1001 Albums Summary

A perfect exploration of blues and soul, Otis's voice demanded respect and attention. Gone too soon.

Circling around two monumentous hits, this album is full of thoughtful lyricism and ambitious overall songwriting. The lyrics are honest and bare, all the while working in some worldy observations about society as well. "Superstition" by and large outshines the vast majority of the material here, but that doesn't mean that the songs are bad, it's just hard to top one of the greatest songs ever written, ha. Oh yeah he was only 21 years old... damn.

A very front-loaded album, it doesn't help that two of the greatest songs ever written appear in the first half of the record as well LOL. Tiny Dancer and the title track are so mind blowingly amazing that it's hard to have the rest of the record follow up the precedent set by those two tracks. There are other good songs here though, "Holiday Inn" is actually quite nice and "Rotten Peaches" is also a quite good deep cut, but the other songs either fall flat like "Razor Face" or just sound cringey with the lyrics and the context; despite how good the instrumental may be (Indian Sunset). Still, it's a pretty good record and worth it for side A alone.

Funky and groovy disco album, funny enough the song everyone knows from this album is not actually my favorite of the bunch. I vastly prefer the chill and sweetly played "Savoir Faire". Those guitar licks are so so so so amazing, I knew Nile was a great guitarist from a technical point of view, but hearing him show off like this was a real treat. "Happy Man" was a great song especially with the bass groove, and "I want your love" was a great jam from all members firing on all cylinders. This record didn't blow me away as a whole, but I would definitely return to it for a good time groove.

Ray's voice commands attention and respect, but his true genius lies with the blending of genres such as the Blues, Gospel, jazz, and R&B together to make new sounds that were groundbreaking at the time. This record is divided into two sides, one that's mor lively and Big Band-inspired, and one that is more ballad-powered and blue. The music is very of-it's-time for me, and while it is a pleasant listen, I often have trouble focusing on the music itself because it reads as rather basic for me. Still, it's not a bad listen.

Wow. wowowowowowowowowowow. The energy felt on this record is unbelievable. Raw doesn't even begin to describe the pure unbridled ferocity the music has. The wailing guitars, the flying saxophone, the unhinged ranting of Iggy, it's all to make one of the most compelling and destructive examples of rock music of all time. It's just....wow.

Super well-produced and performed, it's a lovely exploration of psych pop and folk pop with a little bit of country woven in. An incredibly underrated record that I feel like needs more people to reevaluate. "The Wolf of Velvet Fortune" is especially good.

10/10 perfect no notes Easily one of the greatest albums ever made of all time. It speaks for itself.

Mostly not for me, though I see what they were going for. Definitely hear Rammstein in this, as pointed out by many others. I get that it's parody music in essence, I just don't really see myself playing this record again.

Very pretty music, lush instrumentation and whispery delicate vocals paint a very serene and contemplative record based on a dream that Goldfrapp had at one point. There's a few highlights, the abstract "Clowns" that opens up the record is neat and sets the expectations well. "Happiness" and "Caravan Girl" are the two most catchy songs while "A&E" has a faint nostalgic hue to it that enchants me. Overall though, the album can't help but feel a little bit like dreamy window dressing, and rarely grabs my attention in a way that makes me stop and go "wow". She's definitely done better before, but this one isn't bad. Just a tad plain sometimes.

A top notch hip hop record with lots of groovy and funky detours in the way of instrumental interludes. The songcraft is peak, and even though the lyrics could use some work, the detail in the production is still absolutely fire and makes up for any of the repetition in that department. I will say that sometimes the aforementioned detours do take me out of it sometimes, but the highlights are phenomenal.

Goddam perfect. The attention to detail, how every piece comes together, the SONGS. Like there's no bad song here. One of my all time favorites no contest.

A mostly live Jam album featuring some Bo Diddley covers, I can see why some might like this if this kind of thing is your...well, jam.. lol But I was just not as into the overly improvisational nature of everything. The songs seemed to go nowhere, leaving me feeling a little left out in the cold, even though the individual musicianship was pretty great. As I get older, I find that Jam Band type stuff just isn't as mind blowing or rewarding as it used to be when I was younger. This album isn't bad, it's just not anything I would seek out in a record for listening purposes.

