Christine's Tune - Interesting Rock/Country fusion. Other than the instrumentation, it's somewhat forgettable. 6/10. Sin City - Good musicianship, not my favorite genre. 5/10. Do Right Woman - Good musicianship, not my favorite genre. 5/10. Dark End of the Street - Excellent guitar work, pedal steel is very nice. Lyrics are repetitive, mostly a forgettable song. 6/10. My Uncle - Excellent guitar work, pedal steel is very nice. Lyrics are repetitive, mostly a forgettable song. 6/10. Wheels - Interesting instrumentation. 5/10. Juanita - Formulaic Country song. 5/10. Hot Burrito #1 - Good musicianship, just not my style. 5/10. Hot Burrito #2 - Forgettable. 4/10. Do You Know How It Feels - Meh. 4/10. Hippie Boy - Sounds like a hippie's parody of Gospel music. And not a good one. 2/10.

Looking forward to this, because I love Joni Mitchell. Court and Spark - 7/10. Very solid, typical of Ms. Mitchell's work, rich vocals, simple harmonies. Help Me - 10/10. Rich, velvety sound. This song is one of the reasons I love Joni Mitchell. Free Man in Paris - 8/10. Very pure vocals, simple melody and harmony. People's Parties - 8/10. Nice bass work, excellent guitar, vocals use a lot of nice changes of pace. The Same Situation - 7/10. I would have liked this song better if it had stayed nothing more than Joni Mitchell and a piano (like the beginning). Car on a Hill - 7/10. Very much the same as the other songs on the album. Down to You - 8/10. Captures the feeling of being lonely well. A little over-instrumented in places. Just Like This Train - 8/10. Very similar to the rest of this album. Raised on Robbery - 8/10. More upbeat than I'm used to from Joni. Feels very 1950s rock to me. Trouble Child - 7/10. Good, but not great. Twisted - 10/10. Jazz feel. Not at all what I expected, and I like it.

I looked at the track list for this album, and knew this would be a banger. Cinnamon Girl - 10/10. Classic Crazy Horse. Everybody Knows this is Nowhere - 9/10. More restrained than Cinnamon Girl, but that's no complaint. Round and Round (It Won't Be Long) - 8/10. More pure folk rather than folk-rock. Neil Young does this well, but he's better when he embraces the rock fusion. Down By The River - 10/10. One of Neil and Crazy Horse's best. I can't believe anymore that I once didn't care for Neil's singing. The Losing End (When You're On) - 8/10. Elegant in its simplicity. Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets) - 8/10. Great tune, chord progression sets the mood VERY well. Excellent composition, good instrumentation, Does Neil Young ever miss? Cowgirl In The Sand - 10/10. Great guitar work, Classic Neil Young vocals, incredible guitar solo in the middle. This is what truly great music sounds like.

This is one of the great albums (although I actually prefer Dark Side from Floyd). In The Flesh? - 10/10. The guitar intro is iconic. The vocals are tight. A perfect track to start an album. The Thin Ice - 8/10. Impeccable musicianship. Very simple. Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 1 - 10/10. Sets up themes of loss and loneliness. The Happiest Days of our Lives - 10/10. Another Brick in the Wall Part 1.5. Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2 - 10/10. If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding. How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat? Great chord progressions, and that guitar outro is one of the most recognizable riffs in the history of rock music. Mother - 10/10. The cool-down piece needed after the peak of ABitW 2. Perfection isn't when there's nothing left to add, but rather when there's nothing left to take away. Goodbye Blue Sky - 10/10. The ominous synth in the bass really puts a jarring contrast to the simple guitar line, but it fits the lyrics. That juxtaposition speaks to me as a veteran, having seen the cost of war in real-time. Empty Spaces/Young Lust - 7/10. Putting these together because they belong together. A great pair of songs on their own, but actually weaker when placed in the context of the album. Fills the same story purpose as Acid Queen from Tommy, but, in my opinion, not as well. One of My Turns - 8/10. As someone who struggles with depression, this song definitely hits me hard. Roger Waters understands depression so very well. Don't Leave Me Now - 8/10. Welcome to the depths of what depression does to someone. Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 3 - 10/10. This is exactly how depression feels. Goodbye Cruel World - 9/10. Retreating behind the wall. Heartbreaking in its simplicity. Hey You - 10/10. I always liked this song, I always thought it was a call out to the lonely and depressed, but placing it in context with the rest of the album, it's even better and is bringing me to tears. Is There Anybody Out There - 9/10. My thoughts ask this question every time I get a depression flare up. Nobody Home - 9/10. That piano intro is amazing. Somehow the music is triumphant, but the lyrics are still mired deeply in despair. Vera - 8/10. Solid, but on the weaker side of the album. Bring the Boys Back Home - 8/10. Solid, but on the weaker side of the album. Comfortably Numb - 10/10. Only because I can't rate it higher. One of the top 5 guitar solos of all time (Sultans of Swing from Alchemy Live, Stairway, Don't Take Me Alive, Little Wing by Hendrix). The Show Must Go On - 6/10. An interlude that seems to have little connection with the previous song or the next song. In The Flesh - 9/10. Same intro as the opening of the album, but this is longer. from 2:34 it sounds like what's happening in the US right now (October 2025). Run Like Hell - 10/10. A great song that gets even better in the context of the album. After the overtly Fascist lyrics of the last song, the urgency of this song is even more fitting. Waiting for the Worms - 9/10. A background of goose-stepping Fascist Stormtroopers undergirds the lowest point in "The Cult of Pink." Very effective piece. Stop - 8/10. And the main character's morality awakens. Again, the simplicity comes through. The Trial - 10/10. Even more than anything that has come before, this is exactly what Depression feels like. TEAR DOWN THE WALL! Outside The Wall - 10/10. Oh. Oh. That must be what the people who love people with depression feel like.

