This album feels like the musical personification of random = funny. There are some cool psychedelic grooves that almost venture into Trip Hop territory, but they're padded out with a bunch of artsy bullshittery that I feel make the album less cohesive as a whole. The vocals seem uncertain of what they want to be, and the lyrics leave a lot to be desired. If it was cleaned up a little bit and had a couple more substantial tracks to replace the filler, the album would be a cool and trippy late-90s gem. As is, I only really got enjoyment out of Brimful of Asha and Good to Be on the Road Back Home, and found myself pretty bored with the rest. The record is certainly unique, but maybe hone it in a little for the sake of listenability?
When people ask what my favorite Queen album is, I usually tell them Sheer Heart Attack. A Night at the Opera seems a little too obvious, and A Day at the Races just doesn't hit the same. That being said, revisiting this I was surprised by just how weak the B-side is. Stone Cold Crazy remains incredible, but almost all of the other tracks on that side are incredibly forgettable. The A-side makes up for it at least, being comprised of some great glammy tracks like Flick of the Wrist, Now I'm Here, and of course Killer Queen. I still think I would say the sound they are going for here is my favorite of any of their albums, but after Stone Cold Crazy I almost feel inclined to just leave the rest be and move on.
What can I say about Paranoid that hasn't already been said. An album that practically invented metal as a genre, influenced decades of artists, and still holds up well even by modern standards. It feels like an album that should've come five or ten years after prog rock and the likes of King Crimson, but unbelievably was released not even a year after In the Court of the Crimson King. Every single track carries with it a disgustingly classic riff, to the point I sometimes let the genius of the rest of the album pass me by. It's Paranoid, what more needs to be said.
Nick Drake may very well be my favorite songwriter of all time. In his tragically short career, he put out three albums all of which I consider perfect, with Five Leaves Left being his first. This album has a very interesting duality to it, with some darker and more ominous tracks like River Man being right next to bright and soothing tracks like Time Has Told Me. They almost sound like they should be on different projects, but the fact that they aren't honestly makes it better. Five Leaves Left is such an expansive world fit inside of a 40-minute disk. It's a beautifully-colored canvas using very simple paints. Nobody has captured a feeling like this album does, a deep, poetic loneliness that hides behind beautifully simplistic melodies and lush chamber instrumentation. What can I say? Nick Drake was a troubled genius.
Once upon a time this was my favorite Dylan album, carried mostly by the fact that Don't Think Twice, It's All Right was and still is quite possibly my favorite song of all time. It's not my favorite anymore not because it has gotten worse for me, but others, namely Blood on the Tracks, have grown on me significantly. That being said, there's a simplicity and rawness to this album that I don't think Dylan ever achieves again in his career, even if his songwriting improves and his sound gets tighter. Something about this early version of Girl From the North Country really makes me appreciate how much can be done with bare-bones instruments and a knack for songwriting. There are a few songs that drag on, World War III Blues sticks out, but the more I listen to them the more I appreciate them for what they are. The album is simultaneously a product of its time and also incredibly forwarding for folk music. It not only lays the groundwork for the path Dylan's career will take in the next 5 years, but also encapsulates an anti-war sentiment that would define America for years after. While some of these songs have lost relevancy to time, it's fascinating to view them through the lens of a Kennedy-era American. The music might not be flashy or impressive, but it lets the songwriting take the reigns and immerse you in Bob Dylan's world. Even if he would go on to do even greater things, that should be a testament to just how good Dylan was.
Time Out by many accounts is one of the most influential jazz albums of all time. It popularized the idea of uncommon meter in jazz, as well as introduced a large population of White Americans to contemporary jazz, growing the genre's popularity significantly. The alto sax of Paul Desmond is a major highlight of the record for me, it's such a whimsical and playful tone that makes this record have such a distinct sound. The track Take Five is an obvious standout, becoming arguably one of the most recognizable jazz recordings of all time, but there's a fun and cool vibe to be found in almost every track on this record. For me personally though, I've never been super impressed by Brubeck's piano. Other piano greats like Evans and Ellington have a personality on the piano, and use it so much more expressively than I feel Brubeck does on this record. I feel like he prioritized a clean and consistent tone to appeal to a wider audience, but it feels a little flat even if the licks he's playing are quite nice. I tend to prefer intimacy in my cool jazz, which could be why this record can't be considered among the greats for me. The B-side is also pretty forgettable, while it's nice when it's on it doesn't have the same potency as the A-side. That being said, I always enjoy the record when it's on, and I have to recognize its historical importance in shaping popular jazz.
What were the Brits doing in the 90s man?
