1001 Albums Summary

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It’s a no from me, dawg.

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?

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 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.

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."

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.

I’m not a fan of country music at all. She has a beautiful voice but it’s not for me.

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.

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.

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. 😉

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.

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.

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.

The first half of this album was terrible. The second half was also terrible.

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.

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?

Hated it

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.

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.

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.

The music was harsh, the singing was harsh, and the whole album sounded cold and mechanical, like the soundtrack for a robot uprising.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The British do love their punk music. Unfortunately, I do not.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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….

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.

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.

They should have stuck to session players and singing songs written by others.

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.

I prefer my post orgasmic chill to be a lot more chill.

Nope

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I’m running out of ways to say an album sucks.

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.

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.

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.

Couldn’t get past the distortion and terrible singing.

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 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.

Garbage. Or as the Brits would say, rubbish.

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.

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.

We get it. You’re depressed. Ugh.

To quote one of my past reviews, I hate electronica and no album is going to change my mind on that.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A couple songs caught my attention, but overall it was drab and boring. Much like my review.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nothing says Merry Christmas like convicted murderer, Phil Spector! I love Christmas music, but I prefer the classics - Bing Crosby, Burl Ives, Gene Autry.

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.

Absolute torture

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.

Strike two, Radiohead.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

No clue why this is on the list. Boring synth pop from the 80’s.

Were any animals harmed in the making of this album? Those anguished howls passed off as singing had me worried.

I hate electronica and no album is going to change my mind on that.

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 is a weird dude.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I’m going to have to take my first did not listen. I just had no time yesterday and I wasn’t about to ruin my commute listening to honky took music.

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.

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.

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.

I’m going to invoke the old maxim, if you don’t have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

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.

Another CCR classic. A lot of the hits on this album are what got me into CCR when I was a teenager. Great album.

I can’t listen to this long enough to even try and write an informed review. It’s terrible.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Another frog 🐸 on the quest for a prince.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Apparently Marvin is as one note as Biggie, except Marvin wants to make love instead.

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.

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.

This sounds like four people tuning up at once and just agreeing not to stop.

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.

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.

Is this a joke? That was weird and creepy. A sample of the lyrics: If you were a horse I'd clean the crap out of your stable and never once complain I told the passers by, I made a small boy cry, and I'll get through to you, if it's the last thing that I do Dragging you round like a dog on a lead, I'm all you need.

This list is trying my patience.

This just isn’t for me, but I appreciate why people love it.

I have a soft spot for Tear for Fears. I saw them about 20ish years ago doing an acoustic cafe type of show at the Brickyard in Hartford of all places. It was part of a series of concerts that were hosted by a radio station back then. My friend’s dad worked in radio and got us tickets. There were only around 250 people there and it was just Curt and Roland and acoustic guitars and they absolutely nailed it. Their voices were amazing and their energy and passion were outstanding. The three hits on this album are some of the best songs of the 80’s and the rest are enough to keep it a 4.

Too long, every song sounded the same, corny skits (even more than usual)…just not my type of rap album.

I’ll tell you what, this was not as bad as the first Deep Purple album we had. I wasn’t worried that any animals were being harmed as I listened to it. But that’s hardly a ringing endorsement. Giving it’s 3 because I gave the last one a 2 and this was better.

The music itself was ok, but the lead singer’s falsetto was like a smoke alarm with a dying battery at 3 am. Annoying. Grating. Unnecessary. Change your batteries every 6 months, kids.

This album mostly amused me. Was that a kazoo?? Not for me but it was a fun listen on my commute to work.

I like being surprised by whatever record pops up each day, so I make it a point not to check the list of artists or albums online. That said, Joe and I have talked about which ones I hope will show up, and this was definitely one I’ve mentioned. This is an outstanding album. I was always more of a casual Rod Stewart fan, but one day Joe picked this up while we were browsing in a record store. I loved it so much I ended up buying my own copy later on. This is Rod Stewart at his peak; his voice is strong and bluesy and has the perfect rasp. Ronnie Wood is on guitar and the musicianship throughout is top-notch. I love all the songs on here and I’m not even mad that half of them are covers because they’re so well done. An easy 5 for me.

I really like the musical explorations they take on this album. I love a good jam band, and while Santana is not a jam band, there’s similarities in getting lost in the music. They are incredibly tight and focused and everyone is playing perfectly in groove with each other. They are truly at the top of their game. A great album for this list.

I gave this album the attention it deserved - so not much.

This is the audio version of beige.

When I saw that Massive Attack was an electronic music group, I assumed I was going to dust off my standard copy/paste electronic music review. I was proven wrong on this one. Turns out it was not the typical house music I associate with that genre. There were several songs on here I really liked, they had a very cool vibe - Safe from Harm, Unfinished Sympathy, Be Thankful, and Hymn of the Big Wheel. Shara Nelson’s voice is amazing on several of the songs. She added a lot of depth on this. But then there were others I skipped through because I thought they were terrible. Giving this a solid 3 though, which is shocking considering these are typically a 1 for me.

