158
Albums Rated
2.98
Average Rating
15%
Complete
931 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960
Favorite Decade
Metal
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
6
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Document
R.E.M.
|
5 | 3.55 | +1.45 |
|
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
|
5 | 3.69 | +1.31 |
|
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
|
5 | 3.74 | +1.26 |
|
Oedipus Schmoedipus
Barry Adamson
|
4 | 2.78 | +1.22 |
|
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
|
5 | 3.85 | +1.15 |
|
Stripped
Christina Aguilera
|
4 | 2.88 | +1.12 |
|
Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
|
4 | 2.88 | +1.12 |
|
Gentlemen
The Afghan Whigs
|
4 | 2.89 | +1.11 |
|
Ctrl
SZA
|
4 | 2.93 | +1.07 |
|
Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers
|
5 | 3.94 | +1.06 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Either Or
Elliott Smith
|
1 | 3.4 | -2.4 |
|
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
|
2 | 4.3 | -2.3 |
|
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
|
1 | 3.12 | -2.12 |
|
The Nightfly
Donald Fagen
|
1 | 3.02 | -2.02 |
|
A Night At The Opera
Queen
|
2 | 3.95 | -1.95 |
|
Orbital 2
Orbital
|
1 | 2.69 | -1.69 |
|
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
|
2 | 3.66 | -1.66 |
|
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
|
2 | 3.63 | -1.63 |
|
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
|
2 | 3.62 | -1.62 |
|
Shleep
Robert Wyatt
|
1 | 2.5 | -1.5 |
5-Star Albums (6)
View Album Wall
1-Star Albums (6)
All Ratings
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Great, classic songs on this album but it is a bit long with the double disc/28 track playlist. Discovered a few new bangers on here, but the songs started to sound the same after a while.
Bob Dylan
2/5
Not really my jam. A couple of songs were ok, but his voice can be a bit whiny, which is grating.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
The songs that I know from this album (Zero, Heads Will Roll) are bangers. The rest of the album is good, I was able to listen through without having to skip anything which doesn’t often happen. There weren’t any standout songs other than what I already knew though. (4)
MGMT
2/5
I like the three songs I know from this album (Electric Feel, Kids, Time to Pretend) but the rest I didn’t care for - lots of skipping on this album. (2)
Queen
3/5
Better than I was expecting but still not something I would go out of my way to listen to again. Freddy Mercury’s voice is a little too whiny for my taste in a few of the songs and a couple songs sound like circus music but there were several that had awesome guitar riffs that really rocked.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Really not a Pink Floyd fan and I'm clearly in the minority not loving this album. I can see the appeal and understand why it has such high marks, but it's really not my cup of tea. I appreciated how the album feels holistic, like the tracks are carefully placed and flow together purposefully. Money is a decent track; the rest are kind of droning and a bit whiny. Some other highlights: I enjoyed the use of L/R stereo effects as well as the sound effects on Money and Time, found the vocals on The Great Gig in the Sky grating at times, and the saxophone on Us and Them kind of odd and out of place. Glad to have given it a listen, but I won't go out of my way to do it again.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
This feels quintessential for the decade it was released. I feel like I'm sitting in a diner with a jukebox playing in the background. Doesn't feel like anything special, but I also haven't listened to music from the 50's in any depth. A lot of the songs sound very similar. It's fine, an easy listen.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
This one took me back as I owned this CD back in the day. Take Me Out, Jacqueline, The Dark of the Matinee, This Fire are standouts on this album. Solid album.
Various Artists
4/5
Solid Christmas album. Classic voices, timeless hits. They did all start to sound the same towards the end though.
AC/DC
4/5
Solid rock album! Enjoyed this one. So many hits: You Shook Me All Night Long, Back in Black, Hells Bells. The rest of the album was good but Givin the Dog a Bone was too repetitive for me.
The Doors
3/5
Not at all what I was expecting for what I know of The Doors. More bluesy than psychedelic rock, which surprised me. Several of the songs were a bit droning for my taste, but I enjoyed the two classics on this album: Love Her Madly and Riders on the Storm. Overall ok, but not really the kind of music I generally enjoy.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Shining Star is the standout on this album, the rest is just ok. I had to skip through a few (All About Love, Reasons, See the Light) and the others were fine.
The Zombies
2/5
The vocals on this album are a bit droning and grating to me. Had to skip through several songs. Time of the Season, the only song I was familiar with and liked on this album sounds really out of place and nothing like the rest of the album.
Beastie Boys
3/5
This was alright. Obvious bangers: Sabotage and Sure Shot. Some of the songs I had to skip because they were annoying and repetitive (ie Heart Attack Man); I was also pleasantly surprised by the instrumentals that were nice grooves (ie Rick’s Groove).
Dagmar Krause
1/5
Found this one on YouTube and honestly not sure how this album even ended up on this list. First one I couldn’t even finish.
