I went into Head Hunters fully expecting to feel confused and under qualified, since this was my first real time listening to Herbie Hancock and neither jazz or fusion is my usual thing, but this album totally caught me off guard.
Chameleon starts with a groove that immediately pulls you in, but after a while it begins to lose its appeal, like Herbie dared you to stop nodding your head. Probably my least favorite in the album, but still a vibe.
Watermelon Man was an instant favorite, funky, weird, playful, and just straight-up fun. It takes you out of the repetitive circle that is Chameleon and gives you something new.
Sly feels like the band just locked in and said “yeah, let’s see where this goes,” and somehow it works, even when it’s a little all over the place.
Vein Melter then comes in sounding like the lights just got dimmed and everyone stopped talking, and it’s lowkey feels like you’re floating in space.
Overall, for someone who doesn’t normally reach for jazz or fusion, Head Hunters surprised me by being way more groovy and enjoyable than I ever expected. Definitely a solid 7/10. Would get funked again
2112 avoids the worst excesses of prog rock and keeps all the good bits, earning its place in the dad rock canon (or mom rock, I don’t discriminate).The first side is pretentious and indulgent, of course, but that's why you're here, and it's just half a record. That said, a 20-minute track is a hard pill to swallow. Especially as it contains a section around the 7-minute mark that's just guitar tuning. For the rest of the runtime, we get songs, each distinct but tied together with instrumental chops and, most of all, Lee's vocals. There's nothing mind-blowing here, and calling out those who say there is is fair play. But that doesn't make the music any worse. Overall a solid 9/10.
more like david lowie am i right
Here we see a tastefully confusing piece of art that's surprisingly grounded for someone recovering from a crippling drug addiction. The synths and especially the drums are most notable, instrumentally, on this album. The drumming has a very loud, distorted sound that probably isn't to everyone's taste, but I think it sounds pretty neat. And it's front and centre in every track on side 1. The tracks themselves on the record's first side are short, catchy, thoughtful, and... I can't really explain how, but they're so darn artistic. Speed of Life, the opening track, is the opening to a new electronic era of rock music. Immediately following that, we get an electric, bass-driven interludey number with Breaking Glass. What In the World is a wobbly, synth-filled, two chord ball of energy. Sound and Vision, with its simple chord progression, manages to be one of the most satisfying standalone tracks in Bowie's discography. Always Crashing In the Same Car and Be My Wife are a one two punch of moody tracks driven primarily by synths (and both are great). Finally, we close side a with a return to simplicity in the fresh, upbeat instrumental track A New Career In a New Town. Then we get to side 2, arguably what the album is most known for. It's pretty good, again incorporating several layers of synths that flow rhythmically in and out of the mix. The four tracks on this side are all quite distinct from one another, and yet share that indescribable Bowie sound. Warszawa in particular creates a cool, yet very grim, atmosphere. Overall, it’s probably a 4.5, but I’ll round up :)
It took me over 24 hours to write this review because I quite literally didn't know what to write.
I think when I was younger I would have automatically given this an instant rating of 5. I mean, it's Rubber Soul, right? By the Beatles!?! But honestly, it's just kinda underwhelming. They just weren't there yet. Revolver was a big step forward, and by Sgt. Peppers they had completely changed their sound. Rubber Soul, to me, still has too many problems of the early Beatles, and some of them sure haven't aged well. The music is pretty crisp. Catchy, pop-rocky, with a clean and punchy sound. The mono mix sounds good and the production is overall solid, but the lyrics go "baby you can drive my car beep beep yeah", "run for your life if I catch you with another man, little girl". What is going on? The endless harmonizing becomes grating after a while, however it does have a few standouts, most notable Norwegian Wood, In My Life, and I’m Looking Through You. The funny part is, even though I have so many issues with the album, it’s still one I would gladly come back to because it is just that good and I have a lot of nostalgia for it. This may be a "it's not you, it's me" scenario, but the I’d probably give it a 3.5/5.
The lack of the Oxford comma is pretty whack, but overall really good album. I’d previously listened to some Stephen Stills and CSN&Y but I’ve never listened to any of CS&N’s stuff but really enjoyed this.