I've never been a huge fan of Blur, in fairness I've never really given them a fair shake, but upon listening to this album it cemented my distaste for them. I just don't get it. Sure, Parklife is out there and does some cool things; found myself bopping along to To the End and Girls & Boys, but overall the album just kinda went in one ear and out the other. Maybe with repeated listens it would grow on me, but something about the sound they're going for here feels very ignorable and stale. Banger album art though.
The Yes Album is without a doubt the breakout album for Yes, who would quickly make a name for themselves as one of the most influential and forwarding prog bands of all time. The record is a little safer than the magically experimental places they'll go a year later in Close to the Edge, but that by no means detracts from its quality. Every track on The Yes Album is just undeniably infectious to a degree that very few prog artists have ever achieved. It draws the perfect line between the bluesier side of rock that was dominating popular music at the time and the less accessible prog that would spawn countless classic albums to us music nerds, but go mostly under-represented in the popular world. In this way, Yes is the everyman's prog band, pushing the boundaries of the genre while carrying a sound that was incredibly fun to anyone who knew the slightest bit about music, and I think The Yes Album is the perfect personification of that. It's no wonder that this album and Fragile would make plentiful appearances in pop culture well past their released dates. While it's not something I find myself putting on all that often, I can't help but recognize just how influential The Yes Album was in establishing prog's presence in the music world.
I did not at all expect to dislike this album as much as I did. My experience with the Monkees, though limited, has been mostly positive, with the few tracks I remember off More of The Monkees and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. being quite fond in my memory. This album gave me the ick in a way I did not expect a psychedelic pop album could. Aside from For Pete's Sake and Randy Scouse Git, almost every track made me actively cringe while listening to it. I don't know exactly what it is, if it's their slightly off singing, the questionable lyrics, or the whimsical yet generic psychedelic pop behind them, I just could not get into this album for the life of me. It was rather disappointing, especially given this is the only Monkees album on the list, I expected at least something I could bear to stomach. sheesh...
Guns n' Roses is a band that was hugely successful, but unfortunately for me it's to their detriment. Appetite for Destruction is heavily reliant on its singles, but I have a hard time enjoying any of them because they've all been played to death. Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City, and Sweet Child o' Mine are decent enough hard rock songs, but they're just too everywhere. The rest of the album isn't great, a lot of fiddling with a very generic screams-of-the-80s sound with a lot of uncomfortably sexual songs that just don't do it for me. While I don't love the sound they're going for, I'll defend it a little from an engineer's point of view. It's very well produced and I think in terms of hard rock everything sounds punchy and full. That being said, it doesn't make up for the fact that the only three songs worth a damn on this whole record have been forever ruined for me by the MLB and 94.7 FM Dad Rock Radio.
Killing Joke is a band that has never stopped evolving. They've built on their sound for decades, consistently putting out new and interesting material for over 30 years. Their eponymous debut is the starting point of that evolution, and dammit if it isn't a good foundation. One thing this record has going for it over most other post-punk bands on the scene at this time is the riffs are just so groovy. It keeps this really dark and ominous sound throughout, but at the same time invites you to bounce along to it. The effects they get out of the synths are also very interesting; though they'll push it further on later records, those textures have their roots here, already quite well developed. It really feels like every member of the band is completely in their element, every part being just as interesting as each other and combining to make an incredibly cohesive post-punk sound. Almost every track is a great blend of darkness and drive, with the only track I didn't love being $.O.3.6.. While the singles are great, I think the deep cuts hold their more than people give them credit for. Killing Joke has always been consistent and this record consistently rips.
You'd think I would have learned my lesson not to sleep on Folk Rock classics after The Band's Self-Titled turned into one of my favorite records, but here I am again being floored by an album I've put off for too long. When you put four amazing guitarists on a record together, I guess it's not surprising that the result is guitar being used as well as I've ever heard it in a Folk Rock context. Every track feels incredibly earthy, which I think comes from Neil Young's influence. It adds a complexity that makes the project a lot more interesting to dissect and enjoy. Almost Cut My Hair is my favorite example of this, introducing a grit that separates it from the more harmony-focused tracks like Carry On. The record sounds lush and absolutely wonderful for such an old recording; the use of imaging lets each instrumentalist showcase their own virtuosity in a super interesting way. I'm a sucker for pastoral folk rock like this, shame on me for ignoring this for so long.