I was enjoying the first half of the album well enough, but it lost me in the second half. Richard from my favorite troubadour band Fairport Conventions, just couldn’t save this one for me.

This was an interesting one for sure. There were parts of it that I genuinely liked. The really strong orchestral parts were probably the best parts for me. But then there were long stretches that were just terrible. She has an interesting and unique voice that I thought was fitting, but overall this wasn’t great. There were parts I would give a high 3 to but there were too many 1 and 2 star parts.

Nope

Classic ZZ Top is never a bad thing and there are some great hits on here. I wasn’t a huge fan back in the 80’s but they always had fun videos.

I love Neil Young, one of my favorites. He’s an incredible song writer both musically and lyrically and he’s equally great playing both acoustic and electric. This album is one of his best for sure, full of classic Neil Young. For me, the only miss on here is There’s a World, but the rest is still strong enough for a 5.

This was an interesting concept album and it was well done. I enjoyed listening to it but don’t think I’d go back to it again.

This album moves at the speed of a falling leaf. Yawn.

For an album released in 1980, this sounded very 80’s. I never heard of them before but I thought it was fine. Nothing bad to say, nothing great to say so I’ll give it a 3.

In my review of the Beach Boy’s album, Surf’s Up (which I gave a 2), I said, “I can’t imagine there are many bands that can create something great for their 17th studio album”. Mr Charles has proved to be the exception with this incredible 18th studio album. I’ve been a Ray Charles fan since the movie, Ray, came out more than 20 years ago. I bought the soundtrack shortly after and just expanded my listening from there. Both the concept and the execution of this album are fantastic. I love the big band sounding songs the best. Ray’s voice is timeless and he is one of the best pianists there is. A solid album choice and I hope to hear more from him on this list.

This was a really fun listen. I have to admit I groaned when I saw the album cover but this is beyond the country music I thought it would be. These are true cowboy songs which I’m already a bit of a fan of….the Dead have a great catalogue of them. And funnily enough they do a cover of one of the songs on here, El Paso. Marty has a great voice. It’s smooth and clear and has a warm tone to it. He’s got the perfect story telling voice. I probably wouldn’t listen to this again but I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a super strong 3. Considered giving it a 4.

I’m not a Stones fan but they do have a few songs I really like, none of which are on this album unfortunately. Better luck next time as I’m sure we’ll be seeing them again.

This one I waffled between a 2 and a 3. I liked the first half of the album more than the second, but the Jig of Life is pushing it to a 3. I do love a good jig.

It was a fun listen, albeit a bit too long. Hip hop pop with a little goofiness thrown in.

I did not enjoy that at all.

If you had asked me prior to this project, I would have said I love John Lennon’s music…he’s a bit of a douchebag…but I really like a lot of his songs. After listening to now the second album of his on here, I’m still not hearing any of those songs I love. What album are they on?!? Lennon is sounding more self absorbed and hypocritical on these songs than ever. I’m also one of the rare few that think Imagine is overrated and overplayed. I’m still giving it a 3, though, because there’s good music on here overall.

During the first few songs I thought I was going to have to listen to a whole album of drawn out depressing songs in Morrissey’s off putting voice. Turns out the beat got better, but his voice did not.

This album sounded like every other synth pop album from the 80’s, nothing special. I really liked the song, Uncertain Smile, though. That one was a standout for me. The rest was forgettable.

This was funky and fun. A great pick me up as I was slogging my way through a Friday morning workday. In my listening notes I had written…How did Rod Stewart not sue them over Taj mahal? I thought they were covering Da Ya Think I’m Sexy. I read some of the reviews from others afterwards, and apparently he did but lost.

I thought this was pretty decent. Definitely better than some of the other punk that we’ve heard.

The drums are solid and the best part of this album. The lack of bass is noticeable and leaves a little bit of a hole for me overall. I’m not a fan of the vocals but it fits the music. I thought this was a good listen overall though and had some rocking songs on here I really liked.

This is the kind of punk/post-punk I can get into. A lot more melody, no screaming lyrics, the music is tighter and more cohesive, and I enjoyed the mix of different genres/influences this album had. It was too long so it seemed a little repetitive at times, but all the songs were good ones.

Prog rock just isn’t my thing. There were a couple of good songs on here but I didn’t enjoy the majority of this album.

Why is this nonsense on the list? That hurricane song legit made me angry.

God I hate Rush

This just doesn’t have the same umph as other Bob Marley and the Wailers albums. It’s missing the joy and hope from the last album we heard and becomes slow and tedious in parts. It still has some great songs but overall just ok. High 3.

