1001 Albums Summary

PJ Harvey giving some Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders) vibes on Good Fortune 3 songs in, it's ok so far, but not great. Kind of one note late 90s early 2000s stuff Beautiful Feeling feels like a Thom Yorke before he even starts singing. Kinda liking the ethereal feeling of it I like this other Thom Yorke song, This Mess We're In Ooh Kamikaze slaps This is Love, meh Kind of coffee house, punk ish (I mean that in the loosest way), 2000s drama soundtrack vibes. Not totally my cup of 'coffee', but it's artful and fun at times. Didn't resonate, but hey imma big dumb boy

For maybe the first 20 mins I was having a great time, and filling a jazz void I've had for a while. Bill Evans has such deft and control that he gives just the right amount of emphasis through the song. I learned that this style bled into modern jazz so apparently he's a big deal. Then, as the album continued, it overstayed it's welcome. Once you get the first 20 mins, you've essentially heard the whole album. Special shout-out to Solar though, that was pretty good

Holy smokes, gonna go ahead and say that the A-side of this album, while packed with super recognizable songs, might be the best A-side in 2000s Alternative. Will be curious to confirm that as well go on, but it was fabulous. Back side of the album has some good tunes but wasn't as strong. Cannot give this a 5 when you hold it next to true 5s, but it is a super strong 4

So I obviously know of Iggy Pop and the Stooges, but have never say down and just given them a listen. This was a really fun album, and there's this element of it where, today would seem tame, at the time folks must have looked at this as vile and inappropriate. Some repetitive tunes, some really fun tracks. Solid 3 and I think there are a couple of songs I'll keep for myself (Shake Appeal)

Ok so this album is obviously iconic, and the big hits are huge and unforgettable. So heading into this I wondered how do they all weave together and what songs support them. There's a similar vibe across all of the songs. Slow and sludgy riffs with some of those notes highlighting how they used to be a blues band (fun fact!). Electric Funeral and Hand of Doom are fun, and it's all just a vibe. Very inventive for 1970, gotta give it its props.

Gotta be honest, not a ton of context around Willie's music heading into this. I know he's an icon, know what he sounds like, but could not tell you a time I've ever listened to one of his songs. This album rules. I know it's mostly (if not entirely) covers but he just puts his own imprint on all of these tunes and puts out such an uplifting and easy listen. This one caught me by surprise and was quite nice.

Ok this one is kind of frustrating, I'll explain. Half aware of George Jones, first time really listening (am I going to keep saying this?). Lots of ballads in here, seemingly all the same time signature and chords, but, every once in a while, George plays a sped up tune and it's so much fun. The Weatherman and Our Private Life "slap" as they say. If he had a full album of those I'd be all for it. Just too much sap in this one. Almost a 2 but the other songs elevate it.

This album was awesome. Whoa Papa Was a Rolling Stone is almost 12 mins long? I could honestly listen to a 2 hour long version of that song. They knew they had something good and just ran with it. The other tunes are all really good and all of them compliment each other so well. Great work fellas.

So, Bruce, Da Boss, is undeniably a talented lyricist (and composer if he's in charge of that, idk). He's got the energy, a great ensemble, and just gives it his all. Folks absolutely adore him. I'm not one of those people. It just does not resonate with me. Like I can't even critically try to say it has problems, but for me this album isnt a stellar achievement. Maybe that's an overstatement but it was no more enjoyable than many of the albums I've listened to this far.

No expectations heading into this one and it was a really refreshing listen. This album is a happy marriage between The Go-Gos and The Sex Pistols. Great heavy bass lines and Siouxsie Sioux is a fabulous front woman. Pretty fun little journey and hey maybe I'll listen to a few more albums (when I'm done listing to my remaining 900ish albums)

This one is a true "going in blind" album. No idea who these guys are. Never heard of this album. I am absolutely blown away. Could be that this was my first listen not at my home, or that I'm freshly married, but front to back this is such an impressionable and moving album. Dare I say my first 5 stars and not at all the emotions I expected while sitting in an airport. I also like when the theme of an album is clear and throughout (a la Dark Side of the Moon), and this one stays its course throughout. Will need to give it a second listen but for sure my fave from the project this far (not that many albums in to be fair).

Not much to say here. Some songs have merit (Rocketship, maybe Chicken Dog) but this album is largely noise. I see it as more of a frenetic Beck album or more disjointed Primus album (with much less of the sick bass lines). Probably not coming back for the Blues Explosion

Initially was going to rare this a 3 but this guy's voice is so soulful I've gotta go for a 4. Can't believe I hadn't heard of him. Similar to a Sam Cooke with such a rich voice, you get lost a little when he's singing. Very good stuff

If I was running a fusion restaurant with cool vibes in NYC, or trying to have something on in the background while I chill with friends, this would be a good option. If I'm largely sitting and listening to it, this thing goes on and on and on. Fun use of the medium, good DJ, but you could cut it in half and have the same album.

Maybe it was because I only had access to the Deluxe Version, but this thing went on and on. At first I was like hey this is kinda neat, but only a few tracks had something interesting going on. It's meandering and too artful for my liking. I noticed that this guy is from Velvet Underground and friends with Andy Warhol, so this trying to be very arty makes sense (nothing against those things, just the vibe I pick up)

This was ok. Not really up my alley but I can tell that it's produced and performed well. My problem with some R&B albums is that they can seem monotonous. No real criticisms but probably won't come back for a visit

They're a big deal for a reason. This album was solid front to back. From the hits to the B-Sides. Happy Feelin was a great introduction to me. Also, the bass lines in this album are so think and rich. Might have to put this one back on if I want to move around

I mean, what do you say that's already been said? Have heard The Wall before. It's NOT my favorite Pink Floyd album but maybe I'm heading into this already biased and affected by public opinion. It's really good with some absolute killer songs. Uncomfortably Numb is out of this world. I'll probably give the album a 5, BUT if I had half stars I'd give it a 4.5 because to me (and maybe no surprise) Dark Side is the true 5 star in this catalogue.

Oh look! A Queen album with none of their hits on it! What am I to expect?! Well, I had a very odd epiphany while listening to this. Very early Queen, and I swear for the first half of the album I felt as if they were wanting to emulate Led Zeppelin. Almost to the point of cover band at times. It wasn't until Ogre Battle did the more Queen vibe start to come out. Not an incredibly notable album (for me) but it was very interesting to get this glimpse of the band that's not constantly shoved down your throat.

Fairly shocked that this is Lenny Kravitz's first album. His sound seems fully formed at this point and largely no boring tracks in the whole thing. Really really impressive entry and I had a lot of fun listening to it. Special shout-out to Mr. Cab Driver. That song rocks.

Sweet Lord. I know that the Grateful Dead have their own committed following, and are a vibe all on their own essentially, but this did not click. Don't get me wrong, the entire middle of the album ranged from good to great, but the beginning of the album was a meandering 23 minutes (intentional I know) and ending with nearly 8 mins of literal feedback. The name of the song is Feedback but I didn't know I needed to take it literally! It was trending towards a 3 after a rough start but they solidified a 2 in the end.