A wonderful little pop album with lush and delectable production, fitting very nicely up there with the likes of Pet Sounds and some Beatles work as well. The Carpenter's voices are also very very nice. Even if this album feels a bit pastiche with the late 60's-early 70's music style, I can't help but grin at the silly lyrics and quaint instrumentals that adorn this album. Truly, it's just "Nice Music" encapsulated. Don't think too hard about it.

Starts off very strong with the monumental hits like "Scar Tissue" and "Otherside", but sadly (and mainly due to Kiedis being annoying as hell), a lot of the other songs on this album don't quite live up to the hype. Contextually I can see why this album would be looked back on fondly, but over time it doesn't hold up as well. Still, it's fairly enjoyable despite Kiedis being dumb.

Right from the first track, this thing is nuts. "Right Here, Right Now" is one of the greatest dance cuts of all time. The sample-work is phenomenal and the beat that is crafted makes me wanna dance till I die. "Rockafella Skank" is also super fucking good. A masterclass in sampling and creating something incredible from something repetitive. The rest of the record is also very good, some of the deeper cuts aren't as memorable and it does go on for quite a while, but "Praise You" and "Acid 8000" are worth the wait as they round out the album rather nicely. This record may not be the most consistent or focused, but it's a damn good time.

Very VERY good record, lots of fun pop songs with fantastic rhythm sections. John Taylor's bass playing is DELICIOUS. Am absolute must-have for any 80's record collection for SURE.

This goes from being genuinely charming and interesting to downright annoying and boring at the same time. This Ain't Living is the best song by a mile, but it's a bit too long at the same time. 1001 albums? why?

A pretty good debut. The songwriting is gritty and honest which is refreshing for a pop artist, and her voice is smoky and spectacular. This album essentially reads as a darker version of what an Adele record sounds like. Same kind of soulful R&B that takes a lot of inspiration from the olden days of Jazz Vocalists (she even references Sarah Vaughan in a song), just with a barer and gruffer aura to it. The songs on this record aren't as sticky and immediate as on Back to Black but her talent is definitely present, and this isn't a bad record to have on.

Sounding like a more disparaged early-Coldplay, The Last Broadcast is heavily atmospheric with some dreamy and otherworldly production, but with vocals about as interesting as a house salad with no dressing, and not a whole ton of songs that stick out as being exceptional, this whole thing feels like early-aughts bookstore wallpaper. It's not unpleasant, just doesn't really leave an impression. I liked "Words" and "There Goes The Fear" however.

Immaculate! The guitar playing is incredible, and hearing their renditions of different classic rock songs is refreshing and they honestly sound better done in their funky soulful ways. This whole album is pure joy.

Mournful and forlorn, this is Outlaw Country to a T. Willie waxes poetic; covering a majority of the time, a handful of classic country tunes set to loose concept of a man who regretfully murders his spouse. It's a rather short listen, but the way this record is composed sounds like something coming out of a jail cell inmate who was given a guitar and a harmonica. It's very lovely stuff, and absolutely a must-hear.

A fantastic 80's rock and funk metal album with great production for the time, especially with how the bass pops. Good songs with great messages (maybe glamour boys didn't age too well though) and just overall a great time.

An interesting record, feeling almost Daniel Johnston-esque with how much of Syd's inner workings is going on here in the music, combined with his interesting singing style. Sadly, this record is a bit too inconsistent for me overall. There are some pretty good, and even catchy songs here. "Octopus" and "No Good Trying" are genuinely some decent psych rock tracks, and "Dark Globe" actually wowed me a bit with it's haunting lyrics. Unfortunately the second half of the album drops off pretty steeply with some forgettable songs and one or two just unbearable tracks one of which being "If It's In You". Yeah, I can confidently say that I am not too eager to hear this in full again, but it is a pretty interesting listen, if not for all the right reasons at the end of the day.

