Smooth old school Jazz. Not a genre that I’ve listened to much so this was a nice discovery.
Happened to have just heard it for the first time a few weeks back. Hit even better on a second listen. Playlisted.
Couldn’t find it streaming but got to hear most. Impressive and super catchy. More of singles than an album,
Masterpiece that I know very well.
I knew of this one mostly because of the Hurt cover, which is a great song and worth the acclaim. That said I’ve heard it a lot now and think it overshadows the better original version. I hadn’t heard the remainder of the album. Most of it is just bland covers. Completely respect Johnny Cash’s earlier work but this era and album is not for me.
Hard to evaluate and review such a short EP. It does what it intends to do, and no surprise that Minor Threat gained a following.
This is an album I know well. Listened more critically this time and it’s still a 5/5 because I can’t give a 4.5 or 4.75. The title track is among my favorite songs ever. There are a few others that are slightly behind but still tremendous songs. There are a couple weak spots, like the repetition on Elevation. But those are quibbles. I love this album.
Very much out of my wheelhouse. I was not expecting Cuban big band music. Enjoyed it.
Completely new to me. Never heard of the artist, the genre, and I’ve probably never even heard an Algerian musician. What I liked about this was all of the linguistic variety. The music was interesting and intriguing, but somewhat simple. The John Lennon Imagine cover was a surprise and also trite. This is an album where the experience exceeds the music. I’m giving it a low(ish) rating but glad I heard it.
This is an album I’m familiar with, although it’s been a very long time since I’ve listened from beginning to end. The high points are extremely high and it has soundscape elements that feel like what became Shoegaze and noise rock, including stuff like Spacemen 3 and Sonic Youth which defy categorization. There are some occasions that don’t work as well, which is to be expected with nearly an 80 minute album. There’s some filler. I’m rounding down to a 4/5 but it’s closer to 4.5.
All the respect to the Boss. He’s a great entertainer. The band is great. The songs are great. I get why this album is so revered, but it’s not for me. Listening once was enough and I have no desire to hear it again. Just not my thing. 3 stars out of respect.
I’ve enjoyed some of the early hits from The Pet Shop Boys, but the dividing line is the You’re Always On My Mind cover, which has been overplayed just generally. I’ve always hated it and that has impacted my opinion of this band. I remember when this came out, and I ignored it completely. After listening, I see that it has some merit. I see why it works for some. But I can’t get past my bias. This is the worse album I’ve encountered on this journey.
This is quite an album, and I’m amazed that I hadn’t heard it before. Its reputation as an ambitious and indulgent album are deserved, but it’s also kind of great? It would take far more than 24 hours to really digest thing album, but given how pop-oriented the rest of Mac’s catalog is, it was refreshing to hear something less catchy. Even singles like Sara and Tusk are non-traditional. This might be my favorite Fleetwood Mac. Playlisted and I’ll decide in a year.
Classic album, but I think of it as the mega hit, the lesser hit, and a few country songs. This isn’t the Stones album that speaks to me, but I’m sure the other will show up eventually.
Remember them as a Pitchfork praised band in the early to mid-2000s. I’ve heard this album before and it didn’t grab me at the time. That hasn’t changed, but I respect the experimental swings that they took.
This album popped up the day that we lost Dolly Parton. I’m sure that was intentional so kudos to the app creator for facilitating a way to pay tribute. This was completely new to me. I’m familiar with the work of all three, but haven’t spent much time with either of them aside from their hits.
Trio is a lovely project that I’m glad existed. This isn’t a genre that usually appeals to me, but these three voices together were absolutely breathtaking.
Tough one. I’ve heard it before, and I’ve heard Brass in Pocket more times than I can count. Mixed feelings about this album because the high points are very high. I like the post-punk edge. Precious is quite a career opener. Lovers of Today is a terrific song. In fact the latter half of the album is excellent. But the hit is the path in which they went as a band, and that song while being catchy and memorable, doesn’t measure up to the rest imo. 3/5
I’ve known Marley well throughout my decades, and half of the songs here are legendary (as curated for the Legend LP). These songs I know well and have a fondness for them. For someone my age, Marley songs occupy some personal nostalgia. But the hits aren’t what’s best about this album. We get some deeper album tracks that, while not likely to get play as a single, are fine tunes and sometimes show sides of Marley that aren’t seen in his hits. We’re Jamming to some great songs here.
