177
Albums Rated
3.39
Average Rating
16%
Complete
912 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1970
Favorite Decade
Rock
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
14
5-Star Albums
3
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Dirty
Sonic Youth
|
5 | 3.11 | +1.89 |
|
Goo
Sonic Youth
|
5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
|
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
|
5 | 3.34 | +1.66 |
|
Public Image: First Issue
Public Image Ltd.
|
4 | 2.42 | +1.58 |
|
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
|
5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
|
The Modern Dance
Pere Ubu
|
4 | 2.48 | +1.52 |
|
The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
|
5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
|
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
|
5 | 3.58 | +1.42 |
|
The Madcap Laughs
Syd Barrett
|
4 | 2.62 | +1.38 |
|
Live At The Witch Trials
The Fall
|
4 | 2.64 | +1.36 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple
|
1 | 3.2 | -2.2 |
|
Bad
Michael Jackson
|
2 | 3.81 | -1.81 |
|
Chris
Christine and the Queens
|
1 | 2.81 | -1.81 |
|
Dookie
Green Day
|
2 | 3.79 | -1.79 |
|
American Idiot
Green Day
|
2 | 3.77 | -1.77 |
|
Hot Fuss
The Killers
|
2 | 3.74 | -1.74 |
|
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
|
2 | 3.72 | -1.72 |
|
The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
|
2 | 3.58 | -1.58 |
|
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
|
2 | 3.45 | -1.45 |
|
Cupid & Psyche 85
Scritti Politti
|
1 | 2.39 | -1.39 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Sonic Youth | 3 | 4.67 |
| Arcade Fire | 2 | 5 |
| Beatles | 2 | 5 |
| The Doors | 2 | 5 |
5-Star Albums (14)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Minor Threat · 1 likes
3/5
High energy punk rock album. It is a bit repetitive but with 9 songs and a total run time of 21 minutes it doesn't get boring. The album starts and finishes strong.
Fleet Foxes · 1 likes
4/5
Indie folk with a heavy tinge of gospel. This album has a very familiar sound, a combination of My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses. There are some great changes and I love the soft loud ebb and flow of the album. There was one song that I didn't care for but with 11 songs at 39 minutes this was basically a no skip album. I also love the album cover, beautiful classic art with some really weird stuff happening when you look closely!
Sarah Vaughan · 1 likes
3/5
This album has a great sound for a live album from 1957. It does a good job of transporting the listener to that smokey bar and listening to a great jazz show. Her voice is nice and the music is good but nothing earth shattering. It is a nice album to put on for background music but not something I would seek out to listen to again
Bon Jovi · 1 likes
2/5
It is a good sing along good time album with a couple classic hits. Unfortunately it goes down hill on the backend, the last few songs were a big disappointment for me.
Michael Jackson · 1 likes
2/5
Hate the production on this album, all the instruments sound very electronic and not in a good way. There are 4 great singles, the rest is trash and very unforgettable.
1-Star Albums (3)
All Ratings
Fugees
3/5
Released when I was 21, some classic singles. Was never a huge fan, never grabbed me. Doing a more active listen this time. Some interesting verses, a bit slow for my taste. The sketches are lame, maybe funny first time bad for repeat listens.
The Who
4/5
Loaded with classic rock tracks, no skip album. Would definitely add to my collection.
Charles Mingus
4/5
If jazz is your thing then this is an album to have. I dig it!
Arcade Fire
5/5
I own the vinyl of this one. Almost a perfect album, 3/4 sides are A+.
Iggy Pop
4/5
Cool album, more laid back than the Stooges. Can definitely hear Bowies influence on the album. Lust for Life and The Passenger two all time great tunes,
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Great album, 6 of 10 tracks are rock staples.
The Temptations
3/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Never been a huge Boss fan, but I had never heard this album! I was pleasantly surprised.
The Byrds
4/5
Psychedelic Folk! A bit more rockin' than I thought The Byrds would be, was expecting more pop.
Santana
4/5
Great album!
New Order
4/5
great 80's synth pop, only one song that I didn't really enjoy on the whole album
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Classic all time great rock and roll album, every song is a hit
Metallica
4/5
Great metal album, a little flat sounding with the drums and no bass. But if you are looking to get hyped slap this one on, it will do the trick
Suede
2/5
Starts out very strong, heavy 90's britpop. The second half of the album was a let down for me.
Radiohead
3/5
Good album but not my favorite by Radiohead. It seemed like a buildup without a payoff. It is an album that I would listen to alone.
Jethro Tull
3/5
Cool 70's hard rock, great song subjects. Nice piece of history but not a must have record for my collection
Ghostface Killah
3/5
Cool co-labs and also beats from Dilla and Doom. Pretty good album overall a little long for me though.
Digital Underground
2/5
A handful of classic party time hip hop tunes, but the songs/album are a bit to long for me
Nina Simone
3/5
Love her voice! Album starts funkier than I expected then settles into what I was expecting, more sultry piano type jazz
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
Long time Pink Floyd & Syd Barret fan. I love the story that the band tells with this album. It is an all time classic album, every song is great.
