awesome - possibly the best guitar solo ever :0 (title track)
exceptionally hard-hitting grooves, great writing, great performances, great experimentation, just greatness all around
10/10
Did not have the highest expectations going into this, but it’s actually a very solid record. The songs and grooves are catchy, production is very chic (lol), the deep cuts are pretty cool too, and of course fantastic vocal performances. Apart from an occasionally awkward verse, it’s pretty great actually
- do also check out the 1984 remix of lost in music on the 1995 remaster
7.5/10
Revisiting this was exciting as fuck, reminding me of everything positively radical in hip-hop. The production and sampling is thrilling, groovy and (even nearly 40 years on) original and surprising. The raps are great, especially for their time, and the occasional rhythmic awkwardness is more than remedied by the genuine excitedness in the delivery.
As a central theme (apart from the obvious ones) is self-expression in its most radical forms, and what now feels like a centerpiece on the album, express yourself is an exemplary of radical positivity.
Very fun listen overall, deservedly classic.
8.5/10
If you ever hear anybody tell you that reggae is monotonous, just show them this record. Deservedly classic, and some of Marleys best work.
Great vocals and songwriting, amazing instrumentation and choir, fun production, this is the genre at its very best.
10/10
Loved the "weirder" cuts on this, while the blues rock songs are really fun and goes very hard (why is The Doors not counted as proto-metal lol). What a great transition from Peace Frog to Blue Sunday, lots of great songs on side A (Hard Rock Café)
Side B not quite as memorable, but still pretty good.
8.5/10
The "essential boogie-rock album" does include great riffs, good grooves, good solos, and is overall a fine listen. But very rarely did this album actually catch my attention, and I had to put in a bit of an effort to concentrate - overall, it is pretty fun, but not amazing, probably best suited for a fun time while cleaning your house.
Hot, Blue and Righteous is a lovely track tho. Great solo on Precious and Grace.
The live bonus-tracks on the remaster sounds way more excited, probably would have enjoyed the record a lot had they produced a heavier sound for these songs.
6.5/10
Pretty fun listen from a very talented Senegalese vocalist and guitarist, about half the tracks are just fantastic, highlights include "Daande Lenol", "Daniibe" and "Sy Sawande" (lovely track!) (also "Ndelorel" and "Minuit" are great!). However the more funk-infused highlife cuts have this midi-esque cornyness to them (production wise (for example the drums and horns on "Lem Gi" (wtf)) - other than that, very good performances and fantastic vocals.
The good tracks does outweigh the bad significantly, so all in all it's worth the while, would be a fantastic 45ish minute album
7/10
This is fucking awesome, everything you would want in a great punk album! Fantastic energy, crazy vocals, great experimental elements, and (as evident in the reviews on here lol), actually provocative, even nearly 50 years on.
This I (“post”)punk at its very best, absolute classic in my opinion, listened three times in a row
10/10
I thank Guitar Hero for introducing me to this band many years ago! Great album from one of the best “indie” acts of the 2000s, but not their very best - the noise coupled with the barbershop influence works very well and the sound is really there, though the songwriting did improve a little on their subsequent records.
8/10
First of all great record. Some of these songs sound more British than anything, but in a good way. Victoria is such a great opener, Some Mother’s Son is a genuinely touching anti-war song (opposed to others of the era that just advocates sunshine and love and stuff). A few tracks are a little longwinded and sound too much like it’s era, but only a very few.
Kept revisiting it and it just got better.
9.5/10
Took me a while to get around to this, hadn't heard of this before but this was a great listen! It does a great job conceptually imo, using a sort of post-futurist (Mike Ladd described the approach as such in an interview) perspective on the present, creating a concept that enables him to encompass a wide array of social issues through a (to me) very unique turn-of-the-millenium sort of sci-fi fixation, tearing this whole thing apart to talk "post-futuristacally" about present issues. I think that was probably very badly formulated but eh, to me it works great lyrically.
And the production is wonderfully weird and diverse and continiously surprising throughout this (kinda long) album. It does something unique while also 'keeping it real' to the integrity at the core of the genre, and especially early 2000s experimental rap. Forward thinking and experimental but still very hip-hop.
It's a dense record, and theres a lot that needs to be revisited a few times to really appreciate. Highlights for me is "5000 miles west of the future" and "Feb. 4 99" - dope album opener and really beautiful closing track. And what a journey between them.
Solid 8/10
This is just always so very very enjoyable. I love every revisit to this album and will keep coming back at it.