Gram Parsons
2/5
Too twangy for my taste, but I did enjoy I Can’t Dance. The rest I had to skip through.
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
Really had to push through my tolerance for repetitive music to listen to this album. Some of the songs had decent beats though. The vocals on others were kind of grating. Not my cup of tea.
Living Colour
4/5
Solid album. Cult of Personality and Glamour Boys are the standouts, but all of the songs are good. Rock on! 🤘 🎸
The Who
3/5
Baba O’Reilly is the standout on this album, the rest is decent. Started to lose me towards the middle of the album - Getting in Tune was way too repetitive; to vocals on Going Mobile were a bit whiny; Behind Blue Eyes was also meh. Won’t Get Fooled Again was a solid track to close out the album
The Doors
4/5
After listening to LA Woman and being surprised by how much that didn’t sound like the Doors I was familiar with, I was glad to listen to this and hear more of what I expected the Doors to be. Several familiar songs in this album (Light My Fire, Break on Through) a few new ones that were decent, and a few that I needed to skip. Overall decent. (4)
The Only Ones
2/5
Never heard of this band, don’t understand how this album is on this list. Never even heard their hit song (Another Girl, Another Planet) before… maybe they were a one hit wonder before my time? At any rate, some of the songs were ok, kind of a punk rock vibe, but the vocals were a bit grating and so bad it made me skip several songs. (2)
Mj Cole
3/5
Never heard of MJ Cole, so wasn’t sure what I was getting into with this one. Veeeeeeeeery long, repetitive album. Considering my low tolerance for repetitive music, I was surprised that I was able to listen to as much of this as I did. I suppose it made me feel like I was at a club or cocktail lounge, which probably allowed it to slip into the background of my consciousness and wasn’t as grating as it could have been. Some good beats, but not the kind not music I would ordinarily listen to other than to have as background music to focus on work. Surprised this made the list though as it doesn’t feel like anything special. (3)
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
This sound takes me back to the 90’s for sure. Other than that, there were no standout songs on this album. They all kind of started to sound like noise after a while. (3)
Lorde
4/5
Already had 4 of the songs on this album in my library and enjoyed listening to the remainder of the album. Solid. Added a couple of additional songs to playlists. Great beats, catchy lyrics. (4)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5/5
Solid album. Several singles I already knew and the ones I hadn’t heard before, I liked a lot. Really enjoyed this one!
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Quintessential of the decade it was released in. So many hits on this album! I enjoyed the stereo sound and harmonies. Glad to have given it a listen. (4)
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Wow, the play counts on the songs on this album are crazy (billions!) but understandable - this is a solid album. So many hits on the first half of the album that transport me back to my early adulthood. The rest I had not heard, but are decent. Only had to skip a song or two, but I was rocking out to this album. (4)
SZA
4/5
I like it! Glad I listened, SZA is an artist my 15 year old daughter likes and seemed like something I might enjoy and I did. Sexy beats. Lyrics on Doves in the Wind 😳- wowza! Really liked Prom. Started to all sound the same towards the end but overall really enjoyed this one!
Bert Jansch
3/5
Just a guy and a guitar. I got bored with this pretty quickly. He’s talented, but not something I’d go out of my way to listen to again.
Deee-Lite
3/5
Groove is in the Heart is a nostalgic banger that takes me right back to middle school, but the rest of this album is….different. I don’t know that I would place this in the 90’s if I didn’t know anything about it. Some good beats but also somewhat repetitive and grating at times. (3)
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
This is a curious one. Different, can’t make out how to describe it. Hero was a standout track; to me, the rest were meh, but I can kinda see the appeal. (3)
UB40
3/5
This is a decent reggae album, but all of the songs started to sound the same after a while. Would be good for chill background music. (3)
Adele
4/5
Really good album. I knew the singles off this album (Hello, Water Under the Bridge, Send My Love to Your New Lover) and there were several others that were really good as well. Haunting songs about heartbreak. Great vocals, great tunes. (4)
Beastie Boys
4/5
Great album! This is the second Beastie Boys album that I've listened to on this list, and I liked this one better. So many singles (or possibly just well-known tunes) on this album (Fight For Your Right! No Sleep Till Brooklyn! Paul Revere! Girls! Brass Monkey!), and the ones that I wasn't already familiar with were good too. (4)
5/5
Ah, this one takes me back! Solid album, the first time I've given out a 5 star rating. So many mega hits on this album (Wonderwall, Don't Look Back In Anger, Champagne Supernova, Morning Glory), even the songs that didn't hit the charts are great. It was fun giving it a re-listen and transport back to my college days. (5)
Queen
2/5
Couldn't stomach most of this album. Freddy Mercury's falsetto is so grating. Gave it a 2 only because of Bohemian Rhapsody, You're My Best Friend, and '39, otherwise it's pretty intolerable. I literally do not understand the hype around Queen. (2)
Maxwell
3/5
This album started really strong; first half was really good - nice grooves, chill vibe, sexy. Second half lost me - I ended up skipping several of the songs. Vocals became grating and the vibe seemed to change; seems I'm not the only one who feels similarly - the play counts drop way off after track 7. (3)
