Beautiful. Makes me want to listen to jazz even more. Bass player is a bad man. Wish I could’ve been in that club to see it live. Will listen again and again.
Can’t beat it. So many classics on this one. One of the best to ever do it, truly one of the few. Such a sound. All their albums are full of heat, so hard to pick the “best”, but this is up there. Lodi sells this one for me, even though it’s probably a deep cut to most.
Leadoff and nine hole definitely carry the lineup. Still, the stones make rock and roll. Kind of wild how Brit’s can sound country like that. Not their best, but gimme shelter and you can’t always get what you want are heavy enough to make it a classic album.
These guys are so good. Not a particularly outstanding album per se, but an outstanding group. Their musical talent & capability is massive. They all sing. A very aptly named group. “The” Band indeed. Couple hits on here, but their sound is groovy and true the whole way through.
Eh. Not for me. So 90s tho.
I never really gave this album a chance, for no particular reason. But it’s worth the price of admission. Absolutely in the canon of 90s rock. It gets deep and heady and angsty, everything great about 90s rock is in this album. Glad to have given it a deeper look.
Never listened to him. Thought he was someone else actually. Got a great voice. Feels like a lou reed/warren zevon type with a little Springsteen that precedes the true alternative wave of the later 80s/90s. Not bad.
I know nothing about jazz, but I know this is a massive vibe. The samba jazz combo is wicked. Will listen over and over and over. Man what a groove.
Not an EDM guy, but I’d pick a vibe like this if my hand were forced. Will they be a top artist for me? No. Would I dance if it was on in a club? Yep.
This is a really, really good album. Multiple listens. I’ve never listened to her, but I’ve been digging patsy kline and I remember reading that the guy who produced her best stuff also produced this album, and it’s right on brand. This type of music and Billie Holidays style run in parallel, this just has western influence. KD Lang seems to be to patsy Kline what Amy winehouse (in her purest form) was to Billie holiday. Beautiful voice, beautiful music, this album delivers on every song.
90s rock. No problems. Her being cobains lady definitely plays through, their styles merged it seems. Kinda hard and more loud punk style.
Such easy listening. Love a big band vibe. Could have this type of stuff on in the back all day. I don’t know the Count, but I know the Count is known to be the man. Couple times through, no disagreements. Will listen much more.
Rips. Not a huge deep purple fan, but this was a show. Some of those runs were the stuff of legend. Fun listen. What a time to be alive.
Eh. Lots of teenage angst. Alright, just not for me
Yeah I don’t think I’m gonna make it thru this one. Chalk it up. Just not me.
Eh. Probably does well in Berlin, but again, not really an EDM guy. Not a terrible listen, also not a double listen.
Odd but groovy
Odd, especially for 77 but probably was a prelude to the synth-y 80s
A perfect album. These guys fckn rock. Nearly every song on this album was already on my “liked songs”. Little punchy western, little blues, lots of swing…one of the greatest albums ever. One of the greatest bands ever. Mark Knopfler is one of the greatest guitarists ever, and on this listen I noticed how tough the drummer is too. Sultans of Swing makes an argument for the greatest song of all time. What a beautiful example of music, creativity, and expression. Masterpiece. 5/5 ten times out of ten. I love Dire Straits.
Better than I thought it would be. Some of it odd and interesting, but glad I gave it a chance.
Fun and poppy, she’s got a great voice
So beautiful. Don't mess with The King boy. I gotta get more of him on vinyl. Top to bottom, this is beautifully put together, soulful, romantic, the whole thing. Great example of why he’s The King.
Abba is fun. I really do think they have a good sound. I don’t know their discography well enough to know where this stacks up, but I enjoyed the listen. There are a few good ones, some have this spooky thing going on which is kind of dope.
This was good. Never heard of them. 80s pop sound that I’m not familiar with, I like their take. Gave me some Velvet Underground vibes at times. Might listen further, might not. Enjoyed the album.
This was fine. If his albums weren’t on this list, I probably wouldn’t listen to him all that much. I don’t think he’s bad, but when you’re talking about the late 70s and early 80s, there’s a lot of other stuff I prefer.
Talk about a Friday vibe. Prince is the man. So fun, such a joy to listen to whatever he makes.
Never heard of them, pretty decent album. Kind of an amalgam of 90s-00s bands. Goo goo dolls, muse especially, little queens of the Stone Age. Interesting. Not bad though, I can dig.
Immediate like. I could listen to that ambient stuff all day. Water sounds are a nice touch. Can take or leave the punky tunes, but overall a real nice listen.
One of the most well known albums ever. I like Neil young well enough. His guitar playing is exceptional, I like the folksy air to his music, and he has some really profound lines. Pretty good.
Really enjoyed this. Makes me want to wear out a hardwood floor. I’m all in on this type of country. Gave me flashes of Turnpike at times. This is the original Texas country. Beautiful and pure.
Poetry. I’m so glad for this, because I know she’s a legend, but I’ve never taken the time to sit in her library. This fits such a coffee on a weekend morning mood. I need to get her on vinyl. Listened to this twice, thumbs up on almost every song. The jazz tones are sublime, and she’s truly writing poetry and putting it over music. Deep, profound, lowkey, really beautiful stuff, but the one caveat I’ll add is that you really have to listen — the music is moody, but you have to pay attention, live with it for a while, to really let the vibe set in. Will now be scrubbing the rest of her discography.
