151
Albums Rated
2.83
Average Rating
14%
Complete
938 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010
Favorite Decade
Hip-hop
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
0
5-Star Albums
6
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Modern Dance
Pere Ubu
|
4 | 2.48 | +1.52 |
|
GI
Germs
|
4 | 2.53 | +1.47 |
|
Bitte Orca
Dirty Projectors
|
4 | 2.69 | +1.31 |
|
Tarkus
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
|
4 | 2.78 | +1.22 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
1977
Ash
|
1 | 3.02 | -2.02 |
|
Red Dirt Girl
Emmylou Harris
|
1 | 2.87 | -1.87 |
|
Go Girl Crazy
The Dictators
|
1 | 2.84 | -1.84 |
|
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
|
2 | 3.7 | -1.7 |
|
Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone
|
2 | 3.65 | -1.65 |
|
Young Americans
David Bowie
|
2 | 3.62 | -1.62 |
|
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
|
2 | 3.58 | -1.58 |
|
The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
|
2 | 3.58 | -1.58 |
|
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
|
2 | 3.48 | -1.48 |
Popular Reviews
The KLF · 1 likes
2/5
90s dance beats. Hasn’t aged well. But some of the samples and mixes could pass for modern electronic music if you heard 3-4 second snippets. Decent quality, but doesn’t have an extended shelf life. 2.2/5.0
Meat Loaf · 1 likes
2/5
Album is consistently theatrical. Good performances in general. Just not really my jam. 2.4/5.0
The Pogues · 1 likes
4/5
Love this album by The Pogues. Shane MacGowan in his prime, writing vividly. This is perhaps their best album. So many classic tunes. 4.5/5.0
4-Star Albums (21)
1-Star Albums (6)
All Ratings
Beastie Boys
4/5
Really good mix of classic Beastie Boys sound and decent punk tunes that stand alone on their own.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Classic Zeppelin sound. A lot of track I hadn’t heard before, which is somewhat embarrassing. Solid album.
Patti Smith
2/5
Album is not something I typically listen to, however I’m glad I did because I know it’s considered a classic.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Nice live album. Enjoyed the drums and funk lines.
David Bowie
2/5
Great backing music. Vocals at times are odd. Fame is the real saving grace. Solid 2.5.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Bare bones record. I enjoyed the takes on non traditional cover tunes as well as the closer “We’ll meet again”. The tone of this album is generally sad, then it ends rather hopeful.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Nirvana
3/5
Drums are solid. I found the lyrics and vocal delivery generally poor to my ears. Decent music with bad vocals in my opinion.
ZZ Top
4/5
Album’s instrumental backbone is consistent and the hi-hats remind me of an album made with just extended “Legs” tracks. But that’s a good thing. I almost lost it listening to “I got your six” for the first time. Can’t believe I haven’t heard that before. What the hell! Solid 4 on the album.
Skunk Anansie
3/5
The vocals are the best part. She has a very good range and the layering is fantastic. Bass lines are also great. While the record is well produced, the instrumentals are somewhat basic. I’ll give it a 3.5, reflected with a 3.
Lou Reed
4/5
Drums are perfect. The horn section adds a surprising tightness to the mix. There’s a lot of layers and depth that I may need a couple listens to fully absorb. The vocals are super strange and uncomfortable at times, but keeps it interesting. Fuck it. It’s a 4.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Fantastic sounds of laid-back and carefree jazz. While listening, I read about Evans’ life around this time and was surprised to learn about his many struggles. Can’t judge a guy by an album cover! Also didn’t know he played with Miles Davis on “Kind of Blue”. Fascinating. Overall, the guy was very talented and somehow balanced his hardships with a productive music career. Solid 4.2
Scritti Politti
1/5
Objectively bad album. It’s the stuff of 80’s montages, synthetic slap bass, and vocals inspired by Milli Vanilli and Michael Jackson’s worst day. I have no idea why this is on the list; hopefully it’s a message to never repeat it, but I’m afraid there are more surprises.