Nick Drake
3/5
This was decent. As soon as he started singing, I knew I recognized the voice and sound from 'Northern Sky' which was on the Serendipity soundtrack many moons ago. Chill vibes, good tunes, but some of the songs didn't land for me. (3)
The Bees
3/5
Never heard of these guys, not sure how this album ended up on this list. Different. Hipster vibes, not sure how I’d describe it otherwise. Music and vocals were droning and annoying at times and I had to skip quite a few songs, especially towards the end, but there were several songs that were decent. I’d give it a 2.5, but I’ll round up because they seem to have some talent. (3)
Christina Aguilera
4/5
Well, that was a surprise! Loved the variety in this album - pop, Latin, jazz, R&B… this album had it all. Solid vocals as well. Definitely not what I was expecting based on the singles I knew from this album (Beautiful, Dirrty, Fighter, Can’t Hold Us Down). Could have cut out a few of the songs from the back half of the album, but overall solid. (4)
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Good stuff. Really enjoyed this album, a few songs I already knew (Proud Mary, Born On the Bayou, Good Golly Miss Molly), the rest were just classic southern rock. My only complaint was the choogled on a bit too long on that last song, LOL (4)
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Can’t go wrong with Lef Zeppelin. Several hits on this album, and the rest were good listening as well. (4)
The Pogues
2/5
The only time this would be even moderately tolerable would be in an Irish pub on St Patrick’s Day. Two star because it’s good for what it is, I suppose. (2)
Faust
3/5
This is really different. Not at all what I was expecting given song titles like “Krautrock” and “The Sad Skinhead”. There’s no coherency with the songs on this album - some of it sounds like the Doors, and some of it sounds like someone messing around with the sound effect buttons on their keyboard. And even within the same song it doesn’t seem coherent. Weird, experimental, artsy stuff. A lot of it dragged on for way too long. Torn between a 2 & 3 rating - not my cup of tea, but I can kind of appreciate it for what it is. (3)
Hugh Masekela
3/5
I can’t say I’m a jazz fan, but I did somewhat appreciate the first several songs on this album. After that, it kind of dropped off and became kind of annoying. (3)
Donald Fagen
1/5
Sorry, simply couldn’t tolerate this one, the entire thing grated on me. I can hear the Steely Dan influence but there was nothing catchy about any of the songs on this album. (1)
k.d. lang
2/5
Not at all what I was expecting from the “Constant Craving” singer. Way too twangy for my taste but I can somewhat appreciate it for being good at what it is. (2)
Rush
3/5
I wanted to bail on the first track so many times but I forced myself to listen to see where this 20 minute track was going to go. It felt like several songs strung together, and in the end still wasn’t anything I particularly appreciated. I can appreciate the talent even though this really isn’t my jam. (3)
Black Sabbath
4/5
I only really peripherally knew Black Sabbath before listening to this album, but I'm glad I got the assignment! Really good album. Of course, Paranoid and Iron Man are classics (apparently War Pigs too, although that one wasn't one I knew); the remainder are solid. First half of the album I appreciated more than the second half, but overall I really liked it. I can also see the influence Black Sabbath had on other artists like the White Stripes. (4)
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
Wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but I actually really enjoyed it. Good beats, good messages that are surprisingly still applicable over 30 years later. (4)
Stephen Stills
3/5
Started out really strong - I loved the first few songs, but then it lost me at Both of Us (too whiny), Fallen Eagle (too twangy), Jesus…(too whiny and twangy)… and I found the rest of the album to be mostly whiny and twangy which is grating. (3)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
I groaned when I saw I had to listen to Neil Young today because I typically can’t stand his music, something about his voice just grates on me. However, this album wasn’t too bad. I enjoyed the music and his voice for the most part wasn’t as annoying to me as it usually is. (3)
Hole
3/5
Reminds me of the 90's, quintessential sound of the time. Even though at times it's just noise and is a bit whiny, it somehow still lands as a 3 for me. (3)
Elliott Smith
2/5
Surprisingly never heard of Elliott Smith. Quintessential hipster singer/songwriter stuff. It started out ok and started to grate on me by the end when it became whiny and repetitive. (2)
Dr. Dre
3/5
Everybody sucks a big fat dick! I can somewhat appreciate this for what it is, but it's definitely not something I'd ordinarily listen to (a bit too much "n" and "f" for my taste). I can see the cultural/societal influence of the times around the lyrics and appreciate it for that even if it didn't age well. Good beats + Snoop Dogg help the rating. (3)
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
While this is typically the genre of music that I can't stand (I call it "Venture music" - a throwback to my first job in retail; this is the type of music they would play all day long), this wasn't awful. I was able to listen through most of the album without skipping, but some songs were grating and whiny. (3)
Frank Ocean
3/5
The first half of this album was weird, and I was not digging it, but the second half, starting with Pyramids, was better. Overall ok, but not something I’d go out of my way to listen to again.