Not much to say, great harmonies on this (honestly it’s probably the highlight of the album). I like the song that goes, "Do do do do do, do do do do do do” and who doesn’t love Stills on guitar? Also I just found out that with the exception of drums (by Dallas Taylor) and a couple of additional rhythm guitars, Stills plays everything (acoustic and electric guitars, bass, organ, percussion) and is superb on all of them. I now have a greater appreciation for him, that’s for sure.
In the end, you gotta love the California mellow hippie vibe. 5/5
Admittedly I was nervous for more jazz fusion after Headhunters, but I’m genuinely shocked by how much I like this album.
This is an album that I didn't think much of just from the cover, but there is some funky, groovy, soulful, buttery goodness within this track list. All fantastically recorded and produced, the 13 tracks on this album have an incredible flow to them with just enough oomph to make each track shine. There's this great wavy sort of vibe to the album that gives it this really mellow and psychedelic tone.
I really enjoy how the middle tracks of this album like Rainy Day and Pling offer an instrumental break from the rest of the sung tracks. The first 4 tracks of the album kick it off by showing off everything that is going to make this album shine for the next 30 minutes after. The last leg of the album wraps things up nicely, going from the great hit Strawberry Letter 23 to the mostly instrumental Sweet Thang, and then finally to the funky Ice Cold Daydream.
The final track is a 13 minute that has this really hard to listen to bass in the mix on this song that just sounds really crackly and bad. It doesn't ruin the track as its only around for about a minute, but yeah that is probably the worst part of the album.
Overall, I like a ton of tracks of this album and I think as a whole work, it offers a lot both in terms of hits as well as instrumental experimentation. It's a great vibe all the way down and there's a ton for music fans to chew on.
A solid 8/10.
After listening to the first song, I was discomforted by the thought this was Faust 4, implying there were at least three more. Subsequently, giving a fair listen to the other songs, I appreciated the atmosphere but I can't ever imagine me saying this is what I want to listen to today
Although I like a lot of stuff similar to it, krautrock is something I couldn’t fully get into. I don’t mind repetitive music as long as it goes somewhere, but the problem with krautrock for me is that it usually doesn’t build up to anything while also not layering or progressing the repetitions as much as I like. Look at something like Herbie Hancock. His songs have a lot of repetition, but the reason why they feel so good for me is because there is a lot of subtle detail and progressions that keep them exciting. Their repetitions also either build up to something big or slowly grow in intensity on their own. I feel that post rock is a logical evolution of krautrock and it feels a lot more exciting because of that. I just think it’s a genre that I should like, and I’m kind of annoyed I don’t enjoy it that much. I did like this album, though. It is repetitive but not really monotonous, and it had a lot of cool experimental stuff. Not something particularly exciting for me, because it’s krautrock, but still enjoyable.
I might change this rating as I’m a little sleep deprived writing this, but overall a 2/5.
I honestly had no idea Suspicious Minds was made in the late 60’s. Figured that it was made in the 50’s, but I guess I assume all of Elvis’ hits were made in the 50’s.
No skips, consistent quality with a few belters. Not a whole lot to say about Elvis that many people much smarter than me haven’t already said. However, I've always has something against Elvis. I think it has something to do with my dislike for Bob Dylan. I just kind of lump them together for some reason? Maybe because they both have strange vocals about them that make me generally dislike their music.
That said, this is really solid. I think the soul influences are a really great touch, it adds a ton of depths to the vocals, especially in the early songs. I don't know that I love this, but I can't even point to something actually negative about the album.
4/5
This album isn’t bad or terrible, but it falls squarely into the category of basic, simple, and middle of the road
The album itself covers a lot of genres which gave it some good variety with the indie, country, and alternative. All of it was pretty standard to me. It’s the kind of music that’s perfect for background noise while taking a nap or washing the dishes. It serves its purpose, but it doesn’t stand out or demand attention. Now that I’m thinking about it, maybe it was because I was at work when listening to this. hm
In the end the songs are well written, well performed, and well produced but they just did not hit me at all. I can see why people love it, but it just isn't for me.
