Pretty good but the pacing appears a bit slow from a contemporary perspective. Though the riffs make sitting through the long textless segments easier, they cannot erase the small moments of boredom they create. Solid anti-war songs but they lack a bit of creativity, which still doesn't detract from the beatiful images the text creates. Lacks cohesion though that strangely makes it more endearing. Bests songs are Paranoid and Hand of Doom.
6/10, good for long car rides and quiet evenings, wouldn't put it on with guests or as background.
One of the most creative albums I've ever heard. Hendrix dances with the sound and forms the chaotic notes he and his band produce into a marvel of Jazz. Of course, there are the elephants in the room: The 15 and 13 minute long jam seasons Voodoo Chile and 1983. Just the fact that they exist and didn't make me turn of the album are a testament to Hendrix' talent. Unfortunetly, they are just not for me. Something about seeing the numbers already makes me feel like listening to them is going to be a slog. Yet, the sheer joy Hendrix' music conveys alone makes them bearable. Still, this was a beautiful experience, even if not every songs hits the spot. Best Songs are Crosstown Traffic and All Along The Watchtower.
8/10, would play in the bacckground while under the influence
What is there to say? This is the type of music you can listen to at any time, anywhere, with anyone (except You Sure Love To Ball maybe) Of course the album is sexy but the tunes are so pleasant to the ear I would put this on with any type of company just not on full throttle. At 31 minutes the album doesn't overstay its welcome, so even if the songs sound pretty similar, I wasn't annoyed at all. Best songs are If I Should Die Tonight and Let's Get It On.
9/10, makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
The epitome of cozy music. Sinatra may be one of (if not the) most charming singers to ever grace a record and though this album is not as exciting as later productions, there is not a single song in sight that I would skip. Best Songs are You Make Me Feel So Young and the heavily underappreciated Old Devil Moon.
8/10, play this whenever the silence is too loud.
A very cinematic album, Madman Across the Water has some high highs and few plateaus but not every songs really hits the spot for me. While I can appreciate the energy Elton John conjures for some of these, I prefer the somber and ambient pieces on this album more, perhaps they clash so much with the public perception he has gathered. Best songs are Madman Across The Water and Indian Sunset.
7/10, perfectly fine.
Somehow, Beck makes this eclectic collection of musical pieces work, infusing each and every new song with a unique identity while keeping his style. You never know what you'll get once a new one kicks in which makes this album refreshing to hear and keeps you on your toes. Unfortunately, the middle section kind of fails this premise. The songs sound very much alike, and the sad folk-style is really not my cup of tea. Towards the end, Beck seemingly becomes inspired again and delivers a scenic finish but this middle chunck really drags down my rating. Best songs are Que' Onda Guero and Farewell Ride.
8/10, would probably skip everything from Missing to Go It Alone (except Hell Yes).
Oftentimes, artists are at their most creative when they go thorugh hard times. You can definetly hear that Marvin Gaye is experiencing a tough divorce here but the creative spirit really didn't catch me. I understand that he wanted to express his anguish but hearing him whine for over an hour just doesn't create a joyful listening experience. In some of these songs, he seems downright vitriolic towards his former wife. I like Marvin Gaye's music, I really do, but this is not the tender singer I've come to like. Best songs are Sparrow and Funky Space Reincarnation.
4/10, he can do so much better.
At first I was sceptical about what I felt was standard Rock. But once I realized how story-driven this album is I came around and really enjoyed my time with Tommy. The album is so well rounded that I find it difficult to express how quickly the listenting session went by. The only problem was Underture for me: I get what The Who was going for but I feel like 10 minutes is about double the lenght the song should have had. Best songs are Go To The Mirror! and Sally Simpson.
9/10, the perfect fusion of Rock and Opera.
This sure is an album by Neil Young. It has a harmonica and most of the songs sound pretty much the same, even more than on other albums. Has a pretty good start with Tonight's The Night but falls flat on subsequent entries. Best songs are Borrowed Tunes and Roll Another Number (For The Road).
6/10, the embodiment of Wild West nostalgia.
Aside from the incredibly smooth voice Sade the singer offers, Sade the band incorporates some beautiful musical arrangements for this album. The sheer sensuality Diamond Life oozes could turn an angry mob into a hippie commune. Best songs are Smooth Operator and Hang On To Your Love.
8/10, the feeling of a long warm hug.