Really interesting album from a group I've never heard of. Gave them a little read and you can definitely sense their country roots in this music, but at times they venture into ethereal which is kind of fun. This being from 1967 is astounding given they were not a big band and it sounds great. Another shout-out because there is absolutely zero wasted time here. An easy sub 30 min album of decent tunes.

Fully aware that this is a big time massive album (actually fun fact I didn't know until few years ago, it is a Top 10 best selling album of ALL TIME), so heading into it I had the the thought of seeing how the other songs stack up with the obvious hits that I've heard a million times. Gotta say, she put together a killer album. Now that's not groundbreaking news but her emotional rawness is evident throughout and there is rarely a lull. Just a great album.

Wow what a fabulous album. I even didn't scroll down to see that Superstitious was on it so when it came on I genuinely got excited. Such an interesting sound, like a mixture of jazz and creating this new kind of funk. I've been a believer that Stevie Wonder legitimately has one of the best voices of all time. Really fun front to back

I love Bowie, I think he's got some really exceptional songs and albums, but this one wasn't it. I hate to say it but it's got that similar stink and production as so many late era greats put out on their albums. It's a right album with some decent tunes here and there, but I was shocked to find myself continuously checking to see how much was left. Sorry Duke, this wasn't it

This was neat. I don't know much Oasis outside of their big hits, so it was interesting to get a familiar sound on entirely new songs to me. This album is certainly a little harder than their more mainstream songs, and they're all composed really well. Cigarettes and Alcohol is completely ripping off Bang a Gong? But not sure if that is intentional as an homage. Decent album, would be a 3.5 if I had the ability but I guess I'll give it a 4

Unabashedly a big Talking Heads fan. This album absolutely rocks. I can not help but bob my head or move around a little listening to these tunes. This can't be overstating it but The Talking Heads might be some of the funkiest white people ever. Exciting bass lines and really inventive guitar and drums, AND that's not even mentioning the enigma David Byrne. Easy 5 Stars

This is their first fucking album? Are we sure? This is amazing! The musicianship on this is absolutely next level for whatever level of metal this is in the 90s. Tom Morello is of course celebrated, but he really proves his breadth and expertise here and it's incredible. What can you say about Zach De La Rocha? Unmatchable energy and anger. Maybe the angriest singer ever. I know Killing in the Name of, and it absolutely GRIPS you here, but the rest of the album is just so phenomenal. It is shocking to me how such a politically driven album can also be maybe one of the best albums of the 90s from a pure music standpoint at the same time. AND their first album? An incredible perfect storm.

This was alright. I like some of the New Order hits but this to me was mostly middle of the road. I didn't know a lot of the history about New Order and how they're born from Joy Division, and how the singer of New Order reluctantly became the singer. Honestly kind of makes sense listening to this (at times).

This was, bizarre, but in like a really endearing way. Ian Dury has such a thick cockney that it makes everything have this extra layer of silly, and not only that but then the lyrics themself are already cooky. But the way that he sings it is with so much sincerity that it makes each song fun. Top that off with the fact that his band seemingly are all good musicians as well and that makes this real music (is that a backhanded compliment?). Songs can be basic at times but I was never bored listening to this.

Wow I didn't know that this album was THAT album that has all of their moody hits on it (you won't be seeing Just Can't Get Enough here). Really ahead of their time while be of the time, if that makes sense. You feel their inspiration in a lot of the artists to follow, AND you can just imagine all of the goth kids absolutely loving this album the moment the needle hit the record. Good work gang

Good album. Couple of their hits. Others are all pretty good and interesting. There's not much I feel I can really say here, but I will recognize that this is one of those very important bands that is largely slept on. All members are excellent musicians.

Have only been aware of De La Soul, and haven't spent any time to listen to them. This album is phenomenal! Granted, I'm a Tribe fan and seeing QTip is on this album and De La Soul is chummy Tribe all makes sense. Great samples from some big songs and perfectly incorporated into their songs. Big time props for Eye Know for using Steely Dan. I may actually have to buy this album

An interesting disco entrant to the list. This has that big hit Le Freak, but under this album and not known to the world is that there's a secret really good guitar album in here. The guitar solo throughout Savoir Faire was really impressive. Beyond that a lot of the songs can seem repetitive, but I'm sure it is a product of the time because these songs were made for disco dancing. Alright album

Aware of The Clash and their incredibly important position in music history. There is no other singer like Joe Strummer. This album is neat. Good riffs, strong bass lines, not much I'd go back to. I already love Police and Thieves but the rest of the album is good punk.

Some interesting licks here and there. Joe Perry has such a good way of making interesting riffs. Pretty straight forward and cool rock n roll. Sick as a Dog was actually pretty interesting and hadn't heard that before. Fine album

I love an able with notable and interesting bass lines, and they really keep the bass turned up here. Caleb Followill has such interesting vocals too. We of course all know Sex on Fire, but it's nice to listen to an album of simply their sound without the baggage that comes with a hit (this is not a negative connotation by the way). Great entry album by them and hey maybe I'll listen more often

Really interesting combo of the sound of the times and the blues inspiration that they have (and of course informed Eric Clapton). Sunshine of Your Love is a classic. There are odd times of psychedelic rock that I'd never heard them do. Overall an alright album

Candidly, I already love Supertramp and some of the songs on this album. I've been aware of Crime of the Century but didn't give it a proper listen. This is a phenomenal album. I was really teetering between a 4 or a 5 but the highs of this album along with the hits just bring it up to that 5 level. I just love Rick Davies' vocals and piano and the the orchestral bits are real fun too. Excited for Breakfast in America

No expectations heading into this one, and I gotta say, it's a vibe. Very heavy on the 90s house drum kit (very British I gather), and the vocals are ethereal and soothing. No real notable songs I think but the album in its entirety is just nice, and as they say, cool

This is a tough one to rate, pretty good is largely how I feel about it, but I can't recall any tracks here a few hours after listening. Is that my fault? Ehh idk here's 3 stars. Easy listening and cool

Hot dog if you're going to make an hour and a bit long album you better have something profound to say and produce. This largely feels like they had all of these ideas and were just scared to trim it down. It's a big bloated mess with relatively interesting techno/synth riffs. At times got funky on the bass, and that's fun, but that's about it. One thing I hate is when you listen to a song, and you can tell that they think they have a hit, and it's just . . . not (example, The Height of Fighting)

This was pretty fun, and have so many fun David Bowie moments throughout. Jean Genie is the big hit from this album but I don't think it's even really the best song on the album. Time is pretty awesome (which to be fair was another single). The musicianship throughout was just awesome, and you can catch some pointed Jazz influence here and there too. It's odd to get this kind of quintessential Bowie album without really any of the songs being notable.

