Listening Notes
Definitely seems like he had the sensibilities of someone who admires the composition of old standards, so much so there's covers on a debut (Lilac Wine, Hallelujah, Corpus Christi Carol). However, it also felt like the pressure to actually sell records creeped in, lending to the other tracks that have big guitars. Not to say the songs are bad by any means, perhaps a bit forced. The album thus feels like it doesn't know what it wants to be, wavering between half singer/songwriter ballads and the other half 90s alt rock.
First time listen?
Surprisingly, yes
Fav tracks?
Mojo Pin, Grace, Last Goodbye, So Real, Dream Brother
Will it go into your rotation?
I could see throwing this on for an evening
Listening Notes
What a voice!
Very succinct album, she wrote most of the tracks and it clocks in at less than 30 min total runtime. Just feels like classic country standards, even though my experience in that genre is minimal.
First time listen? Yes
Fav tracks: Coat of Many Colors, Traveling Man, Here I Am
Will it go into your rotation? No but should have more Dolly in my life
Listening Notes
Bob leaning into the more blues/rock side than pure folk is what we're talking about. Sounds classic and timeless for a reason, because it is.
First time? No
Standouts: Like A Rolling Stone, Tombstone Blues, Ballad of a Thin Man, Highway 61 Revisited, Desolation Row
Will it go into your rotation? Yes, the Dylan deep dive needs to happen
Listening Notes
The greatest pop album of all time?
Quincy Jones and MJ is just magic, the production on this...
Paul McCartney as your first guest spot on any album too
VINCENT mf'ing PRICE
'Human Nature' is so underrated
First time? No
Standouts: NO SKIPS
Will it go into your rotation? There's a time and place
Listening Notes
"Hello, I'm Johnny Cash"
The banter is incredible, never has a live album placed me right in the moment like this. Atmosphere is just unmatched
Standouts: Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, 25 Minutes to Go, Jackson, Greystone Chapel
First time? Yes
Will it go into your rotation? No, but the Cash deep dive is needed
Listening Notes
Neil Young tunes just have this certain quality to them that you can pick them out instantly. There's always so much space in the recordings that just a few instruments fill, and of course, the voice.
The London Symphony Orchestra tracks are fascinating to be included here, almost a grab bag of stuff he was working on the year following After the Gold Rush
Standouts: "Out for the Weekend", "Heart of Gold", "Are You Ready for the Country?", "Old Man", "Words(Between the Lines of Age)"
First time? No
Will it go into your rotation? Should be spun more often
Listening Notes
Truly a great album, can just put this on and let it go
Standouts: "La femme d'argent", "Sexy Boy", "Remember"
First time? No
Will it go into your rotation? Vinyl pickup
Listening Notes
One of the greatest debuts of all time? The greatest one and done of all time??
The production is so clean, the vocal performances are unreal
Carlos Santana, Mary J. Blige & D'Angelo features too... c'mon
Standouts: "Lost Ones", "To Zion", "Doo Wop (That Thing)", "I Used to Love Him", "Nothing Even Matters", "Tell Him"
First time? No
Will it go into your rotation? Should be spun more often
Listening Notes
Band sounds great and Sade's voice is the main attraction here
Some good jams on here but not a ton going on at the same time?
Really solid debut
Standout Tracks
"Smooth Operator", "Hang On to Your Love", "When Am I Going to Make a Living"
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
Probably not
Listening Notes
Morrissey's lyrics are hilarious
Johnny Marr and Andy Rourke are too good on this
Standout Tracks
"The Queen is Dead", "I Know It's Over", "Cemetry Gates", "Bigmouth Strikes Again", "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side", "There is a Light That Never Goes Out"
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
More please
Listening Notes
Definitely thought the Dead Kennedys were an English group... San Francisco punk!
No doubt this is an extremely influential album, I can hear so many groups' sounds
Makes me wanna play THPS
Standout Tracks
"Kill the Poor", "Chemical Warfare", "California Uber Alles", "Holiday in Cambodia"
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
I'm convinced... more punk it is
Listening Notes
Steve Albini! Drum machines!!
That first track was definitely something...
Industrial, Grunge, Post-hardcore
First half was interesting, second half lost me
Standout Tracks
"Passing Complexion", "Kerosene", "Bad Houses"
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
No
Listening Notes
One of the greatest album covers of all time?
Lee. Peart. Lifeson. Just at the peak of their powers
Standout Tracks
"Tom Sawyer", "Red Barchetta", "YYZ", "Limelight"
First time?
