Not an album I've listened to. Familiar with Raining Blood based on the cover by Reggie and the Full Effect. Gave it a listen. It's quick, sort of part and parcel to the whole speed metal thing. I wasn't exceptionally hooked by anything on the album.
Surprisingly Oasis was one of the popular mid-90s alternative bands I didn't really get into. Perhaps their radio presence on near constant rotation was enough to slake my curiosity. Listening now to this album I see I didn't really miss much. The radio singles are familiar (was surprised that a 7:20 Champagne Supernova became a radio hit). None of the non-singles really caught me and overall met but didn't exceed what I expected an album of Oasis songs to sound like.
Respect to Neil Young, but his voice is an acquired taste that I have not acquired. I'm not sure I need a 10 minute long song reminding me that love and only love will endure and hate is everything you think it is. I especially don't need that song to repeat its first verse. Dude loves repeating a lyric.
Guitar work is impressive but the lyrics didn't feel especially inspired. Probably would have preferred it as an instrumental album to be honest.
I've never listened to an entire Beatles album. I wonder how many of their albums will be on this list.
Choc-a-block full of hits that are so deeply ingrained in my brain that it'd be hard to say I don't love this album. The handful of tracks that I hadn't heard before were fine, but didn't compare to the bangers. No surprises.
I'm sure it's been commented on but Run For Your Life is a crazy track.
Would relisten, and probably skip past the tracks I don't know.
Surprisingly I've never listened to a Fishbone album. I've got a deep abiding love for ska music. I gave this one three listens and didn't really feel hooked by anything on the album. Instrumentation was tight and I dug it. Don't know if I'll revisit the album but happy knowing it exists.
Should probably give this another listen. I was surprised by how long a lot of these tracks were only being familiar with the singles. Overall it came across as expected.
Slow and airy for a thirty minute album. Nothing really grabbed me and forced me to take notice. Glad I listened through it, but don't think I'd find a reason to put it back on.
No doubt that Jack White has the chops. Lots of good here even beyond the singles. Glad to have listened through the whole thing.
My dad introduced me to the Everly Brothers. He played the local Oldies station on the car radio and I still have a deep abiding love for those songs even if I don't have them in regular rotation in my library. Cathy's Clown, Love Hurts and Lucille were as familiar as an old pair of jeans discovered at the back of a closet. The rest of the tracks were new, but comfortable in a familiar way. While All I Have to Do Is Dream remains the GOAT Everly Brothers in my opinion followed closely by Bye Bye Love and Wake Up Little Susie I'll revisit this album and maybe remember to slip a few more oldies into my regular rotation.
Slow and ponderous with evocative storytelling lyrics. It's not entirely my jam but I appreciate the craft.
artistry on display and no denying it. I've given Wu-Tang Clan a handful of listens over the years and they never quite grab me the way a lot of others in the field do. Still, worth listening to, but something I don't have in heavy rotation.
Never been a huge fan of Dylan. This didn't do much to change my opinion. Props to Desolation Hall. When I saw an 11 minute track I groaned but it played better than I expected.
I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The Youngbloods have no name recognition for me and I enjoyed every track. Would put it on repeat rotation.
A band I have no familiarity with whatsoever. This album didn't really do much to convince me to change that. Couldn't really find anything worth latching onto here.
Another new album or me.
The first few tracks had me nodding appreciatively.
It Was a Pleasure Then felt like a turning point into something all-together different that I couldn't really get behind. Felt like another album of someone speaking which if you squint real hard almost sounds like singing but I would hesitate to call it good. I didn't really feel a connection between the vocals and the instrumentation, kinda like beat poetry with a music bed.
Another new exposure for me. I dug it. I enjoyed Elizabeth My Dear, wished it was longer, though possibly just the familiarity of the Scarborough Fair melody at play there. Also not sure if my good feelings are just a snapback from enduring the Nico album. This feels like a proper band with songs that were constructed together in the strange alchemy that happens in the practice space. It definitely feels like the evolutionary step between The Beatles and Oasis. I could stand to listen to this one a few more times and settle on a few tracks to put into rotation.
Solid grooves that I bopped along with. Doubt it will ever see rotation again, but it was an enjoyable listen.
Familiar territory, though I've never listened to the full album but half of it were radio play singles. I enjoyed the tracks I was familiar with and enjoyed the tracks that were new to me. Would probably include this on my own 1001 albums list.
New album to me, though I realized of course I've heard Brass in Pocket, lot of radio play on that one.
I can't say I loved it. Vocals have that feeling of a more spoken word than singing. Instrumentation was good. Middle of the road, possibly something I'd pull out if I gave it a few more spins.
