1001 Albums Summary

Well, this list is off to a fun start! I haven't thought much of Metallica since my peak classic rock years as a teenager, and even then I only liked Metallica's singers. I tend to believe that people whose favourite band is Metallica are either 13 or 45 - either they've just gotten into harder-edged music or they were around for their peak years. For me, this is too catch-all as metal music to really pique my interest. Despite the thrash-metal underpinning, this album is already trending in a more accessible, generic "heavy metal" format in the vein of Judas Priest around this same era, but while Priest made the heaviest album of their careers by the dawn of the new decade, Metallica had firmly veered in a more commercial direction. Master of Puppets is their definitive statement because it's situated right at the intersection of their genuine thrash roots and the heavy rock direction they would take from the 1991 self-titled onward. This album is carried by Hammett's soloing, which take up the bulk of the runtime. Most of it is surprisingly transient as there isn't enough substance to make these songs into favourites without repeat listens. Overall, a fine first album to give me, but I wish there was something more to grab onto. Key Tracks: Master of Puppets, Welcome Home (Sanitarium,) Disposable Heroes, Orion

"Play this solo as if your mama just died." Those were apparently the instructions provided to create the now-iconic solo in the opening title track. The rest of the songs are not far behind that absolute titan of psychedelic soul, though, of course, none ever reach that height. Funkadelic really displayed their interplay on the rest of the songs, like on "You and Your Folks..." and the closer "Wars of Armageddon." This is definitely an influential piece but, with all of the acts that clearly aped it in the years that followed, Maggot Brain has sort of worn thin, and a listener might come in thinking they've heard all of this before. This one is best listened to while the listener divorces themselves from all the subsequent influences. Taking this album on its own, at face value, is the best way to listen to it to appreciate what it did for funk. Key Tracks (besides the title:) Hit It and Quit It, You and Your Folks Me and My Folks, Super Stupid

The greatest cure to insomnia besides golf on TV. If only this album could inject the tiniest smidgen of energy into it, and I might not have been so disappointed. For all the talk of its weird time signatures, they might as well have played everything in 4/4. In modern times, this would be on a click and snapped directly on the grid. It doesn't matter if they're in 3/4, 5/4, 9/8, or 17/8, this is all cocktail lounge, elevator jazz music to my ears. Barely a step above those Various Artists easy listening compilation records they sold millions of back in the 70s. Virtually every song except the iconic "Take Five" blur into the background, and even the solo sections don't save many of the songs from being a total bore. When Colonel Sanders was still visiting KFC locations after they were sold to private equity, he called the gravy "wallpaper paste," which I feel is a pretty apt descriptor for this album. Key Tracks: Take Five, Pick Up Sticks

A very serviceable rootsy rock record from the era of that subgenre's peak. The Band are best known for "The Last Waltz" and their association with Bob Dylan, so it's not surprising to see an album of theirs was included. I was always of the opinion that Big Pink was their best one, but this has some of their biggest songs ("Across the Great Divide," "King Harvest," "Jawbone.") I can't really find too many overly descriptive quips about this album because it's played so straightforward and with so few pretensions that a listener just doesn't have much to say about it by the time it's over. It's the physical embodiment of stereotypical 60s rock. This is the blueprint for all of folksy, bluesy rock to follow in the decades since. Key Tracks: Across the Great Divide, Rag Mama Rag, Jawbone, King Harvest (Has Surely Come Again)

One of the lesser-known Stevie Wonder albums from his classic period, Fulfillingness is more proof that the music was just pouring out of Stevie Wonder in the 1970s. It's a pretty eclectic album, full of powerful funk grooves and some more dour ballads, all topped off with Stevie's signature jazz-influenced modulations and (usually) tasteful soloing. This one does noodle around more than the others though as the pure pop of the previous 2 albums - Talking Book and Innervisions - is forgone in exchange for a more "musical" album. Stevie would create the perfect hybrid of the 2 on Songs in the Key of Life, but this album is the perfect bridge between the 2 very distinct sounds that defined his career. Key Tracks: Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away, Boogie on Reggae Woman, You Haven't Done Nothin', Please Don't Go

This album's title was honestly my reaction to this album. The most hyped band of the 2000s kicked off the new millennium with this apparently unmissable debut. Going into this album, I had only ever heard "Reptilia" from their catalogue and thought it was a fine little piece of rough-and-ready garage rock. A full album of it was a harder sell. I mean, the entire middle section uses the same chords and the same structure, so there's a fair chunk of this album where songs are utterly indistinguishable. Julian Casablancas also hasn't found his voice yet, so he sounds unsure of his limits and of the best way to go about each song. Some might find it endearing for its apparent artistic spirit and dedication to the rock and roll spirit, but one look at the band's aesthetic says otherwise. Make no mistake, the Strokes were groomed to sound imperfect, and they were deliberately made to be unpolished, but attractive and marketable enough to sell millions. And they did! The first big band of the new millennium that couldn't have had a hit in the 90s. The press also bought this album hook, line and sinker, despite it not having enough substance to justify the hype. Not in my opinion anyway. All in all, this is a perfectly acceptable piece of commercial garage rock promoted as something bigger when it wasn't. You might like it for its simplicity, so listen for what you can find.

Miles Davis was a hard one for me. I always found his playing too perfect, too structured, too put-together. It was as if he has spent agonizing hours in the studio buffing out every wrinkle of his playing, cleaning it up as much as possible. That aspect of Davis isn't nearly as perceptible on In a Silent Way as it is on something like Kind of Blue, which I have no doubt is also included on this list. Composed of 2 lengthy, side-long suites (take that prog rockers, the jazz cats beat you to the punch!) In a Silent Way presents a variety of moods and changes as they develop incrementally across their 20-plus minute runtimes. My personal favourite of the 2 is the A-side "Shh/Peaceful" for its lengthy buildup and the heavy organ presence. It has a very live feel, as though the individual musicians are on guard to find the next direction to take the song into. It's a far contrast from most of the Davis catalogue I've listened to so far. The title suite on the B-side is no slouch either, with its sense of dynamism more pronounced than on the opposite side of the record. It's a more patient song too, giving the listener a quiet moment of reflection as it resolves in its final minutes I enjoyed this album quite a lot: it's definitely more adventurous than most of Davis' work, and the wide contrast of genres really made it feel like a jazz symphony in multiple movements. A great album to recommend to someone already somewhat versed in jazz, but it might not be the best entry point.

Though the album title translates to "A Good Beginning," this was actually Sigur Ros' second album. Their debut, Von, released only in their native Iceland and sold only a few hundred copies, but this debut/sophomore hybrid launched the slow-motion movie score rockers into the cosmos where they apparently came from. From the instrumental intro to the sonar beeps of lead single and post-rock lullaby "Svefn-g-englar," Agaetis byrjun seems completely invested in submerging the listener in the sea of stars, auroras and humming mountains that inform their grandiose sound. The distinct instrument here is frontman Jonsi's bowed guitar. Though he wasn't the first to do it, I can't think of anyone who can get more out of a single bowed wash of half-speed chords than him. The rest of the instrumentation - dramatic strings, pianos, slide guitars, and even the occasional brass - fill out the rest of the indie-darling orchestra that seemed to automatically generate high review scores back in 1999. A listener might dismiss a lot of this as dreamy and banal hospital-drama music, especially on a song like "Staraflur," but the beauty of the songs lies in their deceptive simplicity. This is just plain alt rock done in slow motion, deliberately slowed to a crawl to make you feel every motion. And nowhere is it more effective than on tracks like "Viðrar vel til loftárása," which makes the listener wait 7 minutes for the massive swirling climax. Easily the emotional high point of the album, it never fails to make me tear up. There was this one time I couldn't sleep no matter what, and I put on this album. In that sleep-deprived state, I managed to catch the ending of "Loftarasa" just as the sun was coming up: far and away one of the most poignant musical moments of my life. Kind of hard to give an album associated with a moment like that one anything less than a perfect score. Key Tracks: Svefn-g-englar, Flugufrelsarinn, Viðrar vel til loftárása, Olsen olsen

How in the hell did an album like this get on here? The band name is deceptive: you won't find anything remotely bluesy here (aside from rock's own blues influence of course.) Instead, you'll be met with an explosion of bizarre, experimental garage(?) rock that sound like it's on the brink of falling apart. Most of the lyrics are inscrutable and indecipherable. The singer mostly rambles on about sex, drugs, and rock and roll in a very sardonic, IDGAF sort of tone. He sounds like he cares for neither the musical structure itself nor for the subject matter he's been told to sing about. Songs mostly struggle to stay together and a few are just barely carried to a 3-minute runtime, almost as though the album itself was exploded and was put back together by the band when they found what was left. I must say that's quite impressive to do with audio as the only medium. This is definitely among the most unique albums on this list, though it doesn't necessarily mean this is among the best. It also impresses me with its runtime, as the album never wears out its welcome despite its many shifts in tempo and its 16-song tracklist, normally hallmarks of a bloated, overlong album. You can find better punk rock, better garage rock, better industrial, and better experimental elsewhere, but I really doubt that you can find them all in one place as they are on this album. Key Tracks: Wail, Dynamite Lover, Firefly Child, R.L. Got Soul

Apparently there are several more Steely Dan albums waiting for me on this list. I never could get into them, mostly for how they seamlessly blended the 2 most irritating tropes of the 70s and early 80s pop scene - languid adult contemporary melodies and cool, smooth jazz. The result is an overly preppy, self-centered sound that reminds me of sleazy businessmen and plain ordinary suburbanites. Of course, the Dan has a couple of songs I like here and there, but they're on Can't Buy a Thrill and Aja. This one, at a crossroads between those 2 albums - one came before and the other after - Steely Dan can't quite seem to consolidate their sound, and though songs like the title track and "Charlie Freak" show some promise, the rest is too middle-of-the-road to be memorable. I think the previous 2 albums could definitely be included on this list (and I have no doubt they will be) but I'm not sure why they would include this one as well and not something with a better critical assessment, like Gaucho or Royal Scam. I'm also not sure why certain artists like these guys, Costello, Dylan or even Bowie need to have this many releases represented... Key Tracks: Night by Night, East St. Louis Toodle-Oo, Charlie Freak

Far and away the greatest of the true old-school hip hop releases, Low End Theory is considered to be Tribe's crowning achievement. While I personally prefer Midnight Marauders over this one, mostly for its more direct beats and better production, this album is certainly a strong contender as well. There's a lot on this album that hadn't been done before (invoking a live performance-based sound, for instance) and several songs just haven't been equalled quite yet, even 35 years after the album's original release ("Excursions, "Check the Rime.") Definitely the best entry point into the discography of A Tribe Called Quest, one of the only rap groups to have the elite honour of no misses in their entire catalogue, and one of the only groups whose individual rappers are immediately distinguishable. An absolute high point of old-school hip hop, and one of the sparing few documents of a truly united rap scene. This album and its followup capture the end of a unified hip hop sound as regional divisions split it just a few more years into the new decade. In short, The Low End Theory captures hip hop between generations - moving away from the early beginnings and the oldest old schools into the new, more refined and adventurous rap to come. Key Tracks: Excursions, Show Business, Everything is Fair, Jazz (We've Got,) Scenario

Of the first 4 self-titled Led Zeppelin albums (sort of; the 4th one is always a subject of debate) this one is probably the most ignored. It's the folkiest and the most psychedelic of the bunch, that's for sure, so many fans who expected the driving, air-raid siren rock that defined the previous 2 (and almost the 4th one too) were in for a surprise. Recorded in the English countryside, you can definitely hear the pastoral influence of their environment on these songs. There's shockingly few rockers here outside of "Immigrant Song," easily the most famous tune to come off of this album. That gives Robert Plant the breathing room to showcase how versatile he really was. It's on songs like "Friends" and "That's the Way" that Plant proves there was more to him than the macho gesturing and the tornado warning siren of the debut and sophmore albums. Besides that, the instrumental palette is also much more varied, giving the listener acoustic guitars, strings and even the occasional flute, all without forgetting the classic Zeppelin hallmarks of a blues ballad ("Since I've Been Lovin' You" - easily one of Plant's best performances) and the closer "Hats off to (Roy) Harper," which covers a song by the criminally underrated Bukka White. This is certainly the most unconventional of the classic Zeppelin albums, but it's no less effective at adding another layer to the myth they had already established early in the decade. Key Tracks: Immigrant Song, Friends, Since I've Been Lovin' You, That's the Way

For how safe and commercial Adele's sound is and was, there sure is a distinct lack of anything that remotely sounds like her. I can't really explain it, but Adele sounds familiar yet foreign, like you've never heard her music before but could easily sing along to every song. I think it's her heavy reliance on more traditional, pre-1960s pop: not quite modern, not quite traditional. Despite all that, there's something distinctly modern about the huge, squeaky clean production that puts Adele front and center on every track, and there's something even more modern about the contemporary R&B and rock influences that pop in here and there. All in all, this is a solid modern soul album, and the 2 monster singles that bookend this album also made 21 a smash hit: "Rolling in the Deep" STILL gets regular airplay even 15 years after its release! That's probably due to its utter timelessness - truly a song that could have come out in practically any era. The deep cuts aren't really much to write home about, and 21 is very much an album that put about 70% of its energy into its singles. There's one album track that caught my attention, "I'll Be Waiting." I swear it sounds like a 90s Britpop song, and if Suede or Blur had done it, it would be seen as an unsung classic in their catalogue. Otherwise, the non-singles start to blend into each other as they're quite samey and meandering, which definitely knocks this album down by a peg. The big, BIG songs though? Those are utterly inescapable, and for good reason. Key Tracks: Rolling in the Deep, Rumour Has It, Set Fire to the Rain, I'll Be Waiting

One of the first signs that Springsteen had more to him than the all-American hero thing going for him. This is an album that delves into workers' struggles, getting out of small-town America for better opportunities, and long-lost love. Hardly a feel-good piece if you ask me. Springsteen had started mastering the art of dynamics and tension-release around the time of this album, and it's apparent on songs like the closing title track, "Candy's Room," and the short-but-poignant "Factory." I can't say I enjoy most of this as it's still very plain to my ears and the songs aren't quite fully formed this early in The Boss' career, but it's definitely a promising sign of things to come. This is an album that documents the small-town America the tourist agencies will never show, and it must have been an incredibly jarring release to follow up one of the most uplifting albums of his career. Key Tracks: Candy's Room, Factory, Streets of Fire

1 - Yela (the listener is immediately greeted to a spirited, melismatic vocal that's soon accompanied by a relaxed guitar and distant drums. Some similarly organic instrumentation follows but makes the whole piece a little too new agey for what it's trying to convey: an authentic document of Fulani music) 4/5 2 - Toro (the tropical sound of this one makes it stick out in the opposite direction of the opener. This one feels like a more overt attempt at appealing to a Western audience by making the unusual scales and rhythms stick to a rigid format and structure) 3/5 3 - Daande Lenol (this song is mostly led forward by a plucked string resembling a kora. An occasional flute adds a tasteful note or 2 in places. This one is rather relaxed for the most part despite some more climatic moments here and there. Though it's 6 minutes in length it doesn't overstay its welcome and stays mostly true to an authentic sound) 3/5 4 - Hamady Boiro (this song's instrumental is led by an explicitly artifical keyboard and bass MIDI. Easily among the most commercial sounding songs on this album, it honestly brings to mind a cartoon's opening credits theme. The violin at the end is a very nice touch though and rather surprising given the artifice of the rest) 3.5/5 5 - Daniibe (the strings at the start accompany a subdued start. The speak-singing at the start recalls the epic stories often told by griots. The voice is what's most striking about this song with its immense dynamic range. The instrumental then adds a groove that overpowers the atmospheric opening of the previous 3 minutes and makes the song sound much like the previous one. A wild shift in tone and direction makes this song the best representative of this album's sound as a whole) 4/5 6 - Gidelam (a real-sounding marimba appears and is quickly buried by artificial sounding horns and bass. The rhythms on this one are real earworms and the song maintains the warm tropical sound of the more commercial tracks. The MIDI sounding instruments sometimes break the immersion but the song is nevertheless a joyous romp who energy betrays its 6 minute runtime) 3.5/5 7 - Olel (this song veers into completely commercial territory, making the whole album feels like a concentrated effort at a Western breakthrough. While still warm sounding, this song is mixed just a little too bright and cheery and honestly brings back the cartoon opening feeling of Hamady Boiro...the only other comparison I can think of is a song playing on the beach at an island resort) 3/5 8 - Sy Sawande (led by a guitar and soft piano, this ballad is a return to form after the more explicitly artificial sounding songs. The interplay between instruments almost brings about a polyrhythm despite most of the instruments being used for melodic purposes. Another strong point of this album) 3.5/5 9 - Ndelorel (a great groove anchors this fun 3-minute romp. It's a condensed version of the most upbeat songs on the album with the backup chanting adding to the collaborative atmosphere the recording brings. One of the definite highlights of this album for the way it perfectly mixes the modern sounding organ and flute with the more organic elements) 4/5 10 - Lem Gi (another extended jam featuring artificial instrumentation. These have sort of worn out their welcome for me and sound is much too commercial for the folk album this album is trying to be. The instrumental interplay piques curiosity at times though the song is generally too polished and modernized to communicate the authentic storytelling aspect of lengthy tracks like these especially when the instrumentation change so little) 3/5 11 - Minuit (the only song in a language I can understand, with spoken verses about hope for new days and the mysteries of the late night. There's a quick line about Mandela thrown in the second verse, which is very timely considering his prison release was only a year prior to this album. This song features an honest-to-God electric guitar solo that, oddly enough, fits into this song with no real trouble. This song makes no reservations about being an explicitly commercial new age track, which is what I would have preferred rather than attempting to bridge the authentic West African styles with Western sensibilities) 3.5/5 OVERALL - 6.9/10

1 - Heartattack and Vine (a blown-out guitar opens this song before leading into Waits' unmistakable voice. The haze of drunken antics and stumbling midnight shuffles through empty streets permeate this song. At this point in his career, Waits is still searching for his next sound and is currently content with squaring the new experimental rock sections with the jazz blues of the previous decade. The performance of this one is relatively one-note across the 5 minute mark and is relatively monotone for Tom Waits standards) 3.5/5 2 - In Shades (an instrumental piece. While not unheard of on a Tom Waits album, few are ever allowed to extend past the 4 minute mark as this does. This one captures the feel of a quarter-speed jazz interlude at a smoky club, with a performance delivered after closing time. Not too much else to say about besides the occasional cameo from Waits, whose distance voice sounds like a duck call. The slow pace of the first 2 songs has really halted much of the album's momentum) 3.5/5 3 - Saving All My Love for You (a classic boozy piano ballad that's introduced by a series of church bells. A plaintive string section in the back lends a cinematic quality to the despondent performance Waits gives. This sounds like the absolute saddest Christmas song a person could ever write, and I give it the bulk of its points for allowing me to conjure that image) 4/5 4 - Downtown (a slinky mid-tempo piece that wouldn't sound out of place in a spy movie. It actually features an upbeat chorus section that finally gives the album the steam it desperately needed to move forward. The Hammond does much of the work on infusing the energy into this song, though the return of the blown-out guitar also helps. This song is probably the most representative of the sound Waits was going for in this strange transition era from the 70s to 80s experimentalism) 4.5/5 5 - Jersey Girl (probably the most recognizable song on this album, it's another moody ballad but with a much more passionate performance from Waits with its climactic bridge 3 minutes in anchored by the most bittersweet "sha-la-las" ever commited to tape. An oddly evocative piece as Waits sounds enraged, despaired and overjoyed all at once. The sense of dynamics and sparseness giving way to bigger instrumentation is an added bonus) 4/5 6 - 'Til the Money Runs Out (a refined bass-and-toms groove is interrupted by an utterly manic speak-sung performance from Waits. Most of the lyrics are chewed up and spit out, mimicking the story of whatever crazed vagrant Waits is singing about on this one. Songs like these and Downtown really make me wonder why Waits largely abandoned the Hammond after this album because it's an instrument that grounds his electric, off-kilter performances very effectively) 4/5 7 - On the Nickel (the longest song on the album, this ballad is backed by a sweeping string arrangement and a restrained vocal from Waits, who seems to have written some of the earliest verses too low for his voice. His midrange is also very thick on this record where it would become more even in later years. This lends an incredibly gruff and exaggerated phrasing that really captures the crazed performances of energetic songs but sounds overbearing on slower songs like these. The cinematic, show tuney atmosphere of this track makes me think it was originally written for a musical or Disney movie but was cut for being too sad for children) 3.5/5 8 - Mr. Siegal (a down and dirty blues track complete with honky-tonk plinking on a piano and a guitar that sounds more gas-powered than electric. Waits' voice works absolute wonders for the character he presents here, and this song is one of the stronger genre pieces of Waits' career to this point. This might have been the danger that people heard coming from the music of the Stones when they first got big in the 60s) 4/5 9 - Ruby's Arms (the album ends on one final ballad with the most strained performance from Waits yet; this song truly does demonstrate the immense control he has over his instrument and the variety of colours he can give it. This is a fine closer and doesn't do anything that the previous ballads already didn't do; all of them are essentially recognizable by the lyrical material in this case. A decent enough way to end the album whose other tracks showed signs of the true madness to come....) 3.5/5 OVERALL - 7.6/10

1 - It Won't Be Long (a fine opener whose call and response yeah's catch the listener's attention. The old-school rockabilly sound of the guitars is more of its era than anything else but has aged remarkably well) 4/5 2 - All I've Got to Do (a much more of-its-time follow up to the opener. It captures the 50s doo-wop and early rock and roll sound rather well but songs like these were dime a dozen in this period) 3/5 3 - All My Loving (probably the highlight of this album. A hit single its day but overshadowed by the singles that followed it in this phase of the Beatles' career. Not too much else to say about this one) 3,5/5 4 - Don't Bother Me (more wiry and frankly, more interesting, than the previous 2 tracks with a more unique shuffling beat and lyrics with a slightly harder edge than the previously fluffy songs. A fine deep cut all things considered) 4/5 5 - Little Child (sets itself apart right away with its bluesy start and harmonica peppered throughout. It actually captures a very unique sound, sort of a bluesy, R&B, surf rock vibe) 4/5 6 - Till There Was You (a much more pared down piece sung by Paul. Another unique combination with the guitar almost lending a Latin mood to it while Paul's performance recalls a show tune ballad) 4/5 7 - Please Mister Postman (a very obvious cover here that doesn't do anything too daringly different. John sounds a little more gruff on this song than most others so far) 3.5/5 8 - Roll Over Beethoven (another cover of a rock and roll classic. Much like the previous song it's a fairly 1:1 rendition of the original. All in all it functions well as a tribute to one of the Beatles' heroes) 3.5/5 9 - Hold Me Tight (a fun 50s style romp. Oddly enough, it sounds very high-school-dance to my ears. Not too much else to say beyond it's a fun track that comes and goes with relatively little impact) 3/5 10 - You Really Got a Hold on Me (a Motown classic as covered in the Beatles' recognizable early sound. Like the covers before it, it's played pretty straight without too many stylistic changes. The band does this classic tune service and it stands out among the rest of the poppy rock tracks that cover this album) 3.5/5 11 - I Wanna Be Your Man (another R&B track on this album whose energy and rapid-fire verses turn it into a garage rock track of sorts. Doesn't overstay its welcome but also could've gone just a little longer, that shuffle is infectious) 3.5/5 12 - Devil in Her Heart (a mellower piece full of trademark early Beatles harmonies. It's songs like these that make you realize just how big of a shift drugs-era Beatles really was; they went from this to Tomorrow Never Knows in less than 3 years...! A fine addition to this album late in its runtime) 3.5/5 13 - Not a Second Time (another R&B influenced track made distinct by the piano-led instrumental section halfway through. Despite that songs like these are very samey throughout this album; at least a couple could have been left off though this would shorten this already brisk walk of an album) 3/5 14 - Money (That's What I Want) (a welcome change for the final song of this album, this song is largely led by the piano, lending it a honky-tonk blues feel. John gets screechy on this song, the first time in a while. An early sign that the band had a harder edge than the bulk of this album led on. An excellent track to end things on) 4/5 OVERALL - 7.1/10

1 - Bonde (nice relaxed guitar with a distinctly arid tone. Touré's catchy, sing along vocal lines (if one could sing along to the Songhai lyrics) compliment the laid-back mood very well. Though it's bluesy in structure it's ultimately much more optimistic) 4.5/5 2 - Soukoura (much more relaxed and less energetic than the already laid-back opener. The percussion is a little more forward and almost makes this into an island retreat kind of song. Things really kick up in the second half as a harp-like instrument comes further forward; it almost sounds like a kora. A little overlong but a fine addition to this album regardless) 3.5/5 3 - Gomni (a slinky and much more evident piece of desert blues. Complimented by the repetitive groove that belies the intensity (which is entirely speculative as I have no idea what the song is about.) Slightly overlong as was the last one but this one feels more succinct in a way) 3.5/5 4 - Sega (an interlude largely led by a violin solo with some percussion hidden behind it. A fine break from the desert blues of the previous 3 tracks and a sort of atmospheric piece meant to recall the desert at night) 3.5/5 5 - Amandrai (a slow and langorous guitar intro opens this song and the mood persists throughout the song's 9-minute runtime. A violin comes in here and there to add to the wibble-wobbling desert caravan roaming through this song. The steely guitar tone makes its presence worth it especially as it picks up and begins soloing late into the song. Touré's performance here is very John Lee Hooker, though he long insisted that his sound predated Hooker and that the music he played was older than the blues. All in all an excellent inclusion and probably a key track) 4/5 6 - Lasidan (the resonator guitars on here are a welcome change from the previous pieces; feels like Cooder was more involved with the second half than the first. This song is much more energetic than most of the previous fare and at this point midway through the album it's a well-needed breath of fresh air. Touré also sounds more engaged here than on any other track. This was probably the joyous, freeing atmosphere Touré and Cooder sought on this album and it mostly comes together here) 4.5/5 7 - Keito (Touré's trademark tone sets the stage for some French spoken verses. There's also a slight tambura drone here and there so despite its slower pacing comparable to the first half, the intermittent drones over the relaxed guitar really set it apart, as do the call-and-response voices towards the end, which really leans into the hypnotic feel of the whole thing) 4/5 8 - Banga (a second violin and percussion interlude, this one more animated than the previous one. It's also more repetitive but, like the previous interlude, offers a change of pace and a display of a lesser-known instrumental style from the African continent; perfect for a Western breakthrough album like this one I suppose) 3.5/5 9 - Ai Du (the African percussion has been replaced with a drum set more in line with Western blues conventions. A distinctive crossover song with a traditional blues structure alongside Touré's plaintive voice, accompanied as always by the violin and guitar backup. The violin in particular is noteworthy as it takes the place of the usual electric guitar during solos. There's also the return of the kora/harp instrument in the latter half that really adds to this crossover highlight. A strong key track and a high point of this album) 4.5/5 10 - Diaraby (a moodier and more pensive song closes out this album. It captures the feeling of nightfall on the desert very well and at times sounds like a mourning song. There's also some additional details like a faint accordion sound and a huge sounding guitar that sounds bowed coming in at various points to capture feelings of loneliness and vast expanse. Things brighten for brief moments before returning to the standard. For such a guitar-heavy album there's relatively few extended solo sections, with this song having some of them across its runtime. A very subdued but memorable note to close out this album) 4.5/5 OVERALL - 8/10

1 - Death on Two Legs (a strange ambient opening makes way for a glitchy guitar intro, which sounds like the instrument itself is rebelling against Brian May. Mercury's trademark multilayered, theatrical stylings do much of the heavy lifting on this song, which is quite a bit darker in colour than most of the other songs, making it a distinct standout track on this album) 4/5 2 - Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon (an old-timey music hall interlude which honestly sounds like an old English folk tune updated for the 1930s. That is, until May's guitar kicks in. Very memorable for its camp factor) 3.5/5 3 - I'm in Love with My Car (I was absolutely not expecting the huge symphonic intro leading in from the previous track. Taylor's gritty performance sells the passion and infatuation (?) The song is no philosophical piece and is so overblown and maximalist it makes up for how silly it is under the surface) 4/5 4 - You're My Best Friend (an iconic single that, to me, stands out for the electric piano that anchors it. A soaring track that brings a smile to my face every time I hear it (which is a lot given rock radio overplay.) Mercury gives a wonderful performance that I would rank among his best) 4/5 5 - '39 (a folky acoustic tune sung by Brian May. The cosmic imagery in the lyrics belies how earthy it sounds, and its upbeat sound hides the sadness behind the lyrics. A very interesting addition to this album though outside of its context it's pretty by the numbers pop rock for this era) 3.5/5 6 - Sweet Lady (a much more conventional bombastic track to end the first half. This song has the rare quality where it sounds like a single but also doesn't. It feels like the band doesn't know where to take the song past its simple chorus so it thrashes for a bit and ends off with a guitar solo. Decent enough I guess) 3.5/5 7 - Seaside Rendezvous (another piano led music hall piece for the true end of the first half. It's cutesier than the previous one. Eventually it grows into a jaunty show tune type of song which, honestly, is unsurprising given how over the top Queen were) 3.5/5 8 - The Prophet's Song (an epic, multi-part piece very representative of the prog rock of ites era. Funiily enough, prog would be on its way out just a year or 2 later. Every singer involved gives it their all and then some in an absolute scenery-chewing performance from Mercury. May and Taylor serve the extensive back-up sections well with dense, layered harmonies. The "now I know" section almost halfway through almost sounds medieval compared to the more modern earlier sections. The searing guitar solo towards the end wakes the listener up from the layered madrigal section and the closes with a final blast of bombast followed by a subdued outro which brings everything full circle. Definitely the highlight of this album and among the most overlooked and underrated songs in Queen's catalogue) 5/5 9 - Love of My Life (the calm acoustic outro of the previous song leads to the overwrought piano ballad. Mercury wrote this song for the woman he said he loved most, which somewhat contrasts the exclusively gay imagery Mercury became associated with in the years following his death. More layered harmonies really turn things up a notch for this otherwise acceptable but standard love song) 3.5/5 10 - Good Company (another music hall interlude, this time accompanied by a simple strummed guitar. This one bounces just the same as the previous ones and highlights what they were put on this album to do; break the tension and function as musical palate cleansers to not make the loudness and bombast so overbearing. This one is fine and the most fully developed of the 3 on this album. It sort of sounds like a song Gabriel-era Genesis would have done, now that I think about it. The spaced-out section 2 minutes in solidifies that, as does the strange carnival-sounding ending section) 3.5/5 11 - Bohemian Rhapsody (we all know what this one is; an absolute anomaly, a monument of popular music, and also overplayed to Hell and back. It functions perfectly in the context of this album though as, alongside the Prophet's Song, it's one of the 2 giants dominating this side of the album, and maybe the rest of it too. The 3 (4?) main sections flow very well despite how disparate they are, and the lyrics are a lot more obscure than the song's popularity suggests; what other song can make normies sing about Scaramouche and invoke Bismillah? Despite how overplayed and overhyped the song might be it's one of very few I would say are worth putting on a new Voyager Gold Record) 4.5/5 12 - God Save the Queen (the album closes with a rendition of the British anthem as played by May and a multitude of overlaid guitars. The drumrolls add to the fanfare feel. I suppose there's no better way to end an album so distinctly British as this one) 3.5/5 OVERALL - 8.4/10