9.5/10
Fantastic album, though I do prefer the debut and Fear of Music. Not every track is as memorable, but what an amazing run they had in the 70’s.
9/10
I had been putting off listening to “Dig your own hole” until I got this one a week later, so I decided to listen to both twice and do a double review. It is definitely not made for a concentrated listening experience, so I did a bunch of work while I listened. The more I heard, the more I started to enjoy it actually - buuut, I think it’s because I just started to not expect anything. I get how this might have sounded somewhat revolutionary once, but their sound is just so dated in my opinion. The harder stuff just sound like the soundtrack to a mediocre action film, and every time there’s an interesting sound or a lead of any sort, it’s mixed way in the back. I do enjoy the samples though, and the softer and more psychedelic stuff is better on these albums. I have the third album a try to, and generally enjoyed it more. But this is not really for me. It’s just fine, occasionally interesting, but never really moving. I guess if I heard this really loudly in the middle of a bad dj set, I would really dig it, but eh. The second is slightly better I guess
5/10
I got this on CD when I was 13 or 14 and it was one of my first loves in the genre. It is not though, the album that I revisit the most from the group. The energy is great and many of these songs showcase the greatness and creativity of the band, but some of the more directly punky tracks are just kinda annoying and this “traditional punk sound” doesn’t really come through, glad they went in a more unique direction generally.
But it is in my opinion an iconic debut.
7.5/10
The songs and ideas are good on this,
but wow I hate the drums half of the time, (often) awful choice of sound in my opinion.
And the vocal is kinda awful.
Love the noisy guitars, the violin is fantastic.
Psycho Cupid is an awesome track tho, Flitcraft is great too and the cover of Lost Highway as well
5.5/10
Trying as best as I can to come at this with fresh ears, which is of course impossible. One thing that bothers me when I read about this record is the "innovation of the concept album" yada yada. It's just the absolute easiest concept ever to say (as a band) that the album is a performance by a fictitious band - and the concept really only adds up on the first two tracks. In my opinion it just doesn't qualify as a concept because you make ONE song (with a reprise) about the concept and pair it with a fun album cover.... ALSO, there are so many inconsistencies in this "story" ("performance") - why does a so called edwardian military band have a Sitar? Tabla?? A bunch of LSD??? Synths???? Concept my ass, but fuck it.
The album opens fantastically in my opinion, the second track is very charming and Lucy in the Sky is exciting as well.
Getting Better and Fixing a Hole feels a little underwhelming upon revisiting (comparably), but the Indian instrumentation is very well incorporated and still sounds great to me.
She's Leaving Home is absolutely gorgeous imo.
Mr. Kite has great verses and the circus shit is fun - the weird sounds and experimentation is very well incorporated.
Within You Within You does take the Indian inspiration too far. Without really adding anything to Indian classical tradition, the track just kinda becomes a watered down version of this longstanding musical tradition, while reducing the philosophy and spirituality to stupid hippy shit (sorry) - I do think it's well meant, and it's by no means a bad track (the strings, sitar and tabla are well performed), and it should get credit for introducing these sounds to a wider (read: western) audience.
When I'm 64 is very cute, love it.
Lovely Rita is great as well.
Good Morning is also a pretty great track.
The Reprise is kinda superfluous to me, again, what's the actual concept here??? And why would this performance include a short reprise all of a sudden (insert that it does not make sense meme here)
Buuuut, A Day in the Life might just be one of the greatest achievements in popular music history. I am absolutely floored every time I hear that track.
8.5/10
I was so happy revisiting this. Absolutely phenomenal. Top-notch performances and arrangement, everything about is just absolutely perfect in my opinion. I don't even mind that it feels a little "soundtrack-y" at times, the instrumentals are great.
Only wish that it was longer, which is kind of the opposite of a critique here.
10/10
Starts off great! What a fun album opener!
Great vocal on this - Find Somebody and I'm so Happy is good too.
Not a big fan of Sueno, it's fine but a little messy.
How can I be sure is really lovely
Groovin' is fun (these guys were definitely inspired by Beach Boys)
If you knew and I dont love you anymore are sweet and pleasant 60's songs (very much signothetimes), but not that memorable
You Better Run is great garage rock! Kinda misplaced on this album, but cool track.
Place in the sun starts off very promising, but is sort of a letdown.. and too long.
It's Love is really cool tho!
