My First Album!!! And a winner. Crazy moody, melancholic, driving-home-alone vibes. I love it. The singing, the songwriting and especially the production and instrumentation. Great headphones album.
This album is way too long. Almost every song is nearly ten minutes when they could all benefit from being four. So many of the songs were just moans and synth lines over a repetitive groove. I did like the funky grooves, but again, they just went on and on. My favorite songs were short and had great standout vocal performances,
Standout Tracks: Little Red Corvette, Free
Listening to Yes is like exploring a wonderous alien planet for the first time. Each member is a master of their own instrument, and when put together makes a soundscape unlike anything else. Really pleasing to the ears.
Standout Tracks: Roundabout, South Side of the Sky, Heart of the Sunrise.
This is such a fun album. I always discredited early Beatles because their later stuff was just more interesting, but now I do appreciate these first four records more. The songs are deceptively innovative, and the harmonies are simple but so effective. The second half had some filler, but some of these songs are so magical in the joy they bring, that I can't let that detract much
Standout Tracks: Tell Me Why, If I Fell, Any Time At All
It is so fascinating to me how, early in his career, Neil Young could balance quiet folk tunes with loud, jam-y hard rock tracks. These two style fit so seamlessly on this record especially because of the poignancy of every song. Each one delivers such a direct meaning to the listener; some bash it over your head like Southern Man, and some pierce your soul like Don't Let It Bring You Down. This time period was the height of his songwriting and it's on full display here.
Standout Tracks: Tell Me Why, Southern Man, Oh Lonesome Me
Not much that hasn't already been said. This is one of the best of all time, and it's not even my favorite Floyd album. I love the song writing, I love how every instrument plays off each other, I love the production. It's one of the best sounding records ever. It's focus and conceptually consistent. There will never be another album quite like this one, and crazier still, I got it on my 6th day.
Standout Tracks: Breathe (In the Air), Time, Great Gig in the Sky, Brain Damage.
The first side of this record is a masterpiece. It exists at the crossroads of technical virtuosity and masterful imagery, perfectly understanding its own grandiosity without ever feeling pretentious. The rest of the album stands in the title track's shadow; they're good songs, but I resonate with them much less, which holds this album back for me.
Standout Tracks: Close To The Edge.
Very dull album, this isn't my type of music. I found the songs to be repetitive in structure, and not super interesting musically. Part of this is because of the monotone singing on almost every track. The best songs were the ones most dissimilar from the rest.
Standout Tracks: Little Faith, Lemonworld.
Pretty generic 80's synth pop, with some risqué lyrics to keep it interesting. The songs were catchy, and not long enough to ever get boring, but this is not something I see myself revisiting.
Standout Tracks: Tainted Love
First time listening to Nick Drake after hearing much about him. I thought the guitar playing was stellar, and really creative songwriting, but most of the tracks failed to resonate with me. Maybe I just heard this on the wrong day, I might revisit it.
Standout Tracks: Road, Free Ride, From The Morning.
Sounds like Primus, without any of the talent. Interesting, but that's not enough to make up for bad music.
Standout Tracks: Laughing Song, Hello Skinny
Really great album, lots of diversity in each song. They're not all driving punk songs, a lot of them have really creative grooves. One of the best punk albums I've heard so far.
Standout Tracks: Havana Affair, 53rd & 3rd, Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World
Good, but prefer Ray Charles' R&B songs over this big band swing style. Still, his voice carries this album. Song choices were a bit strange, with the entire second half composed of just ballads. Solid record, but kind of generic
Standout Tracks: Let the Good Times Roll, Tell Me You'll Wait for Me
I found the vocals so annoying, it took away from the enjoyable parts of any song. Even the horn section couldn't save it.
Standout Tracks: Blank Expression
The highlights of this album were the samples, and the creative soundscapes they made behind the rappers. The message of the album is extremely important, but it really beats you over the head with it over its hour-long run time, leaving you exhausted by the repetition at the end.
Technically a great album, with really tight instrumental and vocal performances. But the songs on this record are more or less very generic disco tunes. A fine listen but not very memorable.
Standout Tracks: Lost In Music, We Are Family
What an excellent Rock record, made even better by the fact that pretty much all the instruments were played by one dude, tracked in his basement on a homemade 12-track, and it's still one of the best sounding records. Classic album with many classic songs.
Imagine being a folk fan, and buying Bob Dylan's new record in 1965, expecting the poignant lyrics and acoustic sound of Freewheelin' or The Times are a-Changing, only to be accosted by the harsh nonsense of Subterranean Homesick Blues.
In '65, Dylan opened the folk genre up to a completely new world, with electric guitars and organs, and absurd lyrics to reflect the absurd times. Despite what some may think, Dylan never abandoned the poignancy of his acoustic era, as it's on this album that he has his most important lyrics of the time. Songs about war, love (and lack thereof), and his own fans.
The songs on this album are the most timeless of his career, and his simple approach to structure lends itself to so much reinterpretation. Every listen to this album is a treat.