0.3/5
Germs
4/5
It’s fast, noisy, and chaotic. Darby Crash’s vocal delivery and lyrics are unique and strange. Barely coherent at times. The guitar and bass lines complement each other well and keeps the thing engaging. I really like the aesthetics of the cover art. It’s simple but fits so well. Sorta hard to believe this came out in 1979. This is a very influential punk record and is the only studio album by the Germs (mainly due to Darby Crash’s death in 1980).
4.1/5
Facts: GI was produced by Joan Jett.
The guitarist Pat Smear would later join Nirvana and the Foo Fighters.
The KLF
2/5
90s dance beats. Hasn’t aged well. But some of the samples and mixes could pass for modern electronic music if you heard 3-4 second snippets. Decent quality, but doesn’t have an extended shelf life. 2.2/5.0
ABBA
3/5
Classic tones that are melded together in a smooth 70’s soup. Immediately recognizable singles and really nice other tracks. The stand out aspect are the layered vocals and harmonies. 3.7/5.0
Ravi Shankar
2/5
Neat intros explaining the theory behind Indian music. Great sounding sitars and tabla drums. I’m hearing a lot of Scottish or Irish musical parallels that I haven’t noticed with this kind of genre before. I enjoyed it overall as kind of an ambient listen… although I found the lead sitar activity a bit distracting. 2.7/5.0
The Avalanches
3/5
Enjoyed the samples, and scratches all over the album. However, some of the loops are redundant at times. A few tracks are strangely familiar and I’m having trouble placing them. Overall, decent album for background work in my opinion. 2.9/5.0
The Temptations
4/5
Classic funk and soul standards. High quality instrumentation and arrangement. Enjoyed all the tracks — “Do Your Thing” is smoothnesses incarnate. 4.3/5.0
Tracy Chapman
3/5
Tracy Chapman is a fantastic and very talented singer/songwriter. She has a very unique voice and I would categorize the instrumentation as minimalist. There is a distinct sadness to this album and I had a difficult time enjoying it fully. 2.8/5.0
The Go-Betweens
3/5
Very 90s acoustic pop songs. Every song flows into the next seamlessly. Sounds a bit dated but I enjoyed it. 3.0/5.0
Yes
4/5
Prior to this, I’ve only heard “I’ve Seen All Good People” before. The tones and harmonies of the other songs are familiar and it’s like another few levels were unlocked. The whole album flew by and I enjoyed it thoroughly. 4.1/5.0
The Strokes
3/5
I remember when this came out I was a little confused about the simplicity. After a fresh listen, I have a better appreciation but it’s still a bit mid. My favorite sections are the bass licks. 3.0/5.0
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
I heard a cover of the first track about 25 years ago. I didn’t know it was a cover until today. Great world music album with great drums and vocals. 3.8/5.0
Curtis Mayfield
2/5
Era specific sounds. Fantastic melodies that are recognizable in modern popular songs that I didn’t know weren’t completely original. Some of the tracks are a bit repetitive without seeing the movie’s use of the soundtrack. 2.8/5.0
Otis Redding
3/5
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
1/5
Man. What a weird one; It’s a tad uncomfortable. Who knew Buddy Holly was so persistent. Calm down man. 0.6/5.0
The Cult
2/5
Sonically, it’s generally a mixture of AC/DC and Van Halen. Tom drum tones are a bit odd. Vocals are a bit repetitive and “yeah yeah yeaaaah!” Seems like a pretty solid album for ‘87, but hasn’t aged well. 2.2/5.0
Various Artists
3/5
Good Xmas day listen. Classic but alt versions I haven’t heard. 2.6/5.0
Meat Loaf
2/5
Album is consistently theatrical. Good performances in general. Just not really my jam. 2.4/5.0
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
First time hearing this album. Wow. This is Very much a 90s time capsule. Every song is basically “Pump up the jam” with mostly motivational lyrics about togetherness and moving on. I can’t help but wonder what the record would sound like without the dated 90s drum loops. 2.1/5.0