Look, I’m a huge fan of 90s rock, but the pulls we’ve had so far have not done it for me. I know there’s a ways to go, but if you’re talking about cornerstones of the 90s alternative scene, we can do way better than this.
Is Tommy deaf dumb and blind? Is the whole album a setup to let us know that he plays a mean pinball? Who is Tommy in real life? This isn’t the who that the world came to know, but you can see flashes of it, Pinball Wizard is obviously the centerpiece. One of those albums that really tells a story, makes me curious of the inspiration.
Made me happy when I saw it. One of my favorite veins of music. He’s a king of music, not just his niche. This album is smooth & full of soul…everything he makes feels like it’s coming from the bottom of his being. A pleasure to listen to over and over again.
What is rock and roll? This is rock and roll. Pure cut, straight from the tap, rock and roll. 🤘🏼
Really enjoyable listen. Two very thoughtful songwriters doing what they do. This is another one that you have to live with and really listen to more than a few times to let it all sink in. Fits a lovely mood, listened twice and could have gone many more.
The 1960s. When rock and roll was learning how to walk. Hippie-ish, summer of love heavy in this one. It’s 1966, you’re sitting on the hood of a car smoking grass, and this is coming through the radio. What a time.
45 seconds and I’m sold. I can get all the way down with this. I’ve come to really enjoy this type of music. One of the cooler parts about this list for me is learning about the artists and the albums, so to find out that this guy not only pioneered African jazz but was also a Bob Marley type cultural figure in Nigeria is so dope, and adds so much depth to his music. I’ve only recently, maybe in the past year or so, been introduced and taken to Afro-beat/afro-soul/afro-jazz, so to find the guy at the bottom of it is really cool, and I’m excited to work through his discography.
Ive heard of these guys, have not listened. Some good tunes on here. I don’t know where this falls in their discography, how well it represents their sound, but I’ll most likely dig in.
Really good. I enjoyed the hell out of this. They have a sound that so easy to listen to. I understand that the discourse is between this and Bookends for their best work…before this week I hadn’t listened to either in full. Both are such easy, enjoyable listens. I think this might win though. This seems fuller, little bit richer, more in bloom or matured songwriting and performing. The whole thing, really good.
This strikes me as a band who doesn’t know who they want to be. The music, at least this album, is a combination of too many styles, to the point where it’s just kind of strange. None of it flows. I don’t think it’s bad, I just don’t know what it is.
Great. A true hip hop storyteller. One of the few left, it seems. I only knew two of his songs, but the album didn't surprise me. There’s real life story throughout in a way of that reminds me a lot of J Cole, Jay Z on a feature is no surprise either. You can tell it all comes from the heart because it’s lived, just how Kanye would talk about Chicago in his early stuff. His wordplay is also phenomenal, super creative and intelligent, reminds me of The Tribe. “I told you cornballs I hush puppies.” Cmon. Really really good, and super fun to listen to as well.
Immediate like, from the first vocal note. What a voice. I love jazz singers. I’ll call it now, my biggest takeaway from this list when it all ends will be a decent foundation in jazz. I’ll pick up some artists I’ve never heard of, some I’ve heard of but never made time for, and celebrate the classics, but I think jazz will have the biggest impact. It’s a style I want to know a lot more about because I know nothing and I’m coming to understand it’s kind of the pinnacle of music when it comes to technique & complexity, and already there’s been a few offering from this list that I’ve really enjoyed, which I feel like are already covering part of the spectrum — they’ve all been slightly different. This particular performance is gorgeous. She’s with Billie holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. I wish I could’ve been in that club. Wish I could’ve been in New York or Chicago or Nola when jazz was taking form. I did, and will, listen to this and the other offerings on repeat for many moons.
My mom has been telling me for years that T Rex rips. I know and like their hits, but another one I’ve fully made time for. And guess what? They rip. I wanted a pure classic rock vibe in the gym this morning, and that’s what I got. A goodie. Will look for them in the record stores.
Dude, it’s Bob Merley. How could it be anything else but the right vibe? His live album was the first record I ever bought. Seen the documentary, the movie. I love Bob. His music, his image, his movement. Just a chill dude trying to do right by people. I haven’t listened to every album top to bottom, but I might. It’s just anytime he comes on, my shoulders relax a little bit, and I don’t worry bout a ting. This album was lovely, some really good picks, will be repeated and possibly end up in my crate. No notes.
Definitely one you have to listen through a few times. Liked it the more I listened. I like the atmosphere it creates. Would be a dope vinyl. The standout factor to me is definitely the backing instruments. Sounds like the score to a lord of the rings movie or something. I’m familiar with this style, and he’s got something strange, mysterious, maybe a little dark to add to it. Like I said, wasn’t all that sure the first time through, but it got better the more it played. Realistically probably like a 3.5-3.75, but I’ll go four.
Really good again. They’re one of those that I just haven’t taken the time to explore. I like their hits, and I like a few of Paul Simon’s solo tracks, but I’m coming to find that they’re so deep in the lexicon for a reason. Initially I would have said that Bookends or Bridge Over Troubled Water are better, but the more I listened I’d say this is probably right on par with them. Still a very easy, lovely sound. I will say that this one has some really deep, poetic philosophy woven into the songs, which is no surprise because these guys are songwriters, and some of the best to ever do it, I’m finding.
