Here is what happens as a direct result of Zombie, the Nigerian government reacts by burning down a community Fela built for his band and family, then they murder his mom and beat him with in an inch of his life, which leads to Fela marrying 27 woman (much better version of the movie 27 dresses) to protect them I guess from Nigeria, countless riots and whatever else that the wiki article left out.
Essentially zombie is telling Bob Marley’s whole life and discography to hold my beer.
Now on to the music, this shit slaps. Like the reverse vampire weekend African music with some American funk sprinkled in. Personally my favorite Fela is expensive shit, but this is a close second. 5 Stars.
How to explain Supertramp - Crime of the Century… imagine if the Cars, Yes and The Dire Staits had a gang bang and that gang bang produced a baby.
It’s fine. The production, talent etc is all there but nothing about it grabs me. A 2 feels low, as there isn’t anything wrong with it and has great qualities, but something about it it’s extremely forgettable.
Johnny sings songs about murder to a bunch of murders and it’s perfect. One of the albums on here that is already etched into my brain, but it’s the little moments that make it great. The dude who cheers during long black veil, Johnny’s endearing banter with the prisoners, playing songs written by the inmates are just a few of the elements that make this album kick the ass that it kicks. no else has come close to capturing a what JC (never put together the irony of his initials until now) accomplished at Folsom and no one ever will.
To add to all of that and I say this without hyperbole, but I think cocaine blues is my all time favorite song at least of the murder variety.
Strongest 5 I can give, greatest country album of all time. God bless Johnny “Jesus Christ” Cash.
Sounds great, awesome production and I love their ability to create sounds that didn’t exist until this record. With that said, the herion James Bond sound isn’t really my jam, but giving it a strong 3 as it’s good as a trip hop album can be and that deserves recognition.
This album fuckin rocks. The jump from “Eruption” into “You Really Got Me” is god tier. The syncopated drum fills, the weird little doo-wop breakdown in “I’m the One,” the underrated bass grooves—everybody’s doing something ridiculous, and somehow David Lee Roth is the most ridiculous thing here.
Side B can’t quite keep up with Side A, but it still fucking rules. Why is this on the list? Because it rocks harder than you or anyone you know.
5/5. 9.1/10
Another album etched into my brain. There is genuinely nothing else like Purple Rain: rock, funk, new wave, R&B, soul, dance, gospel, pop, and guitar hero theatrics, somehow all at once. Nine tracks, no filler, and nothing sounds like a repeat of anything else. I’m going to try to pick a moment from every song, because this might be the only album where I can.
“Let’s Go Crazy”: No song has better bookends. Prince’s opening sermon makes my godless soul feel religious, and the outro solo melts my brain.
“Take Me with U”: The bass synth and strings filling in all that open space.
“The Beautiful Ones”: Basically the best Frank Ocean song ever recorded.
“Computer Blue”: Did Prince invent online porn? Also, more absurdly good guitar playing.
“Darling Nikki”: Double bass at the end of the raunchiest song ever recorded? Sure, why not. Does it work? Of course it does.
“When Doves Cry”: Two lines I love, with absolutely no research behind these interpretations. “Dig if you will the picture” is Prince breaking the fourth wall to say, “Yo, this is also going to be a movie. Enjoy it if you will.” And “animals strike curious poses” has to be about banging in the woods. Or a zoo?
“I Would Die 4 U”: Low-key my favorite. That fast synth bass riding over the real bass groove drives the whole song.
“Baby I’m a Star”: An outrageously good funk/dance song and somehow the worst song on the album. It would be the best song on most other albums.
“Purple Rain”: The greatest ballad ever written, with one of my favorite guitar solos.
Six albums into this project, Purple Rain has the 1001 championship belt. 10/10. 5/5.
Biggest surprise of this journey so far. I was mentally prepared to give this a 2, but fuck nuts this is good. Generally speaking, I don’t usually have much time for hair metal outside of perhaps a drunken golf outing, but there is so much about pyromania that deserves praise.
Production, maiden/metalica level instrumental/solo breaks to name a few. I’m also enjoying the hell out of the synth and electric drum use. Are they lyrics awful…sure but it’s hair metal, I’m not sure they had a choice. Giving this a well deserves and surprising soft 4.
Left field Hot take - if I stumble upon a few billion I’m going to commission the mars Volta to cover this album. I think this could be a great face melting, Latin metal space rock album.
Before I give my review I must disclose, I was born in NJ and never lived anywhere else, and probably won’t until I’m old and do the thing (move to Florida to play golf) even though I promised myself I would never.
One of the easiest 5s I’ll give. Perfect album that is aging beautifully. BITUSA is maybe the most authentically American album ever recorded. From the jovial sounding yet midunderstood title track anthem (Stupid Regan) to the beautiful ode to the figurative death of his hometown (I grew up 10 minutes from freehold, it’s fine now, great Mexican food - although el Mason may have fallen off a bit), everything in this albums works.
It’s also his most pop banger filled album, glory days, dancing in the dark and I’m on fire are his 3 best radio hits (ok 2 best born to run and Hungry heart are 3 and 4). That said I doubt this is any Bruce fans favorite Bruce album, personally I’m a darkness on the edge of town guy, but it’s probably his “best”. One of the easiest 5s I’m going to give.
One of the greatest live albums ever released. The allman bros at the peak of their powers, everyone one in the band has their moment to shine, but Duane’s slide never sounded better and it’s a god damn shame that motorcycles were invented because the world would be a better place if we had more Duane Allman.
It should be mentioned this is a cornerstone album for me, I’ve listened to it countless times, but I don’t think I’ve really caught how instrumental betts was to the band. In the memory of e reed, for me is the best track and it’s all Dicky Betts.