Some of the music itself was interesting, but the vocals were a bridge too far.

Blonde on Blonde is often considered Dylan’s best album. It’s the third of three albums released in quick succession ‘65-‘66 - Bringing it all Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and this one. People say it’s the best because it’s considered the culmination of Dylan’s move from folk to rock and him playing in a new electric era. I’m not convinced this is his best. I love Dylan’s earlier 2 albums more where he’s experimenting with electric and looking to be more in your face with it. That said, this is still an incredible album. Dylan is the best songwriter of the 60’s IMO. Considered giving it a 4 because that last song is a slog, but it’s Dylan and I’m biased.

I don’t know anything about Zappa; I just have this notion in my head of some strange dude doing some strange music. Which may usually be the case. This was an interesting fusion of jazz and rock. It’s a bit chaotic and off kilter, but that’s ok, I was expecting that from him. It was definitely more accessible than I thought it would be. And I was pleasantly surprised there were vocals on only one song. This 3 would be a 2 or less if there were more.

Sounded like crazy circus music. Not for me.

The only song I even remotely enjoyed was Minha Menina. The rest was just pointless.

I don’t understand Bjork, literally and figuratively.

I bought this record when I was 15 and played the hell out of it. I loved all of it - the incredible piano, the booming voice, the over the top theatrics. I still have my record from 1985 and I still love all of it. I have so much listening time invested, and so much nostalgia wrapped up in this album, it’s impossible for me to be unbiased. There’s nothing like belting out these songs at the top of your lungs when you’re home by yourself. 🦇

I didn’t get a chance to listen to this album yesterday, and by didn’t get a chance I mean I didn’t want to. We’ve had them before. I gave it a 2 then and I’m giving it a 2 again for the same reasons.

I have no words for this one. People paid to go listen to this?

I love Neil Young in all his incarnations - Buffalo Springfield, CSNY, and especially when he plays with Crazy Horse. This album has 3 of my favorite Neil Young songs - Cinnamon Girl, Down by the River, and Cowgirl in the Sand. The title song is also great. Unfortunately, it also has Round and Round and Running Dry. Not so great. Tempted to give it a 5 based on those 4 songs but those other 2 are just too bad to overcome.

This was a decent listen. Pretty chill vibe, good beats, and great lyrics. I enjoyed it way more than the other album we had by one of the Wu Tang members.

This was an interesting selection. I liked it more than thought I would. I like the fact it’s an all girl punk/post-punk band. I don’t know if there were any others at that time, but that alone must have made it pretty unique. All the different musical influences keep it interesting and most of the songs were kept fairly short so if one wasn’t your thing it was on to the next. I probably wouldn’t listen to it again, but I’m not mad I did.

I thought this was a fun album overall, in a campy kind of way. I was surprised how many songs I knew - probably like 5 or 6 - most likely from movies or tv shows they were in. Dusty has a fantastic voice and some of the lyrics made me laugh out loud. I haven’t heard “making whoopie” since watching The Newlywed Game reruns back in the early 80s. And the 24 hour song was hysterical. Sorry, I was almost home to be with you but then I ran into this random guy at the hotel and now I’m with him. Anyway, it was a bit too long but I enjoyed listening to it.

I thought this was better than Parachutes. A little more umph on some of the songs. An ok listen but still boring as hell overall.

I thought this was the weirdest, most fun album we’ve had in a while. I enjoyed it. Loved the over the top theatrics and bizarreness of it all, it was like a performance more than an album.

I hate electronica and no album is going to change my mind on that.

It was fine. I didn’t hate it, I didn’t really like it either. His voice can be grating at times but the music was decent enough.

Too much emphasis on messaging and not enough on good song making. And if they only knew how much worse it would get….

I’m not one to be overly sensitive about lyrics but this was just a no for me. The sheer volume of lyrics about violence against women and rampant homophobia are just too much to get past. If you have to tell someone to suck your dick on like 5 different songs if they don’t like what you’re saying, you’re trying too hard to be offensive and maybe you need to come up with some more compelling lyrics. This is shock value for the sake of shock value and it’s lazy and juvenile.

I really enjoyed the first two Costello albums we reviewed and gave them both a 4. This one was terrible and made me sad.

Fiona Apple has an amazing voice, there’s no denying that, and a few of the songs on here are fantastic. I bought the CD back in the 90’s based off of them. The album as a whole gets too somber and brooding though. You have to be in a certain mood to fully appreciate it. It was still an enjoyable listen and I have that CD sitting in a Rubbermaid tote down in my basket somewhere, along with the rest of my 90s/2000s collection.

This album felt like being stuck in a half empty, dimly lit piano bar while someone reads depressing poetry you didn’t ask to hear. Gloomy, slow, monotonous, and you can’t wait to pay the tab and leave.

