I wasn’t alive then, but this is what the late 60’s sound like to me. Ray’s unmistakable organ and Jim’s iconic wailing. Their cultural impact and influence on subsequent music can’t be denied. 2 or 3 classic songs, but there’s also a lot of filler here.
Techno is not my jam. But I have to acknowledge that these guys are extremely influential to bands from Depeche Mode to Daft Punk. Unbelievable that this came out in 1978! Very crisp sound some catchy melodies. Great background music for me, but no one song really stood out.
This is one of the best-mixed live albums for me, up there with Arena and Live Killers. Why some people don’t like Neil’s voice is beyond me. Whether acoustic or electric, he nails the harmonies and the screams. The band sounds great too.
I never got into The Who, only heard some of their singles, which I didn’t particularly like. I was looking forward to actually listening to a whole album and see what awaited. There was nothing here for me. Not the lyrics, the voice, the instruments, nothing. The drums were cool, I guess
This is further from my wheelhouse than other albums so far. Musically, the early 50’s are so different from the late 60’s, only 15 years later. No guitar or bass, only horns and strings. It was pleasant to listen to, and Sinatra has a great voice. I know his most famous tunes, and this album only has one song I was familiar with.
This one was weird. It’s very chaotic and has harps? Her high voice and her wild cadence remind me of Tori Amos or maybe Bjork. Her ear for rhyme and unconventional lyrics was a welcome surprise. Who talks about the difference among meteors, meteorites, and meteoroids in a song? Did I find it interesting? Yes, and I would go see her live. Did I enjoy it? I’m not sure, but I’m glad I was exposed to it.
In my teens and 20s, I would have loved this band! Heard of them, vaguely, but never gave them a shot. They are weird and noisy, his voice sometimes reminds me of Black Francis, sometimes David Byrne, sometimes Lux Interior. And of course, often just his weird self. The tunes are great, but the noises and sound effects are distracting. To me, Sonic Youth figured out how mix distortion and effects without detracting from the music. On this album, especially on the right channel, the music kinda fades into the background. Overall great effort and I want to listen to more Pere Ubu!
I enjoyed this one. I think everyone my age has heard the two singles thousands of times, but there are some interesting songs that I had never heard. Not all of them land, but overall a good album
This one is a masterpiece. So many layers to the sound, so many sounds, and of course, Trent’s angry voice. Plus, Hurt is just fantastic.
My first thought upon hearing their name and reading that the album is about space was Spinal Tap’s “Stonehenge” era. I was not particularly looking forward to this one. But I was pleasantly surprised, somewhat. They are good musicians, and there are parts and riffs that are great, like “Time We Left…”, which is reminiscent of Black Sabbath. But some parts, like the spoken word stuff and the endless solos are a slog. Case in point is probably their best effort here, “Orgone Accelerator,” which has a great riff and catchy lyrics. But does it have to be 10 minutes long? No. It does not. That’s this album in a nutshell. Even now I am wavering between a 3 (some parts rocked!) and a 2 (when I remember the lowlights)
I like some operatic stuff, like Queen. I even like some sappy camp, like Neil Diamond. But this was too theatrical and too campy for me. It’s fun, but it just didn’t land for me.
I was not a rave kid, but I enjoyed a lot of this. It actually made me want to dance, or at least move, and I don’t dance. This is great background music for cleaning the house, and that’s not a knock. Some great beats, albeit a bit repetitive at times. I appreciated the sampling of the harmonica from Black Sabbath’s “The Wizard” on “The Weekend Starts Here”
I was looking forward to this one. This is one of those bands that I was not into contemporaneously but that everyone raves about. After all, this is why I signed up for this— to listen to albums that are not in my wheelhouse but are widely acclaimed. So I was a bit disappointed. It was ok, the bass stood out, but besides “there is a light…” there weren’t any bangers like I was expecting.
This one is not in my wheelhouse, but I am very glad I listened. Was not aware of Thundercat, but it turns out that he was in Suicidal Tendencies, who I am familiar with. This was very interesting and pleasant and funky. Love his voice (and that of his feat.s), some riffs were complex and intricate, and the lyrics are sometimes funny.