1 - 21st Century Schizoid Man (the iconic opener to this album from its eerie, rumbling start to the free jazz chaos of the end. This one is probably the most accessible of the traditional skronk prog songs Crimson made, and definitely the one with the most obvious message; a clear anti-war statement. An iconic piece and an indelible piece of prog history; Voyager record worthy) 5/5 2 - I Talk to the Wind (a more soothing ballad with all the pretty artifice of the more conventional pop songs of the era. It still carries a pensive, pessimistic tone, especially with its final "the wind does not hear, the wind cannot hear" line in each chorus. A welcome change of pace from the mania of the previous piece) 4.5/5 3 - Epitaph (the soaring "power ballad" of this album, not that such a concept existed yet in 1969. Lake delivers the best performance of his Crimson career on this one and it stands as yet another highlight on this album. The Mellotron really shows its vast symphonic sound here (and on the closer coming up later)) 4.5/5 4 - Moonchild (a pretty and soft ballad followed by about 10 minutes of what many would describe as aimless noodling. There are some interesting snippets here and there but the sheer length of this improvisational piece grinds the album's momentum to a halt. It at least serves as a showcase of the band's ability to move into full on indeterminate territory, though they eventually did it much better with Providence from "Red") 3.5/5 5 - The Court of the Crimson King (this was undoubtedly the best way to close this album. Pulling out all the stops, this song pulls out the symphonic Mellotron sound, the soaring "Kiiiing" refrain and even some oddly quiet sections towards the end before resolving to a final coda in a different key. The album doesn't end without leaving behind some uncertainty as the full circle moment of a noise freakout leaves the listener somewhere between a a blissful world of the Crimson King and the chaos of the Schizoid Man, both of whom are displayed on the front and back covers. An excellent way to close out and a sign of prog innovations to come) 5/5 OVERALL - 9/10

1 - Cherry-Coloured Funk (a hazy shuffle opens this album and Liza Fraser's airy fluttering voice compliments this well. Most of the lyrics are indecipherable. Loose shoegaze sound aside, this sounds like a very ahead-of-its-time pop song; there's something distinctly 2010s about this song from 1990. All in all an intriguing start to this album) 4.5/5 2 - Pitch the Baby (a more bass-heavy and swirling followup to the opener. The persistent keyboard gives it a trip hop feel - that genre would slowly develop across the 90s, making this also sound vaguely ahead of its time. Though the lyrics aren't any more evident than the previous songs, Fraser's choice of melody is commendable as she always finds the best earworm for each part of a song) 4.5/5 3 - Iceblink Luck (this one starts with a much more classic shoegaze sound, instantly brings Chapterhouse and their like to mind. Fraser does some actual R&B runs on the verses which offers a distinctive clash of styles on this song. A solid and memorable song even if it's the tiniest step down from the previous two) 4/5 4 - Fifty-Fifty Clown (a more subdued piece with an electronic plinking to keep time. Some relatively sparse chords offer Fraser the space to move her voice up and down the song, and that's the probably the highlight of this song, which functions best as a breather between big tracks. A distant guitar comes in towards the end to offer a slight changeup. This one is fine) 3.5/5 5 - Heaven or Las Vegas (the opening riff of this song recalls Sugar Hiccup from their Head Over Heels album. This version of the riff is cleaned up and gives way to one of the most instantly recognizable melodies in this genre of ethereal dream pop. The song is massive and yet restrained and the excellent layering recalls a drift through space, or and endless ocean of flowers; whichever you prefer) 4.5/5 6 - I Wear Your Ring (a slower and more expected sort of song follows the big single. The melodies wind around but the instrumental sort of stays exactly where it is, leaving Fraser to carry this song much like she did with Fifty-Fifty Clown) 3.5/5 7 - Fotzepolitic (oddly nostalgic in sound, like an old song coming straight out a memory. This song has a light, shimmering vibe that brings to mind lazy summer evening with late sunsets, which adds to the nostalgic feel of this song. A fine addition late into the album) 4/5 8 - Wolf in the Breast (a slower piece with a heftier lower end than most of the previous fare. This feels like another lighter shoegaze song straight out of the Curve or Chapterhouse playbook. A fine addition to this album if a little ordinary by the standards of the rest of the albums especially as it remains mostly samey for its runtime save for the multilayered ending) 3.5/5 9 - Road, River and Rail (another slower song carried mostly by its rhythm section. Fraser's lyrics sound clearer here than anywhere else but are still largely indecipherable. It's a very relaxed and wide-sounding sound, probably to invoke the feeling of travelling great distances since the title references ways to get around. The runs Fraser does on the chorus are very R&B which really shows how good her pop sensibilities were despite how ethereal and sometimes inaccessible Cocteau Twins' sound was) 3.5/5 10 - Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires (the final song begins with a slow, brooding intro with only Fraser and a lonesome piano that take over 2 minutes to get to the first major instrumental burst of the song. This song displays a strong sense of dynamics where most of the other songs essentially moved along a single dynamic window and rhythm. The atmosphere is equally strong here with additional details added periodically rounding out this album closer. A definite highlight) 4/5 OVERALL - 7.9/10

1 - Kicks (a classic garage rock instrumental plays atop a somewhay mysterious R&B melody; it's quite the interesting contrast especially for one of the band's best-known songs. A very strong start to this album) 4/5 2 - There's Always Tomorrow (a bluesy shuffle and speak-sung performance make this into a fun travelling romp. The minimalist guitar solo is a very nice touch and, coupled with the intermittent organ, lends a strangely psychedelic feel to this song) 4/5 3 - Little Girl in the 4th Row (a slower ballad about a pretty girl next door. Many, many songs like this came out in this era, all with a very similar tempo any lyrical content. This one is decent enough but doesn't necessarily stick out of the bunch) 3.5/5 4 - Ballad of a Useless Man (a down on its luck surf rock romp, odd juxtaposition given the lyrics compared to the upbeat instrumental. A solid inclusion on this album as it's a straight-to-the-point that fits perfectly) 4/5 5 - I'm Not Your Stepping Stone (the band returns to the more conventional Zombies/Animals/Kinks type of song but with a slightly harder edge not unlike what more dedicated garage bands would do both currently and in the years following them. It thrashes around here and there for a few seconds, giving this song a legitimate punk energy, though punk was about a decade away from being a fully-fledged genre) 4/5 6 - There She Goes (a much more lighthearted song with another girl-next-door story as its subject matter. It's here that I realize this album sort of sounds like a pastiche of much of the popular rock music of the era it was released in, which is maybe why this band is not as recognized as many of their contemporaries given how catch-all this album has been so far) 3.5/5 7 - All I Really Need Is You (this song starts with an almost Middle Eastern riff and goes at a much more gradual pace that the rest of the toe-tapping one the album has favoured to this point. The layered harmonies help this song stand out compared to the rest as well. Like the second song, the riff lends a psychedelic quality, though the choruses almost serve to snap the listener out of that mood) 4/5 8 - Get It On (led more by the organ and a wavy guitar strum, the title almost makes you feel like it would be a precursor to the T-Rex song, but it ends up being a more standard pop rock tune of its era barring the pretty fiery guitar solo and harder edged sound overall. Another strong highlight of this album) 4/5 9 - Louie, Go Home (a nearly Day-Tripper/Pretty Woman riff introduces us to this song with its distant voice. The album has a great mix for its time with some interesting choices made like the ones on this song. The instrumental section once again has hints of a psychedelic Middle Eastern flavour and offer an actually jarring switch up before the main motif returns. Another highlight in this already strong back half) 4/5 10 - Take a Look at Yourself (a standard, paint-by-numbers beat song for the time. Nothing much to say about it save that it's brief enough not to make the last part of the album drag too much, though its inclusion is sort of a head-scratcher given it does nothing special unlike most of the others) 3/5 11 - Melody for an Unknown Girl (the final song features a brief spoken intro before transitioning to a soft instrumental with a smooth pensive trumpet as its lead instrument. For some reason the chimes in the back of the mix lend an uncomfortable feel to this song. Not sure how to feel about this one...) 3/5 OVERALL - 7.4/10

1 - Luv N' Haight (the classic phased out funk guitar kicks off this album alongside a soaring female vocal and an instantly catchy groove. The horns come in alongside the chorus, giving this opener a warm, communal feel. The song continues adding layers with an additional melody and piano and really is an instant earworm as so many iconic funk songs are. An excellent start to this album) 4.5/5 2 - Just Like a Baby (toned down slinky grooves open this song before a sighing, whispery vocal floats around the instrumental. The song maintains this plaintive groove for much of its runtime and is only occasionally interrupted by individual guitar chords. The electric piano almost drones over this track to lend a more solemn feel that I originally expected) 3.5/5 3 - Poet (a more traditional funk groove pins what is far and away the most powerful vocal performance of the album so far - admittedly, this is relatively early in its runtime. For me, the second major highlight after the opener) 4/5 4 - Family Affair (the biggest song to come out of this album is a rather relaxed affair. The song, like most of Sly Stone's songs, speaks of social issues, this one about the impact of material conditions and community on life outcomes, as well as traditional roles and performance of them; surprisingly radical even half a century later) 4.5/5 5 - Africa Talks to You ("The Asphalt Jungle") (a very soulful intro to this song with some occasional jazz influences. The obvious centerpiece of this half of the album, the early verses give way to a more off-the-cuff, improvised style as the song continues jamming on. Each and every instrument in this large eclectic ensemble has its chance to shine on this song and really emphasizes the togetherness of this band's ethos) 4/5 6 - There's a Riot Going On (it's silence, what can I really write about that?) NA/5 7 - Brave & Strong (some immediate soulful shouting opens this very Motown sounding single. It's separated from the Motown lot by how loose and nonsensical the vocal performance is, as well as the underlying heaviness of the song itself. A definite highlight) 4.5/5 8 - (You Caught Me) Smilin' (a slower and more laid-back affair save Stone's occasional screamy interjections. His voice sounds very direct and almost like he's singing right in your face about being soothed by drugs. The phased guitar returns here to bend the song in a more psychedelic direction. Another strong performance from the band on this one) 4.5/5 9 - Time (a more conventional sounding R&B ballad with a trademark edge of psychedelia thrown in for good measure. Stone delivers his best performance on the album on this song and shows off a sense of dynamics and control in all registers. The electric piano fakes out the listener on more than on occasion by building up to something before dropping right back down. Excellent all around) 4.5/5 10 - Spaced Cowboy (one of the grooviest songs on this album wastes no time getting right to the rhythm and interplay. It subdues after a bit to make way for - get this - Sly Stone yodeling. Oddly enough, it fits convincingly into this soul/funk song, as does the harmonica solo that follows it. One of the oddest genre combinations I've ever heard to actually work) 4/5 11 - Runnin' Away (another standard single from this band. Soft horns and a simple groove move this one along just fine. The softer female voice singing lines about debt traps and oppression trick the listener into thinking about the radical ideas they put forward. People often forget how radical this band was as one of the first integrated and diverse bands to ever come to mainstream prominence) 4/5 12 - Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa (the other extended piece moves steadily along a stomping rhythm, though the big, bouncy bass recalls African talking drums to my ears. Stone doesn't come in until a few minutes into the runtime and offers a similarly loose, detached performance as the previous "Africa" tracks. Some of the lyrics are self-referential to add to the mythos that the band had already developed for itself by this point. The groove never outstays its welcome and the 7-minute runtime really flies by. No better way to close this album) 5/5 OVERALL - 8.5/10

1 - Combination of the Two (a fiery Stooges-esque opening with every instrument sounding enraged. It then softens up into a simpler blues song. Joplin's voice, initially distant, towers over everything soon after, which is especially impressive considering this was recorded live. A powerful, raw opener to this album that doesn't at all feel nearly 6 minutes in length) 4.5/5 2 - I Need a Man to Love (Joplin shows her surprisingly good sense of dynamics on the verses of this song. This one is a standout even very early in the album. Joplin's laboured gravelly voice is loud and clear no matter how soft she is. However, it exposes how "raw" her talent truly was, and, hilariously enough, the coarse falsettos kind of recall Marge Simpson to my ears. The distorted guitar solo lends a psychedelic edge to the whole song and really ties it in with its era) 4/5 3 - Summertime (a straight-up blues ballad dominated by Joplin's coarse falsetto. This one recalls Since I've Been Loving You by Led Zeppelin even though this song came first. The main riff being so delicate contrasts with the gruff guitar passages that make up the solos. A change of pace without deviating too far from the high-energy one-two that preceded it) 4/5 4 - Piece of My Heart (one of Joplin's best-known songs. She sounds just incredible on this one, her voice never quite sounding so clear. A soulful performance by all those involved on this song and a standout. This song is a very simple verse-chorus affair but there's just enough change each time to make it worthwhile) 4.5/5 5 - Turtle Blues (a piano-led 12 bar blues piece. Sounds so completely out of its time especially as the rest of the album is incredibly modern (for its time anyway.) Joplin displays a mastery of the blues structure and stylings and, barring the modern sound, this could pass a song 20 to 30 years older than it really was) 4/5 6 - Oh, Sweet Mary (a more adventurous affair than most of the previous tracks. The intro riff sounds prog at times and the song moves from a capella harmonies to huge instrumental freak-outs. After a couple solos, there's a straight-up soul and gospel section to this song. A definite highlight of this album) 4.5/5 7 - Ball and Chain (this 9 minute closer begins with an actual, real noise freakout. While this wasn't unheard of at the time it's certainly not a common occurrence for an album as old as this one. Joplin does her classic rise-and-fall displaying the full extent of her voice and dynamics. Much of the song is another slow blues groove despite the noisier parts. Over time the song quiets down until it's only Joplin singing the outro a capella, which then reveals the entire thing was live. Another excellent track to end off this already strong album) 4/5 OVERALL - 8.4/10

1 - Combination of the Two (a fiery Stooges-esque opening with every instrument sounding enraged. It then softens up into a simpler blues song. Joplin's voice, initially distant, towers over everything soon after, which is especially impressive considering this was recorded live. A powerful, raw opener to this album that doesn't at all feel nearly 6 minutes in length) 4.5/5 2 - I Need a Man to Love (Joplin shows her surprisingly good sense of dynamics on the verses of this song. This one is a standout even very early in the album. Joplin's laboured gravelly voice is loud and clear no matter how soft she is. However, it exposes how "raw" her talent truly was, and, hilariously enough, the coarse falsettos kind of recall Marge Simpson to my ears. The distorted guitar solo lends a psychedelic edge to the whole song and really ties it in with its era) 4/5 3 - Summertime (a straight-up blues ballad dominated by Joplin's coarse falsetto. This one recalls Since I've Been Loving You by Led Zeppelin even though this song came first. The main riff being so delicate contrasts with the gruff guitar passages that make up the solos. A change of pace without deviating too far from the high-energy one-two that preceded it) 4/5 4 - Piece of My Heart (one of Joplin's best-known songs. She sounds just incredible on this one, her voice never quite sounding so clear. A soulful performance by all those involved on this song and a standout. This song is a very simple verse-chorus affair but there's just enough change each time to make it worthwhile) 4.5/5 5 - Turtle Blues (a piano-led 12 bar blues piece. Sounds so completely out of its time especially as the rest of the album is incredibly modern (for its time anyway.) Joplin displays a mastery of the blues structure and stylings and, barring the modern sound, this could pass a song 20 to 30 years older than it really was) 4/5 6 - Oh, Sweet Mary (a more adventurous affair than most of the previous tracks. The intro riff sounds prog at times and the song moves from a capella harmonies to huge instrumental freak-outs. After a couple solos, there's a straight-up soul and gospel section to this song. A definite highlight of this album) 4.5/5 7 - Ball and Chain (this 9 minute closer begins with an actual, real noise freakout. While this wasn't unheard of at the time it's certainly not a common occurrence for an album as old as this one. Joplin does her classic rise-and-fall displaying the full extent of her voice and dynamics. Much of the song is another slow blues groove despite the noisier parts. Over time the song quiets down until it's only Joplin singing the outro a capella, which then reveals the entire thing was live. Another excellent track to end off this already strong album) 4/5 OVERALL - 8.4/10

1 - You're Gonna Miss Me (a jangly opener immediately overshadowed by Roky Erickson's raucous shouty singing. The jug is "prominent" here, as much as a faint bubbling sound can be. The chorus is quintessential psychedelia and an origin point of psych music for decades to come. There's something distinctly Southern about the guitar breakdown a minute in as well as that harmonica) 4.5/5 2 - Roller Coaster (more pensive than the opener with a slightly Eastern sounding riff. The jug bubbles up and down throughout this song even while the garage rock rhythm returns. Erickson's voice blasts at full force in the rockier sections. The up and down dynamics really capture the song's title perfectly I must say) 4/5 3 - Splash 1 (a ballad to calm things down after the raucous first 2 songs. Erickson genuinely sounds remorseful especially on the chorus and the sparse instrumentation contrasts much of the album. A sincere and solid effort on this song and an innovator of more atmospheric psychedelia) 3.5/5 4 - Reverberation (a return to the garagey psych sound and one of the more "authentic" tracks on this album. This sounds like one of the foundational songs for the psychedelic sound that emerged toward the end of 1960s. The jug is loud and clear this time, still wobbling throughout the song. Concise and memorable addition to this album) 4/5 5 - Don't Fall Down (a much poppier affair than the other songs we've heard so far. This one's melody reminds me of Splash 1. A little too repetitive for my taste; Erickson's high, keening refrain in the second half is the only major change) 3.5/5 6 - Fire Engine (an echoing garage rock riff ricochets all around the room alongside a siren and Erickson's unmistakable shout. This one is typically 60s and takes more cues from R&B than many would assume. I like to think that Erickson and Arthur Brown probably influenced about 6 decades' worth of wailers with their debut album performance) 4/5 7 - Thru the Rhythm (a mid-tempo stomping track with a more prominent edge to my ears. Though it invokes the 60s conventions, Erickson's performance here is positively sinister; this wouldn't sound out of place on Arthur Brown's debut if it was sung by him) 4/5 8 - You Don't Know (another Southern-tinged riff combined with the always-present electric jug. This one is more folky and somewhat subdued. The imagery is surreal and fantastical where it's more grounded on other songs - another sign of the psych music to follow it. There's an interesting changeup later on that makes this otherwise ordinary song more memorable) 3.5/5 9 - Kingdom of Heaven (a slower song that swings between a blues shuffle and a languid ballad. The slow guitar chords invoke the desert sun and the jug actually does something besides bubble on this, almost creating an electronic effect. A very interesting late addition to this album) 4.5/5 10 - Monkey Island (Erickson gives his most soulful vocal to this song, with this title among all others. The instrumentation is rather standard otherwise and the whole track is really only elevated by Erickson's wild voice) 3/5 11 - Tried to Hide (an instantly memorable opening riff interspersed with a harmonica kind of brings the album full circle as an outright psychedelic blues onslaught. The whole band sounds full force here and it creates an excellent closer that's just long enough to tie things up neatly on this album. A curious fusion of psychedelia, blues and garage rock) 4.5/5 OVERALL - 7.8/10

1 - Dominion/Mother Russia (a gated reverb drum machine instantly transports you back to 1987. Despite how echoey and brooding the song is it actually has a pretty rousing chorus complete with backup singers and a shout along quality to it! There's even a saxophone appearance on this that actually sort of sound like bagpipes when they first come in. Jim Steinman's fingerprints are really all over this one. A very atmospheric and promising opener that doesn't at all feel 7 minutes long) 5/5 2 - Flood I (the treated guitar slowly folding in over itself really grabs my attention as does the huge, punchy drum machine on this. The ominous synths only ratchet up the tension on this one. Eldritch is so far back in the mix he may as well be the shadows themselves reciting these lyrics (is that what the album cover is alluding to...?)) 4/5 3 - Lucretia My Reflection (if you know anything from this band it's this song. It starts off simply enough with a looped bass and beat, but this is simply meant to lull the listener into a complacent state before the big anthemic chorus makes you realize just why this song is a gothic rock staple. The dynamics really shine on this song and disprove the general perception that the band write only brooding monotone songs) 4.5/5 4 - 1959 (a nostalgic, if ordinary piano ballad to offer a change of direction. Eldritch sounds his clearest here though he's far from the most technical singer. The whole song feels like a buildup that never comes; oddly anticlimactic. I guess this one is fine enough though it probably serves as an interlude more than anything else) 3/5 5 - This Corrosion (here's the longest song on the album with all the expected maximalism. A 40-person choir opens up before a vaguely industrial beat takes over alongside a harpsichord (?) for a melody. There's also another rousing choir-backed chorus much like the opener, really separating the album into 2 distinct halves with these songs as pillars. There's even a breakdown halfway through before returning to the bridge and final chorus. It all gets a little samey across its 9 and 1/2 minutes; it could easily be trimmed to 7 without losing its effect) 4/5 6 - Flood II (a jangly guitar is quickly undercut by a swirling spooky synth. Eldritch almost sounds like Peter Steele on this song even if this band came first. This is the closest Sisters of Mercy ever got to a conventional alt rock song though the ominous synth sort of disqualifies them from that. This is still one of the stronger songs on the album, with or without any comparisons to successors) 4.5/5 7 - Driven Like the Snow (this song almost sounds like a pared-down version of one of the previous tracks, maybe for a thematic element. It's surprisingly relaxing despite the constant battering of the drum machine. The synths on here are incredibly evocative, sounding like nervous birds calling out in a moonless forest. A solid track that serves as a denouement for the album as a whole) 4/5 8 - Never Land - A Fragment (the booming, clattering drum pattern is the most immediately striking part of this final song. The rest of the instrumentation is relatively sparse so the drums stick out even more and invoke a strange unsettling feeling, perhaps of something gone terribly wrong...! It's much shorter than the previous songs and fades out rather quickly; it was definitely thought of as the outro, but the whole thing gives the effect of a sudden apparition that then disappears) 4/5 OVERALL - 8.2/10

1 - Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) (the song we've all come to know and love through various means - mine was the Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels promo with the Placebo cover. There's nothing much to say aside from this song being practically perfect and magical in its every facet. A Voyager record-worthy track) 5/5 2 - Hounds of Love (some big post-punk styled drums thunder through this track, much more grounded than the opener. There's a weird little effect that sounds like yipping dogs, hence the title. It sounds about 15 years ahead of its time as so, so much indie rock aped this track and its aesthetic. Bush herself gives an excellent and impassioned performance throughout; an excellent follow-up to the already iconic opener) 4/5 3 - The Big Sky (much more upbeat than the previously serious and sullen tracks. This is almost a city pop track with how sweet and airy it is. The thunderous drum machine and guitar grounds this song back down again, and I like how Bush isn't at all afraid to have the song get too busy and, to be quite honest, messy. A very daring choice for something so accessible) 4.5/5 4 - Mother Stands for Comfort (a much more sparse and pensive track mostly led by a sparing piano performance. The distant but still blown-out drum machine anchors otherwise very separate elements together. Bush herself sounds very distant on this one. A nice break from the high-octane melodrama of the previous tracks) 3.5/5 5 - Cloudbusting (much more refined, this song features an elegant violin as its primary melodic anchor. Bush herself sounds sweet and kindly on this one A synth partway through the song kind of sounds like a horn instrument to my ears and comes back in full force with the marching band beat to bring this all together neatly. This is rightfully among the better-known songs from this album) 4.5/5 6 - And Dream of Sleep (another piano ballad but this time it's Bush's voice that leads it. This song really captures the full spectrum of her instrument; clear and brassy, wispy and lovelorn all at once. A serene end to the first half of the album) 4/5 7 - Under Ice (an austere piece with only a violin and Bush's multilayered voice that creates an uneasy medieval atmosphere. While it may be the shortest track on the album, it's also among the most memorable) 4/5 8 - Waking the Witch (the first minute of this is incredibly scattered and downright icy. Some bizarre voices flit between the piano that treads carefully. All this immediately evaporates when the off-kilter synths, distorted voices and out-of-place church bells all stumble over each other. Despite how cutting-edge most of the production is on this, the medieval vibe of the previous track continues especially when Bush pushes the upper limits of her voice against the hideous growls in the bridge. Needless to say I was NOT expecting a song like this on the album) 4.5/5 9 - Watching You Without Me (a softer ballad led again by Bush's vocal performance and a soft and steady beat. It's a soothing dreamlike state throughout this song and another welcome shift from the relentless preceding track) 4/5 10 - Jig of Life (Bush gets folky on this song with a hurdy-gurdy and pounding Celtic beat, returning somewhat to the medieval sound that opened the second half. The tin whistle during the instrumental break seals the deal; a very unique addition to this album that blends the traditional instrumental with Bush's forward thinking approach) 4/5 11 - Hello Earth (the longest song on the album shifts between nearly a capella sections to a church choir to a vast and spacious synth-heavy instrumental. The instruments start off acoustic and organic before proverbially leaving Earth and entering increasingly electronic territory. A truly monumental song on this album that invokes the homeliness of Earth and the terrifying but fascinating expanse of the cosmos) 5/5 12 - The Morning Fog (the closer is oddly the most conventional song on this, sounding like a wake-up call from a lengthy, vivid dream. After so many heavy songs the album definitely needed a feather-light song like this one to close it out; it's genuinely beautiful in parts and leaves an impression despite its brevity) 4/5 OVERALL - 8.5/10

1 - Your New Cuckoo (a near-silent intro gives way to a blissful psychedelic pop opening. It's an amazingly smooth and laid-back opener that immediately immerses the listener into this album's world) 4.5/5 2 - Been It (the opener smoothly transitions into this one and continues the same sort of vibe. This one kind of reminds me of an XTC song. The pop sensibilities are incredibly strong on this one even through all the psychedelia. So far this has been a surprisingly strong album from a band I though was a 1-hit wonder...!) 4/5 3 - Heartbreaker (much sparser and more acoustically focused than the previous songs. It honestly feels out of time with the rest of this relatively modern album. An absolutely magical, woodland-creature sort of song that veers into unsettling territory here and there with its theremin and chord changes. Another very strong piece) 4/5 4 - Happy Meal II (this shorter piece feels like an epilogue of the previous track. This whole song feels so loose while also being suspended in the air, a puppet on a string for a visual) 3.5/5 5 - Never Recover (this is the rockiest the album has sounded so far with a surf-inspired riff waking the listener up from the dreamlike state of the first third of this album. The hook on this song is cotton-candy sweet, which is only supported by the deviation into circus music towards the end) 3.5/5 6 - Step on Me (the most conventional-sounding song so far, with a quintessential psychedelic indie pop sound. Persson's voice is what makes this song - and album generally - work so well. Despite how distant she sounds and how much she blends into the mix, Persson has just enough colours and facets in her voice to make her every performance unique) 4/5 7 - Lovefool (the big hit single and the song that made me assign them to the "1-hit wonder" box. The instantly recognizable chorus is the crown jewel of this album and it's easy to see why this song became such a hit and now has so much staying power. Not too much else to say that hasn't already been said about this perfect slice of pop) 4.5/5 8 - Losers (a slow, chiming song to bring the listener down to Earth after the previous 2 hit songs. The chimes give way to some big alt rock riffs as a display of the classic quiet-loud-quiet dynamic that defined 90s alternative music. The psychedelic bent is just poking through on this song) 4/5 9 - Iron Man (a lo-fi indie pop cover of an iconic Sabbath tune (!) The languid, loungey instrumental make me think this is a piece of long-lost trip hop. The unique aesthetic of the whole thing actually works once you get over the shock of realizing it's Sabbath and really shows off how deceptively complex the song is by playing it on quiet undistorted instruments) 4.5/5 10 - Great Divide (a sweet little ballad that offers a swirling electric piano as its main accompaniment. It sounds rather lovelorn and bittersweet and is a welcome track even so late into this album) 4/5 11 - Choke (much more bombastic and theatrical than its predecessor, this song provides an upbeat final note to an otherwise very low-key album. It's a unique example of a song that sounds like the genre surrounding it but sticks out for being just that little left-field) 3.5/5 OVERALL - 8/10

1 - Leave Home (The brother's gonna work it out. That's how this didgeridoo-laced opener starts as it jolts between 70s funk, hip hop and good old fashioned Amen break-inspired big beat. Doesn't feel at all like it's 5 and 1/2 minutes. This album is off to a great start) 4.5/5 2 - In Dust We Trust (the didgeridoo sound from the opener gets full on wonky as as this song goes for a more futuristic sound. The beats are a lot bouncier to reflect the sky-high vibe of this song. It sounds downright extraterrestrial at times. I've definitely heard their work before, on Primal Scream's XTRMNTR) 4/5 3 - Song to the Siren (a live track named after an essential Tim Buckley tune. The warped Lisa Gerrard-type voice makes me think I've heard the original sample long ago. Aside from the "live" tag nothing about it sounds particularly spur-of-the-moment; it's about as doctored as the rest of the studio fare) 3.5/5 4 - Three Little Birdies Down Beats (the voice from the previous track is twisted into the base note of this song as it transitions; that's always been one of my favourite tricks. It then jumps into something much more neon-tinged as the song's whirring beat drones on for the next 3 minutes before calming down. Now this is the one that feels live!) 4.5/5 5 - Fuck Up Beats (a short little interlude that kind of sounds like being backstage and hearing the muffled sound of a band on stage. Or being in a locker room just before the walk on music plays) 3.5/5 6 - Chemical Beats (the skronk is strong with this one, and it's one of the first songs on this album to have a quick little buildup. It's big beat though so it means the beat just comes back a little louder. This one gets a little samey after hearing it for nearly 5 minutes straight but the use of an organic drum intro makes it feel like a band got sent to an alternate high-tech universe and were brought back to Earth just as they got to the last minute of the song) 4/5 7 - Chico's Groove (this one does what it says in the title. A much quieter groove compared to the raucous jumping vibe of the rest of the album. It allows for a breath of fresh air before returning to the proverbial dance floor for the final stretch) 4/5 8 - One Too Many Mornings (this one sure does sound like the morning after an absolute rager or rave. After all the high-octane beats it pays to have a relaxing one like this even if it did come right after a groovier piece. The distant female voice is, in a way, the closest Chemical Brothers ever got to dream pop) 4/5 9 - Life Is Sweet (this one is probably the biggest burst of energy on the album so far, though it might be because it follows 2 slower tracks. This song is essentially the godfather of the Prodigy's Funky Shit, odd to say as the 2 were contemporaries. The changeup 4 minutes in is a really nice change of pace and gives this song, the longest one on the album, some staying power) 4.5/5 10 - Playground for a Wedgeless Firm (the buzzing squealing noise tickles the lizard part of my brain for some reason and contrasts very well with the groovier beat. Another little interlude that offers a futuristic and bizarre mood where the previous one was just a breather) 4/5 11 - Alive Alone (an honest-to-God pop song featuring Beth Orton. I love the contrast between her languid, sweet voice and the jarring swirling electronics behind her. Orton kind of sounds like Nico in places. All in all an excellent closer that shows the Chemical Brothers had tricks up their sleeves yet) 4.5/5 OVERALL - 8.2/10

An excellent live album that truly captures the feeling of the now-legendary Mister Kelly's venue. Vaughan and her band are in top form here as The Divine One seamlessly slinks through lovelorn ballads and bittersweet jumpy numbers. The recording quality is exceptional, sounding crisp and clear despite being nearly 70(!) years old. A truly can't miss document of live jazz.