I love big band music, always have since I was young. I love the big rich sounds of a full band and the bright sounds of the horns. I’ve always gravitated towards the swing side of the genre but I really liked the jazz leaning sounds of this album. This along with the Duke Ellington one we had a while back has really opened my ears to this style. I enjoyed it very much.

This wasn’t quite as terrible as the first record by them we reviewed, but it was still terrible.

I’m struggling to write a coherent review on why I didn’t like this album. I gave up so I’m just going to share my unedited listening notes. It sounds like they’re trying too hard to make what they think should be good music. It sounds like some weird 70s vision of what they thought futuristic music might sound like. It doesn’t sound sincere or connected - like they’re using a musical formula to write the songs and they’re just going through the motions. All the songs sound the same. Sounds like Temu Queen. Too fucking long.

Maybe this list should have only had 1000 albums on it.

I could have died without ever knowing who these guys were, let alone listen to this hot mess.

This album has great harmonies and a laid back 60s charm. There are a couple of undeniable classics, and the voices blend beautifully, but as a full album it was a bit uneven. I enjoyed it overall though.

My attention span didn’t last as long as this album. The beginning was decent; I liked the music, the drums and guitar were engaging. The vocals weren’t great but they were fine. I was cleaning the house while listening and somewhere around me scrubbing the toilet I realized I hadn’t been paying attention anymore and I didn’t care enough to go back and relisten.

Turns out Simple Minds was a one-hit wonder for a reason (well two-hit wonder if you count Alive and Kicking).

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this project….people love slow, boring music and I do not. Eternal Life is the only one that didn’t try to put me to sleep.

What a great surprise this album was. The solo Jack White we had was just ok so I was expecting something similar. I was surprised at the range of music from garage rock to blues to acoustic. It kept me engaged and interested in what’s coming next. I’m also impressed it’s just the two of them making all those layers of music. Glad we had this album on the list, I probably wouldn’t have listened to it otherwise.

From Neil Young’s speech introducing Paul McCartney at his hall of fame induction….“So I started a solo career, at the same time that Paul came out with his first solo album, the one on Apple records with ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’. I love that record because it was so simple and there was so much to see and to hear. But at the same time it was just Paul, so there was no adornment at all. There was no echo, there was no attempt made to compete with the things that he had already done. So he stepped from the shadow of The Beatles and there he was. It kind of blew my mind.” I liked this more than I thought I would. I was never a fan of McCartney’s solo work I had heard on the radio, with the exception of Maybe I’m Amazed. This album is simplistic but I thought it was far more interesting than the pop heavy sound of his 80’s stuff. The stripped down feel made it more engaging for me. 3.5 stars.

This band could easily be swapped with any of their contemporaries from the new wave/ post punk era of the 80s and I’d never know the difference. They all sound the same to me and not in a good way.

I have always disliked REM so much. They grate on my nerves and were so overplayed back in the day it just made it worse. But like I said in our last review, it’s not them it’s me.

Turns out I’m not a fan of electronica in any culture. At least it’s consistent.

The music was decent overall, the lyrics were terrible. I especially loved the visual of his snot caking on his pants. This album was very reminiscent of The Byrds. Some highlights but overall not great. 2.5 rounded up to 3.

I just can’t connect to this type of jazz. To me it sounds like 3 people playing completely different things and they just don’t meld together in my brain. That said, I’m sure it’s brilliant.

What makes this better or worse than other punk rock bands at this time? I have no idea, but this was actually decent. I didn’t mind listening to it. Maybe this list is starting to wear me down with all the punk. FYI, Gary Gilmore was an American criminal who gained international attention for demanding the death sentence for two murders he admitted to committing in Utah.

This album is so bizarre, but it definitely held my interest. I thought it was strange and unique and I didn't skip through any of the songs like I thought I would. I’m so confused by it though. I can’t tell if I love it or hate it.

A perfect 90s hip hop album. Stripped down, smooth, jazzy, with an incredible flow. And no skits!!

I liked London Calling a bit more than this but this is still the best punk rock I’ve heard - not really a fan of the genre overall. Who knew I liked The Clash so much. Opened my eyes.

20% complete with the list and we’ve had repeats of multiple bands, like The Kinks, who are still as terrible on this as the last album we got by them. And still no Beatles! For the love of god, where are The Beatles??

All I can think of listening to Judas Priest is Beavis and Butthead, which I would rather be listening to instead. Not my type of music.

I would be pissed if I lived in Illinois and this is the album we got as the homage to our state.

I listened to this in the morning on my commute to work. It’s now 7:30 at night and I can’t recall any of the songs I listened to. This album made zero impression on me.

Sounded like the soundtrack to some old 40’s film noir with rainy streets and smoky hotel lounges.

