138
Albums Rated
2.62
Average Rating
13%
Complete
951 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
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1970
Favorite Decade
Hip-hop
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Critic
Rater Style ?
8
5-Star Albums
21
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
|
5 | 3.51 | +1.49 |
|
Hard Again
Muddy Waters
|
5 | 3.61 | +1.39 |
|
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
|
5 | 3.64 | +1.36 |
|
Moondance
Van Morrison
|
5 | 3.7 | +1.3 |
|
Graceland
Paul Simon
|
5 | 3.73 | +1.27 |
|
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
|
5 | 3.84 | +1.16 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
|
1 | 3.62 | -2.62 |
|
Aja
Steely Dan
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
...And Justice For All
Metallica
|
1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
|
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
|
1 | 3.4 | -2.4 |
|
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
|
1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
|
Fever To Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
Exit Planet Dust
The Chemical Brothers
|
1 | 3.15 | -2.15 |
|
OK Computer
Radiohead
|
2 | 4.11 | -2.11 |
|
Kimono My House
Sparks
|
1 | 3.06 | -2.06 |
|
Floodland
Sisters Of Mercy
|
1 | 3.05 | -2.05 |
5-Star Albums (8)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
The Everly Brothers · 2 likes
2/5
These guys are exactly what I was referring to in my Elvis review about the polite, buttoned up gentleman “rock stars” at the time.
Their vocals and harmonization are great, I know they inspired a lot of artists that I love, but their songs now sound dated and silly. A time capsule kind of album that you have to appreciate based on when it was made, but you don’t have to appreciate listening to it now.
Elbow · 1 likes
2/5
A couple songs caught my attention, but overall it was drab and boring. Much like my review.
Fugees · 1 likes
4/5
Lauryn Hill is a freak of nature. She is unbelievably talented and so smooth on this album whether she’s rapping or singing. She blows the others away and raises this album to even higher heights.
I love the smooth and laid back beats. The lyrics are incredible. A true standout in the rap genre in the 90s. The skits are corny and haven’t aged well at all. The one miss on an otherwise outstanding album.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs · 1 likes
1/5
The first half of this album was terrible. The second half was also terrible.
The Prodigy · 1 likes
1/5
Took me all of about 3 minutes to listen to today’s album. I started the song, listened for about 15 seconds, fast forwarded to the middle of the song and listened for about 15 seconds, and then skipped to the next. I hate electronica and no album is going to change my mind on that.
1-Star Albums (21)
All Ratings
The Velvet Underground
3/5
So I must be on enough drugs to actually like it, the Lou Reed songs in particular. I had never heard anything by them going into this, so had no expectations. They reminded me of some other bands of the time that I enjoy, but they definitely made some interesting choices with the arrangements. A couple of the songs were unlistenable - looking at you Venus in Furs - but there were 4 or 5 tracks I thought were great. I’d give it a 3.5 if I could, but going with the 3.
Paul Simon
5/5
This is an easy 5 for me. I’ve loved this album since it first came out and have listened to it countless times. It’s the rare album that I enjoy every single song on. It’s fun, it’s interesting, and was a unique departure from Simon and Garfunkel music, which I also love.
I recently listened to Malcom Gladwell’s audio book, “Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon”, and they had a great segment where Paul talked about the inspiration and making of Graceland, the controversy at the time of him breaking the boycott of South Africa to make the album, and why he did it. Good listen.
Boston
4/5
At 37 minutes, this album is short and sweet and full of hits. As a teenager in the 80’s this album was still popular in my high school and always a backdrop to driving around town, keg parties, and sitting by my friend’s pool enjoying a summer day. Fun music and a bit of nostalgia makes it a 4 for me.
Mudhoney
2/5
I’ll admit I was half distracted listening to this yesterday, but I don’t think that mattered. It was probably better as background noise. I didn’t mind some of the songs but as others have already said, it’s more high school level playing. I’ll give it a 2 purely for the fact that it inspired the birth of grunge.
U2
3/5
For me, U2 is one of those bands that I liked a few of the hits you heard on the radio, but never enough to want to listen to more from them, so this is the first time I’ve listened to a U2 album. My original thought holds. The hits are good, my favorite is Two Hearts, but the rest was just ok.
Peter Frampton
3/5
I love live albums, prefer them in a lot of cases. They’re more authentic, more engaging, and I love to hear the audience interactions. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard a Peter Frampton song that wasn’t from this album so don’t know how it compares to his studio work, but I enjoyed this overall. Maybe not enough to give it a 4, but still a good listen.
The Electric Prunes
1/5
It’s a no from me, dawg.
Fairport Convention
4/5
I can see that I’m going to be the one to skew our group rating here. Lol. Call me crazy, but I really enjoyed this album. They took old timey ballads and Irish jigs and made them into 60’s style folk. I loved the fiddle, a lot of times on the upbeat songs it sounded almost like bagpipes, which I love. The singers voice was beautiful, she’s what I wish Joan Baez sounded like - I appreciate Joan’s music but could never get past her voice enough to listen to it. The last song should have been dropped, that was the one song I didn’t enjoy. Otherwise, I would, and will, listen to this again.
Anyway, it really did sound like I was at a renaissance fair, but being there on a beautiful fall day, swigging a beer..how is that a bad thing?
Steely Dan
1/5
I’ve always had an irrational hatred for Steely Dan; it’s bad lounge rock. This album did nothing to change my mind. There aren’t enough Harvey Wallbangers in the world to make me like this.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Christina Aguilera has an amazing voice. You don’t need to be a fan of her music to appreciate that and it’s the reason I’m giving it two stars. Not my style and it was WAY too long to boot.