Overall it's a fun listen - most of all it just feels like a compilation of 60's tracks, but the performances are good, the tracks are (mostly) well written and the lead vocal is really great when it's Felix Cavaliere (had to look up the name)
7/10
Every track on this album is iconic, it still remains so revered for very good reason. I don't really feel the need to say much more about it, gets me every time.
9.5/10
I’ve always loved J Mascis as a guitarist especially, mostly the band delivers great rock music and this is pretty good, though not amazing. A little too teenage in a way and not that consistent. But it has its moments and the instrumentation is pretty great.
7/10
Loved it, great country that just does what country does best. Short album, but packed with good storytelling and the vocal is obviously iconic. Highlights for me was the title track and ‘early morning breeze’
RIP to the queen of the USA
8/10
I had been putting off listening to “Dig your own hole” until I got this one a week later, so I decided to listen to both twice and do a double review. It is definitely not made for a concentrated listening experience, so I did a bunch of work while I listened. The more I heard, the more I started to enjoy it actually - buuut, I think it’s because I just started to not expect anything. I get how this might have sounded somewhat revolutionary once, but their sound is just so dated in my opinion. The harder stuff just sound like the soundtrack to a mediocre action film, and every time there’s an interesting sound or a lead of any sort, it’s mixed way in the back. I do enjoy the samples though, and the softer and more psychedelic stuff is better on these albums. I have the third album a try to, and generally enjoyed it more. But this is not really for me. It’s just fine, occasionally interesting, but never really moving. I guess if I heard this really loudly in the middle of a bad dj set, I would really dig it, but eh. The second is slightly better I guess
4/10
Pop rock perfection. Crazy how an album can have songs that go in so many directions, but still sound cohesive. Everything Nilsson dives into here works, and somehow sounds unmistakably like Nilsson.
9/10
With his silky smooth voice and shiny black boots, Marty Robbin’s takes on a journey through the old west with top-notch storytelling and classic country instrumentation. A surprisingly pretty record, it kinda lacks a little bit of grit, but the songs are great.
This goes to prove that the white middleclass obsession with crime and outlaws started waaay before rap music. I could go on about this, but I choose to just state that it’s fun.
7/10
To me, the point of experimentation in music is to take you somewhere new, and this album truly takes you to a special place. I find something new to love about it every time I hear it.
9.5/10
What I can now confirm, after listening to this and two Chemical Brothers albums, is that this is just not really for me. Listening to this today, it just feels both a little dry, and somewhat annoying. There are elements to this album, especially some great sample sources, that I appreciate, but compositionally and technically, I don’t think Mr. Slim takes them anywhere interesting for the most part. And the skits are kinda cringe.
I did enjoy “You’re not from Brighton” (where he actually makes something groove), and “Praise You” (great sampling here) - but the latter did get a little ruined for me from those (at least now) cliche drum build-ups.
But those tracks are followed by “Love Island” which just reminded me of how annoyed I was at the beginning of the album.
On a positive note, this made me discover Camille Yarbrough (sampled on Praise You) so thanks I guess.
5/10
Did not enjoy this much. Right from the start I just found the whole thing icky (especially due to the lead vocal).
It sorta feels like a Nick Cave ripoff for casual pop-fans. The production is cheesy and the songwriting is just uninspired imo.
I somewhat enjoy the social critique (more a critique of war), but it just feels kinda flat in that self-indulgent 80’s kinda way. It’s like a “dark” version of live aid or some shit.
Sweet bird of truth is pretty cool until the vocal kicks in.
Angels of Deception was decent. I also enjoyed the backup vocals, but overall not for me.
2.5/10
While I do appreciate how fundamental this was for 80’s music as a whole, I did find it to be a bit of a drag. There’s a lot of great stuff here, the performances are good, the instrumentation is cool too, but most of the songs start off great and just go on for way too long when it comes to repeating the choruses, seeming too preoccupied with making singles and leaving the listener with an overemphasis on a single melody, which are mostly not really that interesting compositionally. So the songwriting, for me, just drags it out, making the songs feel very long, and the lyrics are kinda corny at times.
“Hungry like the wolf” and especially “The Chauffeur” (really loved that track, by far my favourite here) are great highlights though.
5/10
I had never heard of Red Snapper prior to this and wow I loved this album! So thanks for the rec!
The album goes in so many directions, but somehow stays focused and maintains a cohesive sound throughout, and as an album experience it flows perfectly. At times weird, often very groovy, seemingly repetitive but with so much great production lurking in the corners, and towards the end, gorgeous.
