I enjoy both ambient and art rock and am obviously familiar with Brian Eno, so I thought this was a fitting first choice considering I hadn’t yet heard this album of his yet. There’s a lot of sounds here and it goes in many different directions. I was thrown off by the first track, but the album settled in nicely and offered an entertaining journey of rock and ambient sounds intertwined.
Some prime late 80s alternative / jangle rock right here. Everyone knows “It’s the End Of the World As We Know It”, but the rest of the album fits in quite nicely. I personally love the dulcimer on “King of Birds” and horns on “Fireplace”. To some this might sound like dad rock, but if that’s the vibe you’re looking for, you can’t do much better than this.
Hard to believe this is their debut, it sounds so polished and groovy. It’s Steely Dan, so you’re going to get clever yet philosophical lyrics, guitar and piano solos, interesting chord progressions, catchy hooks and melodies that will definitely put you in a good mood. While I prefer their later albums, this is surely a classic debut from a fun and interesting band with a very solid discography.
Classic 70s R&B soul music. Marvin Gaye is a top three singer of all time for me and this not a bad album at all. The baby making vibe can make it a difficult one to randomly throw on in certain situations, and the songs can blend together. It’s a solid album but nothing blew me away. 3/5
Never could get into Guns N’ Roses. With that said, you won’t find many more explosive debut albums with hits that even non rock fans are familiar with. From the moment the guitar comes in on “Welcome to the Jungle”, you know you’re in for a ride. I recognize the impact this album had for many listeners, but it just doesn’t do it for me.
I love this album, I was singing every word and I’ll listen again at work. Such good vibes throughout (mostly) and each song could be a single on their own. This had to be a pop giant at the time and started the album era. And I’ve always loved the “Rubber Soul” title, comedically acknowledging the elephant in the room and moving forward with their own sound. While the album is huge and sort of started their legendary run, I can’t give it a 5 because then what are Sgt Peppers, The White Album, Abbey Road? 7s? I feel their music continued to evolve on later albums.
I can dig it. I originally gave this a 2, but came back two months later and changed it after incorporating it into some of my daily mixes. It’s great for what it is, late 90s-early 00s hard pop rock. Maybe it’s nostalgia, but this album has held up better than a lot of others on here.
This was my first experience really listening to The White Stripes. Not bad garage/alt rock music, definitely heard worse. 16 songs at 40 minutes is very listenable and packs a punch, but can get redundant. It’s an ok album and adequate rock music, but nothing blew me away and I most likely won’t listen again aside from some songs. I think a 2.5 rounded up to a 3 is appropriate.
This was an interesting album I had trouble rating. Probably one of the more enjoyable thus far. The guitars were mesmerizing, vocals intriguing (especially Kim Gordon), and there were plenty of odd instrumental moments to get lost in. The whole album flows together well but also sounds different. This is that anxious, dark, moody indie/alt rock that’s addicting to some and feels like lightning in a bottle. I was not aware of Sonic Youth before and I can’t tell you any other music by them, but discovering an album like this is the reason I did this project. To be fair, I can see how other listeners may feel the vocals can get annoying, or the art/prog sounds too unappealing. Will it be a permanent staple in my rotation? Ehh - hard to say. Will be it my album of the month? Possibly. An easy 3.5 boosted to a 4.
I can understand the appeal: catchy pop/punk songs, glossy production, tight instruments, harmonizing vocals. Definitely some feel good tunes with an 80s summer vibe. That said, I felt it was underwhelming and generic pop music. I didn’t hate it, but likely won’t listen again. 2.5
I’m familiar with this album, heard it many times and am usually underwhelmed. This is a laid back, whitewashed blues cover album. As uninspiring as this album is, it has its moments: Motherless Child, Get Ready, Let It Grow are all tolerable. Not a fan of the I Shot the Sheriff cover, seemed random and out of place. If you want blues, there’s better out there. If you want Clapton, there’s better out there. If you want cover music, there’s better out there. This is ehh, a 2.