Nico
1/5
This was so bad, even the artist herself didn’t like the album. The flute didn’t help, but the real problem was her voice. Just awful.
Nico was dissatisfied with the album. In 1981, she said she could not listen to it. According to Nico, her requests for drums and more guitar were refused, and she disliked the orchestrations: "I didn't like [the strings], but I could live with them. But the flute! The first time I heard the album, I cried and it was all because of the flute."
The Verve
3/5
I was excited when I saw this album come up. I never knew anything past Bitter Sweet Symphony, which I always thought was a cool song, so I was looking forward to what else they had.
Sorry to say I was disappointed overall. Everything was just kind of meh and sounded the same to me. It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t great. And it was too long - don’t need 1 hr 15 minutes of the same thing over and over.
There were a couple songs I enjoyed, but didn’t have the time to go back again and figure out which ones they were. Overall giving it a 3 because it was fine.
PS - Was that the sound of cats dying on that hidden track? That was rough.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
I’m not a fan of country music at all. She has a beautiful voice but it’s not for me.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
What a great album! I really enjoyed this one, thank god. I was on a losing streak with the recent recommendations.
I’ll admit I know almost nothing about Elvis Costello. I know who he is but I don’t think I could have named a single song. I went in with zero preconceived notions and was pleasantly surprised!
It’s easy to listen to this on the surface as a bunch of catchy pop tunes but then you realize it’s full of angst ridden lyrics. The upbeat pop rock melodies don’t match the message. I thought it was clever and fun. I read in the Wiki article that Bowie was an influence on him and I could definitely hear that in some of the songs. I would check out some of his other stuff based on this album.
Machito
3/5
Loved the bongos and horns. Big bright sounds and driving rhythms. Felt very big band swing meets Latin or Caribbean jazz. It was a fun listen, reminded me of a soundtrack to a 70’s spy movie. I enjoyed this way more than I expected.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
2 Elvis Costello’s in one week. This one a year earlier than the last. Similar sounds but a little more punk and a little less pop. I really liked this one, too, and actually recognized the Pump It Up song. Another 4 stars for me, but I vote we move on the Counting Crows. 😉
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
I was only half listening to this, and glad it was over speakers and not headphones. I didn’t mind some the songs, minus all the distortion, but even then it was just ok.
I can think of several people in high school who would have dug this, but I wasn’t even in the same realm of music as this in 1985.
Elvis Presley
2/5
I can see why young (and not so young) women lost their shit when this came out in 1956. Prior to Elvis, most pop/rock stars were polite, buttoned up gentleman. And then here comes Elvis the Pelvis, looking hot and shaking his hips at you. Or crooning lovingly into your eyes. He was pretty dreamy after all.
The music on the other hand, not so dreamy. Starting with Blue Suede Shoes was a tease. Fun rock and roll song, upbeat, makes you want to move. I would have enjoyed an album with more of this, but it went downhill after that.
Then there’s the whole issue of him culturally appropriating black music. A complicated subject, too much for a 1001 albums review. As a Ray Charles fan, I’ll say that I Got a Woman wasn’t even close to Charles’ version.
Overall you cannot deny the influence of Elvis and he absolutely should be on this list. It’s just not for me.
Muddy Waters
5/5
What a fantastic album. The musicians were masters on their own but also came together perfectly as a band. The harmonica was insane and the piano player was killing it (two of my favorite instruments). Most of all, it sounded like they were having a great time, like they were playing a live performance at the best dive bar in town. One of the best albums we’ve heard so far.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
1/5
The first half of this album was terrible. The second half was also terrible.
The Stooges
2/5
My poor Spotify algorithm. Based on recent albums I’m now getting recommendations for “Dive Bar Anthems” and “Indie Sleaze” playlists. I want my hippie music back.
I don’t understand angry, jarring music with singers who scream more than sing. I’m a peace and love kind of girl. Plus, I’m old and it hurts my ears. But it was better than yesterday’s….so that’s something.
The Zombies
2/5
So I said I wanted my hippie music back, but I probably should have been more specific. This wasn’t quite it. There were a few good songs on here (edibles do help) but it doesn’t surprise me there was very little interest in this when it came out, from either the public or critics. There isn’t anything that makes them stand out.
And I don’t know why this popped into my head, but the singer’s voice reminded me of the prince in Monty Python’s Holy Grail who was marrying the princess with the HUGE….tracts of land. So that was something! I mentioned the edibles, right?
MGMT
1/5
Hated it
Hüsker Dü
2/5
This was the never ending album of banality. It was hard to tell one song from another on this one. At one point I was wondering why there was a weird pause in the middle of the song and then realized it had gone on to a new track. There was a lot of skipping the ends of songs and just wishing it were over in general.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
It’s rare that I hear much of Bob Marley past the hits, which this album has quite a few of. It was great to listen to a full album where all the songs are just as good.
Bob Marley has such a great voice, warm and soothing, and combined with the steady hypnotic rhythm and beats, it makes you feel like all is okay with the world even though he’s singing about some pretty heavy stuff. He sounds hopeful and uplifting and wants you to feel the same.