I'm unsure of where to start with this one so I'll start with this: while I respect The Doors and Jim Morrison for their influence to music, I've never been the person to go out of my way to listen to them. Their eponymous debut is great, but outside of that I've never really ventured into the rest of their discography. That being said, Morrison Hotel was just alright for me. It didn't leave a super strong impression on me, similarly to their other records but even more so. There were some good tracks don't get me wrong, Peace Frog was great and Waiting for the Sun and Blue Sunday were also enjoyable. I was surprised by just how consistently good the record was, but that's kind of all it was to me: good. I prefer something to really stick out at me, to draw me into a listening experience and leave me with a new feeling I can associate with that album, but Morrison Hotel didn't really have any of that. The most I can say is that "it is certainly a Doors record." It may very well be that I just don't love their sound compared to other psychedelic artists from the same time, but it just doesn't personally do much for me.
2112 was, for a considerable time, my favorite Rush album no question. That can almost entirely be contributed to the epic A-side suite which to this day I still consider to be my favorite progressive rock song of all time. I've always been a fan of this era of Rush, and 2112 is a perfect concentration of what that sound is capable of. Unfortunately for the rest of the album, it kind of gets overshadowed by the tremendous A-side. While there's some greatness that peeks through on tracks like A Passage to Bangkok and The Twilight Zone, the track run as a whole is very underwhelming in comparison. This is why A Farewell to Kings eventually replaced 2112 as my favorite Rush record, it does the things that make the A-side amazing for the duration of a whole album. I'll give Rush credit, as this is still the first record where they really got their sound down. They just needed a little bit more time to hone it. 2112 remains a great album and an all-time amazing song, and despite its shortcomings remains among my top three Rush albums.
While I've heard of Jane's Addiction in passing, before today I've never actually listened to any of their music. After listening through Nothing's Shocking, I'm not sure if I'm better or worse off. I'll get it out of the way, the vocals on most tracks suck. Every now and again Farrell will do a cool scream that will have me thinking "oh maybe the vocals aren't so bad", only to immediately be dropped into a section that doesn't block his voice with a wall of guitars and drums. Outside of this major flaw, the record is honestly pretty good. Summertime Rolls stood out immediately to me, that bass tone is just so nostalgic of this era of Alt-Rock for me. In general, when the band gets in a groove, it's easy to tune out the vocals and just vibe to it. I can see why the target demographic for this band is stoner uncles named Bob. Shout out to the horns on Idiots Rule that caught me so off-guard I choked on my water.
Seeing how I typically enjoy country more than most people on this website, it's a bit contradictory that John Prine is an artist that never really clicked for me. While his lyricism is clever and he writes some great songs, I've always gravitated towards the more solemn side of country. With this listen though, a few tracks did click with me for the first time. Pretty much the whole A-side was quite enjoyable, once I got used to Prine's voice it was a very smooth experience. Sam Stone stands out as the best track hands-down, but Hello In There also deserves a mention. The B-side is certainly a step down, with the final four tracks not doing a whole lot for me. Maybe I just got worn out and the magic from the beginning couldn't carry on to the end, but Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore is the last track I would say piqued my interest. Maybe those tracks will just take a bit more time to grow on me, (to be fair, I'd heard the big songs from the A-side a few times up to this point), but I found myself losing interest in the last 20 minutes or so. Overall the album does have its bright points, but I much prefer the more raw, emotional side of country over the accessible production of this record.
"Heroes" has always been a very interesting addition to David Bowie's discography. Capitalizing off the sound so well-executed in Low, the album clearly has one focal point, that being the self-titled track Heroes. Regardless of how good the rest of the album is, Heroes will always stand out as one of the most interesting songs of all time. It is the merging of three great forces, Bowie, Fripp, and Eno, into a singular, concentrated 6 minutes of greatness. It's a track that momentarily makes me forget my love for album-oriented music, as it's hard to focus on the rest of the album afterwards. In forcing myself however, the rest of the album is quite pleasant, though not particularly memorable, which is just a testament to ambient music I suppose. The A-side is more traditional vocal tracks, all of which are decent but a little too artsy and lacking in catchability (aside from Heroes, of course). Eno's influence certainly makes this side a unique listen, with some tracks not being too far off from stuff found on Another Green World. The ambient B-side is nice in the moment, but far less interesting or memorable than Low's instrumental section. Moss Garden is the only track that really sticks out to me as being worth a specific mention, with some incredible synth work making it the most immersive of the ambient tracks. Overall, the album has it's weak points, and if it wasn't for Heroes, I think it would've easily fallen in line with a lot of Bowie's more forgotten albums from this period. Because of the legacy of that one track though, it marks an arguable turning point in Bowie's career, extending the influence of Low and cementing its place in rock history.