Love this album. Some tracks are experimental, but I guess that’s needed to produce classics like “Brighton Rock”, “Killer Queen”, “Now I’m Here”, and “Stone Cold Crazy” (as well as their later greatness). That voice can rock, can roll, and can ballad (and play piano). Few guitarists have that unique sound that you immediately know who it is even if you don’t know the song. Just majestic. Like their namesake.
I don’t particularly like folk or country rock, but I understand that The Byrds were trailblazers in those types of music. The album itself is eclectic and pleasant. A couple of straight rock tracks, reminiscent of early Beatles. A couple of more psychedelic rock songs, including the space rock “CTA-102”. “Time Between” has a country twang. The rest very Folky with nice vocal harmonies . Not my jam but not bad and definitely influential.
By the early 90’s, classic, black, and glam metal was evolving to grunge, which I like, and to nu-metal, of which I am not a fan. Musically, this album is heavy metal. Lyrically, it’s already looking toward the coming nu-metal, full of violence and nihilism. I guess I prefer my angst laced with the occult, not with violence. And to that end, “By Demons Be Driven” was a standout for me.
Never been a fan of the country twang. I do recognize that there are some great voices and lyrics in the genre, Dolly included. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this. Her songs are so sweet and sad and funny! Especially this “mama” character that recurs in a few songs. She can be loving, two-timing, or wise, as the particular song requires.
I like the music—good beats, some jazz mixed in, lots of samples. I can see a path from here to someone like Thundercat. But I don’t think it’s aged particularly well, especially the lyrics. It was undeniably novel when it came out and there are some fun moments, like “Rhymin’ on the Funk.” In general, I liked the first half better, when they are establishing their approach and their flow. The second half, a kind of sex fantasy concept album, fell flat for me.
After reading the description of him turning country standards into R&B, I was excited. I was underwhelmed. It was boring and slow. Sometimes his wonderful voice or the virtuous piano playing came through, but not often enough. I liked “careless love” Maybe it would have helped if I knew the original songs and hear the changes.
The title track is one of those songs with a complete mid-song change that could’ve been 2 or even 3 songs that Paul is famous for. His voice can sound so smooth but when he kicks it up, it’s a great rock n roll growl. “Let Me Roll It” is one of my favorite McCartney songs—that double hi-hat gets me every time. I grew up listening to Paul and the rest of the Beatles thanks to my mom—Ram is still in my heavy rotation— so there’s a soft spot for them in me, but it’s still a wonderful album.
I got the same vibes as with the live Hawkwind album—Spinal Tap. Just too proggy for me. Some cool riffs here and there, but not much else. Besides, I can’t forget they beat Metallica for the metal Grammy!
I like this. Was not familiar with them, which is a shame because their punk-adjacent ethos combined with great guitar work, sick bass and adept drumming sound great together in this album. Can’t wait to hear more, including this album a few more times. For now it’s a 3, although I can see this growing on me.
Loved this album. High-energy, fun, and enlightening. I bet these guys were so much fun live! Not a huge fan of Ska, but this is as good as it comes.
Like Dylan, but I don’t think I had ever heard a full album. This one has some great songs like “Hard Rain is A-gonna Fall” and classics like “Blowin’ in the Wind”. I guess his voice is an acquired taste but it didn’t take too long for me to acquire it. Love the rhythm, the cadence, the poetry.
I really enjoyed this one. Had heard “Pictures of Me” and “Ballad of Big Nothing” and liked them, but this album if filled with great little songs, filled with nostalgia and raw feelings. I think it’s his voice that makes this sound subdued when the songs actually rock.
I didn’t know Frank Black’s “Hang on to Your Ego” was a Beach Boys cover. It makes me like them more. Everyone talks about this album as a masterpiece with all the layering. I don’t know enough about that to get it, but it’s pleasant enough. It’s definitely not the bubblegum surf pop that I was expecting.