Nirvana
5/5
I was probably a little later than most to the grunge scene. June of 1992, I had just graduated college. I’m in a car with my boyfriend at the time, his sister, and a good friend of ours, heading up to Buffalo to see a Dead show at Rich Stadium. She asks if we’ve ever listened to Nirvana, said the music was great, etc. We hadn’t so she pulled out her cassette and pops it in. Mind you, we’re on our way to a Dead show, which is the type of music we were listening to at that time. Made it halfway through Smells like Teen Spirit and were like, yeah, that’s not really for us.
Fast forward a year or two, I break out of my hippie cocoon and go check out grunge and love it, Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots in particular. Even with the loud guitars and sometimes screaming singing it hits different than punk for me (although Endless, Nameless is still too much). Overall, it’s a more melodic, catchier sounding. And the disillusionment and “whatever” attitude of Nirvana is quintessential Gen X. A perfect match for the times and for our generation.
I didn’t even need to listen to this to know everything I was going to say about this, but I did because why wouldn’t I? It’s a fantastic album.
Metallica
1/5
The music was harsh, the singing was harsh, and the whole album sounded cold and mechanical, like the soundtrack for a robot uprising.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Never heard of these guys so had no clue what I was in for. Didn’t have high hopes going in, but I actually liked it overall. I listened to it twice, with the exception of the remix songs at the end which weren’t great, to get a better feel for the music. It’s hard to put your finger on the genre; Wikipedia labels it predominantly “Madchester”, defined as a blend of indie rock with elements of acid house, psychedelia, and 1960s pop. But it also has an 80’s synth vibe on some of the songs and a little funk on some tracks as well. I would check out some other stuff by them based on this album.
Favorites: Kinky Afro, Gods cop, Loose fit, Dennis and Lois, and Step On (the non-remix versions).
Iggy Pop
2/5
So we’ve heard Iggy Pop with The Stooges and now solo. On the Stooges album he screamed his way through the lyrics, on this album it’s a monotonous drone. Both are terrible. I was also disappointed with Bowie’s music, thought that would elevate this despite the vocals, but it didn’t get there. Wondering how many more albums of Iggy’s were going to have to endure.
Television
3/5
Honestly, I don’t have much to say on this one. I listened to it first thing yesterday morning and I had to go back this morning to listen to a little bit of each song again, because I couldn’t remember much about them. It was fine, the music was straight forward, but I didn’t care for his voice.
The Everly Brothers
2/5
These guys are exactly what I was referring to in my Elvis review about the polite, buttoned up gentleman “rock stars” at the time.
Their vocals and harmonization are great, I know they inspired a lot of artists that I love, but their songs now sound dated and silly. A time capsule kind of album that you have to appreciate based on when it was made, but you don’t have to appreciate listening to it now.
The Kinks
2/5
This is not at all what I thought a Kink’s record would sound like. At first I thought it was kind of goofy and fun, a little psychedelic pop from the 60’s. The lyrics were amusing and the music was a little trippy. But then it just devolved into nonsense as it went on…and on...and on…and on. Could have been a fun listen but was quickly ruined.
The Black Keys
4/5
I’ve always liked The Black Keys, so was happy to see them pop up. The songs are simple and straight forward, yet still pack a punch to them. I like the quality and tone of the singer’s voice, it fits the music.
I always think of them as a newer band so was shocked to see this album come out in 2010. Time flies when you’re old.
Gang Of Four
2/5
The British do love their punk music. Unfortunately, I do not.
Robbie Williams
2/5
This has got to be one of those most generic pop albums I’ve ever heard, boring and bland. It’s like they dined at the 90’s British pop song buffet and took a little bit of each dish to make a full plate, but it all ends up tasting the same. Next time the chef needs to add some spice.
Tori Amos
3/5
I really want to like Tori Amos. She’s a great pianist, classically trained, but I just can’t get there for most of her stuff. To me, her voice and styling sound like something from a musical theater kid. It feels more like performance art than an album. 3 stars for the talent level but not really a fan.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
To be fair, I was working when listening to this yesterday so didn’t pay much attention, but it’s not like I haven’t heard much of this before. I’ve never been a fan of Clapton, white boy blues is not my thing, but there’s no denying his talent or influence, and there were a few songs on here I did enjoy.
Sparks
1/5
What is this? Is it glam rock? Is it pop opera? Is Yoko Ono to blame for this? Not sure what’s happening here.
Sometimes I feel like you “had to be there” in the year the album was released to appreciate its significance or influence, and sometimes I feel like it’s garbage even without the context. This is the latter for me. I did think a couple of songs were catchy in a bizarre sort of way, but overall this is a big no.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Now here is some proper hippie music. Jefferson Airplane was one of the pioneers of psychedelic rock and this album has a wide range of sounds from folk to blues to rock to trippy psychedelia. The songs with Grace Slick front and center are by far the best. She is a powerhouse. There are a couple of fillers songs that aren’t the best, but overall a really solid album.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
I love me some CCR. Louisiana swamp rock made by some Bay Area California boys, and it’s awesome. And you gotta love John Fogerty’s voice, it’s perfect for this kind of music.
This album did not disappoint. The only song I didn’t care for was Graveyard Train, everything else was rocking. And I don’t know what the hell “Chooglin” is, but I’m gonna keep on doing it. Never heard that song before and loved it. The harmonica “solo” was amazing.
Radiohead
2/5
I only knew of this album because of the picture of the I84 overpass in Hartford on the cover. The first song was actually kind of interesting and I liked it ok. I was feeling optimistic for the rest of the album when the second song came crashing in, destroying my hopes and dreams. I couldn’t even make it through without skipping to the end. Overall, there were a couple songs I liked, but most of it was just weird and depressing.