Elton John
4/5
Leads with the classics. Has a ton of tracks I haven’t heard and equally fantastic. Solid album. 4.4/5.0
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
Not great. A lot of tracks could have been left off in my opinion. 2.1/5.0
The Everly Brothers
2/5
Sounds like the last record of the 50s in alot of ways. Original version of “Love Hurts” was a nice surprise. 1.9/5.0
Eminem
3/5
I’ve listened to this album many times since it was released. Strangely, it gets more shocking the older I get. Maybe it’s the slowly changing social environment. Despite that, Eminem is in peak form on this album. 3.6/5.0
The Dictators
1/5
I hear a mixture of Kiss and the Beach Boys. Not great. 1.5/5.0
AC/DC
3/5
Solid rock n roll album. Widely known. Super consistent. Sonically great. The best one with Bon Scott, if not best overall release from AC/DC. 3.9/5.0
Pere Ubu
4/5
I’ve never heard of Pere Ubu prior to listening to this album. What sticks out the most for me is the experimental nature of some of the songs. For 1978, the loud synths and wacky solos seem a bit out there and I really enjoy it. There’s also a striking resemblance to the Melvins in much of the vocal delivery and experimental parts — and I can’t help but think that Pere Ubu lended some kind of inspiration to the Melvins material that came after. 3.9/5.0
The Pogues
4/5
Love this album by The Pogues. Shane MacGowan in his prime, writing vividly. This is perhaps their best album. So many classic tunes. 4.5/5.0
Coldplay
3/5
Solid album. Has many of their classic songs. Enjoyed the drumming and layering on the instruments. Vocals are an obvious stand out as well. 3.7/5.0
Billy Bragg
2/5
Very distinctive English voice. Songs are minimal with lyrics populist in nature. Despite agreeing with much of the message, I enjoyed the ones that weren’t so political much more. I’m not sure if the double disc release was the original or the deluxe but that one is a bit long with many repeated versions. Decent album overall. Just not completely my style. 2.4/5.0
Emmylou Harris
1/5
Good voice overall but melodies seem repetitive, almost churchy, and the music feels a bit dated. Country isn’t my favorite genre so maybe I’m the problem. 1.0/5.0
White Denim
4/5
Pleasantly surprised by this one. Great tones and performances all around. Fantastic prog-y sections that really showcase the talent of the members. Extremely tight, yet atmospheric. Enjoyed this one throughly. 4.2/5.0
Funkadelic
3/5
Somewhat strange listen. It’s groovy but not as funky as I expected, bass-wise. I know this is considered a classic. To my ears, it’s not as tight as it could be but maybe that was on purpose. 2.9/5.0
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
The concept of the album is powerful and Curtis communicates it effectively. The music is a bit stripped down and serves to set the mood. For me, Curtis’ voice is decent but the falsetto tone is a tad redundant at times. 3.1/5.0
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
Great instrumentals that are instantly recognizable. Makes me wanna drive around the block. 3.5/5.0
Pulp
2/5
Music is alright but the vocalist makes the whole thing weird! There are times I think he just wrote down what he was doing to get the line going. Not to mention the somewhat creepy verses and choruses but could just be my interpretation. 1.4/5.0
Ride
2/5
Good album to play in the background. Basic yet layered. The bass performance stood out for me. 2.7/5.0
Bob Dylan
3/5
Although, it’s somewhat lengthy, the quality is great and the lyrical content is funny at times. Not sure if he intended it to be. Dylan has such a unique cadence and style. Enjoyed this one as a casual listen. 3.2/5.0
The Smiths
3/5
Nice easy listen. ”Barbarism Begins at Home” is a standout track for me. It’s quite different from the others and I really dig the bass performance. 3.3/5.0
R.E.M.