Frank Ocean has always been a singular artist, with a style so unmistakably unique yet smooth and appealing. He has been a leading force in modern R&B for over a decade, and Channel Orange really showcases how much talent he had even early on. This album is so evocative for me, makes me think of warm summer days and simpler times. It might not be as emotionally vulnerable and explorative as something like Blonde, but I don't think it needs to be. Sometimes it's good to just have a nice, flowery, romantic summer album to remind you of warmth during cold and dark days. While the singles are absolutely stunning, with Pyramids being one of the greatest R&B tracks of the 21st century, I think the album as a whole works incredibly well in creating a cohesive vibe. In a weird way it reminds me of Songs for the Deaf, probably because of the whole television theme, but more so because it's eclectic bunch of songs that work together as a way of exploring different avenues of life. Each track drips with exploration and creativity while still managing to maintain their orbit around a beautiful, warm, tight R&B sound that Frank Ocean has mastered. Though I may have some criticisms, there is no album that is more reminiscent of the joys of summer than Channel Orange.
Al Green took the longest to grow on me of the big Soul names of the 70s, with his unique production style not quite agreeing with what my ears want to hear. That combined with his more directly sex-driven subject matter made it an uphill battle to compete with the likes of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Eventually, I'm Still in Love with You clicked for me, and it has helped me appreciate much of his other work as well. Even after this though, Let's Stay Together as an album does not hold up as well for me unfortunately. Despite the eponymous track being absolutely stunning, the rest of the album fails to carry that momentum anywhere. With the exception of How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, the rest of the tracks feel flat and formulaic. It leaves the album feeling more one-note than I would like, with any shred of memorability from the other tracks being overshadowed by the only two that venture to do something interesting. Albums that are packed with nothing but love songs typically struggle to keep my interest, but I can get into it more when the musical material supporting them is engaging enough. Unfortunately, I think Let's Stay Together suffers primarily due to its lack of variability for the majority of its runtime, relying too heavily on its wonderful singles to make up for the rest.
Somehow, some way, Elliott Smith always had the uncanny ability to output some of the most soul-touching music ever with apparent ease. In the span of less than a decade he put out five of the most well-written and beautiful albums in the history of music, posthumously granting us a sixth on his way out. Figure 8 is the last record released while Smith was alive, and despite being arguably his most accessible, that by no means makes it any less vast. Not many artists can put together a 16-track album with no lulls throughout, but Figure 8, much like the rest of Smith's discography, delivers a world that never loses any momentum. It's hard to single out any tracks on this record in particular, but the opening 1-2-3 punch of Son of Sam, Somebody That I Used to Know, Junk Bond Trader should be taught in music schools. I'm a bit more partial to his songwriting on other albums, though it is still very good here I feel like there's a noticeable lack of tenderness on some tracks that defined albums like his Self Titled. The more pop/rock oriented sound could have something to do with that, but I do consider this one of his weaker records writing-wise. If anything though, that should be a testament to just how amazingly talented Smith was, that an album as beautiful as Figure 8 could rank near the bottom of his career. What a legend.
I know this is rich coming from somebody whose favorite genre is Slowcore, but this album put me to sleep. It's a shame because the textures they are able to produce are so intriguing; tracks like Earthquake and Helicopter have unbelievable soundscapes, but they just don't go anywhere. Each track stays in one place and I found myself just getting sick of each song before it was over. Sailing, Coronado, and He Would Have Laughed drag, and that ending cutoff is so abysmal it made me genuinely upset for a minute, I thought my speakers just died. Don't get me wrong, I can see why people like this album. The textures are so thick and immersive, and while the songwriting isn't my cup of tea it's by no means distasteful. I think my main gripe with the album and why I'm inclined to give it such a low rating is because I feel it could've been so much better. If more songs went anywhere this would be minimum a full star higher.
It's gonna be a big, fat NO from me dawg. A man talking seductively in French a little too close to the microphone about his lust for a 14 year old girl is not exactly what I'd call "enjoyable" to say the least. It is a shame because the music itself is quite ahead of its time, with many of the arrangements, particularly Cargo culte being very progressive. I suppose if they weren't there would be no reason for this album to be remembered. Some people can put the subject matter aside and just enjoy the music, and I applaud them for that; I suppose it's not much different from listening to Black Metal if you're not a pagan. I think the album is just far too sexual for me to be able to ignore what it's really about, which makes it nearly impossible to enjoy for me. Sure, it inspired a bunch of future musicians and was way ahead of it's time, I'll give it props for that. But will I say I like this album or listen to it ever again? Non.