Khaled
2/5
I didn’t have the time or patience to listen to this yesterday. I skipped through the songs after hearing about a minute of each so I can’t give this a fair review other than to say I didn’t like it. And it was confusing why this was on the list. Even Wikipedia had nothing.
The Lemonheads
3/5
The album is fine. Sounds like many other pop rock bands from the 90’s. Nothing objectionable - well maybe My Drug Buddy, that was pretty bad - but otherwise I didn’t mind it. I was pleasantly surprised to hear the Mrs Robinson cover, I didn’t know that was them. I’ve always thought that was a great rendition of that song. Giving it a 3, a middle of the road rating for a middle of the road kind of album.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Fleetwood Mac is blessed with two phenomenal female singers. Christie McVie with her calm, clear tone that is naturally beautiful and effortless, and then Stevie Nicks who has a mystical, ethereal, raspy sound. I can’t overstate my love for Stevie. She’s one of my absolute favorites.
This album is a prerequisite for anyone who has a vinyl collection, to the point of being cliche, but for a reason. It’s incredible how they created such a tight, perfectly blended, harmonious album when they were literally falling apart as a band. Not to mention the massive amounts of cocaine. Maybe that helped?
An easy 5 all day. Every song is amazing. A classic I have listened to hundreds of times and will listen to hundred of times more.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
This is a great lazy Sunday morning record, the original acoustic cafe music. Mostly folk rock with a couple of jazz leaning tunes and one fantastic boogie-woogie sounding song, Raised on Robbery.
Joni’s voice is unique and interesting and she plays the piano beautifully. I really enjoyed this album.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
I haven’t listened to hip hop or rap since the 90’s. So that is my last frame of reference for this review. And I had no idea what to expect going in, I’ve never listened to him before.
I thought it was really creative and engaging. I love the different styles he brought musically, a nice range of influence. A couple of songs reminded me of Arrested Development (musically, not lyrically). Great transitions between songs, a cohesive flow, and he definitely commands the mic. I can see why he’s so widely acclaimed.
Not the type of music I listen to, but I’m glad we got this album so I got the chance to. It should have been shorter, an hour and 20 minutes is too long for any studio album. A strong 3 for me.
The Prodigy
1/5
Took me all of about 3 minutes to listen to today’s album. I started the song, listened for about 15 seconds, fast forwarded to the middle of the song and listened for about 15 seconds, and then skipped to the next. I hate electronica and no album is going to change my mind on that.
Blur
2/5
What am I missing here? All of the accolades I read about this album - best album of the 90’s, the definitive Britpop album, etc. - I was expecting so much more and it was so mediocre. Don’t know why they’re so popular. I’d rather listen to Oasis.
Joan Baez
3/5
I’m not a fan of Joan’s voice. Her vibrato, especially in the higher registers, is grating on my ears. It’s tough to listen to sometimes.
This was her debut album, so all traditional folk music. I do like some of her music on later albums when she branches out to include more rock/pop influences and her voice smoothes out a bit more.
This album wasn’t for me, but she became one of the most influential folk singers as a result of this, so giving it a 3.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Started out great. Visions of bell bottomed polyester suits, platform shoes, and crazy colorful sunglasses filling my head. The song was smooth and cool and funky.
Second song was bringing us to the seedier parts of town - meeting the pusher man. I can dig it. And then we meet poor Freddie. Bit of a downer but still bobbing my head.
Then either the novelty wore off or the music itself just got repetitive, but I lost interest. It was good, but don’t think I would listen again. And if I have to hear Joe say, ohhhh yeah one more time….
Queen
2/5
I’m a casual fan of Queen. I like their hits - Killer Queen is one of my favorites - but the rest of the album didn’t do it for me, especially if Freddie wasn’t singing. I’m sure they’ll be more Queen albums coming, maybe others will be better.
JAY Z
4/5
I was excited to see Jay-Z. I love 90s/early 2000’s Jay-Z and The Blueprint is one of his best. He has such an easy flow, so laid back, like he’s having a conversation with you with some catchy beats underneath. Everything just sounds effortless.
Love the Doors sample on Takeover. Jay-Z doing collaborations with different styles of music are always a treat.
I bought this CD when it came out and played it quite a bit back in early 2000’s but haven’t listened to it in forever. A couple of the songs sound dated these days, and the lyrics leave something to be desired, and it’s a bit too long, but I don’t care, this is a 4 for me.
The Monkees
2/5
They should have stuck to session players and singing songs written by others.
Norah Jones
3/5
Soothing background music. She has a beautiful voice but probably best enjoyed at the end of a long day, under a blanket, nodding off to sleep. You have to be in the right mood and atmosphere for this.
Skunk Anansie
2/5
I prefer my post orgasmic chill to be a lot more chill.
Sepultura
1/5
Nope
Hole
2/5
I never listened to Hole in the 90s. I’ve always wondered if I’ve been missing out. I’m happy to confirm I have not been. It feels like it’s trying too hard to sound like something it’s not. Just feels hollow and meh.
U2
3/5
This is a much different U2 from the first album we reviewed, War. They’re more polished, more pop oriented, less raw, both emotionally and musically. Is that a bad thing? Nope. I think both styles work for them. It’s growth and exploration and they did it well. A few really great songs on here and a solid album overall.