2/5
Well put together album. Classic REM sound, just not completely my style. 2.8/5.0
Buck Owens
3/5
I don’t typically listen to country music, but I really enjoyed this one. Old school twang. 3.4/5.0
Ash
1/5
Not a great album. Sounds like the precursor to the pop punk wave that came after. Or maybe it was happening all at once. I don’t know. It captures that vibe but also has early 90s guitar and drum tones. 1.6/5.0
The Zombies
3/5
It’s sounds very similar to the Beatles in the same era. To the point that it might have been intentional. “Time of the Season” is a little bit of an exception and it acts as the prefect closer. 2.7/5.0
The Electric Prunes
2/5
Again, somewhat sounds like a Beatles copy. Not great. 2.1/5.0
Pink Floyd
2/5
Sounds totally different from my understanding of Pink Floyd. Not really my jam and I had high hopes! 2.4/5.0
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Kinda decent punk thing going on. Although, a lot sounds like it was written on the fly. Maybe that’s just the vibe they were going for. 3.0/5.0
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Decent electro-pop record. Had me dancing a little bit in my socks. Not sure if this really needed to be added to the list but it’s aight for sure. 3.1/5.0
OutKast
3/5
Super interesting and unique album. Creative production. It’s a tad too long. I prefer ATLiens and Aquemini, but this one is a close third. 3.6/5.0
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Classic 80’s sync tunes. Echo’s melodies and tones from that era like “You Spin Me Round” or “Like a Virgin”, I even heard something that reminded me of the underwater levels in Donkey Kong Country. Overall, I’ll give it a 2.6/5.0
Boston
4/5
Every song (no exaggeration) is a hit that we’ve all heard countless times. What a crazy track list. What an accomplishment. I think it’s a solid 4.0/5.0.
Dirty Projectors
4/5
Very unique album. Fantastic layered vocals throughout. The song writing is creative and structured super differently. The drum tones and playing are great, when they’re present — almost has Bonham-esque pauses and style. Very good album. Solid 4.2
David Gray
2/5
At times, it sounds like a mix between Elton John and Bob Dylan. How’s that possible? The track Babylon is definitely the highlight and doesn’t fit that description somehow. 2.3/5.0
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
This is a fun, loose, and loud record. Favorite line is from Can’t Stop:
“Here’s the part of the record, where I’d like everyone to stand up, throw their hands in the air, and kiss my ass…”
I laughed so hard I almost choked. What a non-serious and funny thing to say. It’s a fun listen. 3.1/5.0
Talking Heads
3/5
Kinda a strange and distinct album. It’s exactly how I imagine 1980 to sound. Retro-futuristic-bongo-disco. 3.6/5.0
The Specials
2/5
Has to be the precursor to ska. Has a ton of drum licks that a suspiciously similar to Sublime. Some of the lyrics are a bit outrageous, in a good way. 2.4/5.0
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Has a couple hits I’ve heard a bunch before. Has some deep cuts I’ve never heard but enjoyed them because they’re different. I feel like at this point in their career they probably just were playing what felt right. 3.1/5.0
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
A modern classic of hip-hop! It’s a great concept album and showcases Kendrick vivid writing style with smooth but dense production. 4.2/5.0
2/5
Super chaotic jazz. Most of the instruments are playing a similar melody, but the drums didn’t get the memo at times. This would be a good album to blast to prevent a group of people from sleeping; for hypothetical protest purposes. Keeping this in my back pocket. 1.8/5.0
Nina Simone
2/5
Nina’s voice is deep and smooth and she sings a love songs with minimal but great instrumentation. I didn’t really connect with it, but I can tell why this album is important to people. 2.0/5.0
David Holmes
2/5
An album with electro sounds that fits the late 90s. The samples are unique and convey the vibe well. But didn’t knock my socks off overall. Decent though. 2.6/5.0
David Ackles
2/5