The White Stripes
3/5
slower blues rock, a few great songs. I prefer Elephant, but for fans this is a good one to listen to
Boston
4/5
Great 70's rock album
Yes
4/5
Sonically cool prog rock album!
David Bowie
5/5
All time favorite Bowie album.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
I enjoyed this album. Cool California sound with great harmonies and killer guitar licks.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
Its a fine album not sure why it is one of the 1001 I must hear. There are a couple good songs but no reason I would relisten to this
Holger Czukay
4/5
Never heard of this artist before. Album was a pleasant surprise, spacey funk jazz. The organ was a bit cartoonish to me in parts but overall really enjoyed this one.
Fats Domino
3/5
Great blues but not my favorite Fats album
Pixies
5/5
A precursor to grunge and 90's alternative rock. It is a classic album everyone should own.
10cc
4/5
sounds like cool 70's prog rock to me. I really liked this album
Van Morrison
4/5
Great live album, sounds great. Love the different versions of familiar hits and the deep cuts that were added. The band is fantastic and Van's singing stellar.
Lou Reed
4/5
Kick ass Bowie produced Lou Reed album. Lou trying to make you uncomfortable with the subject matter in his songs. His spoken word singing in some parts isn't his best but the music is killer.
Syd Barrett
4/5
the music of a mad genius, the end of the album felt rough and unfinished but overall a very fun album
Kings of Leon
4/5
Good debut album, rough and raw. It has a garage rock, punk, southern rock mix. I think the sequencing could have been better, the end was a little weak.
Public Enemy
4/5
East coast rap during the golden age of sampling. Great album
Supergrass
3/5
a few of the songs were killer but most of it was typical 90's alternative rock on this album. Very british power pop, got Oasis vibes.
The Streets
2/5
Not my style a couple songs were okay, but as a whole didn't think it was that interesting
Rod Stewart
4/5
I liked the different genres and elements he fused into this album
Deep Purple
3/5
Good 70s hard rock
PJ Harvey
4/5
Great debut album, early 90 alternate rock. Has that grunge feel.
Wilco
3/5
A little too pop country for me. There were a couple songs that I liked but nothing really grabbed my attention and the album is too long.
Funkadelic
4/5
Cool 70's funk album, more rock and roll than I expected.
k.d. lang
2/5
First I will say she has a great voice, but this is adult contemporary music which is not my bag. It has a cabaret feel, almost amusement park like music in parts. It is well produced and the music sounds clean.
Elastica
4/5
Great grungy brit-pop, I would put this one up there with The Breeders and PJ Harvey.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
80's synth pop, has some dance style club songs mixed with some slower ballads. Most that like that 80's style will appreciate this album
Iron Maiden
2/5
The album has some good moments but overall not for me. I thought the vocals got a bit monotonous and the music was kinda cheesy in parts.
Scritti Politti
1/5
I like 80s music but this is just corny. I had the urge to skip every song, not one thing I liked on this album
Haircut 100
3/5
That first song was a great opener. I thought I was about to hear a great record but the next few songs were a bit of a let down. The second half was much better. Brit new wave with jazz fusion sax flourishes and cool drums, it was a fun album.
Moby
4/5
A very cool album with some dance style and atmospheric moody type electronica. Great album to play while you are getting stuff done.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
Cool 80's electronica. High energy good time record, if I was a DJ I would have this in my collection
Faust
4/5
Not so experimental that it isn't accessible, some great drone instrumentals and cool "typical" songs. It is a great Krautrock album
The Damned
4/5
I enjoyed this album had some aggressive garage rock, punk and melodic tunes.
Janis Joplin
4/5
I loved this album. The control in her voice and the sound. The band was also funky and awesome.
The Monkees
4/5
Not as much "pop" as I thought there would be for a Monkees album. Cool 60's rock'n'roll, first album they demanded to play the instruments. I liked this more than I though I would
Iggy Pop
4/5
A big departure from The Stooges! more electronic and moody. Starts with Sister Midnight then Nightclubbing two killer tunes then later get the OG China Girl. Wish the album would have finished on a stronger note
3/5
If this were a review for the first 4 songs it would have been 5 stars, unfortunately the latter half of the album fell flat for me.
Kate Bush
3/5
The Black Crowes
4/5
Good southern fried rock album. It is an impressive debut album from the band. Has some good tempo changes and enough variety to keep your interest the whole way through.
Sonic Youth
4/5
I am a big Sonic Youth fan from Confusion is Sex thru Experimental Jet Set but somehow I missed this album. I loved hearing the transition from experimental noise rock of Confusion to the more structured experimentation of this album, you could here the foundation be laid for the SY sound in this album. It was a huge influence on a lot of the bands that I listened to in the 90's.