I think I mentioned on the Stevie Wonder album I listened to that he had the greatest voice, maybe greatest love song voice idk, but Ray has THE best voice period. It's so distinct, and rich, and soulful that it elevates any song he sings. What is it with blind pianists sounding beautiful? Candidly when I saw how long the album was u was concerned, but my lord it flew by and I hardly checked the time. I listened to a Heaven 17 album recently that felt endless, this was longer and felt shorter. Goes to show making a good album with good songs matters (and being Ray Charles). Great stuff, solid 4

This album is a conundrum. On the surface it should largely be considered gibberish, but, as I sat and listened, it put me in some kind of trance trying to translate the lyrics. So these words that are all reasonable next to each other but shouldn't share the same sentence are being unpacked during these catchy riffs and good music. I feel like Bruce Springsteen wants to be the energetic Bob Dylan, but he'll never be Bob Dylan. Can not believe my brain is guiding my finger to giving this 4 stars but here we are

I was excited to see this album pop up because I had always heard it was a good album. Upon listening that largely rang true, while not really achieving any 5 star status though. Really enjoyed the heavy South African musical influence throughout, and of course Call Me Al is great. Love me some Paul Simon and this is a good entry

Wasn't expecting such a big album to hit my list this morning. I've heard Sweet Child O Mine and Welcome to the Jungle so much that they're just tuned out at this point, but I can happily comment on a few of the other tunes I wasn't familiar with. I'd already heard Paradise City and Mr Brownstone aaaaand I think another one, but the others were actually pretty interest and not notable low points of the album. Axl is so interesting, Slash is an excellent guitarist, just an all round good album

Kinda glad it starts with the big obvious hit, then you get to enjoy all he has to have without the weight of something else lurking. Consistent throughout are these groovy and intimate movements in his music and it's all so interesting. Let's Get it On is an obvious hit, but his other songs hold their own and give this album life. If you need it for mood setting this would definitely deliver if that's what you're going for

Fun. Kind of repetitive. I enjoy Elvis Costello as much as the next guy which is not a ton, but I don't hold anything against him. I appreciated the brevity of the album too haha

Well this was a fun listen. Familiar with Hysteria and a lot of the songs on it. Side A is truly remarkable and just an 80s hair metal masterpiece, side B is ok and has Hysteria on it. Had the makings of a 5 star album but might have just peaked too early

Interesting album. I know of Leonard Cohen for Hallelujah, which oddly his Spotify bio doesn't mention it at all, but I was intrigued to jump into a full album for him. Seeing as this one is the one he released weeks before his death only adds weight to what I was hearing. The composition of everything was top notch, his voice gargly and old which only added to it, and the lyrics were all good to. Hard to debate it but this is a good album

Threw this one on while at the gym and it was a great pump inducer. Already knew a few of these songs but I just love the heavy Smashing Pumpkins sound. They have their own lil trademark and that's evident on all of the songs on this album. Great listen and excited for more

Am I a hater? Here comes the Boss' biggest album, and I just. Don't. Get. It. His voice just removes me from enjoying this, his lyrics I guess are good but they aren't resonating. I enjoy Dancing in the Dark but does that just make me a normie? Nothing excites me, I'd have to reach to describe the redeeming qualities, and it's probably more than likely that this isn't for me. Sorry Boss, but you'll likely be my lowest rated artist

A great bluesy rock album by an excellent trio. La Grange is so weird to be because it sounds nothing like Billy Gibbons but hey it's iconic. The rest of the album almost has this grunge quality which is cool. Great stuff from Tres Hombres

Now this is an album. Start it off on an iconic guitar riff, pack this sucker with hit after hit after hit, and have absolute masters of the craft just make some music. I might be biased, I love Zeppelin, but there is not a single skippable song on this thing. Just did a cursory search, only their second album, and released in the same year as their first?? WHAT?? It's hard to come across such immense talent in a group and folks were spoiled in the 60s and 70s. Doesn't beat this

Music for stoners, and potentially exclusively for stoners. I hate to say it but I got a 'try hard' vibe from some of the songs, wanting so hard to be so trippy and experimental. Not my cup of tea

This really caught me off guard. Some parts of it, not so good. Other parts, a really interesting and fun blend of their traditional Brazilian music and psychedelic rock. Notable standouts are Bat Macumba and A Minha Menina. On the latter, I loved the combo of the acoustic and the gritty guitar, but what's odd is when I first heard it I was not a fan then all of a sudden it clicked and I was digging it. Fun trip.

Some good ole Neil Young. A few great songs, a few alright songs. All together it's pretty good. It's hard to really make any specific notes. I found it interesting how he had such an orchestral vibe to some songs, oddly very non Neil Young of him. Fun stuff, nothing bad to say about my Canadian icon

Fun album. There are times where it's some of their hits and you're like hey this rocks. Then when most of the other songs play it sounds like one ubiquitous Offspring song. When I read their bio and it said West Coast Surfer Punk it didn't quote make sense, then What Happened to You came on and it all came together

This was alright. I bit prolonged and maayybbeee pretentious but not too much. Just could be trimmed down by like 33% I really enjoyed the 90s new wave (is it new wave?) kind of vibes and the little videos Spotify plays in relation to the songs made me feel nostalgic. That's about it though, no great call outs

This was a really frustrating album. Some songs have a real catchy vibe going, others are imitations of The Magical Mystery Tour (like many bands/musicians convinced themselves they could do in the late 60s/early 70s). Hadn't heard much of Todd Rundgren before but when I dug in and saw all of the hits he has it frustrated me more because it confirmed what he could do. Old album though, maybe he was still finding his footing.

Where do I begin? Already a Dave Navarro fan so when keeping an ear open for the guitar I was very satisfied with that. He was amazing and can seriously shred. The downside? I cannot stand Perry Farrell. The vocals could be fine, but hearing the whiny tones, combined with knowing he's a massive douche, just made for a less than desirable listen. If your just here to hear the instruments it's great, just tune out the asshole

Really good album. The hits are great, other songs are good. Not much else I can say about such an iconic band. Love the sludgyness of some of the riffs and I know that that was their big trademark at the time. RIP Ozzy

Solid album. Nothing too notable but there's that clear sign that Basie was master of his craft and brought together only the best musicians for His orchestra. It was kind of nice putting it on and just having good swing playing while I was doing stuff. I'd honestly enjoy buying this as a record and just throwing it on.

A nice jazzy and funky soul album, that's largely melancholy. It was odd I couldn't find this in Spotify so I had to pull it up on YouTube. I think that the sum of the parts is largely good here, though slow for the majority. Big big standouts though, when they decide to pick up the pace, Back Home and The Bottle. If they could've taken that energy and made it a whole album we'd be talking about a 5/5. Piano on this is also exemplary.

Pretty good album. The non hits are largely like "hey, this is REM". When the hits play though, they're just so good. Love Michael Stipe and the gang. Incredibly unique while still having a quintessential 90s sound and vibe. Good combo

Have been aware of this album but never listened. It didn't have as big of an impact on me as it had on others, but I have to commend Bowie for going out on such a high note. He really didn't want to put out something run of the mill and successfully made it fully interesting and even experimental up until his very last moments alive. It's a good album, and weight of his death aside, that's a great accomplishment.

