First Radiohead album and largely the first true trip into alternative rock taken. I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this, likely due to my unfamiliarity with the genre. As I listen more and gain a greater understanding of this style, I imagine my rating of this album will slip, on the other hand, with it being the the first venture into it, it may remain a monolith I compare everything to and stay a strong 5. I love those drums on 15 Step and the way the instrumentals reach a climax on All I Need.
I enjoyed it as an easy album to listen to, but didn’t make a remarkable impression upon me. Will not likely revisit.
I liked those more than I expected, and the lead singers vocals were awesome. I really love the way the first song’s melody drops off for a half second before continuing, that was really cool. Some slower and less memorable songs throughout there, but the highlights are really good.
I want so badly to be a jazz guy but I’m not. I enjoy listening to Kind of Blue but this one is a drag.
2/5 for me. If I am in the jazziest mood possible I may enjoy this but the lack of rhythm (perceivable to me, at least) makes it a difficult groove to get into. I have tried hard to get into 'real' jazz, but I enjoy jazz-adjacent music much more.
Excellent album, I am a big fan of Aretha Franklin. I love the shorter runtime of this record, 10 songs with no filler. Each song is memorable and Aretha's performances on each is astounding.
My only complaint would be that just when I feel a song reaches a satisfying climax and is riding that high it abruptly fades out and moves on. If the worst I can say about the album is that each song left me wanting more, then we are in good hands.
After my first listen, I learned I was apparently a hard-rock guy. The guitar riffs and hooks here are addictive and foresee myself revisiting this record for a long time to come. The stretch from Superunknown to The Day I Tried to Live is excellent, as are the first three songs, as well. At 70 minutes I feel as though the record could have been trimmed down a bit, but as I listen more I imagine that opinion will change.
4/5, all I need is a V-twin cruiser to go with it now.
I first listened to this album in full in 2022. I enjoyed it but after repeat playthroughs it lost some of the initial charm it had, and I ended up believing it was a fairly front-loaded album. I have not revisited it nor SZA's work at all since then, though I do enjoy her features.
The opening track is excellent and I love when the drums come in. I wish she had let that beat ride out a bit longer. The highlights here are great and songs I revisit every once in a while. On the other hand, a lot of the record I find plain and forgettable.
My largest disappointment is Pretty Little Birds, with a lackluster Isaiah Rashad feature coming from his biggest fan and a lack of excitement everywhere else on the song.
Overall, the record is breezy and smooth, and never a difficult listen. Most of the instrumentals are lush and give SZA room to work, although sometimes I think both could be a little more exciting (Drew Barrymore). If someone told me this was their favorite record, I’d give them a high five. For my money, I’m taking Anderson .Paak when it comes to R&B.
Excellent album, I love the upbeat rhythm and percussion.
Overall, I like this album and think it is just fine. It may be because this album was revolutionary and a trend setter, but to me it feels slightly bland and repetitive. Albums that came after perhaps would not have been as great without this one - I honestly do not know and I am not familiar with the history surrounding this album. I can hear the makings of something great, but the project never goes out to achieve that. I would not revisit this of my own accord, so I'll go 2/5. Not bad, though!
This is okay. The first theee songs I like; but the rest blends together and is forgettable. I can’t fault the record for its ‘generic’ sound, seeing as it was probably new at the time. I would not revisit most of the album but I liked some of what I heard.
A solid album with a groove that I enjoy. Did not blow me away but never bored me either. If I am in the mood, I may go to a 4/5, but in general it is a 3/5 for me. Nothing to complain about here!
I really enjoyed this album, way more than I was expecting! Mr. Soul is my favorite track, but this album does not have a dull moment. The instrumentation here is exciting and pulls you through the entire listen without effort.
Listening to this album feels like a circle of toddlers grouped together drooling on their Duplo Lego blocks, atop a color-blocked and faded rug. While nothing is noticeably offensive or harsh on the ears, nothing else is particularly impressive or memorable about this album. The stained-glass-like album cover is visually interesting and does a good job of representing the soundscape of the album.
The instruments and progression feel very sanitized and clinical, and combined with the unimpactful vocals, each song was a drag to get through. Put together, I was left feeling bored and sleepy throughout the runtime, with no memorable or standout tracks to point at. I did not latch onto anything in particular, and I was disappointed by the end of its runtime.
Actively listening to the project I would struggle to pick out any specific element that impresses me. I would not call it outright bad, though, just definitely not my flavor. I do not foresee myself revisiting this album, but I could actually see in the future my tastes shifting and this being my jam.
This was a weird one for me. I had never heard of Leonard Cohen before, and was initially put off by his baritone delivery and presence on the song. Why is this guy trying to seduce me over his lackluster instrumentals?
Around halfway through the record, I was not enjoying it and questioned how it made it on the list. Fortunately, at 8 songs and under 45 minutes, it does not overstay its welcome. I decided to try and meet it where it was at instead of shaping it to what I liked.
The rest of the album was much more enjoyable. Leonard's vocals, instead of coming off as the creepy guy next door speaking to my teenage daughter, morphed into a style I found more soothing and relaxed. Similarly, the instrumentals I had previously written off as sterile and lacking a driving force, began to accompany Leonard spectacularly. This album is slow, and you have to be in the right headspace for it. For my money, I prefer other albums for that headspace, but I could see myself listening to this on very rare occasion.
The opening track is a tough pill to swallow, and tainted the following three. Upon revisiting them, I found them all much more palatable, and I can groove with what Leonard is doing. This isn't an album I would have sought out, but I am glad to have heard it.