1 - Days of Graduation (a slow atmospheric buildup mixed in with a mad street preacher's rambling about something or other. This one is quite good at setting the mood, and there's always a creeping sense of unease about the whole thing) 4/5 2 - Ronnie and Neil (a blown out guitar riffs out to properly start this Rock Opera. This one is an early highlight and has the most recognizable riff on the album. We're off to a good start so far) 4.5/5 3 - 72 (This Highway's Mean) (a simmering bluesy piece that takes its time to breathe in and out deeply in equal measure. A textbook example of the Southern rock sound and it even picks up a little towards the end) 4/5 4 - Dead, Drunk and Naked (this is one of the best songs Bryan Adams or Tom Cochrane never wrote. Really like how the middle section of the song pummels you instrumentally before calming down once again. A fine addition to this album) 4/5 5 - Guitar Man Upstairs (a bar band romp with a garage rock twist. This sounds like a server darting across the room handing out beers left, right and center, which is a good way to hide the album's true subject matter - the baggage-heavy history of the Southern U.S.) 4/5 6 - Birmingham (a smoother mid-tempo track undercut by a gruff and weathered vocal performance. It lends a morose quality to a song about someone desperately trying to leave behind the memories of Birmingham and the legacy the city carries with it today) 4/5 7 - The Southern Thing (much more hard rock than most of the previous fare. It tells a fiery story of an out-of-towner opposed to the Southern way and the ensuing reactionary isolation that follows it; another fine addition lyrically and conceptually) 4/5 8 - Three Great Alabama Icons (this lengthy piece starts off with the same minimalist groove and rambling street preacher performance. This nearly-spoken tracks explains the shift in perception of Southern icons and how they came to be recognized, then reviled, leaving their legacy in a sort of limbo; it has, to the character of this song, left a power vacuum in Southern culture as a result) 4/5 9 - Wallace (a simpler structure on this song involving a calm blues shuffle and a vocal performance that sounds like it's approaching the listener to wax poetic about George Wallace and his consequences. This one is fine if a slight step down from the strong consistent first several songs) 3.5/5 10 - Zip City (this one starts with a melancholic alt rock riff and actually has a very live feel. I could believe this track was recorded at some random country bar at added to the album last minute if the liner notes told me so. The song sort of meanders until the end where things close off with an excellent guitar solo. A good way to close the first half even if there is another song following it) 3.5/5 11 - Moved (a hushed but intense instrumental performance is sharply contrasted by an increasingly insensed singer lamenting the loss of everything worthwhile. A strange way to formally end the first disc) 3.5/5 12 - Let There Be Rock (this is a song that sounds exactly like a long road trip that starts just as the sun comes up and shines in your eyes. It's a song of crazy times gone by and name-drops most of the big-name Southern rock bands, tipping a hat to the groundbreaking work they did. A definite highlight and the best way to open the second half) 4.5/5 13 - Road Cases (harmonies are prominent features throughout this album but this is perhaps the most obvious use of them. This one is on the shorter side and ends before it really gets going, in my opinion; that ending instrumental could have gone another minute without any issue) 3.5/5 14 - Women without Whiskey (a straightforward rock song about the heavy shadow of alcoholism that clouds the every move of the song's protagonist. Though the instrumentation is fairly standard and, honestly, unremarkable, the singer's performance alone makes up for it in spades, offering a defeated but hopeful perspective) 3.5/5 15 - Plastic Flowers on the Highway (led by a driving four on the floor, this one is considered among the heaviest songs lyrically as it depicts a car crash on a highway and the apathy that surrounds it; the car-dependency is one of the most understated yet comprehensively affecting aspects of the southern U.S., and it's nice to have a song that actually delves into it in this way) 4/5 16 - Cassie's Brother (this one features a female singer joining in on a character piece about a local guitar hero. The guitars on this are a little too subdued given the subject matter, and the song doesn't really do anything drastically different from the ones we've already heard) 3.5/5 17 - Life in the Factory (the pummeling instrumentation returns for a look into backbreaking industrial work and the origin story of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Though the song is more about the band than about factory life, it offers the hellish comparisons that would make anyone second-guess the return of manufacturing jobs that local Southern politicians always seem to be crowing about but will never do; they might understand the reality of it after all...) 4/5 18 - Shut Up and Get on the Plane (this one is very much a boogie rock track and jets by (pun fully intended.) This may be the latest in what is already a multitude of references to Lynyrd Skynyrd, this time referencing the plane crash that killed much of the original band. This one is a breath of fresh air after the mid-tempo fare that dominates this half of the album) 4/5 19 - Greenville to Baton Rouge (another stomping rock track and more or less continues the story of the Skynyrd plane crash - the flight was meant to be from Greenville to Baton Rouge and crashed partway through. This makes one of rock and roll's greatest tragedies into a tall tale, a fisherman's story of sorts. One of the most unique ways to cover this subject I've heard) 4/5 20 - Angels and Fuselage (from a near-silent opening reminiscent of a tumblewheed crossing the desert (a trope from the American southWEST, funny enough,) to a slowly accelerating beat and an eventual female voice backing the raspy, exhausted singer, all reminds me of a steam engine being built and then finally taking off at full speed. The slow, simmering guitars towards the end are a nice touch and remind me of the engine letting out one last roar before it finally comes to a stop and rests until the next Southern Rock Opera can awaken it. There was no better way to close this one) 5/5 OVERALL - 7.9/10

1 - Assessment (a spacious opener that sounds like a slowed-down version of U2's I Will Follow. This one shows a lot of promise from the get-go. Love how everything sounds so far apart and keeps expanding as the song goes on) 4.5/5 2 - Space (a grounded shuffle and some very sparse instrumentation for most of this. I guess if you're trying to communicate space, make everything extremely distant...? This one is a good follow-up to that bright and wide-eyed opener but there's a little bit too much openness in the instrumental breaks) 4/5 3 - Lion Thief (a folky, almost medieval sounding track, complete with close harmonies. A very foresty vibe on this one where the previous 2 tracks scream "outer space." A change like that does not feel out of place on this album for some reason) 4/5 4 - Easy (a lively and bouncy tune that reminds me of walking down the street with a little extra swagger. This song is SCREAMING to be mixed louder but everything is played at such a low volume it's like the band is trying not to wake anyone up) 4/5 5 - Wonderful (a more acoustic piece with some strange sounding harmonies offsetting the ordinary 60s-styled folk melody. This one meanders for a while and feels much longer than its 4 and 1/2 minutes would suggest. The climactic section at the end is nice but it's too little too late for me unfortunately) 3/5 6 - Troubles (atmospheric and a vocal performance very reminiscent of a 70s soft rock singer. The verses are intermittent and come after some extended instrumentals; odd to say as the song is only about 2 and 1/2 minutes in length, but it's concise and gets everything done) 4/5 7 - Out-Side (probably the rockiest track on this album so far, and the only song mixed to the level it should be - seriously, why is everything so hushed? There's an almost punk edge to this one, that is, until the glitches and electronics take precedence. A great opener to what I feel was the band's attempt at creating distinct halves in the CD era) 4/5 8 - Space Beatle (led by a single synth line and a zoned-out vocal performance, there's some occasional bursts of energy here and there, but it feels like they're trying a little too hard to make this song the piece of drifting psychedelia. It's a fine addition but that could use a little more movement to balance it out) 3/5 9 - Rhododendron (the instrumental interlude of this album, led by a couple of synth chords and a simple beat. It sounds like the intro to a song rather than a song itself, but I suppose that's sort of the point) 3/5 10 - Liquid Bird (this one is a quick burst after the 2 tracks drifted around. This is the most anthemic the band sounds on this album and conjures up images of Zoo TV-era U2. Elaborately produced and mixed as it should be -just a little too loud, this one is a definite highlight for how varied and interesting it is) 4/5 11 - Simple (this one is a slow and groovy piece that somehow doesn't slow the album's momentum even coming in after the banger that was Liquid Bird. It again sounds very much like something the Moody Blues would do. It's a pretty good addition to the latter half of this album in all honesty) 3.5/5 12 - Pure For (there's an interesting contrast between a droning electric piano and a plaintive harmonica. It's a little like Spiritualized before all the noise comes in; this album honestly does sound like a synthesis of all the band's favourite influences. This one functions fine as a closer and actually leaves the listener wanting more, which is the best thing any closer can do) 4/5 OVERALL - 7.5/10

1 - Tubular Bells - Pt. I (the first half of this album-long suite opens with that one theme everyone recognizes from Exorcist. Divorced from its context, it stills has an eerie and tense atmosphere, and only really transforms into a sense of wonder and amazement through the power of sheer repetition. I espeically appreciate the resolution that leads into the second part about 4 minutes in; it's subdued and yet so joyous. Following that is a vast array of differing instrumental sections each dominated by a new instrument, all played by Oldfield himself, of course. What shocked me is there's actually a voice that introduces each instrument towards the end! What an auspicious start to this album - and Oldfield's career altogether) 4.5/5 2 - Tubular Bells - Pt. II (the second half begins with a very serene, pastoral guitar and lightly plinked Hammond, which puts you much more at ease than the first half's opening. The whole section invokes rollings hills and flourishing greenery everywhere. 12 minutes in this very pretty symphonic piece actually becomes a prog rock song; yet another surprise in this album's deep bag of tricks. It relaxes again a few minutes later and the serene guitars and ambient organ serve as the seed that plant the new age music oak. While the slight jig of an outro is a sort of abrupt way to end this whole album, the journey there more than made up for it) 3.5/5 OVERALL - 8/10

1 - La femme d'argent (starts off with a relaxed aquatic beat, kind of like Can's Future Days. There's a very loungey feel throughout this song but it burst with energy 5 minutes in; well worth the wait for that whirring noise that dominates the loudest part. Very promising start!) 4/5 2 - Sexy Boy (more dancey and big beat than anything else. The singer sort of sounds somewhere between Shirley Manson and Bilinda Butcher on this, behind all the filters and layers added to her voice. This one just goes quiet-loud-quiet for its runtime; it's a fine song nonetheless) 4/5 3 - All I Need (sparse and airy, this features Beth Hirsch giving a smooth and refined performance. A little too soft and uneventful for me, there were hundreds of song like this out at the time and no amount of wobbly bass or wind sounds will set this one apart unfortunately) 3/5 4 - Kelly Watch and the Stars (some fanciful arpeggios followed by the bass from Backstreet Boys' Larger than Life. The repeated song title is buried under layers and layers of processing. This one does the same thing for most of its runtime barring some electronics whooping up and down across its runtime) 3/5 5 - Talisman (an instrumental piece that picks up 3 minutes in. There's a driving beat and some cool chords being played beforehand so the buildup is well warranted in my mind. Very happy the album decided to move on from the background wallpaper of the previous 2 tracks) 4/5 6 - Remember (I really like the clipped, glitchy snare hits on this song; it sticks out in a good way amongst all the romantic-sounding instrumentation. The vocoded lyrics beg the listener to remember something - anything - and I find everything really comes together on this one. One of the better songs on this album for sure) 4/5 7 - You Make It Easy (Beth Hirsch returns for this song and it's much more musically interesting than her previous feature. There's a real sense of movement here and a welcome change in instrumentation in that strange sounding keyboard that darts around this song) 3.5/5 8 - Ce matin-là (a soft alarm sound with some even softer piano chords. The trumpets are warm and inviting on this song as is the guitar; really the whole thing feels like returning to a safe place after being in an anxious mire. I give it all its points on that image alone) 3.5/5 9 - New Star in the Sky (the longest song barring the opener. It starts off pensive with that lonesome harmonica sounding guitar (?) A really unusual sound for an album so bright and wide-eyed. There's not too much else going on despite the song going for 5 and 1/2 minutes, though the chord resolutions that pop up here and there are quite satisfying) 3.5/5 10 - Le voyage de Pénèlope (another loungey trip hop song in the vein of something like Morcheeba. It's got those stuttering horn sounds which are a really welcome change from everything else being played so straight. Despite it being the closer I feel like I'm waiting for something to happen but it never quite happens. A fine way to end this album I suppose; I can see why it was so heavily recommended by YouTube, being adventurous and alternative while still being backgroundy enough that people could pay attention to the good parts and say it was great) 3.5/5 OVERALL - 7.2/10

1 - Soul and Fire (starting off right away with the Pavement-inspired mid-tempo and barren instrumentation that eventually makes way for a loud chorus; this is despite them being contemporaries with a lot of alt rock pioneers. The riff vaguely reminds me of Fast Car and perfectly captures the plaid jackets and cool autumn weather of the east coast) 4/5 2 - Two Years Two Days (more upbeat and "happier" sounding than the opener, there's still an underlying malaise about this whole song. It gets a little noisy too which is a nice surprise as I though this album would be played mostly as straight alt rock. A good follow-up to the opener all in all) 3.5/5 3 - Telescopic Alchemy (very harsh and guttural bass, mixed with a noisy guitar and gruff vocal performance. It's about 3 steps removed from being on Swans' Filth. Very surprised a song like this found itself here!) 3.5/5 4 - Fantastic Disaster (the guitars are still quite muddy on this, like it's coming down from the high of the previous track. The whole thing really feels like a music box that's winding down, especially that wonky harmonica. Lots of instruments are teetering out of tune here, and I'm wondering if this is the true core of this album...) 3.5/5 5 - Happily Divided (a very sparse interlude driven by acoustic guitar, almost like it regrets subjecting the listener to the noise of the previous 2 tracks...! This one works fine as an interlude and nothing more) 3/5 6 - Sister (very punk rock opening, with a return to the noise garage sound of tracks 3 and 4. This song is like covering a Fugazi song from memory. It's effective at waking you back up (not that the album really let you rest anyway)) 3.5/5 7 - Cliché (this one trucks along with a simple 2 note melody interrupted by harsher chords. The softer singing contrasts this as well, but it's still just a standard lo-fi alt rock song from this era) 3/5 8 - Sacred Attention (the catchiest a punk song has sounded on this album so far. It's downright anthemic in places and honestly could pass for an arena rock song if the production cleaned up a bit. I love how the guitars swell and essentially start whirring around this song. It sounds absolutely huge despite the lo-fi production) 4/5 9 - Elixir Is Zog (this song is honestly a jump scare. It sounds like a pretty boring one at first then in comes this deranged Dax Riggs-type screaming from the singer. Then the song just falls apart, like all the instruments ran out of batteries or something. Very unique) 4/5 10 - Emma Get Wild (an almost-instrumental interlude that really focuses on the interplay between band members. It's a quick garage rock romp and serves its purpose well) 3/5 11 - Sixteen (another all-too-brief track that doesn't do anything that different from the previous track. Why these 2 weren't combined into 1 track with 2 separate movements, I have no idea) 2.5/5 12 - Homemade (at 5 minutes this is the longest song on the album. This very much feels like their Fillmore Jive movement - giving the nascent indie rock movement its multi-part epic. The guitars positively buzz and have this very warm sound to them, again recalling the autumn months. There's a very wiry, introverted atmosphere throughout this song. Definitely one of the strongest tracks on the album and a very welcome addition after several brief and forgettable entries in the tracklist) 4/5 13 - Forced Love (has one of the catchier melodies among the average-length tracks here, which helps it stay memorable among the many other tracks on this album. It's also helped by the dynamics as things slow to a crawl in the second half of the song, showing the band still hasn't quite exhausted all their tricks) 3.5/5 14 - No Way Out (this one starts off as a punk rock tracks and ends with a distorted wax cylinder type recording of a saloon piano. I give it points for doing something different from the other quick songs on this, and it's definitely more adventurous than most of the other songs) 3/5 15 - Bouquet for a Siren (another song that could pass for a bubbling-under alt rock radio song if the production was cleaned up and the guitars didn't sound so barely in tune. This one is fine I guess; hard to know since so many of the songs on this do something similar) 3.5/5 16 - Think (Let Tomorrow Bee) (an acoustic ballad (?) delivered with a sense of restraint. There's finally a moment to breathe on this part of the album; the last slow interlude feels a world away at this point. It's really the barren sound of this that catches my attention, every other song on this sounds crammed and busy except for this one. It would have been a good way to close out the album, but I guess the band figured they didn't have enough 90-second thrashers on this) 3.5/5 17 - Flood (one last garage punk sprint to close out this album. This one feels emptier than the others though especially since the guitars are relatively hidden; this one sounds like an angry guy on the corner yelling at nothing. Not sure why this had to be the last song when it could have switched spots with Think) 2.5/5 OVERALL - 6.7/10

1 - Seven Nation Army (this is the one we all know, but it's still a top tier track. The whole thing is justified when those guitars come in for the first time and really prove Jack White was essentially the last true guitar hero. Nothing else to say about this considering I and everyone else have heard this one a million times before) 4.5/5 2 - Black Math (a very raw riff for such a polished album. It's downright crushing in places and I was NOT expecting something so utterly wired and unhinged on this album!) 4/5 3 - There's No Home for You Here (this one sounds like a Beatles song they're playing way too loud. I actually really like the shuffle and the rhythm that makes the song rock back and forth, along with those dynamics. Maybe one of the most unique and innovative takes on blues rock in the last quarter century) 4.5/5 4 - I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself (a classic dad rock type of song title and structure. Not too much else to say about this one considering its brevity but it's strikingly old-fashioned in its structure but very modern in its sound, and Jack White gives one of his best vocal performances on this one) 4/5 5 - In the Cold, Cold Night (almost completely barren and almost interlude-like in its quality. This one is sung by Meg White and her voice is calm enough but there's something very off-putting, like something terrible is always about to happen. It captures that old-time folk tune atmosphere well) 4.5/5 6 - I Want to Be the Boy... (a soulful start with the energetic pianos and 70s blues rock inspired sounds overall. Jack White sounds so much like another singer from that era but I can't exactly put my finger on who...! This one comes and goes before it really gets going, unfortunately) 3.5/5 7 - You've Got Her in Your Pocket (entirely acoustically driven, this is definitely the sad times ballad of the album - a staple of virtually all the classic albums this one is aping. I really wish it was spaced farther apart from the previous slow songs because it makes the entire middle section drag) 3.5/5 8 - Ball and Biscuit (this one gets the hill country blues going right away, I just love how the guitars buzz like they're made entirely of batteries. The punk blues blast wakes you up immediately and really ratchets up the power-generator feel of this whole piece. The ultra-repetitive grooving stomp of this song doesn't at all outstay its 7-minute runtime; this one really does go above and beyond and perhaps synthesizes everything the band was trying to do. One of this album's highest points) 4.5/5 9 - The Hardest Button to Button (there were a couple of songs around in this era with the same sort of fuzzy bass intro. Despite its status as one of the band's better known songs, there isn't much that makes this song stand out among the best and is a definite step down from the all out blitz that was Ball and Biscuit. This one is completely serviceable, nothing else or more) 3.5/5 10 - Little Acorns (quite the jarring start to have an educational spoken word intro on this one. I really thought all of the songs would be played totally straight, but I've been proven wrong more than once for this album. The riffing on this one is downright stoner metal but it drops the tempo rather suddenly here and there. An interesting song but goes in circles at some point for me) 3.5/5 11 - Hypnotize (the shortest track on this album and this one is a straight up rockabilly track; I find the White Stripes do this kind of thing the best, forcibly pulling those old styles into the 21st century. This one is also a highlight late into the album's runtime. This one doesn't waste a second) 4/5 12 - The Air Near My Fingers (a midtempo rocker to bring us back to a more reasonable speed. This one is kind of slick sounding, like some sort of detective or PI singing it to himself. It's just different enough rhythm wise to stand out on this album) 4/5 13 - Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine (another hooting and hollering track, how I wish the album had more of these...! Jack White sounds the most engaged he has in a while on this song and actually shows a different side of his voice, which has usually been secondary to his incredible guitar playing. Few songs will ever do so much with so little, which is something you can say about this album and band as a whole) 4/5 14 - It's True That We Love One Another (the final track is actually sung by both. It's actually an ironic song as its lovey-dovey subject matter is immediately shot down by its passive-aggressive lyricism about the things they give away to each other and the other person's peculiarities that irritate them. Its so obvious and in your face it becomes funny at some point. Another old-timey country tune dressed up for the 21st century and a very fun way to close out this wild album) 4/5 OVERALL - 8/10

1 - World in My Eyes (the crystalline, echoey synths that ring throughout this song bring to mind this darkly gothic city landscape. Gahan's performance is commanding as always and really sells how over the top this whole thing really is. Love how this one builds so seamlessly and how the lower synth chords ring out in the "that's all there is" bits. Excellent opener, easily the best of their career) 5/5 2 - Sweetest Perfection (very gothic and very dark for this era of Depeche Mode. In hindsight, this song was a preview of what would come later in the decade for this band. Dated synths aside, this song is practically ageless; impressive for a band so bent on using contemporary tech, which has a tendency to age...differently) 4/5 3 - Personal Jesus (one of the highest watermarks of their career and a pillar of their catalogue. Depeche Mode was never quite so biting lyrically as they are on this one, and the earthen, blues rock stomp really compliments the cavernous production on Gahan's voice. A perfect blend of electronics and grounded rock with a sneering righteous message to boot) 5/5 4 - Halo (this song is pretty well carried by Gahan's performance cutting through all the synths swirling around him. There's a great variety of them here and they begin circling Gahan; this song gets quite a few points for conjuring that image for me) 4/5 5 - Waiting for the Night (the sparsest and most morose song on this album. There's hardly any movement musically but the atmosphere is palpable. It's a very tense affair that reminds me of a comedown and all the horrid feelings that fill the body. There's a lot of odd key changes here and there (maybe Depeche Mode was synth jazz all along...?) Very subdued but very poignant way to end the album, as every party has the day after; honestly, some sections, especially the looped voices near the end and the beeping "beat" could fit on a Coil song and go unrecognized) 4.5/5 6 - Enjoy the Silence (we're back at it with another absolute pillar of the synthpop canon. Lots of fascinating modulations that really underlines Martin Gore's incredible songwriting; there's like 5 key changes in the verse and chorus, and that's before you get into the instant earworm that it is. The album version ends with a slightly sinister ambient section but it takes absolutely nothing away from this banger. Incredible song all around and rightfully considered among their best; this is the last gasp of the 80s as the world entered the 90s) 5/5 7 - Policy of Truth (I've always found this one to be sadly overlooked. It exists in a weird middle ground where it's too rock to be a proper synthpop song but it's also too synth heavy to be a serious rock song. I maintain that it has one of the catchiest hooks on this album and should really be considered among their top songs. Even the hilariously dated horn synths fit perfectly on this! I just love how so many of the songs here introduce elements, take them out and bring them back, and there's about 5 unique sounds in every song on this thing) 5/5 8 - Blue Dress (very dream pop sounding, if only there was more reverb on everything. It slowly swings about like it's being played in a ballroom. I think of this as one of Gahan's more unique performances as he really has this catlike elegance on this song. It doesn't appear very often in their catalogue, so it's a welcome addition to this album. The final minute offers a sort of resolution to this whole song despite the rickety noises that slowly fade out, bringing an end to the oddly tense but very elegant dance) 4/5 9 - Clean (the creeping sounds of the previous track transition into this one, which is another favourite production trick of mine. The bassline and synths ape One of These Days by Pink Floyd though they change keys before giving way to another swinging ballroom rhythm. Gahan gives an impassioned performance here, blaming only himself for his well-publicized issues. The whistling notes that come to dominate the high end of this song is one of my favourite sounds in the entire Depeche Mode catalogue. No better way to close this all-timer of an album than this song) 4.5/5 OVERALL - 9.1/10

1 - Dig Me Out (there's a lot going on in this song right from the get-go. The singer is both in and out of key constantly which really brings to mind Kim Gordon if she ever took up pop singing. It gets downright noisy and raucous in certain places. This is certainly the title track if there ever was one) 3.5/5 2 - One More Hour (the guitars on this one sound like they're fighting each other, with one trying to play the main riff and the other constantly jumping around and improvising on top of it. The 2 singers on this song do much of the same thing, making this song feel unusually hostile despite it being relaxed otherwise) 4/5 3 - Turn It On (this one is the most conventional alt-rock song so far, with an actual verse-chorus structure. I find that this album so far has brute forced its way through most of its flaws, such as the singers' performances, which teeter in and out of tonality) 4/5 4 - The Drama You've Been Craving (a thumping beat and crunchy riff bring a very Sonic Youth sort of mood to this one. However, instead of noodling about for 3 minutes after the initial hook, this song comes in, gets its work in, and leaves in 2 minutes. Beautifully concise and a big boost of energy for this already raw and barebones album) 4/5 5 - Heart Factory (this one has my favourite riff I've heard so far. It's very Fugazi-inspired and its extended length compared to the previous songs lend an intensity that I feel isn't fully developed on the tracks that came before this one. To me, this one is definitely a high point of this album) 4.5/5 6 - Words and Guitar (this is the first time I can say the singer's performance is actually grating. It's possible that it was the intention here, but it makes this one harder to get through than most other songs here. It helps that this song is rather short and that there's more relaxed post-chorus sections that lighten the strain on the ears) 3/5 7 - It's Enough (a brisk run of a song with a fiery shouted performance. Unlike the previous one, this fits the instrumentation almost perfectly, which makes it a genuinely fun song) 4/5 8 - Little Babies (another instance of the album having an almost-conventional alt rock song with a perfectly prepared verse and chorus. This one is also very succinct in its messaging and doesn't overstay its welcome whatsoever. It also doesn't do anything new so it works perfectly fine) 3.5/5 9 - Now What You Want (this rough-and-tumble track is - dare I say it - a banger, if there really is one on this album. It's the first song that's actually got me bouncing and tapping my foot, so I consider it among the songs that does its intended job the best. I feel this album would be elevated if the performances were more "organized" as they are on songs like these and the others I've rated higher) 4.5/5 10 - Buy Her Candy (oddly sparse for a track on THIS album, there's an eerily serene, droning quality to this one. I swear this could pass for a long-lost Velvet Underground track. I was not expecting something so barren and nervous on this album that just seemed like full-blown blasts of punk noise on the surface) 4/5 11 - Things You Say (this song's main riff is delightfully pissed off and actually kind of sinister. The resolution on the chorus just scratches that itch for me; very solid track to include so late in the album. This is yet another almost-there-but-not-quite grunge anthem, and all of those songs have worked wonders for this album's quality) 4/5 12 - Dance Song '97 (despite the same punk guitars as the rest of the album, the singer is oddly "restrained" on this one; the lightning-fast vibrato is there but it's less prominent on there, and her verses are actually soft and pleasant to listen to, which is certainly not an adjective you can use for most of her deliberately harsh performances. There's actually a smoother interlude here with some chimes and synths, so I guess this one really is trying to be dancey after all...!) 4/5 13 - Jenny (the longest song on the album kicks off with this massive, grinding riff. This has the spaciest production of all the songs on this and it fits the impending sense of dread and finality that accompany this song. A fitting end to this album as it's oddly more measured and poignant than much of the gone-in-a-flash style of songs on this album) 4.5/5 OVERALL - 7.8/10

1 - I'd Like to Know (raucous and punky in its opening and it even includes a keyboard! This opener reminds me very much of a Cardiacs song. It thrashes around and hits the listener over the head with its absolute maximalist sound. Promising enough as an opener) 4/5 2 - Caught by the Fuzz (driven by an intense bassline, this one thrashes around for about 2 minutes and some. It reminds me of trashing a room just to feel something. Very old-school punk in its aesthetic and attitude) 3.5/5 3 - Mansize Rooster (apparently one of their better known songs; I personally know nothing of this band. Lyrics are somewhat absurd and don't really have much to do with one another. This one is alright I guess) 3.5/5 4 - Alright (easily this band's best known song and for good reason. This is the softest and poppiest track so far - granted, we're only 4 tracks in. It fits right in with the poppy alt rock of its era and actually works very well by using its sardonic lyrics and upbeat instrumentation. A song for a day at the beach) 4/5 5 - Lose It (there's a weird whistle note screech at the start followed by a burning hot riff that underpins everything. This one feels 60s inspired, a callback to the garage rock era that paved the way for punk a decade later. I actually like this one quite a bit for that vintage quality and the massive stonery guitar) 4/5 6 - Lenny (the super repetitive intro makes you feel like the tape skipped, but the old-school hard rock riff comes in and gets you bouncing soon after that. This one is very surf-rock and again takes its cues from its predecessors; this is definitely an album that wears its influences on its sleeves) 3.5/5 7 - Strange Ones (for some reason I can't stop imaging Peter Garrett singing this song. I guess with how "ordinary" it is compared to the previous fare, Midnight Oil would do something like this as a deep cut. That aside it's actually quite good as a mid-tempo crushing middle section comes in before the more upbeat choruses. The solos are an added bonus for this one. All in all a good song to mark the halfway point of this album) 3.5/5 8 - Sitting Up Straight (rapid fire lyrics over a thrashing beat recall Cardiacs once again. No British band has ever sounded quite so Australian as they do on this track. The chorus is an alt rock delight and honestly could have gotten radio play. Brief and succinct, it uses up its every second very effectively) 4/5 9 - She's So Loose (we get some almost jazzy strummed chords on this one(?) The vocal performance is also much cleaner than on previous tracks, which is a welcome change for an album that's been rather straightforward so far. Like some others, this song alternates between a slower breakdown before returning to the fast pace of its verse-chorus structure. This one is probably the high point of the album for me) 4.5/5 10 - We're Not Supposed To (more strummed guitar as a sort of flamenco tribute. The voices are oddly pitched up and vaguely remind me of some 60s mod music (think debut era Bowie, or something like Herman's Hermits...) This utterly bizarre piece makes me think of a hotel in a tropical resort where some crazy shit is happening in everyone's view but the hotel staff try desperately to distract everyone from it, whatever it might be. Points for that hilarious visual) 4/5 11 - Time (an honest-to-God blues rocker on this otherwise very punk song? I really like how this album has such distinct halves. The second half is where this band's talents really get to shine, such an eclectic mix of sounds on this half and proof they could do more than punk thrashers, which is how this album is probably remembered) 4.5/5 12 - Sofa of My Lethargy (I'm not entirely sure how to gauge this one. It has the psychedelic feeling and appropriate lyrics, yet it also develops into a piano rock anthem 90 seconds in before simmering back down again. It continues as a largely instrumental jam from that point on, so this is their kitchen-sink song I suppose. It would actually work very well as a closer, though there's a song following it, and I do like the interplay between the organ and piano towards the end. An intriguing track) 4/5 13 - Time to Go (feather light and acoustic, this is the comedown song and the succinct outro this wild half of the album sorely needs. It ties up the general album well too. I'm impressed by the quality throughout this record, even on the less memorable songs) 3.5/5 OVERALL - 7.7/10

1 - Faron Young (country blues romping opens this album immediately. The spacy distant voice offers a sharp contrast, and the oblique lyrics really add to the mismatched perfect match vibe of this rather unique opener. The buzzing noise that comes in during the instrumental just scratches a certain itch for me; a really big fan of this song) 4.5/5 2 - Bonny (a simple beat and jangly guitar keep this one light and airy. The verses are actual pop perfection; a shame this is such an overlooked record. Not too much else to say except the synths and piano they add only elevate this song even further) 4.5/5 3 - Appetite (this one is more plain than the other but not at all less effective. There's a crazed saxophone type sound in the background playing weird arpeggios all over the very 80s chorus, which is a very nice detail for astute listeners. The slightest of steps down from the previous tracks but this album is off to a very strong start) 4/5 4 - When Love Breaks Down (more of those classic dated 80s synths. This song is like 2 steps removed from Blue Nile or someone like that. This is the safest pop song on the album and - for good reason - it's one of the more recognizable pieces from this band. It stands out among the thousands of other similar synth heavy songs common to this era by its conviction) 4/5 5 - Goodbye Lucille #1 (more forlorn and subdued than the bright and extroverted 4 predecessors. This one is a moody, reflective piece that does well to slow the album down a bit. It's a little long getting to the epic guitar solo at the end but it's worth it) 4/5 6 - Hallelujah (a swooning performance from the singer on this one; it differs from the more overt, impassioned performances of the earlier songs. This one is nice and smooth and instills this dreamy night time mood; this song is perfect to play on a well-lit walk down a night time city street) 4/5 7 - Moving the River (some more sardonic lyrics for the return to a more vibrant sound. It's still a little more restrained than the first half though. The horns and chorus vocal makes this into a city pop track. It stands out as one of the more memorable tracks from this half for that reason. A welcome later addition to this album) 4.5/5 8 - Horsin' Around (minimal drumming and brief staccato interjections from the keys lend a bossa nova quality to this track (another bit of evidence for the sheer eclectic beauty of this album.) We're immediately thrown off 2 minutes in when the jazz horns come in, with essentially no prior warning. This one is paced perfectly and is almost good enough to measure up to the best songs on this album) 4/5 9 - Desire As (downright smooth jazz instrumentation with some more forlorn vocal performances; another almost-Blue Nile track on this album. This one sounds like a lot of the later Steely Dan releases and is as immaculately produced as they are. Everything is given room to breathe, both on this individual song and on the album as a whole; it doesn't at all feel mid-80s save for the dated synths) 4/5 10 - Blueberry Pies (the shortest track on this album but it still finds a way to build tension despite an instrumental that stays virtually unchanged. This is a fine interlude-style song that offers some breathing room, though the number of smooth songs on this half makes me think it could have benefited from a little more spacing) 3.5/5 11 - When the Angels (this song certainly doesn't betray its title, what with the pipe organ intro and feathery light vocal performance. Sounds like an XTC song from the same era. It moves into a more mid-tempo groove in the middle section. It's an excellent closer that ends the album on an uplifting and relieving note; exactly what ambitious, thought-out pop like this is capable of doing) 4/5 OVERALL - 8.2/10 OVERALL - 7.7/10