Obviously a classic, but also just as obvious is how dated it sounds. That's to be expected, as the beats were all created with a drum machine and sparse synthesizer and guitar usage. Speaking of guitar, the single "Rock Box" would do huge numbers because it actually features guitar rather prominently, successfully bridging the gap between hip-hop and rock, and showing that the two genres have more in common than one would think. JMJ, Run and DMC all work incredibly well together to make some hard hitting and in your face jams, but it's not very often that the songs stick with you for very long after you listen. This album is a great starting point for any aspiring MC to study, but given how far rap has come over the decades I would say this album deserves it's flowers for planting the seeds, despite how much of a time capsule it really shows itself to be. "Rock Box" and "It's Like That" are immortal classics of hip-hop and rap, and that's the way it is.

Exuberant and vibrant hip-hop with great songs all around and one of the greatest songs of all time in the mix as well. "Can I Kick It?" is an amazing example of beat-craft and songcraft at the same time. Amazing debut from this group, even though they would move on and top this one in just a few years.

Oh my god. This one was obnoxious, that's like the best word I can use to describe this. The production was too loud, it felt like the music was trying to attack me. The vocals were way too up front and the repetitions were way too distracting and straight up annoying. The sounds used in these tracks also just do not sound good. It's grating, and dares me to turn it off at any moment. There were two tracks that I actually ended up really liking and those were "Dreamin'" and "Jacques". I could actually see myself vibing to those ones when in the mood. Seriously though, this album isn't it. I enjoy EDM and House music well enough, but this one was a complete misstep.

First off: it's really long. That's to be expected though as it's a Metallica concert. Those are going to be epic. Now, this thing is awesome in concept. Putting Metallica's music together with a symphony? Genius. Thanks to Cliff a lot of their classic material was written with classical concepts in mind. Songs like "Master of Puppets" and even "Fuel" sound fantastic with the epic strings and tympanies in the background, even "Enter Sandman"; which I am sick to death of, sounded beefier with the added orchestral arrangements. "No Leaf Clover" is one of the best songs here as well, making strong usage of the orchestra. Songs I was always kind of lukewarm on sound great too, like "Sad But True". Here's the major kicker though: this album is ruined by James "OH YEAYUH" Hetfield. "Nothing Else Matters" is absolutely ruined to pieces, his vocals DO NOT sound good on this track AT ALL. He just brings so much cheese and corn to this otherwise epic concert that I found myself snickering and rolling my eyes all throughout this thing. I mean, at least he's having fun.... lmfao. Anway, even despite that, Symphonic Metallica is pretty overall good. If I'm going for a long drive this one might be in rotation to help soundtrack the trek.

Yeah idk man, I tried listening to it again and it really really realy wore off me. I feel like people who are trying to say this thing is one of the greatest albums of all time are seriously on some pretentious bullshit here. This is Aphex Twin for people who like their music with a little less flavor and a little more mayo. In all seriousness though, I'm probably not having a great time with this due to the band being beyond washed up and now that Thom and Johnny are just being absolute twats about their career and their stances on geopolitics, I kinda hear this music as one giant sham. Trying to sound smarter and emotionally deeper than they actually are. OH DON'T GET ME STARTED ON OK COMPUTER.... anyway. The music itself is fine, there's not really any song here that's BAD really, it's just overall uninteresting to me and I feel like the main thing that sticks with me is the humming sound in "Idioteque" and the drum machine loop in that same song. While it's playing, "Optimistic" is actually a pretty decent track that breaks me out of the monotony, but yeah I just don't know. If anything, my tone feels harsh here because I feel like I've been lied to and I need to not lie to myself. Radiohead is NOT THAT GOOD. and THAT'S my opinion. GOOD NIGHT.