Beck keeps experimenting with new sounds and arrangements, which works often - but not always. Sometimes, this leads to his soungs sounding very fresh and unique (Derelict) and sometimes it sounds like he tuned his guitar to the sound of nails on a chalkboard (Novacane). I could excuse these disharmonious pieces if it wasn't for the last two songs. Ramshackle sounds like an Ed Sheeren song and doesn't fit the punk attitude Beck displays on the rest of the album at all, while Computer Rock doesn't even feel like a finished song. It sounds like the alarm of the most obnoxious person you know. Seriously, did the artist just run out of songs to put in this and sent over an unfinished sample?! Best songs are Hotwax and High 5 (Rock The Catskills).
7/10, I have to respect Beck's will to do whatever he wants.
Of course I don't have to mention that Dre is an excellent producer whose beats alone carry most of the points for this album. And while I can admit that this is historic piece of music, I cannot overlook that the texts are pretty mono-thematic for large parts of this album. There are interesting concepts here and there but I can only listen to the rappers talking about their well-endowedness for so long. Best songs are Nuthin' But A "G"-Thang and Lyrical Gangbang
8/10, a monumental accomplishment that shows its age.
Personally, this album did basically nothing. The taste I got from it matches the cover art but I'm still willing to acknowledge that the style is simply not for me. For those that appreciate this type of song, Nowhere is likely a really good album. Sadly, I am not one of them. Best songs are Dreams Burn Down and Beneath.
5/10, just not for me.
While the idea for this concept album becomes a little bit overplayed by the end, the energy the songs exhume carries most of the tracks. By the end, you really just want this guy to find love for more than 5 minutes but at the same time you don't because then there would be no songs about it. Best songs are Show Me and The Look Of Love Pt.1.
7/10, entertaining for the first time, probably not that good on repeat hearings.
One of the most iconic singers of all time really puts out everything she has on this album. Perfectly crafted, every song offers new and exciting tunes and a mix of styles that still harmonize with Turners unconventional voice. The rough sound makes it all the more charming and catapults this album to its status as an all-time classic.
And then there is the issue of the version I heard. All of the above I would wholeheartedly state about the original 10-song album, which is perfect from beginning to end.
But that is not the version you can find on YouTube. That is the 30th anniversary edition. And while I can appreciate that this version was made for fans of the original, who will love remastered versions of the classics and additional live songs, the difference was extremely jarring to me. Not only was the difference in style and recording quality evident from the start, the additional songs didn't really do it for me. It is more Tina Turner - if that is better or worse depends on your perspective. For me, it felt bloated but for others it might be a second serving of their favorite dish.
Best songs (aside from the titular song and the (slightly overrated) What's Love Got To Do With It) are I Can't Stand The Rain and 1984.
10/10 for the original, (7/10 for the 30th anniversary), a timeless piece from the lady with the charming vocal chords.
I have never encountered any other album that changes so much based on the first and last songs. Paint It Black was, in my eyes, a clever subversion that infuses the rest of the album with a dark undertone that was certainly novel at the time the album came out. The songs after that appeared childish and mundane on the surface but I thought them to be authentic insights into the minds of young chaps that lived in the 60s, with Paint It Black adding a troubled undercurrent in the shallow sea.
Yet a lot of that goodwill disappeared with Going Home, the final track on the list. After about 4 minutes, it felt like the other band members took the singer hostage and just kept playing the same melody while their supposed friend repeats the same phrases over and over and over again. I expected a subversion, like that the narrator doesn't actually want to go home but it never came. I understand that experimentation was common during that time yet I think Going Home makes it apparent why 10 minute long songs have not become the norm. Best songs are Paint It Black and High And Dry.
8/10, a work of pioneers, for better and for worse.
This is so bland. I've never heard any music that sounded exciting but was so boring before. The psychedelic portion of the sound isn't even weird enough to satisfy the expectation for that genre. Most of the time, even if I don't like some albums, I still respect for making me feel something but this... this is just empty. Best (and this is really stretching it) songs are Mr Skin and Street Worm.
2/10, almost put me to sleep.
When someone asks you what country music sounds like, just show them this. It sounds a bit samey after a while but at roughly 30 minutes, the album doesn't overstay its welcome too much. Not really my style but the songs achieve what they set put to do: being listenable during car rides in the great planes. Best songs are Jericho and Honky Tonk Masquerade.
6/10, not bad but my cup of tea either.