Unknown artist to me. It was fine. Nothing jumped out at me. I had heard Everybody's Talkin' but I think probably a cover and not this version. Would go to a lot of other albums in this space before I came back to this one.
Solid latin groove. I could definitely see myself spinning this up again and falling in love with some of the tracks.
A band whose name I have heard, but whose music I have not.
Quite a large number of my favorite bands and musicians cite Husker Du as a major influence.
It seems to me that this is one of those bands that existed solely to influence others who would go on to become household names.
This album was okay. The vocals felt low and hard to distinguish against the instrumentation throughout. I can see how influential these guys were. Would probably give it a few more spins, maybe dig into some of their older stuff, this is their last album a casual bit of internet research tells me. Glad to have listened to it.
Entirely as expected from ELO.
Bright and fun. I enjoyed the listen, sang along with the familiar tunes and had a good time.
Totally unknown band to me, but I enjoyed it. I'll give it a few more spins and see what shakes out.
The recognizable hits were good, the rest of the album was fine but without the familiarity it was just noise. For me this is always just background music, filler for when you're doing something that requires some concentration but you need something else to fill the silence.
An interesting choice for a Hendrix album. I'm betting there is probably a second one on the list. This was all new to me. I grooved with it. Not entirely my thing so won't likely see another rotation, but I appreciate what's being laid down here.
I listened to the first three tracks. I don't anticipate great revelations in the remaining twenty-one. As with the Prodigy album this is background music for me and not something I will sit with and listen through deeply.
Another new artist for me.
Vocals didn't really do much for me. Instrumentation was decent but didn't really elevate anything into the realm of, I absolutely want to hear this again.
Really enjoy Lorde's music. Liability and Supercut were already in rotation from this album so it was an enjoyable listen to visit the rest of the tracks here.
Absolute classic. Already on steady rotation with more than half the songs on saved playlists. The second half is weaker than the first but On a Plain and Something in the Way make for good capstones. Endless, Nameless is about the only track I would actively skip.
I dig Peter Gabriel and recognized a few tracks off this album. I enjoyed the listen, might spin it up again sometime but wasn't bowled over by anything on offer here.
Had no idea who this was, then the first bars of "Gotta Get Up" played and I at least recognized that one.
Driving Along, Early in the Morning, The Moonbeam Song, and Down these were all nice but didn't stick with me.
Without You is a classic, though I'm partial to the Air Supply cover and didn't really feel like this cover did much with it, but maybe without this cover's popularity we wouldn't have gotten Air Supply's version.
Coconut is another familiar though I think mostly from cultural reference rather than ever actually hearing it played.
Let the Good Times Roll, another cover I again don't feel he did much to improve on the original.
Jump Into the Fire, extended instrumental break felt a little much
I'll Never Leave You was fine for a treacly album closer.
Overall, this feels like middle of the road 70s pop and while I went ahead and added Gotta Get Up to the library nothing else here was interesting enough to save for another listen.
I did listen to Air Supply's Without You a few times though.
Who doesn't love Sultans of Swing?
What else does this album offer? Down to the Waterline seemed of a same type with Sultans, that same guitar sound, tasty licks, tight drum fills and I dug it. I was surprised by the other tracks of the album encompassing a feeling of some other styles. I enjoyed the listen, probably won't throw it down for another spin.
No familiarity with this album or artist.
I dug the first half more than the second but overall found it to be quite enjoyable and glad that I got to listen to it.
Familiar, but I've never listened to this album. Classic old school hip hop that I appreciate but am not terribly interested in.
Formative album for me. Though it's not technically complex, it is full of hooks that kept this one on repeat in my college days. I'll gladly listen to this one, in its entirety, over and over again.
I know a few Supertramp songs, but none of the ones on this album. It was good. Nothing blew me away, but it wasn't a chore to listen through.
Most of this album feels like uncoordinated noise. Some of the tracks peek through and show the glimmer of musical talent that no doubt the Pixies possess, but it becomes overshadowed by the sonic wall that most songs offer without any distinction.
Crazy how produced this album feels. First three tracks are the familiar singles and then the album drops off a cliff and offers nothing interesting for another 15 tracks, including the totally incongruous last two tracks. Lab grown for maximum superficial engagement, but it worked for Beyonce, can't say the other two members got theirs (though I'm sure they're doing fine with the royalties)
Fun album. Only familiar with the opening track but the rest of the album held up to my expectations. Would likely give this a few more spins and pluck out a few tracks to keep.
Totally unaware of this album or artist. It was fine. Toward the middle everything just started sort of sounding so similar it was hard to differentiate for me. Would likely give it another go.
A stone cold classic with great soul bangers that if you haven't heard you just haven't been around long enough. I was happy to listen to it, and enjoyed the tracks that I hadn't heard before.
