3.5 / 5 The album is super catchy and fun, but ultimately simple and without much in the way of transformation - feels like a great expression of britpop instead of a reinvention of it.
3.5 / 5 Great album for the time, some classics that I love (chauffeur, save a prayer), but as an album I don't see myself coming back to it. It was inventive and boundary pushing when it was released, but unlike other albums from the era, there's not enough here for me to come back to - it's too poppy, not complex enough for me
Having been forced to listen to "Legend" on repeat by a colleague years ago, I had thought I had lost any ability to appreciate Bob Marley. Fortunately I gave this a spin. It's not something I will likely ever go back to, but this is a wonderful album and has much more depth than any greatest hits compilation.
Five stars for the title track alone, one of my favorite songs of all time, on one of Neil Young's best albums. Love this bleak album.
Not for me, but found myself getting immersed in it at times. "U2 but folk" is a pretty apt description, and I'm not a fan of U2, but I can appreciate the talent and the fact that some people are really into this kind of thing. The most memorable thing for me about this album is the realization that Carolan's Welcome is the source of the Game of Throne's theme song.
An absolute masterpiece. I could listen to this album for days.
Somehow I missed this album growing up, I know the singles, but never listened all the way through. It’s much better than I expected. Solid production, great tracks start to finish, little to no filler. 4.5
This is a fantastic album, I bought it when it came out - really captures the indie-folk sound of the time. Music for the winter
4.5 / 5 Fantastic album. Clever and playful, oozes with talent and just outright enjoyment of what they're doing.
I see why this was a classic, but to me it’s quite boring college rock. Probably won’t listen to the album again.
Loved this. Love how weird and experimental it is. Love everything that was influenced by this sound. 4.5
This is quite possibly the most boring album I have ever listened to. I suppose it makes sense that he went into soundtrack work, the music disappears into the background and I guess it creates a mood (?) but it's not a particularly powerful one. Repetitive and dull.
Wasn’t expecting to like this so much, but it really grew on me. The story telling, the darkness, the musical-like quality of the music. It reminded me of how I felt when I first heard Leonard Cohen - intrigued, a bit confused, but ready to come back for more. I can see this one growing on me a lot.
4.5 / 5 A lot to unpack here. Very much of its time, but also (sadly) universal. Groundbreaking even if followers have eclipsed the original in terms of talent and creativity - will be revisiting this album a lot, and I expect my opinions will get even more positive.
3.5 / 5 A little too poppy for my taste, but still a solid punky-pop album that broke barriers. Like a more radio-friendly Slits. A few tracks in here I will come back to.
I've loved this album since I was a kid, and it holds up. Staley's vocals are are unlike anything before or since, and he brings a haunting presence to the entirety of this album. It's now back on my normal rotation.
Some classic tracks here, but nothing too special. Glad to have 'Heads will roll' back in my head, but overall this is way too polished, especially compared to early work. Enjoyable but a bit forgettable.
3.5/5 Not generally into the new wave bubblegum stuff, but this album grew on me - much more depth than the singles suggest.
3.5/5 Not exactly my style, but Buddy Holly was extremely gifted. The album is pretty standard blues rock, but with Holly’s range and some striking harmony, it’s a much better offering than most of the other stuff that comes out of the 50s. Solid and enjoyable album.
Grew up on this one and it still holds up, and not in a simple nostalgia way. Unique sound, consistently fun and danceable, with a dark undertone. Love it.
More layered, creative, and ambitious than I remembered. This album is fantastic above and beyond its singles (which were rightly huge hits). Will be adding this back on to the rotation.
2/5 Not a great album, waters down a lot of what is going on at the time into palatable hits, boring. At times I get glimpses of something, but it just makes me want to listen to an Asian dub foundation album. I will give this one another listen at some point, but only because it sold much better than it should, and clearly tapped into something. Will revisit once I’ve listened to some more of the contemporaries, but for now this is a no go for me.
4.5/5 Groundbreaking at the time, and still manages to sound innovative. I was never huge into beastie boys when they were putting out records, but credit where credit is due - this is a killer album.
Always been a Joy Division fan, but haven't actually given this album a full spin for a long time now. Experimental, noisy, raw, abrasive yet comforting. Right up my alley, love it.
Ok, so this surprised me. All I had ever heard of deep purple before was smoke on the water, but this album shreds. Will definitely be digging into their back catalogue.