Individually, great musicians, but not stars in their own right. Together, a supernova of musical talent that would become the bedrock for the next two decades of music. Then they added Neil Young. My appreciation for them has grown a lot in the past year or so. Stephen Still is probably the most impressive to me as a solo artist, but their music all together is really beautiful. Wish I could find guys to harmonize with like that. Again, have not listened to many of their full albums or deep cuts, and this was a really nice adventure.
I’m yo pusherman! God this is so good. The lane of music he lives in is one of my favorites, one where I spend a lot of time, one of the greatest eras to travel through and discover, and so heavily influential for a lot of music to come. I bet most of his peers regard him highly. I’m fairly familiar with him, and this album took me right to church. It’s pretty obviously a social commentary, I mean look at the album title, and it plays. A lot of music from this era was. It’s soulful storytelling over funk. Can’t get much better than that.
I mean. What else do you want? Some of the best to ever do it. I’m all in on the soul train, I spend a lot of time here. This is great. That’s about all.
The entire A side of this album is one song, with four songs worth of blues jam in between verses. Uhm…sold! I know one song by these guys and it’s a heater (Fresh Air), so I was not surprised but still slightly impressed to find this album rips so hard. It’s not labeled as a live album but I’m pretty sure it is, and that’s when you get to see musicians being musicians. Some people don’t like the jam runs, I do. Therefore, I like this album.
Dude, I can fuck with this. It’s a fun listen. I also can’t listen to British rap without thinking about Druskis skit on drill rap, so the whole thing just made me grin. Reading the wiki, I’m kind of surprised how critically acclaimed it was but also not really, I can see how it would make some buzz. Definitely has a 2016 feel to it that helps with the listen a lot, a great time to be alive. Enjoyed, don’t know how much more I’d listen to but a pretty fun pick.
Hell yeah brother. 2 turntables and a fn microphone! Long time beck listener, what an interesting dude. The epitome of experimentation & throwing stuff at the wall. Some of it sticks. I wouldn’t say this is his best album, or an incredible album, but there’s some good picks on here that became classics of that era. This will be a low rating for some, and I get it. His music is very experimental, his lyrics very imaginative and incongruous or inaccessible at times. It doesn’t always work. But sometimes they click, and you get something super sublime, the stuff he’s known for best.
This is the stuff. One of the greatest ever. Could and did listen to this all day. Would highly recommend watching the movie about him. Pretty sure this album came around Georgia on My Mind, when he switched from his first label. Generational voice, timeless sound, a vibe through and through. Need to get him on vinyl too. Only point of criticism I have is that each song is maybe a bit too similar — they’re all very similar in arrangement and tempo with different lyrics. Even still, I love this kind of music.
The absolute best era of rap. Anyone who disagrees is simply wrong. You only have to be mildly familiar with this era to know that this album is one of the cornerstones for the genre. I need to listen to it a few more times to really feel it, but even still, exactly what you want out of a 90s hip hop record. This launched snoop, theres a couple classic bangers, and there’s some of that 90s rap beef wrapped up in there too. More of an east coast guy myself, but you can’t deny the vibe of the west coast. On only one listen, I’d say it’s somewhere between a 3-4, but closer to 4 than 3 — anything lower would be a massive discredit. Like I said, you don’t have to know much to know how influential this project was.
This was okay. This was in that weird transition era from more traditional rock and roll to the fully bloomed punk & alternative scene of the 90s. I like Nirvanas unplugged covers of them better than the original recordings. By the same token, they were likely one of the influencing groups for what took shape in the 90s. There were definitely some good sounds on here, but my favorite songs were the ones without words.
This is really good. Markedly better relative to the other of theirs on this list yes, but also just flat out good. There’s a four year gap between this and Live Through This, so it’s just the band maturing in their sound. Maybe it’s not fair to compare to Live Through This, but it’s my only point of reference and it’s also on this list. Live Through This was noisy. This is much more settled in, a proper 90s rock album. The title track is a classic and a banger, the whole thing sounds like it should if you’re looking for 90s rock. No problems here.
This was a much harder rating than I thought. Thought it’d be a pretty quick celebration of her and a 5 star. Been waiting and hoping to see her on here, but how could she not? For context, I LOVE Amy Winehouse — seen the “Amy” doc on Netflix (must see), and combed through her library a few times. Today was a chance to do it again, and here’s what I have to say:
Of course this album rocks. Absolutely should be on an all time list, and well deserving of all the critical acclaim. It’s so sad she’s not with us, and you can’t help but wonder what she could have kept making. She had a vintage soul, and this album is a commercialized revival of a very important sound. She brought it to the masses. She carried the torch of Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, and Ella Fitzgerald, and made it accessible for a new generation. And for that, it deserves the highest acclaim. BUT. It’s a pop album. She’s not a pop star. She’s a jazz singer. That’s my only rub with this album. It’s not 100% authentic. When this is all you know from her, it’s pure gold. But when you listen to Frank or the posthumous Hidden Treasures, you see her in her purest form — it’s the most beautiful music she made. And in comparison, Back to Black feels like what it is — a shot for the radios, a try (probably driven by the record label) to get on the charts. True soul doesn’t sell. Unfortunate.