This is not my usual style of music. The whole album sounds like pretentious, overmixed, coffee-house hipster music. Bittersweet Symphony - 8/10. I mean, I liked the accompaniment better when it was The Last Time by The Rolling Stones. That said, this is a great song. Only gets an 8 because they ripped off The Stones (although there are worse bands to rip off). Sonnet - 5/10. "Don't sound like no sonnet." Neither does this. Good musicianship, lyrics are OK, if a bit repetitive without a reason. The Rolling People - 3/10. Forgettable mid-90's grungeish rock. Not terrible, but not great either. Should have been about half the length. The Drugs Don't Work - 1/10. Save me from early 20's angst from the late 90's. Catching the Butterfly - 2/10. Forgettable and overly long. Solid musicianship, just not to my taste. Neon Wilderness - 3/10. At least it isn't too overly long. Not a fan of experimental 90's music. Space and Time - 5/10. On the stronger side of this album, good musicianship. Weeping Willow - 5/10. Decent. Not good, not bad, just decent. Lucky Man - 3/10. Meh. Much like the rest of the album. One Day - 3/10. Meh. Much like the rest of the album. This Time - 3/10. Meh. Much like the rest of the album. Velvet Morning - 2/10. Pretentious, overmixed garbage. Come On/Deep Freeze - 2/10. On par with the rest of the album. Four minutes and still no "bonus track." Overall rating - 1/5

This is another one I looked forward to getting. I haven't listened to a lot of U2 outside of the biggest hits. This is early U2, and I can hear a lot of the foundations of their later work. Sunday Bloody Sunday - 10/10. Iconic drum fill to start it off, young Bono has a great voice. I am familiar with the "Bloody Sunday" protests, one of the reasons why my generation can't solve the Irish Troubles. The cry for peace and understanding is deep in my heart. Seconds - 8/10. Early U2 has a very unique, simple sound (not a bad thing). Another song calling for understanding and peace, in this case against Nuclear War. New Year's Day - 10/10. Such an incredible opening. This song never gets old. The keyboard work is phenomenal, the vocals are haunting, and the guitar is iconic. Like A Song - 8/10. The opening drums sound like someone pounding on a door, which fits well with the theme of the album. Young Bono still crying out for peace. "Angry words won't stop a fight." So very true. Drowning Man - 8/10. Very much a change in feel from the first part of the album. The repetition in the lyrics makes sense thematically here. The Refugee - 7/10. Not the sound I'm used to from U2. Good but not as good as the rest of the album. Thematically it fits, though. Two Hearts Beat As One - 7/10. I like the introduction. Good melody, not as thematic with the rest of the album. Red Light - 8/10. I can hear some of the foundations of later U2 in this song. Surrender - 7/10. Great guitar tone, good vocals, solid song. 40 - 9/10. This would be a 7, but in the context of closing this particular album with a song this peaceful, it is elevated. Overall Rating - 4/5.