I don't think it's an unpopular take that Nirvana is the band that mastered the format of MTV Unplugged. While there have been some great performances since that day in 1993, when people think of Unplugged they think of Nirvana. Fresh off the release of In Utero, the band was arguably at their best, and playing a show combining some of their great originals with absolutely brilliant covers cemented their legacy. I believe in letting the covers shine above their originals, they really set this performance apart from others who have historically just "played the hits". The Man Who Sold the World and Where Did You Sleep Last Night steal the show, offering a completely new side of Nirvana and reinventing incredible songs for the modern generation. The track selection perfectly complements the acoustic environment combined with the roots of everything that made Nirvana so memorable. There's a good reason that this is THE MTV Unplugged recording and frequently considered among the greatest recorded live performances of all time.
I'll preface this by saying I'm obviously separating the awfulness of Kanye from this record and reviewing it as if I were listening to it in 2010. It feels disingenuous and anti-art to just say "it's 1 star because he's a shitty person" and move on. All praise that I give is aimed at this piece of art and none towards Kanye himself.
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy captures a very unique emotion that I have never found in another album, period. The only way I can describe it is mystical. It draws a line that puts it in "uncanny valley" territory, but where that feeling is mostly negative, it makes this project one of the most intriguing listening experiences. A lot of Hip Hop gets very real, depicting the reality of the world and the dark sides that a lot of people don't want to experience in reality and explore it through music instead. MBDTF has enough connections to reality to keep it grounded, but emits a fantastical aura, like peering into an alternate dimension. Production-wise, the album makes incredibly unique choices that feel like if they were on any other album they would be mocked relentlessly. The dirty distortion techniques, the erratic imaging, the deviant sample selection all contribute to a surreal atmosphere.
Lyrically the album is so unearthly that it makes it hard to get as intimate and emotional as more introspective albums, but that's not what the point of the album is. The album never tries to be a heart-to-heart with Kanye about what's troubling him, but instead indirectly gives insight into the tortured world of a twisted caricature of Kanye. I hate how catchy and well-written the album is. It feels wrong to have this character coming off as the most self-centered and braggadocious person on the planet constructing lyrics so cleverly. I almost never listen to this album, and still I have lyrics from it get caught in my head from time to time out of nowhere. The writing feels like a paradox, with the line between genius and moron being blurred beyond recognition.
I didn't really like this album for a long time, not only because of the person behind it but because I viewed it through a strict, predefined notion I had of what Hip Hop should be. I was looking for some standout song that made me feel emotionally attached to the rapper's experiences, and equated this style of boastful, arrogant Hip Hop with shallow and meaningless music. But once I started picking it apart and realizing the choices that were made to intentionally paint a surreal picture, it made the album so much more immersive. I'm not gonna say "Power is such an iconic use of a prog sample!![/i] or "Runaway is such an emotional climax to this album!!" because I don't really think of any particular track from this album at all. On a track-by-track basis I actually find it pretty underwhelming. But immersing myself in this world through the lens of who Kanye is portraying himself to be and the cracks in the facade is one of the most fascinating experiences I've had with modern music.
Frank Sinatra is an artist that I need to be in the mood for, but when I am he melts my heart. I'm sure it surprises no one that I had a Wee Small Hours phase in high school, or that I sang My Way at karaoke my first night at university. Songs for Swingin' Lovers! is unfortunately an album that does not do nearly as much for me, even when I am in the mood for Sinatra. Swing has never been my thing (hehe), always being drawn to more intimate jazz settings as opposed to big bands. You Make Me Feel So Young is a great track to start the album off, but aside from that very few tracks feel as special to me as others off his records from around the same time. I can't help but compare a lot of the standards to versions I like way better, and in general I think the selection here does not compliment Sinatra's capabilities nearly as well as other albums like Songs for Young Lovers do. I'll admit my bias against swing plays a big part in my relatively negative perception of this album, but I think Sinatra evolves his style much more over the next decade. For this album to be considered more noteworthy than many other far more poignant records doesn't check out for me. Songs for Swingin' Lovers finds a home inside Olive Garden, which coincidentally is like the album in many ways. Bland, noisy, and zero chance of romance even though it feels like there should be.
Honky Tonk Heroes is a very conflicting record for me, with aspects that I love and aspects that I cannot stand. First, on a positive note, the production is lovely, particularly the hard-panned guitars and the pastoral instrumentals. The record has a very charming classic country sound to it, and does a very good job at creating an atmosphere reminiscent of its setting. The main problem I have with the record is just how formulaic it can be. Listening to these songs separately, say on the radio or in a playlist, I could see myself liking them a lot more in short doses. In album format though, listening to all of these tracks back to back with very similar lyrical themes, very similar song structure, and the same damn fadeout on every track makes it get repetitive even at a brisk 27 minutes. I found myself enjoying the slow acoustic sections more, as it was a nice break from an album that is otherwise very one-note. Are the songs good? Yeah, I'd say so; Old Five and Dimers and Omaha stick out a bit, but the tracks are consistently quite enjoyable. But back-to-back in album format like this makes this album surprisingly hard to get through. Please, for the love of all that is holy, find another way to end a song, I'm begging you!