Pretty good album, starting off with some really good tracks and then the rest of the album was decent. They have this unique sound for their time where it's kind of rock, kind of alternative, kind of poppy, and their lead singer is giving me big time Pretenders vibes which is a big compliment in my back (apologies I don't know her name)

Iconic album. Certainly not Thriller but still some great hits on here. As with most big time albums I try to listen for songs that aren't big that are good, and I enjoyed Another Part of Me and I Just Can't Stop Loving You (maybe these are big songs and I just don't know it). It's interesting to hear this very specific 80s sound, like he still needed to really develop. Thriller was that maturation

This was alright, really good instrumentation throughout, singing and lyrics are fine. You can definitely tell there's a Talking Heads influence here, and it was quite interesting to dig into their history a little bit and appreciate where they're coming from. Not something I'd revisit but a neat lil post punk album

Pleasantly surprised by this. Had no idea what I'd be getting when putting it on but these guys have really great harmonies and make every song such easy listening. The songs themselves can get a little repetitive but I'm not too concerned about that, was a good listen from beginning to end. You can see why Paul Simon wanted them on Graceland.

Really great hip hop album. Haven't previously listened to Biggie rap but his lyricism is reeaaalllyyy impressive. Big Poppa is a 90s hip hop masterpiece, and much of the rest of the album holds its own as well. Didn't know he was so sexual but hey as he said, "you know why they call me Biggie".

Really soulful and sultry, and Son of a Preacher Man is such a great song too. When I was listening I was like hey this is like the perfect person to do Bond film. Lo and behold she did! Never heard of her before this but is a nice addition to my mental encyclopedia

Great album, kicking off with Everything In Its Right Place is such a great start. Now, unsurprisingly we venture into more of that artsy Radiohead stuff, which has never really done it for me. Real good album but this is no In Rainbows.

I'll tell you what, this album is incredibly frustrating. I'm going to imagine that if you can see the reviews then you've listened to the album, and like me when you saw the length of the album you had a serious double take. I dreaded starting something so long. Then I started it, and I noticed that the musicianship (specifically the guitar and bass) were phenomenal. Holy smokes is this some kind of secret masterpiece? An hour or so goes on and I'm still really enjoying it. Dare I saw I think the singer for The 1975 stole his style directly from this singer. Now we get to the last 10 songs of the album, and I believe they're an obvious filler. At first I wondered if they were just extra studio stuff that can be included in special editions, but I checked the official track listing and there these filler songs were. This is where the album goes from a 4 to a 3. Repeats previous songs, meanders along at times, and really loses its charm. I'll need to go through it again to get some of the keepers. If you want a good album just listen to tracks 1-30, and forget about the last 10

Honestly, kind of a boring album. There's a weird mix of "let's emulate the Beatles" and then having largely orchestral songs and movements. You get some true and good Bee Gees in here, Odessa the song was pretty good. At the end of it all though I was fairly consistently checking to see how long I had left, and that's not a good sign

Ehh, pretty fine I guess. If I lived in England on the 70s and was at one of their concerts at a bar or something I know it'd be absolutely, as they say, mental. What is very interesting is how you can hear that Glam style in full form and they do do that very well. I thought I recognized the band and then confirmed that they are indeed the band that first made Cuk on Feel the Noize (but that's not on this album). Fun nonetheless but nothing too notable

This is a very interesting use case of a Jekyll and Hyde album. Side A is phenomenal, hit after hit and just INTERESTING. Coldplay can be used as the butt of a joke but I won't deny that those songs are all good. Side B hits and it's so boring. Like, none of the flair and attention grabbing of the first side. It's like Side A is a 5 and Side B is a 3, hmm I wonder what I'll rate this album as a result.

I've been semi aware of the Pogues. I largely learned about them when Shane MacGowan died. To be completely honest I'd never heard or knew of Fairytale of New York before then either. This was alright. Fun mix of classic Irish vibes with their alleged punk direction. Not my cup of tea honestly. I get that Shane is heralded as a master of lyrics but I guess those words weren't written to resonate with me. I liked the bands ability to play, seems like they're all tip top

Fine country/folk album. The kindest thing I can say about it is that it really reminded me of one of my favs Stomping Tom Connors (Rambling Jack Elliott is close as it is). No fuss songs, just quipy lyrics with a steady beat.

This is one of my exceptions in all of my rating. There are a handful of hip hop albums that I'd put over this personally (I really enjoyed 3 Feet High and Rising and I already loved Low End Theory), I also own this vinyl, but after digging in and admitting I liked those other albums more, I still have to admit that this is objectively a 5/5 album. Groundbreaking, inventive, and as ODB would say, RAAAWWWW. Love it and love the kung fu motif too

This was fine. If I was into the British House, or BIG BEAT, movement I'd probably really enjoy this. Front to back it's kinda like a 90s action thriller soundtrack, which The Chemical Brother . . . checking Google . . . HAVE done (for the film Hanna from 2011. Not quite 90s). Anyway, decent album but I can't recall a lick of it

Kinda mixed on this one. I feel like it's that quintessential alt folk sound, hell they might've even created it, but at some point it felt a little repetitive. How many times do you need a few guys harmonizing in a hallway? It was fine, I enjoyed the White Winter Hymnal, and I'm not even sure if that's their hit but feels like it might've been. Moving on

Surprised by this one, because I like Neil Young, and I was utterly bored by this. Not sure if he hadn't really gotten his groove yet but that doesn't seem like it should be the case. Cinnamon Girl I know, everything else kind of plodded along at seemingly the same meter. Won't be revisiting this one.

Predominant American punk album in my eyes. Not necessarily well made but it's place is pretty important at least in punk history. A few song on here have a real good punch and I enjoy being caught off guard with it from time to time. Definitely one of the sole American punk albums that emulates the same level of energy as British punk.

I'll tell you what, a little bit higher hopes heading into it because I really enjoy Stevie Wonder, but this was kind of disappointing. Don't get me wrong, the funkiness and sultry voice are all there, but by the end of it much of the album seemed to be fairly ubiquitous and less as exciting as some of his other entries. I'm not sure the history of this album but could be him starting to venture more away from his Motown vibe to how we know him today, but what do I know

Such a bizarre mix of huge Christmas songs that you hear every year, and then less popular versions of the songs that you hear every year (with one or two unknowns). It was a strange listen, as I had to listen to it in April when I'm catching up on old albums, and sure the hits are great and everything has that Phil Spector touch (lots of sounds) Hey Phil Spector you murderous piece of shit, good job producing this one.

Possibly the greatest debut album of the 70s? Just chock full of absolute hits and just beautiful production. Candidly Boston holds a special place in my heart, so a little biased. The backstory to this is so wild. Just a guy in his home studio mixing and recording all of the instruments, hires a singers to hang out the tunes, and then kablam you've got an iconic rock record. It's too bad they got stuck up with nitpicking future releases because they really got lightning in a bottle here.

Honestly, kind of disappointing. You start off on the namesake megahit, then the tracks that follow are largely protest songs with some blues vibes here and there. I know that the Beatles and most of the British invasion artists were influenced by blues, but try to pep and spice this a little bit too you know?

This was an interesting little adventure historically. First off I'll comment on the music part. Quick, energetic, and flat out entertaining. Jerry Lee Lewis lives up to the hype he had in the 50s and could just rip on the piano. Now, the history piece, because I knew about his whole scandal with marrying his 13 year old cousin, but then there's more about how 2 of his wives died seemingly close to each other? And then he shot someone in the chest? Like holy smokes this guy is a key example of separating art and artist (like a musical Tiger Woods), great musician but absolute piece of shit human. So if I'm mentally able to remove the baggage he brings, this was a fun album.