My first foray into Hip-Hop in this journey. Very much not my usual genre. Intro - X/10. Not rated, played like a gameshow introduction. (3 is) The Magic Number - 8/10. Nice beat, a bit meta and very intelligent lyrics. I like it. Change In Speak - 7/10. Good beat, I like the backing music. Solid groove. Cool Breeze on the Rocks - X/10. Not rated. Gameshow Interlude. Can U Keep a Secret - 7/10. Good groove, lyrics fit with the title of the song. Jenifa Taught Me - 7/10. Another nice groove. Ghetto Thang - 7/10. Surprisingly, I find a lot of similarities between this and Elvis Presley's "In The Ghetto." Transmitting Live From Mars - 5/10. Not bad, but not as good as the previous tracks. Eye Know - 9/10. Smooth groove, and they're sampling Peg by Steely Dan and Sitting on the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding. These gentlemen have taste. Take It Off - 4/10. Not a fan of this one. A Little Bit Of Soap - 6/10. Nice sample of Stand By Me. Tread Water - 6/10. Another smooth groove, which they seem to specialize in. Potholes In My Lawn - 8/10. This has me doing a little dancing in my chair as I listen. I like it. Say No Go. - 7/10. Another smooth groove. Using the words almost as another instrument. Do as De La Does - 6/10. More of an aggressive groove here than what's come before. Not bad. Plug Tunin' - 7/10. Back to the smoother grooves, and I like it. De La Orgee - 4/10. Significantly more ... explicit than what's come before. A bit jarring. Buddy - 6/10. More on the explicit side, but also more subtle about it, so I don't mind it. Description - 7/10. Smooth and back to the fun of the early part of the album. Me Myself and I - 6/10. Very nice groove, mix might be a little too heavy on the music, lyrics aren't as easy to pick out as I'd like. This is a Recording 4 Living in a Fulltime ERA - 6/10. Very typical of this album. I Can Do Anything - 5/10. Meh. D.A.I.S.Y. Age - 6/10. Smooth and simple. Overall Rating - 3/5. Solid album.

While I haven't listened to the whole album before, It's Hendrix. Also, I found out looking at information, that three of the four members of Traffic are playing on this album. Yowza! ... And the Gods Made Love - 3/10. Weird, experimental, and psychadelic. Not a fan. Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland) - 8/10. This is what I expect from the softer side of Hendrix. Crosstown Traffic - 10/10. One of the classic Hendrix songs. incredible guitar work, very good singing, tight from the whole band. Voodoo Chile - 10/10. Classic Blues progression and style, but with an electric, psychadelic edge. Insane guitar solo in the middle. Of course, I could sum up all of that with the two words "It's Hendrix." Little Miss Strange - 9/10. This song cooks! A little off-mix to my taste, though. Long Hot Summer Night - 10/10. Classic Hendrix sound, and I love it. Come On (Let the Good Times Roll) - 10/10. Another insane Hendrix cover, this time of Louis Jordan. Hendrix with a guitar is something more than human. If I allowed myself higher than 10/10, this would get it. G**** Eyes - X/10. I won't rate this one because of the ethnic slur in the title and lyrics. Outstanding song otherwise, though. Burning of the Midnight Lamp - 9/10. Classic Hendrix sound, mix is a little vocal light for me. Rainy Day, Dream Away - 9/10. Simply beautiful, blues style with a Hendrix twist. Virtuoso playing. 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be) - 9/10. Love the guitar intro. Atmospheric and beautiful. This is the REAL Hippie Jam Band music. Moon, Turn the Tides ... Gently, Gently Away - 3/10. Not sure what the point of this is. Still Raining, Still Dreaming - 7/10. More of the classic Hendrix sound. Basically, Rainy Day Dream Away Part 2. Solid and tight. All Along the Watchtower - 10/10. One of the few covers that is better than the original. Up there with Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt, Aretha Franklin's RESPECT, and Joni Mitchell's cover of Both Sides Now. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - 10/10. So crunchy on the guitar. This has always been the definitive version of this song in my mind. The only other version that comes close is SRV. Overall Rating - 5/5. This was close enough I had to average the ratings out. The two really weak tracks almost dropped it to a 4/5, but it ended up EXACTLY 9/10 average. Two insane covers and a lot of iconic Hendrix sound. We lost you too young, Jimi.

I've listened to her father, Joao Gilberto a bit, and I tend to like Bossa Nova style music, it reminds me of the old-school Cool Jazz I used to listen to growing up. I'm sure that I would have more detailed notes if I understood Brazilian Portuguese. Samba de Bencao - 9/10. Smooth and silky with a little bit of a 21st century touch. August Day Song - 9/10. Not much to be said beyond silky smooth Bossa Nova. Tanto Tempo - 8/10. Sem Contencao - 8/10. Upbeat and peppy while still being simple and clean. Mais Feliz - 8/10. Alguem - 8/10. So Nice (Summer Samba) - /10. This one's in English, and it's ... so nice. Lonely - 8/10. Bananeira - 9/10. Samba E Amor - 10/10. I would point someone to this as an introduction to Bossa Nova. Close Your Eyes - 9/10. Bossa Nova can be a little repetitive, but it works in the style. Overall Rating - 4/5. When I saw the name "Gilberto" I knew what to expect. I was not disappointed.

I've been listening to Creedence for most of my life. Born on the Bayou - 9/10. Great guitar intro. This is a classic. Maybe not quite at the level of Fortunate Son or some of their other greats, but it's close. Bootleg - 7/10. Solid song. Great tone, the singing we expect from John Fogerty. Graveyard Train - 7/10. Some really good blues rock. Nice walking bass line, very simple. Good Golly Miss Molly - 8/10. Nice sound on this one. Classic cover. Nice guitar work in the Bridge. Penthouse Pauper - 8/10. Nice guitar work, good overall tune. Proud Mary - 10/10. A real classic. No notes for improvement. Keep on Chooglin' - 8/10. A bit long, but I like it. Overall Rating - 4/5. Solid album from CCR.