The Kinks by now have established that they are pretty much master songwriters and performers, with a hefty collection of hit records and timeless classics under their belt, their 6th record is probably their best of the bunch even if it didn't do well upon initial release. The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society is a concept record about recalling the good ol' days of old British culture and ways of living before modernization and Americanization of their ways of life. The title track is essentially this record's mission statement on that front, declaring all of the "British" things that they still want to hold on to and to preserve. Village Greens being the main focus, for those who are not familiar, Village Greens were communal parks and areas where the village could gather to socialize or relax. These became less common as Britain became more and more modern. The record itself is a wonderful batch of the catchiest pop music you will ever hear from this period. Ray Davies has managed to come up with a sound and way of playing that perfectly evokes the sense of nostalgia in not just the lyrics but in the music as well. Each song tells a tale relating to the old ways, whether it be legendary icons (Johnny Thunder, Monica, Wicked Annabell) or looking back on memories (Picture Book, People Take Pictures of Each Other, Village Green) there's a wistful yet happy nature to the songs. Refreshingly pleasant I might add, as I am used to nostalgic tunes having an air bittersweet melancholy, these tunes all have a nice optimistic pleasantry to them which I find wonderful. The first half of this record is spectacular with one great song after the other, while I felt the second half wasn't as stand out in comparison, and the finishing track wasn't very climactic or conclusive either. In a way though, this almost works to the album's benefit I feel. Even if the material isn't as strong on it's own, when listening all together the atmosphere created by side A continues on into Side B and helps keep the sense of longing and wonderment, and the last song just begs you to start the album again right as it's over. This is probably my favorite Kinks record, it's just so cheerfully pleasant and makes me nostalgic for things that were never really relevant to me to begin with. When something like that happens you know that this is something special.

mm idk, this didn't do much for me personally. It's certainly not bad! The production is light and funky albeit pretty dated. It's just that outside of "People Everyday" and "Tennessee" there wasn't much here that really stood out to me. "Teach a man to fish" had a decent message but also was a bit too repetitive and a little corny for me to take seriously. I think at the end of the day there just wasn't much for me to connect to, as a white atheist.

Very fuckin' solid alt rock and power pop. Not a single bad song, and it was made vmby fookin' 19 year olds!!!

Honestly I was pleasantly surprised by this! It was a ton of fun, and had some great features all throughout. The album flow was fantastic as well. "Acetate Prohpets" was kind of a weak closer imo but that's really the only complaint I have. "A Day At The Races" is phenomenal.

genuinely pleasant music, the production is actually rather fitting as I was afraid this was gonna sound weird and out of place, but it's actually a pretty good listen.

There's some neat ideas and interesting blends of rock and psychedelics, but I found it really peters out after the second half. "Safesurfer" is certainly the highlight, I just didn't find myself captivated nearly enough to give a damn about any much else about this record.

Admittedly, Elvis and his whole... thing is really not my bag anymore. For every Elvis song there's a black artist that's done it better, and seeing as how most of his best songs are actually covers it pretty much cements him not as a great songwriter or musician, far from it actually. He's a great performer. This album is the perfect example of why that's the case. The producers for the label picked these songs for him, to try and help get back in the mainstream's good graces, and it worked. Fans ate this up. It's easy to see why though, his voice is spectacular here and the arrangements are tender and warm. The songs being performed are all great, and specifically "In The Ghetto" and the not-included-but-should-have-been single "Suspicious Minds" are absolutely fire. The reason I don't rate this album higher is basically, circling back to my first point, I would rather listen to black soul and r&b singers that have done it first and done it better. All that being said, this is easily Elvis's best record and the only one I would consider essential listening.

Pretty stellar Side A, all the songs range from great to fantastic. "Wild Side" is absolutely great, and "Vicious" and "Perfect Day" are also wonderful. Side B has some great songs too, it's just that "Telephone Conversation" and "Goodbye Ladies" don't really do enough for me and take me out of the whole experience. Minus thoae two songs though? This album rules.

A very fun and varied record, it took a few relistens to click but this thing is endlessly entertaining and brings a lot to the table. Definitely one of those records that the more I hear the more I'll grow to love it.