Soundgarden was always kind of the odd man out from the "Big 4" of Grunge, drawing inspiration from the other three into an amalgamation of what's supposed to be the "best parts" of Grunge. I'll be honest, I'm not sure if I buy it. Sure, I can listen to Black Hole Sun and think "wow, Grunge really DID peak here", but the rest of the album is far less convincing for me. I could never really get into Superunknown, at least not nearly as much as the other three's albums. Dirt feels so much more destructive, Ten is accessible and has killer singles, and Nevermind needs no explanation. So what role does Superunknown play? It's certainly experimental in its presentation, with many tracks that stretch the definition of the genre. That combined with a few great singles should be enough to make this a classic, right? I'm not going to pretend like this isn't a classic and that everyone who thinks so is wrong, as I don't love Grunge as a whole nearly as much as I like its main bands. I will say though that apart from Black Hole Sun there is almost nothing that attaches me to this album. It feels flat, most Grunge does, but some bands know how to make that flatness work. I think Soundgarden is trying too hard to make the genre sound "not flat", and in doing so sacrifices the simplicity that defined the era. I don't think it's a coincidence that the songs most people praise from this record are arguably the least complex. I'm rambling. I have a lot of respect for Chris Cornell as a vocalist, and I'm by no means saying this album is bad. Superunknown has just unfortunately been the least enjoyable member of the Grunge club for me (at least until Stone Temple Pilots came along).
Buffalo Springfield Again is about as mixed as a bag can get. Coming out swinging with Mr. Soul I though this was gonna be an album on the same level as Déjà vu which I reviewed earlier, no doubt owing that first impression to Neil Young. From that point on it was a series of ups and down that left me more confused than anything. The album is obviously written by three people with massively different tastes, which is fine if there was at least a little bit of cohesion to tie the tracks together in some tangible way. While the end result is certainly eclectic, it becomes jarringly apparent which songs are worthwhile. There's a good reason Richie Furay never reached the same levels of appreciation as Young or Stills, his songs drag this album down so much further than it should be. The whole B-side honestly feels like a hodgepodge of songs that probably shouldn't have seen the light of day, only for Broken Arrow to close it out saying "see! this album is good!" In all seriousness, Neil Young's tracks shine so much brighter than the rest, which is mostly forgettable apart from maybe Bluebird. There's a noticeable lack of chemistry from a writing standpoint, and while Buffalo Springfield Again has some high points, its impact is significantly dampened by the weak link(s).
Going into A Wizard / A True Star I was deathly afraid it was going to be super quirk chungus and its impression would be similar to that of Trout Mask Replica, which has no appeal for me. Instead, I got a slightly deranged but tasteful acid trip of an album that made me desperately want to go make music. The album is a good blend of experimentation and solid tracks to the point where no side feels like it overpowers the other. The A-side is incredibly immersive and plays with psychedelia in such a unique way. The B-side loses a bit of steam for me, with the Medley grounding the album in a way I'm not sure I want it to be grounded. The run from Zen Archer to Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel is next level, certainly the most memorable section of the album. More than anything though, I think this album is just a perfect personification of what I want DIY music to be. It's so expressive and bold without being uptight or unlistenable like so many experimental projects. The soundscapes are so evocative and inspiring that it makes me want to go and make funny sounds too. It might take me repeated listens to be able to appreciate the B-side, but for now it didn't do nearly as much for me as the beginning did. Regardless, the album as a whole is a wonderfully unique experience and one of the better new albums I've found so far.
Great timing on the Christmas album! I don't know what it is about Wall of Sound production that just sounds so perfectly festive, it may very well be that this album has been so influential on Christmas culture that it has embedded its way into my psyche. So many classic Christmas songs come from this album, and even outside of the holiday season this is just a prime example of Brill Building brilliancy. Darlene Love absolutely steals the show with her songs, but by no means are the others' performances bad. It's just impossible not to feel at least a sliver of joy when the band kicks in on Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), which may very well be the greatest Christmas song ever recorded. I will say there are some songs that don't quite meet the standard, namely Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and The Bells of St. Mary which both lack interesting production and flair from the singers. Nevertheless this album is easily my pick for the most "Christmas-y" album of all time; no other album soundtracks the holidays quite like it. Merry Christmas! ^-^
don't quite know how to describe how I feel about Kraftwerk. They were a hugely influential band that basically single-handedly pioneered electronic music, with Die Mensch-Maschine often being considered the starting point of Synthpop's popularity. Personally, I have never been able to get into the mechanical sound that they are going for (and achieving very well). It's a game of tug of war between the respect I have for the band as innovators and my inability to get into the art that they're producing. The concept of the album purposely leaning into the robotic themes of electronica is brilliant and everything about this album is executed to perfectly portray that theme. The use of synths to create these landscapes of sound is fascinating, especially considering the primitive technology they were working with. I just can't stop myself from thinking "I would so much rather be listening to an Eno record right now." The cold, mechanical side of electronica has never really appealed to me, and although Die Mensch-Maschine is probably their most pop-oriented record, I still struggle getting interested in it. Maybe someday I'll be enlightened and be able to appreciate everything about Kraftwerk's genius, but for now I appreciate them as pioneers but don't really see the appeal of this in a modern world where electronic music has evolved so much.