Not much to say about this. Generic hard rock from the late 90s. Nothing special. 2.5 but rounding up to 3.

Even without any of the hits, this was pretty good. It always surprises me when Freddie isn’t singing though. All of the hits are with him on vocals, so I never realized before this list that anyone else did.

Our 4th album with Neil either solo or with a band and I’m here for all of it. This album is incredible, emotionally intense and a great blend of mellow and rock. It’s my favorite of his. I love Neil’s voice. It’s a big part of what makes his songs work. I can’t imagine anyone else singing them and having them sound as good as they do with him. An easy 5.

I was looking forward to listening to this album yesterday. I don’t really know much by them but what i did I thought was pretty good, so wanted to hear more. Overall, I was disappointed. The music was good but the voice became irritating. I wouldn’t listen to more based on this. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

What has 800 legs and 4 breasts? The front row at a Rush concert.

This album went on so long I almost died WHILE listening to it. Apparently George stockpiled a ton of music the Beatles never wanted to use and couldn’t wait to just dump them all onto one album. It was fine, but I wouldn’t go back to listen again.

This just sounded like a lot of noise with terrible lyrics.

Another Bjork album, another one start rating.

This was fine. I enjoyed listening to it but I don’t see why it got all the accolades it did. I’ll forget about this album by tomorrow.

I really enjoyed this album. There’s a lot going on in these songs but it still feels simple and uncluttered and everything comes together into sounds that are both unusual and catchy at the same time. The songs have real groove to them, which isn’t something you always get with indie rock. You can hear bits of all different styles of music mixed in and I dug it. A high 3.

Amazing voice, strong arrangements, powerful and authentic vocals. Adele is amazing and I like the majority of these songs.

A classic. Billy Joel can write a great song - the booming piano, the memorable story telling. This is like a greatest hits album; there are so many standout tracks, including one of my favorites, Vienna. I mean who doesn’t love a good accordion solo.

With the exception of Sympathy for the Devil (great song!) and Street Fighting Man, this fell flat. It sounds like they’re trying too hard to be a honky tonk blues band and they’re missing the mark. Compared to those two standouts, the rest of the album just isn’t at the same level.

Man, I love Janis. She’s so raw and chaotic and messy and the music from BB & the Holding Company matches her to a tee. Her voice is outstanding and when she sings she gives you her whole soul, and you can feel it. Great album, I actually own this one. I was happy to see this on the list.

I’ll give it a 2 for creative effort but I did not enjoy this.

Much better than the last Talking Heads album we had. More upbeat and had a fun quirky sound. I enjoyed this one.

The first half of the album is stellar. Peak RHCP in my opinion. The band couldn’t be any tighter and Keidis sounds great. Flea is a standout killing it on bass - you can feel it in your chest. The second half is very good, probably could have been edited a bit, but still good. A big fan of this one.

This was terrible in an amusing kind of way. It was all over the place musically and the lyrics were something. It’s like he was making them up on the spot as he thought of what to say next. It was a good chuckle listening to though.

This album has some amazing, funky beats that became THE sound of the west coast rap scene. It also pretty much introduced Snoop Dogg to the world. He’s so smooth on this record, he just flows naturally. With the good, comes some bad - terrible lyrics and corny skits. Ugh.

This album was decent enough. It was more reminiscent of post punk for me than something released in the aughts. I thought the last song was the best.

I’m definitely not hearing what others are hearing. This was terrible.

Old school 80s rap with a relentless aggressive beat in every song and I mean that in a good way. Chuck D has a great in your face delivery on some heavy subjects with Flavor Flav serving as the quintessential hype man and comic relief. The timing and chemistry between Chuck D and Flavor Flav is tight and in sync. To me, the beats and scratching sound classic, not dated. They still serve their purpose and hit the way they’re supposed to. Great choice for this list.

The first time we got Arcade Fire I gave it a three because it was fine. There was nothing special about it but there wasn’t anything terrible about it either. After this second album with more mediocre music by them, I’m dropping it to a 2.

I didn’t get a chance to listen to Arcade Fire on Friday so Joe and I listened to it Saturday morning. And then we listened to this right after. 2+ hours of boring, depressing music was too much. This couldn’t end soon enough.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Nothing earth shattering but it was fun to listen to.

One of the things I loved about Unplugged was that artists and bands got to show how great their songs are when stripped down and performed in an intimate setting. I would love to see more of these on the list. Nirvana, which was such an in your face band musically, gave a subdued performance that was as compelling as their studio stuff. The acoustic arrangements showed a different side of the band but still had the same intensity and rawness. Great album.

Unlistenable. This got the “skipped most of the song” treatment on every song. Just couldn’t do it.

I’ve never heard anything by him before so I was interested in listening to it, but this just wasn’t for me. I didn’t connect with the music at all, just not my style. It was like R&B meets electronica. He has a great voice though.