Because she passed shortly after this album, and her songwriting is so deeply personal, this is the lasting association that we have of her life, and theres a lot more to her ability and legacy than Rehab and her struggle in the public eye. You’ll learn in the documentary that she was collaborating with Questlove on a return to jazz, inspired by her session with Tony Bennett. Again, I love this album — I listened to it four times today. But when I play her other stuff…I just like it better. So enjoy this album, but let it be what it was meant to be — a gateway to explore her, her music, and the genre she brought back to life.
Fun and funky reggae vibe, I can definitely get down with this. Not groundbreaking, but a fun pick and added a few songs into the rotation.
I approve this message. I’ve heard the title track a few times, didnt really explore him though. Cool, but not surprising, to find he was with the Wailers. It’s pretty easy for me to fall into reggae. I have much more appreciation than critique. I know a lot of it can be political and prophetic, but I just think it’s rad music and easy listening.
Theres plenty I like from the 80s, and some not so much. This falls in the latter category. Maybe I don’t get it, maybe it’s not for me, maybe I’m missing something, but it didn’t do much for me.
I dig this. Reading some other reviews, people expected it to be something else judging the album cover, some kind of reggae or whatever. Same, but let’s think about it…Smokers Delight…a purely instrumental, groovy, background type of music. It’s smoking music. Meant to be played in the background while you smoke and joke. Sets a nice vibe, don't have to pay too much attention to appreciate the groove. I love this kind of stuff. Not the greatest instrumental I’ve ever heard, but will probably revisit for background while I work, study, or smoke.
Whenever I think “Throw on some Sheryl Crow!”, it’s sunny, and the mood is high. Those are her hits, what’s she’s best known for I guess. I liked this album well enough, but I was surprised at how morose some of it is. It sounds like a break up album. It wasn’t a great album, but there’s a few picks that really showcase her talent, I think she’s awesome and am always happy when she comes on and this album didn't do anything to negate that. Also, her in the 90s….😮💨
Fuckin good. Said it, and will again, this is raps finest era. I’d call this a perfect album. Yes, it’s all pretty much one track gangster rap as far as topic, but the lyricism is intelligent, I love all the samples scattered in there, and a few of these beats are so damn good. It’s just banger after banger. A group of assassins. AND, without NWA, we might not have the movie Are We There Yet?…and is that a world you want to live in?
I like this better than Tommy. Something about that mono feel. I compare because Tommy was also on this list. Tommy was very pointed — it had a specific story to tell. This feels more authentic musically. We don’t get the same flashes of the modern sound thats to come as Tommy, but it’s shown differently in here. There’s some deep, raw blues influence mixed in here that made me perk up big time. overall, I don’t think it’s particularly outstanding, I like the way their sound matured way more than this or Tommy. Probably somewhere in the 3.5 range
Pretty good. Just the album cover alone has a lot of recognition. I’ve heard a few of the tracks before. I know it’s super popular and influential and I get why. Another one that I may or may not revisit, but have no complaints about the listen.
Liked, not loved. Again, long time beck listener, and this was all new to me. Definitely not as experimental as some of his other stuff. Overall I like the moodiness of this album, but it kind of causes a monochromatic effect — it all runs together.
Perfectly okay. Not egregiously awful, not earth splitting excellence. A guy writing and singing songs, with the mood of the 90s woven in. I’m picking other stuff from the same era, but I didn’t mind giving this a listen.
One of the greatest. Some may argue the greatest. I don’t know enough to say, but I know this is that stuff. Said it, say it again, the greatest era of rap. There’s something about 90s hip hop thats so engaging. So easy to listen to, and you can feel the storytelling. Tupac is, as known as he is, one that I haven’t done a deep dive on, along with several other of the big rap names from the 90s, but I still don’t skip whenever he comes on. This was excellent, I want it on vinyl, and I’ll listen a whole lot more.
Alright I guess, just don’t want to sit through an hour of it.
I’m not really sure which subcategory to place REM. They’re definitely a rock band but in an interesting transitional era w a really unique sound. I like them, haven’t done a deep dive, but I have no problems. This album didnt blow my face off, wasn’t a massive disappointment either.
Multiple listens are required for this one. Very serious. First time through I liked the groove, thought it was easy listening, but I was only half listening. Picked up on the wutang vibe, read the bios, listened again a little closer. Much more of an experience. Nearly every song had a checkmark. One more time through for the effect, and this is solid gold. I don’t have much experience with wu tang or the affiliates, but I like what I know and this made a huge impression on me. The music, the lyricism, the atmosphere. Everything it should be. Definitely could be an easy listen, the beats are quick to feel, but there’s a lot more to it if you take a closer listen.
I’m all for a good instrumental. This was not one that reached out and touched me.
Nothing wrong with this. I’m not a particular fan of electronic but this is a fine sound, I’m just not in for 3.5 hours of it.
Yes. Yup. Uh huh. Know of them, have not listened to them. Everything you want it to be. And who’s the star of the show? I mean. It’s incredible how much Lauryn Hill stands out on this. I’m sure miseducation will show up on this list eventually. The whole thing is good, everyone on it is good, but damn is she good. The sound is dope, I love the reggae influence, and the lyricism is top tier. Want it on vinyl. Bad. God I love 90s hip hop.
