Great first track but I can do without track 3s bleating hipster incantations. Didn’t know where « very nice » was from though. Solid drum breakdown at the end though. Track 4 is why I haven’t listened to The Smiths until now. Proto-hipter pablum with elevatory chorus that grates the longer it goes on. Mercifully, the song ends before it goes anywhere as though they couldn’t be bothered to finish writing it. Track 5: great bridge that makes me think I’ll love the smiths. Solid chorus too. And I like his vocals on this type of track vs the next one, 6, where I feel like he erroneously gave a generation of plaintive hipster bands permission to be whiney. Track 6: notwithstanding the above, when he actually opens up and sings I like his voice (not the falsetto). Track 8: meh. I can’t believe anyone thought this chord progression was song worthy. Track 9: could definitely grow on me a lot, I like it already at first listen. Overall, I’m getting the sense that I like upbeat smiths. And loath their ballady stuff—I think I don’t believe the emotional feel / it has none. Conceptually sad, without any sadness. Track 10: case in point. Can’t stand the plaintive sadness, feels fake. Track 2: missed it earlier. I like this. More confirmation of I like upbeat smiths.

1) Yours is No Disgrace: Coming back to this after listening to the whole album, it is maybe the only song I truly like. While jam-bandy, it feels like it has progression/transformation, without being lame/cheesy, notwithstanding the key change towards the end. 2) The Clap: Would I rather contract the clap or listen to the Clap on repeat forever...Idk. 3) Starship Trooper: Too jam bandy by a mile, but I do like the outro guitar riff that starts around ~6 mins in. And then the guitar solo that comes in the last ~2 min, chef's kiss. And the drums just make it harder. Maybe the first half was worth it. After listening to the album through and coming back to this a second time: it's growing on me, a ton. There's more going on here than aimless noodling. Still kinda annoying at times early on, but the back half is fire. 4) I've Seen All Good People: I guess it would be worse if they couldn't play their instruments or sing. They're solid musicians but this is why I don't like jam bandy. 2nd listen: f'%k, even this song is growing on me. 5) A Venture: great opening, nice groove with good rythmic synch among the instruments. If this was the only jam bandy track on the album I'd love it. 6) Perpetual Change: I do not like this, even on 2nd listen. Comically bad lyrics and whatever the bridge thing is that sounds like a marching band takes over for 10 secs, just no.

I only got one listen of this and from a first listen I like it. I feel like it’s maybe hard to fully appreciate given how generative this feels like it probably was of so much that came after. Easily 4 great songs and other ms that may grow on me. 1) I wanna be adored: What luscious synths, they add such welcome nuance to an already great guitar backed drums classic intro. Don't love the singer's choice on vocal lines or lyrices, but solid first track. 2)She bangs the drums: interesting hearing this now, having heard much more of what came after. I don't love it, seems like a very early example of certain type of rock song that's now ubiquitous. 3) Waterfall: I like this. 4) Don't stop 5) Bye Bye Bad Man 6) Elizabeth My Dear 7) (Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister: this song is annoying--it's a certain type of poppy soft-rock that I don't like unless it's imbued with tons of feeling, which this is not. 8) Made of Stone 9) Shoot You Down: love the intro groove. 10) This Is the One 11) I am the Resurrection: great song. Among my favs on the album 12) Fools Gold: holy shit.

Somehow this album is both derivative and stuffed with classics. 4 of 11 tracks are covers and a 5th sounds like an outright copy. But then there's at least 3 all-time classics of their own--and one of those covers is arguably a classic in its own right. Honestly if they hadn't ripped off Little Richard, and hadn't included the bland "Ooby Dooby", this would be a 4 star album. Fogerty's solo on Ramble Tamble--and his vocals throughout are untouchable, but I never want to hear Ooby Dooby again--and f' 'em for stealing from Little Richard un-credited. Addendum: Apple music played a Chris Stapleton song after playing through this album, which feels about right. Stapleton's output now feels more obviously poppy than CCR, but seeing how many hits CCR covered, I think they were self-consciously pop-driven at the time. 1. "Ramble Tamble": great opening song. 2. "Before You Accuse Me": there's something off, in retrospect, about a bunch of white dudes getting big off of straight-up blues music. 3. "Travelin' Band": Sounds like a Little Richard rip-off. Well-done though. 4. "Ooby Dooby": derivative and forgettable. Oh, just realized it's also a cover. 5. "Lookin' out My Back Door": still a solid, classic song. 6. "Run Through the Jungle": one of my fav CCR songs, the vibe, the vocals and the harmonica, such a solid track. Side 2: 1. "Up Around the Bend": I've never really like this song. Idk, nothing really to it apart from a boring riff and a repetitive chorus. Were the feel right, that can be enough, but in this case the song never goes anywhere, and it just feels like a chorus played on repeat until it was time to fade out. 2. "My Baby Left Me": another cover? 3. "Who'll Stop the Rain" 4. "I Heard It Through the Grapevine": I wasn't sure this needed to be 11 minutes, but Fogerty's version is excellent. 5. "Long as I Can See the Light"

In high-school, I at least thought the singles were good--like I'd defend them to friends. But listening to this start to finish does it no favors: poor songwriting, weak rapping, and largely mediocre production. This gets 1 extra star for the singles, and because I always like Eminem--but that's generous.