More derivative 70s blues hard rock by a bunch of white guys. I’m not sure what’s supposed to set this super-band apart from the rest of the scene back then. Amazing and technically sound musicians, Paul Rodgers has a great voice and the production is polished yet they still managed to somehow churn out forgettable music that I’ll most likely never play again outside of mainstream classic rock playlists.
My dad played this album a lot when I was young so there’s a sense of nostalgia: albeit, not necessarily a good one. This album always made me feel uneasy but I chalked it up to me being young, so I went into it with an open mind thinking I would understand it as an adult. Nope, still feels like I’m in a horror movie. The percussion sounds are like something out of a torture chamber, vocals like an insane patient, guitars distorted like a bad acid trip. Anytime this album goes on it feels like all the positivity in my life has been undone. But I guess the album did its job causing intense feeling, as opposed to my previous rated album that felt hollow and boring. Can’t say this is boring - not many other albums sound like this; it’s just a little morbid for me. With that said, I’ll give it a 2 based on acclaim and individuality. This is either you love it or hate it.
This was ok - solid enough but nothing to write home about. It became background music at one point but it was background music I could tolerate. I was more interested in the fact that this was produced by Brian Eno. I know this is a masterpiece to many but I start to lose interest after the first 3-4 tracks. I’m not sure I’d listen again outside of a few songs.
This was a fun discovery; it was my first time hearing it and there’s a lot to digest. A unique sound that sort of reminded me of The Doors. While it has some of that 60s psych jangle, there’s many other styles to explore here - a lot of variety on this album that makes it difficult to box into a single genre of rock. I’ll be giving this more listens. A 3 rating seems fair and I’m not surprised to read this was bumped off the list in later editions, but it’s a strong 3 for me.
2/5
Classic and polished folk rock with catchy harmonies and melodies. Songs like “Almost Cut My Hair”, “Woodstock”, “Everybody I Love You” offer some soulful and blues rock as well. Also, ten songs for about a half hour is always doable. As great as the personnel is there’s still an element about the music that’s forgettable and bland as it doesn’t standout to me aside from maybe a few songs. Not a fan of Neil Young’s voice either.
There’s something nostalgic about that 80s rap flow and beat. I grew up on hiphop but never got into the Beastie Boys as I used to think white rappers were all hype (yes, I’m white) and I wasn’t into the rock/rap/yelling mashup. And I’ll admit 80s rap has rough replay value as beat technology and flows advanced over the decades. But putting rock and rap together like this with a group of Jewish kids was obviously a multi-million dollar idea. Their bravado on the mic is unquestionable, their flows are tough and the samples spot on. Opening with Led Zeppelin’s drums from When the Levee Breaks was a great touch. With all that said, as an adult, rap doesn’t interest me anymore and the album can get noisy (I’m an old person yelling at the sky), and I’ll likely never listen again so I’m tempted to give this a 2.
More 70s artsy fartsy pop rock by a nasally white guy. This was my first time listening to Elvis Costello, though, I understand he has many more albums on this list so I guess I’ll get more acquainted with him. My biggest complaint is his voice. Otherwise, it’s decent pop rock. Catchy and tight music with clear and visual lyrics mainly about relationships, women, growing up and angst in general. The album’s good enough but not exactly memorable and I probably won’t return to it much. But yes, I understand this is near the apex of songwriting for many listeners.
Interesting choice to be on this list, but they rocked the fuck out with Gerry Roslie’s singing and yelling over guitars, pianos, saxes, drums, etc… very pleased hearing the saxophone throughout. Lots of high energy and raw music. My gripes are the low quality, only four original songs, short songs that remind me of 50s dance music, and I can’t help but feel they’re doing Little Richard or Chuck Berry impressions. Overall not bad, but the quality makes it unlikely to be replayed.
This was a nice way to start the morning. Some laid back country folk music (but really felt more like straight up folk) that made for a smooth and enjoyable listen. Emmylou Harris has a very pretty voice; you know it’s good when it evokes feelings and memories you didn’t know you had. Nothing stands out here - it’s decent, polished folk music with a good voice, but can get dull. I most likely won’t go out of my way to listen, but if it comes on I probably won’t turn it off.