Orbital
2/5
Started out as something I could appreciate as "focus" music for working but several of the songs got annoying. I don't typically listen to this genre of music, so I'm curious what it is about this album that makes it worthy of this list. (2)
Depeche Mode
4/5
So many GREAT songs on this album: Policy of Truth, World In My Eyes, Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence. Wanted to give this a 5 star because I love those songs so much but the rest of the songs on the album were just ok, but Clean did stand out as one I liked. Timeless songs, definitely a classic. (4)
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Sometimes bluesy, mostly tribal, occasionally gratingly repetitive. Reminds me of the type of music they would play at The Nature Company back in the day. It’s decent, something different. (3)
Emmylou Harris
2/5
Wow, Bluebird Wine reminded me so much of Chappell Roan‘s The Giver (which I love)! Solid start to the album, but it lost me after that. She does have a great voice, but the twang got to me after a while and the songs started to sound the same. (2)
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Great album. Several songs that are hard to not already know (Chain of Fools, You Make Me Feel, Groovin) but the rest were great as well. Hard not to love this! (5)
Fiona Apple
3/5
Well, that was... different. My first thought was wow, Fiona Apple is still making music in the 2020's? My second thought was that this sounds like an open mic/slam poetry night at the corner dive bar. I don't know much about her music other than Criminal and Shadowboxer... this album is very different than that. Fetch the Bolt Cutters is beautiful piano melodies, discordant sounds (dogs barking, clanging objects), sing talking, wailing. I was tempted to skip several songs but glad I didn't because something unexpected sometimes came up towards the end of a song. Then it started to sound less experimental and more normal towards the end of the album - I really liked Heavy Balloon, for example. Every track kept me guessing! I'm not sure what to make of this... torn between a 2 & 3 star. I guess I'll give her a 3 for keeping things interesting and for inspiring the longest review I've written to date. (3)
Ray Charles
3/5
Timeless voice, good for what it is, but I got tired of listening to it and annoyed after a while as it was all sounding the same. (3)
John Grant
1/5
I hated this so much and had to force myself to listen to more than just a few seconds of each track. His voice is grating, the lyrics sound like a 13 year old wrote them, and the music is basic and forgettable. Why is this album on this list?!? (1)
Talking Heads
3/5
It’s alright. The first several songs I enjoyed; it lost me at Happy Day - too whiny - then the songs all started to sound the same until Psycho Killer, which is obviously a classic. David Byrne’s voice can be really grating after a while. Meh. (3)
Muddy Waters
3/5
Quintessential blues album. It’s good for what it is, I was able to listen through without wanting to skip anything but it all started to sound the same after a while and some of the songs were a bit repetitive for my taste (Got My Mojo Working). (3)
Lana Del Rey
2/5
This only makes sense to listen to if you’re depressed or if it’s a gloomy day and you want to mope. All of the songs sound about the same - slow, wailing, melancholic. It reminds me of Taylor Swift’s evermore album except the songs on this album are forgettable. (2)
The Cure
3/5
Meh. Nothing memorable about this album and most of the songs sound about the same. (3)
Milton Nascimento
2/5
I tried, I really did. But this album was pretty annoying. The first song was decent but the rest I couldn’t handle. His voice was really grating. At least it varied musically from song to song, and that kept it somewhat interesting. For that I’ll give it a (2)
The The
3/5
I enjoyed this. Feels pretty fitting for the decade - definitely 80’s vibes here. Good beats, nice variety. Favorite frack was Infected. (3)
Guided By Voices
2/5
Many short songs that seem unfinished and unpolished. A lot of them sound the same and are kind of annoying. Some reminded me of Weezer. (2)
Otis Redding
4/5
Solid album. So many classic tunes on this one and a classic voice, what's not to like? (4)
The Associates
2/5
This is bad. Albums like this make me question the entire list. Grating vocals over generic synth pop from the 80’s. (2)
The Temptations
2/5
Started out strong - loved Funky Music. Run Charlie Run was a catchy song even though there were a lot of *n* in it. After that it started to lose me. Vocals were sometimes off tune and the songs were meh. Had to go back to Papa Was a Rolling Stone after reading reviews because I initially skipped it because it annoyed me, and even upon giving it another chance I still couldn’t listen all the way through all 12 minutes. (2)
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I know this is probably blasphemy to a lot of people here but I thought this album was just meh. I do like Bruce Springsteen quite a bit, and Born to Run and Thunder Road are decent songs, but the rest of this I didn't care for. (2)
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Enjoyed this. Several classics on this 2 disc set (Sir Duke, I Wish, Isn't She Lovely). Embarrased to admit that I didn't know that Gangstas Paradise = Pasttime Paradise. Never had heard the Stevie Wonder version before! Overall good album, a little long. (3)
Rush
3/5
Tom Sawyer and Limelight are obviously solid songs. The rest are ok, but not my favorite. I don't love the singer's voice, which detracts a bit from my rating. Also not huge on the "Rush sound", but I did rock out with the first half of this album. (3)
The Stooges
4/5
At first, I thought this sounded like a bunch of high school boys and their band practicing in a garage, but I came around and ended up really liking this album. Solid rock and roll! No standout songs on this album, but I enjoyed it throughout. (4)
Bob Dylan
3/5
This was alright. I liked it quite a bit better than the other Bob Dylan album I listened to so far(Blood on the Tracks). Catchy bluesy tunes. Still not huge on Dylan, but glad to have given it a listen. (3)
Bauhaus
2/5
Really didn’t care for this. Vocals were not great. Music was ok. Reminds me of the Cure a bit but darker. Decent variety between the songs. (2)
Black Sabbath
3/5
This was alright. I preferred Paranoid, but this still rocked out. Was a bit surprised to hear harmonica amongst the dark sounding rock of most of this album. NIB is the only song that sounded vaguely familiar. (3)
R.E.M.