A lot of songs I'm not familiar with on this album. Back In The Saddle - 8/10. Very recognizable intro. Classic Aerosmith sound. Great outro. Last Child - 8/10. Didn't know the title of this one, but as soon as I heard the intro, I recognized it. More classic Aerosmith. Rats in the Cellar - 7/10. Solid classic rock. Hadn't heard this one before, but it's good. Combination - 6/10. Not the strongest, but not bad. Sick as a Dog - 7/10. Solid. Classic Aerosmith musicianship. Nice bridge. Nobody's Fault - 7/10. More of that typical Aerosmith sound. Not a complaint. Get the Lead Out - 7/10. Nice intro. Solid song. Lick and a Promise - 8/10. This one kinda cooks. Home Tonight - 6/10. Not the best, but not bad. Overall Rating - 4/5. Definitely a solid album.

No idea what to expect here. Honey - 6/10. Interesting intro. Not a bad song. Experimental Euro-pop isn't my usual taste, but I can appreciate the work of it. Come Down Softly To My Soul - 6/10. Solid work here. Mix is a little light on vocals, but interesting music. Good composition. How Does It Feel - 4/10. Good, if a bit repetitive, music with poetry spoken over it. Has a little bit of pretentious, coffeehouse feel (but with better music). I Believe It - 5/10. Weird, not bad, just weird. Revolution - 5/10. A very different feel from what has come before on this album right from the top. Again, not bad, but definitely different. Let Me Down Gently - 5/10. Weird. Not bad, just weird. So Hot (Wash Away All of My Tears) - 6/10. Something of an old-school, simple feel. I like it. Suicide - 5/10. Disconcerting at the beginning, but that fits with the track title. Strange jam, but not bad. Lord Can You Hear Me? - 7/10. A moment of peace which is definitely needed after that last song. Che - 7/10. Reminiscent of the better psychadelic rock of the last 60's and early 70's. May The Circle Be Unbroken - 6/10. An interesting take on the Gospel classic. Flying Burrito Brothers, THIS is how you do Hippie Gospel music. Overall Rating - 2.82/5. This whole album sounds like music I'd hear in Earthbound.

Old-school Blues? Count me in. I Got My Brand On You - 9/10. Classic Blues music. They style is a bit repetitive, but it fits the style. Great Blues by one of the all-timers. I'm Your Hooche Coochie Man - 10/10. I've heard covers of this that are more upbeat, but I prefer this one. Baby, Please Don't Go - 9/10. Simple and clean. The simplicity gives the musicians nowhere to hide a mistake. But these guys don't need to. Soon Forgotten - 8/10. Incredible piano playing in the background. I want to make sure that gets noted in my listening notes, but the rest of it is so good that it might get missed. Tiger In Your Tank - 8/10. More upbeat and jazzy. Damn, but this man is outstanding. I Feel So Good - 9/10. There's not much more I can say than to say that I know how much effort it takes to sound this effortless. I've Got My Mojo Working - 10/10. Classic Blues. Muddy Waters is one of the best at it. Goodbye Newport Blues - 8/10. Clean and excellent. Overall Rating: 4.44/5 (8.88/10). Perfection isn't when there's nothing to add, it's when there's nothing to take away.

Mid-career U2. This should be fun. Zoo Station - 7/10. Harder than a lot of what we heard on War. Solid musicianship, as we expect from U2. Even mediocre U2 is good. Even Better than the Real Thing - 7/10. Interesting start to this song. This has the smooth vocals and slick instrumentals I expect from U2. One - 10/10. This is one of the all time great U2 songs. Until the End of the World - 7/10. Good stuff. Not much to say, it's typical U2. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - 7/10. I hate to put it like this, but it's generic U2. It's exactly what you would expect from U2 outside of the big hits. So Cruel - 6/10. Solid U2. Good music, good vocals, nothing to really stand out. Could stand to be about a minute and a half shorter. The Fly - 8/10. This is a hidden gem. I like this one. A little more edge to it than the "generic" U2. Mysterious Ways - 9/10. This is one of the songs I think of when I think of U2. That said, it's a step beneath songs like Sunday, Bloody Sunday, or One, or Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World - 7/10. Smooth and silky. Ultra Violet (Light My Way) - 7/10. Solid. Acrobat - 7/10. Again, it's good "generic" U2. Love Is Blindness - 7/10. Solid, but not standing out. Overall Rating - 3.71/5 (7.42/10).