I don’t know if there’s more to it, but it’s an objectively strange album. It’s theatrical with specific details in the lyrics making me think I’m watching a play, but in the wrong order and I’m the only person in the audience and I’m blind. 1.5/5.0
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Smooth album. Joni has a great range and a classic 70s voice, harmony, and layering. I hear a little of her vocal cadence in Tracy Chapman’s vocal performance who might have been influenced? Just a hunch. Good album overall. 3.5/5.0
Supergrass
2/5
Loud 90s rock album with some decent tunes. Nothing stands out on the first listen, but it’s fine overall. 2.5/5.0
Primal Scream
2/5
It’s a washing machine of blended genres — the towels are thrown in with sheets, work clothes, whites, pajamas, dress clothes, and everything on the floor. It’s not too bad, but doesn’t SCREAM focused either. 1.8/5.0
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2/5
Sounds experimental and minimal, yet strangely modern somehow. Not sure how to explain it, so I’ll stop. 2.3/5.0
The Beach Boys
3/5
I haven’t listened to much of the Beach Boys, but this is more dense and “Beatles-esque” than I expected. The album art is a bit dark and somewhat captures the vibe. Great song writing. I enjoyed this! 3.5/5.0
Peter Tosh
3/5
I agree, Peter Tosh.
I’ve been transported to either a dive in Jamaica, or the local smoke shop down the road. I’ve never heard these songs, but I’ve heard all these songs. I think my favorite part is the bass performance. Less is more! Love it. 3.3/5.0
The The
3/5
The first track launches into an electric drum intro I was convinced was early Ministry. After listening, It’s still kinda adjacent to that but totally stays in the era of the early 80s. Decent synths and vocal performances. 3.4/5.0
Parliament
3/5
Classic bass lines and original sounding tunes for that era. It’s the best George Clinton album I’ve heard. 3.8/5.0
Billy Joel
3/5
I mean this in the best way possible. This is quintessential white people tunes. Expertly crafted and beige as hell! I agree that it’s an important album and Billy Joel did some great work here. 3.5/5.0
Kraftwerk
3/5
You know the contrast between the original NES game Legend of Zelda and the more modern game Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? This is basically the 8-bit version of modern EDM. I enjoy the minimalist soundscape that it transports you to. Simple hopes about technology. Too bad it didn’t turn out quite like this. 3.2/5.0
50 Cent
3/5
First time hearing this album. Of course I know the hits, but most of the songs are much more raw and straight-up violent than I pictured 50 Cent songs to be. Maybe I live in a hole. Good quality production and bars. You can tell his cadence was influenced by Eminem during this time. Not a bad record. 3.1/5.0
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Great voice. Songs about love or affairs or something. 3.0/5.0
Elvis Presley
3/5
Solid Elvis tracks. On headphones, there’s a noticeable placement of where the instruments are and how they’re panned. Not sure if I’m saying that right, but it adds a bit of depth I wasn’t expecting. 3.4/5.0
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Good album overall. Kind of stripped down, compared to other lively live or later versions I’ve heard. Great mood setter though! 3.5/5.0
The Smiths
3/5
Nice little whimsy album. The tracks have a very consistent beat that fits the vocals pretty well. Good overall. 3.4/5.0
Marty Robbins
4/5
Surprisingly smooth, but songs are all about shooting folks and running off. Great performances and subject matter that I didn’t think the 50s could produce. 3.9/4.0
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Great mix of early hip hop — boom-bap and conscious rap, but it does have moments of slightly simplistic rhyme schemes that the early eras are kinda known for, but that’s just part of it. I really like the production on this one. 3.7/5.0
The Doors
2/5
It’s classic Doors, which is fine. 2.6/5.0
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Very live feeling album. Good takes with the classic Neil Young tone. 3.0/5.0
Slade
2/5
It’s an 80s rock record. Not great, and I’m offended by the spelling of some of the songs. What are we doing here. 1.5/5.0