Liked this better than the previous of his on the list. Still not an absolute love, but a good listen for sure. Im still waiting on the nirvana and sound garden and Pearl Jam picks. 3.5ish
This was okay. I think I liked it less the deeper in I got. First impression was “this is dope” — very 2000s and I’m here for it, reminds me of modest mouse. I like the mystical vibe around it. As it went on, it became very monochrome — all the songs bled together, it all felt like the same thing with different words. Definitely some good sounds though, and it seems this isn’t their best work, so I’d be interested to see a couple other albums.
well worth more than a couple listens. The flashes of what would probably come to be hair metal is not particularly my flavor, but when the drums, bass, and guitar get their moment, boy do they run with it. Namely on maybe I’m a Leo, pictures of home, lazy, and when a blind man cries. This album surprised me a little bit — I liked all the songs I didn’t know better than the ones I already knew or heard on their live album thats also on this list. Smoke on the water was (of course) the first riff I learned on guitar and what they’re most well known for, but it doesn’t stand out like you think it might among the songs I mentioned above. I mean, when a blind man cries is a fucking gorgeous tune. Lazy is an absolute jam that I’d have love to seen live. This is a really good album, and it’s because of the songs you don’t expect.
Not particularly memorable. It’s 90s rock, no doubt. I liked man on the moon. It’s a good and familiar sound, but it’s not a super stand out. Maybe I just didn’t listen enough.
Reading some other reviews, a lot of people had a lot of nasty things to say about this. But I did see one that likened this to listening to a very early Beatles album — obviously nowhere near as interesting as what would come, but still contextually and historically significant. This album has zero foreshadowing of what they would be. The music is not original, nor done in a particularly innovative way. But it’s still The Rolling Stones. Some guys wanted to make music together, and this album symbolizes their “shot”, the “chance” that they were given. They were probably young & proper and didn’t want to blow their chance with something rash or inaccessible, so they kept it cordial. You also have to remember that rock and roll was still finding its sound when it came out, and they ended up becoming pioneers of it. So no, this album isn’t what you want when you think Stones, but you can’t always get what you want. What it is, though, is the thing that comes right before “and the rest, as they say, is history.” And that’s pretty cool.
Boy. Does this take me back to a good time. Black skinhead had to have been one of my most played songs from 7-10th grade. I’ll always remember Kanye this way. This isn’t his best, but it’s got some real bangers and some of the lines are hilariously outlandish and fucked up. It was a great time to be alive. Like I said, not his best and would like to see something else of his on here, much of this score goes for nostalgia points.
My god was this good. I’m long overdue to do a complete scrub of his discography, and this was the spark. I know a good handful of his stuff, of course. The movie was really good too. Bob Dylan was a guy who saw the world through a really unique lens, felt very deeply, and articulated it in an equally singular way. It’s all over his music, and it’s all over this album. That long, stream of conscious, seemingly nonsensical, rambling lyricism is just his flavor of poetry and expression. He’s one of the only, maybe the only, musicians to win a Nobel prize for literature. And when you listen, like really listen, you understand. The sound on this is so full and bright. I love the blues influence throughout. Since it’s a double album, it has nearly equal amounts of the newer, fuller rock sound he transitioned into, plus a matured display of his more traditional folk style. I haven’t listened to the two albums before this, but to compare it to how he started, this feels like he found the rest of it. It feels like he made exactly what he’d been trying to make. I loved it. I think it’s a perfect album. It’s a must have on vinyl. Itll become a fixture in my listening without a doubt.
I was excited for this because I like their song Pepper and I haven’t heard anything else from them. And I was let down. Theres just nothing in here. The O-Men made me laugh because it’s ridiculous, but that’s about it. It’s adolescent experimentation. I mean, cutting a sample to make it sound like cunt and making a song out of it is about all you need to know. No hate, just nothing for me.
I liked this. I probably won’t keep listening to them, but I enjoyed the listen. It wasn’t anything that made me perk up big time, but it’s a good sound, and I did add brass in pocket to my liked songs.
I know plenty of folks who really like muse. I’m not one. Their specific flavor is not to my taste. I have to give them some tokens though, because they are a modern act carrying the torch for rock and roll, and to that I say alright alright alright. But as far as this album goes, one time through will do it for me. No harm in leaving it right here.
Pretty good. Some real icons in here. With their most popular/best songs coming off this album, I suspect this is their opus. The sound is full and alive, and the hits have aged very well. Probably like 3.75 or so.
Whimsical, wacky, playful and fun. Many points for that. Doesn’t really stick because I don’t speak Portuguese, but not too many points deducted for that. Maybe a further exploration, maybe not. Either way, I can get behind playful experimentation.
I’m really glad for this one. I know a couple (literally, two) songs off this album, but I feel like I see this album cover all the time. Now I understand why. This is an adventure. A complete work. It has ballads, rockers, love songs, moody singer/songwriter, experiments, instrumentals. I was more impressed the more I listened. Some dont exactly land for me, but the majority do, and I now kick myself for the times I’ve seen this in a record store and passed over it. It’s close to a five for me. This really impressed me, and I think it might be a perfect work. At the absolute least, 4.75-4.8.
Nothing about this really blew my face off. It’s 90s rap, slightly different vein, just good enough. Don’t hate, dont love. A perfect three. I will say, some of the samples in there are wild. I know them, I like them, I won’t skip them whenever they come on.
I’m not a member of this fan base. I don’t know how this stacks up in its sub genre. It might be a religious text. But this isn’t my music, and as a casual observer, I’ll probably leave this at a listen.
