My first time listening to Franz Ferdinand. They reminded me of Big Country. I enjoyed it.
I haven't listened to this album in many years, it's as good as I remember.
Missed the album when it was first released, I was living in Italy. I discovered it while visiting the USA in 1984, several tracks were in heavy rotation on rock radio. It became, and still is one of my favorite Rush albums.
I've never been a huge fan of Santana and I think this is my first listen to the album. I knew Black Magic Woman & Oye Cómo Va, they are both OK songs. The rest of the album did not excite me. This album offered nothing compelling enough to warrant a second listen.
Honestly, the album left me cold. It basically sounds like the music Desi Arnaz and his orchestra played on I Love Lucy in the 1950s.
I've never really understood the hype around Simon & Garfunkel and had never bothered to listen to any of their albums before. To my surprise, I actually knew five of the tracks on this one—must have heard them constantly on AM radio in the '70s. The familiar songs were perfectly fine and didn't bother me, but the rest left me cold. The low point was definitely their cover of "Bye Bye Love"; it felt completely out of place. I can't see myself ever putting this on again.
Creedence Clearwater Revival is one of my all-time favorite bands from the late '60s/early '70s era. John Fogerty’s voice and guitar work are instantly recognizable—raw, soulful, and completely unmistakable. Every time I spin one of their albums, it still sounds incredible. Absolute classics!
This was a rough listen. There isn’t a single track here I’d ever willingly play again. The music feels like a half-hearted, low-budget knockoff of R&B, and the lyrics somehow manage to be even weaker. At points it sounded like he was freestyling nonsense straight into the microphone.
An instant classic… in the genre of ‘records specifically engineered to clear a room.’ Bland, derivative Indian spa-lounge drivel that somehow manages to be both irritating and completely forgettable.
AC/DC’s sound is instantly recognizable and damn near bulletproof. Even their weakest album still kicks the doors off most bands’ best efforts. Spinning one of their records feels like running into an old mate you haven’t seen in years—everything clicks right back into place, and you suddenly remember how much garbage you’ve been wasting your time on when you could’ve just been blasting AC/DC the whole damn time.
It was listenable, just not memorable at all. One-and-done for me.
I began listening with no expectations—my only exposure to African music had been National Geographic soundtracks. Instead of “tribal” clichés, I got hypnotic jam-band grooves and music that instantly reminding me of early-’80s King Crimson (the Adrian Belew era).
Felt like one endless track dragged on for the whole album. The only thing that saved it was that Sanford & Son sample.
Jazz isn’t really my thing. This album felt way too mellow for my taste, and for a live recording it came across oddly flat, like the crowd was more into chatting and clinking glasses than actually listening to the band. That said, I really enjoyed her take on “Just a Gigolo”, that one track alone almost made it worth the spin.
Abbey Road is a great album, the side B medley is a brilliant, seamless suite that feels like a grand farewell. Yet, it remains overshadowed by three earlier albums: Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and The “White” Album. Abbey Road is a listenable and beautifully produced Beatles record. Essential, masterful, and deeply satisfying, just not quite the pinnacle.
While not quite matching the brilliance of Elvis’s pre-Hollywood recordings, From Elvis in Memphis stands out for including “In the Ghetto,” arguably one of his finest songs from the post-movie era. Listening to this album always brings back warm memories of my grandmother, who was a devoted Elvis fan.
Aside from the two standout hits, “Tiny Dancer” and “Levon,” I wasn’t very familiar with this album before listening. It has some strong moments, particularly the brooding title track, but overall, it’s not Elton John’s finest work. In my view, his career truly peaked with the three brilliant albums that followed.
Given the album title Club Classics Vol. One, I naturally expected vibrant, upbeat dance music. What I got instead was disappointingly watered-down soul. If this were playing in an actual club, I’d probably head for the exit. It’s passable as low-key background music, but that’s about it.
I first fell in love with Jane's Addiction nearly 40 years ago when this album hit my ears. Perry Farrell's unmistakable vocals and Dave Navarro's killer guitar work hooked me instantly. Even after all this time, the record still feels as fresh and exciting as ever—it never gets old.
Same as when it launched: wasn’t impressed then, still not impressed now.
Kate Bush possesses a truly unique and mesmerizing voice. It instantly captivated me the moment I first heard “Wuthering Heights.” Her album Hounds of Love is an absolute masterpiece—I’ve listened to it countless times already, and I know I’ll return to it many more times in the years to come.
It’s a pale, watered-down imitation of reggae—utterly uninspired and lacking any spark. I have no intention of listening to it again.