1 - Mama Said (instant throwback with the contemporary doo-wop sound. Springfield herself gives a great and soulful performance. Not too much else to say about this besides it being a fine opener and an excellent piece of doo-wop) 4/5 2 - You Don't Own Me (much moodier than the previous opener with some swanky piano backing it. This is almost film noir with how soulful and torch song-like the whole thing sounds, especially in Springfield's performance. Needless to say this is the high point of the album even if it comes very early on. Extra points for the final coda ascending in key) 4.5/5 3 - Do Re Mi (much more standard as an R&B track. There were many, many songs like this one released during this era, and this one isn't particularly exceptional barring Springfield's always intriguing vocal performance) 3/5 4 - When the Love Starts Shining Thru His Eyes (bouncy and upbeat right from the start, this one reminds me of a late-night dance at some upscale nightclub - very common as an image for these singers in this era. This has the early Motown sound; figures as it was originally recorded by the Supremes. Another strong performance on this album) 4/5 5 - My Colouring Book (dreamlike and sort of Disney-sounding in the intro. Relaxed and elegant, this one would play as the night is slowing down. Springfield's spirited performance aside, the low and slow moments are kind of Scott Walker to my ears) 4/5 6 - Mockingbird (the first half closes with another classic R&B song. Springfield sings these challenging leads to convincingly it's hard to argue against her positioning as one of the greatest singers of her era. For someone whose image has been "cleaned up" to make her seem like a simple balladeer, Springfield made a lot of daring choices, which you can hear on songs like these) 3.5/5 7 - Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa (bluesier than anything we've heard so far, this is a fun enough romp with some genuine storytelling and a very pretty string section to compliment it. There isn't too much to say besides that this song, and the rest of the album is hard carried by Springfield, who soars head and shoulders over the material; a certain sign of her success to come) 3.5/5 8 - Nothing (despite this being another R&B song, Springfield's performance here is blues and gospel-influenced more than anything; this one is probably the most American song I've heard on this rather British album so far. This one genuinely goes hard and is the most toe-tapping track on this whole thing if you ask me) 4/5 9 - Anyone Who Had a Heart (another smoky ballad with some wonderful subtle strummed guitar and gently plinking piano to build an atmosphere(!) Quite a change from the straight-ahead fare of the rest of this album. The ascending key changes is just icing on the cake and pays off the buildup of the first half very effectively) 4/5 10 - Will You Love Me Tomorrow (more bombastic and - dare I say - theatrical than any other song on here. It's delightfully pleasant and very full. The only thing that really gives away this song's age is the backing vocal and the sort of dry production. This one was an instant favourite for me and another very obvious high point of the album) 4.5/5 11 - Wishin' and Hopin' (this one is slightly more subdued and Springfield has rather minimal backing for the first 90 seconds or so on this album; oddly enough, it's the most percussion-heavy song here. It's honestly a rather unusual song structurally despite the conventional verse-chorus framing) 3.5/5 12 - Don't You Know (the final song on the album is the most bombastic of them all, sounding like the real deal grand finale of this nightclub performance of an album. The main thing that sells this song for me is those horns slinging around and Springfield pushing the highs on her voice all throughout the instrumental break. This one really sounds like it was a hoot to record!) 4.5/5 OVERALL - 7.8/10

1 - Imagine (at least we're getting this one out of the way immediately. Much has been made of this song' apparently hypocritical messages - Lennon himself had loads of possessions, renting out entire apartments in the Dakota for his coats, for instance. While the message itself is a genuine wish for peace and benevolence, it kind of comes off as a naive challenge to the militant consumerism that had taken hold over Western society long before this song; essentially, I find it tackles only a surface-level understanding of the problems rather than addressing the root cause of the rot. Instrumentally, it's a moody and most reflective piece and kind of serves as a spiritual successor to the Let It Be-era recordings) 3.5/5 2 - Crippled Inside (one part music hall, one part old-time country, this song is a welcome change from the brooding activism of the opener. It's so light hearted and cutesy it actually puts a smile on my face! Not a bad song at all and it's got an interesting blend of genres to boot) 4/5 3 - Jealous Guy (feather light piano and strings introduce us to this heartfelt love ballad. This one is about a breakup, naturally, where the protagonist is overly protective and ends up hurting his partner unintentionally. It's fine enough if a little sappy, and doesn't feel out of place on this album. Lennon's voice just doesn't quite reach those emotional highs to fully sell it for me) 3.5/5 4 - It's So Hard (stomping blues and a gruff performance from Lennon makes it known who his true influences were. The lighter shades of his voice on the verses make it slightly sentimental rather than the macho posturing so much of this type of blues can be. A song that clearly wears its influences on its sleeve but it actually works in this song's favour. The slinging violins towards the end are a very welcome addition and add so much flavour with their appearance) 4/5 5 - I Don't Want to Be a Soldier Mama (cavernous production that sounds way ahead of its time. The lonesome sliding guitar songs like it's coming out of the cave behind the studio, and Lennon's phased-out voice lends a psychedelic unease to this whole song. The rhythm sections simply grooves along before erupting into the occasional horn-laden solo. Lennon was DEFINITELY taking cues from Yoko's long form blues jams; she herself would do one for her Fly album that came out that same year. So far this is my favourite song on this album) 4.5/5 6 - Gimme Some Truth (this song, with its instruments and recordings, sounds like it itself wants the truth and is only using Lennon to voice this wish. The guitars sound so determined and are anchored well by the thumping beat. It honestly sounds like something Gabriel-era Genesis would do to end off one of their epics (it brings to mind the end of Firth of Fifth to me for some reason...)) 3.5/5 7 - Oh My Love (a morose piano ballad accompanied only by Lennon himself and some chimes and maybe a couple of guitar notes. It genuinely feels like sadness had wrapped 100-pound weights around every instrument and even on Lennon's voice itself. A fine interlude that gets its message across in less than 3 minutes without meandering) 3.5/5 8 - How Do You Sleep (this, I imagine, is the other wonky psychedelic piece on this album. It's replete with strings, fiery guitars and a gradual build across its 5 and 1/2 minute runtime. Not a note is wasted on this, and this is easily one of my favourites on this alongside I Don't Wanna Be...) 4/5 9 - How? (yet another piano ballad with a little more energy than the previous one. Lennon questions who he can be if he cannot himself determine who he is, love being the framing device here. This one is fine too I guess but this one came too soon after the last ballad. I have a theory that this was in contention with the title track to see which would stick with listeners. There was already a song like this on this album, so Imagine won that contest) 3/5 10 - Oh Yoko! (lots of punctuation in these song titles. This one has a bouncy pop sound for the first time since that 2nd track. Lennon sings about everyone' favourite Beatle, Yoko Ono, on this one. It's easy to forget that he fell in love with her for her evocative minimalist art, and that Ono herself was a well-respected artist years before she was ever associated with the Beatles. The harmonies on the chorus and post-chorus are either delivered in Lennon's falsetto; is it meant to sounds like Ono herself? Extra points for that blistering harmonica solo, was not expecting such a last minute addition to be the major highlight of this song. All in all a great way to end this one off) 4/5 OVERALL - 7.5/10

1 - Dangerous (some pretty off-kilter sounding chords and beats welcome us into this album. This one is a very groovy and moody track that offers an immediately captivating entrance into this album. An excellent opener by all metrics) 4.5/5 2 - Say Something Loving (some atmospheric chords and ambient washes to start this one. It has a similar shuffling beat to the opener but it's made more emotionally poignant by the heartfelt albeit imperfect vocal performance from both singers. There's something distinctly human about this one which I feel adds to the weight of this album) 4/5 3 - Lips (this one's beat veers close to the Latin and reggaeton beats that had overtaken mainstream pop at the time. This song uses the beat to help the song float along calmly, and the wiry noise squelches briefly wake us up. I must say this album is full of fun little details all bolstered by the strong production) 4/5 4 - A Violent Noise (sort of aimlessly drifts for the first half before a downbeat EDM instrumental gives the song some much-needed momentum. The singer sounds like he's reflecting on his life choices during a DJ set, having abandoned his turntables for this existential moment. Oddly evocative as an image, and the sound of the song itself is rather immersive if a little restrained) 4/5 5 - Performance (ending the first half is a forlorn ballad with the female singer giving a detached but still emotional solo performance. She kind of reminds me of FKA Twigs on this one for some reason. Instrumentally this song is a little too ambient for me and lurching violin stabs aside, there isn't too much to make this memorable) 3.5/5 6 - Replica (the bass thumps throughout this track and this whole song is rather downcast. There's some very pretty 80s inspired synths that offer brief moments of light, like moonbeams through dark windows. A good enough song to start the second half) 4/5 7 - Brave for You (somewhat aquatic in its sound, this is another downbeat ballad from the female singer about putting on a show and being someone she isn't for her partner. It would stand out a lot more if there wasn't another similar ballad 2 tracks ago, but the instrumentation is much more vivid on this one) 3.5/5 8 - On Hold (there's a nice buildup on this one until the first sort of restrained "drop." The whole thing sounds like a Bizarro World Calvin Harris song, which neither improves nor detracts from my perception of this song. I can see why it became a bigger hit than the rest of the album considering it came out at the prime moment for songs like this) 3.5/5 9 - I Dare You (carried by its synths and distant post-punk styled guitars. The song drifts from minimalism to a fuller, echoey sound. This one could have been a low-key single all things considered. Here it works just fine as a mid-tempo track late into the album's runtime, with the production really bringing everything to life) 4/5 10 - Test Me (a sparse, scornful closer about undue anger and a sincere wish for a partner to have become a different, better person. This song takes 2 minutes to build into this trippy, wild instrumental full of voices flinging out of everywhere. It's a memorable effect that neatly wraps up this very consistent album) 4/5 OVERALL - 7.8/10

1 - I Wanna Be Adored (this is the iconic song "everyone" knows. Not hard to see why. It's a perfect bridge between the moody atmospheric post-punk that influenced the development of the Madchester scene, and the dancey, good vibes Madchester scene itself. Ian Brown gives probably the best performance of his career on this song too as, despite not being the best of singers, sells every word of this) 4.5/5 2 - She Bangs the Drums (so upbeat and joyous you can't help but get up and move around. The huge vibrant bass brings everything together. It speeds up a little halfway in and that just gives the album all the momentum it needs to convince us of itself; confident and self-assured, this album has a great opening 1-2 punch) 4.5/5 3 - Waterfall (the driving, jangly guitar is the main highlight for me. The shuffling beat also makes it feel like a big trip to the great unknown, like it's a grand adventure of discovery. I'm impressed at how simple and repetitive these songs mostly are but that they don't at all feel their lengths. The psychedelic break in the second half sells this song completely for me) 4.5/5 4 - Don't Stop (the biggest and most anthemic guitar riff that transforms into a bizarre effects-laden wash of noise. There's a wonderfully bright and wide-eyed performance by Brown that pops up after 2 minutes of an utterly bizarre and kind of blissful intro. The effects never truly go away, so this is easily among the most psychedelic songs to appear in an era where psychedelia had all but faded into obscurity. Yet ANOTHER home run from this album) 4.5/5 5 - Bye Bye Bad Man (this one is among the most conventional jangly pop songs of its era. I guess this album had to slow down at some point lest the whole train be derailed... It's a fine enough song to follow up those first 4, and honestly I don't think anything really could; in a word, this one's alright) 3.5/5 6 - Elizabeth My Dear (a 50-second interlude that sounds like it should have been on an early 60s folk album and got accidentally mixed in with the rest of the neo-psychedelic jangle pop of this record. Its' actually quite memorable by interlude standards) 4/5 7 - (Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister (we're back to the impassioned jangle pop that marked the opener and 3rd tracks. Brown sounds convincing here as well. To my ears, this is a small piece of pop perfection. It fits perfectly into the rest of this despite the relative absence of wild details that impressed me so much in the first 4 songs) 4/5 8 - Made of Stone (this is the closest to a post-punk song this album has reached. It's much moodier and frankly, more serious than most of the other songs here (on the verses, anyway, and only really on a "sounds like" level.) The chorus is a little too bright for my ears, with the guitars being so flashed out they drown out Brown's hard to hear lyrics. The guitar makes up for it though; another solid addition) 3.5/5 9 - Shoot You Down (I was quite surprised by how low key it all is. It's so subdued it's like the band themselves are taking a smoke break before going back to the huge ringing sound that defined the album - and the whole scene altogether. Just when you think it's about to build to something, it goes back to a low-key jam. It's solid but a little uneventful) 3.5/5 10 - This Is the One (this one has a similar build to Don't Stop with its psychedelia phasing in and out throughout the intro. The jangly section works perfectly and it's honestly so uplifting after the previous track slowed things down. The song itself sounds overjoyed to be able to play even if it comes rather late in the runtime. Yet another excellent track) 4/5 11 - I Am the Resurrection (the greatest trickster on the entire album. It sounds like a plain, conventional, 60s inspired jangle pop song for the first bit but the song's true nature sneaks up on you when that's all done. It goes from a vaguely funk inspired jam to building huge walls of guitar noise to having those same instruments solo over a more atmospheric backing, all within 5 minutes! What an epic way to close out this thing, and what a way to listen to what is doubtlessly one of the best debuts) 5/5 OVERALL - 8.3/10

1 - The Cisco Kid (a languid and tropical groove opens this album. There's a tense atmosphere throughout this though even if the lyrics don't say too much of substance. It's a wonderful foot tapping groove nonetheless and a promising opener) 4/5 2 - Where Was You At (following the sort of disconcerting opener, this song is more relaxed and conventional by this album's standards. It's got the classic call-and-response hook mixed with the sparse backing of a bass, electric piano and a wonderfully airy harmonica. It lends a very optimistic feel to this song and actually made me smile a little...! They key change at the end is a welcome surprise) 3.5/5 3 - City, Country, City (I was not expecting a 13-minute epic on this song, but I should have figured as much after seeing a 40 minute runtime with only 6 songs. Early on, it's led by a harmonica that later "transforms" into a saxophone that leads an almost tribal jam. It continues like this for just a little (a lot) while longer with each instrument getting its time to shine, especially that Hammond. This one is very jazzy by comparison to the early funk songs that preceded it. Based on its title, I can believe this song works in a 3 act structure, with it returning to its calm ambient opening for the final coda. Quite progressive by all standards) 3.5/5 4 - Four Cornered Room (there's quite a bit of unusual wobbly percussion to start this quiet, ambient piece. It picks up when a multi-layered vocal comes in to add some energy, but it still retains its meditative, psychedelic sound throughout its 8 minutes. This feels like a psychedelic soul answer to Black Sabbath's Planet Caravan; I ended up liking this one more than I believed I would when it started up) 4/5 5 - The World Is a Ghetto (this one is another 10-minute jam. I really like how the singer(s?) really shine front and center on this song; the harmonies and group sections make this song feel like a living, breathing embodiment of its concept. There's a lot of breathing room in general on this song, perhaps to make the listener take in the somewhat unusual metaphor. The brightest moment of this is the psychedelic guitar that accompanies the screeching final coda, preceded of course by an elegant yet still untamed saxophone. The high point of this album to my ears) 4.5/5 6 - Beetles in the Bog ("when the sun goes down" is indeed one of the best opening lyrics to an obvious closer I've heard. This one sees the entire band combine every strong element of the album into a single, succinct track. It grooves hard, pays homage to its roots in blues and earlier traditional genres, and even has appearances by the contemporary instrumentation. There's really no better way to close this album out) 4/5 OVERALL - 7.8/10

1 - Sunday Bloody Sunday (the driving beat captures your attention immediately. Now at this time Bono was still relatively shy and trying to find his voice, as demonstrated on the 2 albums before this. The huge refrain of "tonight" and the chorus itself demonstrate the Bono we know (and...have opinions about) has well and truly arrived. An incredibly atmospheric opener that shows a young band at the peak of their powers to that point; everything is in the right place here) 5/5 2 - Seconds (a solid followup to that colossus of an opener. I quite like the contrast between the low-key verses and the serene springtime wind of a chorus. This one really feels like it was captured at a real protest with how simplistic the structure is, as well as the crowd noise sampled here and there) 4.5/5 3 - New Year's Day (40+ years later, this song's message rings true; nothing has fundamentally changed since this song was new, and despite vows to make the difficult choices and changes, nothing ever changes come New Year's Day. The addition of a piano is a nice, subtle touch, and Bono's performance on this song is among the best of his career. Edge gets a bonus for giving us a blazing solo, something that became incredibly rare once U2 became superstars. Another titan of a song in their catalogue and probably the high point of the album) 5/5 4 - Like a Song... (now this one sounds more like something from its era, where the previous 3 all have a more or less timeless quality to them. Maybe it's the loudness of the drums on this one that expose how dry and sort of barebones the production truly is on this album (probably to enhance the DIY punk feeling of the songwriting.) The breakdowns with nothing but the pounding toms and snare to accompany Bono on the post-chorus is shockingly intense for U2's standards; this truly was a righteous, furious band desperately making their presence known) 4/5 5 - Drowning Man (accompanied by only a plaintive sliding string instrument and Edge's acoustic backing. Bono emotes all over the place and it becomes a little overbearing in places. I suppose this is a good "intermission" type of song, and Bono does show some of the best dynamics of his early career. Maybe one of the only songs they didn't knock out of the park on this album...) 3.5/5 6 - The Refugee (the shout-along intro hides the very pretty ambient chorus; honestly, the boneheaded verse kind of detracts from that part of the song, though I understand what they were going for. It at least softens up towards the end; this was probably envisioned as an arena chant-along) 3.5/5 7 - Two Hearts Beat As One (the best bassline on this album for how mobile it is and how it lets the lead take a step back. Bono gives another all-timer of a performance though the lyrics aren't quite up to par with their delivery. The "beat on black" interjection is hilariously dated to my ears but it's so brief it doesn't take much away from the song) 4/5 8 - Red Light (Bono's performance on this one is a lot more colourful than the rest of the otherwise very serious monochrome his voice has given for the rest of the album. This one almost predicts 90s Bono with how much character Bono shows. However, the artificial sounding horn on this one detracts from it ,and the song itself just goes in circles for most of its runtime; this one is fine I guess) 3.5/5 9 - Surrender (among the more ambitious songs here, this one probably does the most things right. It's calmer and more measured than the ardent protest songs of the first half, but I feel the controlled fire makes it just as effective of a statement as any other political screed. This song does something interesting where the verses are louder than the chorus. Some more instrumental breaks and a chant-along section round this late-game highlight out. A perfect addition to the album that doesn't feel like its runtime at all) 4.5/5 10 - "40" (Edge and Clayton swap instruments for this kind of new-agey outro track. It's based on the 40th Psalm and its hook actually works wonders as a surprise earworm - no shock that they would use it to transition and introduce songs in live settings. It's brooding and gives the impression of staring off at the sea at sunset and brings the album to a fitting conclusion; nothing changes unless something changes, we just don't know when this song will end and a new one will begin) 4/5 OVERALL - 8.3/10

1 - Lost at Birth (wonderfully ahead of its time is the landing-plane beat that opens this album. The aggressive phrasing and delivery really stress the urgency of Public Enemy's messaging here and despite how uneasy and irritatingly repetitive the beat is, it never wears out. Definitely the best opening to a Public Enemy album I've heard (I've only heard this one and It Takes a Nation's...) 4.5/5 2 - Rebirth (kind of odd to go from that air raid siren opener to a minimalist, minute long track. It follows a similar thematic palette but I feel like this album could benefit from a stronger opening one-two. Still a solid track regardless) 3.5/5 3 - Nighttrain (the chopped vocal sample on the beat makes it feel like the verses are being delivered on a live mic while they're standing in a moving crowd. The verses here are the most aggressive they've been on the album so far. I can't help but admire how ahead of their time these instrumentals are; really elevates this whole thing several notches) 4/5 4 - Can't Truss It (another hooting and hollering beat, this one is led by a repeated trumpet sample. By comparison, this song is tamer than the ones that preceded it, which figures since it's the best-known piece from this album and was selected as a single. Its main role here is the conventional rap song and it feels very of its time compared to the other songs) 3.5/5 5 - I Don't Wanna Be Called Your Niga (this one is anchored by a very Sly Stone-esque instrumental which lends a harder, funkier edge to this track. Definitely not the most accessible song on this album but it's probably the purest Public Enemy song in spirit for this half of the album. It has a nice switch-up in its last minute with the calmer boom bap beat, like it's outro-ing itself) 4/5 6 - How to Kill a Radio Consultant (judging from the title, this one is about the music business. The stuttering beat again stresses the immediacy of the message, and the screeching sound in the back is almost industrial(?) by the standards of the hip hop contemporary to this. Thoroughly impressed with this middle section so far) 4/5 7 - By the Time I Get to Arizona (this one has a languid, bluesy vibe with a processed harmonica backing. It's oddly Delta-influenced despite describing a trip to the American Southwest. The rapping on here is a lot more measured than the furious, rapid fire styling that's standard to Public Enemy. There's even a bizarre middle section where the instrumental turns into a suspended and reversed beat mixed with what sounds like screaming kids at a theme park. This has been my favourite song on this album so far; what an incredible, ageless piece!) 4.5/5 8 - Move! (this one sounds very 80s but with a strikingly modern twist. To my ears, this song pays tribute to the old school pioneers that first developed hip hop; after all, they walked so Public Enemy could turn rap composition and production on its head. There's a catchy little call and response with the shouted "Move!" refrain that makes up the hook. Overall a very fun(?) song for the otherwise deathly serious Public Enemy) 4/5 9 - 1 Million Bottlebags (the squeaky wheel beat contrasts sharply with the funkier samples on this one. It's honestly kind of jarring, and it's surprising that it took until this song for me to feel like that about these beats that are very obviously trying to get in your face. This one continues the momentum that's been building since the 5th song) 4/5 10 - More News at 11 (some of the rhymes here may be a little silly and a little dated, but this one is a quick palate cleanser given its relative brevity and lighter instrumentation. It's a nice break from the harsh sound, but not from the serious, righteous lyrics. This is one of several songs to end with a brief spoken interlude, an early form of skits if you will. At least they aren't individual tracks and actually have some level of cohesion) 3.5/5 11 - Shut 'Em Down (slower and more methodical than most songs here, this one was another well-known single in its time. The huge drum hits make the beat feel like it's stalking around an alley on the bad side of town. This one is also played straight which helps bolster its commercial potential, but that doesn't mean the lyrics about suspicion about those who make it out of the ghetto any less poignant. Probably my favourite of the better-known songs from this album) 4/5 12 - A Letter to the New York Post (Flav brings back the rapid fire rapping that was absent from the last couple of songs. It really makes this song into a breeze with its relaxed guitar (occasionally played in reverse.) This song is definitely about media bias, which was becoming an increasingly overbearing problem with the end of the Fairness Doctrine and the birth of 24 hours infotainment news) 3.5/5 13 - Get the F... Outta Dodge (the first vaguely industrial beat in a while appears on this song. The lyrics on this one are looser and cover a wider variety of topics, though it's all of the same social and political issues that have been so extensively covered by Public Enemy on this whole album) 3.5/5 14 - Bring the Noize (I was immediately shocked by the use of an actual metal riff as the instrumental anchor of this (very energetic) closer. This could have been an earlier feature on this album but it definitely brings up the energy for one final push to the end of the album. Listeners probably witness a live recording of the birth of the entire late 90s metal scene when they listen to this song. Things finally calm down in the last few seconds as a boom bap beat closes out this album for real; it almost feels like I was caught in a wind tunnel then came out of the other end to a completely calm outside) 4.5/5 OVERALL - 7.8/10

1 - Back in the U.S.S.R. (what is normally a conventional piano-led, surfy garage rock song has this persistent whistling noise in the back, as though the listener can never be fully at ease listening to this song, like someone is always watching them....I wasn't expecting paranoia to be an audible aesthetic in a Beatles song of all things, yet here we are. Excellent opener overall ) 4.5/5 2 - Dear Prudence (rootsy and folky, this brings down the lights to give us a reflective peace and love song - one of many in this era, but with an increasingly tense energy attached. The breakdown in the end really puts this one over for me; another great track) 4/5 3 - Glass Onion ("I told you bout Strawberry Fields" is an INCREDIBLE lyric to open this one on. This was the Beatles trying to retcon everything they had done previously and push their sound into and endless present where every release is a step forward while also serving as a debut-esque launch pad. The song itself isn't all that past the lyrics but that opening line made me think of the Beatles aesthetic in this era) 3.5/5 4 - Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (this is he most clowned on song on this album, but I don't really understand why. It's inane to be sure, but it's inoffensive enough that it's forgotten in good time. This is one of Paul's silly little music hall pieces and the simple singalong chorus makes me think this was his attempt to capture a live sound considering how desperate he was to get back to touring) 3.5/5 5 - Wild Honey Pie (the wildest song on the album (so far, there's much worse coming.) It's less than a minute long but you feel every second of its runtime. Not sure why this is on the album as a separate track. If it was an intro to Honey Pie it would have worked much better) 3/5 6 - The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill (this one sounds like a catchy song from an old-timey children's cartoon. I think of that anthology about American heroes narrated by James Earl Jones; it reminds me of the song about John Henry from the first part of that anthology. Long tangent aside, this one fluctuates wildly between the kids-at-camp chorus and John's portrayal of the protagonist as a dead-eyed soulless hunter. Very odd song and one you don't hear much about when discussing the Beatles catalogue) 4/5 7 - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (here's the best-known song on this album. The verses have probably been copied thousands of times at this point. It's a perfectly written pop song complete with the sort of off-kilter bridge with the electric piano (?) Haven't thought much about this song in the grand scheme of Beatles songs, but it's definitely one of their era-defining ones) 4/5 8 - Happiness Is a Warm Gun (a sort of uneasy opening that leads to a proto-Sabbath riff followed by the more typical Beatles shuffle and John giving this very aggressive performance one the song "clears up" so to speak. Very strange that I don't know what to feel about this song once it's done) 4/5 9 - Martha My Dear (another music hall type of song led by a jaunty piano and followed by horns later on. A little too cutesy for me) 3.5/5 10 - I'm So Tired (a brief 2-minute track almost serves as an interlude. It's got some crunchy (!) guitars on it but I'm not sure why it couldn't have been a minute or so longer since it builds so well before it abruptly ends. Could have given this one more time and cut some of the fluff - actually, that's one of my favourites things about this album; the debate on which songs are filler) 4/5 11 - Blackbird (this is the other one everyone knows off this album. A soothing, almost ambient song sung by Paul. There's a tiny subtext about race relations, which of course was a very timely subject in this era. For a song so sparse it actually captures your attention the whole way through despite it being structured like some archival recording of a 1930s country blues tune) 4/5 12 - Piggies (a very formal harpsichord starts this next music hall interlude. The interplay is quite nice and this might be the only one of these music hall songs I would unequivocally keep on the album; the rest are sort of nonsense fluff to my ears) 4/5 13 - Rocky Raccoon (the slow acoustic guitar and occasional hits from the rhythm section make me think this song is going to build to something huge. However, it turns into a jaunty dance led by a saloon piano. There isn't too much else to write about; this one I would probably cut from the album) 3/5 14 - Don't Pass Me By (the swirling Hammond in the back lends an unusual feel to this song. As the violin and harmonicas interrupt here and there, this makes me feel like I'm dissociating in a bar while a country band is playing on stage. The Hammond almost makes this feel like a circus song (!) I give this song bonus points for being written and sung by Ringo, who has so far given us the most genre-bending, tripped beyond belief tune on the album so far! 4.5/5 15 - Why Don't We Do It in the Road? (Paul sounds so blitzed out and gruff I almost didn't think I was still listening to the same album. This one is going for that rough-and-tumble blues sound, and it mostly succeeds) 4/5 16 - I Will (this is the closest the Beatles get to their pre-1965 sound. I can see why this one is popular but there just isn't much of substance to me on this song. Some of the guitar work is interesting, as is the beat, but that's about it) 3/5 17 - Julia (a very old-sounding song for an album made with the absolute cutting edge of tech for the time. It sounds like a medieval English folk tune in places. I guess it would sound like it's echoing and coming from all directions when on psychedelics, but otherwise it's a perfectly serviceable folk tune, and probably the only reasonable way to end the first half) 3/5 18 - Birthday (the riff borrowed from "Pretty Woman" is the perfect backing for another absolute barn burner of a vocal from Paul. This is a proto-punk tune when both him and John show up halfway through. What a belter of an opener!) 4.5/5 19 - Yer Blues (so, so, SO many alt and indie bands copied this spelling style decades after it came out. It's a classic wobbling shuffling blues track and honestly would not sound out of place on a Muddy Waters album. Another home run to start the second half of this album) 4.5/5 20 - Mother Nature's Son (another perfectly acceptable folk tune sung by Paul. There isn't too much to write about this song that I already didn't write about for I Will or Julia. At least 2 of those songs could be cut from the album with no real impact on quality) 3/5 21 - Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey (well that's a title that certainly catches your attention, as does the alarm-bell percussion on this. John doesn't leave much to the imagination either; the song's theme is literally its title. It sounds like an alt rock track from the mid-90s; wonderfully ahead of its time and delightfully absurd. This is a definite highlight for me) 4.5/5 22 - Sexy Sadie (this sounds more like a high school prom track than anything that would convey the sort of sex appeal I was expecting from the song title. If the song was brightened up a little bit it could fit in the soundtrack of Grease if you ask me. Not too much else for this song besides that bizarre comparison it made me think of...) 3/5 23 - Helter Skelter (I find that rock stations sort of overplay this one and it detracts from just how damn vicious this song is. It inspired Charles Manson's ideals after all. Only a song like this, about a theme park, could sounds like the apocalypse itself. This is probably my favourite song on this huge, huge album, just for how innovative it is and how it's aged incredibly well. I would argue it still holds its own against most of the hard rock that came out decades after it) 4.5/5 24 - Long, Long, Long (the quiet, whistling keyboards on this song really convey this sense of isolation and a desperate need to break out. Appropriately enough, this was written and sung by George, who was seeking a way out of the Beatles since the music started pouring out of him around this time. It's very restrained and elegant sounding, until the weird tape loops come in and rearrange everything you thought about this song. Great in every way) 4.5/5 25 - Revolution 1 (I'm so used to hearing the sped-up version that plays on rock radio I thought this was an alternate version aping the original on a different album. This one has a classic nonviolent protest message, which, in modern contexts, sort of feels naive and inane considering the extremity of change and the continued decline of broader society. All that aside, the song has a varied sound palette that paints a vivid image. The song gets increasingly intense but Ringo's beat never flinches, as if to communicate the unstoppable march of time and progress through all the political movements the lyrics reference) 4.5/5 26 - Honey Pie (the latest and greatest in Paul McCartney music hall tracks. This one is the cutest one yet! I maintain that Wild Honey Pie could have gone on either end (more likely the start) and saved the album a track. This is probably the best of the music hall tracks on this album since it's easily the most memorable) 3.5/5 27 - Savoy Truffle (I wasn't expecting a big horn section on a Beatles album but I guess this is a kitchen-sink type of recording. It kind of chugs along for 3 minutes even as the guitars and horns trade passages for the instrumental section. This feels like a British Motown track; needless to say I'm impressed by this one) 4/5 28 - Cry Baby Cry (after what feels like dozens of weird disparate tracks it's refreshing to hear a conventional(?) Beatles on the album for a change. This is typical of the sound that made them the biggest band in the world. The feathery vocal outro is a perfect way to end this song and an eerie foreshadow of the song to follow....) 4/5 29 - Revolution 9 (it simply must be heard to be believed. Probably the most expensive sound collage of all time given they did the entire thing on physical tape and only had around 8 or so at most. This is Stockhausen by way of Lennon and Ono. I can only imagine this must have scared the living daylights out of their fans when it first came out. I really doubt a modern artist could include something this difficult and inaccessible in their album these days. Easily the point (high? low? I don't know anymore) of this album of the album) NUMBER NINE/5 30 - Good Night (the Beatles welcomes us back to the world of the living (in this case, conventional music.) This one sounds like it would play in a Disney movie with all 4 Beatles waving goodbye and they go back into the clouds as they ride in a hot air balloon. Full string backing lends a dreamlike atmosphere (as if anyone could undo the mental scarring of Revolution 9. A fitting way to end this titan of an album) 4/5 OVERALL - 7.7/10