Elvis Presley
3/5
Classic Elvis tunes. Not bad music for the background. 3.0/5.0
Steely Dan
3/5
The album kicks off with classic Steely Dan hits, and continues with other great songs I haven’t heard before. Good album. 3.6/5.0
The Shamen
2/5
It’s a techno relic from the early 90s! It hasn’t aged very well but it does keep the head bobbing. 2.6/5.0
Peter Gabriel
3/5
In total, it’s an 80s time capsule with montages of brief case phones and shoulder pads. Future vibes from the past. Echos a simpler time perhaps, but perhaps I’m over thinking it. What a vibe! 3.5/5.0
Thundercat
3/5
Kind of a carefree type of record. The instrumentation is minimal but fits the vocals well. Has a unique set of songs that all sound similar(?). Some of the lyrics are strangely funny, and that Kendrick feature about halfway through was a surprise. 3.7/5.0
Screaming Trees
3/5
Decent 90s grunge album. Kinda a mix of Black Crows, Alice In Chains, and a whole bunch of other stuff peppered in. Cool world drum vibes on the last track! Good drums overall. 3.6/5.0
Pretenders
3/5
Fun little early punk record with a few dense breakdowns. Great vocal quality, to the point of kinda overshadowing the rest. 3.3/5.0
The Stooges
2/5
Really like the bass in the mix. Talented player there. The general instrumentation is good, minus a few widdly wah parts. One too many widdly wahs. Lower overall sound quality but it fits that early punk tone. The vocals—way too over the top for my taste. Rock and roll clown vibes. But he does kinda have a Morrison vibe on a couple of the songs. The drunk shouty thing. AAHYEEEAaaaaaahhh. 2.0/5.0
Steely Dan
3/5
Decent 70s record; I don’t think I’ve heard any of these tunes. Highlights for me are “Pearl of the Quarter” and the f bomb on “Show Biz Kids” I didn’t expect, said all Steely Dany. 3.3/5.0
Radiohead
3/5
I enjoy Kid A, and I’m surprised I haven’t heard this. After review, this was released about 9 months afterward and is basically more material from those sessions. It seems a tad more experimental and some of the vocal effects might not have been super needed, but really enjoyed this! 3.6/5.0
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Has classic CCR tracks and a few deep cuts. Like any CCR release, John Fogerty’s voice and guitar picking are front and center. Great dual effect on the vocals. 3.5/5.0
4/5
Super solid album from Muse. Probably their best. All around great performances with many layers! Many memorable moments; captures their sound extremely well while it was fresh. 4.1/5.0
Iron Maiden
2/5
Hugely influential heavy metal album that hasn’t aged well in my opinion. The quick drums and neat guitar harmonies are the highlight for me. 2.8/5.0
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Man… Amy Winehouse had such a great voice and this album captures it best, with all the highs and lows. 4.2/5.0
The La's
3/5
Out of these tracks, I think I’ve only heard “There She Goes” and the rest kinda sounds like a totally different band. Pleasantly surprised. Good album! 3.6/5.0
Stephen Stills
3/5
Starts strong and keeps going pretty good. The acoustic guitar strumming parts are layered well as well as the vocal harmonies. 3.6/5.0
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
Nice album with vintage rock, folk, and jazz tones. Especially like the jazz breaks. Unexpected for sure, and executed well. 3.2/5.0
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Only 4 tracks but strangely seems a bit long, probably due to the closing track. It’s a decent soul/R&B album, but I found Isaac’s vocal delivery a bit rambling at times. 2.6/5.0
The Jam
3/5
Nice little whimsy English rock album. Good for the work flow in the background. I appreciate the constant drive of the album. The bass is loud in the mix, but totally not an issue as it adds to the overall vibe. 3.6/5.0
Ray Charles
3/5
A super solid and consistent soul album from a young Ray Charles. Very classic sounds and Ray’s vocal performance seem effortless. 3.8/5.0
Deep Purple
4/5
Great classic rock album from start to finish. The guitar and vocals are over the top, in the best way possible. Drums are tight. The whole thing is just a solid groover! 4.0/5.0