REM is one of those bands that I was looking forward to listening because I largely ignored them when they were active. I think “Shiny Happy People” ruined them for me. The songs I like here I really like: “Drive”, “Sidewinder”, “Man on the Moon”, “Everybody Hurts”. The rest were OK, some a bit boring. Maybe I will like other of their albums better?
This is a Masterpiece from the first beat of “Blitzkrieg Bop” through “I Want to be Your Boyfriend” until the last lingering guitar chord of “Today yr love Tomorrow the World”. They are punk personified and influential beyond their wildest dreams. So simple yet so different from anything before. Do a lot of songs sound similar? Sure, that’s the reason for the 4 stars, but how else are you going to invent a genre?
They were important in the hardcore/ thrash scene and in the skateboarding scene. I recognize their place, but I’m just not 16 anymore. Incredible how someone like the Ramones hold up for me but not this. Love their intensity and punk has a special place in my heart, but this is a relic of the past for me and not something I would put on regularly.
I don’t know to what extent this is the best Indian music, but I guess it was among the first to be publicized in the West (although apparently only on YouTube nowadays). I love the microtonal or half-tone notes, but of course they sound “weird” to my Western ears. It was good though.
One of the great albums by one of the greatest bands. It’s not cohesive as an album since they were really experimenting in the studio, but there are some great pop songs here —something they are really good at. Eleanor Rigby is a beautiful song.
I was very pleasantly surprised by this one. Of course I’d heard “Lovefool”, their big, overplayed hit in the US. It’s an ear worm for sure, and I liked it OK but I didn’t think the band was for me. This album is very layered and catchy, with good beats and riffs. Not at all what I expected. Favorites include “Choke”, “Heartbreaker”, and of course that “Iron Man” cover. In order to make a cover your own, you have to have your own style and these guys sure do.
I remember when I first heard “Stop”, their first single from this album. It was my first year of college and it sounded like nothing I’d heard before. The power, the amazing guitar by Dave Navarro, the driving drums from Steve Perkins, and of course, Perry’s unique voice. It was perfect. The smoldering intensity of “3 Days” and “Then She Did”, the amazing guitar of “Obvious” (it’s basically one long solo), the weirdness of “Of Course”, the sweetness of “Classic Girl”. I hadn’t listened to it in years, and it still holds up. Proves that flawed people can create great art (Perry, not the rest of the geniuses)
This is a hauntingly beautiful album. Great arrangements and lyrics, played and sung achingly. I think he purposely makes it ambiguous if he’s talking about god or a lover. “If I didn’t have your love” is a great example of that and my personal favorite.
There’s something here, I just can’t quite find it. There’s cool grooves and catchy lyrics throughout. I really like both singles “Clint Eastwood” and “19-2000” and I didn’t even know the latter was the Gorillaz. May grow on me.
This was very bland. Peripherally aware of his name, don’t know any of the songs here. I read about how groundbreaking he was on this album but I just can’t find it. And it doesn’t even have the benefit of nostalgia to me.
This sounds like something I would like, but I need to listen more. That’s a problem with this project. Sometimes it takes several listens for an album you had never heard to sink its teeth
I had never heard this whole album, and it was good! This put Latin beats back on the American cultural map in the 60’s and they continue to thrive.
Not my cup of tea, bit some songs, like “Red Light Special” are sexy. I knew right off the bat that “If I was Yr Girlfriend” was written by Prince. Also, I didn’t know “Waterfalls” was a parent talking to their kid.
Liked the first song and the last song. Unfortunately, there is a double album of well-played but forgettable songs
This is the type of album I need to spend more time with. As it is, I am not a fan
It’s funky and I appreciate the rapid-fire rapping.
This is one of those albums that I feel you need to spend some time with to enjoy. As it is, I thought it was boring
I thought I would like this album more than I did. Love the 2 songs I had heard (“Uncontrollable Urge” and the very unique cover of “Satisfaction”). The rest were, I am sure, as avant garde as Devo, but didn’t do much for me.