1 - Suite II Overture (sweeping and cinematic, this opener practically plays the album's opening credits on top of its slinking and mysterious sounding woodwinds and dramatic crashes of percussion. It really sets the stage for a varied and eclectic experience as found in the songs to follow it) 3.5/5 2 - Dance or Die (following a cinematic classical opening, we get an Afro-Caribbean beat moving conscious lyrics ever forward. There's a wonderful mix of genres on display here with a catchy chorus featuring as a center pin. Quite moving for an opener!) 4/5 3 - Faster (transitions from the previous track, which is a production trick I'm quite fond of. This one keeps a vague skeleton of the predecessor's beat but now turns it into a swing song! It effortlessly shuffles along before reaching a breakdown and bringing back a guitar heard earlier to give it a funkier edge. Impressed with the many genres on display here; it really feels like a dance challenge scene, again referencing the cinematic scope of this album) 4/5 4 - Locked Inside (transitioning once again, this one is a more conventional R&B song and abandons all previous elements save the funky guitar, which has returned to the background. This one could easily be confused for a cover of a Michael Jackson song. It's a bright, sugary sweet song full of joy. This album has been on a solid track so far) 4/5 5 - Sir Greendown (slow and contemplative, this song reminds me of a slow walk down a night time city street. Monae's voice floats and dances over the electric piano and subdued beat to call to mind an smoky jazz club performance. Very pleasant and succinct, continuing the momentum despite the slow tempo) 4/5 6 - Cold Water (I was immediately snapped out of the dreamlike atmosphere when the breakbeast-esque drums popped up. Monae is now shouting about freedom (whichever kind you'd like to interpret.) I like to think this song is a splash of cold water to wake the listener up. This is the strongest Monae's voice has sounded on this album so far. Fine song but the first one to be a slight step down for me) 3.5/5 7 - Tightrope (a classic Motown opening with the stomping drums and Monae's 1:1 rendition of a quintessential Motown verse. The chorus keeps this up to really make this feel like a long-lost underrated classic that wouldn't sound of its place in Motown's heyday. This is the first song to really play it straight with no wild genre shifts) 4/5 8 - Neon Gumbo (this is an interlude filled with voices played forwards and backwards, backed by some synths and possibly guitars played much the same way. Nothing else to report on here) 3/5 9 - Oh, Maker (now at the halfway point of the album, Monae gives us the first proper ballad. It has a very theatrical quality to it and it makes me think it almost featured on the soundtrack for a Broadway musical before being repurposed for this album. Another strong performance from Monae herself of course, though this is admittedly another song played completely straight, to a fault really) 3.5/5 10 - Come Alive (War of the Roses) (now THIS one is definitely a show tune! I can easily picture this being a Disney villain song. Monae sounds absolutely manic on this with a shredding performance that takes the listener to the most extreme edges of her voice. Truly a powerhouse performance from her and all those involved, in a song I could only call the supernova performance of the album(!)) 4.5/5 11 - Mushrooms & Roses (the mellotrons and booming drums on this set a prog rock mood, especially Yes. Monae's verses are heavily processed and phased through a flanger or talk box of some sort. The choruses are very Prince as are the searing guitars in those sections. It pushes even further into Prince territory with the spoken verse 2 minutes in. The guitars only get more intense and are similarly phased as they solo all over the place while the song fades out. I didn't feel this song's 5 and 1/2 minutes at all) 4.5/5 12 - Suite III Overture (this interlude returns to the cinematic classical sound that so clearly defined the first track. I would normally consider it the second act opening but we're a little past that. This one has a few more voices appearing and they're a little clearer than they were previously; once again, it sounds like the intermission of a classic epic movie from the 1960s. Pretty enough though not super memorable at the end of it) 3.5/5 13 - Neon Valley Street (smooth and very trip hop in its sound, this one is a nice change of pace. It's lush and full of very nice string passages, and Monae sells the relaxed delivery. Main highlight for me is that distant, underwater sounding guitar solo that leads to the brief outro) 4/5 14 - Make the Bus (this one is a piece of driving indie electronica featuring Of Montreal. There's some nice layering of harmonies on the hook that recall Queen. Honestly this whole things sounds like a mismatch of Queen, Bowie, and a third new wave I can't quite put my finger on. All I can say is nothing I've heard sounds exactly like this...!) 4/5 15 - Wondaland (a fun trip hop beats underpins a fun little song. There's a cutesy fantastical aesthetic on this song, offering another change from the otherwise serious and fully convinced album. It's a great piece of funky modern R&B played totally straightforward, even with the brief "Hallelujah" interjection at the very end) 3.5/5 16 - 57821 (and now the most mechanical title on the album is an entirely acoustic folk tune(!) No end to the surprises and fusions on this album I suppose. It has a choral feel throughout its runtime, and the reverb makes it sound like it's actually coming from the upper floor of a church. Very interesting choice to make for this album) 4/5 17 - Say You'll Go (the final sequence of the album kicks off with an elaborate artsy pop track referencing spirituality and liberation through love and actualization. It builds little by little but never really leaves the mellow, low-key pace it establishes right at the start. It keeps at this until the electronics and rhythm dissolve and leave Monae alone with a piano and faraway backup singers. A pretty piece to be sure, but it's a little overlong and uninteresting considering how late it comes in the album) 3/5 18 - BaBopByeYa (the nearly 9-minute closer opens with a smooth, slinky jazz verse from Monae. It's so heavily based on swirlings strings and rhythms bubbling under it that it could be reworked into a Scott Walker song. The song then transforms into a danceable (?) piano tune that sounds like Monae is singing alone from a dancefloor, tangoing to the melancholy the instrumentation conveys. This half ends with an almost tribal beat and low-register chants, so we've already gone through several moods in less than 5 minutes. The cinematic instruments return for a spoken word performance that sort of becomes jazz poetry set to classical music. A lone violin leads us into the final section, which simply ties everything together in a climactic, theatrical "I must go," signalling the titular android has now fulfilled its duty of spreading its message among people (this whole album has been a reference/continued imaging of the Metropolis series, and it might only hit you at the very tail end of it.) All in all this is undoubtedly the best way to end the album; one last giant genre fusion) 4.5/5 OVERALL - 7.6/10

1 - Man's Final Frontier (some dramatic spoken word opens this album. Then, almost like tuning to a different radio station, we get a classic boom bap beat; easily my favourite section of this album. The spoken returns almost to offer some breathing room. This intro really shows what this album will be about; jazzy alt rap instrumentation with conscious lyrics. A good start) 4/5 2 - Mama's Always on Stage (this one sounds vaguely familiar though I had never heard of this group before that one Trainwreckords episode about their sophmore album. I must say it's the first time I've heard a hip hop beat with a blues harmonica backing it. This one is so joyous and full of life and genuinely has the feel of dancing around a campfire) 4/5 3 - People Everyday (the title might be a reference to the similarly named Sly Stone song. It has a mid-tempo groove for an instrumental, closer to the gangsta rap than the group - who very publicly opposed it - would care to admit. Any trace of such an influence is entirely erased by the overt Sly Stone interpolation on the chorus. There's a lot of "African this, African that" so far and we're only 3 songs into this; I can see why they sometimes rubbed people the wrong way with the Pan-Africanism... this is still a solid song though) 4/5 4 - Blues Happy (a short rambling interlude featuring Speech raving about everything and nothing with only some spare guitar chords to accompany him. It's fine I guess) 3/5 5 - Mr. Wendal (brave of them to start such a fun song with that scream. Speech is mixed oddly low on this compared to those snare hits which overpower everything. This song is once again about the struggles of Black Americans. Quite a bit of this song is devoted to the internal conflicts many of them face regarding stereotypical depictions of them, yet the band uses the "magical negro" trope as the central metaphor which I found sort of ironic. This one has an unmistakable energy yet I find it's too preachy once you really get into the lyrics) 3.5/5 6 - Children Play with Earth ("the way kids are living is 100% European" is the line that jumps over the tumbling beat to start this one. I have to say I kind of agree; children are way too restricted in their early years and are often deprived of formative experiences. However, I've seen that to be an American phenomenon, though I suppose "European" is used as a synonym for white here. This one talks about keeping a connection to the natural world and the mother Earth. It's a fine song though a little long for what is, on the surface, an interlude) 3.5/5 7 - Raining Revolution (I was expecting a huge bombastic song with a title like that, but this song goes for a lowkey vibe. Like Mr. Wendal before it, the already-down low drums overpower the rest of the mix which makes it feel like a lo-fi beat more than anything. Most of the song is sung-rapped which is somewhat different from the straight-ahead stylings of the album so far. This one talks about racial equality with the metaphor of rain causing revolution leading to a harmonious rainbow, which is actually pretty nice as an image) 3.5/5 8 - Fishin' for Religion (another scream starts this one but it's much more measured and James Brown-esque than the last one. 8 songs in and the album FINALLY has a foot-tapping, get-up-and-dance beat. This is what I feel the group was trying to go for but they chose to go serious a few too many times. This one talks about the blessing and curse that religion can be, with some finding genuine solace while others use it as a weapon for control. Overall this has the best energy out of the album so far and it's certainly a highlight in my eyes) 4/5 9 - Give a Man a Fish (and it will follow a song about Fishin' too. This feels like the part 2 of the previous track given the similarity of their titles. This one is equally as upbeat but has more conscious lyrics about mass incarceration and freeing convicts in for petty crimes rather than punish them endlessly. It's got a catchy outro too; this is the strongest pair of songs on the album if you ask me) 4/5 10 - U (not to be confused with the Kendrick song. The intro beat and the woman shouting over it communicate this indescribably positive energy, and the screams mixed in with the trumpet and electronics make this one of the best songs instrumentally. Speech's flow finally speeds up and sounds animated in contrast to the stern preaching style he has gone for this entire time. It goes for 5 minutes but doesn't really feel that long, meanwhile, I felt every second of the previous 9 songs) 4.5/5 11 - Eve of Reality (this one consists of some ambient songs mixed with some tribal percussion and psychedelic effects. I would have expected this on any other artist's album but not this one; quite the interesting choice! It's an instrumental interlude that doesn't overstay its welcome) 3.5/5 12 - Natural (here's a song that tackles unrealistic beauty expectations, especially from men to women. Of all the song types I expected from this album, a "pretty girl" song was fairly low on the list. Overall the song is fine, anchored by a piano and a low-key, sensual(? trying to be anyway) delivery from Speech) 3/5 13 - Dawn of the Dreads (the most readily living, breathing song on this album. That bassline is worth the price of admission almost on its own. This is the closest they got to a conventional Tribe Called Quest-styled boom bap song. It's a little slow and goes about a minute too long but it's a strong track nonetheless especially for how late it is in the album) 4/5 14 - Tennessee (this is probably the song Arrested Development is best remembered for, since it's likely one of the only song that fully and perfectly pulls all their myriad influences together. As the song progresses it just gets higher and higher until its running starts leads to full on flight by the time the "won't you let me, help me" section comes in. The high point of this album for sure) 4.5/5 15 - Washed Away (this one is incredibly sparse and kind of whiplashes the listener considering they just came from listening to Tennessee. There's some sparing keyboards and more watery, tribal percussion. Speech is back to his hushed and serious delivery, and the only real additions to the instrumentation are some odd flute-like sounds. The wide melismatic backup vocal adds some much needed density and variety to an otherwise overlong closer; not entirely sure what they were trying to do with this one. It's unique at the very least) 3.5/5 OVERALL - 7.5/10

1 - Disorder (and here we witness the birth of all post-punk. Cavernous and black as night, the guitars sound like alien transmissions, and the whole thing has an oddly outer-space feel. I would argue this is one of Curtis' best performances considering he was never much of a singer. I love how it builds and builds in the final verse before essentially collapsing in a flood of noise, or like a massive star (the album cover is a graphed image of the first observed neutron star; go figure.) A titan of post-punk that arrived at the very start of the genre) 5/5 2 - Day of the Lords (much more grounded than the opener, Sumner's massive chords and Hook's relentless bassline lead a solemn marching quality to this song. Curtis sounds so much like Jim Morrison on this song. Though it pulls the same "flood of noise" trick at the end I found this song plodding and a little overlong; it sort of grinds all of Disorder's momentum to a halt) 3/5 3 - Candidate (this one is empty and hollow, with only some loose drumming keeping any semblance of structure. The guitars grind and whine like they're stalking an industrial abattoir's ground floor. Some incredibly vivid industrial imagery help put this album back on the right track) 4/5 4 - Insight (a kind of ordinary instrumentation backs Curtis here, and all it really does it show how glaringly weak his voice was when it wasn't covered by loads of instrumentation. The electronic flourishes are a nice replacement for a guitar solo on a song as restrained and near silent as this one. They return towards the end and, honestly, they're the only real highlight of this song for me) 3/5 5 - New Dawn Fades (Sumner returns in full form with the rockiest riff on the album. This song can be considered the origin point of so, so much gothic rock. The sparser sections are forgiven as Curtis gives another actually good performance as the song builds up for a big climax at the 3-minute mark. It all simmers back down to end the first half on a high note; I was starting to get worried) 3.5/5 6 - She's Lost Control (one of their best-known songs, which I forgot starts with some strange percussion and an instrument that plays a vaguely Arabic-sounding melody with its chromatic, minor-key riffing. The bass finally sounds as gravelly and ominous as Hook always wanted it to be as it lends a sinister edge to this one. Honestly I forgot how much this song modulates from minor to major between verse and "chorus" (there's no real hook on this song.) A very strong addition to this album and a sure highlight) 4/5 7 - Shadowplay (after about 45 seconds of sizzling hi-hats, this song turns into a rather conventional post-punk song; easy to say now as pretty much all post-punk aped this, but it's interesting that there's a real guitar solo on this, especially for an album that's avoided them almost entirely to this point. Stephen Morris gets to shine on this song as his drums carry this song where he was previously snugly in the pocket. Another solid trakc for this album that has been pretty inconsistent if you ask me) 3.5/5 8 - Wilderness (there's an actual groove to start this song! Up until now it's been like the entire band has fought each other instrumentally. That aside it just sort of meanders for its 2:40 runtime, so there isn't much else to say that hasn't been said about several other songs on this. Curtis' performance is above average too though the higher his voice goes the less and less he understands what key the band is in) 3.5/5 9 - Interzone (the shortest track on the album and the closest they ever got to an actual punk song. It has a raw, sneering attitude, which is subverted once you hear Curtis singing from 3 rooms over. It's actually pretty convincing as a punk song and a nice change of pace from the morose atmosphere of the other songs, but it's still not any less gloomy itself) 3.5/5 10 - I Remember Nothing (while the opening with a stomping bass and kick drum is promising enough, Curtis' inability to find the actual key detracts a little at this point - I wonder if I'm being too harsh on his vocal performance sometimes. Regardless, the song has an incredibly sinister atmosphere and sounds like the wheels turning on a horse-drawn carriage slowly plodding through a forest on a moonless night. A fitting enough way to end this album) 3.5/5 OVERALL - 7.4/10

There's something to be said about an entirely self-contained, self-produced debut like this one. This an authentic and enthusiastic album throughout this album, which really lets its human element (its imperfection) shine through. The funk influences are abound on this and really lend an excitable energy to a rock album that came out in an era where the genre was becoming increasingly dour and introverted. That said, Kravitz's performance leaves something to be desired throughout this album; his voice almost struggles to get to where he wants to go on certain songs, and the whole album being so strongly rooted in the rock and soul funk mix makes it come off as a derivative of its ancestors, namely Sly Stone. Prince and Jimi Hendrix. This album is SO CLOSE to being a rock-solid debut but it fails to reach the necessary highs more often than not, which makes it somewhat hard to sit with for its 55 minutes. Overall, it's a fine, albeit inessential, debut album from an artist who would do far better just a short time later. Key Tracks: Let Love Rule, Fear, Be

When I was first getting into music beyond the charts, the hype around this album seemed almost overwhelming with how much the press raved about it. I remember listeneing to it about 7 or 8 years ago and not thinking much of it. On this second listen, I like quite a bit more of this album than I used to though I still feel like something just isn't clicking for me. There's some absolute gems in this tracklist (The Queen is Dead, The Boy with the Thorn in His Side, Some Girls Are Bigger than Others) but others that I just don't understand. "There Is a Light" made me question why everyone seems to acclaim it as absolute peak music. Overall there's just as much that I like about this album as there is that I don't care for, so you can consider me indifferent to this whole thing.

My first time listening to this. My only prior exposure to the Smiths was listening to The Queen Is Dead (once several years ago, and then one more time for this list.) This one is definitely more adventurous than the previous one and it does put Morrissey front and center in the mix; I found he was sort of buried under the echoey production on the previous album. His voice has this soft lilting quality to it but I find it's a little too sappy and delicate to listen to for an entire album. The wide contrast in effort between songs (the longer ones clearly have the most oomph behind them) also sort of detracts. I might revisit this eventually one day, but my opinion of the Smiths is unchanged - they're fine and I'm someone absolutely adores them, but it isn't me.

The career defining album of the most beloved rock-and-roll wife since Yoko Ono. Honestly, Love's incredibly raw and sometimes vicious performance surprised me. There's a nice mix of polished big-budget alt rock that often veers into gruff, uncompromising hardcore, usually at Love's direction. Though the album's sound palette sounds pretty dated today (you can basically pinpoint the exact year this was released) it's still a standout entry in the very, VERY wide alt rock landscape. Key Tracks: Violet, Plump, Jennifer's Body

More of that classic 2-tone ska sound that made the Specials immediately stand out on their debut 2 years prior to this. This album generally keeps up the jovial, nighttime party atmosphere of the debut with a few more with a few more slow, groovy tracks to for added effect. Some songs clearly stick out more than others, especially in the early goings; I find there's a distinct slump in the middle section that makes too much of this come off like a chintzy island resort playlist. Overall it's fine as an album but it's equal parts background music and essential listening - I don't think I've heard too many albums with such a wide gulf of quality. Key Tracks: Enjoy Yourself (It's Later than You Think,) Man at C&A, Stereotype/Part 2

I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I had never sought out anything by this band until being recommended this album and though 13 years of hindsight might make a listener think the album is making the safe, predictable choice for each track, a closer listen will reveal that it actually is, but the songwriting is so earnest it doesn't matter. This has such a shimmering, dreamy energy it makes long lost emotions well up in you. Some of this material is downright inspirational, and while it very much sounds like an early 2010s synthpop piece, the songwriting and sound design still hold up very well in the face of all that it influenced. Key Tracks: The Mother We Share, We Sink, Science/Visions, You Caught the Light

This album is somewhat upstaged in Talking Heads' discography, mostly by what came after it (Fear of Music and Remain in Light.) This is certainly a step up from the debut, but Byrne's performance is definitely not for everyone, and I find his sing-shouting in his high register grating after a while. The band's interplay is fantastic though, especially for it being only their sophomore album; it's really the main thing that makes this album bearable for me. I also found the album cohesive to a fault, which, in this instance, means songs get very samey about 5 tracks in. Really, the opener, "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel" and the singles "Take Me to the River" and "The Big Country" were the only memorable tracks on this thing because everything else just blends together. They really did improve leaps and bounds over this on the very next album(!)

Unrelentingly loud and played at a breakneck pace, this is definitely a live album that benefits from being played with the volume cranked a little too high. The tracklist functions as a Motörhead best-of, featuring most of the Overkill album (their peak if you ask me.) Most of the songs included are nearly equal to the studio versions, with the simple, no-frills renditions really translating just how damn loud this band even as a 3 piece. This is a powerful live document that proves every bit of the band's now-legendary reputation for hard living and for playing everything louder than everyone else.

Though it's often overlooked these days in favour of other rock operas of its time (Sgt. Pepper's, Future Passed) and it's since overshadowed by the reappraisal of the Who's own Quadrophenia, this is still a seminal album in not just the Who's own catalogue, but of rock and roll in general. Despite its status as a rock opera, it only really "rocks" in a few select places(the end of "Christmas," "Pinball Wizard" and "Go to the Mirror!" for instance) so its sound is really built around the narrative the album's songs tell. Let's not forget this was one of the first albums to really have theatre-style leitmotifs appear and reappear in a rock album. This is a lot folkier and more progressive pop than I remember it being when I bought it as a Christmas gift for my dad some years ago. With all that hindsight, I would have to say this album is vital as a document for understanding how rock music progressed as an art form, but, as a standalone piece, this album is very much a product of its time and, in modern contexts, can only be considered more influential than good. Key Tracks: 1921, Cousin Kevin, Christmas, Pinball Wizard, Go to the Mirror! We're Not Gonna Take It

Led almost entirely by Redding's gruff, inimitable voice, this album is a benchmark in soul by all metrics. Personally I was fairly surprised to see so many all time classics find their earliest success here (namely Respect, My Girl.) Much of the album is covers or other assigned material in general. While I find it to be a quite robust and fully convinced album, it does get very samey about halfway through and Redding doesn't really show much of his voice except go full blast almost every time. An album that serves best as a nice background accompaniment as it rarely ever demands a listener's full attention.

Low-key and downcast to a fault. The songs are already background fodder as they are but the instant the rhythm section takes a backseat the songs become downright anemic. There's still some highlights here and there but they're mostly in the first half of the album. One thing is that the group definitely understands its sound and its niche right from the get-go, though they would only ever improve it on later outings. Key Tracks: Intro, Islands

For an album that's intended to capture the live fury of James Brown and his famous Flames, this one is a lot more subdued than I was expecting it to be going into it. Brown is, of course, in top form in the more energetic sections, but the slower songs, like "Try Me," seem sort of ill-fitting for this album. It's also odd that they would compress everything to a blink and you'll miss it 30 minutes for this live release and elect to keep only the most straightforward songs. This is nevertheless a great live document of James Brown in his prime, though later live albums do a much better job of capturing the pure unbridled electricity of his performances.

What an absolute gem of an album! Prima's voice may not be perfect but he injects every last note with so much character and joyous energy the musicality becomes secondary (I had felt this even years earlier when I first heard his voice in Disney's Jungle Book, and even more so when I connected a person to the voice.) Even 70 years on, the uproarious atmosphere of whatever club this was (or wasn't; could be studio trickery) recorded at is immediately apparent. Prima was a seminal figure in introducing jump blues and the R&B precursors to rock and roll to broader audiences through jazz, and the seamless blend is almost immediately apparent once you get past the pure swing glory of that fantastic opener. There's also some very subtle Italian folk seasonings here and there, which makes this album all the more important in understanding the development of popular music. I can't help but grin when this one plays, it's just too much damn fun! Key Tracks: Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody, Jump, Basin Street Blues/When It's Sleepy Time Down South, Jive an' Wail, Buona Sera

A benchmark album from the undisputed titan of reggae. Much of this album retains that classic, jaunty reggae sound, which works well for shorter songs but gets very samey when the songs toe-tap past the 5 minute mark. There's just enough variety to make a listener recognize each song is different, but the whole album, in general, sounds like an extended jam session building off a groove that slowly evolves over time. Perfect for the jovial collaborative atmosphere of this album I suppose. I would say I remembered and liked quite a few songs, though just as many went in one ear and out the other for me. Key Tracks: Lively Up Yourself, No Woman No Cry, Bend Down Low

Come for "Cloud Nine," stay for the half-and-half record that follows. This one is a groundbreaking piece in the Temptations' catalogue as it adds funk to the psychedelic soul sound they had been so seminal in development. Don't be fooled by the opener and 9 and 1/2 minute "Runaway Child Running Wild;" about half of this album is plain, by-the-numbers Motown, which is still a fairly high bar for quality. And really, nothing could follow up those two giant songs so may as well play to your strengths both new and old. I can see this was probably a harder choice of an album to include than most, as the Temptations were always more of a singles act, but they're just too important as a group to outright leave off a list of significant albums... Key Tracks: Cloud Nine, Runaway Child Running Wild

Scott Walker truly was a one of a kind singer. While I'm sure many listeners will dismiss this album as nothing more than trite easy listening, the lush arrangements betray the subject matter hidden just under the surface. The album opens with a retelling of Ingmar Bergman's 1957 movie "The Seventh Seal" right down to the life and death battle as chess metaphor. The strangeness only continues with songs like "On Your Own Again" which goes through a whirlwind of emotions ranging from nostalgia to regret to grief in only 1 minute 45. You even have contemporary commentaries on war and political upheaval ("Hero of the War," "The Old Man's Back Again) which, in a way, makes this album both out of its time (let's not forget that a string-heavy baroque pop like this was released the same year as Hendrix and Zeppelin were making waves) and very much of its time. Scott's voice is brilliant as always, a velvety smooth baritone that almost wants to sing you to sleep, until you realize what he's singing about. An absolute high point of his career that would only keep moving in stranger and stranger directions. Key Tracks: The Seventh Seal, Angels of Ashes, The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)

Fela's most explicit condemnation of the Nigerian government is also one of his most upbeat triumphant songs. Go figure. "Zombie" is simply a can't miss moment of jazz funk, with its biting, sardonic description of law enforcement, both domestic and abroad, and its damning critique of political systems so fragile to abuse and corruption, and for the average person's willingness to be walked over by those same systems. On the other side, this is the album that ultimately proved Fela's undoing; the hostile reaction to this album by the Nigerian government led to his compound being destroyed, his mother being thrown out of a window(!) and the disbandment of the iconic Africa 70 backing band. While you would think this album and the next few that followed would retain a dour atmosphere, Fela kept going at the corrupt system guns blazing, with the music as upbeat and defiant as ever. To say nothing about this album musically, it's the perfect fusion of the African rhythms and jazz-funk, half-and-half instrumental-vocal style that made Fela the all-time great bandleader he was. The only thing that detracts is that the next 2 songs on this don't really match "Zombie" in intensity and commentary. A must-listen in Fela's very large discography alongside Expensive Shit, Gentleman, Coffin for Head of State, and my personal favourite, Roforofo Fight.

Quite the impressive live offering from one of hard rock's most unsung heroes. I had never really thought much about this band besides hearing "Boys Are Back in Town" on rock radio here and there. You won't find anything super daring or out of the ordinary on this one, but this album offers plenty of straightforward rockers that keep you amped for its entire runtime (and 76 minutes is a VERY long time to stay amped.) Not sure how all-important this album but it's a hell of a good time and an excellent example of how interesting no-frills rock could be at the genre's peak.

A very typical entry in Costello's catalogue. Though he tackled a lot of styles across his long varied career, Costello will always and forever sound like himself and no one else, for better or worse. There's some real effort put into this - check the soundscape attempts on "Green Shirt" - and some other very strong pieces round this album out quite well ("Oliver's Army," "Goon Squad" and the US version-exclusive single "Peace, Love and Understanding," which is vital to getting the full experience out of this album.) However, to my ears, everything beyond that handful of songs stays stuck in second gear, anchored there by Costello's reedy, weird-for-its-own-sake vocal performance; really the difference between the quality of the backing and the singer is night and day. As a result, too much of this album is in one ear and out the other to make this a solid entry in this list.

An album like this is an absolutely essential one to include on lists like these, or any list chronicling popular music. It's the perfect bridge between disco, R&B and the eventual biggest genre in the world for a time, hip hop. The first half of this starts with some absolute belters and really does feel like an actual block party common to this era. We have some of the first instances of performers calling themselves MCs on this album as well. There's some surprising variety on this first half, where the 4 tracks move from a disco groove to a more straight-ahead R&B song, to an electronic robot warp in "Scorpio," back to a mid-tempo R&B groove. That last one is a little much with its over-the-top chimes and belted "lots of men are DYING"! It stays in the same vague ballpark but each song is different enough to give you a good idea of its versatility. Things keep going on the more subdued second side, where we're treated to 2 Stevie Wonder-style ballads. It was at this point that I figured out one of the weak points of this album: most of the songs are fairly unfocused, and with so many voices trying to bring this singular album together, a substantial part of the album is off-beat, off-key and sort of struggles to pick back up after a cue is missed. I guess that was sort of the point, and I must say, it makes the album feel very inviting and, frankly, more human. I just wish it was a little more polished before being pressed. The ballads are such a huge whiplash it feels like we've gone from an outdoor block party to some theatre to see Prince play only his greatest love songs... After all that though we get the true blue reason The Message is the record of record when it comes to the early years of hip hop. The title track is a Voyager record-worthy track that transcends so many of the myriad barriers of its time, from that iconic synth line to the return of rapped performances, absent since the first half, the use of sampled speech in the bridge, and even still in the absolutely perfect groove that wouldn't really bother me if it looped for a half-hour. This song alone is worth the price of admission and it's perfect in every way. My final assessment after listening to this is that about half of this album is absolutely essential while the other half is easily expendable. A strange sort of combination for a one of a kind sort of album. Key Tracks: She's Fresh, Scorpio, The Message

This one is, for better or worse, an origin point album. It's the rare kind of release where one can pinpoint the before-and-after point of everything about a genre changing. Though others came first, no one did it with quite so much suave charm as Snoop. The lyrics are a big subject of scrutiny here, and basically every negative, guns-bitches-and-money stereotype of mainstream hip-hop is popularized here (check some of the lyrics from "Ain't No Fun...") Sound-wise this album is just BEGGING to be blasted from the speakers of someone's low rider on a bright sunny day (I guess you could say this is a very GTA coded album, or rather, that GTA is a very Doggystyle-coded game series.) The central performance of course is Snoop Dogg's own, and it's a relatively introverted performance compared to the relative bombast and unsubtle instrumentation that surrounds him. It's actually an unusual contrast that stands out among his peers even today. There's moments like on "Tha Shiznit" where those whistling G-funk synth lines basically drown him out, yet Snoop maintains that same monotone drawl. It certainly sets him apart from a lot of the rappers of this era, and even today, but in some places it makes him come off as unamused, which is a problem that persisted in his do-anything-for-a-paycheque approach to music 30 years on. Despite all that, Snoop has never sounded quite so hungry, and his performance here would never quite be equaled. Snoop Dogg is more of a rootless, catch-all "celebrity" these days, but this album gives you a glimpse into what G-funk was and is, and its wide ranging influence despite only a brief appearance in the spotlight. Really puts into perspective personality that went from being a murder suspect in the 90s to appearing on daytime cooking shows. Truly a one of a kind career.

By the early 80s, Paul Simon had firmly set his sights on the destination that would become Graceland, and the pit stop before that later album fully tapped into the sound and aesthetic of southern Africa, he had to meet it halfway with his former folk pop sensibilities. This album is the result of that. It's by and large a transitional piece in Simon's discography, one that would take him to pop superstardom in the mid to late 80s but, as a standalone piece of music, is generally unexceptional. The more upbeat numbers are serviceable pieces of 80s pop, but the slow ballads are just completely listless and sap any and all warmth or energy out of this album. I find this album kind of confused; I can only compare it to standing on a bridge in the dead center with one foot on either side while you stand there stumped, unsure of whether to turn back or cross to the other side. All it does is bore the people watching you out of their mind unfortunately.