Was rereading some of the more recent reviews of this album, and some folks seem to have been very bored by ole Van here. I'll be honest here, I grew up a Van Morrison fan, and not just your run of the mill "Brown Eyed Girl" enjoyer. Yes, this puppy is loooooong, but it is largely a celebration of this force on stage (or drunk force on stage). I've critiqued some other albums for being repetitive or redundant, and while Van does cover a lot of similar ground here, there's enough of a mix of talent, passion, and pizzazz to make this a smooth hour and a half for me. As always, great supporting band, and Domino always gets me going

Some great Simon & Garfunkel jams, you forget how short a lot of these songs are and they just bang out a bunch on an album. All respect to Art, but Paul Simon really is one of the musical geniuses of the 60s and 70s and 80s. That guy can orchestrate the hell out of a tune. Overall good and groooovy album

I know of The Cure (obviously) but I don't think I recognized a single track on this album. Seeing as it was 1980 it must've been one of their really early ones. I really enjoyed the etherealness of it and Robert Smith was really restrained compared to later hits. One standout was The Forest, really digged that whole vibe. Overall a decent time

CCR is iconic, unaware of their albums though. Got into it fully expecting to get some of the lesser known songs, and while I did I was gobsmacked at the level of hits on this album. Getting into the actual music part of this it is fun live in their blues and bluegrass influences. They fully envelope themselves in that music and makes some of these songs so timeless

I probably knew it already, but it is dawning on me more just how many bands pushed out psychedelic rock albums in the late 60s. So many of them sound the same, I don't know if I can differentiate this album from another mid tier one. There were times when the singer (or singers I feel like their could've been two) is trying to emulate Mick Jagger. Short album that I was still checking to see how long I had, fine overall though I don't want to be too harsh

Listened to some of these songs a lot in my youth, but first time just listening to this album. I really really loved it. There's still some of Beck's experimental avante garde moments that lose me a little but this album largely grooved from front to back. Love his inventiveness and wacky wall of sound.

Great album. Just pure Depeche Mode vibes even though I didn't fully recognize any of these tunes. One fun thing I realized, being inspired by their early tunes (Just Can't Get Enough), these guys just love a drum machine. I know they were fairly common on the New Wave side of things but they utilize it so well and just know how to package an album. Depressing, moody, and dare I say fun

This was an interesting angle of Coldplay. A lot more conventional rock band components here with drums and guitars on essentially every song. Weird to feel the need to point THAT out but it is definitely a departure from a lot of the other hits everyone knows. Critically speaking it's a good album. Rush of Blood to the Head has the superior A Side, but this at least stays interesting from front to back. Yellow was huge, but I also really enjoyed Don't Panic (which was also big but not as big).

Real mixed on this one. At first I thought it was one of those 90s UK/Irish folk bands (similar to like an XTC). Then I saw they were Australian but the vibe still remained. It's got a key 90s touch, but so much of this album and its songs seem redundant. I really hate to say it because the songs are largely well made with this orchestral flair and good musicianship, but here a little bit out from listening to it and I cannot tell you a single song that was on it.

Listen I probably like Jazz more than the next person, but I'm not a big fan seeking it out. This is fine, incredible musicianship as what you should probably expect on a Jazz album. You can throw it on in the background but sometimes you'll get caught with the avante garde parts and your equilibrium trips for a second.

Pleasantly surprised by this. The singer sounded a heck of a lot like Damon Albon, but that aside I really enjoyed the tunes here and the mix of folk, rock, and techno. I was reading that there are a few albums before this one but I'd really not heard this blend of mix and done is a really clean way.

No expectations putting this one on, and I was just blown away. It's so emotionally charged, and just beautiful. Folk masterpiece? Yup. Excellent guitar work, and no skips as well. Kind of at a loss with how great it was, trying to put more words together. Will probably buy this vinyl

Good ole classic ZZ Top. A few of their hits, a few songs I haven't heard before, all pretty good. As a 3 piece band they really get a ton of sound out, and they have a great command of the instruments too. Punchy and rockin without being cliche. Good strong entry

At face value it would feel like this is a really straight forward and simple albums. Compare the mixing and rapping to what we have today and you might feel like this is a pretty rudimentary album, but if you dig into it you'll learn that this was a groundbreaking entry. It paved the way for how rap and hip hop was going to be made moving forward. What's interesting is that you can kind of imagine this sounding like Beastie Boys if you think hard enough. What's also interesting about this is you can tell in later tracks how much they grew up and matured their sound, but working with next to nothing to produce this is an incredible feat

This ain't it. Don't enjoy the vocals, all of the songs sound largely the same, and just seems like a meandering album.

Really interesting background album. Couldn't understand a single word, which is fine. Guitar work is really great on this and I loved how lively the best and flow was throughout. Some fun riffs here and there.

I enjoyed this, with some big time hits, but didnt blow me away. One thing I'll give it credit though is that they have an obvious interest in Led Zeppelin and added some tracks of that to 2 of their songs. Inventive and fun for the time.

Good ole CCR. Nice short album sprinkled with a few hits and good songs. It is interesting though when you get to a big hit like Green River it just seems so tight and well done next to these other songs Overall good and fun album, and I don't expect anything less

I mean pretty good. Not the kind of music I'm immediately reaching for but you can tell it is incredibly well made and thought out. I'd say the major knock against it to me is there isn't a star in the bunch that really elevates it, a lot of the track somewhat all blend together. Which is fine if that's the purpose but at some point it approaches entertaining background music, though I'll likely eat my words when I learn this did lead to a Dance Mania at times

Not gonna lie, this, as they say, kinda slapped. I love that it is a part of the British punk movement but still different from all of those other sounds. They're unique, have excellent musicianship, and don't overstay their welcome. Special shout-out to the keyboard on this because it adds such an interesting and spacy flair to these songs.

This is like a Wu-Tang album lite. One thing that dawned on me with this vs modern hip-hop/rap is that the level of creativeness on the samples and orchestration are infinitely more interesting on these 90s albums than today. Yeah you have your gems today but albums like this exemplify the creative boon the 90s provided. Ghostface is great, love the little excerpts too, and this album flew by.

I've been aware of this album, and I also know it has a prominent position in music history. Can't tell a lie there are some real bangers on here, and Ms. Lauryn Hill's voice is just fabulous. A little long for my liking and some songs share few too many similarities to others, but largely is a good listen and a great peep into this era of music

I feel like there's a pretty stark divide here. There are the hits, essentially the ones you've heard all your life, and then there are all the others, songs that kinda sound like the hits but are a big goulash of similarity. It's all good and fine but I couldn't tell you what really happens in these other songs. I don't know if that's my fault or that guy Bono (and The Edgeeeee). I'll keep my ears open for more U2 to try and impress me

This was interesting. Has one of those coffeehouse 90s alt vibes that reminds me of growing up. The contents itself are all pretty interesting, but if I were to conceptualize this it is like an acoustic Courtney Love (though there's a chance this person hates Courtney Love, idk)

Not quite my cup of tea but I did find myself enjoying it at times. I think lyrically it is interesting when reflecting on the interpersonal stuff, but if you kind of have it on while you're doing things it'll largely sound like most other modern music