I love this album. Opening with that saxophone on “Smooth Operator” is amazing and sets a great tone for the rest of the album. Sade is a beautiful singer whose soft voice perfectly complements the laid back jazz/rnb/pop music played by her smooth backing band. Top tier and polished 80s soul. 3.5
A little boring for me, but decent upbeat disco & funk music. We’re all familiar with “Good Times”, you can expect a similar vibe throughout the rest of the album. Some of the songs are on the long side. Pretty typical 70s-80s dance music.
I guess we can get these soul/pop cover albums out of the way. It’s sung well enough but sounds dated even by 60s standards. I can’t imagine I’ll revisit this album. Not sure it belongs on this list over other albums that have been removed. It’s still listenable, especially the jazz music.
“We are the robots” - Interesting music, my first time hearing this band. Unique in a good way. A lot of synths that have a bit of a chilling vibe to them. Can be very catchy too. Distorted and robotic voices everywhere. This is strictly electronic music. I can see how some may be turned off by this while others are addicted. I’m somewhere in the middle.
Folk & pop acoustic singer/songwriter vibes with decent singing. There’s also some soft synths, laid back electronic guitars, pianos, violin among others. Great to get lost in the hypnotizing guitars, soundscapes and lyrics. The chords and arrangements can be catchy. I’m not a fan of the spoken word type singing. While enjoyable, the music as a whole doesn’t totally pop for me.
This album is not easy to listen to. Track one is over 9 minutes of loud, static guitars with a voice that sounds like someone’s screaming in a cold basement; Religion 1 and Religion 2 have the same lyrics, one’s just acapella and two has music; the final track is nearly an hour long radio show. Just not very appealing at all. But you do get raw music with loud guitars, funky bass lines, and vocals that are very anti-establishment. Though, I thought the vocals were off putting and I couldn’t vibe with it…I couldn’t vibe with this album in general. I just don’t think I’m much of a punk fan.
Yeah, no, this is not happening to my ears and soul. I’m good on industrial and thrash metal.
4.5
Man the memories - I had this CD over 20 years ago, it’s still here somewhere. I played the hell out of it and am so happy to see it’s on this list, especially after two days in a row of 1 rating albums. The Low End Theory is so smooth and funky, I love the jazz samples and drums throughout that Q-Tip and Phife Dawg flow over with laid back ease using conscious lyrics regarding the entertainment industry, relationships, partying, society, etc. Their contrasting styles on the mic complement each other very well (the Abstract and the Concrete). Also shoutout to them for producing and writing most of the album themselves. And these beats are a little darker and harder than you’d expect, making them even more magnetic. This whole album of prime 90s east coast boom bap flows perfectly with not one skippable song. You can leave this on in the background all day and never get sick of it. Another perk of this project: it brings old classics and favorites back into your rotation. I guess the only thing keeping this from a pure 5/5 is the low fi, dated, muffled quality of sound.
3.5
This was a very exciting album, especially for 60s, and it still sounds pretty fresh today. I’ve always liked The Byrds and their psych folk rock style. They were a little experimental on this with reverse sounds and other electronic effects which fitted the album nicely. But nothing really sets this album apart from the rest of the decade - sort of above average.
4.5
This is probably Elton John’s masterpiece, and a masterpiece it is. Over an hour of pop rock ballads, and while not all may hit, there’s plenty here to enjoy. This may be long for some, but it’s enthralling and almost runs like a greatest hits album. He certainly has a lot of bravado in his voice and the music is so vast, clear and well played. Could probably trim a song or two off the track list to really make this special.
Brit pop based around ska, reggae, new wave, punk all produced by Elvis Costello. It’s an interesting listen and I’ll give it many more listens throughout the day, but my first few impressions were underwhelming, especially the vocals. The music wasn’t bad. I didn’t mind it, but I also found myself looking forward to it ending and was relived these 14 songs were only 45 min.