I enjoyed this one beyond the familiar singles. Probably give it some more rotations and latch onto some of the unfamiliar tracks.
Another artist I know of, but haven't really explored. I enjoyed this album.
"Holocaust" has been in steady rotation for me, but I never spent time exploring other stuff by Big Star.
Not much else stood out listening through this album. Pretty standard piano heavy rock. Some of the tracks on Side B feel very Side B.
I was excited to see an album by Aimee Mann because I'm a big fan of her Lost in Space album from 2002. She certainly improved as an artist from this album to that one. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't very memorable and the vocals are a bit weak. Still, was happy to hear some of the early work and remind myself to listen to more of her other albums when I have the chance.
I cannot stand the Violent Femmes. I can sing along with almost all of this album because it was so overplayed on my local radio station. I do not understand why people found this artist entertaining or enjoyable to listen to.
Musical whiplash. This isn't so much an album, it feels more like someone recording song ideas on their phone to later be fleshed out into something more complete. There are probably kernels of good ideas here but they come in, hit and move onto something else so quickly that its hard to feel like anything is sticking. I mean, how could I live without the profound revelation of "Chicken blows. I suppose we could have a girl or a boy". If Pollard is guided by voices perhaps he should tell them to be quiet.
Strong album. Funny that if you held a gun to my head I wouldn't have known One Way or Another was a Blondie song. And did I catch a slightly ska like guitar in the middle there. Would listen again, pluck out the gems and skip the rest.
To be honest. I expected a more compelling album. Clint Eastwood was such a massive hit that I absolutely love and other Gorillaz offerings from later albums I have also enjoyed. Most of this was just fine but nothing noteworthy.
Initially interested having never heard of this band or album and seeing the cover art made me think this was a comedy album or some send up. I was a little worried when I saw track titles like "Back to Africa" and "Master Race Rock" but again, thought maybe this would be a send up. Maybe I wasn't listening close enough but it didn't feel as obviously send up as I think (hope) it was intended to be. Didn't really enjoy anything about this and was happy when it was over and I could move on to listening to something else.
A fun listen. Stirring. The length of the songs knocks them out of contention of regular rotation. Even as a drummer I don't think I need to regularly listen to a 16:00 Ginger Baker drum solo.
Rush is always a bit hit or miss with me. No denying their musical chops, but I'm not a huge fan of Geddy Lee's voice. This falls in that middle ground. Good stuff here, but nothing immediately jumped into my must listen to again list.
I enjoyed this one more than the last Dire Straits album, and I enjoyed that quite a bit. Would definitely give this more play time. I feel like if I ever had to hang out with Knopfler I would be so intimidated by his level of cool, but somehow he'd make me feel okay.
Overall this album was long and the topic content repetitive. A product of its time that doesn't look as good in the light of the modern day. BIG had skill as a lyricist but like a chef that has only one really good dish a steady diet of the same thing doesn't taste nearly as good. Assuming the autobiography of the work no doubt he had it hard and made choices to get by. It doesn't strike me as strongly as other hip hop albums and won't likely ever revisit it.
A pleasant listen.
Love me some Arctic Monkeys. Mardy Bum and I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor in steady rotation. Good to give the rest of the tracks a listen.
No complaints, but nothing really stuck with me.
Live albums don't really do much for me, and this one is no exception. Keith Moon is a monster on the drums.
Passing familiarity with some of the tracks on this, but was happy to listen to the rest of the album. Thought it would be a slog but found some good gems there.
Another live album. Van Morrison another name I've heard but never really listened to extensively. This was fine, nothing jumped out and grabbed me demanding my close attention.
Yeah, this one didn't do anything for me on any level.
Hooky pop. I enjoyed the breakdown at the end of Ninteen Hundred and Eighty Five and had heard Band on the Run too many times to count. Overall it is fine. I've never been obsessed with Beatlemania though I one played an anthropomorphic beetle drummer in a TOON RPG that I was delighted by.
It's Tom Waits. My opinions on him remain unchanged no matter how many of his mumbling, grumbling, beat poetry tracks I listen to.
Much like listening to Notorious B.I.G. this album offered little textual variety outside of the gangsta rap trifecta of guns, drugs and women. Pioneer for the genre but glad that we've moved on (mostly).
I like this album a lot. It is the kind of late 90s rock that I grew up on, so not a huge surprise. I'll put this on rotation and dig into the rest of their discography to find more gems.
Favorites: One More Hour, The Drama You've Been Craving, Dance Song '97, Jenny
Fleet Foxes is a fave. No skips on this album.
Not a bad album. Synthwave isn't really my thing but I appreciate the musicality here. Don't You Want Me is a classic.
