So first I didn't even realize Van Morrison was from Northern Ireland. Secondly, I didn't expect this many good songs. I thought he was just a blue-eyed soul, but "And It Stoned Me". Great songwriting. Good music for me and my Loce. I never would've expected as much Jazz as him. I look forward to trying out his discography like Astral Weeks.
No Action. I like the irony of the lyrics. 2 songs in, I can see why listeners hear misogyny. First side is pretty good. Listening, it's more like a dude who's going through a heartbreak, and he's working through his emotions.
Can't say I've ever really listened to Elvis Costello before. I like it. Pretty abrupt way to end an album.
Speakerboxx:
The Way You Move: Who doesn't want to hear Patti LaBelle?
Rooster: Talking a/b kids who don't want you to be in their lives, that hit home.
War: Wait, was this written in 2003 or last week?
Reset: Goodie Mob. ATL hip hop is so flowin.
Second double-album in a row.
Love Lies Bleeding: like the interplay of the piano with the lyrics. Reference to stigmata?
Candle in the Wind: Poor Marilyn. But not really feeling the electric guitar.
Bennie and the Jets: Great song. I love the production.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: Amazing songwriting. I need to listen closer to lyrics.
I've Seen that Movie, Too: Great metaphor of a breakup to cinema.
Sweet Painted Lady: I see where "Roxanne" came from...
The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909-1934): Need more fictional biographical songs about gangsters.
Dirty Little Girl: This is a Stones song.
All the Girls Love Alice: /Eyes opening/ Oh.
Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock & Roll): Great rock vibes.
Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting): Just a banger.
Harmony: That's how you end a double album.
Just an awesome album. Most double albums have some filler tracks. This is just great song after great song. Especially the second album. Most of the time the second seems to be just experimental stuff, but this has a ton of great tracks.
The first all-like album. Raw power. And jumping on the drums on the finale. What a performer.
What a pleasant surprise. I have never heard of this artist, but what talent. Heartfelt lyrics with a pained voice. I'll definitely listen to more in the future.
"Love and Affection" is a real stunner.
This was a collab between Iggy and Bowie, and it shows. I like Bowie, and I appreciated Iggy from the few hits he has, but this is the first proper album of his I listened to. I can hear the talent of the musicians, and I like his rock voice, but his songwriting is only decent. There are a couple of jump-shocks in terms of lyrics, but the majority of the songs seemed a little distant. I did like "China Girl".
I heard Lou Reed before only in passing. This album brings people to NYC at a very specific place and time. Walk on the Wild Side would be subversive now; crazy it was recorded in 1972. Perfect Day is an absolute bang
A virtuoso with the electric guitar. Unmistakable craft. Fantastic interplay with the audience.
Sweet Little Angel: Yeah, I think that's what he's talking about.
How Blue Can You Get?: Gen Xers will hear this for the first time and recall this being sampled.
36 in the bust, 28 in the waist, 44 in the hips.
When you listen to Dirt after knowing what happened to Layne, it's a tough listen. But art isn't always pretty. It's like life that it's sometimes painful, rough, tragic. And that's this album. It's not easy to listen to the songs that directly discuss his addiction, but it paints an unmistakable picture of the pain involved.
Having said that, I love every time Layne and Jerry harmonize. It's different than most rock groups in that regards. For all the harsh sludge-style rock they put out, their harmonies give it a smoothness over the guitars.
They are part of the early 90s Seattle scene, but they had their own lane (no pun intended), and excelled in it. Just a great band.
Despite living through the 90s, I never really got around to listening to PJ Harvey. This album is a recollection of NYC in 2000, where her life crossed with love and hope. She has a dynamic voice suited for rock, soft at times, belting in others. Plus three tracks with Thom Yorke can make any album intense.
"Good Fortune": How a new love arrives and puts you where you seem to draw blackjack on every hand.
"A Place Called Home": discusses love as a metaphor for home
"You Said Something": puts the listener on that rooftop in Brooklyn.
I'm torn. I've always liked Duran Duran, I remember these songs on the radio when I was young. They were at the vanguard of British New Wave in the 80s. Sharp production, eclectic musicians including a marimba in one track, and these are all classic party pop bops. I'm just a little disappointed in the songwriting. It comes off as if they have nothing to say. Which is fine with pop music in general, but I know they can do better. I'm going to chalk it up to youth and 80s excess, because they showed their writing chops later (see the Wedding Album, 1993).
Fun album cover, though.
"Rio": Fun, classic 80s pop.
"Hungry Like the Wolf": Ditto
"Hold Back the Rain": Best-written track. Good use of metaphor for telling you buddy that he needs to dial back the partying.