Don't know what to expect here. Cracking - 5/10. Not bad. A little bit of coffeehouse poetry vibe, that I find slightly unpleasant, but the music is decent. When she sings, it's not bad. Freeze Tag - 6/10. Simple instrumentation, basic chord structure, no-frills music. I like this better than Cracking. Marlene On The Wall - 7/10. Again, simple, no-frills music. I like it. Small Blue Thing - 6/10. Nice and simple. Straight Lines - 8/10. Nothing left to take away. Undertow - 6/10. Simple and clean. Some Journey - 6/10. Clean and simple. The Queen And The Soldier - 8/10. Very well done. Knight Moves - 6/10. Clean and simple. Neighborhood Girl - 6/10. More complex and layered than the other tracks on the album. Good, but not exactly what I was expecting from the rest of the album. Overall Rating - 3.20/5 (6.40/10). A solid album. Not sure I'd listen to it again, but I don't regret listening to it.

Definitely won't object to more Joni Mitchell. In France They Kiss on Main Street - 8/10. The sound I expect from Joni Mitchell. Simple and clean. The Jungle Line - 4/10. This is a little out of the usual Joni Mitchell lane. I'm not a big fan. Edith and the Kingpin - 8/10. This is what I expect from Joni Mitchell. Don't Interrupt the Sorrow - 7/10. Solid. Shades of Scarlett Conquering - 8/10. Rich and velvety sound. The Hissing of Summer Lawns - 8/10. Not much to say beyond that this is very typical Joni Mitchell. The Boho Dance - 8/10. Jazzy and smooth. Very enjoyable. Harry's House / Centerpiece - 6/10. A bit more experimental than I'm used to from Joni Mitchell. Not bad, just less of my preference. I like Centerpiece better than Harry's House. Sweet Bird - 7/10. Classic Joni Mitchell. Shadows and Light - 7/10. Love the vocal harmonies. Less of a fan of the synths, but this is good. Overall Rating - 3.60/5 (7.20/10). Another solid album from one of the Queens of folk.

Day 17 - Birth of the Cool by Miles Davis I've heard some of this album before. My father had this when I was growing up. Move - 10/10. This absolutely COOKS. I wish I could ever have played trumpet like this. Jeru - 10/10. Silky smooth and tight Jazz. No notes. Moon Dreams - 9/10. The only word I have for this is "cool." Venus de Milo - 10/10. Outstanding. Great harmonies with the doubled instruments. Budo - 9/10. Back to the more up-tempo music, and it's still great. Deception - 9/10. Top-class musicianship from the whole nonet. Godchild - 9/10. A different feel than the first side of the album. Still great, though. Boplicity - 10/10. As smooth as it gets. Rocker - 10/10. Perfection. Israel - 9/10. Smooth and sophisticated. Rouge - 9/10. Subdued but still truly great. Darn That Dream - 8/10. The only track with vocals, and the vocals detract a bit, but not much. Overall Rating - 4.67/5 (9.33/10). I love the "Cool" school of Jazz, and you can tell that this is one of the foundations of it, because you can hear how the rest of its practitioners take their inspirations from here. Everyone in the group gets a chance to shine... and takes it.

I have no idea what this is going to be like. Banana (Skit) - 1/10. Repetitive and not enjoyable. Pull Up the People - 2/10. Not my style of music. Electronica under repetitive, hard to understand hip-hop. Bucky Done Gun - 4/10. Better than the first two tracks. Still not my taste. Sunshowers - 4/10. About the same. Fire, Fire - 2/10. I like this less than the last track. Dash the Curry (Skit) - 2/10. Not a fan. Amazon - 3/10. Unpleasantly repetitive and unbalanced in the mix. Bingo - 3/10. I just don't like it. Hombre - 3/10. Not a fan. One for the Head (Skit) - 2/10. Haven't liked the shorts. 10 Dollar - 3/10. This is a track on this album. U. R. A. Q. T. - 4/10. One of the better tracks on the album. Not terribly good, but better than most. Galang - 2/10. Not a fan. M. I. A. - 4/10. Solid lyrics. Not my style, but the message is there. Overall Rating - 1.39/5 (2.79/10). Not a style I particularly like.

Haven't really been a big Metallica fan, but this looks like a good one. Enter Sandman - 10/10. Iconic guitar intro. I'll try to ignore the flashbacks to Mariano Rivera walking in to this intro throughout the 90's. Exactly the hard, uncompromising sound I expect from Metallica. Nice guitar solo in the bridge. Not my taste in music, but it is almost perfect. Sad But True - 8/10. Again, the hard, uncompromising, simple sound of Metallica, but with some interesting rhythmic refinements at places. Holier Than Thou - 6/10. Feels very generic hair metal. Well done, but generic. The Unforgiven - 10/10. A very different feel in the intro, and I like it. This has always been one of the Metallica songs I liked. Great musicianship. No notes. Wherever I May Roam - 6/10. Generic Metallica song about touring. Not bad, but not great, either. Don't Tread on Me - 7/10. I like the West Side Story callout in the intro. Little things like showing that the band is more than just knuckle-dragging hard metal players makes songs better. Through the Never - 6/10. Generic Metallica. Nothing Else Matters - 10/10. Great tune. Somehow Metallica doesn't feel out of place playing a slow, waltz-time Power Ballad. This, more than the thrashing of other songs, showcases how good the musicians are in this band. Of Wolf and Man - 7/10. More variety than the generic thrash metal of the worse tracks on this album. The God that Failed - 8/10. Good. I can hear some deep pain in the lyrics. I don't know what happened, but it elevates the song. My Friend of Misery - 6/10. Generic. The Struggle Within - 6/10. Generic. Overall Rating 3.75/5 (7.50/10). Nothing really bad on this album. Couple of real greats, but it was spotty (probably because thrash/hair metal isn't really my preference).

