Great album to start out with. How can you can wrong with tracks like "Man in the Mirror" and "Smooth Criminal" on the same album?
Some fun guitar parts, but I won't go back and listen again. Some problematic songs in their attitude towards women - "Prowler" and "Charlotte the Harlot".
Giving it 4/5 for the nostalgia factor and the singles. Favourite tracks are "One Step Closer" and "A Place for My Head". My best friend, Filip, loved this band growing up. We had tickets to see Linkin Park on the Hunting Party Tour in ~2014/2015 (with Of Mice & Men AND Rise Against opening!) but the show was cancelled when Chester injured his leg. It is a show we still wish we had the opportunity to see.
I listened to this album while making pancakes. Nice chill vibe to the album, I enjoyed the guitar parts, especially in the first few songs. I would listen to this again, it would be nice to put on during a road trip in the summer or on a lazy day at home. Definitely feels like the band is leaning into the changing of the decade with songs titled "Almost Cut My Hair" and "Woodstock". Welcome to the 70's! Good album, giving it a three because no songs really stuck with me on first listen around, though I still enjoyed it.
Some great classic songs on here, I mean "Dancing Queen" takes the cake and is still a great song 50 years on that is beloved. I remember listening to ABBA on family roadtrips in our van. 3/5 stars - if I want to listen to ABBA I'll revisit their greatest hits collection.
I enjoyed the guitar parts, but the lyrics easily dragged my rating now to a 3/5 for this album. Nothing special as far lyrics go for most songs, this is a definitely a product of its time lyrically. I have to say, I loved the surprise 'shoob-a-doob' section in one song, that was awesome. Nice cover of "You Really Got Me" and my favorite track was the opener, "Runnin' with the Devil".
For me, a pretty forgettable album. Not bad, but not memorable enough for me to seek it out again. 3/5 stars, also not a very good album cover.
I didn't hate the style, but I have issues with some of the lyrics. I get that this album was a big deal and caused a lot of controversy when it came out. But you can be anti-authority without using slurs directed at the LGBTQ+ community, or writing about a fans abortions ("Bodies"). This song definitely got my attention, but rather than bringing abortion rights issues to mind it made me wonder if I want to listen to this band again (I don't).
Easy one to rate for me. With a song titled "Da Bichez" you simply cannot later defend your choices in by saying in songs that you are not misogynistic and not sexist - your lyrics are evidently both of these things. Pick a lane and stay in it. Again, like the previous album by the Sex Pistols, using slurs against the LGBTQ+ community is unnecessary. Punching down detracts from any message trying to be presented in this album. 1/5 stars for ignorant lyrics.
What a strange listen! So many weird things going on, I liked the back half better. The medley was fun, but I don't think I'll dive into this one ever again. 2/5 stars.
Good funky fun! I enjoyed this one, had my head bopping. I like that the songs sat in the groove for a bit and didn't rush, great listen for my first 5/5 album.
Favourite track was the opener - "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight" which had a fun guitar lick. The album rocked harder than I expected in the start, but overall it felt bloated at 53 minutes over 8 tracks. 3/5 stars.
Didn't really get into this one, felt kind of repetitive and it blended together a lot, I listened to it while I was cooking. I didn't start feeling the music and grooving until the very last song of the album, over an hour in. 2/5 stars from me.
I like the singers voice. Good album, it sounded like what I expected being a country album from this era. Very steady tone and feel throughout the album without a lot of highs and lows in energy upon first listen. Solid 3/5 stars. Nice to see she has some other albums on this list to explore.
You can't go wrong with an album opener like "Seven Nation Army"! I was reading up on the band and I find it really interesting the sound they created within the constraints they put up (two person band with guitar and drums yet still a big sound, the red, white, and black aesthetic). Fun album, looking forward to listening to some of their other work on here. 4/5 stars!
Weirdest band name so far! Some fun tracks in this one. Middle of the road, 3/5 stars.
I listened to this album at the gym. From what I remember I liked it and it had a cohesive sound. 3/5 stars.