Entire album has catchy, loud, hardcore guitar riffs that can be enjoyable and get you hyped and in the zone. The lyrics and singing bring this down a bit for me, which is unfortunate because the music can be hypnotic and is very polished in general.
It’s ok, typical 90s rock that can get boring. Not terrible but not memorable. Close your eyes, pick a 90s alt/progressive band and it’ll probably sound like this. Nothing here moves me.
The music is great. The Spanish singing leaves something to be desired as an American listener. But the Afro-Latin based music is so fresh it’s hard to believe this is 1957.
3.5
Some raw, hardcore, electric blues, roots and psych rock with early Janis Joplin on the mic. Not the most polished album, but that’s sort of its appeal. This is a pretty good time capsule of that period. I’m such a sucker for the fuzzy/funky guitars, vibes and Joplin’s singing that I want to give this a 4, but I realize that’s a bit overrated; 3.5 is perfect. I also understand her voice isn’t for everyone.
Personal favorite of mine. Love the laid back, neo-soul, 90s RnB sound - a lot of gospel, blues, jazz and hiphop mixed together. There’s not a bad song on here. Very warm, relaxing, groovy and has a lot of depth compared to some other RnB.
I’m just not much into the classic Brit-pop punk scene. The singing is flat and goofy, and the music is just ok; it doesn’t blow me away. Idk why I just can’t connect with this.
Quintessential 80s that combines synth/electronics/rock/pop with echoing and vast vocals that don’t hit. While mostly enjoyable, it doesn’t have a lasting effect on me and made me want to listen to The Cure instead. There were some moments throughout where the music was captivating enough and allowed you to lock in, but probably not enough where I’d warrant listening to this entire album again.
60s folk/country/psych rock. Some songs are a hazy psych trip (The Wolf of Velvet Fortune), others more pop (Kentucky home). Music is enjoyable enough, lyrics are imaginative and introspective, the voice is clear, nasally and bouncy - overall it’s ok. I feel like this is a classic case of you had to he there when it was released to fully get its allure.
Very theatrical, orchestral type pop/folk music. It can come off a little pretentious and extra with all the dramatic strings, pianos, vocals; but it’s different than most music out there, and sets its own vibe. Though, sometimes it feels like it tries too hard for what it is.
Not interested in any kind of metal. I realize this is a major album and band for the genre, but I just don’t like thrash. Managed to listen to every song, albeit not all of them in their entirety, and it just doesn’t vibe with me.
I know this is a groundbreaking album and I respect the iconic music that changed the landscape of pop music forever; but the easy going pop music with dreamy vocals isn’t any more attention grabbing for me just because it’s high art and sophisticated music with immense production value and introspective/trippy lyrics. Though it’s still enjoyable and fun. But I more so understand how influential it was by inspiring the fully cohesive and concept albums that followed. Essentially, better albums have come since, but this was one of the first and can holds up well considering it’s mid 60s.
Such a cliche, honky tonk country album. The music isn’t half bad: the acoustic guitars, violins, banjos are all a nice touch. If this genre is your style, you can’t go wrong here.
Obscure punk music, tough to find and the music wasn’t really worth the search for and listening to on a different platform than my usual. There were some catchy parts, but the rest was just ok.
The Who’s debut…has intriguing drums and guitars throughout, but all in all not the biggest fan of The Who. I do respect them and enjoy some of their later stuff. This is a decent debut that’s made up of hard 60s pop rock - but it’s unlikely I’ll come back to this much.
It was ok, a little boring alt rock from the 80s. Definitely too long; 70 minutes of this is redundant. Diet R.E.M.-music. Throw it in the pile of below average albums that’ll be forgotten and never played again.
Boring white people making boring RnB rock music was all the rage back then. The album’s just ok I guess; but something just doesn’t hit. There’s nothing to set this apart from and expand on their peers; and it’s dreadfully boring. Vocals and guitars are forgettable. Another 70s album buried and never to be recovered.