This is my first foray on the list into 80's Pop. I like some of Cyndi Lauper's work, so this could be fun. Money Changes Everything - 5/10. One of the anthems of the "Me" Decade. A fun pop song, except that I HATE the lyrics, which is a major knock on the rating. Girls Just Want To Have Fun - 8/10. So hard not to sing the Weird Al lyrics on this one. Girls, they want, they want to have Lunch! Happy, up-tempo 80's Pop. Good stuff. When You Were Mine - 7/10. Fun 80's Pop. This is the music of my childhood. Time After Time - 9/10. A great ballad style song, and, unlike the first track, the lyrics elevate the rating. She Bop - 7/10. More fun 80's Pop. Somewhere in-between the ballad style of Time After Time and the other tracks that have come before on the album. All Through the Night - 8/10. This tune sounds seriously familiar, but I don't necessarily know that I've ever really listened to it. Good verses, GREAT chorus. Witness - 7/10. I like the stylistic choice in the introduction. Solid track. I'll Kiss You - 8/10. Nice reference to Love Potion No. 9 in the lyrics. Including connections to past songs in a similar style always wins bonus points from me. He's So Unusual - 6/10. Has a bit of a Tin Pan Alley feel to it. otherwise almost too short to rate. Yeah Yeah - 7/10. Solid track. Very much that early 80's vibe. Overall Rating - 3.60/5 (7.20/10). Solid 80's Pop. No objections.

Don't know what to expect here. Planet Telex - 6/10. Interesting. Good singing, mix is a little instrumental heavy. The Bends - 6/10. Similar to the first track. Solid. High and Dry - 6/10. Solid. Fake Plastic Trees - 6/10. It's OK. Bones - 7/10. This is a different sound from anything before it on the album. (Nice Dream) - 6/10. Repetitive, but that was the style of mid-90's navel-gazing pop. Just - 6/10. This was one of the tracks on the album. My Iron Lung - 4/10. Jarring transitions between sections. Not a fan. Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was - 6/10. Back to the mid-90's navel-gazing sound. I'm not a huge fan of it, but Radiohead does it well. Black Star - 7/10. Decent song. Sulk - 6/10. Decent. Street Spirit (Fade Out) - 7/10. Decent to good. Overall Rating - 3.04/5 (6.08/10). A lot of that 90's, navel-gazing sound.

More Metallica. Probably should be decent. Blackened - 7/10. I like this intro. Bit screamy for my usual taste in the verse. Solid musicianship. ...And Justice for All - 8/10. Love the intro. This is classic metal that I can listen to and enjoy. That guitar solo around 5:20 SHREDS. Eye of the Beholder - 7/10. This is pretty solid. Nothing really outstanding here, but no weakness, either. One - 8/10. Nice intro. Metallica doing a power ballad is different. Not bad, just different. It's good. The Shortest Straw - 8/10. Back to the heavy, hard metal of the rest of the album. These gentlemen can SHRED. That chord progression around 4:25 was NOT what I expected. Harvester of Sorrow - 7/10. Solid metal music. The Frayed Ends of Sanity - 8/10. I'm surprised to say, I like it. To Live Is To Die - 8/10. Definitely has a Prog feel to it. Dyers Eve - 7/10. Solid. Overall Rating 3.78/5 (7.56/10). Most of this album felt very Prog Metal. Not like Dream Theatre level, but more musicianship and composition focused than "traditional" metal.

Growing up, we had Domino Theory by Weather Report, so I have an idea of what to expect. Birdland - 8/10. Pretty solid "new-wave" Jazz. I think I may have heard Manhattan Transfer doing this song before. I like it. A Remark You Made - 8/10. Smooth and silky Jazz. But what do you expect from Jaco Pistorius? Teen Town - 7/10. Good late 70's/early 80's Jazz style. Harlequin - 7/10. Really smooth. I dont like the synth as much, though. Rumba Mama - 4/10. Not something I cared for. Palladium - 7/10. This is more like it. The Juggler - 8/10. Good late 70's/early 80's Jazz style. Havona - 9/10. Very good, especially Jaco Pistorius on the bass. I think this is the best track on the album. Overall Rating - 3.63/5 (7.25/10). Really good Jazz Fusion.