A sort of unsung release from the LA punk heyday. There's some softer moments here and there but the lyrics never give up their biting wit and general dissatisfaction with the world surrounding them at the time. I suppose this album serves very well as a time capsule of the time and place it was recorded in. That said, X have definitely put out better albums than this (it's even sandwiched between 2 of them in their catalogue!) and, compared to the fiery debut, Los Angeles, this one feels like it's just tending the fire until they're inspired again; in other words, this is the sophmore slump in X's catalogue. Nevertheless, John Doe and Exene play off each other really well as one's strengths covers for the other's shortcomings. There's a couple of gems hidden in the blends-together tracklist as well, namely "Universal Corner" and "In this House That I Call Come" which, to my ears, both sound very southwest US for some reason.) All in all a fine release but I'm unsure why it would have to be included on a list of the most essential albums ever.

I find it kind of odd that a bootleg album is included on a list like this, I really thought they would go for more "formal" release. But I guess this is the truest, rawest document of Dylan in his 60s heyday. And, having now heard the live version of probably the single most relentlessly acclaimed artist of the past 75 years.... I have to admit about half of this album is actually pretty good. None of the good parts are in the first half though because that's just Bob Dylan, whose voice is completely shot after a long tour, a guitar strumming the same 4 chords, and a harmonica that never shuts up. If he didn't overblow the harmonica here and there I would dismiss it as a cure for insomnia; really nothing memorable for me here. The second half is a different beast altogether. If you ask me, the second half should have been the entire album and my perception of this album would improve about tenfold. Dylan is backed by a full band there, and his biggest weaknesses - the repetitive song structures and his marmite voice - are compensated by the band improvising all over them. It's definitely the best possible way to breathe life into these songs. It's an infectiously jovial half too, and all the memorable highlights are found here. Among them are "Tell Me, Momma" and "Ballad of a Thin Man." I'm told the version of that latter song is among the best ever by some. This double live album is really a tale of 2 Dylans, and whatever brilliance the listener finds really depends on what they were looking for going into it, which is something you could say about Dylan as a whole. I was just looking to enjoy it, and this album succeeded about half the time.

Beck was always a sort of oddity in my music journey. I had never really given much of his work the time of day save for finding "Loser" to be a brilliantly written piece of surrealist 90s irony. I suppose I also maintain that "Devil's Haircut" is also an absolute banger. Being given Sea Change as my listen finally forced me to confront some of his catalogue for the first time, and I have to say, this album is pretty well exactly what I look for in a singer songwriter's oeuvre: drawn-out, dramatic vocal performances, a strings-and-beats instrumental and a flair for spacey production. I was shocked Nigel Godrich produced this over Daniel Lanois, because Lanois' airy dreamlike fingerprints are all over this thing. Beck also shocks me with this boozy, forlorn vocal that kind of sounds like a cross between Scott Walker and a despondent Bono. Really threw me for a loop when I first heard him. To some it would probably be very easy to dismiss Sea Change as a boring album: it's probably the most uniform Beck album sound-wise, with everything essentially keeping up that string-heavy folk style. Probably one of the least eclectic of Beck's releases, but that works in its favour and really makes Beck's songwriting shine here. One thing I can criticize here is nothing really stands out aside from the big singles on this "The Golden Age" and "Lose Cause," but I can forgive that as the bar for quality is pretty up there. It's also a pretty frontloaded album with most of the top-tier material showing up before track 6. I was pleasantly surprised by this album, a left-turn release from one of the most eccentric singer songwriters to come out of the 90s alternative boom. Turns out (ex-)Scientologists can make good music sometimes... Key Tracks: The Golden Age, Paper Tiger, Lonesome Tears, Little One

It's been a while since I last listened to this one. While Tago Mago might be my sentimental favourite, CAN's final outing with resident shaman busker Damo Suzuki is a succinct encapsulation of everything that made this band a true innovator in all things psychedelic and experimental. There's a huge amount of variety for an album with only 4 songs. The title track and "Spray" are the requisite groovy jams (just listen to Jaki's metronomic drumming - in an era before click tracks no less!) a pop single in "Moonshake," which keeps up the accessible edge they honed on the preceding album, and an improv piece in "Bel Air." There's something distinctly aquatic and tropical about this whole thing, which I can only compare to lounging on a lazy river while 2 tabs of acid start taking effect, peaking somewhere around "Bel Air." All in all this is a landmark album in the krautrock scene and one that reasserts CAN's status as the undisputed kings of that genre, without saying anything about the innovations it brought to broader music (where, after all, did post-punk get it sound from?) Key Tracks: Future Days, Moonshake

For an album that supposedly established the groove metal sound, this one really doesn't groove all that much. It's essentially a thrash metal record played at 3/4 speed. To top it off, most of the songs sound virtually interchangeable with only the big singles really standing apart because they're the only songs that don't just chug along at the same old rhythm for 5 minutes at a time. Given how homogenous the album is musically, it basically lives and dies by the frontman's performance, and Phil Anselmo has fully settled into his tough guy act here. Gone are the Halford-style sirens and dynamics, instead replaced by a heavily distorted in-your-face shout. Instrumentally, most of Dimebag's solos are pretty interesting and memorable though the all gain no-low-end tone he goes for takes some getting used to. They all really show off how he had developed and found his defining trait as a guitarist. Anselmo's scenery-chewing macho man act also sells this whole "I refuse to apologize for being the worst person you know" thing very well too. I found most of the best songs were in the first half, which was a pretty common problem across Pantera's catalogue (only Great Southern Trendkill really bucks that trend.) I guess this is a historically significant one, but there was much better metal than this coming out in 1992; they were just the only one among those bands to have a distinct image, which certainly counts for something.

A landmark album in that this was the breakthrough album of the first band to primarily make their name online. This band's breakthrough was really the moment music promotion changed from analog to digital; make what you will of those changes. Musically it has a much harder edge than I remember it having, especially the opening pair of tracks. There is, however, a peak and valley difference between what's great on this album and what's merely OK. Compare the middle section of songs to the opening 3 and closing 4, for instance. Singer Alex Turner is also still finding his sound, and his voice would improve by leaps and boudns on each subsequent release even when the instrumentalists didn't. Most of his melodies are centered on 1 or 2 notes and is fairly unsure of itself when melodies require more out of him - just listen to the wobbly performance on the closer "A Certain Romance" to hear what I'm talking about. That's probably one of the reasons why Arctic Monkeys were unfairly lumped in with the landfill indie that permeated UK rock from 2002 to about 2007. The band has an undeniable ear for finding musical hooks though and it ensures that almost every track has something memorable about it. You can probably chalk that up to how much the band pulls from dancey club music; it's one of the key elements that really separates this band from most of the monochrome alt rock they were competing with. This was actually quite the enjoyable listen for me; I felt every ounce of character the band poured into these songs and I certainly wouldn't mistake them for anyone else's. A high point of 2000s alt rock and that's despite the huge slump in the middle. Key Tracks: The View from the Afternoon, I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, A Certain Romance

I wasn't really sure what to make of this one. I really enjoyed the more modern takes on psychedelic rock (it hits that perfect sweet spot between "psychedelic" and "rock" and I find that far too many artists steer to far in only 1 direction.) The contemporary indie rock was fine I guess, and so were the jammier bits like "Back at the Farm." While the songs have this nice rocking edge to them and everyone puts on a decent enough performance, the songs here lack memorability and come and go with at atmosphere as breezy and the feather light production. Definitely a product of its time but I'm not 100% sold on this being such a seminal album as to warrant an inclusion here...

Dolly Parton is more of a general, unspecified "celebrity" these days, but what's often forgotten about her is her incredible knack for heart-rending ballads and for embodying the great lonesome. Her voice rings clear as a cloudless sky all over this album, even if none of the material is all that energetic. Half of the songs on here were written by Parton herself, which is still sort of a radical thing in the incredibly rigged world of the Nashville sound. Of course, the main concession here is how bog-standard the instrumentation and structure of everything is; after all, country is a traditional genre with a traditional sound. Nevertheless, her voice easily soars past all the ordinary humdrum instrumental, and even some of the more unremarkable songs, to make a distinctly memorable document of early 70s city girl country (countrypolitan, I hear they call it.) I wasn't expecting to be so thoroughly entertained by an album like this; it actually left me wondering if Jolene is also included in this list. Key Tracks: Coat of Many Colors, Traveling Man, She Never Met a Man (She Didn't Like)

What to say about this album that hasn't already been said a thousand times before? This is U2's first (and greatest) foray into the postmodern, the greatest left turn in rock history to that point, and the sign of what was to come in the decade ahead. Released in an absolutely pivotal year for popular music (Nirvana says hi about a month after this comes out,) U2 got ahead of the great 80s rock mass extinction event by reinventing themselves as ironic has-been rockers capitalizing on modern trends for their last 15 minutes in the spotlight. This wasn't actually too far from the truth, as their image had taken a hit from all the sepia-toned desert photoshoots, and internal tensions nearly forced the band to break up. By the dawn of the new decade, it seemed only a drastic reinvention like this could ever have a chance of keeping U2 together. I liken this album's release to the moment the world turns to Technicolour in the Wizard of Oz; U2 at last step out of the modern world and into the realm of the ironic and the surreal. With all that out of the way, I'll finally yap about the album itself for a bit. This, to me, is a sound that was often imitated but never quite replicated. Nothing else has ever sounded quite so contemporary and so futuristic; this is the soundtrack of a trip through a subway system covered in thousands upon thousands of lights, each flashing a different colour and direction. The slower songs turn those proverbial lights to 1) ensure the album has a hit and 2) remind you exactly which band you were listening to and that the band didn't forget to write hooks. There's plenty of them on this album regardless, but there's just as many instrumental hooks as there are lyrical ones. Bono largely abandoned the full-blast belting style he had developed in the 80s in favour of a more dynamic and colourful persona, exemplified by the various characters he sang as, ranging from the delusional fading rock star "The Fly" to the devious lounge lizard "Mr. MacPhisto," the latter of whom appeared on the iconic Zoo TV tour that accompanied this album and its even weirder and more confessional little brother, Zooropa. While U2 would ultimately return to the safe Joshua-Tree era image as they entered the 21st century, this album still serves as an essential reminder that few bands with this level of fame and success ever take a gamble this wild. Even fewer come out of it for the better when it's all said and done. Key Tracks: Zoo Station, Even Better than the Real Thing, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, The Fly

This is music for a cold, rainy, possibly foggy November day. This is music for the downbeat and the desperate. This is the happiest collection of songs to come out of Bristol. That last joke aside, Dummy is one of those indisputable high points of the Bristol trip-hop scene, though most artists labelled as such would furiously reject that label. Much of the mythos surrounding this album probably has to do with how formless the band was; they only started playing this material live after the album had come out. All of the musicians involved were of wildly different ages and came from wildly different backgrounds, and yet the resulting 50 minutes of music has not a single note played out of place or time. Only on albums like this could a 60s bubblegum pop tune be turned into a drugged out hazy mantra (check that sample on "Biscuit.") Only on albums like this could skittering rhythms meet a morose synth and actually meet halfway. All of this is anchored by Beth Gibbons' one of a kind performance. She generally uses her more comfortable middle pocket to convey the blue-grey gloom of the lyrics but occasionally goes into this nasal Billie Holiday-esque sound, like on "Numb" and the iconic closer "Glory Box." It all makes her sound like the ghost of a Depression-era jazz singer that never really made it finally getting her big break 60 years beyond the mortal plane. Truly a one-of-a-kind album. Amazing chill, amazing depression, amazing performances. Timeless in basically every sense. Key Tracks: Mysterons, Sour Times, Wandering Star, Glory Box

I'll give Björk this: she managed to make a 45-minute album (almost) entirely a capella without resorting to anything conventional. You won't find any easy barbershop harmonies or seamlessly blended voices here. In fact, every one of the many, MANY voices on this album seem to deliberately clash against each other to make them stand out in the spacious, at times miry mix. On this album, Björk enlists throat singer Tanya Tagaq, experimentalists Mike Patton and Robert Wyatt, and a litany of choirs and beatboxers to create an oddly cold and unfeeling atmosphere. Sort of ironic as about 95% of this album is created with the voice, the most human of all instruments. The mix is also kind of dry in sections where Björk herself sounds way too upfront on some of these songs, which make the whole thing feel oddly incomplete despite how obviously prepared and painstakingly arranged this whole album was. This will probably go down as the most divisive album in her very varied catalogue. Björk would only keep veering into strange single-instrument experiments like this one, which quietly signalled that she had exited the masterpiece period that produced the 3 albums that preceded this. Key Tracks: Where Is the Line, Who Is It, Oceania

I liked about half of this album. The Beasties have never been accused of having voices that could read a phone book, and that simple fact grated on me quite a bit. It's not even the yelling for me, it's more of the strident, snot-nosed delivery of essentially every bar. This is admittedly an album of party music, and the more upbeat numbers keep the energy high and consistent. The more mid-tempo tracks on here are absolutely grating to me, especially "High Plains Drifter;" I felt every second of those 4 minutes. All that aside I can definitely see how this album is considered so essential, being that it sampled a little bit of everything from everywhere and introduced that approach to broader hip-hop as a result. To my ears, listening to this 35 plus years after its initial release, this album strikes me as a standout release that came out during the most fruitful years of hip hop's evolution. These days, its influence casts wide, but the album has aged a fair bit. Key Tracks: Shake Your Rump, Hey Ladies, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun, B-Boy Bouillabaisse (some releases separate each movement, others group them as a single 12 minute track)

I didn't expect to enjoy all that much of this album, but there were a surprising number of gems on this one. It's also a brisk affair at just under 30 minutes, meaning the album wastes very little time in getting each song across to you. I particularly liked the harmonies that were there-but-not-really, I hadn't heard harmonies that wide (close? A little of both on some of these songs) before. The main thing holding this album back for me is the slower half of it. Those songs act like the album has 15 more minutes when, on a release like this, every single second counts. The momentum built by the more upbeat number essentially evaporates in those moments. However, this makes the higher-energy numbers stand out a whole lot more. All in all this album had more high points that I was willing to concede considering Simon and Garfunkel always struck me as the sort of soothing, inoffensive band for old fogeys whose faces would get melted by the Who. Credit where it's due, there's some brilliantly written folk pop here; I never knew the evergreen "Mrs. Robinson" was by them, or from this album! Key Tracks: Save the Life of My Child, Fakin' It, Mrs. Robinson

I'll give Joy Division one thing: both their albums start on the absolute best foot possible. "Disorder" on the debut innovates an entire genre in real time, and "Atrocity Exhibition" is that genre's vampiric cousin, brough to life (back to it?) just a year later. I really thought I was in for something absolutely exceptional, but the album ended up being more hit-or-miss than anything else to my ears. For every clear highlight like the opener or "Colony," there were 2 songs that just did noting. Too moody, too ambient, not enough rhythm to move anything forward. It felt like the B-side took a really weird left turn into synthwave especially on those last 2 songs. There's enough here to make me appreciate individual songs as highlights of post-punk and the gothic sound that emerged out of them, but they feel a little bit hidden in the gloomy, murky mire that is the album they're on. Furthermore, while the rest of the band has improved leaps and bounds from the debut to Closer - it's apparent in the grooves on the more driving songs - Ian Curtis' voice just has not kept up. It's still the same pitchy monotone on basically every song, which really detracted from the incredible potential these songs had. I know that Joy Division sold a lot of people on the strength of that voice, but I honestly find it sounds so... amateurish compared to the instrumentals. Came in with high hopes, left with a mild appreciation. Key Tracks: Atrocity Exhibition, Colony, A Means to an End

An album that sounds very much of this time. I don't think I've ever heard an album sound so exactly like the first half of 1986 like this one does. Ms. Baker is, of course, the primary attraction of this release, and she brings her incredible voice in SPADES on this thing. She belts, riffs, modulates, and sirens up and down the otherwise very beige, pedestrian instrumentals. She is, deliberately so, the only noteworthy part of this album. Musically and thematically, this is yet another album to stack onto the landfill-sized pile of adult contemporary soft R&B balladry that slowly but surely swallowed up the entire 80s. Despite the wide influence of Ms. Baker on the R&B that followed her, I would argue the most influential, integral part of this album is its format: it was the breakout release not only for its central singer, but also for the ballads-and-bops-fronted-by-a-powerhouse-diva format that brought us Whitney (despite her being a contemporary,) Mariah, Celine, and many, many more whose stars shone tackling material like this. The Revolver of supermarket music. Key Tracks: Sweet Love, Mystery, No One in the World

I had honestly never heard of this guy or this apparently seminal debut before it was recommended to me. I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised. Hip hop was hard enough to get into for me way back in the day, and French hip hop has long been one of my blind spots. To hear this Senegalese rapper absolutely glide over these very modern (for the time) beats and come out the other end as arguably the greatest Francophone rapper of his generation is quite impressive. There's a surprising variety on the musical end of this album; it's not all just Tribe Called Quest-style jazz rap beats. Though much of the instrumental is dated to today's ears, and not all of the lyrics hit like they should have, about 90% of this album still holds up. There's a lot of very standard, but never inessential, social messaging about racism, social class and human division more specific to France in the early 90s. There's also a couple of songs here and there about presence in the family and the willingness of people to fall prey to broader influences. This is a lot more eclectic and diverse than the genre and release year would originally suggest, and I actually quite enjoyed this album even if I did find a couple of songs a little overlong. You don't need to know a word of Frecnh to know this guy's got it in spades; definitely recommend this one as an entry point into the French hip hop scene. Key Tracks: Qui seme le vent recolte le tempo, Victime de la mode, Bouge de la Partie 1 (Ragga Jam as an added bonus for how insane it is)

I don't think I had ever listened to this album in full until this list gave it to me. I had only heard "Debaser," "Tame" and "Here Comes Your Man" at certain points over the past 8 or 9 years preceding this full listen, which is sort of ironic considering how much of my favourite music was influenced by this album. Needless to say, no one quite mastered the quiet LOUD quiet dynamic like Pixies did on Doolittle. The rickety, ramshackle sound of the album makes the 60s pop influence shine through like a ray of sun through a cloud of buzzing guitar clouds and clattering drums. The album somewhat loses steam past "Monkey Gone to Heaven" but there's enough solid material to last until the end, so it never really moves into less than good territory. There's also very little time wasted on this thing: songs don't ever overstay their welcome, but it can sometimes mean they come and go without leaving much of an impression. Bonus points for the really aggressive ones that feature Frank Black's screams because those are the irreplicable kind of visceral, deep-from-the-stomach-pit type that most metal frontmen spend careers searching for. All in all this is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand alt rock and the development of the sound that ruled rock for the rest of its mainstream heyday. Key Tracks: Debaser, Monkey Gone to Heaven, No 13 Baby, Gouge Away

Judging by the artist and album name and the cover art, I thought this album was much more recent than its 1969 release year ever suggested. The music included here is a nice mix of that classic folk, country and blues-influenced rock sound that would come to define what most would define as "dad rock." There's a nice medley of everything here, from jammy pieces like "On Sir Francis Drake," a relaxed proto-yacht rock song in "Sunlight" and a driving multi-section opener in "Darkness, Darkness." And that' just the A side! There's lots of classic jaunty, bouncing grooves mixed with twangy guitars and slides; it honestly wouldn't be out of place on a CSNY or Creedence release if either of those bands ever covered one of the songs here. The B side isn't all that interesting outside of the big, sax-heavy ballad "Quicksand," another early example of the ultra-commercial rock sound that would swallow up all pop music by the mid-70s. The B side closer, the drifting, chime heavy "Ride the Wind" is the only other notable song on the second half, but it does a very good job of putting a near little bow on this surprisingly eclectic album. I must say I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly impressed with this offering. There's so much to be excited about and it's definitely a grower of an album. Though it might sound cliche and dated today, most of this album's many musical choices would be commercialized by the next decade through no fault of their own (based on what I searched about them, they never really made it big.) I think you could get a lot of mileage out of this album if you go into it considering its eclecticism as ahead of its time rather than a sign of the 70s schlock to come. Key Tracks: Darkness Darkness, Quicksand, Ride the Wind

A companion album to her seminal 1995 release Wrecking Ball. That album was a recent addition to my all-time favourites list after "Where Will I Be" brought me to tears but that's another story for another time. Red Dirt Girl released as the proper solo followup to Wrecking Ball and mostly follows the same approach that made Wrecking Ball the 1-of-1 dream country album it is. That album was produced by Daniel Lanois, hence the airy, spaced-out production. Here, Malcolm Burn mostly structures these songs the same way, using Harris' crystalline voice as a waypoint. There's a pretty good ratio of hits-to-misses using this approach but I fear the material just isn't as good as it was on the previous album; it's the same issue as Kid A vs. Amnesiac. All that aside, Harris' voice is still as devastatingly beautiful and ageless as ever; I could've sworn she was in her 30s when she made this, but it turns out she was about 20 years older than that! What I really like about her is her no-frills approach to her melodies; forget anything about rhinestone cowboys and city girls singing about rural life wearing $3000 boots that never saw a speck of dust, Emmylou Harris is the real deal. Musically the album often veers completely out of the country domain, like on the practically ambient "Bang the Drum Slowly" or the honest-to-God trip hop beat on "Tragedy." In typical Emmylou Harris fashion, there are all kinds of guest stars here, Bruce Springsteen to Dave Matthews being the most prominent among them. It's definitely an unconventional approach to an otherwise strictly traditional genre (Nashville would never allow "J'ai fait tout" on any big artist's tracklist in a million years.) But, having reach the 35-year milestone of her career, Emmylou Harris wasn't interested in listening to anyone's opinions on where her life and career were supposed to go, especially if it came from the same country radio fat cats who told her she was too old to have another hit. With all that said, the unconventional choices sometimes work against this album, where the otherwise country-folk stylings are electrified and become a vaguely trip hop-inspired stern pop that popped up all over this era. Emmylou Harris should not be sounding like the Beth Orton we have at home. That doesn't mean there aren't a few genuine gems on this one; my final recommendation is to listen to Wrecking Ball if you want to hear the sound of this album done right. Key Tracks: I Don't Wanna Talk About It Now, J'ai fait tout, My Antonia

Incredibly important to the mainstream proliferation of hard rock with a psychedelic edge. Cream was the starting point for a lot of heavier rock, which is a point I find is too often overlooked when assessing the band's legacy. In modern times, I feel this band is increasingly forgotten when listing some of the all timers of the late 60s, a far cry from how rapturously they were received in their heyday. It might be that the band never really cared to get back together save some one-off reunions, nor did they ever care much to glorify this part of their history. Nevertheless, Disraeli Gears is Cream's defining statement, featuring the iconic heavy psych sound that defined the early years of heavy metal (all despite Mr. Baker's objections.) Musically the songwriting is pretty solid here though it's pretty obvious the singles were picked out deliberately. The majority of the deep cuts are instrumental showcases more than anything, which makes sense considering this album was recorded at light speed (the band apparently only took 1 or 2 takes to finish entire songs, as groups used to record together in those days.) One of the things that sort of distracts me is the lack of a single defined lead singer. Bruce does much of the heavy lifting here, especially on the B side. Clapton is still finding his voice here but his guitar skills are very well near their peak. Really, all the instrumentalists are in top form, which makes this album such a treat compared to the relatively loose contemporaries in the psych scene. I can definitely see why this was included on the list: it's rare to find the perfect combination of strong songwriting, elite instrumentals and broad appeal to leave such a long-reaching legacy. Even if this album's star has faded, I doubt it will ever go out. Key Tracks: Sunshine of Your Love, Dance the Night Away, Tales of Brave Ulysses

One part Jesus and Mary Chain, one part Big Star. That's vaguely where I would place this album aesthetically and musically. It also sort of reminds me of The Lilys, an unsung shoegaze band from around the same era. There's a lot of noisy power pop goodness on here and quite a few of the songs are single-worthy and there's a very warm, sweater-weather feeling to a lot of these songs that remind me of the autumn months. There is one thing this album lacks to my ears, and it's pacing. So many short noisy tracks are reduced to interludes while you wait for the more digestible alt rock tracks to come back. If you look at it the other way, the slower pop rock songs detract from the incredible momentum the noisier parts build. I find the only song that really gets everything right is the opener "The Concept," which is rightfully assessed as one of the best songs in this band's catalogue. And while I don't usually comment on album art, the MS Paint energy of this cover is off the charts: I don't even know what it's trying to communicate about this album's sound...! In any case this is a solid document of the UK's take on alternative rock around the crest of the wave that swept all of rock and roll way back in 1991. Enjoyable if you're a fan of warm, jangly noise pop played a little too loud for comfort. Key Tracks: The Concept, Star Sign, Alcoholiday

It's a fairly standard piece of 90s alt-country, complete with the more indie rock passages and a vocal performance that isn't trying to be perfect, it's just trying to get the point across. It's the second example of a later-career release by a veteran country songstress exploring the new sound of alternative country, the first being Emmylou Harris' Wrecking Ball released 3 years prior. This album is definitely more rooted in traditional country where Wrecking Ball veered too often into straight-up U2 territory (Daniel Lanois produced it: go figure.) If you want an authentic middle point between the traditional country Williams had made for much of her career before this album and the more modern sound that brought country to the 21st century, this is the album for you. For me, I like about half of this album for its down to earth sound and the convincing performance from Lucinda Williams herself. However, a lot of this is a little TOO safe sounding, which makes some of the songs feel like they've been placed in the exact middle of the road depicted on the album cover. Despite how authentically country this album is for most of that runtime, there's a strikingly modern sound to it: it sounds like a 2010s album in places, which really lends a timeless quality to the mixing. Really nothing is out of place on that front It also defies the peak CD-era convention of making as many inhumanly long songs as possible to fill the 80-minute runtime - this album doesn't waste any of its 51 minutes. Owing to the stellar production job, I guess you could also argue it's a perfect bridge between folky roots rock and alt-country as well. That's the surprising thing about this album: for how straightforward it's played, it really serves as a bridge between sub-genres and movements, a road between towns if you prefer. Key Tracks: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Concrete and Barbed Wire, Still I Long for Your Kiss

Well if this is the way this list can include the monster hit that is and was "Take on Me" then so be it. That song is the opener so you don't have to wait for it at all. What follows is actually quite well-crafted and memorable by 80s synthpop standards. Definitely a surprise from the band widely considered a one-hit wonder (though I've had this experience before with the Cardigans' First Band on the Moon, which since became of my favourites.) Honestly, this album really puts the band into perspective for me - I genuinely think that if they came a little before or even after the new wave and synthpop boom periods of the mid-80s they would be taken a whole lot more seriously. One only needs to look at the soundscape(!) of songs like the title track to see that this band was more than its ultra-commercial smash hit. However, a lot of this album is indeed pretty indistinguishable from the rest of the synth-heavy landscape of the era, and the super-processed drum sound that was all over music gets annoying pretty fast. Doesn't help it's accompanied by lazily strummed acoustic guitars to give it a "grounded" feel despite the ultra processed everything that surrounds it. Despite all that, this is a VERY solid piece of 80s pop goodness and you could do far, far worse than listening to this. Not bad at all for a band dismissed as a sappy one-hit wonder if you ask me. Key Tracks (besides Take on Me of course:) Hunting High and Low, The Sun Always Shines on TV, Here I Stand and Face the Rain

It would be obvious to say this is the middle child of the Berlin trilogy seeing as it came after Low and before Lodger. However, I would argue Heroes is actually the middle child of Station to Station and Scary Monsters. It's just the perfect bridge point between the 70s and 80s especially considering the other albums felt very confined to the sound they were exploring. There's a sense of freedom and desire for eclecticism that the rest of the trilogy doesn't have. That doesn't mean the album doesn't fall into the half-rock half-ambient trap of the other Eno-produced albums. In this instance the A-side carries the album to its current reputation. Bowie has plenty of representation on this list, though I wonder, with so many albums included, whether this one was added simply for its iconic cover art and the monster track that is "Heroes." Now that's a song to put on a Voyager record if they ever made another one! Famously recorded with Robert Fripp on guitar, Bowie sang each verse standing a little further away from the mic, which is what captured that incredibly impassioned performance from him - far and away the best of his career. The ambient sections are a little rockier than the dirge-like fare of Low but they really are missing the extra special something (essentially there's a Bowie-shaped hole that stops them from being elevated to the A-side's level.) I think this was a fine album to include as an essential listen as it's a great way to figure out where Bowie had come from in the 70s and where he would be going as the new decade came around the corner. It also has his best song on it. Key Tracks: Beauty and the Beast, Heroes, V-2 Schneider

That atmospheric intro had great potential that immediately evaporated when the beat kicked in. That was my first impression of this album, now considered a pillar of grime's resurgence in the UK. This is a shockingly recent album for this list, having celebrating its 10th birthday at the time I wrote this. The second track converted me back with its earth-shaking bass and Skepta's much more convincing performance. My takeaway from this album is that the shortest songs are the best ones as the longest tracks like "Corn on the Cob" get lost in looping the beat and extending the song past its natural conclusion. No need to stretch out a 3-minute song to 5 minutes. I can forgive that though because basically every song has an enormous level of care put into it. It makes sense considering the significant delays this album had; it came out nearly 3 years after it was first announced, and Skepta used that time to rework and revamp the entire thing from start to end. The effort and conviction is apparent in almost every bar and every beat is at the very least distinctive and memorable. It's also an album that really comes into its own in the back half as all the big hits and more popular singles are to be found there. This is definitely the type of release that rewards your patience and dedication, which isn't something you really see in a genre as in-your-face and immediate as grime. No recency bias to be found here; this album brings the hype and its influence on the grime scene, and on UK hip hop in general, becomes obvious as soon as you finish the album and have a moment to sit with it. Key Tracks: Lyrics, Crime Riddim, Man, Shutdown

My 100th album to rate and I'm given this utter monument of popular music: lucky me! To me, this is the jazziest jazz album to ever jazz. The perfect introduction to the wonderfully calm, soothing and sometimes bizarre world of jazz. Every note in place, every change perfectly timed. To my ears, it's a little too prim and polished, working too perfectly as background music that flits and floats by as you do something else. This isn't too say this isn't a strong album by itself - there's a reason it's a standard entry point for someone looking to get into jazz for the first time. That genre can seem intimidating from afar, what with its endless talk of chords and theory (it just reminded me that John Coltrane, who appears on this album, is the decided reason for that shift.) Kind of Blue puts the listener's mind at ease and lets them know there's something in jazz for everyone, which is something I think we can all rally behind. Key Tracks: Freddie Freeloader, All Blues

While very much a studio effort, there's definitely something that feels incredibly (a)live here. Each and every song inhales and exhales to ease into the groove that carries it for its runtime. Electronic music owes a lot to this album that's for sure, and that's before even addressing its immense influence on the dance music that followed. This also accomplishes the important task of exposing people to the monster hit that was "Freak Out." Known to my ears as the anthem to dance parties at the end of many a 2000s animated kids' movie, I've come to reassess "Freak Out" as the song that crawled so Grandmaster Flash's "The Message" could run. The true attraction here, top-tier disco aside, is Nile Rodgers himself. The cofounder of this group, Rodgers' playing is the link between about a dozen genres and more often than not he's just strumming the same 2 to 3 chords for minutes at a time. Few could ever influence so much with such economical playing. The disco tropes of sappy mid-tempo ballads with overwrought strings appears here mostly on the back half, but what would normally repel me from many a release is honestly not a problem here. I think it's the immense good will the first half built while I listened. I would say the A-side is definitely the better one. A must-listen for someone looking for the best disco had to offer in its heyday, and for others looking for the bridge that linked rock to dance. Key Tracks: Chic Cheer, Freak Out, I Want Your Love, Sometimes You Win