I know their name is 'The Cardigans', but this album is genuinely like a wearing a cozy sweater. Really dig the vibes front to back, but the weirdest thing happens with their megahit Lovefool. All of the songs have this cohesiveness without being a copy of the other, but Lovefool, either because it is somehow vastly different, or huge, just sticks out like a sore thumb audibly among these tracks. That's not for better or worse, just so incredibly distinct I have to mention it. Love the Cardigans though

Paradise by the Dashboard Light is unironically one of the greatest songs ever written. I love the operatic feel of those whole album and really am unphased by some of these long songs too. Crazy to think this is the first Meatloaf album but it never quite reached these highs again. Great slice of the 70s

First song told me exactly what I was in for, and had no idea this was who made that iconic song. Really really enjoyed this. So relaxing and just easy to listen to. When you dig in you find this mastery of saxophone being played in such a subtle way yet without a single flaw. I might have to buy this album

Looking at the set list here really provides a murderers row if heavy hitters. Los Lobos, Santana, Bonnie Raitt, (though not my fav) George Thorogood, and of course the blues legend Hooker as the anchor. Now I'm not a blues aficionado, but I certainly enjoy more than the average person. Starting out this is just a really nice blues album, but as time goes on and you stick to that typical Blues rhythm, it gets a little redundant. Was fun but only so fun

Never know what to expect with these electronic albums. There is a funkiness to this one that I really dug, though repetitive at times (as this usually goes). Special shout-out though, "Music Makes You Lose Control" touched my soul. Rarely add songs to my Liked Songs list during this experiment but this one went right on. I guess it . . . . hit a chord??

Good ole Donald Fagen. This still has that Steely Dan feel (that I unabashedly love) yet unique enough to be different. True to how they used to record albums, he's brought in some truly exceptional musicians to support him. The bass lines so rich you can swim in em. Special shout-out to Green Flower Street and New Frontier.

Hmm where to start here. I guess this is technically what is called "Global" music? Super ethereal and vibey. Goes in a biiiiiit too long though. That's about all I can really muster up

Out of the gate, already love the Beatles, so probably a biased listen. Actually haven't listened through Rubber Soul, and assumed it have a few hits and be short. It was short, but they pack in SO many songs, and the number of them just being awesome is unfathomable. This project has opened me up to so many albums, and when you're dropping a Beatles album in the middle of it it becomes apparent just how incredible this band was. A literal hit factory. Shoutouts on this album to so much, but especially In My Life and Michelle

Really pleasantly surprised by this. The instrumentation, the singing, the lyrics, all top notch. Digging into it and seeing how he struggles with his sexuality and putting that into the songs makes it kind of click. Vocally very reminiscent (I think) of Todd Rundgren, though there might be another artist that's similar, additionally I think that he does that double vocal thing that Kurt Cobain did where you record yourself singing it twice and then layer those tracks. All in all great, would give it a 5 but I listened to Rubber Soul yesterday and by comparison super hard to say "this is as good as that"

I feel like "Sensational" is a bit of projection here. No disrespect to the band, this was definitely a sound that resonated in the late 70s. Alex Harvey himself sounds very animated and zany, and the instruments at times can be impressive, but even for a short album it's a little bit of a slog

Excellent. Spectacular. I love Tribe so I'm very biased. I just love the incorporation of Jazz and none of it ever gets stale. I have to point out 'Excursions', what an incredible way to start your album. Just turn it up and let that shit hit

This is a tricky (or sticky, wink wink nudge nudge) album to rate. You've got your hits, and you've got your Blues songs that the British invasion bands loved. The Stones never really hit me in a way that I super enjoyed. I like some of their songs, and some of the songs on this album, but something about it just kind of ran it's course. Like that B-Side is a true B-Side of an album.

Looooove some Fatboy Slim, and he's really starting on a high note with Right Here Right Now, rolling into the best song on the album Rockefeller Skank. The credit I'll give him and the album is there some real potential for this to get stale and repetitive, yet each song is different enough, and the substance of the song stays fresh that it doesn't get repetitive. Great samples and layered bits in each song. I hate hate hate Praise You but could hear it this time, only reason I hate it though is because I got it on repeat while working at a Coldstone

Like most people my knowledge of Living Colour extends as far as Cult of Personality. Truly a phenomenal song, and can't name you another. Pop this bad boy on, get greeted out of the gate with that track, then lol and behold the rest of the album fucking rips. Whoda thunk? The bass is incredibly rich and punchy, the vocals are just so velvety, and the guitar is some Randy Rhodes shit. I'd heard that this is band is awesome and glad to have heard more. Special shout-outs to Open Letter and Memories Can't Wait

Just a couple of masters of their class just playing for 40 mins, and it's pretty great. Can't say much more than that

Juuuussstt pretty boring. Reading up on them I can kind of see the influence it had on other musicians at the time, but not like a groundbreaking influence. Also learning that the band was constantly at odds and that essentially led to this yin yang a-side B-Side, with both really boring me in different ways. Sorry krautrock enthusiasts

Not sure what era to refer to this Beatles as, maybe the Britpop era? I'm sure there are specific distinctions that I don't know, all I know is that this is earlier Beatles with their more poppy and quick songs. Overall really good, with a few real humdingers on there, but can't really hold a candle to the REAL good ones

Really only familiar with the hits by Blondie, and aware Debbie Harry is an icon, but this album is a real solid group of songs. 2 hits on this albums but all of the songs have a great vibe to them, really tight and well made. Hard to talk about much else here but it's just good

Started our kind of strong and was really reminiscent of the alt rock to follow it 10 years later, but as they album continued you could tell there was a lot of "fucking around" to make the songs. Really lost me as I was digging into it and the worst outcome (seeing when the album will finish) occurred.

Pretty good, some really nice songs on here like Spellbound but lost me a little bit at times too. I will say I think the guitar work on this is really nice.

This is one of those opportunities that this project provides where I'm introduced to a band I know nothing about as well as their little slice of music that's unique to me. Like there's kind of a Sublime vibe to this but it is not Sublime. You can tell the dudes love the music they're making and that adds a layer of fun to the album. A few decent songs here and there and overall a decent album

This album was good, not entirely my vibe but I did enjoy it. On the ultimate plus side just another good use case of this project. I wouldn't have ever known about this artist, but now I know this is the African Bob Marley and grandfather of Afrobeats which is huge today. Musically I will give credit to the instrumentation in this, all jazzy and good, and the bass line is slapping.

Skiddily bop raz matazz jazz, like the avant garde type, never really clicked with me, but to know that hey, this is John Coltrane, one of the greatest saxophonists of all time, and he basically invented this kind of jazz (or pushed it further, however you want to describe him), then you gain an appreciation for the work. It was a little funky at times, but these guys can really play and was not a bad listen.