3/5
For all intents and purposes this should be a 5 star, songs are all great. I just don't think I ever would go out of my way to listen to it. Sure if it comes up on the radio, I will tap my toe and maybe even sing along, but I just don't think I would put it on. But that's more on me than on the album
I mean there’s a reasons that as of today, rumours by fleetwood mac is the highest rated album on the 1001 albums tracker website. With a near perfect production, this is an essential soft rock album. Every song is a hit. I also particularly love the between acoustic and electronic instruments throughout the album.
And who doesn’t love Stevie Nicks’s voice
Originally I wrote a long winded rant about punk rock in 1977 and the differences in the US versus UK versions of this album, but I forgot to save it. So instead of writing the whole thing again I’ll just say it’s a really good album and a definite 4/5.
Meh. I find much of this whole Brit Pop thing to be so limited to a time...and not in a good way. Sounds like early Coldplay and a late Oasis. And I've got Blur and Radiohead...don't really need anything else. Though I'll admit that Bittersweet Symphony is an amazing song no matter how overplayed.
The Hidden Track concept is a fun CD memory. But besides that, not much jumps out at me here. These songs are too long. The whole album is too long. And "The Verve" and "Urban Hymns" along with track titles like "Neon Wilderness," "Space and Time," and "Velvet Morning" feel like titles and names put together by ad people. There's a bit of classic rock psychedelia here that is a nice twist and squeeze on the old Brit Pop formula. But it's a far cry from the grit and kaleidoscopic brilliance of some of the other albums on this list. It all feels very safe here. Very classic rock. In a way that both millennial sons and boomer fathers can nod along too. And that sentiment is nice. It's just also a little boring.
I honestly don’t want to put this on the same tier as Faust IV but I’m gonna have to go with a 2/5
It's the height of the Motown era. She's trying to position herself within that. I was expecting it to be a watered down R&B. I was pleasantly surprised by how raw and unpolished it all was (especially Don't You Know). The sound is really good for the genre and the time, if you exclude the tracks added to the re-issue (like I Only Want to Be With You and the following ones). It's mixed like a film soundtrack, trying to make the songs sound like they're playing in the background.
In short, it's easy to listen to, no real complaints about it, and I had a good time. It's not exactly groundbreaking, though.
I remember liking the name Badly Drawn Boy when I first heard it, but I had not listened to the music and I am glad I now have. Really good album here. Excellent songwriting and all performed so very well. I can hear various influences in his work but they don't totally take over and dominate the sound. He makes it his own. I'll have to check out his other albums too. Very cool.
For the Beach Boys to make album after album exclusively about surfboards, bikinis, and travelling to different places to go surfing with women in bikinis, and then just casually pump out this masterpiece is actually nutty. Also what is up with the album cover???
In all seriousness, here's one of the big hallmark classics I've been waiting on. This had a lot of influence across the music scene, including on the Beach Boys' British rivals, the Beatles. I may be American, but I'd personally take the Beatles over the Beach Boys for their variety, but the Beatles could never touch the California beach tracks that these guys do so well.
In all honesty, Pet Sounds is an album I've tried to love over the years, but it's never fully clicked for me. While I respect its legendary reputation and understand its impact, I don't feel the same connection to it that so many others do. I mean, there’s no denying the album's technical brilliance. The harmonies are gorgeous, and the production is a testament to Brian Wilson's genius. And for an album nearly six decades old, the mix holds up surprisingly well, even if the percussion can occasionally sound a little thin.
Anyways, my point is, this album is goated with that sauce 5/5
Never listened to Brian Eno before as a musician, only as a producer (U2, Coldplay, Bowie, etc). I am going in with an open mind.
Track 3 certainly sounds pretty futuristic for 1977 but also sort of like random pieces of music crammed together lowkey getting Faust IV flashbacks. King's Lead Hat sounds like a Talking Heads song for sure and is pretty good. Side 2 slows down massively. Sort of film soundtrack vibes? Noir, melancholy, lots of synths. Definitely pretty forward sounding for the 70s and kind of ambient. I actually enjoyed "Through Hollow Lands" quite a bit though it would be incredibly strange to ever have this album on shuffle.