I dig a lot of the Radiohead that I've listened to. This feels adjacent to that in the sort of artistic, repetitive, drone / noise space. It's fine, but doesn't catch me and make me want to listen on repeat.
Catching this one closely on the heels of listening to Dr. Dre's The Chronic it's pretty easy to see the progression. It follows in the same footsteps with nothing much more to say. It did inform me that the song La-Di Da-Di by Mindless Self Indulgence is a cover, and one I enjoy much more than the original.
Kind of a musical whiplash jumping into this after yesterday's Snoop Dogg.
Charming and nostalgic on the tracks I was already familiar with, the unfamiliar tracks didn't jump out to me. Could be the juxtaposition with the gangsta rap but everything here just felt soft.
I sincerely do not know what to make of this album. I'm almost certainly going to give it a few more spins just to try to figure it out. It's not that it is appealing, it's that it is a strange curiosity, like a car crash. Odd that it is plucked out of the millions of albums to be included on the list but I feel like the author is more heavily invested in UK music than I ever will be.
When I saw the track listing I thought, interesting, six different tracks with similar titles, I wonder what they'll do with those concepts. It was a single jam track divided into six tracks. I've never been sophisticated enough to appreciate a jam band, it seems like the sort of thing that is only interesting in the moment. I can't imagine putting this record on for repeated listens. For a band with the name Quicksilver there's nothing quick about them.
Woke up in the mood for some Rage Against the Machine. Marvin Gaye somehow fit that bill for me anyhow. Great vocals. Strong message. Solid album worth listening to again and again.
Sure, I guess. I thought I'd dislike this given my general distaste for TVU but it wasn't a terrible listen.
Obviously opinions of this album have been colored by the artist's actions. Separating art from artist this album is good. It far surpasses the other rap albums that I've listened to on this list thus far Dre, Snoop Dogg, Notorious BIG. It is interesting, and entertaining, and each track feels distinct.
It's jazz. You either like it, or you don't understand it. I fall firmly in the latter. Appreciate the musicality, but it doesn't stick with me. Someday I'll be sophisticated enough to appreciate it.
This album didn't really do much for me lyrically or musically. I didn't have any familiarity with Marianne Faithfull. Reading up on its history I can see why the album might have been selected for its story, rather than its content. A good topic for a music documentary, but not essential listening for this project as the album doesn't really stand on its own as something worth engaging with. I doubt I'll give this any more spins, but it was a fine listen through once.
Very excited to see this pop up after a run of unfamiliar artists. Interesting enough I only have Sixteen Saltines from this album saved to my playlist, so I guess I've never listened through it.
I love the lyricism of Weep Themselves to Sleep. Tasty guitar work on Take Me With You When You Go.
All around great album, will continue to spin it up when I'm in the mood.
Second Neil Young and Crazy Horse album I've encountered on this list. The last one was middling, wonder what I'll think of this compared to that one.
"Cinnamon Girl" sounds familiar. Feels like what I was expecting, kinda simple lyrics sung by a mediocre voice a few guitar licks but fairly forgettable.
The rest of the album follows suit. I could do without the extended breakdowns in Down by the River and Cowgirl in the Sand, never been a huge fan of long musical interludes in the middle of other songs, see also my struggle with jam bands and/or most jazz music.
I can't really see a reason why this album had to be listened to. Neil Young is a household name, but I don't find anything he's doing particularly noteworthy or ground breaking.
There are a handful of albums that can transport me not just to a specific time and place but a feeling in general. This is one of those for me. The number of times I would spin this up leaving my job as a server at Rocky Run, a local restaurant, and the relief of another shift over, money in my pocket, nowhere to be, the dark of the night, the glow of the dashboard, the empty mall parking lot. The first few notes of Jenny Was a Friend of Mine takes me solidly back into that place and time.
I enjoy this album, and though it is hard to separate that sense memory and listen to this one with a critical ear I think I still enjoy it devoid of the feelings it instills. I think Vannucci's drumming slides perfectly into place on every track. Dig the musicality. Enjoy the lyrics. Total package, no skips.
Did we need both this and *Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme* on the list? What is one offering that the other isn't mirroring? Of the two I prefer PSRT but this one felt basically the same.
Not a huge fan of Morrissey's voice, delivery or general vibe. Didn't recognize anything off this album and so it just sort of slid past me.
I can get down with a bit of discordance and noise to my music when it serves the album but this one strays too far beyond my threshold and became just a cacophony I wasn't interested in attempting to pull apart and analyze for something deeper or more meaningful. Godspeed to anyone who can. Falls in line with Pixies Surfer Rosa to me, but a worse version.
This album was fine. It didn't wow me.
Gothic synths. Nothing much here to fall in love with, though had I been exposed to it in my younger years it might have latched a little harder.