"Save a Prayer": Smooth groove. What a one-night-stand needs to be.
Interesting sound. I never heard these dudes before, but I recognized "Squares" from an ad for a tech device. Shades of Trip Hop, Soul, and EDM. And for ambient, the songwriting isn't inane. It's not profound, but it doesn't need to be. Altogether a fun listen.
Wild this was done in six days by only one guy. Great 90s rock classics.
Sly Stone is the link that connects rock to hip-hop through funk. The heavy bass, drum machines, and lyrical skill is the link and generational step that branches music. And this album is his master class. Bass that rattles your tummy, and songwriting that paints clear pictures. An absolute landmark from one of the true innovators.
A hidden gem. Stripped down, it's just Drake and his guitar. Sparse but hopeful lyrics, delivered with his soft but melodic voice. Some of the songs are sad, but the album ends on a thoughtful point. Very sweet, but not saccharine.
Beck is a master of getting a bunch of different genres in a blender, putting it on "High", pouring the mix out, and then sprinkling goofy, expressive lyrics over it. And this album is his style turned to 11.
Having said that, the criticism of people saying "is he just messing with us" is perfectly valid.
Take my opinion with a grain of salt; I never actually listened to Ryan Adam’s until after his more notorious history came to light. But I don’t see this as much more than replacement-level indie rock. There are a couple of songs that I flagged, but this seemed forgettable.
Pleasant surprise. Harkened back to the mid-90s Britpop era. Talented musicality.
Santana is an absolute guitar virtuoso, and this album shows the breadth of his talent. He mixes rock electric guitar with Caribbean beats, and ends up with a singular sound.
Great album cover too.
If you are part of Gen X like me, this album is part of the soundtrack of your life. This is the album when U2 moved from their 80s sound into something more experimental. This is another full-like album for me. The Edge was doing some intense guitar work.
What's there to say about the highest selling album of the century? It's the perfect breakup album. Adele can do things with her voice that evokes the greats like Tina and Aretha could do. An underappreciated quality on this album is song order. Listening to it straight through is the path of any painful breakup: anger at your ex, anger at your supposed friends for not sticking up for you, reflection, bargaining with your ex, reflection, acceptance, and then crashing your ex's wedding to wish him well.
This is the quintessential Chili Peppers, meaning your opinion of this record is totally dependent on your overall opinion of the band. My call is three of the four artists in RCHP are at the top of their fields. Chad Smith on drums drives the beat. Flea on bass is distinctive, and instantly recognizable as the talent he is. And with John Frusciante returning on lead guitar, the musicians really make this album sing.
Speaking of singing, though, it falls on your opinion of Anthony Keidis. If you think his scatting and vocal runs marry the California utopia of his lyrics, you'll love this album. If you think he's all show creating a false fantasy of The Golden State, then you won't.
I personally like this record for the chance to hear some top-notch musicians jamming. I can appreciate the singles, and take AK for what he is.
This is Aerosmith getting back to what they do best. Hard, poppy, funny rock. Their sense of humor never left, Steven Tyler still has the pipes, and they bring serious (“Janie’s Got a Gun”) and the fun (“Love in an Elevator”).
This album takes me back to that specific time in NYC right in 2001, both before and after. Gritty sound, the single-take recordings is ideal for them as they sound as if they’re performing live. The 21st Century rock, for better or for worse, starts with them. Too bad the US didn’t get the international album cover.
“Barely Legal” is a bit problematic…
If you’re younger than Gen X, I need to explain this. Radiohead had a huge hit with “Cresp”, but just about everyone thrift they were one hit wonders on the early 90s alt-rock beat.
Instead, they ho back in the studio and create an introspective, critical album that is the new British Rick sound of, in the words of Nick Hornby, “… a cocktail of rage, sarcasm, self-pity, exquisite tunefulness and braininess.”. Radiohead the band that people know as the genre-pushing artists started here.
These guys come at you hard and driving, and I imagine they were the soundtrack for birds and blokes all over the UK. And even though their faster songs get the pub, “A Certain Romance”, a five-minute song half with guitar solos, is a real standout.
I have only a trace knowledge of psychedelic rock, and zero experience with psychedelics or The 13th Floor Elevators. While it isn’t my cup of tea, I can see, however, their influence on bands moving forward. The jug is a distinctive sound. “You’re Gonna Miss Me” is a good track.
Didn’t realize you can mix folk, psychedelic, and jazz all together, but apparently it’s possible. Crazy the common talent and tragedy between Tim Buckley and his son. Great vocal skills in emoting. While the free jams have their fans, if you’re not a fan of 10+ minute tracks you might be disappointed.