No
Will it go into your rotation?
It's the Holy Triumvirate
Listening Notes
A Funkadelic album that has alluded me
Fried Ice Cream is a Reality!
Way more of a progessive rock record than some of their other stuff
Standout Tracks
"One Nation Under a Groove", "Groovallegiance", "Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The Doo Doo Chasers)", "Lunchmeataphobia (Think! It Ain't Illegal Yet!)"
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
There's some jams here
Listening Notes
My only real exposure to this record was Guitar Hero
Real eclectic mix of stuff for a funk rock album
Standout Tracks
"Cult of Personality", "Desperate People", "Funny Vibe", "Which Way to America?"
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
No
Listening Notes
Best selling solo piano record of all time
I can appreciate the level of musicianship on display but not one I feel the need to revisit
Standout Tracks
N/a (A live performance broken up into four parts)
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
No
Listening Notes
Classic 60s Cali pop rock
The vocal performances are a highlight
Really well produced record but outside of the singles, nothing too memorable or noteworthy with half the tracks being covers
Standout Tracks
"Monday, Monday", "California Dreamin'"
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
No
Listening Notes
Just a ripper of an opener
Much more eclectic than I thought
How did I not know that these dudes are basically prog rock nerds...
Standout Tracks
"Death on Two Legs", "You're My Best Friend", "'39", "The Prophet's Song", "Bohemian Rhapsody"
First time?
Surprisingly, yes
Will it go into your rotation?
Forget the greatest hits comps, the full albums are where the goods are
Listening Notes
Maybe listening to an entire album will change my mind on Lana
Update: It did not
Standout Tracks
"Let Me Love You like a Woman"
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
No
Listening Notes
Surprised the debut is in and not Toxicity
Still fucking awesome
Standout Tracks
"Suite-Pee", "Sugar", "DDevil", "Peephole", "P.L.U.C.K."
First time?
No
Will it go into your rotation?
Always down for the System
Listening Notes
Jeff had this playing in his car when we went to a movie, I asked what it was and later he handed me a burn CD of it... rest is history
Originally my favorite Beck album and definitely one I know the best, probably still sits in the top 5
Definitely feels like the companion piece to Odelay
Standout Tracks
"E-Pro", "Girl", "Black Tambourine", "Hell Yes", "Scarecrow", "Farewell Ride", "Rental Car"
First time?
No
Will it go into your rotation?
Been in the rotation for 20 years
Listening Notes
THE pop rock record of the 80s
Standout Tracks
"Born in the USA", "Cover Me", "I'm on Fire", "I'm Goin' Down", "Glory Days", "Dancing in the Dark"
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
Not my deal but not mad if it's on
Listening Notes
Never heard of this supergroup!
Reminiscent of how Demon Days sounded
There's a casualness to it all, simple arrangements, uncomplicated
Standout Tracks
"History Song", "Kingdom of Doom", "Heruclean", "Three Changes",
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
One & Done
Listening Notes
Surprised this made the list, feel like 'Getz/Gilberto' and "The Girl from Ipanema" would be sufficient enough of a representation
Standout Tracks
N/a
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
Not this specifically but more bossa nova in general
Listening Notes
A group I've listened to very little of but don't know why
Psychedelic and weird, lovin it
Standout Tracks
"So You Want to Be a Rock n Roll Star", "Have You Seen Her Face", "C.T.A.-102", "Everybody's Been Burned", "Thoughts and Words", "Why"
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
Definitely will check out more of their stuff
Listening Notes
Never listened to a full album of theirs'
This is a really well made record, great performances across the entire album
The entire B-side is all gas, no brakes
Standout Tracks
"Invaders", "The Prisoner", "The Number of the Beast", "Run to the Hills", "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
Probably not but has opened my eyes to more classic heavy metal
Listening Notes
Another artist where I haven't listened to an entire record of theirs
Great production and some all time tracks but feels a bit overstuffed
Standout Tracks
"Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding", "Candle in the Wind", "Bennie and the Jets", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "I've Seen That Movie Too", "All the Girls Love Alice", "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"
First time?
Yes
Will it go into your rotation?
No but its a classic
Listening Notes
They broke up after this one!
One of those what-if groups
Standout Tracks
"Care of Cell 44", "A Rose for Emily", "Maybe After He's Gone", "I Want Her, She Wants Me", "This Will Be Our Year", "Time of the Season"
First time?
No
Will it go into your rotation?
Just a good fucking record