King Crimson
4/5
This is my second listen to this album, if you are a prog rocker this is a great piece. 21st Century Schizoid Man is a masterpiece. The rest of the album is a great blend of jazz rock fusion
White Denim
4/5
Great fusion of classic rock and prog rock with some new indie and psychedelic touches. I like the song transitions and the "jam band" feel even though the songs aren't long. I will be recommending this album to friends
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
Post-punk experimental noise album, I liked the first 2/3rds quite a bit. The end of the record was not as good, even though I did find Fodderstompf to be interesting. The song reminded me of Krautrock with the sustained beat and monotonous vocals. Annalisa and Public Image were standouts.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Lots of classic CCR hits most would recognize, for me Run Through the Jungle is a standout. The album has their swamp boogey sound with a little rockabilly thrown in as well.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
I refer to this as dinner jazz and that is not with slander. It is very cool music, great in the background. The first time I listened to it, the bass really stood out to me. On my second listen all three of them were burning up their instruments. My rating for this went up slightly on relisten.
Kings of Leon
3/5
A bit more polished than their earlier albums. Felt like this was made for radio play. There are a couple interesting songs but most are just bland.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
It is a great folk album, a lot of familiar hits.
The Who
3/5
bluesy who album
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
Its a good orchestral pop / indie folk rock album. It is long at 22 songs and 1hr 15 min but it doesn't get boring.
Supertramp
4/5
Cool prog rock album, much different than the Breakfast album that I knew. They have a handful of great tunes and a couple meh ones.
Guns N' Roses
3/5
I think this album is a little overrated. There are 3 great songs and the rest is pretty forgettable.
Starts with a bang but unfortunately goes steadily downhill.
Bon Jovi
2/5
It is a good sing along good time album with a couple classic hits. Unfortunately it goes down hill on the backend, the last few songs were a big disappointment for me.
Dead Kennedys
4/5
In your face 80's hardcore punk rock in the vein of The Sex Pistols. The singing style/voice gets a bit one note but the songs and album are short and to the point so it doesn't get grating. There are some absolute bangers on this album dealing with subject matters that are still relevant today. If you want to get pumped up and ready to kill the rich go ahead and throw this album on.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Takin' it back to his folk roots a bit on this album. It has about 5 all time great Dylan hits and some of my personal favorites, Tangled Up in Blue, Simple Twist of Fate, Meet Me in the Morning... Maybe 2 songs that aren't quite as good but still a no skip album for me
Funkadelic
4/5
Super groovy mind bending funk album with a mix of genres thrown in. This one will keep you bouncing. Only one song that I would considered a skip, all others were infectious.
The Replacements
4/5
What a great surprise. I have heard of them but never really listened to The Replacements. This is a stellar album, it has some punk style and you can hear the seeds of grunge planted here. I think they did a great job with a variety of sounds on this record too
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
I loved the opening tune, I just wished the whole album was that good. I think they could have reduced the number of tracks and made this a single LP and it would have been great. As it is there are too many forgettable tunes. I did love Turn to Stone, Jungle and of course Mr Blue Sky.
Hole
3/5
This album was a lot more alternative than grunge. It is a decent album but I thought it started strong and waned. I also got bored with Courtney's singing as it went on. This is not one I would seek out to listen to again and if I did would just use streaming.
Laura Nyro
2/5
It's a decent R&B soul jazz album, not the biggest fan of her vocals. There are about 3 songs that I really liked and the rest was forgettable.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
This album has a great sound for a live album from 1957. It does a good job of transporting the listener to that smokey bar and listening to a great jazz show. Her voice is nice and the music is good but nothing earth shattering. It is a nice album to put on for background music but not something I would seek out to listen to again
Radiohead
4/5
A dark, experimental electronic album with a touch of rock and jazz. I really liked this album and will be adding it to the collection
Michael Jackson
2/5
Hate the production on this album, all the instruments sound very electronic and not in a good way. There are 4 great singles, the rest is trash and very unforgettable.
Stephen Stills
4/5
This is my second listen to this album. I bumped up my rating slightly to 7/10. Half of this album is just fantastic, the rest is not bad just not standouts. Fans of CSNY will enjoy this album. There are some great players that sit in; Clapton, Hendrix and Ringo and you can hear it in some of the guitar parts!
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Combines cool Latin jazz, American R&B and rock with some seriously funky Brazilian samba. I was very surprised by how good this album was, I think there were maybe 2 songs that were just okay but the rest were sooo good.
Tim Buckley
4/5
A very ethereal experimental jazz rock folk album.
Aphex Twin
3/5
Ambient electronic music, the album starts out great the middle is a bit boring and the end picks back up. I think if he had removed about 4 songs this could have been a great album, it got a bit monotonous to me. At one point my wife asked "why are you listening to X-files music", I laughed.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
post-punk, new wave it is moody and dark. The bass lines are great with the underlying lead guitar parts and the vocals have enough range to not be boring. I enjoyed this and would listen to it again.
Stan Getz
3/5
Smooth sax playing with lots of cool percussion parts. Great background music for a dinner party. Not mind blowing but interesting enough to not get boring the whole way through.