This one is an acquired taste on all fronts, from the sort of distant, night-on-the-town aesthetic present in both the spacey production and suave cover art to Bryan Ferry's scattered crooning vocal performance. It's a rock album unlike any other, one that owes as much to Engelbert Humperdinck as it does the Rolling Stones. Much of it is owed to keyboardist Brian Eno, (yes, that Eno, from the Windows XP sound suite) whose sweeping soundscapes elevate this album far beyond the vast majority of Roxy's glam rock contemporaries. Despite the musical ambition, Roxy was just as fuelled by coke as the rest of the glam scene, only they chose to be tasteful about it, sipping a glass of Cheval Blanc while dressed in a fancy housecoat while sat out on a swanky balcony. Musically speaking, this is an album that wears a fair set of colours, a fact betrayed by that iconic, near-monochrome cover image. If I could convey the songwriting in a sentence, it would probably be something like "breakup songs sung like wedding proposals." So much of the sophistication and glitz the album conveys falls apart the minute you listen closely to what Ferry is saying: check out "Beauty Queen" and "Every Dream Home" for the best examples. The latter song is the high point of their career, offering a perfect encapsulation of their ethos. The song describes the daily horrors hidden just underneath the veneer of modern luxury and performative sophistication. The entire impression of wealth as a sign of merit is entirely torn apart by the increasingly tense keyboard work from Eno and the eventual searing solo that closes the track out. Other artsy rock achievements found here include an extended krautrock jam in "The Bogus Man," which is more direct in its theme of describing a stalker, and a straightforward pair of rock songs in the opener "Do the Strand" and "Grey Lagoons." You'll definitely find a little bit of everything glam on this album, and that's what makes it the peak of the genre to me. A shame Eno left the band after this to do his own thing; Roxy Music never again reached this peak, though they got close on a few occasions. Key Tracks: Do the Strand, Beauty Queen, Editions of You, In Every Dream Home a Heartache

This is a fine piece of 90s hardcore punk from a fine example of a band typical to the San Diego scene of the time. One of the more interesting things I noticed is how ahead of its time the album cover is: it really reminds me of a late 2000s post-hardcore album cover rather than something out of the mid 90s. Musically it's acceptable enough as an amped-up walkthrough of the classic hardcore punk beats. There's a little more variety than I would have expected originally given the genre, though it comes at the cost of consistency - this band does the hardcore punk thing way better than most of the other styles they try, which is mostly straightforward alt rock. I suppose that if the San Diego punk scene is an absolute must to include on a list of seminal albums, this would be a pretty good example of it. In terms of hardcore punk as a whole genre though, there is better out there, but few that seem so...oddly friendly as this one. There's just something so inviting and jovial about this album where so many other bands of this time seemed so utterly miserable. I guess that's what sets it apart: it's hardcore punk that doesn't compromise on energy or intensity while still being inviting enough to entertain the uninitiated who listen to it. Key Tracks: On a Rope, Ball Lightning, Come See Come Saw, Burnt Alive

The first Radiohead album this list has given me, and if the music press is anything close to a reliable source, this probably isn't the last one either. Hail to the Thief is the rockiest Radiohead release since The Bends, and the first one resembling conventional alt rock since OK Computer 6 years prior. This one is distinctly edgier though, and it brings the band's political undercurrent to the forefront. Inspired by the band travelling across the U.S. and writing down catchphrases and slogans inscribed on billboards across the country, Radiohead really sought out to return to their alt rock roots though there's a distinctly electronic half to basically every song. It definitely feels like it was a more spontaneous process than the calculated and deliberate sessions that produced Kid A and Amnesiac. However, that spontaneity also translates to a slightly overlong album with a few too many tracks; I think this one could really have benefitted from being trimmed down by about 3 or 4 songs with those left behind being made bonus tracks. Otherwise ideas feels like they return and repeat, but not because of a deliberate attempt to establish a theme. Nevertheless, Radiohead is a fairly consistent band, and this album managed to move the band forward once again (hard to do that 6 times in a row...) The band would never return to this level of cynicism and righteous fury again, as the albums to follow either moved in a personal direction (In Rainbows, Moon Shaped Pool) or played with the sound to a near-fault (King of Limbs.) Sometimes I miss this Radiohead. Key Tracks: Sit Down Stand Up, Where I End and You Begin, There There, Myxomatosis

I never really got into Steely Dan and I don't think I ever will. Outside of the big hits, the sound is too safe, too meticulous, too far in the background for me. This isn't to say this album is entirely bad, it's just that I would naturally only be attracted to the bigger songs on this, and there are quite a few of them on this. The music itself is quite technically correct and surprisingly elaborate as well, so I'll give the Dan some credit there, as I will to some of the more obscure lyrical references (what is "Kings" really about...?) That said I don't really understand why there's so much Steely Dan representation when, in my opnion, just including Aja would have been fine enough. Maybe it's the boomer-era critics' legacy hyping this band up as they incorporated a lot of Latin influences, which is very apparent on the songs here. Quite a bit of Latin jazz and mambo-type sounds to be found here, which I suppose lends an "exotic" quality to these cocktail bar anthems. Key Tracks: Do It Again, Reelin' in the Years, Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)

Simon and Garfunkel meets Bob Dylan. Sounds like something I wouldn't like going into it, but I was pleasantly surprised that my ultimate assessment after listening was a resounding "meh." There isn't anything standout about this album besides having come early enough in the San Francisco scene to establish some of the reliable psychedelic folksy tropes the area would be known for. It really isn't all that psychedelic when you really listen, but many of the songs have little details that make this a pretty confident album for a band fairly early into their career. The singer does indeed sound like Dylan at times but it's clear he has a better command of melody than his much more famous comparison did at that time. There's also a surprisingly sarcastic wit to some of the songs here, as if the album was disillusioned with a scene that hadn't even been invented it. Look at "It Won't Get Better" and "Nine Pound Hammer" for examples of that latter point. Apparently there were a lot of label disputes as their previous albums were made up of covers, which might explain why this album is rather underrated. Overall it's a historical document of a budding folk scene and a pretty solid album overall, just don't expect to be blown away too often. One last little anecdote: as I was making a list of my own records I decided to look over my parents' own records to list them and was surprised to find this album among theirs! One of the last things I would have expected them to have. Key Tracks: Only Dreaming, Painter of Women, Magic Hollow

Often dismissed as a cheap copy of other big sounding bands like U2 and Radiohead, Coldplay definitely borrows from both of them on this debut release. What's important to note is they've veered in a fairy commercial and arena-ready direction as most of the Britpop bands did following the end of Oasis' true prime years (thank Be Here Now for that one...) On their auspicious debut, Coldplay try to show us they're ready to pick up where Radiohead left off in 1997. Rather than continue disappearing into themselves and create wacky genre experiments as Yorke, Greenwood and co. did after the Bends, Coldplay asked themselves "what if The Bends was beige and was your mom's favourite rock album?" The answer is somewhere around this album. Alternatively, you could say Coldplay beat U2 and All That You Can't Leave Behind to the punch by having Chris Martin pretend to be the Bono that worried about alienating his fans by being too ironic. The result is a straightforward, earnest album that plays to both of those influences' strengths while also adding a tinge of bright-eyed melancholy. You can feel sad and nostalgic, but not excessively so, partly because the songs here aren't particularly memorable outside of the big singles. It's great mood music if your mood is "bus ride home after a long day at work/school." Besides the songs I recognize, this was sort of in one ear out the other for me, which is probably what inspired me to write this utterly nonsensical rant. Anything to weird up this very, very safe record. Key Tracks: Don't Panic Shiver, Yellow, High Speed (for that ironic title)

Not 3 days after my last Steely Dan album, I'm given yet another of their albums (hopefully the last one.) I don't absolutely hate this band, but it's definitely not something I would seek out. I suspect a lot of people my age have good memories of this music because it sounds like it would be a hit with most people's parents. Well my mom liked Motown and my dad liked hard rock, so the Dan never really fit anywhere. All that aside, this one is the best of the 3 Steely Dan albums this list has given me. Every song is memorable and immaculately produced. I would have liked if it had a little more of a distinct edge but the whole album has been produced to be as prim and polished as ever, like someone buffed out every wrinkle and crease on its face. It's the equivalent of a waxed tiled floor; the pattern is nice to look at and you might find something fun, but you wouldn't dare put anything else on it lest you ruin the perfect sheen. Quite a bit of this thing also reminds me of some irresponsible playboy with thinning, slicked back hair wearing a Hawaiian shirt over dress pants driving an obnoxiously loud convertible. It's got the perfect corporate-sounding sleazy vibe to me, which might actually be something they're going for(!) There's even a song with some groove to it in "Peg," another new facet to Steely Dan's repertoire. I would honestly add that one to a playlist, it's very good. Everything else is unfortunately in that mid-tempo haze that makes the songs drift about listlessly for their entire duration. The title track is a pretty brisk 8 minutes, but more than one song whose samey riffing makes 5 minutes feel like 7. If there were half-star ratings I would have given this an extra half point, but the energy from the 2 songs I enjoyed isn't enough to push this into 4-star territory unfortunately. Beautiful sounding album overall - if only it had more songs. Key Tracks: Black Cow, Aja, Peg

Public Image works best in small doses. That's why this maximalist examination of their sound - the mechanical drums, spindly guitar passages courtesy of the late great Keith Levene, and some absolutely stellar bass playing by Jah Wobble - is a fairly challenging lesson. Everything works well in isolation. When put together and topped off by Lydon's shrill, keening tenor, the whole album sounds like the band is clashing against each other for the full hour. You could almost dance to the songs here given their length and underlying groove, but the top part - that is, Lydon and Levene - make it exceptionally difficult. Even the physical release of this album, released on a triple LP with about 10 minutes of music on each side and stored in an abrasive metal container that slowly wore away at the records, was intended to make this music as challenging as possible for you, the listener. That's why the shortest songs work the best magic on this album: they don't overstay their welcome and the discordant sound is much easier to stomach. I'm not averse to harsh, abrasive music, but Metal Box veers into annoying territory more often than not, especially as John Lydon - whose voice I can only compare to an evil grandmother's - is more subdued and lets the rhythmic, interlocking instrumentals shine. This was a harder listen than I was anticipating even though I liked about half of the songs here. The influence on the post-punk that followed is palpable: for starters, Killing Joke owe a fair bit to this album. To my ears, Public Image Ltd. does have a good album in their catalogue, but it's not this one. I much prefer The Flowers of Romance for its succinctness and punchier sound. Key Tracks: Albatross, Memories, Careering, Socialist

Often considered the North American Syd Barrett, Skip Spence was a founding member of Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape, but those 2 bands would only prove themselves to be influential psychedelic pioneers after he had left them. Disappearing into obscurity for decades after his wild drug abuse took his mental state as collateral, Spence only managed to release a single album of his own work. This is the result. Listening to it, one would be forgiven for thinking these are unfinished, half-formed approximates for tunes. After all, these were demo tapes that Spence's label decided to put out before his train derailed even further - Spence would apparently refuse to record anything if he even caught sight of a producer in the same studio as him. The songs included on here are sparse to say the least, with Spence having recorded basically the entire thing himself to serve as a framework for a full band later on, though that ultimately never materialized. I see some complaining about it being 90 minutes in length, but the original album is much shorter, closing with the 9 and 1/2 minute "Grey/Afro." Skip's performance on these is serviceable enough though one can evidently hear just how frazzled he was as a person, and just how badly the drugs had vaporized his mind. It shouldn't come as a surprise that, much like Syd Barrett before him, Skip Spence never truly recovered or became fully functional once their time in the sun was over. The acid-charred renditions of these songs belie an incredible songwriting talent that, much like Spence's own performances, barely manage to hang on to competency but pull through with what's left. It leaves a huge cloud of sadness on it, especially if you look into the lyrics, which, admittedly, are actually quite sharp in places: "how many friends can you call your own?" he warbles in the opener "Little Hands." Spence's voice itself drifts between a wistful, reedy upper register and a shockingly heavy baritone that gives everything a very leaden feel, as though the songs are dragging themselves to the end of their runtime. It's clear that, despite being an evidently incomplete piece of music, Oar is an absolutely essential look into the darker side of the 60s as evidence by one of its prime exhibits of the acid craze's collateral damage. Spence's resilience, his willingness to create something, anything, is palpable, and I think its primacy is the main reason so many celebrated artists, from Robert Plant to Mark Lanegan to Tom Waits, banded together to create the 1999 tribute More Oar, which offers a more complete rendition of the songs included here. Spence would unfortunately never see his work celebrated as it was, as his own health issues claimed him in 1992, leaving him a near-forgotten relic of the psychedelic years. Key Tracks: Little Hands, War in Peace, Books of Moses, Grey/Afro

..........I didn't know "The Humpty Dance" was, or needed to be, 6 and 1/2 minutes long. Now that's a song that really benefits from an abridged version. In fact, most of these songs could be cut down by a minute or 2 to make something that has a little more energy to it. All of these mid-tempo grooves are nice in isolation but forcing them to repeat endlessly over a VERY dated old-school flow makes these would-be party anthems into a slog to get through. The "concept" of this record - something about quarter-sized pills for sexual potency, or something like that - is also somewhat lost since each song more or less talks about the exact same thing the exact same way. Despite all those shortcomings, these beats are immaculate especially for the era they came out of, being the tail end of old-old-school hip hop and all. Each one is memorable and wonderfully mixed; it's just a shame that the rhymes can't keep up with them more than half the time. Many of these beats are begging for an MC to recount some crimes or rough story, but they're given the dirty bar treatment basically every time. An important listen to if you want to see where hip hop started really getting ambitious, but you have to be prepared to listen to the same type of bars a whole lot. Also a pretty racy album lyrically, which wasn't out of the ordinary even at the time but you can expect straight up moaning on the beat like in "Freaks of the Industry." Key Tracks: The Humpty Dance, The Way We Swing, Gutfest '89, Freaks of the Industry

For some reason, Elliott Smith always eluded me. I had tried in 5-minute increments to get into at least 1 of his many acclaimed albums but never could. Maybe it was too late at night, where I find this type of dreary songwriting works best, maybe it's that the whole thing sounds so hushed, as though Smith doesn't want to wake anyone up by recording this, maybe it's the inscrutable lyrics hidden in the mix, covered by the double tracked vocal performances. In any case, this was my first serious attempt to listen to the apparently unmissable catalogue of one Elliott Smith, and while it's not as good as the hype would indicate, it's also not this total snoozefest of sad guy with guitar that the opener had me think it would be. Smith's songwriting is well-known for its introverted approach. Taking cues from Nick Drake a generation prior, Smith weaves in these wonderful little images throughout every song that really makes the songs stick out in my mind. There's some louder, rockier bits here and there too, which keeps things interesting for the admittedly short runtime of this album. It's a very hushed performance to be sure, and I think that really sells just how internally focused this album is. Much of this is about isolation, depression, insecurity, all topics perfect for the sensitive and measured approach this album takes. I guess it works there. I personally found myself waiting for some more energetic moments to come in, and there's definitely a few of them here. Maybe it's just what I'm used to, and maybe I'm just not used to this kind of indie folk/rock/singer-songwriter thing. I do respect albums this vulnerable and raw a fair bit though, so that definitely brings this album up a peg - or several. Perfect music for contemplating yourself long past midnight. Key Tracks: Ballad of Big Nothing, Pictures of Me, No Name No. 5, Cupids Trick

I had never, NEVER, heard of this lady before this list. A little digging into her career tells me not only did this debut win the UK's Mercury Prize, but that she was given an MBE for her services to music. All this despite her only releasing 2 albums, and the more recent one of them being released 20 years ago! Honestly I'm kind of impressed that someone whose career would otherwise be a footnote in UK hip hop was given as many accolades as her in such a short time. Upon listening to this album cover to cover, I immediately think of 2 things: Lauryn Hill and Destiny's Child. While both are fair and respectable influences given the 2002 release date, it does present a glaring problem: neither of them are Ms. Dynamite. Despite doing her best to make these beats her own, Ms. Dynamite herself unfortunately doesn't stick out of the miry early 2000s R&B instrumental even if she presents something slightly different in her sing-rapping. Lyrically there's a lot of boasting that comes off kind of preachy, which is also the biggest issue I have with Lauryn Hill's Miseducation album. The preachiness is mainly about how much better these women are than their contemporaries, like they've mastered the art of being women artists while the others haven't. Sort of weird impression that I get from them. Anyway, the instrumentals here are all very dated and kind of indistinct compared to the tons of other similarly lowkey hip hop that was coming out (maybe it wasn't as common in the UK?) Though it's fine on its own, the attempt to make this into a seminal album is kind of strange in hindsight; it's as if the critics whose opinions formed this list never got the memo that, in the near quarter-century since this release, Ms. Dynamite has been squarely placed in the Arrested Development section of hip hop history. Key Tracks: Dy-Na-Mi-Tee, Put Him Out, It Takes More

Brilliantly produced indietronica, perfectly constructed dance songs for people who don't dance, and the equivalent of that one scene in the Barbie movie where the main Barbie questions mortality in the middle of a dance party. These are all the things I think of when I hear the rave-siren beats of Sound of Silver, an album I honestly wish I was there for. There's definitely something very 2000s about this, but the songs' structures themselves are timeless. I honestly feel as though songs like "Someone Great" could have been written in practically any era of popular music. It's even more true with that universally applicable message of "All My Friends:" as we get older, we tend to lose valuable platonic connections with not just friends, but others in our community as a whole, and our world shrinks at the time when we could allow it to expand the most. It's a cold, dejected irony that's been injected in basically every song - peep the snarky sardonics of "North American Scum" and "Watch the Tapes" (in my opinion, the only real dud song on this. The rest of the tracks more than make up for it.) "All My Friends" in particular is an absolute homerun of a track. It could have been written in 1967, 1987, 2007, 2027 or 2057 for all I care, and it works in every last one of those eras because ageing is just a natural - and terrifying - thing that happens to us all (if we're lucky...) The thing is, it's terrifying until it actually happens, which is, what I feel, the whole thesis of this album. Don't worry about what inevitably happens, because you'll just scare yourself twice. Dance as badly as you want to because, if you're ever embarrassed about yourself, just remember that no one will remember it anyway. In many ways, this is neither optimistic nor pessimistic as an album; its outlook is realistic, which I find so refreshing since it ties in so well with how organic these beats are. James Murphy is a master of mixing and the art of rhythm building - just check the opener "Get Innocuous" and the album's crown jewel "All My Friends" for the best examples of his work. It feels like an actual band is playing this live in studio despite how carefully curated and measured it all is. I think what I'm getting at is this is an album full of contradictions that normally clash but blend perfectly on this pillar of 2000s indie electronica. An album that can only come from experience and some years of wisdom, which Murphy had quite a bit of compared to many of his less well-remembered contemporaries. Progress might look slow, and you might feel late compared to your peers, but it will always, ALWAYS pay off in the end, I suppose. Key Tracks: Get Innocuous!, Someone Great, All My Friends, Sound of Silver

Something something Big Lebowski having a rough night and hating the Eagles. I actually went into this expecting to really dislike it (nothing to do with the movie, everything to do with overplay) but the songs are actually quite well-written despite how...self-important(?) the more serious songs are. This album works best when it's light and easy-going, like on "Life in the Fast Lane," the other monster single from this LP after the title track. I actually felt I had to skip the title track opener to get an authentic feel for this album and not to dampen my expectations, and I think it actually helped my assessment of this album. Sonically, this is as commercial as rock gets in this era, but for a soft rock album, it does actually hit hard in some places. Most of these songs have an actual pulse, which so much of the mushy, cloudy-soft shlock of this era didn't have (there are a couple of ballads guilty of this even on this album...) A pretty enjoyable album if you want something conventional, but I feel it's included here for its massive commercial reach rather than for anything innovative. Plenty of bands did the country-tinged rock with a soft side thing in this era, but it's hard to justify any of those contemporary groups when you have a band that at one point had the literal best-selling album in the world. Actually, I've always found it funny that the best-selling US band is called Eagles, because of course they would be! If someone wrote a movie about a fictional USA, they'd accuse that plot point of being too on the nose. Key Tracks (besides the title:) Life in the Fast Lane, Victim of Love, The Last Resort

This is a pretty hard one to rate. It's a balls-to-the-wall roller coaster ride of an album that starts up firing on about 3/4 of its cylinders and immediately blasts them all by the time of the second song, rarely letting up after that. The result is a surprisingly fun romp through a throbbing, vibrating noise rock wind tunnel. Does it help make any of the songs distinct and memorable? Not at all. Is it as fun of a time as you're going to get in the otherwise extremely serious and unfriendly world of noise rock? Probably so. This album is apparently a duo's effort, but you wouldn't know it considering how full the tracks are. There's always little electronic details and some surprisingly catchy bits that seem to flit and dash about on most of the songs here. I can best compare it to the math rock band Hella if they decided to stop changing times every bar. This is definitely the type of album that forgoes technique and, really, all nuance, in exchange for raw power and virile energy. Perfect for driving way too fast while this album plays way too loud (please don't try this at home.) Key Tracks: Assassins, 2 Towers, Crown of Storms

From noise rock to this: talk about genre whiplash! Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you see it) I can't help but laugh when I hear "I Hear the Earth Move" start up. I always think of Mary Roach doing a...questionable rendition of this otherwise-brilliant song on American Idol. Carole King was famously a songwriting titan and hitmaker for several others, but she proves here she can more than carry her own weight when she's allowed to tackle her own material on her own terms. It's very safe and measured 70s pop to be sure, and nothing really matches the incredible energy the opener brings. This isn't to say King isn't giving it her absolute all on most of these songs, because I never knew she had this much voice in her; that was a pleasant surprise! Tapestry came out of the CSNY, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell school of elaborate lyrics mixed with folksy instrumentation, but I can't help but feel the individuality has been sucked out of this album by its production. If this wasn't resident established hitmaker Carole King singing, the album would likely disappear into the void of the countless 70s pop albums that aped it. I chalk it up to the effect of King writing songs for so many different and disparate artists that the album struggles to find a unified voice, though it evidences King's own versatility at the same time. To me, there just isn't much to dive into past the mega hit singles and the album suffers from being too perfect; I mean, even the Carpenters tried to sound warm and human on their records! The slow to medium pacing of most of the tracks also doesn't help restore the much-needed colour. A fine enough performance from Carole King herself, but the name value carries this album to its notoriety in my eyes. Key Tracks: I Feel the Earth Move, Beautiful, Where You Lead

Packing more ideas in a single album than many artists do in their entire catalogues, Vespertine is Bjork's wintry, snowbound take on love and intimacy. It's so open and vulnerable you almost feel uncomfortable listening in on her admittedly quite explicit depictions of these themes: I mean, how else can you describe what's going on in "Cocoon?" There's a very big emphasis on an insular and personal sonic palette, which was a fairly big departure from the previous album Homogenic, which was sweeping and grandiose in every sense of the word. Here, Bjork uses small ambient sounds like footsteps in snow or shuffling cards to craft wonderfully intricate beats that grab the listener's attention every time. And that's even before she starts whooping and exclaiming and somersaulting all over the vocal lines in these songs. This is easily one of the defining performances of her career, and though I place it third in the pantheon of Big 3 Bjork Albums - my personal list is Homogenic, then Post, then this one - Vespertine is still a one of a kind experience that transports you to a world of frosted glass and warm cozy days spent out of the cold (in more ways than one...!) Key Tracks: Hidden Place, It's Not Up to You, Pagan Poetry, Unison

Rap was the last genre I really "got;" even past my teen years of considering anything without guitars non-music, I struggled to get into a genre that I believed, for many years, was not made for me and could thus not be understood by me. I think Midnight Marauders was the first time a rap album well and truly clicked with me. This album is a lot more joyous than that one. In many ways, it feels like a celebration of success, the end result of a desire to share joy with the world after winning the proverbial lottery. This is the kindest, most pure-hearted hip hop release I've ever listened to, and while not every song is completely perfect or memorable, there's more than enough here to mark this as a standout release of 2000s hip hop. A nice cast of features, including Johns Mayer and Legend, and the completely uncontroversial Kanye, round out the brilliantly produced tracks. I'm not sure how often I'll return to this but it's a very pleasant listen that leaves a listener with a smile on their face. Key Tracks: The Corner, The Food, Real People,

My first go-around with Elvis Costello didn't go so great, so let's see how I feel about this one. Having listened to it cover to cover, I can definitely say I enjoyed this one more than the previous one, Armed Forces. I don't think I'll ever get over Costello's voice - it's just so thin, so reedy, the lyrics it sings so irritatingly self-aware. It's the audio equivalent of an irony-poisoned 50s rock and roller, or if Buddy Holly merged with Randy Newman. The songs on this one really ape that 50s ish sound as well, with a mix of 60s R&B sprinkled in to create whatever proto-new wave/pub rock thing he's doing on this apparently solo release. Can't say most of the songs here are that memorable. In the true 1950s spirit, Costello has gone for the "collection of random songs that had varying degrees of success collected onto an LP disc" approach to creating an album. I can't really comment on how well it works especially in an era where the cohesive narrative album format was at its best. All in all this is another acceptable yet unremarkable Elvis Costello album that wormed its way into this list for some reason. I really think there should have been some kind of limit on the number of albums a given artist could have. Otherwise, half of this list would just be this guy, Dylan, Bowie and the Beatles.

Despite never having heard of this group or this album, I must say I was pleasantly surprised. This is a very varied piece that journeys from chamber music to folk rock to plain old indie and back again, and I can definitely see why something so eclectic would garner as much acclaim as it did in indie circles - Pitchfork (for whatever their opinion is worth) named it among their favourites of its release year, 2003. That year alone shocked me, because this sounds about 10 years ahead of that. It honestly wouldn't sound out of place in a best-of list in any year from 2010 to 2014. Musically I guess the closest thing I could pinpoint it to would be something like alt-country, but it sounds slightly too folksy for that. Some like to say there's a Tex-Mex thing going on here and while I can sometimes hear it in the horns the album really doesn't stay in one place long enough for you to pin it down just right. It's both a blessing and a curse, because the album is eclectic to a fault. It's fine to include electronics, acoustics, folk melodies, zydeco, indie rock, and whatever else, but in the end the listener is always going to try and find what exactly the artist and their artistic statement is actually about. And after a full listen of this thing, I can't find it. It doesn't help that the album's production sounds very muffled and "live," but not in a good way. This sounds like they put a boom mic above the band while they were playing live in some bar before opening time. As a result, the singer - whose lyrics are supposed to be witty and snarky to justify the high Pitchfork score - is often buried under the instrumentation. It's a perfectly acceptable album on its own, and you certainly won't find too much like it in the indie sphere; my final assessment is that it's a loose and pleasant romp through a lot of disparate styles, which leaves it an unfocused product of its time. Despite all that, it also somehow succeeds in both sounding ahead of its time and very much of its time. A record full of contradictions, some of which work, and others don't.

With a tracklist that reads like a greatest-hits collection and some utterly stellar performances from everyone involved, it's no surprised that Cosmo's Factory is widely considered to be Creedence's best album. It still astounds me that John Fogerty got this much top-tier music out in such a short time. I mean, the man secured a 60-year legacy in less than 4 years of recorded output! A lot of it had to do with the utterly atrocious contract the band had signed with Fantasy Records (180 masters in 10 years = 18 songs a year = 2 to 3 Creedence albums a year, after all) but the quality was so consistently high, and that cannot have come easily for Fogerty. His one of a kind songwriting is out in full force here - I think the ubiquity of Creedence's music and its emphasis on traditionalism really gives these songs a timeless quality. There's just a special something here that makes the songs sound like they've always existed, that Creedence is just covering a bunch of folk tunes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Several of the songs are indeed covers (how else are you going to pad that 180-masters stat?) but each one is delivered in a distinctly Creedence way and makes them just as essential as their original output. You don't need to look further than the searing 11 minute rendition of "Grapevine" to figure that one out. Among the originals, Creedence was evidently trying their hand at harder edged and more outgoing songwriting. The album opener (and my all-time favourite song of theirs) "Ramble Tamble" is dominated by this swirling, psychedelic riff that builds and builds as it's bookended by a bouncy old-time intro and outro. It was completely unlike anything this group had tried before or since, and I will always argue for it being their most daring song. The traditional songs are just as good here: check the big hits, of which there are plenty ("Lookin' Out My Back Door," "Up Around the Bend," "Who'll Stop the Rain.") And there's one more I always felt was an unsung hero of this album: "Run Through the Jungle," which you might recognize from its appearance in The Big Lebowski. A timely song in every sense of the world - and hardly the first Vietnam song Fogerty wrote - it's got a decidedly standard middle section, but there's an overwhelming sense of menace throughout it, from the noisy guitar intro to the harmonica solo played as though a lone soldier stands out in an empty field, waiting for a brave foe to start shooting at him. Menace is NOT a word I had ever associated with Creedence before or since hearing this song, but it's definitely there. Even a sentimental ballad closer doesn't bring the energy down. Rock bands and ballads were always a hard sell for me, as precious few could ever write and perform a convincing one. Fogerty is among the elite few, "As Long As I Can See the Light" being the defining lighters-out moment of the CCR catalogue. It offers a sense of hope that had become vanishingly rare for the band in this era as creative frustrations and personal tensions tore the band apart one day at a time. Creedence's next 2 albums didn't have anything close to the ambition and spirit as was found on Cosmo's Factory. Pendulum was fine enough and gave them a couple more big singles, but the less said about Mardi Gras, the better. This was, in every way except chronological, Creedence's parting gift to the world, released at a time when, in the wake of the Beatles' breakup, they had been made the biggest band in the world for the briefest of moments. Key Tracks: Ramble Tamble, Run Through the Jungle, Up Around the Bend, I Heard It Through the Grapevine

Another high point of alt rock from the year that genre reach its peak, 1994. If grunge was a reaction against the overblown and polished AOR and glam of the 80s, this type of indie rock was a reaction against the arena-filling, self-destructive antics of the grunge headliners. Pavement construct with these inexplicably competent pop songs using nothing more than duct tape, wire, paper clips and well wishes. The loose, IDGAF attitude of these songs might turn some off, but that's sort of the entire point - a listener has to work around those barbed outer layers to make it to the warm inner core of this album. If there's one word I could use to describe this album, it's "ramshackle." Every song sounds like it's about to fall apart on the spot if not for a well-placed riff or new verse from snarky songwriter extraordinaire Stephen Malkmus. The lyrics are quite literate but they're so obtuse and veiled in irony you could probably spend the day picking apart what the stream of consciousness verses are talking about. I think it's beside the point to look for lyrical themes in Pavement songs really, because most of them were written with that same attitude that they draw their sound from. Figure out the lyrics if you can, but if you spend all that time to figure out they mean nothing, that's on you for falling for it... That could very easily be attributed to the typical dejected Gen X aesthetic, which this album has in spades. But there's also a genuine sincerity on this - for one, there are some sentimental (?) songs on here. Well, they sound that way at least, especially "Stop Breathin" and "Range Life." There's some genuine rock out moments here which I find a lot of less abrasive alternative and early indie rock doesn't get right. Some good examples here are the "hit" single "Cut Your Hair" and the crashout blaze of glory that is "Unfair." An excellent document of indie rock released right at the moment the genre was coming into its own and separating from the mainstream of alternative rock. Yes indeed, this is the alternative to the alternative. Key Tracks, Silence Ki(d)(t), Elevate Me Later, Unfair, Range Life, Fillmore Jive

Here's another surprising one: a DNB album that won the Mercury Prize! That's probably something that won't ever be seen again, because electronic music is rarely given the time of day at stuffy, pompous award shows like those. What's a little less surprising is that the Mercury Prize would go out to an electronic album as ordinary and conservative as this. You won't find any drastic innovations in any of the 78 minutes that make up this album. And with a genre as samey as DNB, whose small intricacies are key to keeping the genre fresh and relevant, this release really feels like a slog by the time you're halfway through it. So much of it is the same old same old - the sped-up Amen Break combined with whatever minimalist trip-hop instrumental they could fine, with a distorted voice or 2 thrown in for good measure. There are a few highlights but this album will generally feel in one ear out the other. It doesn't help that the songs are mostly 3 minutes too long; it's clear they were trying to capture that dancefloor feel, but the songs are too jazzy and subdued to really work as backing tracks for a strobe lights and glowsticks rave. That's not to say the album is all bad, as there's at least a couple of noteworthy pieces on here. Most of them are in the first half though, and you'll be waiting a while to catch some memorable moments for the rest of this already overlong album. All I can say is the inclusion of Mercury Prize winners no one remembers speaks a lot of the UK-centric bias this list can have at times. It's not always there, but it's kind of glaring when it is...It's the musical equivalent of putting every Best Picture winner in a list of seminal movies: some of them just aren't as great as they were at the time.