5/5
Great album that I've listened to many times before. Some real bangers on this album: obviously the singles (The One I Love, It's the End of the World, Finest Worksong), but several other songs rocked. There was only one song (Fireplace) that I was itching to skip, but I love the rest enough to still give it a (5).
Supergrass
3/5
Was torn between and 3 & 4 rating for this album. Some of it really rocked, some of it sounded like noise, some of it I itched to skip. Nice variety between the songs as well. I think I'll give it a 3 because I'm likely not going to come back to this one. (3)
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
I was wondering when I'd hit Fleetwood Mac, but was a bit surprised this was the first album that I was assigned - I was not familiar with anything on this album. I kept on going back and forth between giving it a 3 and 4 rating throughout. There were some songs that I really liked (Sara, Storms, Angels) and others that I really did not (Over & Over - whining right out of the gate - instant skip, also Walk a Thin Line). I appreciated the variety of tracks on this album, but some of them felt unfinished (Brown Eyes) and why were there several not as good versions of Second Hand News (That's Enough for Me)? Ultimately, too many songs that were just meh for me so (3).
The Cardigans
2/5
Could not get into this. Lovefool is obviously a banger but the rest of this album is pretty annoying with the exception of the trip hop Iron Man cover. Lastly, I do appreciate the flute appearing here and there on songs as well, but not enough to get anything more than a (2).
Radiohead
3/5
It's kinda weird and I kinda like it. Only song I was familiar with prior to this assignment was Optimistic, which doesn't sound much like the rest of the album. I can see how it ended up on this list - it has a really different sound. I also liked the overall ambient/ethereal vibe. That said, I do find Thom Yorke's voice to be kind of grating sometimes and there were a couple of songs I needed to skip. (3)
Magazine
3/5
Meh. Not really what I was in the mood for today. It’s good for what it is I suppose but punk rock is not something I’d typically listen to. (3)
Can
3/5
Different - experimental, ethereal, spacey “rock”. I enjoyed Future Days. Spray lost me, especially the “singing” at the end of the track. Moonshake was ok, a little repetitive for my taste. Bel Air was also a meh - felt like a run on sentence and should have been two songs. The second half was better than the first.(3)
Steely Dan
3/5
Really had to force myself to listen to this one. Maybe it’s because it’s what I call “Venture Music” - the genre of 70’s music I was forced to listen to while working my retail job in the 90’s, or possibly because the vocals are pretty whiny. Reelin In the Years, Do It Again, and Change of the Guard aren’t bad, but the rest of this was nails on the chalkboard for me. (3)
Erykah Badu
3/5
I enjoyed this. Was good background groovy music. Liked the stereo effect on AD 2000 - felt like I was getting my brain flossed with her voice! No standout tunes for me other than that. I did get a little bored of this after a while because the songs all started to sound the same, but overall it was decent. (3)
Miles Davis
3/5
I’m not a jazz fan, so couldn’t get into this, but I suppose it’s good for what it is. My untrained ear doesn’t know though, because it all just runs together to me. (3)
B.B. King
4/5
Quintessential blues. BB King IS blues. Solid guitar, solid vocals. (4)
Cream
3/5
Started off strong - really liked the first two tracks, including Sunshine of Your Love. The next several songs were meh, I ended up skipping a few of them because the vocals were whiny. Towards the end I started to get into it again, and the last song (sounded like drunken sailors at the bar) made me scratch my head - what was that about? (3)
Peter Frampton
3/5
All I knew of this album (or Peter Frampton for that matter) going into it was the scene in Reality Bites where they refer to (and play) Baby I Love Your Way, but I was also familiar with Show Me the Way. I really enjoyed several other songs on this album, but also thought several songs were borderline annoying. I’d give this album a 3.5. (3)
Richard Hawley
2/5
Did not care for this guys voice. Other than that, the music was ok but not something I’d probably listen to again. Melancholic crooning is how I’d describe this album. (2)
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Wasn’t intimately familiar with any of the songs on this album but it was a decent listen. Didn’t really have to skip much other than the super repetitive ending to Adam Raised a Cain. Nothing stood out on this album either though. Classic, basic Bruce. (3)