Haven't listened to a lot of The B-52's, but I do know that they're a lot of fun. Planet Claire - 5/10. Weird, new-wave stuff. Not bad, just ... odd. 52 Girls - 6/10. Fun new-wave pop. Dance This Mess Around - 6/10. More fun new-wave pop. Rock Lobster - 9/10. Iconic bass riff. It was a Rock! LOBSTER! This is one of the most fun tunes in New-Wave. Lava - 6/10. This sounds kind of like R.E.M. Fun tune. There's a Moon in the Sky (Called The Moon) - 6/10. Definitely the fun, quirky, slightly absurdist, New-Wave sound. Hero Worship - 4/10. A bit unpleasant. 6060-842 - 6/10. Back to the more fun New-Wave sound. Downtown - 6/10. Is this a Petula Clark cover? Absurdist cover of 60's music is certainly a choice. Not necessarily a bad one, either, but a bit unexpected. Overall Rating - 3.00/5 (6.00/10). My usual New-Wave preference is Devo, but The B-52's are also a lot of fun.

Aerosmith is usually a solid choice in my book. Young Lust - 5/10. Not bad. Nothing special about it, but not bad. F.I.N.E. - 5/10. Not bad. Nothing special about it, but not bad. Going Down/Love in an Elevator - 8/10. Much more of the classic Aerosmith sound. Monkey on my Back - 6/10. More classic Aerosmith, but I can see why this one didn't get as much play. Water Song/Janie's Got a Gun - 8/10. Aerosmith in ballad mode is pretty great. Also, that guitar solo in the middle cooks. Dulcimer Stomp/The Other Side - 8/10. Dulcimer Stomp is a really fun opening. It's too bad that it gets cut off of the single so often. This is fun and the musicianship is class. My Girl - 6/10. Not bad, but not on the same level as Janie or Other Side. Don't Get Mad, Get Even - 6/10. Interesting to have a Didgeridoo at the beginning. Again, not bad, but not as good as the top tracks on the album. Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man - 6/10. Not bad, but not on the same level as Janie or Other Side. What It Takes - 8/10. Again, Aerosmith in ballad mode is excellent. Overall Rating - 3.30/5 (6.60/10). It is absolutely a fair criticism of Aerosmith to say that they are a Singles band not an Album band.

I know I've heard stuff from this band, but I don't know that I could pick anything out without help. This Is A Call - 8/10. Really good musicianship. I'll Stick Around - 8/10. Excellent grunge rock. Big Me - 10/10. I didn't know this was the title of this song. Almost perfect grunge tune. No notes. Alone + Easy Target - 8/10. Excellent. Good Grief - 8/10. Also really well done. Floaty - 8/10. Again, just a great song. Weenie Beenie - 6/10. I don't like this one quite as much as the tracks that have come before it. Oh, George - 7/10. Solid. For All The Cows - 8/10. Slick groove, solid musicianship, great tune. X-Static - 7/10. This is really solid grunge rock. Wattershed - 7/10. Harder grunge. Not the strongest tune on the album, but not the weakest, either. Exhausted - 6/10. The mix seems a little off on this track, which is mildly unpleasant. Overall Rating - 3.79/5 (7.58/10). I feel stupid. I didn't realize (or maybe just didn't remember) that this is Dave Grohl's project to get over Kurt Cobain's suicide. Outstanding musicianship, only a couple of places where I didn't care for something in the songs.

I'm not a huge fan of Fleetwood Mac, but this is known as a great album. Second Hand News - 7/10. Not bad. Good musicianship. Dreams - 9/10. Silky smooth and slick. Never Going Back Again - 7/10. I like the instrumentation. Pretty solid song. Don't Stop - 8/10. Very good. Not as good as Dreams, but still very good (despite the association with Bill Clinton). Go Your Own Way - 9/10. Excellent tune. Everything fits well in this song. Songbird - 10/10. This is absolutely beautiful. The Chain - 10/10. Incredible song. This is Formula One! You Make Loving Fun - 9/10. Slick and smooth, with rich vocals. Outstanding. I Don't Want to Know - 7/10. Very solid, but not up to the standard of the last couple of tracks. Oh Daddy - 7/10. Again, very solid, but not to the standard of the best of the album. Gold Dust Woman - 8/10. This is Gold Dust Woman? I never knew the title. This song feels like it's been stripped down to the essentials, except for the end, which feels a little out of step with most of the song. Overall Rating - 4.14/5 (8.27/10). Wow. This is absolutely a great album. So many songs that deserve the description of iconic.