I was willing to give Who Killed the Zutons a chance, coming from the tail-end of the golden age of Indie Rock, surely it would have at least a taste of something special on it? Unfortunately not, as this album is incredibly underwhelming. It's a very stagnant experience, with the songs really not feeling all that different from one another. The album lacks drive as a whole, with a lot of the songs feeling really empty. It really does feel like a bunch of tracks thrown together with very little care as to making them sound cohesive. More than anything though, the album is just boring. The instrumentals are very safe and generic, and the vocals are weirdly off-putting. It's definitely to this album's detriment that it was included in a list like this, as it is by no means a classic album, and if I hadn't gone into it with that expectation I may have given it a little more grace.
In making an album about Britain that is actually good, The Kinks once again accomplish something that was previously thought to be impossible. Yes I'm a sucker for concept albums but for damn good reason, Arthur is quick to immerse you in this satirical yet close-to-home world that captures the sentiment of many people at the time. The album manages to stay interesting both musically and in narrative throughout its runtime. It takes the best parts of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society and applies them to a much more immersive album that has some absolutely amazing peaks, namely Victoria and Shangri-La. There really isn't a weak point on the album, with each track standing on its own quite well even without any context. The catchy pop framework of the album pair surprisingly well with the satirical narrative of a pretty grim subject matter. It did take me a few listens to be able to process everything on the record, but it has quickly grown into my favorite Kinks album.
It should go without saying that Hip Hop has come a long way since the 80s. The genre has evolved to become arguably the most widespread and diverse scene, with its influence reaching almost all popular music today. I can try and put myself in the perspective of somebody in 1986 listening to Raising Hell for the first time, and I think it would definitely be a slightly more innovative listen than in modern times. Run-D.M.C. was certainly a large pioneer in the early popularization of Hip Hop, and they definitely laid the groundwork for the Boom Bap, but I have to put influence aside and go off of my enjoyment, which was unfortunately lacking. It's Tricky is a great single and definitely the highlight of the record, but apart from that the album has not aged gracefully. Lyrics are corny, often times bordering on cringe-worthy (looking at you Dumb Girl). The beats are pretty good, especially for the time, but definitely emit that 80s cheesiness that some love and some can't stand. I'm personally more a The Breakfast Club cheese enjoyer, and this album is giving more of a Ghostbusters vibe if you catch my drift. I could forgive the aforementioned cheese if they leaned into it a little more (thinking NO HANDS), but with a title like "Raising Hell" it's clear the impression they are going for even if in a more playful manner. I recognize how influential Run-D.M.C. and Raising Hell were, and give them all due credit in that department. I think for me personally though, Hip Hop needed a little bit more time to cook before rappers could start making truly great albums.
While Lorde might not be my favorite Pop Queen (that honor belongs to Carly Rae Jepsen), it's hard to deny that her first two albums are damn good. Melodrama is an album that stands today as one of the masterpieces of modern Alt-Pop. While it didn't receive nearly as much widespread appeal as Pure Heroine, it offers a much deeper insight into Lorde as both an artist and a human being. Melodrama is a very personal and introspective album that showcases just how expressive Pop music can be when talented artists are allowed to write about more than shallow love. It helps a lot that Melodrama also boasts arguably the best Alt-Pop production of all time consistently throughout its runtime. Green Light is the perfect start showing just what this album is capable of right out of the gate. It carries that momentum until around the Loveless section of Hard Feelings, but picks it back up quickly with Supercut to finish just as strong as it starts.
Melodrama was fundamental in developing my enjoyment of modern Pop music, which I had largely written off for a while. I believe it has helped me appreciate so many other modern Pop artists that I likely would've completely rejected 5 years ago. Whenever I hear somebody say that popular music sucks, Melodrama is usually the album I point them to. Along with Pure Heroine, Melodrama defines a period of mid 2010s nostalgia that has become very personally important to me. It's an album that's able to capture a deep emotional struggle without sacrificing anything in the way of fun and beautiful Pop production. Melodrama remains Lorde's masterpiece and represents the absolute best of modern Pop music.