A few of these were pretty damn good. I didn’t know he put the lime in the coconut. Overall, good. It’s got some range, a good variation of sound and style. This is the first extended listen of him I’ve done, but he’s friends with Crosby stills Nash and other folks in that class so I have no problems with this. Not everything lands but there’s enough substance to make it worth a look.
First of all, incredible title. Points for that. Second of all, what a voice. The only song I know from him is instrumental, so that was a pleasant surprise. Overall, I like it. I dig this type of music, of course. By the time I get to phoenix is a true ballad. I’ll say, I think the single edits included on this version are definitely a bit more digestible. By the same token, creating songs with such long run time takes a lot of knowledge and talent. I thought I was going to be a bit more wow-ed than I was, but that’s hard to do with a 4 song album — most have about four good songs and some fat. Doesn't take away from this being pretty damn good. Somewhere in the 3.5-4 bracket.
Perfectly okay. I don’t dislike, don't really like either. Fine to listen, I like the album title. He’s in a very unique niche of this era. Kind of leads up to that 80s poppy sound. Not my favorite, not a hater either.
Unremarkable. Good enough I guess, I don’t think it’s bad, but I’m just not convinced this is an album I must listen to before I die.
For reference, this is how my rating system works:
5 - Need on vinyl/perfect work
4 - Would buy on vinyl/pretty damn good
3 - Neutral
2 - Not that great
1 - Pretty rough
So I give out a lot of threes, because music is so subjective and a lot of this I don’t like or dislike, I just observe it and move along.
Not what I expected. Reading the wiki and fully listening, I’m surprised this is, allegedly, one of her most well received and critically acclaimed work. I can appreciate exploring your craft. Her voice is beautiful. The production reminds me of the album “Beyond Skin” thats also on this list. Didn't quite land for me, but again, I get that it was explorative and a branching out of her typical, so I understand it I guess.
So good. This is what I’m talking about. This is groundbreaking stuff. Just read the wiki on this one. First hip hop album to do X, Y, and Z. “Heralded the golden age of hip hop.” Pretty much all you need to know. This is when hip hop kicked the door in. You can hear so much of what was to follow in this. It’s Tricky is a generational banger. The whole thing is just fun and pure. Need more like this on this list. 4.5+
The title track is, and always will be, an absolute heater until the end of time. And it carries nearly the full weight of this album. Their sound is good, and the rest of it wasn’t bad, but everything else pales into comparison. True neutral except for a generational bop. 3.2-3.3
I was increasingly impressed with this as it went on. A few ended up on my liked songs. That said, it did not blow my face off, and it’s still not what I’m looking for out of the 90s. However, it is new to me, it caught my ear, so I’ll say dont immediately count this out.
A mad chill and moody vibe. Described as “atmospheric pop”, and I can both agree and dig. The intro is iconic. Still not a love, but I did like the mood it set.
Eh. I didn’t really like the velvet underground album she was on either. Something feels incongruous between her voice and the music. It’s kind of like worse, sadder Joni Mitchell.
Fucking beautiful. I can not stop listening to this. I would’ve been ok if Maggie May was the only goodie, but it’s far from it. For a time, I only knew Rod Stewart as a guy most people’s grannies and aunties would risk everything for, so I figured he was some kind of R&B crooner type. But no sir, the man is a bonafide rocker. His work with Faces rips. Maggie May has been a long time favorite of mine and in my consideration for one of the greatest songs ever…but Mandolin Wind may overshadow it. Theres so much to talk about here. The instruments performance, the lyrics, the storytelling. The middle of this lineup is lights out. Mandolin Wind is such a gorgeous song. I read some reviews, and there was one that said that there’s something about the way he sings that makes it seem like he really needs to get these songs out, and I think that’s an incredible observation. The whole thing is very heartfelt and he does a beautiful job in each song of creating a scene and story, similar to the way a would in a book. Truly, can not stop listening to this. Because before, I’d only known a handful of songs, mostly hits and a fewer deep cuts in between him solo and with faces — I haven’t gone through the discography on either, so I’m just so taken with this album. I need it on vinyl. Note to the other listeners, the listen on a good pair of headphones is very different from a stereo/speaker. I’m going to give it a five — realistically, probably a 4.8-4.9, but just for how it took over my listening and how badly I want it on vinyl, we go five.
Look, I get it. It would probably go hard at a club in Berlin. But I’m at work in the US, and I have ptsd from the only rave I’ve been to. Is this an album I must listen to before I die? I don’t think so. There is definitely something to the ambient factor, I can dig that — but it’s a very specific time and place and atmosphere that this fits into. Outside of that, it’s not easily digestible.
This is what I’m talking about. This is the grunge. This is the 90s. I get that this isn’t for everyone, and some of it isn’t for me either. But, having the absolute anthems of Them Bones, Rooster, and Would? is more than enough to make this a legendary record. The guitar playing is sinister, Layne Staley’s voice is outside this world, and the album is heavy with emotion. The best songs on this album are inseparable from the 90s, and could be, for some, the only songs that come to mind when thinking of the 90s grunge scene. I don’t connect with every song on here, but it has enough that makes me want to put my boot through a door to give it a high score and again, it’s just a fixture of that scene. More of this pls.
Here we go. We’re on a run now folks. Been kicking around the idea of doing the Zepathon and this might just be the sign.