Pretty great singer songwriter record from Paul McCartney's favorite American artist! This record is pretty versatile and shows off Nilsson as a jack of all trades. His Without You cover is the best song, while Jump in the Fire is the most exciting.

A pretty stellar live performance of southern rock jamming!

A beautiful record with very soulful singing and intimate lyrics detailing Anohni's inner thoughts and feelings regarding her transition, and how she sees herself. It's complex themes and bare emotions make it a hard pill to swallow sometimes, but simultaneously her earnest lyrical delivery pulls you right in.

A pretty great album honestly, I really enjoyed the first half. "Bodysnatchers" and "Weird Fish" are possibly my favorite radiohead songs of all time if I'm being honest. Sadly for me once "Faust Arp" hits the record starts to lose steam for me. It's still pretty good in the second half, I just wish it didn't end on "Video Tape", which is the weakest track in the link and sounds like Kid A leftovers.

Side A is very strong, with some great staples like No Woman No Cry, and the guitar work in Them Belly Full and Lively Up Yourself is phenomenal. Side B is mostly good with a few less impactful songs too. It ends on a strong note though with "Revolution".

Deeply and profoundly sad, but as far as a listening experience goes, I can only handle in short listens at a time. Not just cause of the emotional content, but because it becomes a tad wearying to listen to straight through. Also suffers from "I don't think I'll ever put this on for enjoyment" syndrome, much like with any Lingua Ignota album. Objectively a good record, just not always what I am in the mood for.

Honestly, not bad!! This was a very interesting blend of western styles of r&b, funk and jazz with Algerian Raï music. Lots of danceable grooves and Khaled's voice is pretty great. The cover of "Imagine" was pretty hoky though ngl. Still, I can see myself coming back to this. :)

Sublime. Rip.. Gone too soon.

This record is a difficult one for me, it goes on for way too long and feels pretty meandering. Still, after multiple re-listens this one started to make more sense. It listens like a victory lap, a man at the height of his creativity and expression. There's lots of fantastic songs here, " I want you ", "Visions of Johanna", "Stuck in Mobile" to name a few. It still remains as not one of my favorites from Mr. Dylan, but I can put it on casually or hear it in bursts and appreciate it for what it is.

Pretty neat! The cover of Jumpin' Jack Flash was pretty novel, and the blending of genres here was pretty bold and interesting especially for the time. I think some of the genre blending wasn't pushed far enough for what I was expecting, but honestly this is a pretty cool little record. I can see how something like this would influence a band like KG&LW down the line.

Obviously, the title track is one of the greatest rock songs ever written and performed. Side B gets all the attention, and rightfully so, due to the immense 17-minute long psych jam. Though side A is also pretty fun and contains some great acid rock cuts like "Are You Happy", "Termination" and "Most Anything You Want", of which the latter has an incredibly bouncy and jaunty bass line that steals the show for me. Really came out enjoying this more than I thought I would, and having the title track be the closer is just the cherry on top.

Sultans of Swing is the obvious standout track, but the rest of the record is pretty good too. Nothing super mind blowing in terms of songs, but the guitar playing and storytelling especially is what ends up shining the most.

Pretty decent 80's-era alt rock, but I get the impression the stories behind the music are ultimately more interesting than the music itself. It's also waaaay too long and could do with a trimming of the fat for sure. Mould and Hart absolutely contributed to the reason why this record kind of doesn't live up to any expecations imo. Even still, I enjoyed it for what it was.

For late 70's post-punk this is pretty good. The addition of the organ/keys is really novel and Mark E Smith is either a fantastic frontman or borderline annoying depending on how you feel at the time lol. Starts off strong, but as the record goes on I wish they would do more to develop their sound more or at least, make the album feel less one-note. STILL, it's a debut and a solid one at that. If anything, makes me curious to hear the rest of their albums eventually.