8.5/10
This is what guitars were made for. It has so much going on, might just be the greatest trio - top notch performances all around, great songwriting and a balanced approach to experimentation. Some songs go hard as fuck and others are really beautiful.
9.5/10
This was a very interesting listen to say the least. Very over the top and theatrical rock, but with a great sense of humor, and a pretty balanced album experience. But what made the album stand out for me was the inventive use of sampling and electronics, and the elements of dark wave and industrial music. Especially the more 'sound-collagy' tracks were really cool imo. I also enjoyed the atonality and crazy bad guitar solo of the opening track.
Favourite tracks were “Leben heist Leben”, “Herz-Felde”, “Koza (Skin)” (very interesting production here, cool dark sampling). And the closing track is pretty good too.
So yeah, probably won't revisit the more theatrical and proggy cuts, but the experimental stuff was great.
7.5/10
This album goes to show that at the time of making Aftermath, The Stones were no where near the level of what are considered their “peers” (I.e. Beatles, Beach Boys, Dylan etc.)
I listened to the US version (thankfully) which is a little shorter and has Paint it Black - which to me is the only really great track here. And that’s the thing - when remembering Rolling Stones through the big songs, they’re amazing. But as an album it’s not that good at all. They couldn’t do experimentation and psychedelia very well here, the blues tracks are fine but far from being half as good as what inspired them.
And some of these songs are just disgustingly misogynistic, had to skip Stupid Girl and Under my Thumb cause of the icks.
Whenever this album tries to achieve something intense it just falls flat, and the closing track made me cringe.
4.5/10
This album is the most important fun you’ll have in you entire life. It’s hard to listen to this with fresh ears because it so obviously permeated pretty much all great hip-hop since. And it’s so incredibly enjoyable, fantastic lyricism and production on every track, and such an interesting sort of doubleness in both - it exists in a world of it’s own while still adressing both the individual and the collective simultaneously.
Also, I think I slightly prefer this to low end theory - but I am a little sad that there’s not more tribe on this list now
10/10
This album really solidified my hatred for hair metal. The only redeeming quality was the occasional piano, which apparently was provided by a guest musician. The performances are otherwise not outright bad but the songs are just so corny and uninspired and the lyrics sound like unsuccessful love letters by a 7th grader.
Thoroughly annoying, I do not get why this is on the list.
2/10
I was surprised to see this making the list, but it is an incredibly influential pop album, both in terms of spearheading (lol) the sound of 2000's pop music, but also the revival of it in later years. And it is much more enjoyable than you would expect. Every track here has glimmers of absolute pop brilliance and also batshit creative decisions, and it is really a lot of fun.
Somehow it's kinda brilliant, often it's bad in the best way possible, and sometimes genuinely great. Britney also delivers some pretty good vocal performances with a genuineness in the corniness that only a very young singer at the turn of the millenium can produce.
But yeah, surprising listen overall.
Solid 6/10
Loved it. Timeless record. These songs are so wise and philosophical yet so longing and poetic, and they are beautifully performed and produced. And so many interesting musical choices. Been meaning to check this out since reading about it’s influence (beach house and others making a tribute band to the album) and I was not disappointed for a second of it. I have no idea why this would be shelved for so long, labels are dumb.
9/10
I can listen to Otis sing all day long, and the instrumentation is great on this record. However, I'm not completely in love with all of the songs here, and sometimes the sound is just a little too 'classic' if that makes any sense - as if you're hearing something historic but not really vibing that hard. But man, Otis is just one of the greatest voices in all of music. The ballads are just amazing and flawless (change, loving u too long, etc.) - tracks like "Shake" and "Satisfaction" are a lot of fun and "Down in the Valley" is a new favourite with this relisten, apart from "You Don't Miss Your Water" and, of course, A change is gonna come.
8.5/10
Beautiful album. Cash reminds me here of the power of songwriting, and how much perspective can lie within a single song - at times more than even the writer knows.
Love the production as well, and I always like when old singers embrace their age in how they sing and perform.
Also great guests.
At times a little too sentimental for me, but I also think that’s unavoidable, or maybe even necessary, when making some of your last music and having such a legendary career as Cash.
