An early fascination brought to my attention from my drunk uncle when I was very young - absolutely timeless record! Dangerously beautiful. Plus I got a big boy crush on Jim Morrison, just like everyone else. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The counter-melodies! In intricate guitarwork! Feels like a calm, rainy day. Doesn't burst... IT SETTLES. At first I was like, "GIVE ME SIMON & GARFUNKLE", but I could get into this! Will circle back
POWERFUL. Samples and chaos collide, bound together by indomitable groove. Lotta depth, lotta fun!
This vibe is growing on me but need more time to pick apart!
Effortless cool. It’s loose, funny, sinister, and confident in that early ’90s way. The restraint feels like power. Not just a West Coast classic - this is swagger permanently etched into fucking AMERICA.
Extremely weird, loose and somehow cocky all at once. Catchy hooks paired with ecclectic influences and plenty of groove. Production gives it a bit of a rind, feels like a cigarette smoke-filled arcade!
Upbeat synth dance rock for sad bois? It's tight, it's bright, got some great hooks while feeling a little detached and emotionally bruised - I think I dig it! 3/5 that could grow into a 4. "Grower not a shower", if you will
Gentle and smooth, underpinned by a dash of heartbreak, and I enjoy the minimalist approach. On paper I feel like I should love this record, but falls just short. I think I have a new soundtrack for bedroom sexy time tho
A god damn swampy, bluesy jam-fest start-to-finish, with zero fat to trim. Fogerty's voice is unmistakably distinct and perfectly flawed, carried by band attuned to functioning as an air-tight singular unit, while avoiding that "manufactured in a studio" sheen. Their sound is rich with gritty character and texture that makes me want to get to choppin' down those weeds in the timber
Vulnerability caped in bravado - my specific lane 😂 Unfiltered and unhinged, this record is a full-body experience with bite. Messy, loud and ALIVE in a way that captures my spirit and reminds me I can handle the intensity.
The kid from school who was first to have a Tamagotchi's white collar dad ROCKS COCK to these guys. There are some nice dynamics and tenderness here that appeal, but it never quite gets "real" enough. Too tidy. Too composed. Like the judgy girl in high school that doesn't participate in anything but has some real big opinions. I'd water my garden to this.
What a wild, jazzy, rockin’ tornado of diversity and sweaty good times! From unhinged Blues Brothers energy and solemn, romantic croons, to improvisational-feeling explosions of funky chaos, this is a hell of a fun ride. The horns don’t just sit on top - they run the show, swaggering and shining like the engine of the whole band. Classic sound I’ll always have time for!
Quite the vibe. Sexy groove, warm and steady, like you just walked into the middle of a jam and decided to hang and get a buzz goin'. I’m pretty uninitiated with jazz-adjacent stuff, so I connected more with the rhythm than anything much deeper. Didn’t move me emotionally - but as pleasant background jamz? Sure! I could also see myself getting emersed in this world and turning into a douchey weirdo TBH
Feels like it captured a whole moment in time - and I could see how it would have a ripple-effect through ska and beyond. I'm a sucker for genre-blending, and the brass hits like catnip, especially when paired with a cocktail of cheeky mischief and righteous indignation. A few stretches get a bit "dink-and-dunky" for me and start to ruminate instead of drive, but overall its a sound and vibe I enjoy. Lots of swagger and a good party, but nothing that lights my brain up
It's been a few years since I sat down with this one. First thing that hits is how intimate everything feels. The instrumentation creates a very layered and textured atmosphere, shifted around the space by low-end pressure and fidgety, disrupting rhythms. Yorke functions more as an instrument than the source of energy, always part of the arrangement, not sitting on top of it. A cinematic record I need to make more time in the rotation for.
Love spotting direct influences of artists I already love. TV on the Radio definitely mined this data! So far? An absolute delight to my ears. Every damn instrument in the studio is pulled into the mix and given the chance to lead. Triumphant, playful, solemn, downright silly - every song is a costume change. In my heart of hearts, I believe this one will reward repeated listening, unearthing fun little nuance along the way and really tuning into the emotion of his vocals.
OHHH I DUNNO MAN - I’m only vaguely fluent in jazz, so this one still feels like it has a bit of a velvet-rope barrier to entry. BUT when this baby locks into a groove, it’s genuinely gorgeous and I’m happily along for the ride. Then it gets a little elaborate and widdly - like it’s showing off in a cardigan (eyebrowz) and I’m reminded my heart still lives in land of aggressive guitars.
A great record to sit alone at a table in a dark room, drink whiskey, and have a good cry.
21 holds up because it’s built like a complete record, not just a stack of singles. The arrangements are sharp, Adele’s voice is effortless, and the album’s flow - from bright to bleak - lands every time. I want to dock one star because there are no shredding electric guitars, but I can't.
When does the country part start? Listen...LISTEN. Ray Charles is incredible. Timeless voice drenched in character and experience - truly a feast for my ear holes. And some of these tracks are indisputable classics - elegance of a bygone ear... BUT it just doesn't strike me. I'd take this record on loop for eternity vs being punished by public airwaves, but just atmosphere tunes for this guy.
Kickin' down the studio door and screaming "LET'S GET NUTS", this one helluva frantic ride. Sprinting, crashing, pivoting on a dime: beautiful for a second, then bursting into flame, but still plenty of hooks that linger, and space provided to catch your breath. The guitars are sharp and restless, vocals aren't my favorite style - but compliment the chaos quite well. Exciting from start to finish!
The goo might be medicated, but the vibes are all-natural, baby! "Barely 13, fresh to the scene, drinkin' more wine than anyone's seen" is actually Ann's working title for her autobiography, no correlation. Gypsy blood mixed with Hendrix-sounding guitars and an assortment of wind and strings make for a wonderful rock atmosphere. On paper - this should click with me, but sooths more than excites. A great soundtrack to getting high and concocting a low-stakes heist the back of a conversion van!
It feels like a heartfelt mixtape of rock and pop history, filtered through one very very confident voice. Moving very fluidly through moods and eras - tender, theatrical, playful, downright heavy - but still feels like one cohesive record. I'm makin' more time for ol' Rufus. Fun fact: with a name like Rufus Wainwright - I definitely thought this chap was going to be from the 60s era.
Fragile is undeniably beautiful, full of rich instrumentation and those soaring, sky-high vocals feel god damned transcendent. I appreciate the ambition and the progressive spirit, but a lot of it drifts into vibing and fiddling around - great as a background listen, less so if I’m looking to be fully locked in or emotionally grabbed.
The Ramones’ self-titled is a fun little reminder of how far punk has come -and how little it’s actually changed. It’s stripped down to the bone. Just dudes exercising demons in the studio, no frills, no filler, no bullshit. That nonstop, driving energy and those buzzing guitars still hit something primal, even 40–50 years later. It’s not trying to be smart or polished - it just is, and that’s kind of the whole point.
Ann says I can't use ChatGPT for help anymore so let's rip: I wasn't directly familiar with the Queen's work prior to today, aside from what I've absorbed through the ether. Surprisingly, still pops off 30+ years later! Anything rhythm and groove-centric appeals to this guy - but merge funky soul with NYC hip hop and baby, my ass is jigglin'. Strong, bold, confident - without being overtly aggro or doing an impression of the masculinity on display at the time. Great record!
What can I say about this record that hasn't already been said about the log ride at Adventureland? Twists and turns of intelligent and complex rock-n-roll fury! It's hit has been dulled by my decades of death metal, but still tickles my gibblies and appreciate its influence on band I love today!