Dylan is a master songwriter, and this album shows it. He runs the whole gamut: serious, biting, mournful, inspirational, accusatory, even simple storytelling. He is an artist that benefits from having the liner notes lyrics out while you listen for the first time.
Still not a huge fan of his singing voice, though.
My Spanish is practically non-existent, but this album is proof that music is a universal language. Every artist on this album are masters, and you don't even need to know what they are saying to know what they are feeling. Just phenomenal music of Cuba.
What would happen if Lou Reed chose to play in front of the Phil Spector Wall of Sound (with multiple tracks starting with the same drumbeat as "Be My Baby")? You'd get this album. The noise reverb action on the guitars is frankly an acquired taste. Vocally, I'm hearing a lot of Joy Division, in the somewhat flat but driving delivery. They're pretty economical with their songs; 14 tracks in under 39 minutes is efficient. I'm not sold on their lyrics and they aren't exactly my cup of tea, but I can see how them and this album had influence on the lane of shoegaze and noise.
I found this album replacement-level. The lead singer has an okay flow, not good, not bad. It's got a decent enough groove, and "Connected" is a good enough song, but it's fairly forgettable.
Aw yeah. I always knew Isaac Hayes as a top-tier soul artist, but I didn't realize he was an establish composer too. This isn't mere movie soundtrack; it brings you back to a specific time and place, early 1970s NYC, especially Harlem. Out of the 15 tracks, 12 are instrumentals, and one of the three with lyrics has a 15-minute instrumental solo. You can also hear the early influences for disco that would come later. Can you dig it?
Reverend Al! There's something to be said for a straightforwardly written song about love and heartbreak, sung by a vocal maestro who can play his voice hitting all the notes. That's this soul music masterpiece. His cover of the Bee Gees' "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" is how you cover someone else's song and make it your own.
It's already the best debut in hip-hop history; the only question is whether it's the best hip-hop record ever. Nas is the top lyricist in terms of both creating rhymes, including internal rhymes, and painting a picture of street life in late 80s, crack-infected NYC slums. He shows the life, the punishment, and even some hope. Samples range from jazz, funk, and soul, and references all types of culture, hip-hop and otherwise. Just a masterpiece.
K-Dot took the Championship Belt of Hip-Hop with this album, and he hasn't let it up since. Easily the most expansive Hip Hop album of the decade, with jazz and roots influences.
Real example of separating the art from the artist. This was a total banger of a debut album. Introspective, it reintroduced conscience hip-hop after a run of boasting about product placement. Talked about materialism, religion, race, and higher education. And it's funny.
Of course, the giant elephant in the room is how you feel about Kanye, especially in 2026. I feel like I should take a strike down because he's been absolutely repugnant these last few years.
It's fun to hear an established artist when she is first flexing her muscles. Queen Latifah is one of the pantheon female MCs, and it's a treat hearing her original vibes. The beat sounds like classic late 80s/early 90s jams, but with a still-relevant message. Occasionally adding in house and reggae elements brings new sound, and collabs with De La Soul, Monie Love, and KRS-One makes this Gen-X fan smile.
Fun album. Derived from mid-60s British Invasion, specifically the Kinks, they seem like Green Day from across The Pond. Lots of youthful energy in a pop-punk style. Ply’s they have a song that shares my name, so they got that going for them.
Alternative rock started with this album. Listen to it, and you understand why this is your favorite rock artist's favorite album. The subject matter turns a little risque, and some of the sounds come off experimental, such as same-tuning all the strings of a guitar or using paper clips on the hammers of a piano, but the voices of Lou Reed and Nico create a definite atmosphere of The Factory. Musically, I'm giving it a fifth star due to its influence.
Iconic album cover, BTW.
The King! His debut album covers a lot of R&B hits, but he’s more on the “borrowing” side as opposed to “outright theft”. That voice is clean, pure, and total American rockabilly. The man put rock & roll front and center in American music with this record.
Second Elvis album in a row. This is The King heading back to what he does best. He was a master of mixing country twang with urban blues. Elvis has been critiqued about his singing of black music, but I find that he honors it. Fun, cheeky lyricism I. “Power of My Love”. Only on the extended version di you get “Suspicious Minds”.
For an album that had as much critical acclaim as this, I found it a little above average. It didn’t sound much different than the typical alternative bands that incorporate some hip-hop and electronic beats that was the standard for the late 90s, only with an Indian-British flair. I’m willing to give a little more due to the novelty.
