It moves up and down between a more intimate setting and a fuller, more central sound, creating a nice contrast throughout the record. This is best expressed in “Step On Me,” where a wide variety of sounds are used to build that contrast. “Lovefool” is undoubtedly the most well-known song on this record. It’s a bit too mellow for my taste, though it fits perfectly with the lyrics and explains why it was the track that first caught my attention. After relistening, “Iron Man” stands out as a surprisingly creative take on the Black Sabbath original - a real highlight among the many metal covers I’ve heard over the years. Balancing this with my personal preferences, the album sits more in the background listening category for me, and it does a great job in that role. Still, it’s not something I’d choose to actively listen to, which puts it at a high 3 overall. The remastered version suffers slightly in recording quality, with some sections sounding overly sharp. That ultimately helps me decide between a 3 and a 4 out of 5 rating.

'll admit, I know of Bob Dylan and what he's known for, but I haven’t really chosen to listen to him. Still, the first song instantly gives that unmistakable Bob Dylan feeling - similar to the ones I have heard, even though it’s not one of the classics. The first song is also the clear winner for me, where the lyrics use very little words to express a lot of meaning. Most of his songs seem to emphasize a single element, which unsurprisingly is often contained in the title of the song. I haven't decided if that is a good or a bad thing, but it definitely creates a strong anchor. It’s clear that he’s a master of lyrics; he combines vivid metaphors with (somewhat) clear narratives. The music perfectly supports the lyrical content, drawing you into his world. However, to me, the music is also the weakness. I’m not very fond of his musical style, and while it’s clearly deliberate, it feels repetitive to me - likely because it just isn’t something I currently enjoy. That puts it at a 4 out of 5 for me. I say currently because I do want to dive deeper into his music, and I’m sure I’ll find more of him that resonates with me later on.

I’ve listened to it a few times, but it just isn’t that memorable to me — to the point where I find it hard to write a review even a day later. It feels like a more chaotic Beatles record, with a stronger emphasis on protest themes (which, to be fair, is hinted at in the title). That said, being compared to a Beatles record isn’t exactly a bad thing. Overall, I’d call it a high 2, but I’ll round up to a 3 because I’m feeling generous.

“Wonderwall” — not sure I ever need to listen to that track again. It’s not the record’s fault, but it’s just been overdone. It feels like the album itself was born out of the commercialization of the ’90s. But maybe that’s part of its point - the themes seem to touch on fame, confidence, and that larger-than-life attitude that defined the decade. The record sounds remarkably well-produced for something nearly 30 years old. At the same time, it feels too familiar - too close to the sound of late-’90s and early-2000s rock. But maybe that’s because this album created that sound. It had so much influence that it now feels like everything else. In a way, it’s the musical embodiment of British cockiness. Musically, it feels a bit generic to me, though that might just be because of how much it’s been imitated. Oasis in the ’90s were probably what Linkin Park or Coldplay were in the 2000s - everywhere. The songs have been used so much that it’s hard to hear them fresh anymore. Still, that’s not the record’s fault. It’s probably worth a 4/5 in terms of quality and influence, but for me, it doesn’t convince me to listen to more Oasis, so it's a 3.

This album is super groovy. Not something I really listen to, but I really like how the rocky guitars mix with that funky sound. The vocal arrangements are interesting too, they add so much texture and energy. That Lady is definitely the standout track (I went back to the solo a couple of times). Their covers on Summer Breeze and Listen to the Music are both solid, they really work well with the sound they created for this album. Summer Breeze especially just feels smooth and familiar in the best way. Overall, 3 + 3 is a great blend of funk, rock, and soul that's still great today.

Never heard of this band before, and judging by the cover, I expected something straight out of the early 2000s - but maybe on a budget. Turns out, the music itself feels a lot richer than that. Feast of Wire is a great blend of mariachi, indie rock, and country. Listening to it makes me feel like I’m somewhere in Central America or one of the southern states, craving a tequila under the desert sun. The atmosphere is incredible - warm, vivid, and full of texture. That said, I don’t think any of the songs are especially memorable on their own. But I’d definitely put it on during a warm summer evening. I should’ve built my expectations on the name - Calexico - not the cover. It’s a high three for me. The best part? They’re still around!

I knew of the Smashing Pumpkins, and apparently I also knew at least three of their songs; three bangers, to be exact. For some reason I always thought they were older, but when I heard them I clearly heard that early 90s sound, with noisy guitar riffs. Not sure why I never listened more to them; this is definitely right up my alley. This album just feels like the early-90s; fuzzy guitars everywhere, that warm but slightly gritty sound, and vocals that are almost a little creepy. Everything flows so well, like it never really stops to breathe but somehow doesn’t feel overwhelming either – just wall after wall of sound, and it works. "Cherub Rock" and "Today" are obvious standouts, songs I knew before, and would definitely have been among the 25 songs that would fit on my MP3 player back in the day, if I'd known about them back then. "Disarm" is the third one I heard before, which is great too, but much less so. But one I didn't hear before, may be my favorite "Mayonaise" builds up much more nicely, creamy flavor, slowly drowning my fries - delicious, disgusting. This is a 4/5. But I said nothing negative, so why? I think it just lacks some of uniqueness that other bands of the era did have. Perhaps I like grunge a bit more, but Nirvana's human imperfection, Pearl Jams powerful vocals and great classic-rock base, just makes them feel more solid to me. This music just makes me feel a little sad, but perhaps I'm just sad that I slept on this one for so long.

Interesting... I just finished my Siamese Dream review, where I made some soft comparisons to other albums from that era, Ten among them. A little unfair; this one is among my all-time greats. Let's try to understand why Ten feels stronger than Siamese Dream. First off, there is a slow introduction that evolves into the recognizable early Pearl Jam sound, highlighting the vocals and guitar solo. It feels so very human, even through the dense, reverb-heavy production that defined so much of the era. The whole album continues to feel like a single whole - each track flows beautifully into the next. Every song seems to tell a story of struggle, self-discovery, and emotional release, all bound within the same early 90s zeitgeist. I want to highlight some tracks, but honestly, I can’t. There are some widely recognized masterpieces in here, but as an album, each and every song feels meaningful. It ends with the same rhythmic section the album starts with. Beautiful. We just went through a rollercoaster - rough, bumpy, and emotional - touching feelings I’d rather keep hidden in a safe place. But I just need to go for another ride.

Isn’t Black Flag one of the leading hardcore punk bands? Look, I can appreciate a lot of “noisy” music - even some modern hardcore punk from time to time. But I think above all, punk is about uniting under a message, and I have trouble receiving it here. On my second listen I pulled up the lyrics, which helped, but I still don’t really feel their struggles are anything more special than today’s. I mean, I get it - life sucks, a bit of depression here, a bit of disagreement with policies there. TV and drinking is replaced by social media and drugs, and were lonely just the same. Musically, it’s not the worst. Some guitar riffs I can appreciate, and there are a few clever rhythm breaks. It sounds chaotic, which I can enjoy if it’s done well, but here it feels pretty drowned out by the muddy and rough recording quality. I’m sure this was a great scene to be part of, and I’d probably enjoy the music more if I was there. And while I respect the DIY mindset, to me it kind of hurts the enjoyment. That said, I do think you should consider art in its environment. Does it belong on a “1001 Albums” list? Yeah, it’s clearly been important. Do I want to listen to this again? Unless I get dragged to some hardcore punk–themed party with really fun people - hell no.