Early stereo recordings were crazy. Bet this is better in mono, but I’ll disregard that. The songs are great of course, but these were still early days and it feels more like a collection of well-crafted pop songs than a proper album like the ones that would follow just a few years later. 3/5.

This will be interesting. I always found high pitched male vocals difficult (there have been few exceptions). Especially if they were also a bit nasal. Billy Corgan was simply not my cup of coffee, even though I liked some of the songs. But in recent years I’ve been challenging myself and those voices aren’t as repulsive anymore. Seeing that the album clocks in at over 2 hours scares me a little bit, but let’s dig in! Ok. There’s a lot to like here. Songwriting is varied. Production is great. But I can’t help feeling it’s a little too long. Apparently dozens of songs that were recorded didn’t make it onto the album. If another few had been excluded, it could’ve been a truly exceptional record. As it is, it’s still good. Funny thing it took me 30 years to realise. 😂 4/5

There were three or for songs I liked. The rest was bland. Fine for background music, that’s all. The best tracks were all near the end of the album, but pushed my rating up from 2 to 3.

Great production. Strong melodies. Brilliant vocals. Lyrics don’t do much for me, but I guess songs about love gone cold and not being able to revisit the past are timeless and appeal to the masses. Good album! 4/5.

First album I come across that I actually own a copy of. Great album. Sounds old school and modern at the same time. Song writing and production should both be credited for that. A mostly unfamiliar genre to me, but I find Kiwanuka’s music uplifting, fun and soulful.

I kinda like the sound, but only in small doses. Good musicianship and everything is fine, but after a song or two, I’m not feeling it anymore. Maybe it’s too ”smooth” for me. 3/5.

Early stereo recordings were crazy. Bet this is better in mono, but I’ll disregard that. The songs are great of course, but these were still early days and it feels more like a collection of well-crafted pop songs than a proper album like the ones that would follow just a few years later. 3/5.

Electronic jazz, pop beats, sometimes like a twisted version of Sade. Interesting album. Almost mythological due to Bowie’s death and the record’s eerie sounds. Also written with humour, which helps to lighten it up a bit. Album as a whole doesn’t feel as depressing as it could have. Favourite track: Lazarus. 4/5

I get that it’s an important album for Bowie, but it doesn’t do much for me. I love that Bowie experimented with music and seemed willing to try almost anything to explore new paths. In doing so, it’s inevitable that some stuff won’t be up to the standards set by his best work. I think that’s what we have here, and that the importance of this album is more of an indirect kind in that it led up to the Berlin trilogy. So, important as it may be, as an isolated album it’s a 2/5 for me.

Hip hop with ”world music” influences. Pleasant surprise. Well, those were my thoughts less than two tracks in. After about 5 songs I feel like there’s too much of it left. It’s not terrible, but I wish it was 40 minutes instead of an hour. Quite liked the verse of The Animist though. Reminded me of some older hip hop I’ve heard before. 3/5.

Lively jazz with improvisations. Happy music! 4/5

Funky! I like it, even though it kinda slips in to the background. Then something catches my attention and I listen more actively for a while. Great musicianship. 4/5

There was a lot of rapmetal in the 90’s. Beastie Boys fit into that, but were different in the sense that they were primarily a hip-hop act that included elements of metal and punk. Loud and rowdy, but with a musicality rarely heard in this kind of music. 5/5

It’s aggressive and sarcastic, but also includes some whimsical humour in both lyrics and music. Holiday in Cambodia is a real banger! 5/5

This will be interesting. I always found high pitched male vocals difficult (there have been few exceptions). Especially if they were also a bit nasal. Billy Corgan was simply not my cup of coffee, even though I liked some of the songs. But in recent years I’ve been challenging myself and those voices aren’t as repulsive anymore. Seeing that the album clocks in at over 2 hours scares me a little bit, but let’s dig in! Ok. There’s a lot to like here. Songwriting is varied. Production is great. But I can’t help feeling it’s a little too long. Apparently dozens of songs that were recorded didn’t make it onto the album. If another few had been excluded, it could’ve been a truly exceptional record. As it is, it’s still good. Funny thing it took me 30 years to realise. 😂 4/5