3.5
This is an interesting album that wasn’t highly regarded during its time. I however enjoyed this slightly more than “Let’s Get It On”. Obviously a very personal album for him with poetic lyrics. But again, sort of like LGIO, a lot of the songs seem to blend together and don’t offer much variety. Though, I’ll always love “Is That Enough”.
It’s just so fresh and modern even by current standards. The music, voice effects, keyboards/synths, slang - everything about this album is fun, funky and unique.
Yes, please, and thank you…this is one of the 1089 I was waiting on; coming in early at number 50, it’s also my first 5 rating. I think we come here expecting every album to resonate like this, and well that’s why so many of us get disappointed.
So, where to begin? A double album of an hour and forty minutes of some of the greatest soul, R&B, funk music ever recorded. Not only is the music amazing, the influence it had on modern pop, R&B and rap speaks for itself (you can hear Mary J Blige, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, Ja Rule, Coolio, Will Smith among others who sampled and redid songs from here). The poetic lyrics discuss deep/relevant issues we can all relate to such as youth, growing up, love, parenthood, faith, politics, society; and are at the same time delivered by Stevie Wonder’s warm, smooth tenor voice. This is an instance where major influence meets high-quality art. A classic piece of music that you truly must hear before you die as it may cleanse your soul.
3.5
Is there a more underrated run of songs than tracks 1-5 on this album? I love Van Morrison’s warm, soulful voice and the folky/soul rock music that goes with it. I’m also a sucker for pianos and horns, which are pretty abundant here. It’s a little top heavy, as I start to lose interest deeper into the album.
Just not a fan of punk rock. It’s the vocals that kill it for me…usually sounds like some small, pasty guy with a pissy attitude whining in an echoey basement. A lot of angst and noise.
2.5
Uninspiring album, definitely not as good as his work with The Smiths, but I can bear it. The guitars and vocals flow well enough and can be easy and infectious to listen to. But I’m generally not a fan of an album full of this much depressing and pretentious music.
Doesn’t do it for me, but I can say it’s more than just noise and whines from another pissy bloak. I know the Richey Edwards story but his work is usually too dark, manic and depressing for my taste, yet he’s somehow able to make music that isn’t bleak on the surface and can give you a decent ride through his mentality and lyrics. I also understand there are people who deeply connect with this. But to me, it can come off as just another average hardcore punk/britpop rock band with a tortured singer that doesn’t stick out and make me come back to it.
I thought I knew every obscure rap album back in the day; this one slipped by me. All the magazines I’ve read, message boards I’ve lurked, documentaries I’ve watched - this album was never mentioned. Experimental, jazzy type hiphop with average to below average lyrics and flow. I might have liked this when I was younger, but now it just feels awkward to listen to.
Fuck yes! Best find so far at number 56! Something different than the obscure & boring britpop and other old pop rock bands that are all over this list. This album looks familiar though I don’t believe I’ve heard it before. Some dreamy, electro, chill wave, psych pop…what could go wrong? It’s not all electronic either as they also incorporate a lot of live instruments. Great all around downtempo vibe to sit back and chill to.
Not bad. Some of it can be catchy enough. But all in all, this singer/songwriter vibe isn’t for me.
I don’t even know where to begin. What can you say about this album that hasn’t already been said over the last 50+ years? I guess for me it all started in 2020 when I went through my Sgt Peppers phase. My mom was a typical beatlemania girl you’d see screaming on tv in the 60s, so I heard this album plenty growing up but it never really resonated with me until I matured and started reevaluating my taste in music. Once I hit 30 and started actively listening to Sgt Peppers, I understood the fuss. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t just being influenced by mainstream pop culture hype or mob mentality, but if I can recite nearly every lyric to every song, it must’ve resonated with me. We know the hits and it starts out with four right in a row, but the deep tracks like She’s Leaving Home, Mr. Kite, Within You Without You, Lovely Rita are staples as well. And then there’s that final track that convinces you of the album’s genius if you weren’t sold before. Mind you I’m listening in 2020 and beyond, I can’t even imagine the impact this had in 1967. The thing about this album (and The Beatles in general) is that the first time you hear it, you’re surprised how many songs you’re already familiar with. Songs from ‘67 that are still relevant pop music today is quite the sentiment. My only complaints are couldn’t they have just included Strawberry Fields & Penny Lane; and this doesn’t hit me quite like their others (looking at you Revolver and Abbey Road).