The Waterboys
3/5
Kinda reminds me of a less high range and less loud version of Flogging Molly. Good overall. 3.1/5.0
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Unique bare-bones world album that’s heavily informed by the delta blues style. Not sure of the exact language but it complements the music well and definitely makes it stand out. 3.0/5.0
The Velvet Underground
2/5
This a kinda weird lo-fi album. Kind of a low budget version of Rolling Stones. Sorta rambling and repetitive. Maybe I’m not ready. 2.0/5.0
Wilco
3/5
It’s a decent, softer background type of album, but not necessarily my cup of tea. Despite that, it would fit great in the atmosphere of a local coffee shop! 3.0/5.0
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Decent rock/pop album with consistent live instrumentation. 3.2/5.0
The White Stripes
3/5
Bare bones rock record. Some of it feels like it was written on the fly; kinda has a live vibe to it sometimes. 3.0/5.0
Lauryn Hill
3/5
It’s a great concept album with interludes that keep it focused. She has such a fantastic voice and has good bars and rap chops to match. 3.6/5.0
Aimee Mann
3/5
Great voice. Overall tones and mix sounds locked in the 90s, but in a good way. Nice album to reflect on. 3.2/5.0
Blondie
3/5
Decent songwriting and vocals. The whole thing showcases Debbie’s vocals very well. Instrumentation is sounds locked in the 70s with highlights of disco, early punk and rock. Not a bad album. Heart of Glass is a classic. 3.2/5.0
Bob Dylan
3/5
I haven’t listened to much of Bob Dylan, so that might explain my surprise putting this on and hearing a straight up blues record. He’s obviously older than how he sounds in earlier works, but his whole approach here sounds like a totally different artist to me. In a good way. 3.6/5.0
Frank Zappa
3/5
Put on the first track and immediately recognized it, along with all the melodies and changes. Growing up, a buddy let me borrow a Zappa compilation and this had to be where I know it from. The whole album jams, especially the first track. 3.6/5.0
Skepta
3/5
Nice album. It’s got some tough imagery and the electro production fits Skepta’s cadence well. I enjoyed this one. 3.5/5.0
The Modern Lovers
3/5
This album is interesting. On one hand, it sounds like an alternative release from the mid 90s, at times. However, there are parts of the vocals that seem rushed and not all the way thought out. This was probably influential to many a college radio band in the decades that followed its release. Not a bad record. 3.2/5.0
Blur
3/5
Before this, I’ve only heard ‘Song 2’ from this album and I really haven’t heard much Blur. I couldn’t help but constantly think I was hearing a rock album from Gorillaz. I blame my dumb mind. Really good though! Has a good variety of songs that’s I’ll probably go back to. 3.7/5.0
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
Nice little alt release with great quality production and nice vocal harmonies. Super creative song writing. I thought the album art didn’t really fit the vibe initially. 3.7/5.0
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
This is kind of a strange record. It might have been groundbreaking at the time, but I couldn’t get used to the guitar feedback and reverb drum tones throughout the album. The vocals are a bit monotone as well. If it didn’t sound like it was recorded in a vast hallway — I would’ve rated it a point higher. 2.0/5.0
Rod Stewart
3/5
The whole album has a pretty good tempo and closes strong. Rod Stewart’s raspy tone is nice, but my brain continued to expect him to say “Maggie” even though it’s nowhere on this record. He does say a lot of other names though with the same delivery, which I thought was kinda humorous. 3.1/5.0
Pink Floyd
3/5
It’s got a ton of classics and is widely regarded as one of Pink Floyd’s best records. I appreciate the ambition of it. There are a few lower points on the album where some of the vocals don’t seem as thought out as some of the other material, in my opinion. There are also a few call back moments that probably make more sense in the accompanying film. But what do I know… these are just my thoughts, which mean zero! 3.6/5.0