Honestly, meh. Maybe just not for me 2/5
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I've never heard of this artist prior to this but I am glad this record was so fun. The lyrics are fun though at points they can be corny. I really enjoyed just how different the record was. I expected a very safe pop record but instead it was so much more. There is a fair bit of experimentation going on and it feels like something that might have inspired newer pop sounds. The instrumentals are beautiful and as said prior the lyrics were fun, a lot of lyrics made me go back to read them again. It does feel like the record has two halves with the second half being a lot more melancholy. Overall, I really enjoyed this , definitely would listen to again 4/5
I did it again…
Man, I need to start saving my reviews. I write an essays worth of things to talk about only to come back and have it nothing.
Anyways, this is one of those albums I’ve heard a lot about, but just never got the chance to actually give it a listen and I get that this was probably ahead of its time in the '60s (it's certainly strange compared to whatever the Beatles were cooking up at the time) But my personal ratings don't give any points for influence or historical significance. Purely based on my own taste, this was so-so, with some tracks veering towards actively bad while a few were strangely good, especially Sunday Morning and Heroin.
The album is like an open mic night in a beatnik neighborhood. Most tracks are just Lou Reed talking at you with music playing in the background more than any real singing happening. Not my cup of tea for sure. It was worth a listen, but I probably won’t listen to it again 2/5.
I am, more than anything, confused about this album. Why is it here? Like, on this list but also in the world in general. Why did the band that made she sells sanctuary suddenly sell out and become ac/dc lite in the late 80s? Are any of these songs actually popular or do they just feel familiar to me because they lift riffs from other, better songs? Why did they feel a need to cover steppenwolf?
Overall, none of these songs were particularly special in any way, but I did like what I heard 3/5.
It's funny, while listening to this album, all I could think about was how familiar it felt. It was only until the next day that I remembered that I had to give a presentation on this era of jazz and had listened to this album like three years ago. The unfortunate part, is when listening to some of these albums, all I can think of is that music appreciation class.
While jazz has grown on me during this project, I still have a hard time listening to music without words. It’s like watching a black and white movie to me like it’s just missing something and in this case that is the instrument and poetry of the voice. Is this good? Absolutely. This is mixed really well, with lots of instrument variety and different song segments and improvisation that show off different musicians who played on this record. In terms of jazz this is as good as it gets. However, me personally, I'm not gonna jump to put this on in the car ride to work or to dance to or anything. It’s a little shocking how fast the tracks go by considering how long they are. I don’t ever feel the album dragging. Its a genuinely good album but jazz is still not my genre of choice 3/5.
Did I need to hear this before I die? Nah, but I’m sure some did
I have to be completely honest I have never listened to any form of Brazilian music before, so I feel like I have nothing to compare it too. And, of course, the lyrics are completely lost on me. So all I really had to go on was the beat, the melody, the rhythms, and the general vibes, of which there are plenty. As something of an introduction to this genre, this album is incredible.
While I though the first half to be amazing, the second seemed to be trying the same ideas but to a lesser effect. Camisa 10 Da Gavea has a great counter melody on flute, but just doesn't have the same intensity as some of the earlier tracks. The last two songs redeem things a bit, with Cavaleriro de Vacalo Imaculado returning to the high energy and the finale closing it off with a chorus of layered vocals.
I had a great time listening to this album and now I want to listen to more of his music, especially considering this is his 14th studio album, and other similar artists.
Did I need to hear this before I die? Definitely
I had no idea what to expect on this one. I suppose the best way of describing it is a fun inoffensive mixture of styles. Actually I quite enjoyed it, but can’t say I’d ever listen to it again.
I just felt that The Cars took us on a ride here and while it wasn’t a fast ride, it was scenic with windy roads and I had a interesting time. Synth pop done well with some crunchy guitar riffs tossed in. The guitar work is what surprised me, thought it was especially good on You’re all I’ve Got Tonight. Moving in Stereo was an impressive track that caught me off guard as well.
Did I need to listen to this before I die? Probably not, but I’m glad I did.
