no skips! the songs on average are longer than present day songs and they never felt too long or like they got stale. the only songs i knew on this album were shining star (banger) and that’s the way of the world (also a banger). this album had me captivated with every song and i can’t believe i haven’t listened to it sooner. i need to get this on vinyl! no notes! they really ate with this. This album blends funk, soul, and a little bit of disco and a lot of the songs really want to make you move to the beat. Also Maurice Whites singing is beautiful and I love how they leave room for the instruments to shine with several periods where there is no singing and the focus is on the instrumentation. If they played this at a club I would sweat through my outfit cause i would be on that dance floor for sure
When I saw this album was "5" songs and almost 40 minutes, I thought wtf. But 5 tracks is a misleading number as there are actually 10 songs. Going into this album, I was more familiar with Ozzy's solo work so I was expecting similar vocals and some hard hitting guitar riffs. Boy was I mistaken. His vocal performance was more subdued and he picked the moments where he would go for it and let his voice shine. There were also some surprises on this album sonically like the harmonica in one of the songs. But overall it is hard hitting guitar riffs, with some beautiful guitar and drum solos and there is a lot of space on this album for the instruments to really shine. There were several moments where there were no vocals and the focus is the instrumental. I thoroughly enjoyed this album.
When looking up Rush on my music streaming app, I scrolled through their most streamed songs and my first thought was, "I don't know a single one of these songs." So I am going into this completely blind, but based on the band name, album cover and year this came out I am going to assume this is a rock album... This album was very forgettable for me. Sonically it was good, but nothing really stuck or stood out to me. It was long and the songs dragged on. I don't see myself returning to this album
Never even heard this artist name before, so not sure what to expect. Imagine the you're in the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit world and you're hearing a folk song around you. Now imagine the hobbits had electric guitar in this time and thats what this album sounds like. This is an intriguing thought, right? But in practice it ends up being songs that seem like there is too much going on in concept album about religion that isn't actually a concept album. For most of the songs, it feels like a DJ who doesn't know how to craft song transitions in the sense that it feels like two different songs were spliced together and the through line is the singer is the same. There were a couple songs that where the juxtaposition just doesn't work at all and you think "why did you do this?" but there are also a couple songs where this idea actually works and in the middle of a guitar riff a flute solo comes in and you think I kinda like this. Overall most of the album was boring and hard to get through with the exception of a couple songs.
Coming into this album the only song I knew was Every Breath you Take. After listening, I think its a decent album. There were a handful of songs I really like and stood out to me and then there were some that I was like can we move on to the next one. I think the strengths of this album are Sting's voice (its so unique with like a rasp quality that I would describe as like ashy, but in the best way possible it just works) and the instrumentation on this album (they weren't scared to make songs that sound weird, or use instruments you wouldn't expect if you aren't a big fan and it works). I would go back to some of the songs on this album and this album definitely makes me want to check out some of the other music by The Police. Last thing, I never realized how creepy the lyrics of Every Breath You Take are. It was so unsettling realizing what he was actually saying in the verses. They did a great job making the song capture the actual intended message of an over possessive lover
When I normally think of The Beach Boys, the kind of music I think of is not contained on this album. I am used to upbeat pleasant sounding songs about surfing and having fun. This album is not that. It has a much more serious tone and each song has a message or a deeper topic. While the deeper meaning to the songs is appreciated some of the insight is very surface level and lacks some nuance. Sonically, you have some beautiful singing and brilliant instrumentation. However, there were some songs I thought captivating, but a majority of the album left me wishing that the lyrics went a little deeper.
I really enjoyed this album. The music has an ethereal, dreamy sound to it and it was definitely a vibe. Elizabeth Fraser's voice compliments the instrumentals really well. The album also does a good job exploring different sounds, while keeping the overall theme/sound in the same world. There is a cohesive thread of sonics for all the songs, but each song sounds different and refreshing. She has amazing control of her voice with performances where she is singing in a light and airy way, songs where she is belting and showing off her power and songs that are in the middle where she just showcases beautiful singing. This album has got me curious to check out more!