Killing Joke
3/5
The opener was a cool track, but side one was not so great. The production wasn't that good and most songs were just a wall of noise. The second side was great! I could hear a lot of influence on the later 80's punk bands, like Fugazi.
SAULT
2/5
I find the music to be soulless, it does have some good basslines. The lyrics are cheesy and it drags on, way too long. I find it to be pretty boring until the end where there are a couple songs with a bit of a Thievery Corp sound that are interesting.
Alanis Morissette
2/5
The first half of this album is trying to hard to be alternative, there was other bands doing this much better at the time. I liked the sound and style of the second half a lot more. There are a few songs that have a very nostalgic quality but they did not age well with me.
Elvis Costello
2/5
This album has a couple good tunes but overall just an okay album, nothing terrible and nothing great. This is a long album at 56 minutes and his vocals do get a bit grating by the end. I am not sure why this is included in albums I must hear.
Prince
2/5
It is too mechanical for me, lacks any soul. There are a couple decent tracks but mostly forgettable. I prefer his earlier rawer work.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
A soul masterpiece with touch of funk and some jazz elements. This is a timeless classic!
Nirvana
5/5
Grunge meets folk! Kurt's voice was made for this style of music, it is very haunting. Nirvana selected great songs to use for this show, one of the greatest live albums of all time
Suicide
3/5
Very new synth-punk album, haven't heard anything quite like it from the 70's so far. It combines 50's rock with electronica, very minimalist and haunting. It is a bit one-note but the songs and album are short so it doesn't get boring until you get to Frankie's Teardrop. What a mess, it is too artsy spoken word storytelling with very very minimal instrumentation. This could have been cool if it didn't go on for 11 minutes. Other than that an interesting album with lots of influence for future musicians
Tom Waits
3/5
Got that I just smoked 2 packs and I am ready to tell you a story vibe. Cool concept to produce a studio album that feels like a live jazz club recording. Tom is witty and the music is decent, but not something I would revisit.
Arcade Fire
5/5
One of my favorite albums of 2007-2008. Really interesting instrumentation with the hurdy-gurdy, violins, organs etc. sounds great in folk americana rock. My take has always been that they took the sounds of U2 and Springsteen and did it better with this album.
Underworld
4/5
Chill ambient techno dance music. Has some cool indie rock elements to go along with the electronic beats and ear candy, gets real trippy in parts and danceable in others. Pearl's Girl goes pretty hard, but the rest of the album is chill and laid back a bit.
Beatles
5/5
Holy smokes, what an album! Come Together opener sets the tone then to the classic Something. Side one is fantastic even with the "granny music" of Maxwells Silver Hammer, it shows their range. Side 2 starts with Here Comes the Sun then into Because! Great start to both sides. Then a Paul dis-track You Never Give Me Your Money, Allen F'n Klein man! This album is fantastic, so many styles and influences, it is a masterpiece. Go buy a vinyl copy and enjoy!
Jane Weaver
4/5
Went into this one blind as I had never heard of Jane Weaver. This album blew me away, was not expecting this from an album in 2017. It is a very dream avant-garde experimental pop album. You can hear influences from Krautrock bands like CAN (vocalist Malcolm Mooney appears on a track) and 90's indie StereoLab to 70's experimental rockers like Velvet Underground. 8 out of the 10 songs were legit hits for me the other 2 weren't bad just not my style. If you like dreamy electronic pop with repetitive beats and atmospheric soundscapes this album is for you.
Songhoy Blues
4/5
These guys took some Mali music and mixed it with some American blues to create "desert blues", a groovy infectious sound.
Minor Threat
3/5
High energy punk rock album. It is a bit repetitive but with 9 songs and a total run time of 21 minutes it doesn't get boring. The album starts and finishes strong.
Motörhead
2/5
Live metal album, sounds decent. Has some good guitar and drum work, hate his voice. Motorhead has never been a favorite of mine and this album gets repetitive.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
I loved their first 2 albums Gish and Siamese Dreams, this one is a bit to ambitious for me. It has some great songs and they show some range with different genres throughout this album. The album is just too long, and his vocal style gets a bit tiring. Their are some hits on this album and a few duds as well, when they try to go metal his voice his really straining. This is not an album I would go back to and listen to the whole thing, only a few songs that I would seek out to listen to again.
The Smiths
3/5
I have never been a huge fan of The Smiths, there are a few songs that I think are great and a bunch I could do without. This album is no different, 4 of 5 songs on side A are great and side B is pretty weak. The last 2 songs are interesting but not nearly has high as the hits in the beginning. Morrisey's voice also gets a bit annoying to me after awhile.
Scott Walker
2/5
Not my bag , baby! British baroque lounge pop, I don't know just can't get into it
The Rolling Stones
5/5
A near perfect album, classic 70's blues rock'n'roll with a tinge of country thrown in.
The xx
2/5
Indietronica, very minimalist. I was not a fan of her vocal style. Through the first 3 songs I thought this would be a good album, unfortunately it went downhill for me.