Pleasantly surprised by this one with no familiarity of the artist. Briefly considered putting it on again to go to sleep to last night. Will probably get added to my playlist of TTRPG background music.
Always felt a little conflicted about Johnny Cash. This one is fine. It's cover songs and most of them are good, some of them don't quite hit. It comes off as a little too trite. The aging rock star at the end looking back on all of his misdeeds and begging with an audience to be remembered and forgiven.
It is good, but as with other albums in this genre it all just sort of becomes background to my ears.
Ah yes. Randy Newman. I fall firmly in the camp of this guy is great, I wish he wasn't the one singing. A song like You Can Leave Your Hat On is totally undermined by hearing it from a muppet. I think the Family Guy send up of Randy Newman S02E03 is about as accurate a portrayal as there is and it lives rent free in my head.
I dig Peter Gabriel. This album is no exception. Feels a bit darker than some of his other material. This is the second album of his on the list. I'm not sure if both warrant inclusion. Is one doing something dramatically different than the other? A good listen I'd happily run through again.
Not at all familiar with this artist or album. It was fine. Whiskey Woman I felt was the best track on the album, and given the difference in tracked plays I can see that others feel the same. The rest of the album has incredibly low play counts for something I would put on a list of essential listening.
Overall it didn't feel inspired or essential but it wasn't actively difficult or unpleasant.
The singles from this album were in heavy rotation on the local rock station so most of this album was already familiar to me. I enjoy Shirley Manson's vocals and the whole band feels cohesive. It was fun to revisit the tracks I knew and hear the ones that were new.
Mostly this album just faded into the background and I would occasionally say oh yeah, music is playing.
How can you not love this absolutely over the top operatic album.
More Neil Young. What is the deal with giving him so much spotlight on this list. More of the same as the other albums that we've been subjected to. Nothing special.
Had not heard of this band before. I enjoyed the album. I'd give it more spins and pluck out some of my favorites.
It's been an age since I listened to this album. Admittedly my older sister was more of a fan of it than I was, but I spent a lot of time riding around in cars driven by her with music selections by her. Disarm, Today and Cherub Rock got a lot of radio play so those were more familiar to me than the rest of the album as I assume is the case with most. I think Disc One of Mellon Collie got more play. Anyhow, enough backstory.
This sounded very much like Smashing Pumpkins to me. Their sound to me is as distinct as a fingerprint. I like that sound, generally. I don't go crazy for it, but it is good. The mix of Corrigan's vocals, Iha's guitar sound and Chamberlin's drums is a great mix. I'd put this into rotation again, get familiar with it again and revel in the nostalgia of being a passenger in a 1980s chevelle with a spray paint primer paint job in a cloud of Marlboro Light smoke wondering if I'll ever be as effortlessly cool as my sister. Spoiler, still trying to catch her.
I had this on in the background as I was doing other tasks so not a dedicated listen. I found it pretty enjoyable. Worth going back to give it another focused listen at least.
Really dug this album and had only heard of the artist in passing. The kind of music I really dig just enveloping me. I'll keep listening to this, no doubt.
More Rolling Stones. Never been a huge fan so this didn't really change my mind. Don't really see why it's on the list to be honest as it doesn't feel representative of what the Rolling Stones would become, and they get plenty of other spots on the list to show who they are.
My exposure to Robbie Williams was quite limited and then I watched Better Man and that exposed me to a few songs that are on this album, but I didn't really go out seeking more of him. I wound up enjoying listening through this. I'd probably give it more time and dig into more of his library and see what else is there.
Ironic to receive this on the heels of The Rolling Stones first album as the standard dichotomy is Beatles vs Stones. I've always fallen on the Beatles side of the argument, but I still don't think they should also have seven albums on the list. Plus the Lennon, McCartney and Harrison albums to boot. It feels appropriately early to what they would become, a handful of covers, bones of something that would come later. It was fine but I wouldn't add it to essential listening.
This album puts the FUN in FUNK. This is the kind of thing I hoped to get out of listening through the list, something I would have never spun up on my own, might not spin up again, but thoroughly enjoyed listening through it. Really enjoyed Handcuffs but everything on this album just sort of bumps along while you bob your head.
I've not listened to Cooper outside of the title track School's Out that everyone's likely heard. This was an interesting listen. It doesn't overstay its welcome. It bounces around between genre and styles and I had to queue it up a second time to give it another spin before I felt comfortable rendering an opinion. It was not what I expected to get and I enjoyed what it was. I imagine their reputation for showmanship would make these songs even more interesting to see performed on stage. "Alma Mater" and "Blue Turk" were stand outs that had I heard without context I would not have guessed as Alice Cooper tracks even with his distinctive voice. Perhaps I assumed incorrectly about Alice Cooper and should give a listen to the rest of their discography.
