Tearing it up on the flute. Multiple bangers
This album isn’t perfect, but tbh, it doesn’t have to be. Some tracks read 60s-corny (okay, and maybe I like the corniness anyway lol), and I skip them without guilt. But the highs? That’s why I fell for The Mamas & The Papas in the first place. This was my gateway into what would become my favs: "Lady Genevieve", "Blueberries for Breakfast", "Twelve Thirty", "Free Advice", etc.
This album has a warm, golden, nostalgic mood that feels exactly like SoCal. Windows down, coastline, sun on your face, palm trees, you get it. And listening to The Mamas & The Papas hits especially hard in that exact situation. And don't get me started on the harmonies.
Favs here: “Straight Shooter,” “I Call Your Name,” “Somebody Groovy,” and “Hey Girl.”
And sure, “California Dreamin’” is iconic, but I swear their other tracks move me way more.
This album didn’t just introduce me to the band—it introduced me to a whole mood.
Annoying, but respectable
Never listened to Paranoid front-to-back, and obviously the universal hits are fire, but high key so is the entire album
I respect the brilliance here, but a lot of the big, showier funk moments are just too extroverted for my taste. The ballads, though...that's the Stevie lane that I love. Incredible musician, just not a sound I personally vibe with front-to-back.
Enjoyed this way more than I expected. I’d only ever heard the first track, and I’m glad I finally sat through the rest. Great background vibe album
We wooookee up in a kitchen sayin "how da hell did this shit happen?" oh baby. low key liked "Mine" too haha
Boring dad rock, but good enough that I didn’t need to turn it off. I do fw a mean tambourine tho
Although The Beatles have long since left my daily rotation, this album will always be a 5/5 for me. I genuinely don’t understand how you can listen to "Something," "Here Comes the Sun," the medley—honestly, the whole thing—and give it anything less.
*adjusted this to 4 keeping group rating 5
I’m a simple man. If it makes me want to dance, I’m in
It’s iconic, and I get why this album means so much to people
Always liked this album, cozy and easy
Some good songs, some boring songs
3 stars for speeding to freebird
I went in knowing literally nothing beyond “Seven Nation Army” (and didn’t even know who made it). Ended up liking way more of this album than I expected
Nice listening to this while cooking. Always liked this type of music but nothing thaaat interesting
It's a Christmas album. Phil sounds like a stand-up guy!
Kinda just okay. There's talent here, but I ended up bored halfway through each song... repetition needs a more exciting groove to keep things moving imo
Some outdated songs, but overall enjoyable. Always love "Movin' Out"
Actually enjoyed a couple tracks here, which surprised me since extroverted funk usually makes me drift off. “Handcuffs” was the first song that got me moving, followed by “Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples.” Respect to the rest, but they just didn’t do much for me.
weird but kinda enjoyed it...
Honestly, pretty good dad rock, liked "Massacre" a lot
Some good songs, some kinda annoying skips. I enjoyed the first half of this, but found myself losing interest towards the end
There are some good moments beyond ‘Song 2,’ but nothing here really stands out
Eh... kinda generic, nothing really made me want to listen to this again.
I get why this album might face “snooze” allegations, but I actually enjoyed having it on in the background and never felt the urge to skip anything. That honestly counts for more than a lot of albums I’ve had to sit through.
Aged well imo — funny, with strong satire both musically and lyrically
I liked this album, especially the jazzier parts. I usually have headphones on at Starbucks, so listening to this for the first time lol (but tbh I probably would've tuned this out if I heard it in public)
I can hear the groundwork for a lot of music I love, but it feels a bit too rigid for my taste
I’d heard “Georgia On My Mind” plenty of times but never explored the full album. It didn’t surprise me that the rest carries the same relaxed, lightly jazzy, emotionally real feel I tend to gravitate toward. Will definitely revisit
Although The Beatles have long since left my daily rotation, this album will always be a 5/5 for me.
Unhinged soundtrack for cooking breakfast. First half sounds like a superhero movie, second half is just repetitive German rally-core and gets boring
Respect, but sonically it’s just standard ’80s rock and never really goes anywhere for me
Somewhere between nostalgic slideshow and early FIFA soundtrack... okay
Bruh, what is this flow, and who decided this should be on this list?
This album was all over the place and full of skips... but 'Karma Chameleon' will always have a special place in my heart (shout out Saints Row 2 radio)
Didn’t like the vocals at first, but the 90s light-reggae/trip-hoppy instrumentation carried it for me and made it enjoyable as background music
Jumps between a bunch of ’90s genres I usually like. There are definitely highs and lows, but it mostly melts into the background and I never felt like skipping tracks. Nothing crazy.
Perfectly executed blend of funk, psychedelic rock, and soul... tons of groove without ever feeling showy or too extroverted. A treat from the list. Love the jams too
Already knew I liked a couple songs here and ended up discovering more. The jazz band kid in me is happy, and the quieter tracks shine too
I already had a few favs on this album, but listening through the whole thing made me appreciate it more. It’s understated, well-produced, and very much in my lane
Nothing really hooked me. It’s musically solid, but felt a bit basic
A goldmine of samples that turns into one long drum solo pretty quickly. When it tries to do more than just bongo stuff, it feels like blues/classic rock ideas that have been done better elsewhere — just with bongos.
I prefer faster, more aggressive punk. But this was undoubtedly fire
Still annoying, still respectable
When I listen to George Harrison, something in me aligns. Emotion without being performative, groove, haze, and honesty. This feels like an emotional root of everything I love about music... also, tambourines
Played Chameleon in ms jazz band so that’s permanently stuck in my brain, but I was pleasantly surprised when it basically turned into a house track halfway through. The rest of the album has ups and downs for me – the more experimental noodling isn’t my thing