John Martyn
3/5
Soft and mellow kind of rock record. Not bad. Especially liked the closing track. 3.4/5.0
Elis Regina
3/5
I couldn’t really understand the words, but it’s a really good morning album. Great classic vocal tone. 3.5/5.0
The Smiths
3/5
Sad vibes but surprisingly good to clean the house to. 2.8/5.0
Erykah Badu
3/5
Fantastic R&B album. Erykah’s voice and all the instruments meld into one cohesive mixture. 3.7/5.0
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
In my opinion, not great. It’s super minimal but just comes across like a practice session, especially on the back half. The vocal delivery is kinda mumbling. 1.1/5.0
Motörhead
3/5
Great live album. Captures the Motörhead sounds with fantastic live vibes. If I close my eyes, it almost feels like it’s ‘81 and I’m in the room — almost. 3.4/5.0
Lou Reed
3/5
I haven’t heard much Lou Reed but I enjoyed his album Berlin. I think this is the one before and I imagine it’s alot more accessible. 3.6/5.0
TV On The Radio
3/5
Good layered vocals with nice falsetto touches. Synth and guitar parts are great quality but there’s a noticeable absence of percussion or actual drums that could have added more depth. Without that, it feels just a tad unfinished. 3.1/5.0
Dr. Dre
4/5
Classic original, actual OG West Coast sound. Funny skits, good features, other worldly production. Great album. I’ll go 3.9/5.0
Frank Ocean
3/5
Production is great and Frank has a fantastic voice. I couldn’t connect with some of the material. Some of it’s simple and some of it has depth, but it’s like a light switch how it changes. Not sure if that makes sense. 3.0/6.0
Jeff Buckley
3/5
I enjoyed this one. 90s to the core and sounds a lot like Muse vocally. This has to be where they got most of their vocal inspiration. Jeff Buckley’s vocal range is great and the instrumentation is good. Some of the vocal lines are a bit hokey but I’ll give a break — 90s. 3.5/5.0
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
A twangy old country record with interesting voice introductions to some of the songs. The subject material varies wildly between animals and cocaine. Sort of a strange record. 2.5/5.0
The Lemonheads
2/5
It’s an ok early 90s rock record. Kind of sounds like a mix between REM and British rock from that era. 2.6/5.0
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I’m sure this was groundbreaking at the time, but my today ears hear the sounds of a classic rock radio station doing a marathon of Rolling Stones songs when Keith Richards ultimately kicks the bucket. 2.7/5.0
Korn
3/5
It’s a late 90s classic. Super popular at the time and has gained steady resurgence lately, for the nu-metal genre in general. This album stands out from other releases in the genre. 3.4/5.0
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
I’ve never heard this before but it’s quite ambitious and has some futuristic and fun directions— futuristic for the 70s; hasn’t aged completely well but I think that adds to the experience. Love the keys and organ parts. Also like how tight the drums are to the arrangements with all the changes. 3.9/5.0
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
First time hearing it all the way through. Without a doubt, it’s a hugely important album for early hip hop. Crazy it’s 40 years old. It does have some simple rhyme schemes and maybe parts of the production hasn’t aged that well, but that’s part of the fun in some ways. It’s a neat listen. 3.5/5.0
The White Stripes
3/5
I know the hits of course, but this was my first complete listen. The simplicity is its strength, and Jack’s voice sometimes is akin to Robert Plant’s early voice. Never noticed that before. Good album overall. 3.7/5.0
Nirvana
3/5
Good live album featuring only acoustic renditions, which I’ve heard a bunch growing up. Decent tracks. Kurt’s voice strain and is a bit painful to listen to. But that adds to the genuineness of it I suppose. 3.3/5.0
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
Interesting “out there” album with neat little background noises everywhere. The vocals lines seem a bit dated, but I had no idea Roky Erickson had anything going before his solo stuff. 3.0/5.0