This was not a delight. I recognized that one song from the 90s and the rest was just some other nonsense version of it.

I’m a fan of old school Prince. I had the posters on my wall when I was a young teenager. Saw him during his Purple Rain tour. He was fantastic. But the last album I bought from him in the 80’s was Around the World in a Day. He kind of lost me after that, due to changing musical interests on my part and his. I was not a fan of this one. He’s incredibly talented but this was not good in my opinion.

This is pure, fun early rock and roll. I can see why he was so popular back in the day. You can’t help but smile listening to this.

How were so many people involved in making such a terrible record and then so many listening to it and thinking it’s good. I’m baffled.

Joni Mitchell is one of the artists that I’ve become a fan of because of this list. One of the original singer songwriters, she has a beautiful voice and soothing piano and guitar playing on this album. The arrangements are simple and that allows her emotions and intentions to come to the forefront. It feels intimate rather than flashy and impressive, and as a result I can really connect with the music. I find myself listening to her on Spotify more and more.

I gave them a pass with two stars on the first two albums we had by them. I’m downgrading them to a one because I’m sick of hearing them on this list.

I love Ella Fitzgerald but 3 hours worth of Gershwin songs? No thanks. But she’s amazing and can sing anything and sound great.

Eh. Nothing special about this. I can see why he was overshadowed by the other rappers at the time.

A few great songs but more than a few were pretty slow and boring.

Some funky grooves, some great singing. Better than the first one we had by them.

Like an ice pick to the ear drum.

If the Bueno Vista Social Club was a real place, I would love to go have a cocktail and watch people far more coordinated than me do some Cubano dancing. This was a fun listen.

I liked the first few songs and thought I was going to be pleasantly surprised by this album. They had a nice flow/beat and a unique vibe and I was enjoying it. But it didn’t last beyond that. I don’t know if the songs became weaker or the sound just grew too repetitive, but the album quickly lost my interest and started to feel monotonous.

First few songs- this isn’t so bad. Rest of the album - oh, never mind.

This was a pioneering album for 1984 but it hasn’t aged all that well. With the exception of a couple of the songs, it sounds pretty basic these days. They made huge strides between this album and Raising Hell which still sounds great to this day.

The music was nice enough but his voice is just so damn depressing, even on the upbeat songs. Better than the last one though so giving it a 3.

Two in a row but at least we’re done with him now. I thought this was his best one, so at least there’s that. I enjoyed the music and his vocals were less dour.

This album was an experience for sure. One I didn’t really need to have. Perfect music for a seance or voodoo ritual if I ever find myself partaking in one.

I was expecting more from this album. I knew Get it On but hadn’t heard much else. And the reviews had me looking forward to it. It was fine, but it didn’t live up to the hype.

Come on, list. Do better.

This didn’t do much for me. The songs were typical 90’s angst and all sounded the same.

This was perfectly fine. Sounded a bit like Dad punk, if that’s a thing. The songs had plenty of energy, but a lot of it was pretty generic and blended together by the end.

Otis Redding has an amazing soulful voice that he is a master at controlling and using to express emotion. The songs are familiar and comforting, an instant stress reliever. You can’t help but be in a good mood listening.

I was never a fan of Don’t You Want Me. Turns out it was the “best” song on the album.

When I listen to an album this terrible, I think about all the people involved in the making of it and how not one of them thought this was a bad idea.

Almost two hours of funk and soul from the amazingly talented Stevie Wonder? Yes, please! I’ll gladly take it and tap my foot and bob my head the entire time.

This is by far the most fascinating story behind an album we’ve had on this list to date. If Spence only intended these recordings as demos, there is definitely potential to work some of these songs on the first half into a decent album. The second half is a hard no. Seems like the record producer is just trying to take advantage and push something out for money, which is shameful. Giving it a 3 because it’s an interesting listen to someone’s creation at a rock bottom point in their life and I think this could have been something better.

I wasn’t a fan of the vocals at all. I disliked the screaming and the breathy talking parts. Some of the songs just sounded like discordant noise passing as music. Wasn’t for me. Theyinspired a lot of great 90s alt rock and grunge, but those later bands did it way better in my opinion.

I’m starting to feel like an unwilling participant in this guy’s Britpop kink.

Take this review with a grain of salt as I was dozing in and out on the couch while listening to this. No clue how I was able to nap with the Beastie Boys playing in the background, but there you have it - I’m officially old. This was what I imagined it would be. Decent beats, some good samples, great rhymes (those I heard). It was a fun listen.

Some great blues and jazzy songs. Some of the slower songs were a little rough. Favorite lyric: Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk.

This was an interesting mix of all sorts of genres - blues, psychedelia, rock, and one awesome boogie song. Great guitar work by Jeff Beck early in his career. I enjoyed most of the songs, a good listen.