I've never heard of this artist before, so I was honestly pretty impressed with this one. First off, the orchestration on this album is superb. The strings and other accompanying instruments all blend so well together that the soundscapes are wonderful. The music also has Orchestral rise and falls, softs and louds, that really reach intense moments especially towards the end. Now, this record is one part silly seriousness and one part actual twisted depravity regarding feelings of love. It's hard to know what's a joke and what's a messed up confession. Hannon's vocals really do sell it though, his expressive delivery plus the quality of his croon really hits in a way I wasn't expecting. Seems almost proto-black country new road in places. Now the simple reason why I'm docking points is because of the overall enjoyability factor. Due to the narrative imbaguity I'm not entirely sure how to feel about the singer in these songs, and truth be told I don't know what kind of mood I would need to be in to put this one on in the future! There were also two tracks that kind of passed me by without much of an impression, even on a second listen.. Still, for never hearing this artist before and for all it's bizarre lyricism and odd vibes, I was thoroughly intrigued and entertained, and perhaps I will listen to more of this artist down the line.

Fantastic soul and funk record, with iconic songs and great jams.

I always enjoy hearing rap done in different languages, and here in French it's really interesting and unique. Pleasant vibes all around with a Jazz Rap and Boom Bap style, it would definitely grow more on repeat listens.

This album is very long, but it manages to keep you enthralled for it's whole duration by providing a surprisingly diverse and versatile array of tunes that range from Heavy Alt Metal to Dreamy Alt Pop. It's a vast record with tons of great songs. Sadly, CD 2 loses me just a bit cause I never was a fan of Smashing Pumpkins ballads, at least not ones like these. It does get a bit too dreamy at the end for my tastes, still this album is absolutely worth a listen even if I do prefer Siamese Dream over this.

A rollicking comeback of an album where Jim Morrison sounds equal parts unhinged and enlightened. The instrumentation is flavorful and extremely well-mixed. It is a bit front loaded as an album, but I really think this one is quite a solid entry in the Doors discog.

Drug addled and paranoid, and obsessed with evil people, Bowie's Station to Station is a messy and erratic piece of art that spans Soul, Funk and Art Rock in a way that would make any other artist fail immediately. To Bowie though? There was no way this album would kill him or his career. The songs often lack hooks, the instruments all fight for front row seating, but the glue holding this ship together is David's painful croons and desperate ambition. "Stay" and "Wild is the Wind" are the two final tracks that sit on opposite sides of the same coin, one's a powerful funk rock power jam and the other is some of Bowie's most expressive and pained vocal deliver of all time set to a spacey and forlorn instrumental. Those two tracks sum up this whole album experience perfectly for me. To then go from this to her Berlin Trilogy is just nothing short of miraculous. The only reason I don't rate it higher is because for me: the middle portion of the album is not as powerful as the standard set with the first song. That's all! Definitely a fantastic record.

Two amazing songs and some really over-dramatic power ballads. Nah but seriously, "Bat Out of Hell" and "Paradise" are some insanely awesome Rock Opera tunes, and the whole team of musicians and engineers that came together to make those songs deserve all the flowers cause holy shit. "Hot Summer Night" was pretty good but that little bit of dialogue at the beginning really makes my skin crawl. I think it's the tongue sounds in between the words being said lol. "Revved Up" is fine but damn I wish the whole song was as awesome as the ending to it. All the ballads in this album leave a lot to be desired tbh. "Heaven Can Wait" is really really sleepy, especially coming after The first couple tracks. "Two Out of Three" was a big "oh that song!" moment, but it felt so much longer than it needed to be. "For Crying Out Loud" was a pretty decent closing track but honestly the 8 minute run-time felt a bit too over the top for my comfort. "Paradise" is such an intense song, that following it up with an equally demanding 8 minute long power ballad feels like too much. Still all that being said, despite the low 7/10 rating, I do think this album is pretty good and even fun in a lot of places, it just gets to be a bit much after a while. Probably a great album for a car ride down the highway.

Yeah it's one of the greatest metal records of all time, it's also my favorite metallica album.