I grew up with my mom playing Funk and Parliament, so I am familiar with some of there songs and some of them live in my current playlist. However, this is the first full album I have listened to, and boy am I mad at myself for not doing it sooner. This album was a beautiful display of Funk and it had me had bopping and grooving on my morning commute to work until I finished listening to it a second time at my desk. The bass lines are groovy throughout, the guitar and saxophone really have their place to shine. I also love all the weird synth sounds they chose on this album. And when the narrator of the album speaks, you can feel how smooth he is and captures you and makes you want to hear more. It's also cool hearing the songs in my head that have sampled this album.
This album is high energy and full of chaos. The singer of the band is scream singing on every song and it can be a lot at first for sure. When i started playing the first song i was like wtf is happening, but as i listened to the words more i realized this is an album filled with rage, rebellion, and anarchy and i fuck with that. I looked at the average rating before going into the album so that made me a bit scared the disjointed sound of the first song had me scared, but i really enjoyed the album. The one issue i had with the album tho is sonically it sounds clunky and weird at some points. Like it sounds like they hit the wrong beat sometimes. I don’t know if it’s intentional but it threw me off a little at first. Also the instrumental elements of the song are very similar for all the songs. There isn’t much experimentation in sound or rhythm so a lot of the songs have a similar sound. Overall it’s a fun listen and i see why this is on the list.
Incredible album. Loved it from start to finish. I loved the blues influences all over this album. You can hear the sounds that would go on to influence modern day music. Sonically it sounds amazing. The instrumentals are captivating and they really have space to shine through. The singing sounds amazing and i will be returning to this album
There’s nothing wrong with this album, but something about it was missing for me. It didn’t really excite me while listening to it. There were a few songs where I was intrigued but the majority of the album just happened. Sonically it’s good and I had no complaints, but overall I just didn’t feel much of anything throughout my listen.
I really enjoyed this album. I knew some of the songs by the doors, but none of those were on this album. They gave an amazing psych rock album that has elements of blues and even some jazz influences with the way the instruments improvise of each other in their solos. Sonically, they have such a unique sound in their music and the utilization of the organ works so well in this album. This album definitely deserves to be on this list.
I enjoyed this album, but not more than the self titled debut. This album felt more bluesy, than experimental which sounds good, but I like them using sounds you don’t hear often. The vocal performance throughout was really good and there were moments where I was like wow, he really did that.
This album was smooth boom bap lyricism. I was familiar with Wu Tang but have never listened to any of their solo work. I should’ve listened to this way earlier. The beats have that classic 90s feel and Method Man’s rapping is so good. His flow and the internal rhyme schemes in his bars are crazy and in classic method man fashion, he can really craft some expert imagery of how he’ll torture you.
Classic punk album that is rebellious and loud. I enjoyed this album but the majority of it was just fine. However, one song really stood out to me and that was Police and Thieves. Sonically the instruments had the normal sound of punk music, but rhythmically there was a reggae type groove. Just reading that, you’d probably assume that’s weird and wouldn’t work, but it absolutely does and was my favorite song on this album. Overall i thought this album was fine. I wouldn’t play this on my own, but I wouldn’t mind if someone else played it
I’ve heard the name Joni Mitchell brought up by several people through out my life but never took the time to listen. I was missing out. I love this album. It’s in between rock and folk and it sounds amazing. Joni’s voice is refreshing. I don’t know exactly what that means but that’s how it felt as I was listening. Will be listening to more of Joni especially since she has a Jazz era later in her career
I had never heard of this artist before this list. Honestly, gave me a lot of different emotions. Technically, it’s a hip hop album, but it felt more like poetry for some of the songs. Sonically, the production was good and the I love some of the beats and liked others. There wasn’t a beat i didn’t enjoy. Lyrically there were some good messages and bars on here. So where does this album fall apart? It’s in the delivery of those messages. When he would talk I was like cool, it’s a little preachy but it’s fine. As soon as he would start rapping, I was like what is this. His flow and delivery sound very outdated and i couldn’t take it serious. He sounds like the tv show trope of young kids saying all old rap sounds a certain way. He is literally the personification of that.
Felt like this album dragged on abe was bored by it. Every time the album picked up, it would switch up and I would lose interest again and the songs drag on too long
This album was a vibe. It instantly makes you want to move your body. The instruments sound good, the vocals sound good, and when the instruments got their chance to shine in the solos it was magic. I was listening to this while watching dishes and my body couldn’t help but dance.