8.5/10
This albums starts off so iconic. The sound is dreamy and heavy and the first four tracks are just amazing. The middle of the album is also very good, but doesn't quite reach the same heights as the beginning (I think there's are good reason for which songs are played the most from this) - tracks like "Bye Bye Bad Man" & "Sugar Spun Sister" is good but a little jangly, and the sound is just not as fleshed out as on the great tracks. Elizabeth is a fun little medieval-ish acoustic song, cool, and "Made of Stone" is grerat too. "Shoot you Down" and "This is the one" are also great tunes, though a little longwinded - the latter does have more fully fledged out production. I just love this album when it's really big I guess because "I Am the Resurrection" is amazing as well. "Fools Gold" is a pretty cool inclusion, love the acidy drum breaks, cool connection to the rest of the psychedelia this album explores.
So yeah, the highs are really really high and the lows are pretty decent, wouldn't mind cutting a track or two but overall a great album.
Solid 8/10
This is phenomenal. Superb songwriting and musicianship, rollercoaster of emotions, great vocals, lyrics and damn the synths are cool. A few of the songs come off a little goofy (Jamaica jerk-off is just kinda huh..??) but everything has it’s place and every track has something great to it.
Loved it.
9.5/10
There are elements to this that are pretty cool, generally the last half with tracks like “Krisco Kisses”, “Black Night” & “The Only Star” is pretty dope. But this album overall feels like watching an award show. I like the intro but damn that pleasuredome song just goes on and on and gets super annoying. Overly long and just way too many detours - and if course a little Springsteen tribute and some hollow statements about war and peace and stuff.
Overall, the first half of the album is, for me, kinda skippable, but the second half is pretty good. “Power of Love” is a lovely 80’s ballad, but it sounds like the singer is kinda struggling at times.
Intro (world is my oyster) and outro (bang) are really cool.
Generally he sounds like he’s fighting someone while recording this, which is kinda fun I guess.
6/10
The band is great and Van Morrison is killing it - the horn and string arrangements are great as well. Sounds like this concert was a lot of fun, but as an album experience it’s just a bit long and self-indulgent.
As a concert I’m sure this was perfect, as an album it’s still pretty good.
7.5/10
Really liked this, the songs and performances are great and the production/instrumentation is very exciting. A few of the tracks feel a little long on the second and third listen, but something interesting is always at play none the less.
And I love the overall glammy creepiness. Makes you feel like you're hungover at a party.
8.5/10
I must have heard this album a few hundred times by now. Every time I’m blown away. Every second of this album is iconic to me.
10/10
Fantastic album that creates a universe for only itself to inhabit and simultaneously feels like visiting an alien planet and making you feel like an alien visiting your own.
10/10
I used to love this album when I was younger, and it is by no means bad at all - but now that I'm revisiting it, I'm realising that beneath all of the passion and grandeur, there's a real lack of substance on a lot of these songs. There's a whole lot of uhs and ahs, and some of the songs are a little corny, while others just don't get as intense as they try to - I think the lead vocal (which is also great at times) and the kinda flat production has a lot to say here. It is very genuine and I appreciate that alot, but the songs are just not quite there. I did really enjoy "Haiti" and "In the Backseat" though, the highs are really high.
7/10
This started off pretty good - the production and songwriting is not groundbreaking but very well executed on the first five tracks or so. I especially enjoyed “gold rush” and “tolerate it”.
But damn “no body” really breaks the flow and the sound of the album for me, and I found this and “happiness” to be pretty corny. “Dorothea” is a fine track tho.
Damn, lost the rest of my review, didn’t save I guess. Anyways, the rest of the album was okay overall.
6.5/10
Not great. Most of these tracks have at least one great element, but the band just ruins it completely. Either with obnoxious vocals, going way overboard with the phaser or just taking a piss (they sound very high). Compositionally it’s just really messy and damn those skits/spoken intros are just annoying - especially when they’ve gotten a hold of some great harpist and has to make it a joke. But some of the songs have their moments, the intro would have been great without soooo much phaser on the whole thing and Afterglow has a pretty cool first verse before it just devolves into generic 60’s.
I guess I’m just overly annoyed at the fact that at this point in time any group of white boys with long hair could get to go into a studio and get great string players and producers and so on and then just get high and fuck around for a month.
It does have a few moments that would make for great sampling material which gives it a 2 instead of a 1.
4/10
Classic RZA production, dark and straightforward lyricism and a charismatic Method Man in front. He seems to be warming up for the first couple of tracks, and the project could generally have been a little more focused, but most of it is pretty great.
P.L.O style is a very big highlight for me, and I love the madness of Mr. Sandman.
7.5/10