Easy 5.
A bunch of British whites lacking the soul to execute what a good blues record requires to keep my attention. I’ll give credit where credit is due, feelin alright is a banger and winwood does a fine job arranging the songs, but it’s got nothing else for me (plus I’m pretty sure there is a song about a 13 yr old virgin, fucking boomers man). Just like real life traffic, I ain’t got no time for this. 2.
I didn’t know other people liked this band, I’ve been on DTBs corner for years love that southern rock opera made the list! This is my go to album to recommend to non Americans who want to understand the South beyond the cliches.
The best way to explain the sound of DTB , what if skynard came up in the 90s and teamed up with Neil young to write a grunge album to address their misconceived beef and address the good bad and shit that attributes to “the southern thing” (which is on the nose considering that pretty much summarizes the narrative of the album).
The 3 Alabama icons is the best track, I learned more about George Wallace here than I did in school and for educational purposes I recommend any who reads this review to bare minimum give that track a close listen, you might learn a thing.
I should give it a 4 as it does not need to be a double album, but fuck it we’re going 5 here as the personal vindication of preaching valors of this album for years earns it a bonus star.
Maybe the most "No one else could have made this" album of all time. How do I explain this album to a bunch of gen Z kids, "Imagine if in 2005 a 20 something British alcoholic, maybe junkie, lady recorded one of the greatest soul albums of all time, which include lyrics like "what kind of fuckery is this? you made me miss the Slick Rick gig" & "You love blow and I love puff" yet still has the capacity to make you feel feelings you didn't know you had by taking the most universally loved MoTown song (aint no mountain, which is often used in films to show how we can end racism through a song, or maybe that was just remember the titans) and turning it in my opinion the best break up song of all time in Tears dry on their own?"
Yeah this is a 5, no notes, wish she didn't die & had the chance to do a Bond song, or a weird duet album with Billy Joel about recovering from addiction, or record a brilliant cover of champagne supernova that makes us forget the original existed.
I am sad now. Don't do drugs kids & if you do, don't do all of them.
I almost love this album, and band for that matter, but after 3 songs it starts to feel like that seen in step brothers when John c Reilly farts during the interview. With that said, this album is definitely a work of art, brilliant blend of electronic and rock elements and thought provoking lyrics (The two scientist song and spiderbite for example), bit unfortunately the lead lips man’s voice starts to sound like a fart.
I feel bad about this but I’m giving it a 3 I guess it’s a 7.9 out of 10 so the strongest 3 possible.
Nothing wrong with this one. Every song is good & it turns out that I think I am just an Elvis fan. Giving it a strong 3, as outside of the Elvisness of it there really isn't anything that special about this one. Fever deserves its flowers, I love the minimalist approach, just some hand claps, stand up base, Elvis & your occasional drum fill & it works brilliantly.
Giving it a strong 3 or a 7.7 out of 10.
This is one beautiful gigantic broad of an album. Do you like weddings? I do. Do you like virtuoso funk jams, I do. Do you like Motown? Of course you do and songs in the key of life brings you all of this.
I’ve never listened to this front to back prior to today, (an hour 44 is too much) but shockingly there really isn’t a miss on this album. It does get a bit too campy at times but then there are moments where Stevie and the band seem to change keys 8 times in a single song.
Contusion and Ordinary pain were especially revelations for me, but Sir Duke and As are all timers. Strong 5, 10 out of 10.
I love what Sly and the Family tried to do here, psychedelic 70s funk is right up my ally, and a lot of There’s a riot hits, but something about the tone and production style gets old after a few songs. I’m stealing this line but it perfectly sums up the album “all this album does is make me want to listen to parliament”.
Just like a baby and family affair are S Tier jams, but as noted their is something a bit off for to me regarding the production.
3 starts 7.7 out of 10
Going with an NBA nerd sports reference here. System of a Down is Derek Rose. Rookie season Derek was good, you could tell he had the raw talent to become one of the greatest to ever play, but as a rookie he was not a finished product. Year 3 Rose ended up being the best player in the league and won an MVP. He then tears his ACL and is mediocre for the rest of his career. This is exactly what happens to SOAD. Self Titled = Rose rookie year Toxicity = year 3 MVP. The rest of their albums = the rest of Rose’s post ACL year career.
Self Titled, being the album of the day, has a lot going for it, Sugar is a jam, Spiders as well, the rest of the album feels like they were just adding all of their songs in their catalog to fill up a major label release. If this was Toxicity it would be a no question 5 (I listened to it immediately after and it is close to a perfect album) but this is a 3 star 7.3 out of 10 effort.
I think I get this album now. Its still not my favorite, but I appreciate the chaos brought by Rollins and whoever is playing lead guitar. The songs are dumb, which is kind of endearing, but its still not essential for me. Going to give it a 3, 7.3/10
It’s feel ridiculous to review any Zep album, I assume if they are on this list it’s going to be a 5 star effort no question, but how does Zep 1 compare to the rest of their discography? Can’t deny the opener, perhaps the greatest song 1 album 1 ever. More Blues, definitely rawer (it is their debut) but not raw in a sense of sloppiness, the songs are just simpler than anything that follows. If I am ranking this based on solely my preference, I have this higher than 4, HotH and physical graffiti but it’s not better.
I’m over thinking this, 5 stars 9.3 out of 10.
Production is top tier. I’ll always appreciate a modern record where the goal is to try to produce new sounds or evolve a genre. Pleasantly surprised by this one.
But it does feel repetitive and the 2nd listen didn’t hit as hard as the first. 3 Stars 7.4 out of 10