Eagles
3/5
I love The Eagles, but this album isn’t it. Outside of the three hits off of this, there isn’t much here that I enjoyed. It’s their debut album and they haven’t quite found their footing yet, and it’s criminal that Don Henley is only singing two songs.
Peter Tosh
3/5
The album was very chill with laid back, slow paced reggae rhythm and grooves. Definitely not as strong as Bob Marley and the Wailers. I found it a little forgettable to be honest, so much so that I forgot to write my review this morning. But it’s all good, man.
N.W.A.
4/5
Where to start with this album. When this came out in the late 80’s, almost no one in mainstream hip hop/rap was talking about police brutality, street violence, living in the ghetto, with this level of intensity. N.W.A. came out swinging with their lyrics and their music, and kicked off the beginning of gangsta rap that dominated in the 90’s. F*** tha Police in particular was crazy….the police backlash, the FBI letter to the record label, the political debates. Tipper Gore thought Twisted Sister needed censorship? Oof, that was nothing compared to this. I wasn’t even a rap fan back then and I vividly remember when this record came out.
The music itself is raw and intense with driving beats and incredible delivery from Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and MC Ren. This was an incredible album for its time and a real culture shift in the hip hop world. A solid record that definitely belongs on this list.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
I wanted to like this. I appreciate that they’re trying to merge different styles of music together. There’s elements of hip hop, elements of jazz, elements of rock, elements of rap. And overall I appreciate the laidback vibe that was prevalent in the first half of the album. In theory it should be really cool but in execution it just ends up sounding like an identity crisis. What exactly are they trying to accomplish?
There are some parts of the songs that are actually pretty good but then it quickly switches to something else and it’s like what the hell just happened here. I don’t think the singing/rapping works well with the music; it sounds disparate. Maybe it’s just the guy who does all the vocals that I don’t like. Either way, it’s a miss for me.
The Police
3/5
A good sophomore effort from The Police. The standout songs are the classics, but there are a few others on there that are also well worth the listen. A couple fall flat, but I’m always impressed with the sound that comes from only three members in the band. 3.5 stars.
The Byrds
2/5
Full disclosure, I heard like half of the album and skipped about halfway through most of the songs I did hear. Too busy yesterday and the album wasn’t good anyway so win/win. I like the Byrd’s greatest hits, but that’s the extent of it apparently.
5/5
I unapologetically love this album. I loved it when it first came out and I love it now. I own it on vinyl and I can sing every song. I don’t look too deeply into why I like it so much. It’s fun to listen to, it’s catchy, and I love Liam’s voice. Admittedly, this is the only album I really know by them, but it’s the only one I need.
Faith No More
2/5
I’m running out of ways to say an album sucks.
Miriam Makeba
2/5
Beautiful voice and an interesting break from the usual suspects on the list, but this album sounded very dated and a strange mix between the Lion King and singers like Lena Horne or Harry Belafonte. It wasn’t for me, but it was better than listening to Brazilian death metal, so there’s that.
Common
3/5
This album is warm and smooth but didn’t wow me, nothing really jumps out or hits especially hard. It’s like the easy listening version of rap/hip hop. Common is thoughtful and steady throughout and I like the laid back vibe, but not something I’d go back to.
Happy Mondays
1/5
This was terrible. We reviewed their third album a while back - they definitely improved from this one that was released 2 years previous. I actually liked the other album over all, gave it a 3. This one though had nothing interesting or original. It all sounds the same - droning on and on with the same stupid beat behind it - for the whole album. I stopped listening when they went into all the remixes on the “bonus edition”. No one needs two hours of that mess.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Couldn’t get past the distortion and terrible singing.
Coldplay
3/5
This was easy listening music compared to yesterday’s album. I was actually looking forward to listening to something a little more mellow, so I decided to listen to it on my commute into the office. I figured it would calm me as I drove through the lovely streets of downtown Springfield. But what it really did was almost put me to sleep at the wheel. Jesus Christ how does anyone stay awake listening to this album? I’ve always liked Yellow, but I don’t need 40 minutes of that same thing. Giving it a 3 because I can’t justify giving it a 2 after using that rating yesterday. It’s not terrible, it’s just boring. Yawn.
The Smiths
2/5
The music was fine, even enjoyable on some of the songs, but I did not enjoy the singer. His vocals sounded lazy and uninterested at best, and douchey at worst.
Red Snapper
1/5
Garbage. Or as the Brits would say, rubbish.
The Cult
3/5
This album is fine for what it is, hard rock from the 80’s. There’s nothing that stands out or makes this an album I would think you need to hear before you die. I understand there are going to be plenty of albums on here that I don’t like because it’s just not my style, but some are just baffling in their banality. This album is one of those.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
This is one of those ’90s albums that stands the test of time and still hits hard. The drumming stands out right off the bat and throughout the entire album, pushing everything with this huge energy. On Cherub Rock it basically feels like a lead instrument. Even on the songs that slow down there’s still a driving force underneath.
It’s well known that Billy Corgan was a controlling douche making this album, you can hear how much he obsessed over every layer. Not gonna lie, it paid off. It’s detailed and polished, but still raw and emotional. Just a super strong alternative record that’s held up really well over the years. 4.5 stars.
Beck
2/5
We get it. You’re depressed. Ugh.
Orbital
1/5
To quote one of my past reviews, I hate electronica and no album is going to change my mind on that.
Lambchop
2/5
This list confuses me more every day. Clearly my musical palette is not sophisticated enough to appreciate the selections. Either that or we’re being punked.
Run-D.M.C.