4/5
Did not realize this was the daughter of João Gilberto. It’s very pleasant in a way. I could see it being nice evening background music. Hard to form an opinion without a close listen. I’m not as familiar with her father’s work but expect that some of his music (maybe with Getz) will be on this list. From what I remember his/their music is more innovative and has a little bit more spark. Of course it was a different time and is not a fair comparison for his daughter. The music was fine but ultimately not for me, and not something I’ll come back to.
Very happy to get a Kate Bush album today. This is one I’ve heard before, but not as much as The Dreaming or Hounds of Love, and I’d rate it comfortably below those two. That’s not to say it isn’t a gorgeous album. The title track and This Woman’s Work are the two I was most familiar with. 24 hours isn’t enough time to rediscover an album. This one is playlisted and will get its due. For now 4 stars.
This was just okay. Maybe in the not for me category, but I’m also glad it exists. It’s a little repetitive but also has a blues and post-punk influenced sound where that’s more expected.
This album is atrocious. It’s hard to imagine finding a worse album on this journey. There’s no redeeming value. The riffs are bland. The song structure is basically lowest common denominator pop. The lyrics are infantile. I had to search for a good album as a palate cleanser after this nightmare.
This is an album that I know. I actually prefer the earlier stuff, which aren’t as well known as being major innovations when it came to synth pop. Revisiting today, I found myself surprised by the strength of the synths in the songs leading up to the hit. They remind me to some degree of the earlier stuff, although more polished and produced. The hit holds up decades later. Overall the album is excellent even if it has aged a little bit. The synths are impressive for 1980 but not 2026. Still comfortably a four star album.
Completely new to me. I probably heard about it from Arctic Monkeys fans, but I’ve never been big on them. Not a hater and like quite a few songs. They just haven’t been a band where I’ve felt the need to visit their albums. Alex Turner seems to be a respectable musician but his voice doesn’t entirely work for me. That was the case here, although I appreciated this more than the Monkeys. Unlike the indie/alt music that Alex otherwise channels, this seems inspired by baroque pop and even film scores. There’s specifically an Ennio Morricone type of sound on some songs. The album is fun. I won’t revisit and that’s okay.
Absolute, unadulterated joy. Can’t help but move to this music.
Stereolab is a band I’ve struggled with. I’ve heard many of their albums before, including this one. I’ve seen them live and didn’t enjoy it. This time I realized it’s the voice. Everything else is great but the vocal tone just doesn’t agree with me. Still giving it a positive rating because it’s an accomplished album that I’d recommend to others.
Already finding that there are a few albums where I go against the grain. This is one of them even though I like White Stripes quite a bit. Elephant will get a high rating if it’s on the list (I figure it has to be.) There’s no denying their ability to deliver hits. There are some banger songs beginning with Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground, which I’d put up at the top of Jack White’s entire career. The album tracks didn’t do as much for me on this re-listen.
I was so happy this album turned up, and this is what I love about this project. It spans multiple popular genres and so far I’ve re-discovered some gems. I’m not really a metal guy. There are some bands I can take and many more I can leave, but I can always appreciate an innovative, groundbreaking, classic album.
That’s what this is. Hard to believe this was the debut album with Bruce Dickinson as lead singer, which he immediately made his own (with all respect to Di'Anno, may be rest in peace.) Dickinson took the band to a new level with the title track, Invaders, The Prisoner, and 22 Acacia Avenue. He also continued progressing the slowly building songs like Children of the Damned and Hallowed Be Thy Name. This is not just an important Maiden album, but it’s an important album for the genre of metal. It’s one of my favorite metal bands, and fortunately still finds new audiences. This year’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a great example of how this music can stay relevant in pop culture.