The White Stripes
4/5
This is close to a 5 star album for me, it is a little simple so it get a few points off for that. The White Stripes were really hitting their stride for this album, it has some great hard rocking blues tunes and some cool ballads mixed in. There isn't a song I would skip on this album
Dr. John
4/5
This is some swamp boogey voodoo music. The production isn't great and Dr John leans into the spoken word vocals a bit heavy at times but overall it is an experience.
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
This album started out very strong for me, new age psych pop but it started to lean into a more soul album after that. The music is good and his vocals are pleasing but it just isn't my favorite style, it didn't really grab my attention. There were about 4 songs that I thought were really good the rest just didn't do it for me. I will say it was good enough to warrant a second listen, but I don't think it is something I would purchase for the collection
Ice Cube
3/5
Hardcore hip hop! Man back in the day this was the shiz, but nowadays it is a tough listen with a 1 year old at home. I had to shut it down after about 30 sec of the first track, F this and GD that every other word. I get it you are mad but lets expand that vocabulary to express those feelings! jj Cube is a good lyricist the beats are okay and the storytelling is fantastic. I do hate the skit interludes, I could do without those in most albums. They are aight on the first listen but kill the replay-ability of the album for me. Not a fan of his cadence on some of the tracks. This album has a couple hits and a lot of mediocre tracks.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Groundbreaking early 80's "hardcore" hip hop. A departure from the good time rap style of the day, more raw and streetwise. The beats are very machine sounding and a bit tinny compared to todays sounds. The blending of rock and rap were very forward thinking and an inspiration for many future bands. Overall it is very catchy and worth an add to any collection for the history of a genre.
Sonic Youth
5/5
What a great album in the evolution of Sonic Youth. Such a perfect blend of art rock and grunge, the album is relentless with the feedback and distortion. Love Kim and Thurston's vocal styles. There is something about this album that really gets you pumped.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Good production she is a decent singer, but just doesn't have that great edge. Dusty is very blue eyed soul, there are a couple tracks that get close Nothing and Don't You Know. There are a few classics everyone has probably heard and the last half of the album is pretty good. I think it is decent but not amazing, not sure it is an album I would buy but a nice listen.
Talking Heads
4/5
A great punk-funk debut album from Talking Heads. I am a big TH fan and I think this is a great start to a great discography. It isn't my favorite album but it does have a handful of hits. The whole album has a great groove to it.
Pere Ubu
4/5
Went into this one blind and was pleasantly surprised! It is avant-garage, punk rock. There is some great bass parts and synth work, I heard a bit of The Monks in some songs. There were maybe 2 songs that were meh, but the rest was really good.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
It is a kick-ass blues rock album and if it was their debut I would have rated it higher. To me it is a step in the wrong direction from their first 2 albums. There are 3 of my all time favorite tunes from Zep on this album, so great highs, and at the same time a couple of my least favorites are on here too.
The Band
3/5
Up on Cripple Creek and The Night They Drove Dixie Down are two of my favorite Band tracks! There are a couple meh tracks on here too. It is a really good background album and ends with a real solid 3 song stretch of songs I wasn't very familiar with. I will be adding this album to the rotation.
The Doors
5/5
I love The Changeling, what a great opener. The rest of the album is full of hits, even the two lesser known tracks are good. This may be the best complete Doors album in my opinion. Super funky, LA blues psych rock, go give it a spin
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
As stated in the title it is southern rock, heavy on the country aspect with some rock-a-billy sprinkled in. There are some really good songs and some, spoken word numbers, that I just couldn't get into. I thought the second album really picked up and maintained its momentum. As a whole it feels bloated, remove about half the songs and this would have been a killer album.
The Fall
4/5
Post punk art rock, raw and angry. I can hear the krautrock band Can influence with the repetitive bass and drums throughout. Can also tell they were a big influence on the bands that I grew up with, Sonic Youth, Pixies, Pavement, etc. If you are a fan of punk or indie art rock give this one a spin.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Amazing 4 song run to open this album, they are just classic. Unfortunately that is the high point of the album and it starts to lose steam throughout. Historically it is a huge album in hip-hop and had a wildly popular crossover hit with Walk This Way. I can appreciate the significance of album but it is just not something I would throw on and listen to all the way through.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
It is a complex but still accessible jazz record. It never quite hits the groove for me. Something I wouldn't complain about if it was in the background for a cocktail mixer.
Sonic Youth
5/5
What a seminal alt rock record; loud, high energy, dissonant and distorted art noise rock with some great commentary. A great album for fans of the 90's alternative grunge rock era, Sonic Youth were leading the way
Al Green
3/5
I hate the 5 star rating system, this album deserves more than 3 but not quite a 4 star record for me. Listened to this one for a second time now and I appreciated it a bit more on the second listen. It has some classic hits, but the first 3 songs are great! They are a bit funkier which is more of the style I prefer. There really isn't a bad tune though, so I enjoyed it all the way through.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
It's too Americana for my liking. And it sounds heavily recycled, when Waitin On A Sunny Day Started I thought Hungry Hop was about to play. There are a couple interesting tunes, some world music and ballads, that aren't the typical Boss cuts I have heard. Overall the album just exists, it's not bad and it's not good. Bruce fans will like this, but I would not seek it out for a relisten.