5/5
An absolute classic. You can’t not bob your head to every single on this album. Nothing to change on this, it’s hip hop perfection.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
I went back and forth between a 2 and a 3 in my head while listening to this album. Parts of it were actually decent, but ultimately couldn’t get past the terrible guitar takeovers in most of the songs, and the vocals were awful.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Let me set the scene on this one. Lazy Sunday morning, it’s snowing outside, Christmas tree is lit up, I’m wrapping Christmas presents, and what do I have on for music? Delightful Christmas carols? Nope, Rage Against the Machine and Zack de la Rocha (yes, I had to look that up) screaming fuck you, I won’t do what you told me and how he’s gonna put a bullet in ya head. Santa would be very displeased. Coal for Rage Against the Machine this year, which is probably what they were hoping for anyway.
This is not my kind of music, especially when Zack starts screaming, but I actually did like more of it than I thought I would and I can understand why people love this album if it is their jam. It’s got great rhythms, driving guitar, and solid bass and drums. And you always have to love anti-establishment lyrics even if you’re just trying to enjoy the holiday season. If I was grading purely on my own enjoyment I would give it a 3. Giving it a 4 for recognition of the talent and impact of this album.
Charles Mingus
3/5
I don’t have a sophisticated enough palette to appreciate jazz in this form. I love Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, the Peanuts holiday specials…you know, that kind of jazz. I’m sure this album is brilliant, but I don’t get it.
Fairport Convention
3/5
I’m quite certain I was the only one happy to see this band pop up again. I didn’t like this one quite as much as the last one though. I was digging the renaissance fair and Irish jig vibe on Liege & Lief. This one was really mellow and slow, with the exception of Cajun Woman, which was fantastic. Overall, still a good listen.
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
I really don’t know what to say on this one. I mean, it’s fine? I know nothing about this kind of music but it was acceptable background music while I worked, so that’s a star. Nobody was screaming lyrics at me, so that’s another star. It’s a live album and the audience seemed genuinely pleased with the performance, so another star. There you go…3 stars.
Elbow
2/5
A couple songs caught my attention, but overall it was drab and boring. Much like my review.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
I forgot just how many hits this album had. I wasn't a big Cyndi Lauper fan back in the 80’s but you couldn’t escape Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and it was such a fun video. And Time After Time is a legitimately great song. This album is classic synth pop and the 80’s wouldn’t have been the same without it.
Incredible Bongo Band
4/5
It’s funny, I went in thinking that I would probably enjoy the album, but there’s no way I needed to listen to an hour and twenty minutes of bongos. I was wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed this and could have listened to more. Such a fun listen. I loved the covers and the groove was fantastic. Perfect music to lift the mood.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
I could take or leave this one. I liked it overall, a nice 60’s throwback from 2008. Some songs worked better than others but if I didn’t like one it was over quickly before it was too grating. I don’t think I’d go back and listen to this again but I enjoyed it enough to give it a 3.
R.E.M.
3/5
I’ve never liked REM. I don’t know exactly what it is about them I don’t like. Wikipedia categorized their genre as indie and jangle pop and they definitely had a jangly sound to them when I listened to the album that I didn’t enjoy. Also not a fan of Michael’s voice. Giving it a 3 though because it’s not them, it’s me.
The Chemical Brothers
1/5
I’m just going to keep recycling the same review every time we get an electronic music album…I hate electronica and no album is going to change my mind on that.
Van Morrison
5/5
This was an early Christmas present for me. I love this album, one of my favorites - the proverbial desert island album.
Van Morrison’s voice is rich and soulful. The music itself has such a soothing groove to it. It’s the kind of music that you can just melt into the couch and forget about the world for a while. This is comfort music for me.
Various Artists
3/5
Nothing says Merry Christmas like convicted murderer, Phil Spector! I love Christmas music, but I prefer the classics - Bing Crosby, Burl Ives, Gene Autry.
Talking Heads
2/5
Having only heard the radio singles for Talking Heads, this album wasn’t what I thought it might be. Once in a Lifetime is good, but the rest is not for me. Repetitive and monotonous beats with David Byrne’s droning voice on songs that were far too long for that.
Slipknot
1/5
Absolute torture
Beach House
2/5
We had this playing on our ride home from New Hampshire yesterday. It was better background music to be stuck listening to in the car than yesterday’s album, but is that what music should aspire to be? Background music?
I also learned something new - there’s a category of music called dream pop, which this apparently is. Aptly named because it’ll put you to sleep listening to it.
This was a snooze fest. Not sure why people choose to listen to this.
Radiohead
2/5
Strike two, Radiohead.
Rahul Dev Burman
2/5
This one had me conflicted. It’s a composed soundtrack so of course you can’t listen to it like you would a regular album. It definitely sounded like a soundtrack but from various genres - obviously Bollywood, but also some western and James Bond sounding tracks, along with a little jazzy sound sometimes. I actually got into some of it but other songs with the terrible screeching high pitched voice were pretty bad. It was unique, but definitely not a good representative of Bollywood music overall. I’ll never listen to it again, but I’m not mad I listened to it for this.
Blur
3/5
Album #2 by Blur and I’m still not impressed. I’m sure we’ll get 5 more to confirm their mediocrity. I’m struggling between a 2 and a 3. It wasn’t good, but was it wasn’t as bad as my other twos. Going with 3 to start the new year on a positive note.