I can see why some listeners could relate a couple of those tracks to the way Talking Heads used some funk or afrobeat influences on their own records around the same time, but I don't think Orange Juice hit the mark the way the other bands did. It's not bad, instrumentation wise. But maybe the songs, hooks and choruses are still a little too lackluster to make interesting. And, consequently, the end result comes off as sorta corny, instead of arty. Besides, you need a lead singer with charisma and good vocal technique to make it work. And whoever this lead singer is just doesn’t have it.
Did I need to hear this before I die? Nah
This might just be the worst album I have ever heard. Every song is completely incoherent, it feels like each instrument was recorded for a different song, and they just took a random one of each and just overlayed them onto a song. And that synthesiser in the back ground, constantly just there playing an annoying riff and never going away.
Also this guy cannot sing. I really don't like his voice, it's so unsettling in a way that I can't quite describe. I get that this is experimental, but there is a fine line between being innovative, and being insufferable and annoying. There is not even a moment on this album that I have anything positive to say about.
Did I need to hear this before I die? I don’t even think this qualifies as “music”.
I was ready to give this a higher score after listening to it yesterday morning, but then in the evening it took me a good few minutes to remember what the days album was. So it obviously didn’t make much of an impression on me.
This album takes a lot of different ideas and puts them all into one big melting pot. There is a lot on offer here. We've got Ska music, and some new wave, and some pop rock/punk. All genres that are adjacent to each other in some way. And he does his best to blend those elements together on this album. I found that this album also balances two different time periods in music. I thought that his vocals would feel right at home on a 2000's pop punk record. But the instrumentation, especially the keyboards and synths sound straight out of the late 70's and early 80's. This record is just full of interesting combinations of ideas.
Did I need to hear this before I die? Eh, maybe
Halfway through this album I was ready to give it one star, and leave it at that. That is until I started actually reading on the of this album, and man... it's downright depressing. I try not to let the context of the album influence my ranking, but in this case without the story the album just doesn't hit the mark.
In this album Caves seems to be channeling his inner Leonard Cohen, and not really in an effective or appealing way to me. I thought the stronger songs of the first part were "Night raid", parts of "Sun forest", and "Leviathan", but this is more than offset by how the album feels so much longer than its already too long 68 minute runtime, and how the second part endlessly floats away. Even after reading that songs like "Hollywood" are much shorter than the original recordings, I kept wishing that most of the album had been left off of the studio album.
There's a definite disappointment here, and it certainly doesn't make me want to seek out the earlier albums in this trilogy, though I actually did like "Skeleton Tree" when I listened to it a few years back. I feel guilty giving only two stars to this album, especially given how much of it revolves around the untimely death of his son years earlier, and how this dramatically affected the way he approached his music, but this album just didn't do it for me.
Did I need to listen to this before I die? No, but I do think this album is a profound statement o loss and grief and others would.
Admittedly, when I first saw the album I was... worried to say the least. I wasn't particularly a fan of Ghosteen, but this album took me completely by surprise. Also what are the chances that we got two Nick Caves and the Bad Seeds back to back? Crazy
Like Ghosteen, this album takes time to grow on me. I wasn't crazy bout any of the songs, but the production and songwriting stuck out to me, and the gospel backing vocals are used well. I feel that it compliments the inspiration from blues rock and gothic rock. And while people praise Nick Caves writing, and as poetic as it may be, I think he tries a little too hard on his songwriting to make it took impressive by directing attention to the same analogies, and it can come off as pretentious. As for the second disc, the mood definitely softens, which makes it slightly more accessible, but is also more forgettable.
Did I need to hear this before I die? No, but it is very interesting to see how Nick Caves and the Bad Seeds changed overtime.
Some of the songs are absolute masterpieces like “Changes” and “Life on Mars”, some are really strong, like "Eight Line Poem" and "Kooks", but there are some that are definite b-sides, like "Fill Your Heart," which I felt was supposed to be more tongue in cheek than anything else. "Song For Bob Dylan" has a guitar feel more like Queen, but still it's pretty good. "Belway Brothers" has a bit of a cartoony end, which is... odd... And then it's over. And you're kind of hoping for a better ending, but no luck. I'm glad that Bowie shifted to more of a piano based album, it really shows how much he expands in his ideas. "Kooks" is one of the songs he resurrects from his very very FIRST album. It still works, too. But ultimately, I can't give this a 5. A 5 is an album I would come back to again and again and listen to it start to finish. "Belway Brothers" and "Fill Your Heart" are just.... not as good as the other songs. And putting "Belway Brothers" at the end like that puts a sour taste in your mouth, like a bad aftertaste on a desert to an exquisite meal. It's a really good album and has some of my favorite tracks, but it's just not great.