This is an amazing album. Al’s voice is so luscious and rich and it sounds so good. The instrumentation is amazing and had me grooving and vibing on my walk while listening to this album. I loved most of the songs on this album but there was1 or 2 at the end that i was meh about. Great album and definitely deserves a spot on the list
Honestly didn’t know what to expect going into this album. This album was weird, yet groovy at times. I think the instrumentation and the sonics are the best part of this album for me. I enjoyed the moments of just instruments the most. The vocals to me were weird and quite low in comparison to everything else. It was hard to hear and comprehend what was being said. Also this album is 4 songs, but 40 minutes, but the only song i felt dragged on was the final song, but it was also 20 min long. I think the middle 2 songs are the best part of the album and the rest of it was just fine.
I had no idea what to expect when throwing this album on. But the second the beat kicks in I thought oh i like this. Then the lyrics came in and i thought wtf this is silly, but i enjoyed the first song anyway. The problem I had was as the album went on it started to lose my interest and started feeling like background music. I thought it was a fine album. There are some songs i would seek out and add to a playlist and others that i wouldn’t think twice about
I really enjoyed this album. I don't often listen to metal, but when I do I enjoy it. This album was full of energy and had me head banging while making dinner. The negatives were sometimes the lyrics were a little weird for me. I am not sure if it was another language or if they were just noises being made, but sometimes it was enough to draw me out of the zone. The last song was also too long and I was like this could've been done already. Another positive was there were a couple songs that I am going to describe as a "rest break" that were definitely not metal songs, but sonically switch up the vibe and I found them very enjoyable.
This album was not for me. I was a little bored by it. Sonically it was fine, but something about his voice in combination with the folky type instrumentals wasn't working for me. Individually, I liked the instrumentals and his voice, but together I think they were both to mellow and needed some contrast. However, it did pick up for me toward the end of the album. The last 3 songs I enjoyed, but by that point it was too little too late.
I thought this album was fine. Sonically it’s good, but there weren’t a lot of songs that stood out to me. The handful that did, however I thought were excellent and am definitely going to be adding in rotation. The majority of the album just felt like this is cool but i wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to this.
This list is slowly making me realize I’m a Black Sabbath fan. I loved this album. I was head banging and grooving the whole time an when it ended i was like nooo it’s over. I also didn’t realize that the Changes by Charles Bradley was a cover until i heard this album. But the Sabbath version is sooo good. Will be listening to more of them.
This album felt was strong in the beginning and strong at the end, but the middle was fine. Sonically it sounds good and I like the instrumental paired with the singers voice. They work very well together. I never really listened to Muse before this but I will be checking more of their work out.
I thought this album was fine. I really enjoyed the song Changes, but everything else was kinda just there. I enjoy other Bowie songs more than the ones on this album, but I also wouldn’t be mad about it being played.
Her voice is so refreshing and soothing. When I listen to this album, I feel at peace. The instrumentals complement her voice so well, and I like the mix of different sounds on this album. There are songs with a laid back jazzy feel, but there are also songs that are more folky. Whatever the feel is, her voice and songwriting is the star of the show.
Getting through this album felt like a chore is the only way I can describe this album. The guitar is good, but the drums leave much to be desired. Vocally it’s meh. It’s not the best, but not the worst. It’s just there and it sounds like it was recording on an answering machine. At one point I asked myself, how is this still going? My final verdict: this is an album that exists.
I had never heard of the before today and I had no idea what to expect, but I genuinely would not have guessed it would be this. This album sounds like a western at some points and like theatrical performance at others. I genuinely don’t know what this is, but I know this ain’t it and this ain’t for me.
I loved this album. Janis Joplin is one of those names people talk about and speak highly of, but I never took the time to listen. This album was amazing and her voice is omg. It has such a soulful quality to it but it’s also got such a unique sound and some slight rasp and it sounds good when she’s belting or singing softly. This album has some elements of rock and blues and it works well with her voice. Such a beautiful album!
Loved the album. Love Bob's voice over these amazing reggae beats. His lyrics and delivery are so good, and the instrumentation is on point. They take advantage of some instruments the average person wouldn't think about when they listen to reggae and it works sooo well. I give this a 4.5 out of 5 only because I prefer Exodus.