Silver Jews
3/5
I am very familiar with the Silver Jews, grew up listening to their early records that had Pavement members Steve M and Bob Nastanovich and I loved those. This is my first time listening to Bright Flight. Upon my first listen my initial reaction was "yeah this sounds like the Silver Jews but way more country", which isn't my favorite. I really like their early lo-fi sound. Then I listened to it a couple more times and it grew on me. Dave's vocal style is consistent so that always sounded like I remembered, but the music is really good and it is filled with that ear candy I loved in their early records. The story telling is great and the music is haunting and beautiful at the same time. I still prefer The Arizona Record and Starlite Walker but I will add this one to the rotation.
The Dictators
2/5
Early punk rock record, really juvenile humor done loud and fast. There were other bands already doing this style much better in my opinion. The guitar shreds, the lyrics are goofy. They do a couple covers in punk style that are pretty fun. I think the target audience is a bit younger and I could see this being something I would have cranked up in my late teens but it didn't age great. I am also of the opinion this should not have been included on the list of 1001 things I had to hear.
Adele
2/5
electro pop, she has a fantastic singing voice. the first 2 songs are great then it really falls apart. the whole vibe is just way to sad and sappy for my taste. I am impressed with her vocals, but the music just doesn't do anything for me. I will give it 2 stars just because her voice is that good, but this is an album I will never play again.
Fiona Apple
1/5
The Strokes
4/5
The revival of good time indie guitar driven garage rock. You can hear their influence on a lot of great garage rock bands to come along since.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
Cool English post-punk, indie rock album. Through the first 6 songs I was nervous because they all were sounding the same but they added some great variety during the back half. The 20 something going out to the bar crowd is the target audience but still fun for us older heads too
Christine and the Queens
1/5
This sounds so mechanical, it has no soul. The vocals are monotone and the beats are boring. I have only listened to the English version so far, will update after the French side is complete. I have listened to about 125 albums through the generator and about 400 just going through the book. I have finished every album presented so far. I am real close to ending this one after 6 songs! It feels like it has been going for soooo long. Why didn't I start with the French side? I would not have completed the English version if I had. I hate to poo on someone else's favorite album but this is hot garbage. There is much better synth pop, why is this included on the list?!
The Kinks
4/5
Top notch Brit-pop. This album is full of great songs, maybe 2 clunkers towards the end. Picture Book, Last of the Steam Powered Trains, and Big Sky are some of the greatest of all time English pop rock songs. I would put this album up there with the greats of its time.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
What a pleasant surprise this album was, went into it completely blind and was blown away. It is jazz electronic rock fusion that made me feel the same way I do when I hear The Vince Guaralda Trio do the Charlie Xmas music. It just feels good in a hard way to describe.
The Doors
5/5
Great blues psych rock album with good variety. There are cool changes in the songs and between them as well. The opening run of songs is just really great starting with the rocker Roadhouse Blues thru the funky Peace Frog then the cool transition to Blue Sunday. I would argue one of the greatest opening runs on an album. The back end slows down some with songs like Indian Summer, but they are great as well. Closing with the thick bass rocker Maggie M'Gill. This album really is the epitome of that gritty 60' 70's LA sound.
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
So, I will admit I am a huge LCD Soundsystem fan. I already own this on vinyl and I would venture to say this may be my favorite of the bunch. There are probably 6 songs from this album in my top 10 favorite LCD tracks. Get Innocuous sets the mood and it is infectious electronic dance punk! I love the steady beats throughout the songs with the electronics and other bits dancing around them creating a fantastic sound. Then throw in Someone Great, All My Friends and North American Scum it is a very complete album. Throw this one on and get ready to freak out!
Crowded House
2/5
I was not familiar with this album, had only know some of their 80's stuff before. This album was completely different from what I have heard or expected. It is very bland easy listening 90's alternative pop. The whole thing just blends together and sounds the same, jangly pop which gets repetitive and boring by the end, it isn't bad just forgettable. Tall Trees is the only song I would really go back and give a relisten maybe Weather With You too.
Kraftwerk
3/5
Very important album in the history of electronic music. This one still has the krautrock feel but a bit more pop, seems they were trying to be more commercial with this effort. It still has some experimental moments but much more accessible than the last Kraftwerk album I reviewed.
Eminem
3/5
When this came out I loved this album, it was edgy and pushed boundaries with great Dre beats. Completely over the top and fairly new for white MCs at the time. But as I listen to it now the lyrics are just too over the top and have not aged well. I can give it props but it is something that I will not relisten to except maybe My Name Is
Ryan Adams
3/5
Oh To Be Young, loved this song when it came out. It really settles into more of a alt-country ballad type album, heavy Americana music. There are 4 really good tracks, I prefer the more upbeat Dylan-esque tunes. Some if the songs are a bit depressing and I find them to be a little boring. Sounds like a country David Grey.