The standout feature of the Circle Jerks' Group Sex is that its 14 tracks clock in at just over 15 minutes total. Every song is so brief that none of them overstay their welcome or risk getting boring. On the flip side, none are substantial enough to truly sink into and enjoy. I can imagine it might hit differently in a chaotic mosh pit, sweating, slamming, and losing your mind, but listening at home, I just don't get the appeal of hardcore punk. The only reason I'd spin this album again is purely to piss off the neighbors.
What a complete waste of time. I’m not well-versed in virtual bands, but if Gorillaz, the most successful one, are anything to go by, commercial dominance doesn’t equate to being entertaining or even good. I vaguely recognized “Clint Eastwood,” likely from back when MTV actually played music videos. If it came on today, I’d switch the channel without a second thought.
I’m usually all about weird and distinctive voices, but Björk’s vocals on this one straight-up annoyed me.
I signed up for this site hoping to uncover new music and artists, and honestly, I’d been pretty disappointed—until now. I’d never heard of this band or their album before, but I absolutely loved it. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, John Lydon’s unmistakable voice kicked in. This is hands-down my favorite discovery so far.
A perfect album for Christmas Day. This was one of my favorite records growing up. My family played it on repeat every holiday season when I was a child. It's a shame about Phil Spector and his crimes, but I'm able to separate the artist from the art and still enjoy the music. Regardless of your feelings about Spector, this record is absolutely worth listening to.
My main issue with this album is the relentless repetition of explicit profanity, it often feels like little more than swearing layered over a drum beat. The juvenile, shock-value lyrics may actually explain its commercial success, giving immature listeners something crude to snicker at. If you removed or censored all the explicit content, the record would undoubtedly be shorter, though hardly improved in quality.
At last, an album I truly love—this is easily my favorite from the early Rolling Stones era. Listening to it felt like reuniting with an old friend you haven’t seen in years: instantly familiar and comforting, as if no time had passed at all. My only real complaint has nothing to do with the misogynistic lyrics that some critics point out. Rather, this version on Spotify is hampered by the awkward stereo separation typical of many mid-1960s recordings, which unfortunately detracts from the overall experience.
Pairing loosely grunge-tinged sounds with lyrics that border on gibberish yields exactly this kind of mess. I listened intently, desperately hunting for one song worth praising, but came up empty. Were this blaring in a pub, I’d make an immediate exit.
Hip-hop isn’t usually my thing, and listening to this album hasn’t changed my mind.
Take bargain-bin Bryan Ferry vocals, sprinkle on a little Bowie glamour, and you’ve got ABC. They peaked early with The Lexicon of Love—after that, it was all downhill. The real tragedy? Even their best wasn’t anything to write home about.
I was far from excited when I was assigned to review this album—I’d never heard of the artist or the record before. I started listening and actually enjoyed the opening track for the first few minutes, but then it dragged on for a full 20 minutes. When I realized the entire album clocked in at almost two hours of essentially the same repetitive sound, with no discernible difference between tracks, my enthusiasm quickly faded. This might be more enjoyable under the influence, but sober, it felt like an endurance test.
A lo-fi mess of an album. Most of the songs are weak musically, and the lyrics are even weaker. Lines like “water doesn’t give a damn” (from “Horseleg Swastikas”) and the punny “you’re the only ten I see” (in “Tennessee”) come off as corny and forced rather than witty. The one bright spot is the instrumental “Transylvania Blues”, no lyrics meant it couldn’t drag the track down.
I’ve been a Brian Eno fan ever since his Roxy Music era, and his involvement in a project is pretty much a guarantee of something extraordinary. This album lives up to that standard—it’s outstanding. Easily my favorite U2 record, from back when Bono hadn’t yet turned into an insufferable pretentious prick.
How did so much electronic music sneak its way into this book? It feels like every single person who ever received a Casio keyboard as a gift was handed a recording deal and guaranteed a spot on the list. Hands down, this was the most painful one I’ve had to slog through.
N.E.R.D.—I’d never even heard of them before. Went in bracing for disappointment, but wow, those catchy pop vibes completely won me over. I genuinely enjoyed it. Not sure how it’ll hold up to repeated spins yet, but I’m eager to find out.
I distinctly recall the release of Back in Black in 1980. After Bon Scott’s tragic death, I had low expectations for AC/DC’s future. But Brian Johnson’s raw, powerhouse vocals stepped in and not only rescued the band but arguably defined their sound for decades to come. I’ve spun this album many times over the years, and listening to it again recently was an absolute thrill.