I was torn on this one. Definitely a 3, flirting with a 4 for a few reasons: there are some really good classic Who songs on here, I like the idea of a rock opera - something different and unique, and the musicianship is at a high level. On the flip side, there are some not so great songs on here and the execution of the rock opera concept isn’t always easy to follow. Unless you know the story, it can be hard to appreciate what’s going on. I actually listened to this one twice yesterday and after the second listen I’ve decided to round up to a 4.

This was good. There were some catchy tunes. I wish the vocals were pushed to the front more and not so obscured by the music. Not sure I’m understanding the hype though. I don’t know anything about them, but I feel like this style was so prevalent during the 2000s that maybe it just doesn’t sound as innovative to me.

My opinion of this band has not been suede after getting a second album of theirs within a week. Still a 2.

I’ve only ever heard the lore of Captain Beefheart, but never an album by him, so I was surprised when the first couple of songs were decent. But then it was like, ohhhhh, yeah, there it is. Rough.

A debut album that listens like a greatest hits album. I love everything about The Doors. I love the raucous organ playing, the jazzy drumming, the psychedelic guitar playing, and I love Jim Morrison. Like I said in my review of Janis Joplin, Jim is also raw and chaotic and messy. Is he a great American poet? No, but he can write a HELL of a set of lyrics and deliver them with passion and swagger. This is one of those bands I wish I could jump in a time machine to go back and see live. What an experience that would have been.

That woman on the cover of the album? Exactly how I felt when I saw Sonic Youth album #4 pop up.

I’m a fan of psychedelic rock/folk in general but I have never heard of these guys before and I can see why. They were fine but they are overshadowed by much better acts of that time. These guys also leaned more into the baroque sound, which sounds more dated than other psychedelic rock from that time. But I’m not mad at this. It was entertaining and I enjoyed overall.

The upbeat songs are the ones that shine on this album for me. Punk lyrics and vocals over acoustic instruments is brilliant. The slow songs are rough though.

I was disappointed with this one. I was expecting more based on reputation alone. The songs all blended together and felt repetitive and pretty boring. Just not my thing.

Smooth and cool and chill, albeit a little boring. Nice background music for Friday night drinks on the patio.

Since it wasn’t available on Spotify, I took the easy way out and just didn’t listen to it. But I already know it’s a 1 based on their last album we had a few weeks ago.

Neil Young never struck me as the beach going type and the album cover and lyrics to the title song aren’t convincing me otherwise. Neil is one of the best in my opinion and I really like this album, but I’m not convinced this one needs to be on the list. Between solo and band albums (including Buffalo Springfield) there are 8 albums from him. This list is too bloated with repeats. That said, I do enjoy this one. It’s a lot more subdued and foggy sounding than his other albums, but you still hear his song writing skill and his unique voice telling his unique point of view.

Good places to hear this music - getting a message, guided meditations, in bed as a sleep aid, yoga class, a planetarium. End of list.

This was…uhhhh….something. So different from his album we had yesterday, yet still so bad. Really hope we don’t get the trifecta today because I know there’s more coming.

The best dad soft rock! Or is it soft dad rock? Either way, solid album with solid hits on it. I’ve always had love for the Eagles.

This album is a great representation of the 80’s synth heavy pop with made-for-MTV looking band members. And they really did make some great videos in the early days of MTV, including Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf from this album. Flock of Seagulls was out there making videos with tin foil for their background while Duran Duran was filming in Antigua and Sri Lanka (yes I had to look up the locations). They understood the assignment. But they’re more than just a pretty face. Simon Le Bon has a legitimately good voice and John Taylor is great on bass. Not all the songs were winners but it’s a nostalgic fun listen. 3.5 stars.

I wasn’t as big of a fan of this one. I prefer her earlier albums with simpler folk music arrangements. This album leans more into experimental sounds and it didn’t connect with me the way the others do. Still a decent album though.

This was infinitely better than the first Beck album we got. This one had some uuumph to it. More upbeat, more groove. I was listening to this in the office so had ear buds in. The weird high pitched sounds and beeps right in my ear weren’t great but I’ll take this over that depressing shit on Sea Change any day.

This was awesome. Exactly what was needed on a Friday morning; a perfect pick me up to help get me going. What an amazing debut album - talk about introducing yourself to the world with a bang. A fun listen from start to finish.

I’ve learned from this list that I like 70s Costello far better. The three we’ve had from that decade have all been great. That one we had from the 80s not so much. His 70s style is energetic and catchy with a little punk underneath it. The songs may all sound a little similar but I like the sound, so I’m not mad at it.

I don’t take the right kind of drugs to listen to this music.

This album makes you feel like you’re in NYC in the 90s. The mood, the beats, the lyrics are all on point, and Nas is one of the best in delivering them. This is quintessential east coast rap.