Wasn’t bad but it didn’t blow me away. The music was good enough but lacked something to be desired as it felt rather boring and derivative. Another likely one and done listen.
It was ok. Nothing I’ll come back to.
Technically sound music that doesn’t set itself apart from its peers. There’s no reason to listen again. Yes, I understand its influence especially for britpop, I’m still not interested.
1.5
I don’t like Dylan’s distinct & nasally style of singing. Never have. His music in general is overrated and boring to me, which is unfortunate because I’m going to assume the editors on this list slurp up Bob Dylan and put many of his albums on here. Also, a double album at 90 minutes of him live is ridiculous and calling it a chore to listen to is an understatement. Even though I’m not a Bob Dylan fan, I can understand why he has multiple albums on this list; I just don’t know why this is one of them. 1.5 rounded up to a 2 because I’m nice.
2.5
Even as someone who never got into U2, their albums are easy to listen to. Nothing about their music sticks out and makes me want to come back to it, but it’s easy to throw on in the background when I’m doing something or entertaining guests. I did enjoy this more than their previous album I reviewed (Joshua Tree), but still pretty bland for my taste.
1.5
Interesting concept for an album. Complex and some shock rhymes with 90s NYC boom bap beats - but complex rhymes doesn’t always mean good music (looking at you Eminem!).
Some laid back folk/pop rock. Not what I expected from The Velvet Underground as this was my first time listening to them, but it was ok. Hard to believe this is 1969 as it sounds pretty fresh to this day - smooth, laid back clear production and vocals. However, there’s nothing here that sticks out to me and I’ll likely never revisit. It’s fine to have on in the background while I’m doing something else.
3.5
Soul, funk, psychedelia…all of which I appreciate in spades. But for some reason this didn’t stick out to me on my first listen. I like this genre in general so this will stay in my library and get more listens in the future, but the music just started to feel repetitive here.
3.5
Why a 3 you may ask? Well, sounds a little dated; and Morrison comes off a little pretentious at times. I enjoy The Doors, and this album is no exception especially since it’s a trailblazer for modern psych records of its time, but it just doesn’t quite strike a cord for me like it does for others.
A psychedelic concept album from the 60s. While I enjoyed the album, the psych rock genre was definitely the “it” genre at the time that many rock bands were emulating, so sometimes these 60s albums can sound redundant, especially when accompanied by flat voices. But this one at least has a different take on the genre by making a psychedelic rock opera.
Pretty good and catchy music. Typical 60s type stuff.
Great soulful voice with polished production. Diet Michael Jackson on the mic.
Not bad. Kind of boring, doesn’t stand out. Most likely won’t listen again.
3.5
This was pretty good. I never listened to Bowie before, this was my first. For an experimental album, it’s a pretty easy and enjoyable listen. I’m also partial to electronic and ambient music, but there’s still hardcore guitars like in Be My Wife, as well as pianos, harmonicas and other live instruments so it’s a good mix. Very interesting melodies and sounds that makes for an overall very theatrical sound.
Punk doesn’t do it for me…bunch of whiny rebels for no reason, reminds me of a boring, gray, rainy day. There’s no connection with my soul. The music sounds like noise and the vocals are off pitch with a drunken, sloppy, British accent. There’s no soul here, nothing catchy. The whole 70s Brit punk scene is so derivative…from album covers, to music, to image, to content. I’m surprised this stuff surged in America where we had real live soul, funk, rock, pop, rnb going on.
It’s ok. Pretty standard rock album with songs that start to blend together. Doesn’t set itself apart from its peers.