When this album came up, I was genuinely excited to revisit it—it’s probably been over 30 years since I last played it through. What a letdown it turned out to be. “Freedom! ’90” remains an absolute standout and I still love it, but the rest of the tracks feel surprisingly uninspired and lack the spark I remembered.
Yet another masterpiece from an incredible band. I love every single track on this album. I could put it on repeat and never tire of it. Even though it came out nearly 60 years ago, it still absolutely rocks.
A rather underwhelming album. There’s nothing outright bad about it—in fact, I quite enjoyed Romy Madley Croft’s vocals. Unfortunately, the songs themselves just lack spark and fail to hold my interest.
When Born in the U.S.A. came out in 1984, it was absolutely everywhere. You couldn’t turn on the radio without hearing one of its singles. The album didn’t have a single weak track—every song was strong. That said, its massive commercial success may have hurt Bruce Springsteen as a recording artist in the long run. After that peak, his career felt like it went downhill. Off the top of my head, I struggle to name any truly memorable songs he released afterward.
Shame Neil Young wasn't around—this album could've used his spark. Only track I really like is 'Love the One You're With,' probably thanks to Crosby & Nash's backing vocals (or just because it's so familiar).
This album feels way too introspective and personal for my taste. I usually listen to music to be entertained, and this one is just too heavy and depressing for me.
James Brown has two sides: his early career delivered timeless R&B/soul classics full of raw energy, while his later years—marred by drug addiction—often felt like a diminished, self-parodying version of his former self.
In the early 1960s he was best known for explosive hit singles. This is the only James Brown album I’ve really listened to, and it didn’t impress me much.
I’ve never really clicked with Sparks' music, so when this album came up for review, I was honestly dreading it. Still, I figured I'd give it a fair shot. I sat down with the lyrics in hand, hit play, and really tried to listen closely.
Nope. Still not for me.
I'm not even sure what bugs me the most: the quirky, over-the-top production, the eccentric lyrics, Russell Mael's distinctive falsetto, or maybe just the whole package together. It's all a bit too much.
One star. Sorry, Sparks fans!
White Denim was a brand-new discovery for me, and I’m so glad the album ‘D’ was chosen. I enjoyed it thoroughly—I actually listened to it twice straight through. I’ll definitely be diving deeper into their catalog.
After really enjoying The Young Gods' T.V. Sky, I was excited to check out L'Eau Rouge. The music is fantastic, powerful, intense, and every bit as gripping as I'd hoped. That said, I have to admit I was a bit disappointed that most of the vocals are in French. Since I don't understand the language, it definitely made it harder to fully connect with the lyrics on the first listen, totally my issue, not the album's fault!
I plan to keep coming back to it, and I have a strong feeling L'Eau Rouge will grow on me over time as I get more familiar with the sound and maybe even look up some translations. The music alone is already pretty incredible.
This was my first full listen to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. I only really knew the singles before this. Overall I enjoyed the album a lot, but damn—over two hours of Billy Corgan's voice was a bit overwhelming. If someone trimmed it down to a tighter single-disc version, I'd easily give it more than 3 stars.
Aimee Mann's Whatever? The title says it all.
This album is musical shrug personified—polite, competent, instantly forgettable throwaway pop-rock that evaporates the moment it ends. After one listen, I finally get why her CDs turn up so reliably in the dollar bins at every flea market and thrift store across America: nobody's holding onto them.
Less than three years after releasing their debut album, The Beatles were already approaching the height of their creative powers.
Even now, almost 60 years after I first heard it, this album still brings me genuine enjoyment.
That said, like many mid-1960s records, it suffers from the extreme stereo separation typical of the era — with instruments and vocals hard-panned to one side or the other.
The 2009 remastered version available on Spotify also sounds oddly off to me — almost artificial or overly processed. My wife noticed it too, without me saying anything; she just remarked that something felt "wrong."
When I switched to my old vinyl copy for comparison, it actually sounded more natural and enjoyable overall... though the exaggerated stereo panning was, of course, still present.
Hunky Dory was the very first David Bowie album I ever heard, 54 years ago, and after more than half a century, my take on it hasn’t shifted at all.
Side one is outstanding: packed with classics like “Changes,” “Oh! You Pretty Things,” “Life on Mars?,” “Kooks,” and “Quicksand”. It’s flawless in my book and easily earns a perfect 5/5.
Side two, though? It doesn’t quite match that magic for me, more of a 3/5.
