Plenty of riot grrrl rock and music breaking stereotypes about femininity before this, but it's hard to deny this album's influence, even while Hole's career was relatively short. I still don't know how Courtney Love overcame misogyny and hatred surrounding Cobain's death, but she made some great music despite (and probably because of) all the trouble.
Master of Puppets is the best song, no surprise. The opening track "Battery" is pretty fun, if misleading. It's a relatively lean 5:12 with the thicc Master of Puppets following it at 8:35. I think the reason I'm not into more metal is because it's bloated, and I like my songs short. But I appreciate some headbanging materials.
I've heard this album many times before. It's not even my favorite Beatles album, but the influence it had and the revolutionary production makes this an automatic 5 stars.
Big Iron is a banger as well as the epitome of a ballad. Marty Robbins has a lovely voice, and I'm surprised I don't hear more about him since this is the time for crooners.
The result of years of drugs and booze on blues and rock 'n' roll gives us this album, which is kind of brilliant in its appearance of spontaneity. L.A. Woman is perhaps the booziest of the tracks while Riders of the Storm is the most psychedelic. The Doors have been consigned to the hoary halls of "classic rock," so it's hard to see just how strange this album is through those eyes (or so I guess, I wasn't around during this time.)
It's hard to get into jazz, especially when it got taken over by the mainstream and easy listening or smooth jazz became the norm, especially during the 60s. But Charlie Mingus always sounds cool to me, and I can definitely appreciate his artistry, even if I am a jazz noob. He manages to find new dimensions and pathways into the basic melody that no normal musician would ever think of, and it all works as an artistic whole.
Great album. Clear that he was an important artists for bridging blues and rock 'n' roll. Also a great musician and not just a vocalist.
Bunch of spooky bitches. I like it. Great album to kick off Haloween season.
8 Miles High is the best song on this album, though I do like that it's abundantly clear how good they are as musicians on every track. Also, the vocal harmonies are pretty killer.
Haven't listened to Solange's previous work, but I'm guessing this is much more personal. Love the half-mutterings about Black identity and the struggles that go with it but the immense pride as well sprinkled throughout. Also, Cranes in the Sky is a great ballad. Easily one of the best of the second half of the 2010s decade.
Honestly really great. Looks to the older rock tradition with the likes of Buddy Holly (someone he's somewhat aping with his look and the music.)
Missy Elliott is somewhat underrated as a songwriter. She raps freely about some of the more typical things you might expect: money, clout, and sexuality. But there's also a sharp sense of humor lacing her music, which both undercuts and highlights the bragadoccio in interesting ways.
Ambient music isn't exactly my thing, but Oxygene Pt. 4 slaps pretty hard.
Has a lot more substance than I was thinking. Just knew those as those 'relax' guys, but they actually try to talk about serious issues like the Cold War. Also, pretty solid cover of 'Born to Run.'
Album's great, but yeah Led Zeppelin stole EVERYTHING. The blues part is debatabale, but the song credits definitely.
Great album. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant is the best song on a really strong album. Honestly, Billy Joel screams young boomer or old Gen X to me, and I can never really love his music.
Three immensely talented ladies arguably at the height of their powers, definitely Dolly. Emmylou Harris was so beautiful then and still hot now, even if she's pushing 80.
Peace Sells is a great song. The others are a bit hard to distinguish, a problem with most metal music for me.
Pretty solid album. I didn't know they had other songs than Marquee Moon that I would like, so this was a pleasant surprise.
Must have lacerated the ears of people thinking even Led Zeppelin was too loud and obnoxious. I mean this as a compliment.
It feels so personal. Almost none of these songs sound like pop, very far from the tightly crafted doses of dopamine the Beatles had been so good at. If I had been around to hear it at its time, I would have been super excited about the rest of his career.
Funky and poppy while still being very much a rock album. These guys are geniuses.
Never watched CSI or whatever weekly procedural show he is on, so I kind of think of Ice T mostly as a rapper. Great album that's aged remarkably well, even if at the time, he was actually on the older side compared to other rappers coming up around this time.
I mean I know this is a masterpiece, but I will still happily listen to this again.
They were still finding their sound, but there are still some great songs on here.
Titular song is best but The Passenger is an existential crisis with a catchy hook. Also, did Green Day co-op that hook for 'Holiday'?
Avant-garde pop is a strange beast, but I enjoyed this listen, even if it's not exactly my thing.
Kind of remarkable how well this aged into the 90s and how influential this band was even into the 2000s. Also a nice bracing antidote to the 80s even as there are pop hooks that hail to older music traditions buried in the moodiness and reverb.
I was doing a 60s project where I would go through all singles released in the decade (crazy I know), and my eyes just glazed over when Jimmy Smith albums and songs came up. The instrumental sax doesn't really do it for me.
Even if there wasn't much of a Nirvana discography for tragic reasons, this would still be the best album of any band's career.
Love the soaring, orchestral production with the very modern exploration into grunge and electronica going on in this album
This is about the time that rock music was getting really mainstream (and generic), but there are still some solid songs on here.
Only knew about these guys from the I'm Not There soundtrack album. I dug their tracks on that album and this really illustrates their strengths as versatile musicians with rich soundscapes without too much digital enhancement.
This is right before Queen goes really experimental and full-blown opera, but still incredibly solid.
No wonder these guys have been sampled so frequently. Their music still hits today in a way that most rock bands or even funk groups didn't during this time.
I normally don't care for live albums because they can be so long. This wasn't exactly an exception, though I normally like these guys.
Hot take. I think Break On Through is the best song on here. It was the first Doors song I ever heard and I only heard the censored version.
Willing to listen to more of these guys, but this album didn't do it for me.
If I were to point to an album of standards, it would probably be...an Ella Fitzgerald album, but Frankie could get a mention too.
I don't usually care for long, mostly instrumental rock, but this had some pretty good grooves in it.
I don't know why it tickles me that Oasis is considered a lad band, or in American words, a bro-ass band and that there was a huge cultural fight about them or Blur. Still think this album is fantastic though.
Honestly, it's a bit hard for me to distinguish albums that are heavily electronic-based, but there are some tasty hooks and melodies here.
Did a fun version of Take Five a capella with my school choir.
First time listening to this whole album. It's no surprise that the songs that stray away from the 80s tropes have endured better, but this is still a top-tier album.
There's a lot of texture and interesting things going on with the production that's a bit more experimental than their other albums, which I dig, even though I miss having an obvious hit (other than the title song).
What all movie soundtracks should aspire to be. Something that really evokes tone and emotions beyond mere words.
Don't normally go for ambient music, but Sigur Ros makes interesting textures without forsaking melodies.
Has some interesting songs that don't get a lot of play, especially the titular track, which is borderline Laura Nyro-ish indie ballad instead of the crispy, well-executed hits Elton John is known for.