This album was all over the place and i genuinely had no idea what was coming. The songs can be drastically different from back to back. Her singing was good from the pirate shanty esque vocals to her normal single. And the production was chaotic and used a lot of strange unexpected sounds but it flowed together well. Going from song to song was like a roller coaster. With all that being said, I loved this album. It’s so innovative and unique and you can really hear her influence in some musicians from today.
This is a solid album. It sounds good and I don’t really have any complaints. A lot of the songs sound like they would be featured in a 90s rom com and I can hear how this sound would influence later songs. Personally, this isn’t something that I would seek out or listen to regularly, so it’s like fine for me.
The production on this album is amazing. The sample selection and execution of bringing new life into these samples is amazing. As for the rapping it's fine. I have never been much of a fan of the Beastie Boys cause I find the delivery of their vocals off-putting, but I recognize the talent they have. There is just something about it that my ears don't like that I can't quite place. That was toned down some on this album, but not enough for me to have this in rotation.
This album is psychedelic rap for stoners with a bit of a gangster edge to it. As a stoner I enjoy that. For some I can see how B-Reals voice can be annoying or grating, which is fair but I really liked this album and How I Could Just Kill A Man is soooo good.
This album is fire. Sonically it is amazing and you can hear influences from rock, country, folk, and country. The singing is soulful and smooth and there is this cool vocal stacking that makes some parts of some of the songs sound autotune esque while not feeling robotic or over the top.
This is a soulful man. The way he covers such gritty topics in a smooth and beautiful way you sometimes forget the songs are about drug dealers and pimping. The instrumentation on this album is beautiful and soulful and some of the baselines have a a funk like feel to them. His vocals are beautiful and th way he effortlessly sings in falsetto that’s soft and smooth really pairs perfectly with the music.
This album is giving Elvis two decades too late. This album was not for me and it was hard for me to keep focused on this album for most of the project. I got more than halfway through before I said this song is cool. This sounds very Elvis inspired, but he was like let’s get a little experimental with it. To me, it didn’t work.
This album is fine. It has some cool break beats that would be great for when you need something in the background that isn’t too distracting. The songs do drag on a little long, but I will definitely be adding some of these songs to my focus playlist for when i’m reading or doing something and I need background music so my mind isn’t racing. If some of these songs were the instrumental for the right rapper, this album would go hard af, but they aren’t. As is, it’s a fine album that i’m not mad if it was played but I wouldn’t seek this out unless for the specific occasion of me needing instrumental background music.
This album is what you’d expect from a group with this name from the 60s. It’s got a little bit of rock and pop elements and a bit of a groove. It sounds good, but i personally wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to this album.
This a rebellious rock album that has punk type vibes to it and i enjoyed it. Glad i listened to it, and it was a fun listen but i probably won’t be going back to it. The best part were some of the outrageous lyrics and song titles.
Ummm idk about this album. It’s kind of a weird concept to listen to ambient music in my opinion. This album feels like a mixture of sounds that can be an alarm on your phone, music they’d play at a spa for meditation, a lofi version of the music that plays on the mii application on the wii, and the sound associated with angelic beings in movies. This album is only 4 songs there is no reason it should be 48 min. The songs carry on too long without much transition at any point. For me personally, there’s too much space between notes so it’s easy for me to drift off or lose focus. Calling this elevator music or hold music isn’t really fitting cause even that has more tempo than this. Sonically it sounds really beautiful, but it’s just not for me personally. Final verdict is this would go hard in a yoga studio, but outside of that there is no reason for me to be playing this.
I don’t really get the addition of ambient music on this list, but this was somewhat enjoyable. Sonically it’s very beautiful but there aren’t really any situations in which I can see myself saying “Throw on that one Jean-Michael Jarre album. The ambient music one.” The only scenario I could see myself listening to this is when i’m reading and need background music. With other forms of ambient music, I can at least say I can see this for a yoga class or for mediation. Not with this one though.
This album was a banger. I like how they really let the instruments shine with long intros with only instrumentals. Also the songs have such a groove that it’s hard not to dance around a bit. Also when the vocals would come in they would compliment the instrumentals so well. I will be going back to this album and listening to more of The Cure.