Randy Newman
4/5
Randy has such a unique voice, definitely picture Toy Story as soon as you hear him! The first side of this album is sooo good, one song that is meh. The second song has a couple great ones and a few that weren't as good. Overall a good piano rock album by a witty songwriter with a warm singing style most are familiar with.
The Offspring
3/5
This was all the rage when it came out, brought punk music to the masses. It is commercial punk, there are a few fun songs but most of it is pretty repetitive. I think there were better punk bands making better music they just didn't get the recognition from the industry. I would add a few songs to a playlist but not an album I would listen to all the way through again.
Bobby Womack
2/5
It is a decent 80's soul funk album, but not sure there is anything groundbreaking here. Personally not sure why this is included in the list of album I must hear. I wouldn't play this again, maybe 2 songs were standouts.
Garbage
2/5
I find most of this to be boring. There are a couple interesting and fun tracks but most is just trying to hard to be alternative NIN with some grunge and rock dance beats. Not an album I would listen to again.
The Beach Boys
4/5
This album has grown on me the more I listen to it. It starts with that familiar west coast surf sound but by the 2nd half it is a bit more experimental and psychedelic. It is art-pop with some cool orchestral instrumentation and those great Beach Boys harmonies. I wouldn't say it is a no skip album but there are some really high moments throughout
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Rockabilly bee bop piano rock, right out of the gate on fire. Jerry is slaying the keys, crowd is going wild. I like the sequencing (even though I believe this is recorded from multiple shows), slows it down here and there to let the listener catch their breath. One of the greatest live albums I have heard on the list so far
Nirvana
4/5
One of the greatest albums of the 90's, much heavier and more raw than Nevermind. You can really hear Albini's influence in the production. If punk, grunge, alternative are your thing then this is a must hear album.
The Kinks
4/5
What a fun early English pop rock album. The songs are short and there is lots of styles being blended that keep the album from getting stale. There is a killer 4 song run in the middle section from Harry Rag to Love Me Till the Sun Shines and the closing Waterloo Sunset is stellar.
Green Day
2/5
They made an accessible commercial radio friendly punk-pop album that I could play for my parents and they wouldn't get offended. This was hugely popular when it came out and had a lot of influence on the future bands in this genre. It is mostly fun and high energy but very monotonous. I give them credit along with The Offspring for bringing punk to the masses but there is nothing groundbreaking here, and in my opinion better punk albums out there.
The Crusaders
3/5
Heavy soul jazz funk album teetering on disco. It is well produced and has some great bass, horn and piano parts. The album has a great groove and is easy to bop along too but it gets a bit hard to discern the tracks from one another. They all sound the same and blend together, luckily it is funky enough to be interesting. I dug it but not something I feel I have to add to the collection.
Slade
3/5
Power glam rock, most of it is fairly generic. There are a few great tunes, they do a good job on the cover songs. I really didn't like Noddy's singing style, pretty grating after the first couple songs. I do think they ended the album on a high note with 3 decent tracks. I don't think this is something I would go back to for replay, just stream the few songs that I enjoyed.
The Mothers Of Invention
3/5
Super psychedelic and experimental. Serious social commentary even though the music is a bit of a goof. Groundbreaking sampling mixed with baroque pop. It takes a certain state of mind to really appreciate this art.
Fleet Foxes
4/5
Indie folk with a heavy tinge of gospel. This album has a very familiar sound, a combination of My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses. There are some great changes and I love the soft loud ebb and flow of the album. There was one song that I didn't care for but with 11 songs at 39 minutes this was basically a no skip album. I also love the album cover, beautiful classic art with some really weird stuff happening when you look closely!
Stereolab
4/5
What a great album, so glad this one came up today. I already own this on vinyl and the more I listen to it the more I like it. On the first listen I thought there was a few great songs and now I think the whole thing is great. It is a very cool fusion french jazz, 90's indie, electronica, krautrock and even some punk. I can't help but to bop along with this whole album
4/5
From Village Green to this album, they really developed that Kinks sound that I like. This is another no skip album, there are a couple low moments but not worth skipping. Not fond of the Beatles sound they try to emulate on a couple songs. Then there are just some killer 60's rock pop songs. A great opener with Victoria then close the first side with Australia! The second side is just as good, I give a little edge to side 1 though.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
There are some classic Frank songs that are fantastic. It is big band swing and the man can sing, but a little too laid back for me the majority of the album. Still a great album, great for a romantic dinner date or such
The Cult
2/5
Didn't like this album. The production isn't good, drums are very forward and boring in my opinion and the bass guitar is too low and hard to hear at times. There are some decent guitar riffs throughout. The band mostly seems confused on the sound they want to create, the singer sounds like Danzig and the music sounds like Poison. There are maybe 2 songs I would add to a playlist, other than that this is repetitive and not interesting.