No idea what to expect here. The Fun Lovin' Criminal - 8/10. Fun and lighter hip-hop. Good lyrics, well crafted track. Passive/Aggressive - 7/10. Smooth and well-crafted. The Grave and the Constant - 7/10. Solid and slick. Scooby Snacks - 7/10. Pretty slick. Smoke 'Em - 5/10. Not as good as what's come before this. Bombin' The L - 6/10. Slick. I Can't Get With That - 7/10. I like it. King of New York - 7/10. Smooth and slick hip-hop. We Have All the Time in the World - 8/10. Pretty sweet track. Bear Hug - 5/10. A jarring change from the previous track. Not bad, but would be better in a different slot on the album. Come Find Yourself - 7/10. Smooth and well crafted. Crime and Punishment - 6/10. Decent track. Methadonia - 7/10. Relaxed and smooth track. Overall Rating - 3.12/5 (6.23/10). Not my usual taste. Very smooth and slick, well crafted and well produced.

I've at least heard something from this album before. Right Here, Right Now - 4/10. Meh. Repetitive and not appealing to me. Rockafeller Skank - 5/10. I actually recognize this one, too. It's OK, but the middle part (where it went super slow and distorted) was unpleasantly weird. In Heaven - 0/10. Deeply unpleasant. Gangster Trippin - 4/10. Meh. Build it Up, Tear it Down - 4/10. Meh. Kalifornia - 1/10. Unpleasant. Soul Surfing - 1/10. Not to my taste. Not fun in any way. You're Not From Brighton - 3/10. Better than many of the tracks on this album, not that that takes much. Praise You - 5/10. Decent. Still things that just grate on me (long holds that feel like a CD skipping), though. Are We Having Fun Yet? - 2/10. Much like the rest of this album. Acid 8000 - 2/10. Again, unpleasant and repetitive. Overall Rating - 1.41/5 (2.81/10). Unpleasant and repetitive. Unpleasant and Repetitive. Unpleasant and Repetitive.

Jim Cain - 8/10. Very relaxing and smooth. Almost more lilting prose than lyrical. Eid Ma Clack Shaw - 8/10. Smooth and very pleasant. The Wind and the Dove - 8/10. Feels almost like Psychadelic Country. Very interesting. Rococo Zephyr - 7/10. Relaxing, almost fades into the background, but well done. Too Many Birds - 6/10. Feels a little more forced than the others. My Friend - 8/10. I like this track. All Thoughts Are Prey to Some Beast - 6/10. Interesting metaphors. There's a fine line between deep and pretentious, and this goes back and forth over it. Invocation of Ratiocination - 5/10. Just weird. Faith/Void - 8/10. Smooth and simple, not the message I would expect from this style of music, either. I like this one. Overall Rating - 3.56/5 (7.11/10). A very different sound, and very pleasing to my ears.

I know who Marty Robbins is. I do like some old-school Country/Western music. Big Iron - 9/10. Storyteller song. Good musicianship, clean voice. A Hundred and Sixty Acres - 8/10. Simple and clean tune. They're Hanging Me Tonight - 8/10. Great lament. Cool Water - 7/10. I like this a little less than the other tracks. Billy the Kid - 9/10. Interesting chord progressions. Subtly sophisticated and smooth. Utah Carol - 9/10. Simple, clean, and beautifully sad. The Strawberry Roan - 8/10. A Western Waltz is certainly a choice, and it fits the lyrics. The Master's Call - 7/10. A story of redemption makes for a good song. Running Gun - 7/10. Solid. El Paso - 10/10. This feels like a short movie, and I can see it playing in my mind. As perfect as a storytelling song gets. In the Valley - 9/10. Beautifully simple. The Little Green Valley - 8/10. He captures very well the feeling of coming home from some kind of journey. The Hanging Tree - 8/10. Simple and clean, well composed with the key changes for each verse. Saddle Tramp - 7/10. Clean and well done. Overall Rating - 4.07/5 (8.14/10). Marty Robbins has such a clean, recognizable voice. I wasn't expecting this album to be this good. I expected something solid, but this was better than I was expecting.

No clue what to expect here. More Songs About Chocolate and Girls - 5/10. Typical early 80's pop. There Goes Norman - 5/10. Typical early 80's pop. Hypnotised - 5/10. Typical early 80's pop. See That Girl - 5/10. Typical early 80's pop. Whizz Kids - 6/10. More fun than the tracks that came before. Under the Boardwalk - 3/10. Not a good cover. The Way Girls Talk - 5/10. Meh. Hard Luck - 7/10. This is better than anything that's come before it. My Perfect Cousin - 6/10. Good, but not quite as good as Hard Luck. Boys Will We Boys - 5/10. Meh. Tearproof - 5/10. Not bad, but not great. Wednesday Week - 6/10. On the better side of the album. Nine Times out of Ten - 5/10. Average track for this album. Girls that Don't Talk - 5/10. What's with Terry - 6/10. Better than average for the album. Overall Rating - 2.63/5 (5.27/10). This almost feels as though it's trying to be Pop, New-Wave, and light Punk all at once, and, in doing so, doesn't really do any of them terribly well.

Overall Rating - 2.65/5 (5.30/10). Overall not bad, but nothing really stands out as particularly good either.