This is less of an album as it is an experience. I’ve heard it before, and on this listen I grooved to the early songs and endured the later, longer ones. The impact and influence of this band and album deserves respect. Many of my favorite artists and genres trace their origins from listening to music like this. Post rock seems to be greatly indebted to this. It’s an amazing album, one that despite having known for years, I rarely listen to again. But I’ve listened to a lot of other Can songs and albums. It’s a big ask to digest this in a 24-hour period, so 4 stars I guess.
This is a complete blind spot and pleasant surprise for me. Never even heard the artist before, and as I was listening, I heard the influence of many singers and songwriters that I admire. Great discovery, added to playlist, and if I had to pick a top track right now, it would be the closer Angie.
Easy one. In the mix for favorite album of all time.
Another masterpiece. This has been a terrific week. I didn’t need to listen to this again in order to give it 5 stars, but I’m glad I did. Helpless always hits just right.
Tough one. This is an album that I’ve known and have tried because the band has influenced many of my favorite bands. They haven’t been for me. After trying again, they still aren’t, but I respect that they pushed boundaries.
Tough one to rate because Funeral for a Friend is an easy ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ and there some heaters to follow. The album tracks aren’t all up to snuff. What was the deal with Jamaica Jerk Off? I’ve heard the album before but maybe blocked that one out of my memory. Overall it’s an important and ambitious album, but feels like too much was crammed in to fit as a double album.
Dookie is not only great in terms of moving punk (or post-punk or whatever) as a genre but it nails the feelings of inadequacy and alienation of early adulthood. No weak moments. Even the hits are so much better within the flow of the album.
I would have far preferred a studio album from Hawkind, although this was an experience. But it’s messy, sometimes in a good way, sometimes not. The songs can get repetitive which isn’t a surprise for anyone that knows Hawkwind, but the longer songs can really drone. The spoken word doesn’t work for me at all. Probably a great live album for fans and I like the band, but this wasn’t for me.
Interesting album. I think of The Byrds as being among the grandfathers of anything jangle such as Paisley Underground. They feel more like a band with hits than albums, and that’s what I discovered with this one. There are some great songs here. Classic songs. Those are what I added to the playlist instead of the album.
You can’t go wrong with this band, but like most people, I know the hits and not the albums. Shining Star is always welcome, with the slow initial build and then the explosion of sound. The rest of the album was more exotic, more intricate with fewer hooks. Even though their pop songs are top-tier, it’s nice to hear compositions that weren’t intended for the radio. If I’m not mistaken Shining Star was their first big hit, so this album is a nice snapshot of their transition.
Hard one to rate. It’s far from the commercial sound they’d develop later in the 70s and 80s. In fact it sounds strange to hear the operatic flourishes with such fantasy and science fiction themed songs. It doesn’t entirely work for me, but I’m also not a rabid Queen fan. Ogre Battle and Seven Seas of Rhyme are the standouts.
I’m not a massive hip-hop head, but Q-Tip is a legend. I’m a Tribe fan but hadn’t heard this album. Glad I did. Playlisted and I could see it growing with more listens because the rapping skill sounds amazing.
I’m a GbV fan and there are a couple of songs on this album that are absolute classics. Game of Pricks is power pop perfection. I’m not sure if Bee Thousand is on this list. That’s what I’ve considered their/his essential album while Alien Lanes is uneven and sometimes messy but the highs are extremely high. This isn’t an album that I’ve gone back to much, and this listen won’t change that.
Elton John is universal, appealing to both music aficionados (i.e. snobs like us) and also casual fans. It’s harder to find any type of genre fanbase that dislikes him. This album is a good example why. Tiny Dancer and Levon are two masterpieces to start out an album with. The remainder of the album is full of wonderful tunes, well written occasionally with lovely symphonic accompaniment. Compared with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, which is more of a mixed bag, this feels like a cohesive quality album from beginning to end.
I’ll reveal my bias. Aside from a couple songs, I don’t like the Arctic Monkeys. There are a lot of reasons not worth getting into here. But I remember very clearly when this came out. I gave it another shot with an open mind, and my opinion hasn’t changed much. There are some songs that work better than others. When the Sun Goes Down got me moving. Otherwise this just isn’t a band for me.
I’d choose dental surgery over hearing this album again.