I loved this! Puts the funk in funkadelic. Lots of classics like “Everyday People” and “I Want to Take You Higher” (Boom shakalaka)
And of course “Don’t call me…” In the original Lollapalooza I saw Perry and Ice-T sing this at each other. Very influential too.
This was cool! I don’t think I’m in a position to judge Brazilian music even though my mom exposed me to Chico Buarque, Maria Bethania and such. I really like his sense of rhyme, like in “Superbacana” Solid 3
This is great! It’s part reggae but punk, very percussive with a strong sense of melody. Loved “Adventures Close to Home” and the cover of “Grapevine”
Just don’t get this one.
This one was funky. Not too familiar with his work (besides “Living in America”), but it was awesome to hear him live. The crowd was so into it! “Lost Someone” was amazing
Improvisational jazz, by it’s very nature, will have some really nice moments. But the best you can say about the rest is “interesting “.
That was hard to listen to. Sure, Layla is good, maybe the guitar playing is technically good, but it’s just boring old blues
This one is enjoyable. I like his voice and his music is simple but pleasant. This album is darker than what I have heard of him. “Vampire Blues” was my favorite.
I remember the first time I heard “Anarchy in the UK”. It instantly hooked me and changed the course of my life. Funny how it sounds so tame by today’s standards. Still a classic.
Didn’t recognize any of the songs here, but it was intricate in parts. I enjoyed the Lindsey Buckinham, energetic songs. Not too bad.
Not since Joshua Tree had I really listened to a U2 album, only the singles that were unavoidable because they were all over the place. It was better than I thought, well-produced and intricate. The first few songs are really good and I need to spend more time with the rest
1991 sure was a great year for music, at least for the music I like. I knew this band as a funk rock band whose cover of “Higher Ground” I really liked. This album got them a lot of popularity and I see it as a midpoint between their funk roots and the caricature of themselves that they would become. All the songs flow into each other like a river, with rapids and sweet moments under the bridge. You can hear Kiedis’s staccato influence in later rap rock and nu metal.
This was lovely. I am not a country fan at all, but even with the twang in both guitar and vocals, I really enjoyed listening to this. He is just so witty and funny and weaves some great tales with some memorable characters. Definitely will keep listening to this
Didn’t know much about her, but it seems Dusty was an amazing woman and ahead of her time. Fifties/early sixties rock is one of my least favorite genres but I appreciate her voice and her significance.
I didn’t know this band when it came out, about two years after my metal phase. It is good, old-fashioned speed metal. Well-played too, not just speed for the sake of it. Definitely a fan
This one was different. It’s well produced and hard to categorize. Need to spend more time with it but I like it so far
In the US, I could only use Youtube to listen, so it was not a pleasant experience. The music itself was moody but abrasive. I need to find some other way to listen and spend more time with it
The perfect reggae album by the masters. Every song uplifting in a sad way, full of life and suffering. From front to back, one of the best records out there
The perfect rock album by heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath. Two of the greatest riffs of all times “Iron Man” and “Paranoid” plus “War Pigs” and “Fairies Wear Boots”? Sign me up
I didn’t hate this as much as I thought I would. “Tuesday’s Gone” is a great song and “Simple Man” is really good. Instead of the advice to be a simple man, mama should’ve taught them not to be racist men
Whelp, I guess I’m a Fleetwood Mac fan. Never really listened to them, besides out in the wild (which is why I hate “Don’t Stop”. Overplayed.) but I really liked Tusk and I really like this one. There is just so much going on in the background and all 3 of their voices are so distinct and beautiful in their own way.
This was pretty good. It’s very atmospheric and a bit weird, reminiscent of early Psychedelic rock. It’s like a non-manic version of Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd
What a nice surprise. I’d only heard the hits and I thought they were a sappy 60’s band. But she is an incredible drummer and the arrangements are perfect. And the lyrics are so dark! No wonder many modern bands cover them; it’s great music
I understand that this was a trailblazing album that brought metal from the 70s to the 80s. I het that Eddie’s guitar playing is considered game-changing (and all of them are great at their respective instruments). I just wouldn’t put it on it’s so bland compared to today’s music
I get why she’s popular with the rave/edm crowd—good production and good beats, very danceable. Her voice can be grating, but when she reins it in, it’s powerful and beautiful.