Fugees
4/5
Lauryn Hill is a freak of nature. She is unbelievably talented and so smooth on this album whether she’s rapping or singing. She blows the others away and raises this album to even higher heights.
I love the smooth and laid back beats. The lyrics are incredible. A true standout in the rap genre in the 90s. The skits are corny and haven’t aged well at all. The one miss on an otherwise outstanding album.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
Being a fan of both classic rock and southern rock, I’m well acquainted with the hits and they’re great. Didn’t care too much about the other half of the album though. 3.5 stars.
Johnny Cash
2/5
I feel like back in Johnny Cash’s day, prison concerts were more of a thing and apparently good PR and a hit record to boot. I can’t imagine anyone doing that in this day and age. Imagine Taylor Swift at a women’s correctional facility playing songs while inmates make friendship bracelets and call it their “personal accountability era”. Actually, we all know the Swifties would eat that up, but besides the point. Anyway, I did not enjoy this album, not a fan of Cash, but it was interesting to say the least.
Scritti Politti
2/5
No clue why this is on the list. Boring synth pop from the 80’s.
Deep Purple
2/5
Were any animals harmed in the making of this album? Those anguished howls passed off as singing had me worried.
Mj Cole
1/5
I hate electronica and no album is going to change my mind on that.
Shuggie Otis
3/5
I have no idea who this guy is but I really enjoyed some of the funkier, groovier songs on the album. The first song, Inspiration Information, had me excited for the rest of the album. Nice chill laid back vibe. I enjoyed a couple more songs after that, but most were not great. Some of the songs had early electronic vibes to it and you all know how I feel about that. Hemmed and hawed between 2 and 3. Going with 3 because at least it wasn’t the usual stuff we get.
Alice Cooper
2/5
Alice Cooper is a weird dude.
The Temptations
2/5
This album was definitely not The Temptations I was expecting. A little more funky than their earlier music but the singing actually sounded flat and off key to me on some songs. I was looking forward to listening to this but overall I was disappointed.
Culture Club
3/5
So of course I remember the hits from this album, you couldn’t escape Culture Club in the 80’s. But that was all I knew from them so wasn’t sure what to expect from the rest. The first 7 songs were great. I liked them WAY more than I expected. Boy George has a really great voice, more soulful than I remember. And he had one hell of a backup singer. She was amazing.
Then it started to slump a little, then it fell off a cliff, and then that last song was rock bottom.
I would give those first 7 songs a 4, but have to knock it down to a 3 after the rest of it.
Flamin' Groovies
2/5
The Flamin’ Groovies sound like a band you’d hear at a backyard party with the local kid who thinks he could be a star singing lead vocals. Jokes on me, I guess he did kind of did become one.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
This album was psychedelic grooviness - fun and chaotic and weird but with moments of quiet reflection thrown in (really enjoyed the softer slower songs). Everything a good trip should be.
I like that this album isn’t ALL guitar centric. It seems to be more about the songs and how the guitar fits into them rather than just showing off his incredible skills. And I learned something new. We all know and love Jimi for his electric guitar playing, but had no clue he played the glockenspiel and harpsichord, with a recorder thrown in to boot! There’s really not enough people talking about his recorder skills.
All the songs are short so if you aren’t feeling a particular one it’s quickly on to the next but I thought all the songs were well worth the listen.
UB40
2/5
Have we all been so skewed by the great Bob Marley that all other reggae just sounds meh? Or is the reggae we’ve heard so far that wasn’t him, really just meh objectively? This was boring and repetitive. There was only one song on there that I liked and I can’t even remember which one it was. Yawn.
Stephen Stills
3/5
This could have been a strong album if Stills had done some serious editing. There were like 6 or 7 great songs and then like 15 fillers.
You can hear where CSN gets a lot of their influence from Stills (or is it the other way around?). I’ve always been a CSN fan, but have never delved into any of their solo stuff, so don’t have any comparison with Crosby and Nash.
Either way, not great, not terrible, somewhere in the middle.
Foo Fighters
3/5
This is an energetic and engaging album. It’s not overly polished and it’s not that deep, but it has rocking guitar and drums and you feel drawn in. It definitely feels like a great start to a band (once he got the band part) that went on to do great things.
Sisters Of Mercy
1/5
I’m going to invoke the old maxim, if you don’t have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
How is this even a thing? The lyrics are ridiculous. The singing is horrendous. And the music sounds like an elementary school band recital.
There was a lot of LSD used in the making of this album and not in a good way.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Another CCR classic. A lot of the hits on this album are what got me into CCR when I was a teenager. Great album.
Megadeth
1/5
I can’t listen to this long enough to even try and write an informed review. It’s terrible.
Genesis
2/5
I was trying to figure out what I would call this genre. Minstrel rock? Pastoral rock?
I knew Genesis was a prog rock band well before their pop fame in the late 70s and 80s, but I had no idea the extent of their progness. I actually liked a couple of songs but most of it was a miss for me.
Stevie Wonder
2/5
Remember back in the 80’s you would hear a couple of songs by an artist on the radio that you really liked so you went out and bought the record or cassette? But then you listened to it and you were really disappointed with the rest of the album? Yeah, that’s exactly how I felt with this album. The two well known hits are great, but yeeesh, the rest was not for me.
It hurts my heart to give Stevie Wonder a 2, but I have to. As good as it is, Superstition just couldn’t save it.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Listening to this album just feels right. The music is good but Aretha’s voice is obviously the star. She’s smooth and warm on some songs and sharp and commanding on others. Her range is incredible and she comes across as emotional but controlled. I would listen to her sing just about anything.