John Fogerty and CCR are Southern Rock titans, but it's not because they grew up where hoppin' Jon is a side dish. It's because they took their love of R&B music ("The Night Time is the Right Time") and spun it through Country Rock ("Cross Tie Walker" sounds like Johnny Cash could've performed it), and what comes out is classic rock to the core. One great thing about these guys is that even though they were in San Francisco in the Haight-Ashbury heydey, they are very economical with their songs. No 10-minute jam sessions, just get in and hit you with their lyrics. A treat, and somehow this is one of THREE albums they released in 1969!
I liked the minimalist aspect of The xx. Most songs are just a drum set, a guitar, a bass, maybe some piano. They don't overplay, so it makes it a little more intimate. Having one male and one female vocalist gives the tracks a fun vibe, but it sounds more like two friends having a chat than a couple (which they obviously aren't). The lyrics are a little young, but they were 20 (or 'xx" if you will) so that's hardly an indictment.
I like some glam rock, but these guys led to a lot of the 80s cheese hair metal dweebs. I have to take a star off just for that.
TBD for this weekend listen
This was the first album by Queen where they moved from Prog to become the Glam rock icons that everyone sees them to be. They aren't mere theatrics, though. They are all talented musicians and songwriters. Freddie shows why he the rock vocalist GOAT. And each track does something, from Brian May's solo on "Brighton Rocks", to Roger Taylor getting out in front of the drum kit, two a three song stretch of one into another of "Tenement Funster"/"Flick of the Wrist"/"Lily of the Valley", to birthing Thrash Metal with "Stone Cold Crazy".
A voice the Queen. No one had her pipes. Aretha completely stole "Respect" right out from Otis Redding, a bona fide legend. Songs of the power of women, love, heartbreak. In addition to soul, she brought in a track of bossa nova. And while there are covers, including Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come", there are a few tracks she wrote, and most of the piano work on this is hers, too. Legend.
I've only known ZZ Top from the 80s, when they were playing up their long beards and spinning guitars schtick. But they are legit southern blues rock dynamos. Fun lyrics, singing guitar solos, and total vibe. Southern rock through a blues filter, with a side of gospel. Great sound.
I'm willing to give these guys a little more credit than they would probably deserve, because I'm pretty sure they're doing this tongue-in-cheek. Because I have trouble assuming they earnestly tried to resurrect 80s hair metal. They could certainly pass for a glam band from 1984.
Now THIS is punk. It might take you by surprise hearing the horn section kick in, but they add to the accelerated guitars and drums. Lyrics about consumerism, fighting against the system, and materialism, those are staples to the punk canon. Very fun record.
This the fun version of The Smiths. Going from new wave synth to rockabilly guitars, the riffs are instantly recognizable. Morrisey has an amusing voice to play with his lyrics, whether it's attacking their greedy manager or describing feeling like a stranger in his hometown. While the lyrics can be pretty morose and violent, like getting hit by a double-decker bus, it sounds like Moz is winking at us at the absurdity of it (or at least I think he is).
Synth Electronica-Rock legends. Music you can dance to in masoleums. But while they are known for their talents with a mixing board, their guitar riffs add an extra layer. And even if their lyrics sound a lot like English bands who are sad for no reason, they have some classic songs. Every electronic act post 1990s owes a debt to this album.
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Wow. This came out in 1987, but it sounds 5-8 years in the future. You can hear the marriage of early REM metaphorical lyrics and Sabbath sludge guitars. Alternative rock, from early grunge to guitar-heavy noise all trace their DNA to this album.
This album seems like a real litmus test for Van Halen fans vs. casual listeners. The first five tracks, functionally side 1, are more radio-friendly than their prior sound, and putting Eddie Van Halen, one of one in terms of rock guitarists, on a synthesizer seems like an 80s relic. But side 2 is more of Van Halen's classic sound, and DLR sounds more from the 70s era of hard rock instead of the glam metal of the 80s. Thankfully, Van Halen didn't lose their sense of humor, especially the album art.
Whoa. First time I've ever listened to Trane. This isn't merely a jazz masterpiece; this is a composition of his faith. Listen to this as if it were a preacher at the pulpit commanding the congregation. Just a tour de force. This is regarded as one of, if not the, greatest jazz albums of all time. There's a reason why. Listen to this straight through for maximum effect.
What can you say about Sgt. Pepper? The greatest rock band at their heights of their powers? The quintessential concept album telling the story of a marching band, with influences of circus, vaudeville, Indian rhythms, and orchestrals. If it's not the Beatles album with the best songs (debatable), it's certainly the one with the most integrated overall concept. A real treat is to listen to this either physically or without fade-ins, as several tracks lead directly into each other.
Artwork, lyrics, musicianship, engineering. Its acclaim by many as the greatest album ever does not come lightly.
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