Pleasantly surprised by this. A comforting country rockish album with great composition. At times it felt like a 'classic' album that everyone forgot about. Really considering giving this a second listen because I'm kind of stumped how this Eaglesesque album that came out prior to them is never discussed

Short, sweet, and rockin. Love the Hives, and never sat down to just listen to an album so this was fun. They really get the idea of putting out fun quick riffs that rock. Easy peasy. Digging in you can definitely sense a little bit of Queens of the Stone Age, so not sure if they inspired the Hives or vice versa. In any event, cool stuff

Mixed on this one. There are some undoubtable mega hits on this album, so much so that you've heard them forever and over and over again. That works against this album because you hear those songs, you get it, and then you get to the other songs and that not quite different or unique enough to elevate the album. Overall good but you've heard this all before

Initially going into this I wasn't the most enthused. Not because I don't like Deep Purple, but my read on them is this true rock and roll band that can get a little repetitive (I'm not even talking about Smoke on the Water which is overplayed obviously), BUT man this was constructed really well. It's exciting and cool and rocking and that really makes it interesting as a slice of that time. They deserve appraise when compared to their familiars at the time, because they rocked.

Massive album, and you gotta give credit where it's due. Even removing the hits you've got a good album here, if those hits weren't so overplayed you'd probably be blown away by this. Her voice is excellent, and makes each song a fun lil journey. Ok let's forget the hits, special shout-out to I'll Be Waiting because I think that might be the winner on this album, just awesome. Hopefully in future releases she can harness some of this energy

Ehh, this was kind of disappointing. I don't even know who the group is, and it is largely well done, but I feel like it was really missing the oomph of a good album. I think one sticking point for me to highlight this is they title a song "Attack El Robot! Attack!", and you'd imagine there should be a lot of frenetic energy or something but no, just a hushed latin alternative esque song with some beeps and boops. Sorry fellas you could've done something and you didn't

Not very familiar with Big Star but they had a really great sound from that time period and really nice melodic tones and production. Found myself bobbing around to this one and surprised they didn't make it bigger. Might have to dig in a lil more on them

I mean, Bob Marley is huge right? This less popular stuff certainly highlights his voice in addressing a difficult Jamaican history. That being said, nothing he's done has really resonated with me. Now is that surprising coming from a white 30-something Canadian guy? No. I do appreciate that the sound is fresh and he inextricably was himself at all times in his music. So credit where credit is due

This is kind of a tough album to rate, but I did enjoy it throughout. I already enjoy much of REM, and it was fun to learn that they're considered the godfathers of alternative. The hits are great here, and the rest of the album is all well made and fun. There really isn't another band like them.

Not quite bubble gum pop, and signified the alternative artsy person of the time. Much of the album is very melancholic but I've got to give a special shout-out to Don't Kny Why. That song is awesome

Wasn't expecting to have recognized a couple of these songs. In total it's nice to know that there are some decent recent entrants in the Alt genre. Sure the subgenre is decently popular and getting new music all the time but this was at least fairly fresh from a new artist. Was good through and through, lull at times but nothing bothersome

Kind of glad that they started this on the mega hit. I listen, I get it out of the way (though don't get me wrong, I love it), and now I can listen to the rest of the album. Really really good, especially Vincent. Like I was moved by the misunderstood genius conveyed in that song (not saying I related to it, but the words were beautiful). Rest of the album is all composed wonderfully and I'm surprised more of these songs aren't popular. Don Mclean also has these fun inflections on how to sings that really stand out in all of his songs. I'll be coming back to this one

Not really a country guy but I've always found myself enjoying Willie Nelson. The album played the Time of the Preacher 3 times, which I found odd, but also special shout-out to Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.

Didn't know this in many ways was considered Bob Dylan's Magnum Opus, but sheesh you're gonna be sitting for a while. Sure there were some good songs sprinkled throughout, but if it doesn't grab it it is dragging you through some Bob Dylan sludge for over an hour. Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands is almost like a parody Bob Dylan song but probably a prime example as to why he has the joke impression that he does. It's fine, and the musicians on it are fabulous, just a lot to listen to

What can you say about this album? Phenomenal of course. Won't spend too much time digging in but one thing I do want to highlight as to maybe a reason why the Beatles are so popular and successful from an album standpoint is that even their non hits are made with so much skill and passion that everything is just elevated. Also ending on A Day in The Life is how you end an album

Overall decent. Haven't spent much time listening to D'Angelo but I could appreciate his singing and incorporation if so much slow jazz in his music. The one fault I had was that it seemed repetitive, and I'm unable to really place any of the songs in this big sea of 90s R&B

Pleasantly surprised by this. Aware of Ice T of course from Law and Order and also his song Cop Killer, but never spent time with his hip hop. Really enjoyed the fresh blend of fast paced lyrics over some rockish backing. A little long for my liking but he packed it with a lot of interesting songs, riffs, and themes.

Sam Cooke shoots out of a cannon to get this concert going. It's hard to explain but this album is kind of mesmerizing. He is so in charge of this crowd and his music that he effortlessly weaves from hit to hit to hit. Truly one of the best voices ever

Nick Cave is a name I heard a lot on Reddit as some kind of real cool awesome must listen music guy. To be absolutely fair, I was entertained by some of these tracks, but there are just too many songs on this album that are not adding very much. Make it 40-50 mins long and we'd have an actual good album on our hands. I found it interesting that he added so much choir singing in the music, and I like what it brought, but not much else to love beyond that. It's fine, I don't hate it, and it could've been shorter

Ok so it's the Stones, we all get it. I can't he too critical BUT I have my own gripes. Firstly, Tumbling Dice is an excellent song, and Happy is fun. Secondly and mainly, I know that the Stones (and a wide swath of other British bands of the time) are heavily influenced by and love Blues music. Now when you make your hour plus long album, and then give me a bunch of super bluesy tunes in your fun lil romp, it's frustrating. I get you like it but make some original stuff too

Couple of hits on here that I didn't expect. Usually when I get an artist I'll be on their Spotify and read their bios. Here they mention that Karen's arrangements in the music were usually stellar and I have to agree, she really layered this nicely with a lot going on. Good voice, good drumming (I know that's largely her too). Fine album

This is like an Ian Dury art cover band that takes itself too seriously. I can respect some of the musicianship at times (I guess this guys commands some respect in his circles so some talented folks step in to back him) but I'm not going to take the singing seriously. I'm sorry but it can't be some artistic approach, it's not good

Huge important album, credit where it's due, and for me it was pretty good. Sure the hits are very nice but there are a few really good and interesting tunes on here that aren't really celebrated. Gotta appreciate Dre's creativity with bringing in so many sound bites and samples.

Cannot believe this was their first album. Absolutely insane to compare against other bands' first entry. TONS of excellent songs, and a sound so mature and timeless that they really must've been working with black magic in some capacity. Sure Jimmy Page had some time playing in the big time, but this is just an incredible foundation for a foundational band

Oh wow was not expecting a real banger of an album, which is also packed with a few hits. I've known about Harry Nilsson and how he has this "your fav artist's fav artist" kind of vibe but throwing this on really exemplifies how well he understood making a good song. There might be one skip on the album but honestly not really and it's just fun to listen. Might have to add this to my collection

This was an alright album. Started kinda slow but then picked up a little bit. Nothing super notable about it, the folksyness is fine but the songs are a bit long winded. My happy surprise about this is that this is Jeff Buckley's dad, whom also died unfortunately young. Happy Sad? Wow full circle there

An interesting blend between Portugal the Man and John Grant all with a poppy punch. Honestly had a good time listening to this album and they donated great job of keeping each song fresh. I didn't know we had a hit on this album too but overall nothing got bogged down in the process

This was pretty good. I can appreciate how in each of Paul Simons songs you can tell that he's making an effort to introduce a new interesting sound or progression to keep the attention. I think that he largely achieves that. No hits on this one and that's fine, still a cohesive piece front to back.