Dr. Dre
3/5
The production and beats put this album in the all time great category. For his debut solo album he went a created a whole new style, G-funk, that was revolutionary for future hip hop. I think the misogyny and violence of the gangsta rap genre is a bit dated, more of a fan of the laid back party tracks. The album is a bit too long, could have paired it down to 10 songs and cut the skits.
Queen
4/5
Was not expecting this to go so hard! I can hear tons of influence from Zep to the Beach Boys. It is more hard rock and blues than I thought Queen played but you can hear the classic opera sound they are famous for starting to develop, especially on the second side. I was completely blown away by this album and will be adding it to the collection.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
Start with the cover, pretty awesome art! The music is straight late 60's biker boogey. Love Janis' voice, the band is tight. Mixed in crowd noise to appear live, not a fan of that. The music does sound raw and what I would imagine they sound like live though, so that is good production. Her singing really does carry this, the music is good but there is so much feeling in her voice.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
A cool folk album, side 1 is a concept and has some great storytelling with great stripped down psych folk songs. Side 2 has some more upbeat pop-folk hits, starting with Fakin' It which I was not familiar with until now. Cool album only one song that I would have left out. Worth a listen
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
It is a bit up and down for me, there are a couple of really good alternative art punk garage rock tunes, loud and raw full of energy. Then there are a few that just fall flat for me with cheesy lyrics and no real soul. On a lot of the songs I did like I hear a some Sonic Youth and Breeders influence going on which is cool. Not something I am going to run out to buy but I will stream it a few more times.
5/5
This is almost a perfect album, love the concept of doing a "live" album format and the experimentation is top notch throughout. They give you lots of variety in the songs and the songwriting is stellar. Even the lowest rated song, Good Morning Good Morning, is a great tune. The hits just keep coming with a few of my all time favorite Beatles songs all packed into this album like She's Leaving Home, When I'm 64, and Day in the Life one of the all time great closers.
Dire Straits
3/5
A band I know but never dug into their discography. First impression; a better Eagles. Super well produced album, sounds very clean. Vocals give it a very smokey quality. Filled with country western riffs and a California rock feel. Bass and drums provide great grooves and some songs with some serious boogie. This is a great debut album, most of it was very pleasant to my earholes, thought the end was kinda of a let down compared to the rest of the album.
Grant Lee Buffalo
4/5
Listened to this a lot in the '90s, always shocked he didn't blow up. Love the passion and story telling in these songs. It feels desperate and beautiful, the vocal style is haunting at times and full of emotion. It is a great 90's angsty alt rock album. It is pretty wild that I haven't listened to this in a while but every time I put it on I remember why I loved it so back in the day.
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
I've seen this labeled as Slowcore, more like Snorecore. It is cool that this was recorded around one microphone in a historic church, gives it a nice reverb sound. For me overall it is too country and too slow. Other than Blue Moon it didn't get interesting until the last 4 songs when they got a bit more bluesy sounding. Felt like they had some influence from Mazzy Star throughout the album but especially when Sweet Jane started. Think they both came out around the same time and used that California psych revival sound template.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
It is too long, no need for a double album. Cut some of the BS "experimental" filler and this could have been a killer album. The rest of the band wrote some good classic Fleetwood Mac songs and they sound great. I understand not wanting to make Rumours II but it feels like the Buckingham songs could have been more developed, maybe use the rest of the band to tighten up the ideas.
Scissor Sisters
2/5
Dance club alternative electronica, sounds like some Prince inspired electronic dance music. I am not a fan of the falsetto singing style in most of the songs. Its okay but not a genre that would get a lot of replay in my collection, now if I was a DJ it would be worth having.
The Killers
2/5
First 5 songs are okay, at least fun and high energy. Has some cool bass lines, but the vocals sound really over produced to me. I think the songwriting is weak. Most of the songs are soulless. I would add a couple songs to a playlist but not an album I would add to my collection. Definitely not something I must hear before I die.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
A very cool laid back funk soul album. Great songwriting and instrumentation.
Orbital
4/5
Spacey dance music that has great atmospheric soundscapes. It has almost a punk vibe to it. Not the type of record I would just throw on at home, but for a party or at the club this would be a hit. Even though I wouldn't buy this I can appreciate it, any EDM fan should check it out.
Animal Collective
4/5
This is very pleasing to the ears. It has so much tension almost makes me feel anxious which I like in music. Love the Beach Boy style harmonies with the acid electronica pop. I have heard a few songs but this is the first time I listened to the whole album. Glad it came up today, this will be getting added to my collection
Green Day
2/5
Is it me or do these guys feel like industry plants? I swear, it's the same generic "punk" rock as their last hit album. Most of the songs here sound like their were ripped from some eighties tunes, and I don't mean sounds like it I mean literally the same songs. I sound like I hate them, which isn't the case. The music is simple but high energy, they have a good political message, but it is just generic and not great. I can't figure out why they made the list twice now, I know it was popular but what makes this a must hear album?