canada." was an album. Hopefully they passed their creative writing class.
- Wait, when was this released?
- I have never wanted to learn bass more
- And just when you think they can't rock or any harder, out comes... A xylophone?
It's a classic, but I prefer the Red Hot Party Peppers than the Orange Meditative Repetitive Peppers. And when all your hits are on one side you probably don't need to pad it out to 15 songs, just make them count.
Whining into a tin can while installing enough effects plugins to give your computer a migraine
Brilliant, but so clearly incomplete. Glad I took the time but not something I'd ever listen to again. And as many other comments suggest, listen to The Smile Sessions instead.
What if you take rock songs, and remove just a little bit of attitude? Westerns with a little less twang? Country with a bit less drawl? A merging of genres watered down just enough to be accessible to those on the other side of the fence. And of course, drown it in Christian whitewash.
Electric moods more melancholy than emo. Despite having such a distinctive thumping and stripped back sound, album is really well structured to provide variety and give space/relief to the bigger tracks. Equally effective as background or pumping the bass.
Not everything you'd label "experimental" is a success, but this has clear intent and well executed. As a concept album about a fall into despair you really feel it, but you'd probably have to be in a certain mood to want to listen to it
Yeah its clever, a) but has anyone doubted Elvis is a smart a tasteful gent, or b) said this is their favourite of his albums? No? Quite.
The sound of rum and coffee from an old rocking chair
What's worse, a bad album or a boring one?
Alright background vibes, just don't try to listen or you'll put yourself to sleep
It's like Neil Young if he could sing and wasn't a ****
If Lars can be the 5th most successful drummer of all time, you can do anything <3
The more I listened the more I liked. It's a very cohesive album with great delivery. I don't get up and think "oh yeah, lets pump some neosoul" but perhaps I should?
Not a fan of ambient, but its very unannoying. There's nothing to hate. If I wanted music already playing in the background quietly while I decided what to put on, this would fit the bill, but its not something I'd put on
The list said "country" but it ain't. It's more like less theatric Leonard Cohen or Nick Drake if he drank too much coffee and knew a backing band instead of settling for three chords. I didn't think I'd be into it but the more I listen the more it draws me in.
Like a longer slower Greta Van Fleet