I don’t like my music to be angry, weird, demonic. This is an album I won’t listen to in order to protect my soul and mental state. That said, it’s always interesting when an album from the lowest rated list pops up, so you’ve got to give it some spin. Unfortunately, after giving it a chance, it only solidified that my rating will not help their average score here.
Their debut, can’t grow up in the 2000s and not know this album. It’s something different which is nice, variations of rock, rap, pop all mixed together. With that said, I wouldn’t put this with my other 4s. ‘Tis a bit lower, in my opinion.
Damn such a great album..the final of their legendary four album run and arguably their best (though I might prefer Let It Bleed). So many great hard blues rock songs on here. I used to listen to this album a lot back in the day, the same as when I went through a Sgt Peppers phase…there’s actually times when I’d rather listen to Exile over Peppers (I know two completely different albums). This is one I can play all the way through with no skips. There’s just so much music in nearly every track; so much so you can barely make out what Mick’s saying.
Aside from Radiohead and Hendrix, there’s probably not another artist I’m more biased towards. I love Bob Marley’s entire catalogue and it’s usually the playlist I throw on when I don’t know what to listen to or when I’m in a rut. And I know there are a lot of folks who might respect Bob Marley but don’t really seek out reggae, which is understandable, I remember when my good friend in middle school introduced me to him, I was like “you listen to reggae?” But it didn’t take long for me to become a fan as well. I realize this makes Bob Marley more nostalgic for me, I acknowledged my biases here, but this is another I can listen to all the way through with no skips. He makes political songs, spiritual, good vibes, and the elite music accompanying it all makes this special. And it tends to always bring a warm vibe.
3.5
I love REM, but there’s something about their music that epitomizes a 3 rating. It’s good music with great and introspective lyrics but sometimes they can sound very 80s-90s jangle/pop rock, though this album was a little more experimental which is cool. Still very solid mainly carried by the first half of the album, in my opinion.
2.5
It’s supposed to be in your face and uncomfortable. And Ice Cube definitely kills it if you can bear his beyond gritty and abrasive lyrics. At least you get lyrics that are clear and will challenge you and aren’t mumbling all about fuck bitches, get money, violence, drugs. While these topics are touched on, it feels more like a report of what’s going on by an angry, articulate, and very observant brother. Also gotta respect the production by the Bomb Squad.
Well that was an interesting listen. They somehow managed to mush like five different genres together. I originally thought I was going to be a big fan of this album, but then things got a little too experimental with Aumgn and Peking O - two songs which takes up about 30 minutes. Everything else is pretty interesting, though.
90s alternative pop rock with some atmospheric and fuzziness feels to it. Not sure if I’d listen again, though. A little on the boring side, nothing really makes me want to come back to it. I feel like this album was more a product of its time and didn’t age particularly well.
As a millennial, I’m well aware of this album which is why it’s difficult for me to be objective since this still sounds like teenager music, making it less appealing as an adult. However, listening to it, I’m immediately transported back to 2004…I guess that’s what good music does. Definitely above average when compared to many other albums on here.
Kind of boring. Not much else to say here. On to the next one. Peace!
I’m not really a fan of country. Plus it’s an album of covers. Not a fan of Johnny Cash either and the songs here are boring and repetitive. Next!
2.5
The music is great and hypnotic; would’ve preferred this to be an instrumental album.
Always a fan of jazz rap, and anything produced by Prince Paul really. This was really a precursor to 90s jazz rap and a great alternative to hardcore/gangster rap. I’m also extremely biased based on their samples like Steely Dan and Hall & Oates. It’s just an all around fun and good times record that’s great to throw on when you’re looking for some laid back good vibes due to the positive lyrics and funny skits.
Very fitting selection for 12/25. Any other day it’s probably a 2 for me. But today, I’ll give it a 3 - I put this one while my kid opened presents and for the car ride to the holiday party- it set the vibe perfectly. This is a holiday staple and should be in all holiday rotations and playlists.