I enjoyed the instrumental parts on the album, nice variety and no rushing. Just sitting in the groove. Favourite track was the 13+ minute instrumental track "Sex Machine". I could have done without the doubling up of tracks that were single versions. Solid album, 3/5 stars, would potentially listen again.
This was a refreshing listen from the last few albums, and a time period I don't normally listen to. Solomon Burke has the perfect voice for the genre and feel of this album. 4/5 stars.
Strange listen, though not entirely bad. Quite weird in many spots and many odd guitar effects to unsettle the mood. Not my cup of tea, but I'm sure I could find interesting things if I made a concerted effort to dive into it, but at this time I don't really feel the urge. Also, a song called "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch" is a choice. 2/5 stars.
I definitely did not get the whole experience not understanding Spanish. Nice chill listen with a good voice. 3/5 stars.
Impressive instrumentals and very little vocals. Even more impressive considering Zappa performed, wrote, and produced it all. Not my favourite record by a long shot, but the skill is evident here.
Chill vibes to listen to while puttering away during a PD day at work, but not memorable in my mind. 3/5 stars.
Started out funky and groovy, felt repetitive by the end. 3/5 stars.
Solid entry into the dad rock canon. I wanted to get into it more but I can't justify giving this four stars. A good debut album but it will never be my go to. 3/5 stars.
This album was definitely a time capsule piece. While I didn't mind it, I wouldn't listen to it again or recommend it to anyone. 2/5 for the 60's vibes.
It was alright for what it was and had a few moments that I liked and thought were genuinely interesting. Unfortunately it's just not my cup of tea. My favourite track was the closer, "Stagger". Not a terrible album but not one I will ever seek out again in full. 2/5 stars.
Couldn't really get into it. The larger message of "be what you want and follow your dreams didn't feel like a through line in the album, rather it was tacked on at the end in the last track. Language matters as well, how you speak about others says a lot about you. 2/5 stars.
Now THIS is classic dad rock (I recently listened to the Arctic Monkeys who I mentioned were dad rock, Steely Dan is way more dad rock). Nice chill vibes, though I kind of see what some of these reviews are saying when they say there is no emotion. The vocal tone and range is very consistent with little variation. Also, what is this album cover? 3/5 stars for the chill dad rock vibes.
This is a hard one for me to review. Musically, I enjoyed it. Some dark themes, "Girlfriend in a Coma" has left me with mixed feelings for sure. I do like the use of the song in the Black Mirror episode San Junipero though. The Smiths also make me think of the main character in The Perks of Being a Wallflower which is a whole other conversation. I enjoyed the album but it sounds like the main singer is a now a far-right conservative piece of work. Hedging my rating and putting it in the middle at 3/5 stars.
Great debut album! High energy throughout, a tight 35 minutes for 14 tracks. I'm looking forward to listening to this band again later on (I saw "London Calling" is on this list). 4/5 stars.
A nice '60's period listen, started out strong and definitely hit a lull in the middle with sparse instrumentation and monotone vocals. Sidebar, I love the album title and artwork! 3/5 stars.
This was a fun listen! Such an interesting concept and a very creative record overall. So many different fun sounds to dive into and I like the breadth of the album with a run time of over an hour. Gorillaz always makes me think of my friend, Raph, who LOVED Gorillaz in high school. Easy 4/5 stars for this one, contemplated giving it 5/5 but it didn't quite bump the needle to the top. I would dive into this one again.
First critique, the album is way too long. It felt like there was a lot of filler, which led to a lot of forgettable songs. I mean, 24 songs? Way too many. The only song that stood out was the one that I already knew going in, "Pinball Wizard", which is a fun track. I definitely would not listen to this album again. 2/5 stars.
Finally, some country. Older than my taste profile for the genre, but a solid 4/4 boots on the ground album. Standout track was "Black Rose:. Solid album overall, though it mainly blended together. 3/5 stars.
