I’m not familiar with basically anything on this album and it’s a very different vibe from most of their hits, but this is definitely still a showcase of Queen’s gorgeous musicality. It’s interesting to hear a fairly delicate approach to the vocals compared to the bombastic belting that people usually associate with Freddie. His range and control were definitely exceptional. “Ogre Battle” is a lot more in line with their hits. Actually a lot of the latter half is. It gets pretty goofy.
Alright. I get why people liked this, it is musically interesting, but honestly the vocals take a lot out of it for me. They’re very hard to process but not even in the interesting Cocteau Twins or Beck kind of way. It seems like the lyrics should be what carries or maybe justifies the mood/atmosphere but that’s not happening for me. It could just be my problem between my hearing loss and auditory processing difficulties. I enjoy the slightly heavier/grungier stuff but this just isn’t for me.
Man I’m sorry but I simply can’t. I get why this is important and there’s no denying that Dylan was a great lyricist but I just find folk music grating. I also really wish his lyrical style varied like… at all.
Hell yeah brother. Chill and sweet, vocally gorgeous. I really like this recording of Everybody’s Talkin’.
I think listening to this in 2026 and not in the mid 60s makes it extremely difficult to appreciate what’s so special about this. The Who stated that the album really doesn’t reflect their stage performance from the time and I do imagine this hit very differently live, especially given the novelty for British audiences. I just think that listening to this now highlights that the blues-y influences leaning more into what would become “hard rock” have been done better in the intervening time. I do think this is interesting particularly when compared to what the Beatles had done just a few years ago. Their early pop hits still work for me, whereas early Who recordings don’t particularly make me feel any sort of way. Maybe not doing this list in chronological order is actually a disadvantage.
Shame about Bowie as a person but… come on man. It’s good. You know it’s good, I know it’s good, hell yeah. The horns…. The HORNS! The production, mixing, mastering!
Sorry, but… I’m bored. It’s just not good. I’m sure they’re better live but these recordings feel so flat, and there’s so little variety that each song just kind of melts into the next but not in a good way. I don’t really understand why this was included. It doesn’t help that I was dreading listening because I really hated their most popular hits so maybe i’m bringing prejudice into it. Regardless, not coming back to this.
It’s fun, it’s flirty, it’s a party! It’s also 2 goddamn hours long, but who doesn’t like a good mambo? So far, it hasn’t overstayed its welcome because it brings a lot of variety in instrumentation. The production is very good too, nothing feels over or under-emphasized and the dynamics are… dynamic! From a dancing point of view there’s an interesting mix of pacing and attitude going on as well. I am adding Tito Puente to my dream blunt rotation
I don’t know how I didn’t know about The Band but I sure am glad I do now. They’re a great example of a group that’s better than the sum of its parts. I got the impression that they really enjoyed working with everyone’s strengths. The result is interesting instrumentals, great vocals, and a very healthy amount of variety within their very distinct style. I’m grateful this was on the list.
Right off the bat, The Cure’s influence is very clear. The Police also. Some ska portions too which is interesting, especially in Monday Morning. Overall it’s a really interesting album and a really good example of some of the best that time and place had to offer. And also it’s relentlessly horny lmao
Extremely 70s in the best way. It’s honestly bizarre that I didn’t know about this band or The Band. Hearing the origin of the That 70’s Show theme was a bit of whiplash. It’s a good song. I feel like I’ve heard covers of some of these songs elsewhere too. Anyway, it was a fun listen with some really nice instrumentation. They do what they do really well here.
Oh brother. I really can’t stand this extremely cheesy edgelord shit. The drums are good but that’s my only concession. The lyrics suck, the guitar is overwrought, and frankly it’s embarrassing to listen to. I try to be generous with inclusions that just don’t appeal to me when I get why they’re on the list, but surely there were better options for representing this point in time in the genre of punk/metal. Also you can’t be saying that white baby
I find myself with a lot less tolerance for hair metal these days but there’s no denying that this album does have some of their best on it. You can definitely hear a lot of the progression from early to late 70s sensibilities when you compare this to the Queen album earlier in the list. This is another genre that has to feel completely different played live and you can’t recreate that energy. I wish they had been more adventurous with the drums. Also these lyrics are dogshit lmao
Got a little less than half way through before tapping out. This is clown music (derogatory). I want the vocalist to take a vow of silence. It’s a shame because they are doing something musically interesting, it’s just also musically obnoxious. I’m not going to give it one star because I get why this is here but it’s the very first album to make me tap out nevertheless.
Smoooooooooth. Everything from the instrumentals to lyrics to vocals work together beautifully. This is an album arranged so meticulously that there’s no altering the set list- it needs to be exactly the way it is, and that’s not been true very often for the other albums we’ve covered so far. I also really like the interludes because while they don’t necessarily need to be here to get the themes across, their inclusion still really ties the album together while walking the walk. It would have been a crime not to include this album.
Another nostalgic band for me and also a work that absolutely could not exist without the work of black artists that came before. This is a great representation of what this flavor of rock/country/blues fusion had to offer at the time but it does bring that fact in very sharp relief. The vocals are really nice and the lyrics are mostly very thoughtful. Overall an album that flows well and scratches the 60s itch really effectively but I wouldn’t blame other people for lacking patience with it. My reviews for this type of band are always going to be especially biased.