Overall, I’d still give the full album a solid 4/5. Timeless stuff, even if the sides feel uneven to these old ears.
Aretha Franklin, the so-called Queen of Soul? Nah, I didn't cast my vote for her. My pick has always been Tina Turner.
Take her album I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You—it's mediocre at best. Sure, 'Respect' is a killer cover of Otis Redding's original and stands out as a classic. But everything else? Just decent filler, the kind of stuff that fades into background noise. I actually had to listen to the whole thing twice before I even noticed 'Respect' popping up for the third time.
Listening to this was one of the worst hours I’ve ever spent—it felt endlessly repetitive and downright boring. The only moment that even remotely held my attention was the remake of the James Bond theme. If I could award zero stars, I would in a heartbeat.
The Grateful Dead are one of those bands that really divide listeners. Die-hard fans, especially the Dead Heads, treat their live shows as almost sacred, communal experiences that you truly had to be there for, high in the arena with thousands of others, to fully appreciate the magic.
I've spent time with Live/Dead and plenty of their other live releases, but personally, I gravitate much more toward their studio work. The live albums, this one included, often feel dragged down by overlong tracks bloated with endless jamming and improvisation. Sure, stretching a strong song to 20+ minutes can work brilliantly if the material and the moment are right, but the Dead sometimes seemed to operate on the principle that longer automatically equals better. That approach shines in the right setting: you're in the crowd, maybe a little altered, riding the collective energy wave. At home, though? Sipping tea on the couch? Those marathon jams lose a lot of their spark and start to feel indulgent rather than transcendent.
At Folsom Prison was one of the first albums I truly fell in love with. My parents bought it for me the summer I turned nine, and I played it every chance I got. It’s a miracle the vinyl didn't wear out, but 58 years later, I still have that original copy—and it’s still just as incredible today.
When you combine an instantly recognizable voice, a rock-solid rhythm section, and Brian Eno behind the boards, you end up with something truly special—one of my absolute desert-island albums.
"I really loved about two-thirds of the album—it was excellent—and the remaining third was still solidly good. That said, 'Hero' and 'After Eight' felt a bit out of place among the rest of the tracks."
Plenty of folks bounce off Bob Dylan's voice right away and never look back. Me? I like it just fine. But I can't help imagining an alternate universe where he had a classically great voice, silky, pitch-perfect, the whole package, and delivered the exact same lyrics and melodies. Would people be hailing him as the Second Coming of music instead of just 'the voice of a generation'?
R.E.M. has never really been my thing. I’ve never quite gotten the massive hype surrounding them. That said, their album Green is pretty harmless and actually kind of fun to listen to. It has enough recognizable, enjoyable hits to hold your attention, and the rest of the tracks just sound solidly like classic R.E.M. nothing groundbreaking, but nothing offensive either.
The standout blend of distinctive vocals and punchy acoustic guitar makes Violent Femmes (1983) a truly enjoyable album. It felt remarkably ahead of its time back then, and I was eager for more. Unfortunately, their subsequent releases never lived up to that brilliant debut.
Hey ho, let’s go! How can anybody seriously argue the Ramones weren’t incredible? Their sound is pure loud, fast adrenaline, and it’s just plain fun. The real genius of their songs is how short they are: they hit you hard, then vanish before you’re ready, always leaving you hungry for another round.
Back in the 1960s, I only knew The Kinks from their big AM radio hits. It wasn't until the early 1970s, after Lola, that I really dove into their albums and became a true fan. Ray Davies' distinctive vocals and songwriting instantly hooked me.
That said, The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society is a solid album, but not one of their greatest. It's often called a concept album, though the overarching theme doesn't fully click for me. A few tracks feel instantly familiar and stand out, while others are just decent fillers. Still, there's no doubt this is unmistakably a Kinks record through and through.
Another five-star masterpiece for The Rolling Stones. The 1969 release of Let It Bleed cemented their reputation as "The World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band".
It marked a poignant transition: farewell to Brian Jones and hello to Mick Taylor.
Seriously, how did Bauhaus slip right past me in the '80s? What was I even doing? This album hit hard, I enjoyed it the first time, but the second listen sealed the deal. It gives off strong early Cure and Echo & the Bunnymen vibes. I'm hooked and ready to explore the rest of their catalog.
I've heard of Adele, but I doubt I'd recognize any of her songs if one came on the radio. After giving her album 21 a full listen, though, I see I had nothing to worry about, none of the stations I tune into would ever play this style anyway.