Contrary to popular belief (unless this is a common take, I have no idea actually), this is a big step down from 21. Sure it has a hit, that I largely do not enjoy, the rest of the album is making an effort to emulate the success of the first but now from the perspective of someone successful. 21 had a good bluesy vibe to it but this is a little too much pop for her voice. Sorry girl

In terms of 2000s albums dare I say this is essentially the Dark Side of the Moon. Each song is so fleshed out, fresh, and clean that you really can not make a criticism. You can flow through the album without recognizing that 40 mins has gone by. What I found really interesting is that much of the guitar riffs throughout we're kind of played gently to give it a soft texture. Just a neat thing I noticed

Pretty wild A-Side just stacked with hits. While the album gives a facade of a hair metal album it is largely a bunch of pop songs. Credit where it is due, really entertaining front to back as long as you can turn off how much you've heard the big songs.

Fine? Kind of boring. Fairly monotonous but I can appreciate the British House vibe of it. Certainly no Fat Boy Slim but also I feel these two groups don't play the same game

I thiiiiink I can see what they're going for here, but when the singer starts yodel singing it really crashes the whole thing. Points for some of the innovative spacy sounds and trying to push the envelope on the instrument side, but far too experimental and a slog

Pretttttty good. When you get down to brass tacks it's actually wild that they put together this sound with just 2 people. A few bluesy songs here and there that are fine, and the hits are really great. Fell in Love with a Girl, both just the song and the music video, are mesmerizing

Real good hip hop album, love their samples and mixes. Really unique and fresh throughout.

Pretty good pretty cool. I've always appreciated that Kings of Leon don't really sound like other bands (more specifically the singer of course). A few big time hits on this album too which is fun, and the other songs don't drag them down nor lurk in the shadows of the hits

Huge Rush fan, can't get enough. Oh your song is 28 mins long? Didn't even notice. Ooh your ripping riffs, falsettos, and sick drum licks? Seated. Great album but I guess from a 5 star rating scale I can't say that it is equal with Moving Pictures so I'll need to park it at 4

Facts are facts, Karma Chameleon is a great song. You get by that and you still get a couple of hits, but the sum of the parts is largely ho hum. Fun 80s vibes but pretty much a fine album

Good ole iconic ABBA. Sure you know the hits, but when you listen you just sense that they absolutely know how to put a good pop song together. All of the pop songs today are formulaic and trying to be like the others, ABBA is this wholly original entity with great and timeless music. Pretty good album and easy listening at any time

The Doors have this great distinct sound that can only be them. My mom always had a gripe with them because they didn't have a bassist, but I guess they had a session bassist for recordings and their keyboardist did bass lines in concert. Take that mom. This album is fun, I have a strong affinity for Peace Frog, it's just awesome

Not expecting much heading into this, so was a half decent surprise. Some of the singing and writing is a little bit juvenile and probably by their attempt raw, but when I got further into the album I picked up on some decent bass lines, riffs, and dare I say catchy tunes. I likely won't go back to it but songs like Back to Africa caught my attention.

Whimsy and etherealness mixed in with nonsensical lyrics and unorthodox song structure. Points for the spacy vibe of the music (as I also picked up in my listen of Roxy Music) but just not something I can comfortably and joyfully sit through given the pointlessness of it all

This is kind of a mixed bag. First off, Daft Punk is excellent and they're masters of making a catchy tune. Around the World is just excellent start to finish. Many of the other songs are pretty good too, but the issue we run into is that, other than Around the World, each song becomes QUITE monotonous after being on for a few mins. I thought for sure this was a 4 star lock but they seriously could've cut a quarter of this albums length EASY and locked in a 4 star album.

Like most folks I'm fairly aware of this performance and album. Just crazy to see how effortless it all is but just so audibly enthralling. Very cool album, not one single skippable song, and it's also nice to get little human moments from someone we all presently know well (Dave Grohl) and someone we didn't get the chance to know more of (Kurt Cobain). Highly suggest you just watch the concert on YouTube when this comes around on your list.

Pretty good. Nice short album, and I really love how balanced all of their voices are. No huge standouts from the songs specifically, was not expecting a 9 min adventure in the middle of it but that was fine.

Like most people my familiarity with The Verve ends after Bitter Sweet Symphony, so I was curious where else they'd take me. At first it seemed veerrryyy Oasis to me, regardless if they were first or not. Then are we got more into it their psychedelic influences really started to shine through. Really interesting and spacy, but not ground breaking. Split between and 3 and a 4 here but I think I'll have to go 3 because it dwindles on a little too long

I knew Carrie Brownstein was in a band before Portlandia, but I didn't know who, so this was a fun discovery. Big fan of the short, fast rhythm hook kind of garage songs, and they do a great job of keeping that fresh. Very much a more stripped down Veruca Salt. Good times

Overall pretty good. I appreciate that it's a big blended album of styles and done really well. Killing Me Softly is obviously huge, but the other songs have a decent amount of muster to hang

Ok album. I've always been fairly mixed on Madonna. The hits are the hits, the others are ballady or not as interesting. One interesting stand out though was Till Death Do Us Part. Just a really interesting guitar/keyboard thing going on there. There are times on Madonna songs where she uses incredibly catchy and interesting progressions. Those are few and far between though

I hate to be mean, but this is a fairly forgettable album. I couldn't hum a single song from it, and it's just kinda there. Nothing notable, flashy, or innovative to me. But also not like a complete mess so there's that compliment

This is a great quintessential REM album. It has the mood and tone for what you think of when you think REM and really all of the songs are just very good. Could easily put this one back on and listen again

Fun lil diddy from the queen Dolly. Not much more to say beyond that but it's charming and interesting.

Rush's best work, and to some die hards that might be controversial since this is Rush's most commercial album. Really the perfect blend between the hard rock of the time and the progressive/experimental elements that they typically explore. Also just saw them play live a couple of weeks ago and they basically played all of these songs. Just awesome shit, RIP Neil

I think from a pure talent standpoint it's remarkable, and for us gringos provided a great glimpse into skill and music we're not familiar, unfortunately there might be a cultural riff and it doesn't quite resonate. At times you might feel it's becoming redundant so you have to go looking for the flairs. You can definitely pick up on some of the influences he imparted on the Beatles which is fun. I really just look at this as skippity bop jazz that's hard to connect with

This album really highlights how Deep Purple influenced all of the other rock bands at the time. Relentless and ripping solos, endless frenetic energy, and just being loud. Highway Star is a million times better than Smoke on the Water. There I said it.

Johnny Cash just has the IT factor. Charisma through the roof, a "don't give a shit" attitude, and good tunes. This performance is legendary, and perfectly encapsulates the man and music in 30 mins. You get a dash of his troubles too, and for that time his dismissal of them. Great stuff

Good old fashioned Bob Dylan before the traitor went electric! But in all seriousness this is some good peak folk Dylan, and I enjoyed it more than Blonde on Blonde. Really coming into his own here and putting together some great stuff