Standout Tracks: It's All Over Now Baby Blue, She Belongs to Me, It's Alright Ma
Pretty good, some of the songs seemed derivative of Oasis and Blur, but maybe it's just a trend of music that time. I liked some of the more interesting tracks, but I probably won't explore the rest of this bands catalogue.
Standout Tracks: Pull Together, Daniella
I feel that this album combines electronic and physical instruments better than some of Prince's other albums, which makes it sound much less dated. I really enjoyed this one, the pop-ier songs were more palatable, I guess. The live track at the end was a great inclusion, really highlighting Prince's strength as a performer and showman. That being said, felt like there was a lot of filler, maybe could have benefitted from not being a double record.
Standout Tracks: Sign O' The Times, It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night.
The energy really peaks with Take Me Out, after that it's all downhill.
Standout Tracks: Take Me Out, Jacqueline
Real mixed-bag album. There were some great, classic Paul Simon, acoustic-driven tunes, and then there were attempts at 80's pop that fell extremely short of the mark.
Standout Tracks: Hearts and Bones, Think Too Much (b), Train In The Distance
An absolute drag to get through. The songs range from coma-inducing repetition to nail-on-a-chalkboard abrasive sounds. Not a fan at all.
Standout Trank: None.
A great opportunity to relisten to a classic album. I think some may take for granted the impact of this album. Even if it might not be a "no-skip" album (I personally cannot stand Benefit of Mr. Kite), it can't be understated that this marked a turning point in music. The world's most popular band embracing the youth counterculture.
Standout Tracks: She's Leaving Home, Lovely Rita, A Day In The Life.
I really loved all of the long improvisations, and hearing how the members of the band interact with each other on the jams. In fact, this album sounded best when they were trying to sound different from the studio versions. The vocals felt a little weak compared to the monstrous guitar and organ parts.
Standout Tracks: The Mule, Space Truckin.
Really liked the reverb-soaked dreamy sound of the guitars on this record. Some of the songs felt redundent and kind of fell back on 80's cliches that I'm sick of, but much like the Soft Cell record on this list, the lyrics kept this one interesting enough. I might revisit this album, but probably not the band.
To me, these are the definitive versions of all these Christmas standards, and all felt very unified under Phil Spector's sound. Great listen.
This was a really exceptional album; it had a great mix of swing and funk jazz. The rhythms felt constantly changing and the duets between saxophone and horn were beautiful. Great jazz record from an artist I've never heard of but will definitely explore more.
Standout Tracks: Minawa, Maseru, Inner Crisis, Maesha.
I love the sound from this band. They remind me a lot of the Kinks, in the singing and storytelling within the songs. I'm excited to hear more from this band.
Standout Tracks: Expectations, She's Losing It, My Wandering Days Are Over.
Harsh and Abrasive, in both music and lyrics. I appreciate the art of it, but I don't find it very fun to listen to. That being said, Manson's vocals were a highlight for me, mostly because he actually sings and doesn't just scream like other metal artists.
Standout Tracks: Wormboy, Angle With Scabbed Wings.
I'm not a big pop fan, but I can't deny that this is a fun album. Jackson has an incredible ability to find such catchy melody lines that immediately get stuck in your head. Some of the songs were pretty cheesy, and I really could do without Thriller, which is not one of the better songs. It is very telling that the best track on this pop album is the rock song.
Standout Tracks: Beat It, Billie Jean, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
Awesome sax from Cannonball Adderly. I loved the wild rhythms. Great Record
Standout Tracks: Congo Mulence, Cannonology, Minor Rama.
Sort of catchy, and I'm sure very innovative at the time, but not really for me.
Standout Tracks: And Through The Wire, Games Without Frontiers
Very dull album. Liked it at first, before realizing that every song is the same slow melodrama. Still, good at what it's trying to do.
Standout Tracks: The Golden Age, Guess I'm Doing Fine
When the White Stripes hit, they hit hard. There are some great rock and blues tracks on here, but there are an equal number of stinkers.
Standout Tracks: Black Math, Ball and Biscuit, Hardest Button to Button.
Every song feels like it's trying to achieve some big emotional payoff while just following the same repetitive structure. The only saving grace is that a couple songs execute that structure a little better. Mostly a dull album.
Standout Tracks: God Put a Smile upon Your Face, Clocks.
This record has some very nice production, sounds great. I just prefer it when Frank Ocean leans more into the classic R&B sound. So much of this album is boring rap and generic pop, the best tracks had the instrumentation and sound of a true R&B song, which he has a great voice for.
Standout Tracks: Sweet Life
Pretty generic, one-note, 80's power pop. Not offensive, just boring. Forgot I was even listening many times.
Standout Tracks: Our Lips Are Sealed
Framing the album around a pirate radio broadcast is a really creative and interesting idea, but so many of the songs don't really stand on their own. Many are very gimmicky and don't show off the Who's talent as performers.
Standout Tracks: I Can See For Miles, I Can't Reach You.
Good album with creative songwriting. The layering of guitars and keys makes some really beautiful soundscapes, that unfortunately the vocals get lost in.
Standout Tracks: The Soft Season, Shortcomings.