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Not a fan of Leonard Cohen’s voice, and the guitar backing the moaning on this album is super basic. Very melancholy. Overall didn’t care for this but giving it a 2 because I suppose lyrically it’s very poetic and well written, but I couldn’t tolerate the music enough to listen. (2)
The Byrds
2/5
Mr Tambourine Man is a classic, the rest of this is meh. Little bit on the whiny side and all the songs started to sound the same after a while. (2)
Arcade Fire
4/5
Arcade Fire hasn't been on my radar since their debut in 2004, when they were huge and I saw them at Lollapalooza. This album was decent. I really enjoyed Keep the Car Running, and the organs and big sound on Intervention was pretty cool. I was familiar with No Cars Go too, from their debut EP. Occasionally annoyingly repetitive and whiny, but overall I enjoyed it. (4)
Elliott Smith
1/5
Nope. Whiny and depressing and every song sounded the same. Couldn’t even tolerate it long enough to listen to the amazing lyrics everyone seems to love about this guy. (1)
Dion
3/5
Really surprised at all the hate on the reviews for this album. I found it to be a decent listen. It did start to sound the same after a while but overall it was good, chill, late 70’s singer/songwriter vibe album. (3)
Heaven 17
2/5
This reminds me of ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ Depeche Mode. Early 80’s electronic music. It’s ok. Not sure what makes this list worthy. Kind of repetitive and annoying. (2)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Pump It Up = classic. Also familiar with Radio, Radio. The rest of this is alright. Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. Different sound, unique to Elvis Costello. (3)
Alice Cooper
3/5
Not at all what I was expecting for Alice Cooper. Meh? It’s ok. Basic 70’s rock. Had to skip several songs because they just didn’t do it for me, especially towards the end. Torn between 2 & 3 rating, bumping to a 3 because of No More Mr Nice Guy. (3)
Robert Wyatt
1/5
Heap of Sheeps was a solid start and it just went downhill from there. Weird experimental music (sometimes jazzy, sometimes had a singer/songwriter vibe, sometimes it was just discordant noise) and whiny vocals. (1)
Ali Farka Touré
2/5
This is the second album of his I’ve gotten. Similar to the first (tribal sounding blues), but more annoyingly repetitive and most of the songs sounded the same. (2)
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Finally! This is the third Springsteen album I’ve been assigned, and the first that I think is 100% worthy of this list. So many bangers on this album - too many to list. Even the songs I haven't listened to hundreds of times are good. Yes, he does sound like he sings with marbles in his mouth occasionally, but you can't deny that he's an amazing songwriter. (5)
Santana
3/5
Felt like I was transported to a psychedelic hippie den while listening to this album. Oye Como Va and Black Magic Woman are classics, the rest are decent songs with impressive guitar riffs. (3)
Barry Adamson
4/5
This was a wild ride. Without the context of what the concept of this album is, I would have probably hated this. But knowing it was intended to be the soundtrack to an imaginary film, it made for a fun experience. This is the kind of album that I would expect on this list. The music itself I’d rate a 3 - it has hits and misses, but giving it a (4) for the overall experience and concept.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Let me start by saying, I'm not a Pink Floyd fan. I was actually fully prepared to give this album a 4... I was pleasantly surprised that I was appreciating and enjoying it for the first 40 minutes. But then the second disc hit, and it lost me and reminded me why I dislike Pink Floyd with all of the droning and depressing songs (save Run Like Hell, which is a decent song), and weird tracks (The Trial). Overall (3).
Korn
3/5
I was totally rocking out to this album in the beginning, and then it started to grate on me about halfway through. It started to all sound the same after a while - angry noise - but since I did enjoy it somewhat, I'll give it a (3).
Frank Zappa
4/5
As I was listening, I kept on trying to decide if I liked this or not. It’s different! Rock and roll jam band with a horn section is the best way I can describe this album. Some kick ass guitar riffs throughout, also some weird lyrics on Willy the Pimp, otherwise mostly just instrumental. It started to lose me towards the end when it became more jazzy than rock and roll and seemed to drag on. It's a solid 3.5... I'll upgrade to (4) because it was an interesting listening experience.