One of the greatest pop albums of all time, all the singles are immortal classics, and the deep cuts are also amazing. The personnel within Fleetwood Mac were some of the best songwriters of the modern era for sure.

Raw and rowdy to start, and soon turns into super folksy and very bucholic sounding celtic folk and rock-inspired music. I am very partial to this style of music and I had a pretty good time with it. Did feel a tad too long though.

A freaking great record, as a debut it's phenomenal that something of this caliber just effortlessly gets dropped like that. A lot of it is probably due to the rough life he endured up to this point. Nasty Nas forever man.

This music sounds exactly like being captured by faeries and being subjected to their deadly mischief...in winter. Fraser's vocals are borderline unintelligible but create such an ethereal and otherworldly vibe that even though she's singing in English, it really sounds like something completely alien to my ears. The way the guitars and bass and drums come together to create this swirling and icy and atmospheric haze of sound is mindbending. Outside of the pretty cavernous 80's production style, this sounds way ahead of it's time just in terms of creating soundscapes. A very intriguing and enrapturing album. I definitely feel like it could grow on me more, this is certainly an album that would require a specific mood or vibe to fully enjoy I feel.

Scott Walker's voice is really what draws me in on this record, he's powerful and commanding as he channels Chanson with several Jacque Brel covers and a Bacharach cover or two as well. The arrangements are nice and fitting as well, I think what ultimately sours some of the enjoyment is that the satirical nature of the music isn't landing for me. Some of the songs are kinda gross, and stylistically it just doesn't sound too original or novel for a late 60's album. Even still, it was fine enough even though I probably wouldn't revisit this one.

This is a band I've known about for a bit now, but never really checked out so I didn't really know what to expect. Right off the bat, the vocals are incredibly powerful. Skin's voice is so raw and passionate it completely caught me off guard. To be frank, she's the main draw to this whole album. The lyrics are politically charged and also deal in racism and prejudice against queer folk, seeing as how Skin identifies as a queer woman. This is the most compelling aspect of the music to me. The first handful of tracks are powerful alt metal with driving guitars and slightly funky bass. The songs where the energy really kicks up are the best songs on the album. The more slow burn songs are pretty hit or miss though, as the raw edge of tracks like "Hotel TV" and "Charlie Big Potato" is missing entirely in songs like "We Don't Need" and "Secretly". Although in the song "Good Things" this slow building approach actually pays off with a wild effects-laden breakdown. Sadly though for me, the majority of this album is pretty alright to middling. The instrumentation doesn't go far enough for me to really draw my ears to it. Songs like "Skank Heads" and "Lately" just feel a bit too boilerplate and the back half of the album really stops being memorable altogether and ends on kind of an unspectacular note. I really like Skin's voice and the overall concept of the songwriting, and I think it's super important to prop up black queer artists in music, especially rock music, I just wish the songs at their core were stronger and more memorable.

Smashing together Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, and even a little Rod Stewart, TWOD creates a hazy, swirling orchestra of heartland rock sounds that aptly sound exactly like the title would suggest. The soaring anthems of "Red Eyes" and "Burning" mixed with the contemplative musings of "Under thr Pressure" and "An Ocean" create some incredible soundscapes that truly feel like lost summer days hidden between sleep cycles. A wonderful Album indeed.

This record is the first big breakout album of MJ's solo career away from the Jackson 5. Bolstered by The Brothers Johnson and Rufus, the songs are fun and full of life with super danceable jams adorned with popping bass hooks and snappy guitars. MJ's vocals are more restrained than they would be on later releases but that doesn't mean his personality doesn't shine through. "Don't Stop", "Rock With You" and "Get On The Floor" are some of the best tracks on this album that truly represent the best of what Disco had to offer. I wish Side B was as fire as side A though. The title track is superb of course, but the super saddening "She's Out of My Life" halts this dance party rather abruptly, and while on it's own it's a fine track.. I just can't help but feel like it could have been left out. The album ends strong though with some soulful jams and one last disco rager with the aptly titled "Burn This Disco Out". All in all, a swell Disco classic that's always worth a spin.