You were never know it, but Tina Turner was at somewhat of a crossroads when she made this album, now considered the defining statement of her solo career. This was her first release following the long overdue divorce from Ike Turner, and Tina had never truly been out on her own and quite so openly vulnerable before. At 45, most had assumed her career highlights were all in the past. Little did they know, Ms. Turner (if you're nasty) had another 20 years or so left to give. As a musical document, this album is contemporary R&B to a fault. Full of the classic gated reverb sound and the instantly recognizable (and cringeworthy depending on who you ask) synth leads covering almost every track. Everything here has the cutting edge studio sheen on it in an attempt to bring Tina Turner, at the time considered an elder stateswoman with a peak in the 60s, into the modern age. Though hilariously dated by today's standards, this album did indeed give Tina Turner a second wind she so needed following the 15 prior years of turmoil she had experienced. Most of the racier songs here are also effective despite her being slightly out of the typical singers' demographic for such material (older means more experience people!) So this album is a lot of things, a mid to late career triumph that gave an icon decades of relevancy and an accurate document of the era's popular sound. It's proof no one was ever too old to make it, even for a second time, or to be considered beautiful, sexy, desirable, or whatever other superlative you'd like. Above all else, it's got some very subtle but poignant messaging related to Turner's mindset and the endless fortitude and resiliency she needed to reach this second career peak. Quite the impressive album even if not every song is completely perfect; Tina herself never was, from her lopsided, exaggerated fashion sense to her one of a kind voice. Key Tracks: What's Love Got to Do with It, I Can't Stand the Rain, Private Dancer, Let's Stay Together

Jimi Hendrix and Jethro Tull. Jethro Tull and Jimi Hendrix. Those were my dad's 2 favourite bands of his era, and for very different reasons. Jimi was for the guitar virtuosity, but Tull was for something else entirely. And that's really what Jethro Tull was: where else in rock - or in all of popular music - could one find a tree-posing, flute-playing, codpiece-wearing Shakespearean bard frontman but in the world of progressive folk rock? Ian Anderson truly is a one of a kind talent, not only for his eccentricity but also for the arrangements found on this, his defining band's breakout album. Though slightly edged out by Thick as a Brick in my mind, Aqualung is still my sentimental favourite in the Tull catalogue. From the wide cast of characters depicted in the main pieces, to the underlying sardonic dismissal of broader society, to the religious-but-anti-religious theme that runs throughout this album. Aqualung is a Dickensian retelling of northern England as it was in the late 60s and early 70s, and Ian Anderson's experience living in that era and coming form quite similar backgrounds as the downtrodden he sings of in these songs, more than likely informed the character pieces. Let's not forget about the incredible guitar theatrics of Martin Barre, who only needs to solo on the opening title track to prove his status as Anderson's right hand. I will forever consider him one of the unsung heroes of rock guitar. In all fairness, it's hard to stand out when your frontman is playing a 7-minute flute solo standing on one leg. The album itself is divided into halves, one about the miserable, poverty-stricken world of Aqualung - named for his heavy, rasped breathing - and the peers who surround him. There's the kindly schoolgirl Cross Eyed-Mary, the bold madam Mother Goose, and, in the second half, Locomotive Breath, named for his smoking habit. Locomotive Breath only appears in the later half (and features the best flute solo of Anderson's career, by the way,) but the B-side of Aqualung is more focused on the religious justification for inequality and oppression. The sprawling "My God," "Hymn 43" and "Wind-Up" are big on the damning religious imagery Anderson had rejected even in his youth, as he saw most of the justification as a cheap excuse to keep the poors in line while the haves could continue exploiting the have-nots. You know, typically prog, in a political sense as much as a rock one. Anderson remains fond of this album, but he certainly wasn't fond of what came after: the music press lumping him in with Yes and Genesis, whose brand of grandiose rock pranced around in Fairy Land. Anderson's biting, folksy style was always much more gritty, grounded and realistic than theirs, and that more than anything else was what separated Jethro Tull from the rest of their contemporaries (besides all the other things.) It was this resentment that created the brilliant followup to this, Thick as a Brick (which I sincerely hope appears on this list...) Overall, if there's one Jethro Tull album to listen to, one would do very well listening to this one only. It's got everything that makes Tull great, all in one place, with catchy, punchy songs to boot. Equal parts progressive, folk and all out rocking, Aqualung is a true standout even as more than half a century has passed since its release. Key Tracks: Aqualung, Mother Goose, My God, Locomotive Breath

The career-defining album from the world's greatest bar band. AC/DC will never make any claims to being a thinking man's band, but Bon Scott's edition of the group had a sly wit to them that was completely lost by the time they did a couple of albums with Brian Johnson. Highway to Hell has easily some of their best material, even beyond the mega-hit and immortal rock radio staple that is the title track. Even the lesser singles like "Girl's Got Rhythm" have this incredibly jaunty and fun quality to them. The deeper cuts though, don't really do anything for me. One thing is for sure though: Brian Johnson's boneheaded edition of the band would never write songs with as many layers as "Night Prowler," a song that famously incited controversy when a murder suspect was quoted saying it was his favourite song by the band. That amazing closer aside, the blues power chords do wear thin on some of the lesser played songs, and Scott's voice is keening and can certainly get grating after a while, but you just have to think of it as a small intimate club performance but expanded to arena size scales. The album is also an incredibly succinct 41 minutes, and not one of the songs overstays its welcome by any stretch of the imagination. This is among the best hard rock of its era, and if AC/DC's name wasn't fully associated with the lewd old man Brian Johnson era, this would be respected a whole lot more for its immense wit and timeless rock and roll appeal. Key Tracks (besides the title:) Girls' Got Rhythm, Touch too Much, Shot Down in Flames, Night Prowler

Ah yes, the Cars. No "classic" band has ever made me go "oh THEY sing that song from my childhood I could never pin down on anyone!" more times than them. It's that anonymity that made listening to them a kind of non-starter in my listening journeys. Their big hits were just enough for me. Now, having listened to their debut - and, per most lists, their best album - I can't say my opinion has changed much. There's some good deep cuts here, but none have nearly enough of the spark and oomph that those first 3 opening singles have. It's an uphill battle this album has to fight, that matching of the same fire as those singles. There's one gem past the singles I would say, the closer, "All Mixed Up," which I found to be quite a departure for the otherwise very standard new wave sound. "You're All I've Got Tonight" is also an underrated track that should have been a bigger hit. I wouldn't mind hearing that one once in a while on rock radio. The Cars had a reputation for playing very mechanical gigs, and, somehow, that same assembly line process is apparent in the studio as well. None of the songs are particularly adventurous, or progress in any way other than the most straight-ahead way possible. In a car sense, this is the musical equivalent of a Ford Focus: reliable, dependable, nothing particularly flashy, and gets you from A to B. Expect a smooth trip, but you won't get any joyrides out of this one. I doubt I'm the first person to ever make that comparison. Key Tracks: Good Times Roll, You're All I Got Tonight, All Mixed Up

Classic, almost stereotypical soul-funk grooves are abound on this release. There's some very good sequencing on display here, as the slower ballads lead very well into the energetic tracks. The ballads are treacly sweet with plenty of dreamy lovey-dovey lyrics that go in one ear and out the other. The funk tracks are where it's at on this album, because oh man do these groove! These songs are the antidote to the constant fearmongering, rage baiting media we all consume incessantly these days. I wish more music had that genuine escapist quality. This album was apparently a soundtrack to a movie, but you would never know it as the band has made absolutely no reference of it here (possibly because the movie wasn't all that great...? I wouldn't know, I've never seen it.) That said, nothing stands out particularly here. EWF did better on other albums, and the singles are definitely the most worthwhile tracks. EWF are deservedly represented on this list, but I wonder why this album was chosen over the other, much better material they have in their catalogue. Key Tracks: Shining Star, Happy Feelin,' Africano

Linkin Park is a band I can only compare to a roller coaster: while it may look daunting and dangerous from an outside perspective, actually getting on the ride proves it's one of the safest adrenaline rush providers accessible to the general public. Hybrid Theory is such an album: it's Linkin Park emerging as a band fully formed, and though they would change up their sound with each subsequent release, nothing they did ever truly deviated from the formula established on this auspicious debut. The late great Chester Bennington is the standout performance on here, with his shockingly versatile voice moving from huge aggressive screams to delicate tenor crooning across the album's tracks. The rest of the band kind of blends in together, all thanks to the excellent production of co-frontman and 2000s rapper Mike Shinoda (I mention the decade here because his style really hasn't changed since the year 2003.) The singles here are a step above the rest of the deep cuts here, but there are some very strong contenders on here, "Points of Authority" being among the best of the non-hits. The most distinct thing about the actual instrumentation is how seamlessly everything is mixed, from the nu-metal posturing to the industrial sampling courtesy of the in-band DJ (just another thing to set them apart) and the very earnest hip-hop rhyming. Linkin Park, in this manner, remind me of Motorhead. Where the former attracted hip hop fans, nu-metal fans, and broad radio listeners, Motorhead did the same a generation earlier with punk, blues, and metal fans. That's probably where similarities between the bands end. Reaching across the aisle is important in music, after all. This isn't to say everything on here is great: the more aggressive passages are products of their time in every sense of that term, and the overly earnest and vulnerable lyricism and performances invite a some mockery (I can't hear "Crawling" without thinking of that one meme that goes CRAWLING IN MY CRAWL, THESE CRAWLS THEY WILL NOT CRAWL...) Maybe that's just me. Linkin Park are from the Korn school of vulnerable nu-metal, with their confessional lyrics that made them a darling of kids going through their first trials as they matured. You can't ask much more of an album than that. Despite all those flaws, this is a landmark album and signalled the emergence of a new type of rock as the format entered the 21st century. It's an album as culturally, historically and aesthetically significant as anything else in the Library of Congress' current registry. Key Tracks: One Step Closer, Points of Authority, Runaway, In the End

A very solid debut from the artsiest of the British glam rock groups. It's still a little rough around the edges but there's a lot of really interesting choices being made. For one, Bryan Ferry hasn't found his Bizarro-World crooner style yet so he's kind of doing whatever feels right on each song. Brian Eno is really the one filling out the gaps with the several bizarre noises and fills he puts in: just check the crazed opener "Re-Make/Re-Model" for proof of all of the above. The other glaring item on this album is that incredibly loud sax that hovers all over everything, which makes this album part free jazz, part glam rock, part ambient electronics. Needless to say, this is a very interesting mix of elements going on here, mostly brought by the eternal frenemies Bry(i)ans Ferry and Eno. This album is one that's very hard to forget, though not every song will hit. It's also quite progressive: just look at "Ladytron," which gets 3 distinct movements in and out of the listener's view in 4 and 1/2 minutes. If you can't stomach the whole thing for all of its wild directions, I would suggest going for the A-side on its own. The B-side veers a little too heavily into the progressive electronic krautrock kind of thing that kind of detracts from the degraded-glam atmosphere Roxy was so great at creating. The band would refine the many elements found here on later releases, but they never again displayed them all at once in full force as they did here. Key Tracks: Re-Make/Re-Model, Ladytron, Virginia Plain, Chance Meeting

Yes, RATM are part of the machine. Yes, most of their political messaging is purely liberal posturing that isn't intended to bring about actual change. Let's not forget, this is a band that was heavily promoted by a major record label, one of the biggest capitalist machines this band is supposedly raging against. And yes, about half of this band's Wikipedia pages have their parents' names in blue. All of this has somewhat coloured my perception of this band and placed them squarely in the "controlled opposition" category for me. It's always somewhat harder to dissociate the political leanings when the entire band is predicated their politics. That said, this is actually a great album. Lots of excellent riffing as Tom Morello still had some restraint with his effects - I could never get into Audioslave because his solos often devolved into the sound of Nintendo cartridges getting a little too intimate. Zach de la Rocha is also a terrifically charismatic frontman, and, to my ears, he's the really the one who believes in everything he raps about. Truly the heart and soul of this band. The rhythm section is also thoroughly on point - Commerford proves to be incredibly underrated and Wilk lends a live energy to all of the beats. This album genuinely feels like a live performance captured on tape, slightly enhanced by the studio, but never loses its radical spirit. The messaging, of course, isn't all that radical, but it was certainly a change of scene from the rest of the early 90s, which had fully embraced pro-capitalist Cold War propaganda. In an era of resoundingly neoliberal policymaking, a left of center band shouting about the white supremacist underpinning of US policing seemed extremist by comparison, and that certainly couldn't have been the easiest thing to get on radio at the time. But "Killing in the Name" was a hit! I don't think you would ever see anything like that outside of the 90s - basically everything and anything could be a hit in that decade. The album sort of trails off in the second half for me as the Rage sound is great for 5 songs or so, but 50 minutes of similar buildups, riffs, and shouty lyrics wears thin on me. I definitely understand this album's importance, and RATM have rightfully earned their place in rock history, but their sound works best in small doses. Otherwise, you get lost in the sauce of same-sounding songs. Key Tracks: Killing in the Name. Wake Up, Freedom

The second studio effort from the not-so-little band from Montreal's Mile End that unexpectedly transformed indie rock forever. The sound on their sophmore effort is somehow even more sweeping and grandiose than the revolutionary debut, Funeral, but the sonic palette is also more restrained at the same time. Essentially, a select few elements from Funeral carried over to Neon Bible, and everything that did was blown up to stadium size. The songwriting and sequencing is much the same as it was on the debut as well, with the best songs bookending the first and last couple of tracks. In typical CD-era fashion, I find the album to be somewhat sunken in the middle as tracks blend into each other due to the more selective composition choices from the band. All this is to say not everything on Neon Bible hits, but the hits go very hard. Take the closer "My Body is a Cage" and the huge pipe organ crush of "Intervention," for example. Arcade Fire even proves they can still write more conventional indie songs as seen on "The Well and the Lighthouse" and the only song I recognized from this album "Keep the Car Running." The only song that really resembles what they had done before is "No Cars Go" with all its accordion melancholy and marching band buildup. It's a song that inches towards a Godspeed You Black Emperor type of buildup, which isn't completely far-fetched as funeral was recorded at Godspeed's H2T studio in Montreal. I feel like I've heard before, and not because it's the second car-themed song on this album. I don't have too much else to say about this except that this is a purer, more distilled Arcade Fire, a more straightforward interpretation of the band and the indie sound that marked a generation. Listen to Funeral for the full experience, and Neon Bible if you like only the biggest moments off the debut. Key Tracks: Keep the Car Running, Intervention, The Well and the Lighthouse, No Cars Go

.....The opener "I.G.Y." and "New Frontier" are pretty good songs. That's about all I can say about this album. This is the third time this list has given me something from the Steely Dan realm, and only Aja was really worth it. 2 to 3 good songs in a sea of beige, flavourless tracks does not a seminal album make. Sure, everything is prim and polished and every note is in the right place, but it's the insipid combination of proto-Kenny G smooth jazz and middle-of-the-road pop rock that grinds me down. I feel like I'm constantly teleporting between a waiting room and some rich snob's yacht listening to this. There are some occasional fun moments on this album, but nothing truly sticks, so most of the songs end up disappearing from my memory the instant they're done (barring the 2 big singles of course, those are, again, the only worthwhile tunes here.) This is definitely an album for the Steely Dan diehards - casual listeners can leave this one alone and just listen to "I.G.Y." and "New Frontier." However, it seems the critics from whom this list was compiled were Steely Dan diehards.... Key Tracks: I.G.Y., New Frontier, The Nightfly

Bjork's best album since Vespertine, and her latest high-quality release to date. Inspired by a breakup with her longtime partner, Bjork goes for the art-poppiest art pop possible, full of strings and long, drawn-out beats that easily stretch all of the songs past the 6-minute mark, with only 2 exceptions. In typical Bjork fashion, the beats take inspiration from the IDM acts that influenced her years prior as they skitter, glitch and jump all over the the strings that sweep over the album like a massive migratory bird formation. It's not all uniform though: songs like "Notget" have a distant folk influence - Chinese in this track's case - and the following song, "Atom Dance," features a warped ANHONI guest feature as the watery beat splashes around the plaintive string backing. The 2 shorter songs, "History of Touches" and the closer "Quicksand" condense the full electric fury of the breakup into less than 6 minutes total with their huge, violent drum patterns. The second half is honestly a lot more interesting than the first, so long as the clashing musical styles are more interesting to the listener than the utter sorrow communicated in the first half. To my ears, that second half conveys the clashing emotions following the end of a relationship much better than the lonesome sadness of the first 4 tracks. Best among those is the opener "Stonemilker," as that first track provides the full thesis of the album as the many elements it introduces are further developed in subsequent tracks. I had listened to this album several years ago and not remembered very much of it at that time, so this was a very welcome revisit: I didn't expect to like this album as much as I ended up liking it. Definitely a later-career triumph for Bjork, and while her voice has definitely aged in the years since her peak years, it hasn't lost any of its emotional weight. Key Tracks: Stonemilker, Family, Atom Dance, Mouth Mantra

This debut album from the most all-American band of all time certainly shows some promise, but it's too rough around the edges to recommend outside of the big hits "Breakdown" and "American Girl." Nothing else stands out besides those 2 songs, and the very first-draft songwriting makes this apparent major label come across as a small-town high school band making a record with their pocket money. Most of the non-hits sound like they came out of some coming-of-age family movie from the late 70s or early 80s. I guess this is well and truly the "heartland rock" sound played to a T. Petty himself also doesn't seem to have found his voice yet - here, he sounds like Gregg Allman getting over a cold. I find that his songwriting style works best when there's a tension or energy just under the surface, and that's something that's largely absent on this paint-by-numbers release. Except for that last song, "American Girl," basically everything here is played as plainly and paint-by-numbers as possible. Not sure if something so uninventive is really so must-listen. Key Tracks: Breakdown, Strangered by the Night, American Girl

I always used to confuse this band with Ultravox and UB42 for some reason. Even now those 3 are intertwined in my mind, though none of them have anything in common save names starting with U. Anyway, I've never listened to a full LP from these guys, so I had no clue this was one of those dumb-but-we're-self-aware pop punk groups. Unfortunately, I can't say I like this kind of thing very much. The singer sounds like a cross between Jello Biafra and Joe Strummer, and the instrumentation is mostly restricted to a vaguely upbeat surf-rock sort of vibe. This is rather unremarkable pop-rock with some extra voltage pumped in, nothing less and certainly nothing more. You might enjoy it more than I did if you really like the early 80s new wave/pop rock sound, amped up to make it "punk."

Formed from the ashes of the stoner rock giant Kyuss, QOTSA was formed by that former band's guitarist Josh Homme. This was his first attempt at fronting a band, and for a first outing, it's not too bad actually. Sure, Homme's voice needs some work, (the subsequent albums would see him develop his instrument much more) and there's certainly a few songs that could benefit from a little more time in the oven, but the potential is already quite apparent on this debut release. The songs mostly involve some classic hard rock riffing mixed with Josh Homme's soft, undeveloped tenor, and the 2 mix surprisingly well. I can't really compare it to much except later Queens releases. I will say, however, the songwriting gets kind of repetitive as the tracklist cycles between slow and bassy Sabbath worshipping riffs to the more standard ZZ-Top meets a fuzz pedal hard rock. Homme's own vocal lines leave something to be desired as well as he mostly does the weird jumping-intervals thing for every hook. Listen to this if you want to marathon Queens of the Stone Age's discography: for this sound perfected, check out the followup, Rated R. Key Tracks: Regular John, If Only, Walkin on the Sidewalks, Mexicola

I guess James Murphy had the time to read Infinite Jest while LCD Soundsystem was broken up...Released 6 years after the apparent breakup of the groups that put indie's greatest sound engineer on the map, American Dream was almost hailed as a comeback album of sorts. With its title inviting a political bent, a listener might find that the songs contained within don't really address the political or social issues themselves as much as they address the feelings surrounding them. After all, that's what LCD was best at doing: making you dance while worrying as much as possible. Dance music for people who don't dance I like to say. My main issue here is that while previous LCD albums had a strong sense of memorability ingrained in each track, this one has some clear gaps in songs Murphy sank all his effort into. Many of the songs also kind of run overtime - there's more than a few that fly past the 6 or even 7 minute mark that could easily have been trimmed down to 4 or 5. Still, this is a solid comeback effort and it really runs the entire gauntlet of LCD Soundsystem tropes. This album would actually serve as a strong entry point to their rather small catalogue, though it's overlong and doesn't really excel in any one department as the other LCD albums do. Key Tracks: Oh Baby, Other Voices, American Dream, Emotional Haircut

Maybe it's because I'm not American, and maybe it's because Springsteen's heyday was a fair bit before my time, but I never really understood what made "The Boss" so great. I'm told he still has the goods live and puts on a show like nobody else. That's fine and all, but the studio records just read as plain, no-frills rock with a saxophone to my ears, and that's a sound I find instantly dated. It's Tom Petty if decided to start yelling a lot more. And I'll give it to Springsteen, he's shouting for his life out there on these songs. The tracklist reads like a greatest hits compilation, though you might find yourself waiting for a hit single to kick in since the gulf between album cuts and singles is a mile wide. There's one very strong deep cut here, "Downbound Train," which I think could have been a minor single at some point. Despite the pure-hearted rock and roll atmosphere Springsteen was projecting at the time, there's a lot of 80s synth washes and distinctly shiny AOR polish on the production of this thing. You don't have to look further than the keyboard hits on the title track or the very Police-sounding "I'm on Fire," apparently a major hit that I've never heard before listening to this album. There are also some distinctly old-school cool songs here, like "Glory Days," which sounds like it was written by the local small-town band for their prom before a major label swooped in and prettied it up in the studio. It's followed up by the one Springsteen song I can say I like, "Dancing in the Dark." I'm of the opinion that it's the one song where Springsteen does everything I want him to do: he tones down his shouty delivery, lets his immense, stadium-ready chorus writing shine, and creates a danceable, upbeat song. Honestly, my main issue with this album is that so much of it sounds so serious and dour its attempt to be uplifting - the title track is the complete opposite of this though, with its national-anthem posturing combined with its criticism of the military industrial complex. I guess Springsteen was still shaking off Nebraska, released 2 years prior to this arena-rock giant. Probably his most accessible, commercial album, and the best entry point into his glory years catalogue. Key Tracks: Born in the U.S.A., Downbound Train, Dancing in the Dark

I'm very happy that something this indescribably bizarre could get made and also get enough attention to be included on a list like this. If you took all of George Harrison's raga rock pieces and deep-fried them in acid, you might get something similar to the sitar-driven tracks on this. There's some more "conventional" guitar-driven folk songs, but if a song on this album goes past the 4-minute mark, there will be at least 2 tempo changes. It's the progressive undercurrent that pins this album of very disparate people and influences together. I mean, there's a 13-minute song on here that changes up every minute or so! You'd be hard-pressed to find an album more eclectic and varied than this in the 60s British folk scene. Of course, there's a very cultish thing going on, especially with the songs like "Witches Hat" and the 13-minute centerpiece "A Very Cellular Song." The sitar-driven songs like "There Is a Green Crown" does the Indian influence justice, as does the singer who does a pretty serviceable job of imitating the vocal runs and microtones heard in Hindustani classical music. This is an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink kind of album, where the everything is basically any and all string instruments within a 50-mile radius of the band members (where else would they get their name from?) Definitely not something for everyone, but not something whose innovations can be discounted either. Key Tracks: Koeeooaddi There, Witches Hat, A Very Cellular Song, There Is a Green Crown

For my money, the closest thing there is to a greatest album ever made. It checks all of the boxes: commercial success (tens of millions sold, stayed on the top charts for literal decades,) critical acclaim (still finds itself in the top 5-10 albums lists over half a century later,) and a lasting legacy (among the most influential releases when it comes to atmospheric anything, huge universal themes that listeners connect to instantly.) I would say that the one thing that takes away from Dark Side of the Moon is that only about half of the tracks are full songs. The rest are interludes extended to full-length songs, so the album takes a little while to get going and to end after that absolute all-timer of a middle section, which holds all the gold at the end of the rainbow depicted on the cover. Seriously, "Time," "Great Gig," "Money" and "Us and Them" all consecutively is among the best sequencing I've ever heard on an album. The production is also virtually timeless, with only minor tweaks and adjustments having been made over the past several decades. Pink Floyd's legacy is made and broken by this album, and no amount of Roger Waters' political stunts and Gilmour-less redux albums will ever take away from this album's immense legacy. A Voyager record in itself. Key Tracks: Breathe (In the Air,) Money, Us and Them, Brain Damage

The Doors return to fighting form on this release after 2 softer, more subdued releases in Waiting for the Sun and The Soft Parade in the preceding years. Morrison Hotel eschews most of the carnival organ psychedelia that marked the Doors for most of the 60s and exchanges it for the most driving blues rock of their career. That doesn't mean that there aren't more contemplative moments on this album though: the second track "Waiting for the Sun" does an excellent dynamic quiet LOUD quiet build throughout, and "The Spy" slinks around like its titular character in a rainy film noir. The most immediate songs are among the best: opener "Roadhouse Blues" sounds like a bar brawl that quiets down then picks up again after the saloon piano intro of "You Make Me Real." Morrison's voice is an anomaly on this thing: I can't think of another singer whose drinking and drug use continued worsening all while his voice kept improving. It shines best on the last 2 songs of this album as it careens between the warmer than normal baritone of "Indian Summer" to the bearlike growl of the closer "Maggie M'Gill." The Doors' hardest hitting album of their careers was resounding proof that the CIA's favourite psych rock band (if the rumours are to be believed) could hack in the new decade. Morrison Hotel showed a lot of promise that they ended up delivering on in the follow up, "LA Woman," which I like to believe is their best album. It's just a shame they would end up losing Morrison the very next year; at least the band definitely stayed broken up and DEFINITELY didn't make 3 more albums without their image-defining frontman, right...? Key Tracks: Roadhouse Blues, Waiting for the Sun, Peace Frog, Indian Summer

I don't what all the hype is about Mott the Hoople, but it feels like something I would have to be British to understand. It's an example of the UK bias this list sometimes has. I don't hear anything that's an absolute must-listen - it all feels like derivative slightly glammy rock to me. Nothing Bowie or even Slade hadn't done earlier and better. The songs mostly talk about the downsides of fame, glory and having too much money, which, again, was done earlier and better by Roxy Music. It's not to say there's nothing redeeming about this album - the production is quite clean and doesn't have that same dated 70s sound as most other work from this era, but that's about it. Not too much more to say about this rather pedestrian and frankly original glam rock release. This album has that vibe of contractual obligation all over it, and it's inescapable once you get past that actually pretty decent opener.

I think the first thing I noticed about this album is the gulf between Kanye's rapping and production. Kanye was never known as a lyrical genius or an excellent rapper, but his style has been fairly serviceable across his discography. However, any and all innovations Kanye brought to the rap genre come from his immaculate production: he wasn't the first to do the soul sampling over marching hip-hop beats, but he damn sure was the best to ever do it, to the point that few ever tried to replicate that "chipmunk soul" sound after the 2000s came to a close. If the album was instrumental I think it would bring it up a notch or 2 for me honestly. Lyrically, what I can get out of this is a sort of threadline about dropping out of college (hence the title,) aiming for something bigger and better independent of institutions, then finally disregarding and transcending(?) the materialism of those institutions, which ultimately serve to prop up consumer society, which is a pretty unique and noble thing to be rapping about. Kanye was at a crossroads in his life at the time this debut came out, and it seems hip-hop was as well. In the transition between gangsta and bling, there was a brief moment where this soul-influenced conscious style achieved mainstream success. Though its time was ultimately brief, it did set the stage for rap's greatest sound engineer to forge a career of innovations and many, MANY controversies, and it's pretty impressive that a debut album can break as much ground as that. Key Tracks: We Don't Care, All Falls Down, Jesus Walks, Last Call

The Police's final album is their most diverse, their most ambitious, and their least immediate. Though the band's internal turmoil would have probably lit the spark of WW3 if they had stayed together even another year, there's a sort of free-form collaboration going on here. Not everything hits (especially not "Mother") and some of the lyric writing is clunky (especially on "Walking in Your Footsteps") but the album is remarkably consistent outside of those 2 issues. It was clear the Police wanted to go out with a bang; at that point, it feels like their biggest-ever hit in the eternally misunderstood "Every Breath You Take" was intentional. I always get a kick out of hearing that in a romantic context, because the song is, of course, about a stalker. The band's technicality also shines through on several songs, like in the boss-battle 6/4 groove of opener "Synchronicity I" and the philosophical musings of its sequel "Synchronicity II." The band's most vivid lyrical imagery appears on "King of Pain" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger." The production is also distinctly very airy and offers a lot of negative space to let the songs breathe, which I find mostly absent on previous Police releases. All in all this is among the best final albums of a band's career and one of the most ambitious releases from a group as mainstream as they were in the 80s. Few bands ever decide to call it at the very peak of their career and end up as anything more than a "what-if" question decades later. The Police have never had any doubts about their place in pop history, and it's largely because of this album. Key Tracks: Synchronicity I, Synchronicity II, King of Pain, Wrapped Around Your Finger

These days, MTV Unplugged is an old relic of Gen X's eternal quest for "authenticity," whatever that meant at the time. Essentially, the philosophy for this series was that bands could prove their chops by playing undistorted, acoustic sets of their biggest hits. Nirvana's set is far and away one of the best of the bunch, and while there were some genuinely good ones, like Pearl Jam's, Alice in Chains,' Unplugged definitely had more misses than hits (let's try not to remember Korn's set, or even Kiss'...) Nevertheless, Nirvana's acoustic set here reveal something very interesting about Cobain's songwriting: the shocking harmonic complexity hidden just under the surface of the Pixies-worship guitar crush. Seriously, the details of Nirvana songs become so much more apparent when they're played on something other than distorted guitars. I think this album was a necessity to uncover what would otherwise remain hidden for much longer. Cobain's own performance is a career-defining one as his shockingly fragile voice crackles and struggles to soften against the barren instrumentals. It's a powerful contrast that makes him feel almost separate from the rest of the band, as well as the occasional string section that pops in here and there. It's never more apparent than the closer, a cover of Lead Belly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night." Here, Cobain starts off in a mid-register that seems most appropriate for this old blues tune before he starts screeching and cracking over the still-morose blues riffing. In a way, this was very much his final farewell to live music: Cobain would be found dead not 5 months after it was recorded, and it wouldn't be released until 7 months after that. An important live document to be sure and a solid release on its own, featuring excellent covers of bands like Meat Puppets and the Vaselines, as well as most of their biggest hits. A must-listen to get the understanding of Nirvana's impact on alternative music, and the magnetic persona that created the mythical Kurt Cobain we read about today. Key Tracks: About a Girl, Jesus Don't Want Me for a Sunbeam, All Apologies, Where Did You Sleep Last Night

REM was definitely moving in a rockier direction as the 80s progressed, though this album is more of an in-between moment for the eventual arena rock giants. Here, Stipe's voice is pushed to the forefront of the mix, likely to display his improved confidence and the improvement of his instrument by leaps and bounds since their debut 5 years prior. The arena rock ambitions have become increasingly apparent on this, with the big hits "Stand" and "Orange Crush" incorporating big sing-along choruses that, while still not being the most obvious lyrics, are simple enough for a crowd to catch and recite. The best part of this album is honestly how clean the production is without sacrificing the distinct jangly REM sound. Even the deep cuts are remarkably consistent: peep "Turn You Inside Out" to hear the best of them on this album. While the album does have a pretty high bar for quality, it's a case of a high floor and low ceiling where everything is more or less the same. The album also loses quite a bit of steam after that last deep cut. REM would end up perfecting the sound explored on this album and improve upon it, so this album is best used as an introduction to the several facets of this band. Key Tracks: 89 Pop Song, Stand, Orange Crush, Turn You Inside Out