I've been a big fan of the title track of this album but never gave the rest of it a listen until now. It's great. I want to listen to it again. Didn't realize that Do You Realize was from this album. Overall the kind of thing that melts my cheese.
Definitely middle of the road for me. The Smiths (and Morrissey) have occupied a sort of tangential liminal space in my music knowledge. I've bounced off them a number of times despite thinking it would be the kind of thing that I'd get into. This was sort of that encapsulated. I didn't hate it, but didn't latch onto it. It sounded good, but not catchy enough to make me want to give it another spin, or dig deeper. Luckily I see I'll get another six albums on this list to give it a try (fml).
Oh boy, more Prodigy. I wonder if it will be a repetitive collection of sounds, beats and occasional spoken words that blend from one track to the next in an indistinct assemblage of noises. Totally different from the other Prodigy album on this list and thus necessary to listen to both. Give me a break.
Gave this one a second listen because I wasn't sure after one listen how I really felt about it. The second listen confirmed that this is something I could definitely dig into and likely will. Kind of straight ahead indie rock with some really interesting uses of sound.
I've listened to a bit of Sufjan Stevens and found it enjoyable. Immediately notice an album that is 1 hour and 14 minutes long and I wonder if it's going to pay off.
While I wouldn't say it benefited from the length, I don't think it overly suffered for it either. Even with Sufjan's multi-instrumental talent a lot of the tracks do come across as samey. That said it is the kind of same that I enjoy so for me that's less of an issue. Casimir Pulaski Day remains my favorite track on the album, but I'd give this more rotations.
Oof, four tracks for a 40 minute album. Let's give it a spin. Never heard of this artist so no idea what I'm in for, guessing its probably not pop-punk.
So, ambient sound type music. And I also realize that I know this band from Vitamin C. Very drum forward, which is a plus from me. Feels like it is especially unique for something from the 70s and not cranked out in an afternoon on Ableton.
It was an enjoyable listen, but I can't imagine spinning this up on the regular or plucking any one of the four tracks out to add to rotation.
No exposure to this artist so let's see what they're like.
Eh, not impressed with the first few tracks. Sounds like bog standard 60s pop rock.
So, there isn't much here that made me really want to give it another listen. It was fine in the way that most late 60s rock hits me. Why it was essential I'm not going to try to figure out. Doesn't really even warrant a second spin in the moment.
Another new artist. I found this to be quite enjoyable. A bit of psychadelic rock with some solid production value. A lot of varied instrumentation that some might find too unusual but I found charming. Already added some songs to the library and will likely listen a few more times.
Creedence is solid so happy to give it a spin. I found Wrote a Song for Everyone to be a great hidden gem. Surprised to discover Bad Moon Rising was only 2:19 long. Amazing that they cranked this and two other full albums out in the same year. Would happily spin this up again when I'm feeling in the mood for some classic rock n roll.
As with Disintegration this is predictably what I expected from another album from The Cure.
On the fence with this one. At 55 minutes I'm hard pressed to give it another listen all the way through. Overall I found it to be just fine, nothing that jumped up and demanded notice. Is this essential listening? Doubtful. I'll bang the drum once more on the fact that this artist has 3 albums on the list while other artists have none. It was fine. It was good. It wasn't essential.
Lest my previous statements lose objectivity I still think it's crazy to put six Radiohead albums on the list despite my affection for their work.
Radiohead has always occupied a semi-familiar status. I don't think I've listened to most of their albums in entirety and not on steady repeat. I have a handful of their work on my playlist scattered across several albums. While this isn't probably my first listen through OK Computer it may be my first in a long while and my first time actually focusing in on my opinion of it. A lot of great tracks on this album that I knew (Paranoid Android, Exit Music (For a Film), Kharma Police) tracks that I enjoyed that I didn't know previously (Subterranean Homesick Alien, No Surprises). Overall I enjoyed everything on offer here. Definitely would listen again, and again. The combination of Yorke's voice, the soundscapes, the way a song can build to a powerful belting anthem and then drop back down to a humble cry. This feels like an album worth spending your time listening through.
Frequent rotation on rock stations not withstanding I haven't given much attention to Led Zeppelin. This album is solid full of great guitar sounds, and driving drums that are undeniably fun to listen to. Even though some of the tracks are longer by modern standards they don't seem to devolve into jam band wankery that gets tiresome.
I spent more time listening to Nas's Stillmatic album than any of his other albums. This album, his first, shows the same lyrical skill and beats though a bit rougher and raw. While I'd probably still reach for the familiarity of Stillmatic over this it's a fine example of the things I like about Nas that separates him from the rest of the pack.