The whole record comes across as generic, assembly-line pop. Her voice is decent enough, but nothing about it grabs me or stands out as special. While working my way through the tracks and trying to settle on a rating, I was hovering around a weak 2 out of 5. Then came her cover of The Cure's "Lovesong," and that alone dropped it straight to a 1.
My mom always used to say, “If you can’t say something nice, keep your mouth shut.”. So: 1 star. That’s all you’re getting.
Not a terrible electronic album, but it has the usual flaw of the genre: endless, mind-numbing repetition. Several times I lost track of where one song stopped and the next started. Eventually I just mentally tuned it out, like someone who lives by train tracks and no longer notices the trains rumbling past.
How does a 48-year-old Bollywood soundtrack be selected as one of the '1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die' lists? I'm pretty new to Bollywood music, but if this is supposed to be one of the highlights, I really hope I never stumble across the low points. Honestly, I just didn't enjoy the album at all.
I've heard nonstop praise for the Beastie Boys ever since they first blew up, but after listening to Ill Communication, I'm just not seeing what all the hype is about. The album constantly jumps between totally different styles, punk, hip-hop, funk, instrumentals, and it ends up feeling disjointed and honestly pretty annoying to me. I actually preferred the instrumental tracks over the ones with vocals; they were the only parts that really held my attention. The one saving grace is 'Sabotage'. It's the sole reason this album gets more than a single star from me.
This was my first time hearing Red Snapper, and I think I really enjoyed it—though I had to give it two full listens to be sure. It’s still growing on me a bit. That said, it would make fantastic soundtrack music. I’d definitely recommend it as background music for a chill gathering or relaxed hangout.
When I first saw the band was called Le Tigre, I braced myself for another album in a foreign language. Turns out my worries were totally misplaced. Their self-titled record instantly brought to mind classic 1960s girl groups, along with the catchy energy of The Bangles and The Go-Go's. Super fun and enjoyable listen overall.
One of my all-time favorite Johnny Cash albums, easily a solid 5-star classic. That said, I'd skip the "Legacy Edition" entirely and go for the original vinyl (or standard release) instead. The bonus tracks featuring Carl Perkins, The Carter Family, and The Statler Brothers don't really add much value to the core experience.
I totally misjudged Sleater-Kinney. I somehow pictured them as a pop girl group, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Turns out they’re straight-up rockers, and they absolutely shred.
It took a track or two for their vocal style, that raw and fierce delivery from Corin Tucker, to click with me. Once it did, though, I was hooked. The album hit hard, and now I’m excited to explore more of their discography. What a pleasant surprise!
I was surprised that I liked this Korn album, I almost didn't even listen to it. Who knew I was into nu metal? I really loved the vocals, though I could’ve done without the scatting. I suspect the scatting would grow on me after a few more listens. I even enjoyed the guest vocalists. Solid album overall.
I think Nebraska was the last great Bruce Springsteen album. Although I loved the E Street Band on his earlier releases, their absence made this one far more powerful.
In the late 1970s I tried to avoid disco music because most of it sucks. It featured talentless musicians jumping on the disco bandwagon. This album is an exception. Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers, and Sister Sledge made the best Chic album ever.
Bored me to tears. It flirts with that classic Soft Cell / Human League vibe in spots, but never commits enough to make the experience worth repeating.
Stronger than the typical rap release, I’ll give it that. Still not my kind of thing though. I’m clearly not the target demographic.
Having been a fan of Queen’s first three records, hearing A Night At The Opera for the first time was a total sensory overload. They pushed their boundaries to craft a genuine masterpiece, and to this day, it remains one of my absolute favorites.
I'm not really into hip-hop. I can handle the occasional song, but 57 minutes of Public Enemy is way too much. Chuck D always sounds pissed off, Flavor Flav is just irritating, and everything feels excessively chaotic.
Pere Ubu was exactly the kind of band that rock critics in magazines would rave about as groundbreaking and essential. For me, that's usually a warning sign, I tend to steer clear. So I put off listening to them for way too long. What was I thinking?
The moment the first track kicked in, I was hooked. This was something genuinely different, fresh in a way that caught me off guard. Right away, I picked up on echoes of Captain Beefheart's wild, off-kilter influence coming through.
This is not what I expected from a Scottish band. While listening to 'Rip It Up' I noticed similarities to other bands from the same time period, but they were fleeting and I just couldn't identify the similar band. The vocals were definitely unique. I found them both interesting and annoying. After listening to the album twice I still don't know how I feel about it.
This is my favorite album by The White Stripes.