I enjoy the feel of this album. There is a yearning throughout that invokes a sense of nostalgia for a different time. Standout tracks for me are "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Masters of War". While Dylan's vocals are not my favourite, the lyrics were good. Going to give this one 4/5 stars, even though there was way too much harmonica.
I like this project because it has got me to listen to artists I have heard lots about but never really dove into, besides singles and hits. This was a fun, strong album! The standout track for me was easily "Changes". Good energy lyrically and musically throughout the whole record. An easy 4/5 stars from me! I am excited to listen to more David Bowie later on.
This is a masterfully produced album! Everything felt intentional and smooth all the way through. No filler and the songs are not afraid to sit in a longer run time to keep the mood and ambience going. 5/5 stars.
Tons of energy packed into a small album! It's refreshing to listen to something from a different era that still makes you want to groove and shake. Also, I'm a sucker for a groovy saxophone solo. An easy 4/5 stars for this one.
A very cohesive 70's rock album. Not my favourite and many of the tracks felt bloated. 3/5 stars.
Wasn't expecting 60's country. Solid album, could have done without the extra takes of songs tacked onto the end. 3/5 stars.
I really liked Sheryl Crow's voice on this album. Nice fun listen while doing some chores around the house. 3/5 stars.
I have a lot of thoughts about this album, and I also did a deep before and during listening to this record. I was reticent to listen to this album due the dark subject matter. How do I rate an album like this?
First off, I think that the concept is very interesting. The album was intentionally designed and sequenced in a quasi linear story (this is up for debate online it seems). It is evident that this is well written and is meant to be listened as a cohesive body of work - I like that!
Secondly, I didn't mind the sound that Trent Reznor created. It is abrasive, hard to listen to, and wholly unpredictable. I don't think that I have listened to anything quite like it before. Not an easy listen, but definitely a unique listen.
For the interesting and potentially 'redeeming' qualities this record possesses, I need to talk about my issues with the lyrics. It is possible to write a dark, brooding, and complex album without using misogynistic language. 'But it tells us how the narrator feels' is a weak excuse - the lyrics are bad in a lot of places. "Closer" is an easy candidate that does not need explanation, and "Reptile" is awful as well. And "Big Man With A Gun", could Reznor have tried any harder to make it sound like he was talking about his penis? I digress, I have given this album enough of my time as it is.
My standout track is "Hurt". Final rating, 2/5 stars.
I do enjoy Springsteen's music, but if I am seeking out his music this is not what I am going to pick. Not a bad album, but not one I am interested in returning to when there are so many other choices! 3/5 stars, looking forwarding to listening to his other selections later on.
Nice change of pace to listen to something from an artist of my era. I enjoyed this one and will likely listen to it again, Kacey Musgraves has a great voice! Standout track for me is "Slow Burn" though the entire album is a solid cohesive body of work. 5/5 stars.
Strong album musically, but it didn't hook me in all the way like I hoped it might. I have to say, I do love the album cover. 3/5 stars from me.
Not as good as "Elephant" which I listened to last month. Solid tracks all the way through but very little stood out, the record blended together and was not super memorable for me. My favourite track is the opener "Blue Orchid". 3/5 stars for this one.
While Baaba Maal is evidently talented, I didn't really vibe with this one. The album was also 72 minutes over 12 tracks which is quite long for something I didn't get into. Maybe not understanding the language it was performed in is making me biased. 2/5 stars.
This album invoked a feeling of nostalgia in the first handful of tracks, the guitar tone just made me feel nostalgic for old times. Unfortunately, this mood did not permeate through the entire record. 3/5 stars.
I enjoyed the energy of this album, I would play this on a long road trip in the future. My favourite track is "Don't Let It Bring You Down". Nice and concise and doesn't out stay its welcome unlike some entries on this list. Minimal harmonica unlike "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan", which is a bonus in my books. 4/5 stars, not quite enough to get a perfect score.
Middle of the road. Some groovy guitar work early on that was forgotten as the album stretched on. 3/5 stars.