I'm sure I've listened through this album before but most of the tracks except the highlights aren't that familiar to me. Master of Puppets and Welcome Home (Sanitarium) are the best tracks off the album and the only ones I'd really consider spinning up again, even if Master of Puppets runs a little long for me. The rest falls right in line with what I expect from an early Metallica album, crunchy chun-chun guitar interspersed with Hetfield yelling words and the world's weakest drumming behind it all doing nothing at all but keeping time. I still think Lars is a mediocre drummer at best (he gets better on later albums but still isn't creative as his peers). I thought the guitar work on Orion was pretty decent.
Not at all what I expected, though I don't know what exactly I expected. An artist whose name I've definitely heard before but I guess never actually explored. I've definitely heard Constant Craving on radio play but I guess for whatever reason it never connected to k.d. lang as the artist.
This had a laid back almost lounge like feel to it. I imagine a smokey basement tapas restaurant (shout out to Jazz'D Tapas in Savannah). It was pleasant to listen to. I doubt I'd revisit it. Nothing stood out to me other than the fact that I had very little idea of what k.d. lang sounded like.
How can you not love listening to a Bob Marley album?
Looking forward to listening to the rest of this album. American Pie is such a cultural touchstone but I've never listened to anything else by McLean.
This album was good. McClean's voice is simple but strong and deftly accompanies the guitar work. I'd give this one a few more spins and see what shakes out from the shadow of American Pie.
*sigh*
Springsteen is fine. He doesn't fire me up, but I can see the appeal.
Alright George, I'll give you one album. This was a pleasant listen. I might even get around to the second disc in time. There's a lot to like, but I haven't fallen in love at first listen.
Incidentally I was just listening to a conversation on the value of inspirational media when the iterations of that inspiration that have come since are superior products. This conversation was in relation to the 2011 movie John Carter and how the 100 year old property was a major influence on the titans of science fiction and science fantasy that are far more familiar. While the original was innovative and inspirational its been surpassed by what it inspired. I feel the same way about this album which is the same age as me. At the time it was innovative and went on to inspire iterations that I find to be far superior. Is it worth listening to the originator? I suppose in a forensic dissection of the history of the genre, but am I excited to excavate those early unrefined works, not exactly. Was fine for the history lesson, but not something I'll revisit ever again.
A staple of rock radio with 5 of the 12 tracks on heavy rotation this is what comes to mind for me when I think of Metallica. It's hard to set that to the side and evaluate. The singles are stand out good, though again is that just familiarity? The non-singles don't really do much for me. Lars continues to be a white bread and mayo sandwich. With all of the truly talented drummers out there it's a shame that he was able to hitch his wagon to superstardom with such lack luster talent, and then have the audacity to act like all of the criticisms about him are unfounded.
This is going to amaze you, but it sure sounds like a Doors album to me. For me, if it didn't have Riders on the Storm it would be utterly forgettable.
Quite pleasantly surprised by this album. I will almost certainly give it another spin and pull out my favorites. If you're not into the genre it's probably not going to break ground for you, but it hits all the right notes.
First track in and not at all what I was expecting from a band called Primal Scream and an album titled Screamadelica. Proceeded to listen to an hour of psychadelic house music that didn't really do anything for me. As with the other albums of this genre this is not my particular bag for focused listening. Unobtrusive background noise that can repeat itself for five straight minutes because you're not really giving it focused attention anyway so what does it matter.
I mean, what am I going to add to the discourse here. If this was a list of 10 albums you had to listen to before you die this album would probably make the cut.
Eh, 80s rock never did a ton for me. No denying the talent and the amount of play that some of these tracks got on the radio made them part of the musical lexicon for me. The rest of the tracks on this album are fine but nothing stand out.
I've only caught small bits of Bjork here and there and never spent time listening through an entire album. I like what she's got going on. She does feel like a bit of an acquired taste, not something I feel immediately enamored with, but like a flavor you can't quite place that has you coming back to the same hole in the wall taco shop. I would give this more listens, and explore more of the same and find out what sticks over time.
Rumors was the kind of lightning in a bottle album that many bands would struggle to follow up, much less a band plagued by the drama that this band was enduring. It's clear on Tusk that everyone is trying to make their individual contribution but it doesn't feel like a band just a bunch of disjointed, talented musicians laying things down. The short, experimental interjections do nothing but interrupt what would have probably been a better album with more cohesion. I can't really fathom why it is a must listen to album, Rumors pretty much is their collaborative peak and this does nothing but sour me on the idea of expanding to listen to anything else they put out.
you're either the kind of person who enjoys two hours of live jazz, or you are not. Guess which category I fall into.