3.5 / 5 I really enjoyed this, but it's not something that will ever make it on to my repeat list. Experimental and immersive, but not compelling enough for me to want to come back to it. Glad to have heard it, though.
I was not expecting to like this so much. A fantastic album, catchy and memorable, theatrical and ridiculous. A lot of fun, and highlights the enormous talent of Meat Loaf.
3.5 Lovely and understated album - enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I was going to.
What a surprise. Quirky and delightful, will be listening to this one for a while. Didn't realize he was a part of Can, so will need to revisit that record as well.
Lovely album, easy to get lost in, and easy to have on in the background - but not in a bad way - catchy and sweet, soft and upbeat - makes for a wonderful soundtrack for a rainy day. Will find its way back to my rotation regularly, I think. And if anyone else is reading this, go check out Jamie XX's Boiler Room set - you will not be disappointed.
One of the most iconic recordings of all time, I could listen to this forever. The swagger, the focus on the underclass, the unleashed rebellion that is this album - just the very fact that it happened - incredible. This is a monument to how music should be.
3.5 Not really my jam, but I can appreciate this. Groundbreaking at the time and a few timeless songs on here, but won't make it on heavy rotation for me.
Really solid album, great execution and beats, Common is a professional. Captures the early 2000s perfectly.
One of my fav albums of that year, incredibly sad and dark and lovely - fittingly his last album, and a pity we don't get more from him.
3.5 Another album that was an integral part of my youth - it's still fun and upbeat pop-punk, but my kid self definitely felt this was a lot more subversive than it is to me today. Still a great listen, and not just for nostalgia.
3.5 My first exposure to Elvis Costello - I'm intrigued, but the album didn't really grab me - I'll revisit and look into the rest of his catalogue though
3.5 This is a great album, I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would having going in only knowing the single (which honestly is not the best track on the album) - will dig into this a bit more, though not normally my vibe.
Definitely enjoyed this more than I thought I would, but I'm so far away from the context that it's hard to make sense of this. Appreciate the experimentation and the raw musical and creative energy here though,
3.5 Hard to rate - grew up on this, loved it, but today just sounds like classic vintage Metallica - not a lot of room in my life for this at the moment - but it's a solid solid album.
Enjoyed this, but largely faded into the background during my listen - not a bad thing, but nothing really pulling me back here. Some outstanding tracks though.
My first Grateful Dead experience - didn't hate it - didn't really get into it, but I can kind of see how people might if you were in the right state of mind / with a crowd. Will listen to more of their stuff, but not quite sure why people followed them around the country...
I really enjoyed NERD's debut when it came out, but my god this follow up is boring.
Not what I was expecting, not bad at all, but nothing mind-blowing in the modern context.
Solid 3.5 album that's knocked up to a 4 for nostalgia - Soundgarden were a big part of my youth, and this album was on very heavy rotation for a very long time - was good to revisit it
Really liked this, great energy, feels at home with the rest of the stuff I'm into -punky and dark - will return to this for some deeper listens - but the first album on this list in a while (that I hadn't already heard) that really jumped out at me.
I appreciate the unique sound, but it's all a bit samey after a while, I can't really understand how these guys were SO big for a moment. Not bad, but just bland.
This was exceptionally boring, and I grew up in this era, so I have a soft spot for the grunge / britpop sound - but this felt very derivative, more pop than anything else, and without much in the way of memorable .... anything....
Classic, but not something I will ever return to - high marks for what it is though
4 - This was excellent, experimental and progressive - not sure if it will make it on my regular rotation, but really glad to have been exposed to this.
3.5 Good to hear Elvis outside of just the hits, it's revealing and makes a much stronger case for his superstardom. Really enjoyed this album.
What elevator music would listen to if it was on an elevator.
Not bad, actually. Worked its way nicely into the background of my workday. Probably won't return to this, but it was chill and had a few tracks that I enjoyed.
3.5 First exposure to Steely Dan, and honestly, not hating this - not mind blowing but there's more going on here than I realized and will definitely be coming back for another listen or two.
It's hard to divorce this from what it ultimately became - the soundtrack to every Starbucks on the planet - but when this came out it was lovely, chill accessible light jazz that was great to throw on in the background. Nothing groundbreaking, but like Jack Johnson and Coldplay, there's little here that will upset anyone. It's extremely palatable without being controversial or boundary pushing. The only reason it bears mentioning is Jones' voice, which is unique and compelling - I only wish the music was a little less middle of the road.
4.5/5