Nina Simone
3/5
Great voice. The songs themselves are not the best (minus the first song, which I really liked). I would be interested to hear other albums by her though.
Duke Ellington
4/5
This project is like being the princess who has to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince. There’s a lot of nonsense we listen to, but days like this are when I find the prince.
My rating may somewhat be a reflection of circumstances - listening on a snowy day, making beef stew and cleaning the house with this as my background but I enjoyed it very much. It was perfect music for what I was doing. I was even happy it was over 2 hours long. I love the big band sound and will definitely be listening to more of this.
The Beach Boys
2/5
I can’t imagine there are many bands that can create something great for their 17th studio album. They are obviously trying something new to reinvigorate their sound, but it’s just odd and unpleasant to listen to, outside of one or two decent tunes. I’m sure we’ll get plenty more Beach Boys to see how we feel about them overall.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
From the Wikipedia article, “recording for Again took place over a protracted nine-month span and was fraught with dysfunction, with each member eventually producing his own material largely independent of one another.” That explains a lot. The styles on this album are all over the place. Don’t get me wrong, I like the majority of these songs, but they’re an odd compilation to put together.
Neil Young wins the song writing contest by a mile in my eyes. Mr. Soul is one of my favorites by him, and I love Expecting to Fly and Broken Arrow which were songs on Decade, an album I listened to on repeat in college.
The only two real misses for me are Hung Upside Down and Sad Memory. Both are pretty bad, but the strength of the Young songs and several others on here make this so close to a 4….so close….but I’m going to stick with a 3.
Blondie
3/5
I liked this album more than I thought I would. The songs are pretty simple, but they’re catchy and have a little edge to them. I was just happy that Rapture wasn’t on this album. Man I hate that song.
Bob Dylan
5/5
I couldn’t have been happier to see this album pop up. I love Bob Dylan. He’s second only to the Grateful Dead in the number of records I own by an artist. And this is my favorite Dylan album to boot.
Bringing It All Back Home was the start of Dylan’s split from folk, his first record with an electric band backing him on some of the songs - gasp. The folk scene was displeased, but the electric songs on this are outstanding. Some people just don’t like change.
Dylan’s songwriting is so prolific early on in his career, he never seems to run out of great material. His imagery and lyrics are top notch, he can tell great stories in a short period of time. In my opinion, he is the best songwriter of the 1960’s. I even like his voice, which I know is a barrier for a lot of people. It’s completely unique, you always know who it is and it fits the music perfectly.
I could write paragraphs about this guy (well even more paragraphs than I have already) but I’ll just finish with, for me this is the best album we’ve had so far. There’s not a song on here I don’t love. I would give it 10 stars if I could.
Dolly Parton
3/5
If this was anyone other than Dolly Parton I would be giving it a 2. But I’m not gonna be the asshole that gives Dolly Parton a 2.
The Triffids
2/5
Another frog 🐸 on the quest for a prince.
The Pretty Things
2/5
I should have like this in theory, but it just didn’t sit right with me. Sounded like generic Beatles meets generic Who. There were a few good songs but I also skipped quite a few about halfway through.
Steely Dan
1/5
My previous review of Pretzel Logic applies here. This is bad lounge rock and there aren’t enough Harvey Wallbangers in the world to make me like this.
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
Let’s start with the positives. The beats and flow are great, and Biggie can deliver a line as well as anyone.
The problem is what he’s actually saying. Lyrically and thematically, it’s one note. He’s either going to shoot you or fuck you. That might work for a few tracks, but stretched across an album this long, it’s exhausting. And the skits are terrible. What is it with skits on 90s rap albums?
There are quite a few songs on here that are a 4 but the rest just don’t make the grade.
John Lennon
3/5
I own a couple of John Lennon albums. I’ve always liked his solo work more than the other Beatles. He genuinely has some great songs post Beatles - Instant Karma, Whatever Gets You Thru the Night, Watching the Wheels, Just like Starting Over, Mind Games, Cold Turkey.
I don’t own this one and wouldn’t go out and buy it, but there are some good songs on here. Nothing that pushes me to either side of a 3, so middle of the road it is.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Apparently Marvin is as one note as Biggie, except Marvin wants to make love instead.
Oasis
3/5
When I wrote the review for What’s the Story (I gave it a 5), I mentioned I didn’t know any other Oasis material, so I was glad to see this pop up. This isn’t anywhere near as strong in my opinion, but it’s a decent building block as a debut album. I’m glad I listened to it so I know I can just stick to my one album by them and be happy.
Incubus
3/5
I knew a couple of the hits and they were good. The rest was fine. One of those albums I don’t have anything construction or interesting to say because it was just kind of there.
Soft Machine
1/5
This sounds like four people tuning up at once and just agreeing not to stop.
Green Day
4/5
It blows my mind that this was released over 30 years ago. Jesus, where does the time go? This was a great album when it came out and it’s still a great album today. Fantastic driving guitar and drums and Billie Joe Armstrong’s voice is the icing on the cake. It gets you hyped even if the definition of getting hyped looks different at mid 50’s than mid-20’s. This was the perfect pick me up on a Monday morning workday after the Super Bowl.
Rocket From The Crypt
1/5
I flipped through these songs like I was scrolling through 500 useless channels of late night tv, finding nothing but garbage click after click, with only the occasional pause to see if what they were selling on the infomercial was worth buying. Spoiler alert, it was not.