You know when a song just sounds different? For whatever reason it stands out from the songs around it? That’s how all of Zeppelin’s music sounds. The sounds these guys pulled out of the musical ether are unbelievable. And I do mean not able to be believed. It’s hard to argue against them as the greatest to ever do it. Jimmy Page is truly one of the greatest guitarists ever, and I do mean one of a very few. This album is perfect. Perfect length, each song delivers and then some, there’s no filler or fat or low spots. I said this about Back in Black — want to know what rock and roll is? This is rock and roll. As pure as it comes. So easy to listen to over and over again. A beautiful weaving of country, blues, rock, and their special touch. Man did the Brits have rock in a stranglehold. You Shook Me is a proper blues stomp. Good Times Bad Times is a perfect opener, and How Many More Times is lights out as a closer. I mean, just imagine — it’s ‘69, you buy a record from a band you’ve never listened to but everyone’s talking about, the needle drops, and Good Times Bad Times is what plays. It’s surreal now, I can’t imagine what it must have been in the day. It always amazes me how they can bring a crescendo all the way up, slow it right back down, play soft, play loud, and go on these cosmic, psychedelic, haunting runs of instrumentals. Their music simultaneously feels like falling and flying in a dream. Truly amazing. 6/5. What else could it be? I’m not a Zeppelin die hard either, they’re not my personal favorite, so I’m not throwing a bunch of bias on this. I played this five times through and was a kid on Christmas morning the entire time. Their music is simply that undeniable.
Perfectly good. I liked it. This is the kind of stuff you’d hear in a dive bar that knows what they’re doing. No problems here. Good sounds.
Oddly enough, I had an odd feeling that today would be a Joni Mitchell album. Wild.
When The Hissing of Summer Lawns came up, I did a subsequent journey through her discography, including this. I liked it then, I like it now. It’s definitely the style I think she’s more traditionally known for, and I believe this is her reference point album. One of her albums can be looked at as a book of poetry, both literally and to follow the analogy that each time you revisit, you find something new. There are some really beautiful tunes on here. California is a bop. Her music does make you feel like a world traveler. She’s got a great voice and her writing is exceptional, but sometimes the high, pitchy runs turn me off a bit. Personally, Summer Lawns strikes more of a vibe for me, but again, I like this, I think it’s good, and I’d probably pick it up on vinyl. 3.7ish.
Sunday Bloody Sunday is an anthem, otherwise not much to look forward to. I also, like most owners of apple products, have a bit of a grudge against U2 for how they violated us with that one album back in the day. 2.75.
Interesting and unremarkable at the same time. I’m only happy when it rains is a familiar goodie, but otherwise bleh. A lot of allusions to religion, and I’m not quite sure whether it’s pro or atheist. Decent sounds, probably won’t listen again. 2.7.
Ah yes, the second act of the Beatles. It’s a good day to listen to the Beatles. Thank god for drugs, cause if not they would’ve remained tight assed pop stars and we wouldn’t have gotten this, the white album, abbey road, let it be, etc. I think this is the first on the list (so far) that I actually have on vinyl, so it’s only appropriate to spin. The prize of my collection too — an original press given to me by my mother. I’d give the rest away, but I’ll keep this one. This is not a perfect album in the sense that every song is a total hit, but damnit if it isn’t a gem. Creates such a nice atmosphere on the play, and I appreciate that it’s meant to be listened to in full, with the opening sgt peppers track addressing the audience, then the second reprise wishing us well. And A Day in the Life as a closer? Chefs kiss. An opus in itself. What this is, in the majority, is experimentation. In their psychedelic exploration, they were just trying stuff, and when that happens, not everything hits. But you see in this album what really flourishes over the next few — a combination of deeply introspective songwriting and fun, playful character/world creation. And that’s why this is so highly regarded (deservingly so) as one of the greatest albums. Not because every song is a true classic, but because it was a journey into new territory that the entire music world was better because of. It was an exploration, a signal of a shift in the collective consciousness (summer of love, counter culture) that broadened the musical horizon and ushered in a new era of music. To anyone that doesn’t connect with every, many, or any songs on the album, thats not all you’re looking for — listening to this takes a heavy dose of perspective, to imagine what this was at the time it was created. The Beatles made beautiful music, and this is a lovely example of it. Like I said, it'll never leave my record collection.
This was wild. I can’t riff on the technicalities of classical or jazz music, but I can speak to the feel, and this is full of feel. For this to be improvised, as someone who, again, has minimal technical music knowledge, is beyond my comprehension. Truly a master at work. I didn’t know him, but now I do, and mad respect. I think it’s rad that you can hear him stomping and vocalizing as he plays, because it’s a testament to how deeply he’s feeling what he’s playing. Really impressive. Will revisit this particular performance and explore others of his. What a great vibe, a nice easy listening atmosphere, and a real pleasure to listen to a true master.
Schmidt has a great joke in new girl about the kings of Leon. I can’t recall it exactly, but basically you know the kings of Leon when you hear them. They sound like the kings of Leon. This sounds like the kings of Leon. I like their other, more popular songs, but I wasn’t really impressed by this. It sounds fine, good even, but I wasn’t blown away. I would have preferred a different pick from them.
Different! In a good way. Fine to mix it up. It’s very clearly a movie score. No technical commentary or anything like that, it was what it was. A fun switch up that I’m not mad at. Fully neutral.