Van Halen being my dad's favorite band, I naturally grew up listening to 1984 a lot. In the present day, I'm really not a huge Hard Rock enjoyer, though I dabble from time to time. Van Halen is one of the biggest exceptions and probably my favorite strictly Hard Rock band, and this album is their best by far. I'm sure many people are already aware of how ahead of his time EVH was, with Eruption being a massively influential solo that would inspire countless guitarists. The guitar-work on this album is so technical but without sacrificing fun or enjoyability. Pretty much the whole album is just so much fun, they never take themselves too seriously, but just seriously enough to put out a bunch of really solid tracks. The A-side is hit after hit, with the B-side slowing down a little bit but being a great time. Not only is this album incredibly nostalgic for me, I think it holds up almost 50 years later. It's not some super poetic story or a "punch you in the face" hardcore grindfest, it's just good, classic, catchy Hard Rock that inspired many artists going into the 80s.
This live recording is an interesting inclusion of this list, certainly nice to see some South American representation. I'm not sure I would've picked this live recording over Piazzolla's actual studio work like Tango: Zero Hour, but maybe including Gary Burton was important. The two do work well together, the vibraphone and bandoneón together making a very nostalgic, smooth tango nuevo sound, but the live setting kind of breaks you from how atmospheric and lovely this kind of music can be. The pieces themselves aren't particularly distinct, so there isn't really any major high points to this album. I did find myself enjoying Laura's Dream quite a bit, and the rest was pleasant if nothing else. While I'm glad something like this was included on the list, I think there are way better examples even within these artists' catalogues. Sure, the addition of vibraphone to traditional tango music is interesting, I don't think this recording is nearly as polished or progressive as many other examples.
Though I've never particularly liked the Offspring, it's hard not to admit they found a pretty good groove on Smash. They sort of combine the sounds of Bad Religion and Green Day together to make a high-speed car chase of an album. The vocals are a lot more bearable than many of their other projects, mostly because they're not trying to be something they're not. Dexter falls a little more in line with Greg Graffin in his vocal delivery, which I think suites Smash much better than his more strained whiny sound from Americana onward. The major downside of Smash is just how poorly it was produced. It's very blown out and distorted, which can have a certain charm to it in some contexts, but doesn't work well for the sound they're going for in my opinion. The album is also a little gimmicky, the spoken word segments really not adding anything and the silent outro being overdone to hell, certainly contributing why the album just feels way too long. At the end of the day, Smash is a perfectly serviceable Punk album, but there's no day that I wouldn't rather listen to the countless better records from this era. Smash has a handful of decent singles, but over the span of 46 minutes it really loses its punch for me.
The main draw of Paul Revere & The Raiders seems to be they're actually led by a guy called Paul Revere. Aside from that little quirk, they are about the most middle-of-the-road generic garage rock band that sounds like pretty much every other band from this era. Their biggest claim to fame was Midnight Ride, one which they would be the first ones to record I'm Not Your Stepping Stone, a track that would later be popularized by The Monkees. Kicks is also a great single, standing out alongside Stepping Stone from a sea of mostly forgettable garage rock. Little Girl in the 4th Row and Melody for an Unknown Girl make me uncomfortable to say the least, someone needs to travel back in time to tell hundreds of 60s bands that writing love songs that include the word "little girl" will not age well. Overall, this record is just so generic, there are so many better garage rock records to choose from this period. I might grab Kicks for a playlist, but that's about all I get out of Midnight Ride.
I am pretty far away from Slipknot's intended audience, not quite Catholic Grandma far away but pretty close. I've mostly been interested in extreme metal bands, but every now and then I'll find a more melodic metal band that I enjoy. Unfortunately with Slipknot, even the songs people will say I should like don't really do anything for me. When someone recommended I listen to Psychosocial, I find myself underwhelmed. It very much feels like a CEO's idea of what "edgy" metal should be. All Hope Is Gone fails to work as an album, maybe could've been a decent EP if they'd cut the filler. Each song draaags, overstaying their welcome long enough for you to notice after tuning it out. This is especially true of the track run from Vendetta to Wherein Lies Continue, which literally felt an hour long. On the better tracks there's definitely some redemption, Snuff and Dead Memories being pretty well thought-out. The majority of the record is just so tame, regardless of what their personas want you to think. I'll defend some Slipknot, even if it's not my cup of tea, but I really have nothing positive to say about All Hope Is Gone.