I like Michael Stipe’s voice. Especially when you can hear the words, which is the case on this album. The songs are good without any obvious filler tracks. A very good rock album! The closing track is a real gem! 4/5

This album is like a slug, aimlessly crawling along. I thought 2 hours of Smashing Pumpkins (Melon Collie…) was a bit much, but one hour of Arcade Fire feels much longer. Thought it would never end. A couple of times it livens up and it feels like something’s finally happening, but it just goes back to slug mode again. Zzzz… 1/5

I love Breathless and its intro. The rest is also good. Rundgren takes the music seriously, but is definitely not afraid to have fun with it.

While I find most modern rap music unbearable, I sometimes do enjoy the older stuff. Step In the Arena has a nice, laidback sound that I like. Apparently, it has been called the best hip hop album of all time. I wouldn’t know, but will agree it’s a great album. 4/5

A fun album with a touch of punk that I enjoy now more than when it was first released. 4/5

Lovely, melancholy album. Great melodies and production. 5/5

I’m a casual jazz listener and can’t always tell the great from the very good. But I can tell there are some special moments recorded here. Put your phone away, pour yourself some of your favourite beverage and make sure nothing will disturb you over the next 45 minutes. (The album on Spotify has a ton of extra tracks, including multiple takes of the same songs. You don’t want that unless you specifically want to study differences. For the original release, check the track list on Wikipedia and make a playlist with only those tracks) 4/5

Not really a genre I usually enjoy, but there’s a musicality that reminds me of 80’s stuff, variation in song structures and lyrics that aren’t misogynistic, narcissistic bullshit. Great album! 4/5

I was young when this came out and Britney was everywhere, but everything about it was the opposite of anything I was into or wanted to be associated with at the time. Now I’m a grown man and not much has changed, except that I think I’m now able to listen more objectively. The songs (well, some of them) are actually pretty good. The lyrics utterly ridiculous. There are moments when Britney’s voice sounds pretty great, but others when she sounds like a creaking door. In 1999 I would have taken stars away from this if I could. In 2025 I’m feeling generous and I’ll give it two. Could have been more if the lows hadn’t been so low. 2/5

Everyone knows at least Part IV of Oxygène. It’s also the most conventional track here, with its melodic hook. The rest of the album is quite ambient with long, sweeping chords and notes. I discovered by chance that it’s a great album to sit down with on a Friday night with a nice beverage at hand. 4/5

At first it seems like just another one of those indie bands that are just so indifferent and sarcastic about everything, but this is actually a mildly clever and entertaining album. Musically speaking it’s not amazing, but it manages to stay interesting. The vocals are nothing to write home about, but do the job. The lyrics deal with some serious stuff, but also find room for more lighthearted passages and little jokes. It’s three stars from me. Props to the band for sticking to a run time of 35 minutes - some of the albums on this list are just way too long. 3/5

Nice album. First time I hear it, but won’t be the last. 4/5

Numetal really didn’t age well (imo). Slipknot is one of very few exceptions. It’s a very good album. I was considering five stars, but there’s one thing that holds it back. I find the album a little too busy. It’s like they’re trying to squeeze in as much quirkiness as possible to show what they’re about or what they’re capable of. Yngwie Malmsteen famously said ”How can less be more? More is more!” Well, I guess these fellas agree. I personally think there’s something to be said for contrast and dynamics. Even in metal. 4/5

This starts off with the three singles in a row. Makes you think it’s a Greatest Hits album. Those three are proper classics. 5/5 for me. After that opening section, we don’t come back to five star territory until we get to Exit. Everything else hovers around the three star mark. So what’s a fair total score? 3? 4? Probably 3.5, but that’s not an option. 4/5