What stood out to me most was the bass, some good grooves there. The first two songs are really good, and there’s some other good stuff, but I’m just not sure it’s a great album.
This one is odd. He has a good voice (and in my opinion, he has better material) but the old-timey instrumentals put me to sleep. The lyrics are odd for this type of music too, which is a plus
I really want to like this one. The classic kung-fu film references should make for an easy on-ramp to rap or hip-hop. The first few songs are violent and n-word ridden, which has always turned me off . The second half was better though, more playful and perhaps with better rhymes. I need to spend more time with it, but it hasn’t blown me away yet.
This one is quite unique. I love the idea of combining electronica with Brazilian rhythms. It’s quite nice background, chill music, but it didn’t click with me the way other music does
The vocal harmonies are perfect and the instruments just work so well with each other. “I shall be released” is a beautiful song. I didn’t know how much like Greatful Dead they sound. I’m glad I listened to this before I die, but it’s a bit too easy listening for my taste
This is the album that I have liked least by a long shot. At least other electronica stuff I’ve listened to has a danceable beat (Bjork, Fat Boy Slim) or is interesting (Suba). This is just boring and soulless
Don’t know how to rate these older albums because they didn’t write any of the songs, but her voice is really good. Familiar with the hits, of course, but I’d never heard an album of hers. This was a good experience
I really liked this one. Very high-energy and great record scratching. I better not listen to “I don’t wanna be called yo n***” because it’s very catchy but I don’t want to be singing it aloud
A couple of songs are good bit it didn’t blow me away
A bit boring
Very weird and good
This reminds me of talking heads
Every time a song ended, I was disappointed that another one started
I prefer the guitar-driven, more poppy Purple One than his more funky stuff, but there’s some good stuff here like Starfish and Coffee and Adore
Her voice is good and it was pleasant enough, but her songs don’t have melodies
It’s okay, if a little bland, but how is this on this list? Did it start a genre or contribute to the collective zeitgeist? Was it groundbreaking or made by virtuosos? No on all accounts. I can think of 1001 albums exactly like this one, and I bet I can come up with half as many that belong on the list ahead of this one.
Psychedelic noise rock at its most accessible, haha. Love this album
This is so good. I had never paid much attention to Hendrix, but I knew 6 songs on this one. I think my favorite is Are You Experienced? Feedback like that in the 60’s? Not to mention that he effortlessly goes from blues to rock to psychedelic, giving it his own flavor.
This might have been okay if it was released when it was first conceived. By 2004, however, it just sounds like a guy stuck in the past, trying to re-live his glory days. Wait, that’s exactly what it is. I’m sure the story of his mental illness is heartbreaking, but this is just overindulgence and does not belong on this list.
As an album, it was all over the place. Some theatrical prog stuff, even some blues or something? Solsbury Hill is by far the best song, but this is about albums right?
This is really good. Definitely not my type of music, but it’s so intricate and catchy and you can tell this is an artist at the top of his game
He has a pleasant voice, and the instrumentation sounds carefully arranged. I have not heard his other stuff, but to me this one lacks hooks or it’s too difficult to distinguish one from song from the next. It just didn’t grab me. However, I feel like there’s more there and I need to spend more time with it and the lyrics and themes etc. I did hear too much religious preachiness, which knocks it down a star for me.
Some good trippy stuff and some decent folk. I liked it better than Younger than Yesterday, but still a 3
It’s mellow and understated. I can see why it would appeal to some people
That was a wild trip! Hadn’t heard much (any?) Zappa before, but it was great. Some guy I have vaguely heard of named Captain Beefheart- who I assume will also be on this list- sings the only song with lyrics (Willie the Pimp), and both his voice and the song remind me of the great Tom Waites, so I assume they were influences on him.