Idk how to rate this. Not my thing--or maybe just not the right entry point into heavy metal for me, a genre I don't really know. Also, I haven't yet had the opportunity to blast this on my stereo. That may be what it needs. All that said, it's obvious in listening even on my headphones why some people love motorhead. Driving, powerful songs, and a sound that, at the time at least, was very original.

New band to me, though on first listen I recognized A Minha Menina, though maybe just because it's a cover. Overall, feels like a band with lots of potential, but a little to unfinished for my liking, but maybe that's just the psy-music vibe. Punchbag - this is a solid first track. Nice interplay of the intstruments, keyboard, drums, bass, and horn all working together. Even got a nice contribution to the groove from a triangle, which maybe a first. Writing this on my second listen and still wish they had a stronger vocalist, though I don't hate his contributions here...well, maybe, "use me like a punchbag" just doesn't fit with the overall groove, like someone just decided to sing some gibberish just because. Angryman - also a great vibe--and and again more contributions from a triangle, but I really want them to get a better vocalist. No Trophy - I'm not convinced by their attempt at dub. Feels like they got stoned and were like, we could play this, but it's mediocre. Binnel Bay - No. BS psy-rock stoner drivel. Sunshine - this is solid. I think they're at their best in instrument drive low-key vibes. Honestly, would like this to be longer some musical development, but otherwise good. A Minha Menina - can't complain, nice catchy groove and first time I haven't actively disliked the vocals. I can't place it, but besides actually being a cover this feels rhythmically like a cover of some alt group from the 90s, maybe Janes' Addiction--but I don't think that's right. This Town Sweet Like A Champion Lying In The Snow Zia - meh. This is a vibe track, but doesn't quite nail the vibe. Sky Holds the Sun - This gets the vibe better. The interplay of the rhythm section and the horns creates a great groove. But I could do without the vapid vocals. Seeds - liking the intro groove, but again I could do without the vocals. You Got to Leave - weird vibe change. Little bit of Lou Reed, little bit of White Stripes, little bit of please don't play this again. Elain Whistle Chop - I can get behind this. Has a psy-rock-jazzy vibe that I like. Drum line is nice 'n tasty. Maybe you need to be high to truly enjoy this album? Jackel Head - Out for the Count

God damn, I did not know what I was missing. There are some awesome, awesome songs on here. That said, there's some long-winded jam bandy stuff that lost me. Still, 4-stars for some outright classics, and for an album that I'm sure will grow on me with more listens.

I only got one full listen so far, but what a great album.

I tried to like this. I listened to it almost 3 times through, but it largely feels like an 80s rehash with some Daft Punk ripoff that we didn't need. 1. "Dreamin" - not bad, but not dying to play this again. 2. "Music Makes You Lose Control" - one of the better tracks 3. "Soft Machine" - feels like mid 90s rock meets EDM, like if Filter made a dance album 4. "Hypnotise" - I can def see the influence on what came later. Heavy 80s throwback but with a modern twist. One of the better tracks in some ways, though also kind of annoying. 5. "(Hey You) What's That Sound?" 6. "Take a Little Time" - Am I listening to a Madonna album? Not that I don't like it. 7. "From: Disco to: Disco" - If this is an ode to how much he hates disco, kudos. Most annoying track so far by a mile. I'd almost remove a star for this track alone. There's a repetitive whining wah sound that feels like it speaks for my soul being forced to listen to this all the way through. 8. "Brothers" - not sure we needed this 80s rehash. 9. MDC Vendredi - 9. "Jacques Your Body (Make Me Sweat)" - mediocre Daft Punk impersonation. 10. "About Funk" - no. 11. "Sometimes" - Also no. 12. "Damaged People"

Is there such a think as a perfect album? This comes close. One of the greatest musicians of the 20th century playing the apotheosis of the blues/rock he co-invented--it doesn't get better than this. The version of Mannish Boy on here is fire, as are like 4 or 5 other songs. The whole thing sounds like it was recorded live, and like your listening to it in a little concert hall, absolute gold.

This album starts with Walk On, which is confirmation of why I never listened to Young growing up. Man can't sing--not in any normal sense of it at least--and his guitar playing is meh. But as you go deeper, Wow. If ever there is proof that songwriting, and that the ability to imbue a song and its performance with feeling--with soul--is more important than chops, this is it. Even just 3 tracks in, Revolution Blues is got a classic laid back drivin' Young vibe. The next few tracks until On the Beach I can live without. But my god, absolutely floored by On the Beach: what a glorious bluesy lamentation. I could listen to this on repeat for days and it'd do my sould good. Rest of the album seems solid, but didn't get more than a first listen on this first pass.

I think this album deserves multiple listens, preferably on a rainy day where you have nothing else to do. Even over the course of a single listen, the moody ambiance grew on me. There are hauntingly beautiful moments even on first pass and I suspect a lot I’ll grow to love with more listens. Maybe I’m a Nick Cave fan now?

This album in particular--by one of the creators of what became Rap/Hip-hop, raises the question of do you rate based on historical importance, impact, etc., or on how much you actually like the music, today? This is a classic, important album, but I'm not sure it's stood the test of time. There's a couple tracks on here that will always be bangers at a party but otherwise I'm never likely to play this again.

Again I don't know where to land--obviously a hugely influential album, in particular to many subsequent bands that I grew up on and love. I think what surprised me the most was that I like some of tracks more than I expected. I'd always assumed Bad Brains was "just" punk, but the influences of funk and metal on this are interesting.