Finally our first Beatles album after over 300 albums! And this album opens with one of the most recognizable chords in music. Great start. I love all the musical styles of the Beatles, including their early pop. This album has some great songs on it and shows the beginnings of their musical partnership in standouts like Hard Days Night, I Should Have Known Better, and Can’t Buy Me Love. But if we’re being honest, there are a decent share of filler songs on here that are good but not great. A 3.5 if I could but I’ll save my 4s and 5s for their later music.

I have a feeling this is going to be another Liege and Lief situation with our group review, but here we go. This is one of the few albums on the list (so far) that genuinely surprised me. Not knowing anything about this band I was fully expecting to dislike this, but that was not the case at all. It was such a strange fun mix of pop and disco and glam rock. Their cover of Comfortably Numb was fascinating…like The Bee Gees covering Pink Floyd. I flip flopped back and forth between hating it and laughing at it. Take Your Mama (great song) and Music is the Victim - I would swear they were Elton John collaborations if I didn’t know what album this was. A lot of their songs remind me of other artists I enjoy, so that may have influenced my reaction, but I really liked this. I thought it was a fun album.

One of the classic folk rock albums, full of amazing harmonies and well crafted lyrics. Some of my favorite songs are on this album - Suite Judy Blue Eyes, Helplessly Hoping, Long Time Coming, Wooden Ships. It didn’t need the 4 extra songs on the deluxe version we got on Spotify. The original is great on its own.

It’s funny. The first Beatles album we had opened with one of the most recognizable chords in music and now our second album ended with one. What can you say about this album that hasn’t been said already. Every aspect has been analyzed and discussed ad nauseam - its innovation, its concept, its musical and cultural impact and influence. In the end, can’t we all just agree that it’s genius.

I was sitting here struggling to come up with what to say about this album and I realized it just wasn’t worth the time anymore. It wasn’t great.

I just bought this record like 3 weeks ago to add to my Traffic collection. I love Traffic, mainly because I’m obsessed with Steve Winwood’s voice and piano/organ playing. Joe and I were lucky enough to see him in concert a couple years ago and he was fantastic. That voice is still there. This album is a great blend of rock and jazz, with a couple other genres thrown in for good measure. That first song is an incredible jam song. 7 minutes wasn’t enough. The whole album is great. I dig it.

Good, but I felt like it never really quite got to where it could have gone. A bit low energy and lifeless.

This album has an identity crises. It’s all over the map musically with nothing to tie it together. Individually some of the songs are good but they just don’t make sense together.

One of the reviews said this was Kate Bush’s most accessible album for new listeners. If that is the case, I can definitively say that she is not for me. Man that was bad.

This was fun until it wasn’t. Small doses of this is best.

Good bluesy southern rock. The live songs were a great addition. I’d be happy to hear something like this at the local dive bar drinking some beers on a Friday night after a hard week at work.

Aggressive beats and a solid delivery by Ice Cube but it gets a little tiring and repetitious.

One of those albums that could not end quick enough. Nothing redeeming about this to my ears.

When I was listening to this album i could tell something was not the same as the typical jazz music we hear. The rhythm was unique, giving the music a different personality. Reading the Wikipedia about him playing with unusual time signatures was interesting, explaining what i could feel but not necessarily name. This was a good jazz album. It’s not really my style but I appreciate it.

Marilyn Manson is a gross person who makes gross music.

Sounded very gritty and industrial. Like punk with some metal thrown in. Some songs were decent, most were not.

I finally got to see Van Morrison in concert a few years ago and he’s amazing live. The music is phenomenal with a talented band behind him who are much more than just a backup, but his voice is really the main event. It’s soulful, expressive, and smooth as silk, even as an older gent. He loves to improvise when he’s live and takes you places his studio songs don’t go. A real jazzy/bluesy jam session. All this to say, I bought this album a year or so ago because it was a live one. And it did not disappoint. A true representation of his talent and musicianship.

Good album. Chris Cornell is of course a phenomenal singer. But it went on too long and the other songs just weren’t as good as the hits.

This was a fun listen, heavy on the percussion and the call and response vocals. It puts you into a natural groove with its simplicity and repetition but does wear out its welcome after a while. I enjoyed it, something different from the usual suspects on the list.

This was a hair better than most of the electronica we get. That’s not saying much though.

This was fun in a campy, goofy kind of way. Dancing Queen was stuck in my head from the moment I saw this album come up. They can definitely write a catchy tune. It’s dated but it was a fun listen after a shitty Monday.

Wikipedia lists power pop as one of the genres of this album. That’s a pretty good name for this. It’s like a layer of pop over the top of alternate/grunge. It’s pretty unremarkable though. Not sure why it’s on the list.

Our fifth and final Sonic Youth album. Good riddance.