Love this album. I am a big fan of his “Early Years” albums, but this one is part of his more experimental forays. As always, his voice adds a gravitas to the songs, but the percussion is what makes this album. “I don’t wanna grow up” is among his best compositions and I loved the bluesy “Jesus gonna be here”. It’s all very funereal and just a great trip
There’s something trippy and cool here. Afterglow is definitely the best song. The singer just makes it too campy. Some good grooves on side B, but his delivery makes me feel like Tolkien is reading me a bed time story
TIL that there’s a band that had 3 household-name guitarists in it (not all at the same time, of course). That I had only vaguely heard of this band could mean that that it’s one of those bands that appeal mostly to other musicians but lack songs that will appeal to mere laypeople. It did nothing for me
Love the atmosphere of this album. Very dark and moody, not in any hurry to tell you its story. But if you put it on during a rainy Sunday, you may hear it whisper its sad poetry and put you in a thoughtful mood
I was looking forward to this one after the pleasant surprise that was Big Pink. This one is good, but it doesn’t have the same magic as that first one. Also, how generic can you get? An album called The Band by a band called The Band? Glad their music doesn’t show that lack of imagination
They have such an ear for hooks, making music with samples only. It’s often catchy and funny and energetic
I didn’t enjoy this one as much as Are You Experienced but it’s still good
I enjoyed this one a lot. It’s dance but without the annoying repetitive beats. Instead it has intricate percussion and a quirky, spastic voice.
The perfect grunge album, full of angst, catchy and heavy guitar riffs, and scratchy vocals
Love Planet Claire and a couple of others. It becomes repetitive quickly, though, and it’s hard to take them seriously. They just exude novelty song
Never paid much mind to them. Slow but catchy. There is a mood to their sound though. This one is going to have to go in my “need to listen more pile”
Good old punk, before they went more goth. Really really good
This is not the first Byrds album here and I fear it won’t be the last. I get that they came up with a new sound and that they were influential. So why not pick one album as an example and move on? They all sound the same. I am not giving them yet another 3 star rating for the same reason (I get their place in history) and I have no idea which album is worse, but this one is getting a 2
Very enjoyable album. I had heard a song of his that is not on this album, and just like that one, this album has a haunting, lo-fi sound that feels very intimate. I think it’s a result of both, his almost ethereal voice added to the acoustic guitar that sounds like it has a mic right up against it.
This is not my favorite Pixies album, but it’s Pixies at the height of their popularity. Hang Wire is a masterpiece, as are Dig for Fire and Velouria.
I should like this in theory, but it’s just so … vanilla? Boring? Also, was this band that important? Sounds like a lot of their contemporary stuff, which is probably why it sounds so generic. I’ve been thinking about going back through my 3 star al albums and actually deciding if it’s a 2 or a 4. So here’s more homework
Completely different sound from their other albums. If they hadn’t covered Dylan again, I wouldn’t know it was them. Sounds like it was an influential album, but it’s too country for me
This is really good. I love “I wanna be adored” and “made of stone”. Whole album has a dreamy, guitar-driven vibe
Great grunge record. Great voice, of course. “Black Hole Sun” is so good, as are “Fell on Black Days” and “Wave”
This was interesting and trippy
Yes, “Hallelujah” shows his amazing high range, but it’s on his faster songs that he really shows his singing chops. Very impressive and a loss indeed
The 90s were about more than grunge. This is a peak 90s album
Such an awesome album. “Tom Violence” showed the path they would take. I love how the catchy melodies devolve into chaos and coalesce again. “Shadow of a Doubt” and “Secret Girl” show off Kim in an eerily seductive way, like walking through an abandoned house with ancient ghosts. “Madonna, Sean, and me” (AKA “Expressway to yr Skull”) is another example of lofty, catchy anthems which disappear into Sonic Youth’s trademark cacophony.
Had only heard the singles, but this was really good! It has a vibe and a mood and I like it
This was good, but I didn’t like it as much as Pink Moon. His voice still comes through but the arrangement somehow misses the mark