Now it’s the next day, and I’ve returned to not liking it. Definitely depends on my mood.
I liked this one overall. Strangelove was very good and nearly every song had an interesting component within it. It is a very moody album, but not one that actively bums you out. Depending on my mood, I could go up to a 4 or maybe even a 5. In general I found it is very listenable and inoffensive.
There are some elements I enjoy here. By and large the instrumentals are great, and the singing is good too, however I am not a fan of the screaming (call me a Grandpa).
The worst thing about this album, which ruins it for me unfortunately, are the lyrics. This feels like what a 14 year old just got told his Daddy wouldn't purchase him a motorcycle would write. I cannot take it seriously, but I am probably not the target audience. I liked this more than I expected, and maybe I would enjoy this heavy metal type stuff if the band took it more seriously.
This may have been great in the 60's, but I wouldn't know it. In the present day, it does a fantastic job of boring me and making me drool. I do not like the white boy rock of the past. Good for those who say this is Dylan but better; Dylan is infinitely more interesting for me.
This album is pretty good. Some parts can drag on (the song about Jesus was fairly repetitive), but by and large the instrumentals backing this project are exciting and fresh. This is one of my favorite rock albums from the list so far, and this list loves its rock albums.
I am excited to see how I feel about this given more time.
If gentrification is to run its course unabated, you would find this album festering at the end of the road. I say this with the understanding that Danger Mouse had a hand in the production, whose work with Black Thought I am familiar with. His work is evident in the fact that this record is remotely listenable and inoffensive on the ears. It's unfortunate that his prowess wasn't able to do much besides polish a turd.
Each song is passable, viewed individually. The arrangements are logical and easy-going, and there certainly is a white guy trying to croon over them. The problem arises when you group fifteen of these songs together, and not a single one stands out from the rest. Everything is so sterile, bland, and safe. I'm not one to be pretentious about my music; all I need is to feel something from it. The only thing I am feeling here is fear that a Ram 3500 equipped with a light rig from the pits of Hell will pull out, not in front of me, but behind me, and bear down on me with the illuminance of a million suns. Maybe he will tell me about his single digit financing, although to get that you've gotta go up on your trim level, of course.
What exactly is this record supposed to do for me? If it's truck driving music, I'm picking better rock music; if I never heard this again, I would be happier for it.
This is right up my alley! This feels like one long episode of Regular Show to me. I was unfamiliar with all things Alice Cooper, and had hardly even heard the name before. Billion Dollar Babies was a pleasant surprise and an easy listen.
There is not a dull moment on this record, and Alice Cooper has interesting riffs in spades. The bass on this album was a huge highlight to me, and the piano on "Mary Ann" was a great change of pace. I'm fond of every song on this record, and even some of the more interesting pieces ("I Love the Dead") have elements that keep me returning to them. I wasn't aware of Alice Cooper's thing being shock rock, but the tongue-in-cheek nature of the lyrics prevented anything from becoming uncomfortable.
I am a sucker for glam rock, and this album has it in spades. It is also an incredibly funny and witty project, which keeps a smile on my face. I am glad to be on the folks on here who gets a pleasant surprise like this.
I have to imagine that these guys achieved what they were going for, although it is not for me. I enjoy the sound of this album, but I think each song is too long and the vocalists don't do anything for me. As an album, I cannot see myself returning to it, especially due to its length.
After everything I had heard about this record, I had come to expect a difficult listen that required an acquired taste. I was delighted to find out this is a very listenable record, and exciting at all times -- barring one notable case. I was a big fan of the album, and I really enjoyed the guitar riffs and the drums especially.
The only complaint I have is that the second half of "Moonchild," or rather the majority (10 minutes of a 12 minute song), is free-form improvisation. I have tried so hard to like this style of playing, and whether it is in jazz or rock or whatever, I hate it so so so much. Nothing happens for 10 minutes on that song! Nothing! You get like 5 musicians standing around in a room, who decide to stop playing and instead choose to stare intensely at each other and attempt to seduce one another with their playing. Maybe when I am older and wiser, it'll be my thing, but god, it is so boring and never amounts to a thing.
Thankfully the title track and closer of the album shows up and saves the day with a catchy chorus and gorgeous chords. Good album, but when 10 minutes of a 45 minute record is some hot ass I can't give it a 5. I wish they had condensed that 10 minute session into a 1 minute closer consisting of the best little bits.
This album is good, but not really my thing. If it caught me in the right mood, I could see myself loving it. It leans a little too much into country which I just don't connect with, but some of the more rock-focused tracks here ("Atlantic City") I do really enjoy. I am a moron and did not release he also made "Born in the USA", and I am impressed with the range he shows here.
This isn't too bad, just not my thing. I like some of the guitar riffs and the vocals, although rare, are nice when we get them.
I enjoyed this album quite a bit. The guitar is laid back and the groove on each song is pleasant. This is a great album to cruise around to.
This album came and went but wasn't too memorable. Nothing stood out to me but nothing was horrible, either. I suppose the worst thing an album can be is forgettable, but I enjoyed listening to it when it was on even if I won't revisit. This is closer to a 2.5/5 than a 2/5.
If this is your thing, I'm sure it's great. Most of the music blends together for me and was only vaguely interesting. I liked some moments here and there but for the most part I was bored by this record. I don't see myself revisiting. I could just be fatigued by this style of rock, but I am not sure when I would find myself enjoying it.