Blue Cheer
3/5
This was alright. I really enjoyed the first two songs, then my enthusiasm waned after that. Reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix, 60’s rock that was sometimes bluesy. (3)
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
Ah, this one takes me back. I'm pretty sure I owned this CD. When I told my husband what my album assignment was today he mentioned that I told him back when we first started dating in 2006 that these guys were going to be a big deal. Not sure of how big of a deal they became in the grand scheme of things, but several of the songs on this album are locked in my brain (not sure how "classic" they are by the rest of the world's standards though). Objectively, now that I'm 20 years removed from when this album came out - it's still a solid album, very listenable, but a lot of the songs sound the same. (4)
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
This album is like a time machine back to the 80’s - skating around the rollerink wearing all neon! I can appreciate the historical significance and also the beats, but I got bored of it after a while because the songs started to sound the same. Who You Funkin With was good! (3)
Mylo
2/5
Let me make sure I understand… Drop the Pressure is this guy’s standout single?!? WTF. I genuinely don’t understand. This album definitely does not belong on this list. In addition, the repetitiveness of this album is extremely grating. There are some good beats though, so… (2)
Amy Winehouse
4/5
This is a solid album! So many hits, and the ones that didn't chart are still really good. It's a shame we lost her too soon. (4)
Alice Cooper
2/5
What the heck? Alice Cooper is definitely not as advertised. Schools Out is obviously a banger but the rest of this album (and the other album of his on this list) sound nothing like his hits. Luney Tune, Gutter Cat - didn’t care for. Blue Turk - what in the bluesy jazz? Grande Finale sounded like a marching band at half time with a rock band backup. I don’t get it. (2)
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
This was a wild ride. Recognizable samples (Genius of Love, The Message), corny lyrics (I dream about you, Stevie!), mixed bag of musical styles (rap, boy band jazzy serenades, 80’s club dance beats, serenades). I can see the influence this album likely had on music, but it’s not really something I’d go out of my way to listen to again. (3)
The Coral
3/5
I have a vague recollection of this album from back then; it was when I was at my peak of trying to stay on top of the latest and greatest music. This, however, is not that. It’s pretty mediocre, definitely not worthy of this list. Spanish Main = repetitive. Shadows Fall and Simon Diamond = grating whiny vocals. The rest of the album was a mixed bag of songs, but nothing stood out as memorable or particularly enjoyable. (3)
The Smiths
2/5
Morrisey's voice just grates on me - make the wailing stop! This album was pretty painful. There were a couple of songs that weren't bad, but overall I didn't care for this. Also, WTF with the cows mooing on Meat is Murder? Oof. (2)
Sonic Youth
2/5
Totally get that this was revolutionary and inspired a bunch of other musicians but this sounds like noise to me. I don’t get the appeal, and I do like alternative rock music. (2)
Tears For Fears
4/5
Solid album - quintessential 80's! Several mega hits on this - Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels and the rest were pretty decent. Loved Mothers Talk; Listen and Broken were a bit whiny for me though. Overall (4)
Stan Getz
3/5
This was an interesting diversion from the usual albums on this list. Not something I’d probably ever listen to on purpose, but I enjoyed the bossa nova and jazzy vibes of this album. Felt like I was on an international vacation sipping frozen cocktails by the beach. (3)
3/5
I thought the first couple of songs were pretty decent rock songs; the next few were just noise and yelling. Motor City is Burning was ok. The last couple of songs alternated between decent rock and noise/yelling. (3)
The Monkees
3/5
It's fine. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. What I expected from the Monkees; 1960's pop rock. (3)
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
2/5
Never heard of these guys. Meh. It’s kinda whiny and doesn’t sound like anything special to me. Totally forgettable music. (2)
3/5
Liked the singles from this album (Starlight, Supermassive Black Hole), also loved Map of the Problematique. The strings on City of Delusion were cool. The rest were meh or whiny and grated on me. (3)
The Vines
3/5
The whole first half of this album I was conflicted between giving this a 3 and a 4. Some bangers on here that I really enjoyed (Get Free, Highly Evolved, Outtathaway), followed by songs that were extremely whiny and grating and I had to skip. Ultimately, annoying > banger. (3)
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Really great album. Even the songs that aren’t the ones we all know and listen to often (Three Little Birds, One Love, Waiting in Vain) are a great listen. (5)
Fats Domino
4/5
Solid 1950's bops. (4)
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
I enjoyed these soulful, funky vibes. There weren't any tracks that stood out to me, but overall it was solid. (4)
Burning Spear
3/5
Never heard of Burning Spear. Solid reggae album, but nothing that stood out for me. After a while it all starts to sound the same and a few songs were pretty repetitive. (3)
Garbage
4/5
I'm pretty sure I had this CD back in the day. Solid alt rock! Only Happy When It Rains, Queer, Stupid Girl - bangers. The rest were decent too. (4)
Pink Floyd
2/5
I really hated this. Droning, depressing, felt like a run-on sentence. I don't like Pink Floyd in general, this was probably my least favorite of the 3? 4? I've already listened to. Giving it a (2) because Wish You Were Here is ok.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Like a Rolling Stone is a great song, solid start to the album. The rest was decent. Bob Dylan’s voice can get a bit annoying at times but overall I enjoyed this album. It’s a 3.5, but feeling generous this morning. (4)
LL Cool J
3/5
For some reason Spotify didn’t have all of the tracks for this album, but I did enjoy what I listened to. Mama Said Knock You Out, Around the Way Girl are classics, and I liked Boom Chill a lot too. The other two songs were meh (Eat em Up Chill, Milky Cereal). Found the rest of the songs on YouTube and found the lyrics of the remaining songs to be kind of corny and the music a bit repetitive, so (3)
Elton John
4/5
This was alright. Obviously Tiny Dancer is an epic single. Also was familiar with Levon. The rest of the songs were ok; found hints of Tiny Dancer chords and melodies sprinkled throughout. A 3.5 star album, but I’m feeling generous despite the terrible album artwork. (4)
Circle Jerks
2/5
Really struggling to listen to this even though it’s only a 15 minute album. Lots of yelling and frenetic music. Not what I’m wanting to listen to this morning, but I can somewhat appreciate it for the punk rock it is. (2)
Lambchop
2/5
I genuinely do not understand how this album made the list. Must’ve been a slow new music year in 2000. The lead singer’s vocals were droning and obnoxiously grating on me every other song and the music is forgettable. Perhaps it’s because it’s a blend of genres; for that I will give it a (2), but otherwise I hated most of this depressing album.