This really grew on me over the years. This album really leans into both their popular appeal and their more experimental and musically complex tendencies (case in point, the transition from Waterfall to Don’t Stop). When I was a bit younger I found them a bit cheesy but honestly that’s part of what makes them good. This album stays relevant for very good reason.
I had no particularly strong feelings about this album until the end. I thought Song for Sathima was very nice and that the instrumentation was very good (although I don’t think they would let you in the recording booth for a jazz album if you weren’t exceptional). And then came Sameeda, an extremely interesting choice for closing out the album. It has a real stank on it that wasn’t really present anywhere else. It also played a little more dynamically than some of the other inclusions. Overall I’m glad I listened and some of it will stick with me, but it’s not one I’m passionate about.
I know it goes without saying but these shows must have gone fucking CRAZY. Once again you’re never going to recreate that experience through a recording, but this is a pretty good attempt. I don’t have to look to know that this album is extremely divisive but it definitely belongs on the list- you can’t reasonably deny the impact DKs continues to have. Garages and house parties across the world would never be the same.
It was fine but not something I could really actively listen to. It washed over me. I think I just like ABB better in the studio. Live recordings can be difficult… sometimes there’s a lot to gain from the attempt to capture the mood of a show, but also you can end up losing a lot of musical depth because the tracks aren’t produced like that. I think this album kind of falls into the latter category. I can easily see why this has its fans, but for me personally it didn’t quite work. I might come back to it for easy listening purposes later though.
The Talking Heads influence is extremely welcome here. And also it’s funny just how much of Vampire Weekend’s entire deal comes from this album, I had no idea. I could have done with less synth but it’s by no means bad. I’m really glad this is on the list- it’s the surprise I’ve been hoping to come upon the whole time. Maybe it’s silly that I managed to get this far without actually listening to Paul Simon but at least I have now!
The beats are really interesting across the whole album but to be honest, the lyrics get a little “lyrical miracle” for my taste. It does seem like he’s self-aware about that, and there were definitely exceptions. It’s understandable that this continues to have its fans and I’m glad I listened.
What’s there to say? It’s Beyoncé by Beyoncé.
I’m not really a house music guy but I appreciate what this is. My favorite track is probably “Original”. Sitting down for the full 2 hour experience (I listened to the 2000 re-release) is a bit grueling- a lot of songs overstay their welcome but because it’s dance music that’s more of an issue of context than of quality. This isn’t for me but I wouldn’t object to hearing tracks off this album at a party or something.
I've been a Doors apologist for a long time and this album is very easy to defend. I won't pretend they were doing anything especially revolutionary but the vibe carries, and I think the particular arrangement of tracks really helps that. Ending with Riders on the Storm leaves an excellent aftertaste. This isn't music I come back to often, but when it hits, it hits.
I hate this man. Great album.
I dare you not to shake your ass.
Goes hard. I bet the drummer’s got legs like tree trunks. It’s not really my thing but it’s definitely a great example of the technical skill that goes into good metal. Listening through a full album starts to reveal a lot of the pattern though, so it gets a bit repetitive.
Exactly what it says on the tin. It’s goofy, it’s drama, it’s Freddie putting his whole entire thrussy in it. I really like how the guitar maintains its distinct sound while integrating with the more musically theatrical pieces, but also I think the piano is perhaps a bit underrated when talking about Queen. Especially when it gets classical, it absolutely would not be the same album without it. A delight from start to finish that flies by.
A short and sweet listen. Otis is a great performer but to be honest I rarely feel like his renditions are among the best. However I think that has little to do with his own talent and more to do with there being so many high caliber performers around this time. It’s a stiff competition and definitely a matter of opinion. Regardless, I enjoyed the experience and it’s an excellent afternoon vibe.
There’s not much for me on this album other than the obvious winners (The Scientist remains undefeated and Clocks is good, of course). It’s not bad by any means but I just don’t connect with it in this phase of my life. I also really wish they tried some slightly more complex instrumentals- their hits always have that little something different from their usual patterns and that’s what takes them all the way to me. One thing I do have to give credit for is that the album has a very strong and coherent vibe you can’t help but fall into.
I won't deny that there are better albums in their catalogue, but this is still a real winner for me. It has everything that makes CCR whip ass, to the extent that it's kinda hard to pick out specific elements to praise. Great instrumentals, great vocals, great lyrics, great variety! Also, it's interesting to get to listen to this rendition of I Heard It Through The Grapevine after hearing Otis Redding's a couple days ago.
It's not all hits for me, but there's good reason for this album to be a foundational text of the Seattle grunge boom, at least commercially. The Soundgarden project feels more palatable or compromising than some of their contemporaries- they're a lot less alienating than Nirvana or Alice in Chains often were at the very least- but they have a real technical foundation that the others didn't. The one-two punch of Black Hole Sun and Spoonman show this off most clearly in my opinion. Cornell's vocals on BHS are extremely controlled and downright pretty, while the percussion on SM is exactly as interesting as is called for. Overall, it's a very cohesive album that shows off their best, even if I don't find the whole thing interesting.