Did I need to hear this before I die? Absolutely
I’m not sure how often I’ll find myself reaching for this to listen to but i did enjoy it! Listened while at work, which seemed kind of fitting.
For me Neil Young’s albums always consist of two or three banging tracks but the rest a bit meh. This is no exception. Down By The River and Cinnamon Girl are the standout tracks but the rest don’t really do anything for me. There’s a lot of music Neil Young has produced which is exceptional either on his own or with CSN&Y. He has a greatest hits album that I love but made up from multiple decades and albums. So as a singular entity not so good but as part of a collection, fantastic.
Did I need to hear this before I die? I’d probably agree
don't speak Portuguese. My knowledge of Brazilian music is restricted to the Brazilian albums I've heard on this list. You can definitely find more insightful people discussing this album than me. But any hesitancy I have over it may be due to my ignorance.
From what I have gathered, Clube da Esquina is one of the standout works of música popular brasileira, a mid-60s amalgam of standard Brazilian genres with the recently imported jazz and rock. This album embodies the eclecticism of MPB, an eclecticism which accounts for this being a double album. They had so much to include. This makes the listener worry that Clube Da Esquina may have the basic double album faults of becoming sluggish, but I would say it largely avoids such failings, proving itself a dense yet soulful piece of music.
I can't guarantee that every song will appeal, but for new listeners it’s a near perfect introduction. I pause over giving it five stars, solely because of the language barrier. This may deserve a firm five, but right now I am not the one to gauge that accurately.
Did I need to hear this before I die? 100%
This was a challenging album for me. Some of it was simply uncomfortable to listen to. And I realize that his album wasn't made for me, but lines like "this dick ain't free" just made me embarrassed. Needless to say I'm not playing this album where anyone else can hear ever again...
While I'm not really a fan of Lamar's voice I do think that the musical styling, especially in the beginning are phenomenal. Wesley's Theory was unique and then followed up by a slam poetry interlude For Free?. King Kunta is one of my favorites on this album, it has great beats and less grating vocals, plus real clever lyrics. Institutionalized and These Walls also have unique stylings with the latter having an almost 70s funk feel. u and i is where I think the lyrics really shine and is overall just a solid song.
Still, I found the album dragged, especially from Alright to Complexion. There's some decent lyrics in there but the vocals are too stilted and the beats are underwhelming. The Blacker the Berry is pretty good, but I wanted more of that. This project has made me realize how much I dislike double albums. I think if you are a die hard fan of a certain artist they're great, but as a new listener it's just hard to get into.
Die I need to hear this before I die? Yeah, I'd say so.
There's a lot that could be said about this album, and the impact that it has on music as a whole. I mean she basically invented punk rock, new wave, and probably poetry as well...
Smith’s debut album Horses is placed in the genre of punk rock, but somehow I feel that punk is kind of inaccurate. She certainly doesn’t sound like what punk became. It may be that ‘punk’ is simply a term used for music by artists who are determined to renounce conventional notions of ordered beauty. Adopting a minimalist, bratty, antiestablishment mindset. I don’t know, but to put Patti Smith in the same genre as the Sex Pistols and the Stooges feels criminal.
Admittedly, I spent a good chunk of my listening time with this album deciding if I liked or not. I was a bit mixed on Patti’s voice and couldn’t tell if it was annoying or not. It did eventually grow on me. Lyrically, the songs were hit or miss. While I enjoyed something like Kimberly, Birdland was a little underwhelming. Honestly, most of the album felt like it was for a specific group of people. But most of the songs were enjoyable, despite not fully understanding the songs.
Did I need to listen to this before I die? The impact of this album alone, makes it a definitely.