Leftfield
2/5
I feel like a bit of an arrogant American when I bump up against really mediocre British albums on this list, feeling like the book author is biased and not objective at all. I probably would do the same having limited exposure to music from outside the US… but I digress. This was one of those really mediocre British albums that don’t deserve to be on this list. Nothing special electronica. (2)
Thin Lizzy
3/5
This is alright, decent rock album. I find the "hybrid live" album a curious choice. It's definitely noticeable that it isn't a straight live album. I don't know much about Thin Lizzy other than The Boys Are Back in Town, and several of the other songs on this album have hints of the chords and melodies of that song. Got kind of tired of it towards the end. (3.5)
The Who
2/5
Wow I hated this so much. The vocals are droning, the music is just not my jam and what’s the deal with this going on and on and on. I could barely stomach listening to more than a few seconds of each track. I’m only giving it a (2) for the concept (even though I generally dislike musicals, it’s something different to have an album tell a story) and Pinball Wizard is alright.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Woo woo! Surprised it took me (woo woo!) this long (145 albums in) (woo woo!) to hit a Rolling Stones album. (woo woo!) I’m only really (woo woo!) familiar with their more popular songs (woo woo!) so doing a deep dive (woo woo!) and listening to a full album was interesting. (woo woo!) A lot of the songs sounded country music inspired, which was surprising. (woo woo!) Liked Stray Cat Blues. Can you tell (woo woo!) I found Sympathy for the Devil kind of (woo woo!) annoying? (3)
Massive Attack
4/5
This was decent. I like Massive Attack. Kind of timeless music, listening to it, I wouldn't have pegged it as early 90's. I wasn't really familiar with much, only peripherally Unfinished Sympathy; the rest of the songs were good, but a lot of it didn't stand out to me. Safe From Harm & Hymn of the Big Wheel were good. Another 3.5 star album... (4)
Orbital
1/5
Sigh. Another mediocre British band. Exceptionally annoying, repetitive music. That first track was painful, the rest of the songs were maybe a little better but all started to sound the same after a while. I genuinely don’t understand how this album made the list. (1)
The Specials
2/5
Sigh, another English band. This was meh. Skipped most of the songs after about 30 seconds. I don’t really have much to say about it. (2)
The Beta Band
3/5
Ugh, yet another British band. There were a couple of songs that were alright, but several songs were whiny and annoying and I had to skip. (2.5)
John Coltrane
3/5
I just don’t get jazz. I’m sure this is amazing, but I don’t care for it. (3)
Digital Underground
3/5
The Humpty Dance is a classic, love that song! The rest of the album was alright, nothing really stood out to me as good or bad.
Brian Eno
2/5
I did not care for this. Grating vocals and weird music. DNF.
Kanye West
3/5
Not a fan of Kanye West the human; his music is alright. Nothing stood out to me on this album.
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
Suuuper twangy. Not really my scene and also sounds like it’s a good thing for this album that I generally don’t pay super close attention to lyrics. (2)
Minutemen
3/5
This was fine. Rock/punk music. Another solid 3.5 star album. (3)
The Afghan Whigs
4/5
I liked this. I knew Fountain and Fairfax because it was on the My So Called Life soundtrack back in the day. I enjoyed most of the rest of the songs, several of which had similar sounds to F&F. (4)
R.E.M.
3/5
After a several week run of mostly mediocre albums, I was really glad to get something I knew, but I ended up being kind of disappointed by this album. Of course I like Pop Song, Stand, Orange Crush, and Turn You Inside Out, but the rest of this album was kind of whiny and annoying. (3.5)
The Damned
3/5
Punk rock. Not really my jam, but I suppose it’s alright for what it is. DNF. (3)