Surprisingly innovative and felt fun. Could have done without the skits and short tracks. I get their place, but the songs are good enough to stand on their own without the cruft. Obligatory recording of sex scene halfway through the album. Samples are crazy inventive and lyrics are great. This is my first time listening to De La Soul. I'd probably pull a few tracks out to add to my playlist but wouldn't want to spin the whole album again.
For me this is Nirvana. This was my sister's favorite Nirvana album and one that got the most play in her tape deck driving around the suburbs with me in the passenger seat. I still love The Man Who Sold the World and the cascade of Dumb, Polly, On a Plain, and Something in The Way really sends me. I'm not one of those people that think Cobain was some sort of godsend legend, but I dig what he (and the rest of the musicians) put together here. Would listen to again happily.
Storms in, entertains with some rocking guitar sounds and vocal harmonies and then blows right back out the door and out of your brain as quickly as it came in.
Right out the gate I added the first nine tracks to my library. I've heard of Arcade Fire, but not really spent any time exploring their work. Might be my new favorite band. Something about their music is just right up my alley. This definitely warrants additional plays, and I've already spun it through twice more.
Absolutely average southern rock that is distinctly The Black Crowes.
Sounds an awful lot like a guy with an impressively deep voice speaking over music, so essentially exactly what you would expect from Leonard Cohen.
Yeah, totally adequate. If it inspired people to make good music I suppose I should thank it for that but it doesn't inspire me to do anything but never listen to it again.
Total unknown to me. This feels sort of like standard 60s rock/soul. Nothing too inventive, just solid singing and music playing. Can only imagine the times when doing something like this made for a very comfortable living. Glad I listened to it, might snatch a few tracks out for the playlist but not something I'd return to frequently.
Morrissey is not to my liking and there's not enough here that doesn't sound like exactly the same song repeated 12 times over.
Will probably spin this around a few more times. It didn't immediately catch me, but I think I could get down with it on repeat listening.
It's U2, you'd have to have practically zero music exposure to not have at least heard the first four tracks off this album. Enjoyable listen. Can't tell if the back half of the album isn't as strong, or is just overshadowed by the familiarity of the first half. Either way, worth a listen through.
Really enjoyed this album. It's got the right kind of voice, the right kind of instrumentation. I want to listen to this again.
Of the exceedingly long song genre this album was okay. Some of the length could definitely be cut, or even divided into a separate track as they just feel like musicians fiddle-farting around on their instruments after the song is done, or a reprise. I enjoyed the musicality and probably would find the lyrics evocative on a few listens through. The kind of music I would put on in the background while prepping ttrpg content. As with some of the other albums on the list these early progenitor albums are exceptional for their place in the canon.
Not a bad album but not especially great. A few familiar tracks and fits squarely in the early rock with hints of psychedelic genre
This was more upbeat than I expected, but I'm not overly familiar with Pet Shop Boys. Instrumentation felt pretty uninteresting. That could be that the synth-pop genre has improved as digital tools became more prevalent, or it could be the recent lineup of older more interesting guitar driven rock that I've been listening to. Another album that falls in the middle ground of fine, neither inspiring nor terrible.
Run of the mill late 80s country to my ear. Not an artist that I've given much time to so all of this was new to me. I'd probably give this another listen, if I was in a country mood, and see if there was something that latches onto me, but more likely I'd throw on one of the handful of albums from the time that I know front to back and revel in that sound and familiarity.
Cypress Hill never really stuck with me. Some of their later stuff I have enjoyed. I thought the beats were good, sampling was creative even if I didn't fully recognize where they all came from, and the lyricism was inventive despite the subject matter being run-of-the-mill gangsta rap. They didn't waste our time with silly skits, and no recordings of simulated sexual encounters so at least there's that. I wish I loved anything in my life as much as these guys appear to love weed. Probably wouldn't bother spinning this up again. Didn't hate it, but not a lot here I was dying to listen to again.
I know this was a pretty big deal but The Strokes never really grabbed me. Listening through this at last and I didn't really get the hype. It's fine but I don't think it's really doing anything that innovative. I think most people just wanted to look cool, fair play.
It's two hours of country bluegrass with some conversational tidbits captured during the recording process that arguably could have been left on the cutting room floor.
What isn't really clear from just listening through the record is that this is the Dirt Band bringing a bunch of OG bluegrass folks onto an album. These aren't names that are well known to me but I'm sure for folks in that circle they are better known. I imagine this is one of the reason some of the studio chatter is left in on the tracks. For the NGDB they were probably stoked to just be in the studio with these folks. For all of this, I suppose, it is worthy of consideration into the list as a sort of an encapsulation of bluegrass music.
For me, the music is fine. I'm not going to say I loved sitting through two hours of it but I wasn't offended to do so either. My dad would probably love this album.