Hit me! So good. I liked this when it came out, mostly because of a select few songs that became cornerstones of my teenage years and this particular era of rap. The rest of the album kind of passed over my head. Ten years later, and a much closer listener of music and Kendrick, I like it much more. Theres a lot of subtext and commentary in here that I’ll probably never fully grasp, but again, I can speak to feel. And again, this is full of feel. He rocks. Kenny is one of the few real ones left. One of my favorite things about him is that he makes albums that are meant to be listened to as albums. In Good Kid Maad City, it’s the series of voicemails that foreshadows the basis for the next song. In this, it’s the poem which gets one line longer at each song break. It doesn’t come together until the end, doesnt make sense unless you listen to the full work. Also, I didn’t pick up on the thunder cat appearances back in the day, and I’m all the way here for it. I would not have rated it as such in 2015, but after several listens today and some time to live with it, I believe this is a perfect album. So deserving to be one of the greatest albums of all time. This was a gift provided by this list — a chance to rediscover something thats been in my zeitgeist for so long I thought I knew it, but it turns out I wasn’t really listening.
Sorry. Two hours of this did not seem like what I wanted to do. Maybe I’m missing out on hidden treasure. Maybe I’ll revisit. But this did not hit.
Another goodie. I can’t remember exactly the first time I heard maggot brain, but I remember about halfway through I realized it was still going (kinda zoned out), rewound, and had my mind blown. Learning that it was Eddie hazel on the guitar makes perfect sense. It is now a mainstay in my rotation, and something I think would play in heaven. This is another one where if maggot brain was the only goodie, it would still get high marks from me, but it’s not. Theres a few really good tracks, none quite the opus that maggot brain is, but it makes for a very solid album. The funk is all the way through this. I love this kind of music, and this is, and should be, a point of reference for the genre. I’m jealous of the people to whom this is new, because I wish I could discover it again.
Not as unsatisfactory as the first track led me to believe. I liked the one about sigourney weaver. Did not expect all those slurs, but I understand what he was getting at. Within the more emotional stuff, there is an intelligent wittiness to his writing, which I can appreciate. Otherwise, I’ll leave it at a listen with a relatively neutral stance.
A Friday vibe if there ever was one. I’m so happy to see this on this list, I think it’s well deserving. Talk about an album that will bring together three different generations when it plays at the function. The three singles on here are just the best. Youthful, euphoric jams that instantly bring the mood up. “We’re fated to pretend” is deep, much more philosophical than you might initially think, a powerful mantra for life. The album is a bit older than this, but these songs feel like they undercut my college years — so many great memories underneath electric feel. Aside from the three singles (which are heavy heavy hitters), I liked two others I didn’t know before, and the rest was just okay. Out of ten songs, three generational hits, two pretty good ones, and five just okay still makes for a really good album, even if three songs carry much of the load. Fun stuff, this will forever be high up on my great vibes list.
Relatively indifferent with a slight lean towards dislike.
🐐 talk. Hit after hit after hit. This album had the radio in a chokehold for a long time. Might be time for me to listen to all of her albums and become a full blown member of the movement, bracelets and everything. They don’t all land, but there are some gigantic song on here. Sometimes the surrounding poppy music can distract from how incredible her songwriting and lyricism is. I like her early country stuff a lot, and of course her hits are in the lexicon but I haven’t gotten all into her…like I said, maybe it’s time.
Very cool. OutKast was a huge part of my journey into 90s rap, and once upon a time I went through all their albums. I say that, but I evidently dont remember this one well if I did listen to it. Anyways, this is a really interesting project with some of their top jams included. It’s really neat that they released two solo albums together. It’s a perfect symbol of their relationship, their musical journey, and how they work together — two people expressing their individuality, together. Big Boi clearly is the foundation, deeply rooted in the southern sound. 3K is the one who experiments and takes their basic format to new places. And their other albums are a blend of what’s found here. It’s wild how range-y the love below was — he really tried a lot, and because of it, a lot missed, but he did get two super bangers, Hey Ya being a true generational classic, and roses probably being my personal favorite from them. I hesitate to say the whole thing was dope, because not every song, or even a majority, delivered, but the premise of the project, the features, the experimentation, and three of not only their most popular but songs that are synonymous with a generation, makes this whole thing, to me, very dope, from idea, to agreement, to execution. For a two hour album, it is very listenable, and theres certainly way more to it than three songs. This was cool. Well deserving of this list.
Lovely! Gorgeous voice. I thought she was someone else, but I don’t know who now. The sax solo on You Bring Me Joy makes that song so worth a listen. I like her voice, I like the themes, I like her songwriting, and I like this type of music. No issues here.
This won’t be for everyone, but Lou reed is one of those guys where great musicians will talk about how great a musician he is. There are without a doubt some good tunes on here. I’ve known walk on the wild side for a long long time. I was not blown away, but you can see his musicianship here, and it’s probably something you have to live with to appreciate fully.
I was picking petals the entire listen. A literal “Do I like it? Do I not?” experience the entire time. It was a rollercoaster. Some parts I was like yeah, other parts I just couldn’t get behind. Overall, id say that yes, there are some good sounds here (emphasis on some), but its real significance is likely that it was a foundation piece for the alternative scene that fully bloomed in the nineties and early 00’s.
