The lyrics and vocals are haunting. They lilt over a more pushing, progressive beat. There’s an interesting fascination with time. He mentions the 21st century at his heels. Not really a feeling I had back then (well, a decade later… I was three when this album released).
I already had Cemetery Gates liked. I added Frankly, Mr Shankly.
As a whole, the album is a good listen. 4/5.
As a ‘90s kid, I associate Santana with the sustained guitar in that Rob Thomas hit “Smooth.” And there is plenty of that here, like in the track “Samba Pa Ti,” but I thought the whole album would be that. Instead, there is a lot more rhythmic complexity and layering going on.
I can’t say that any track will have me coming back again. Obviously “Oye Como Va” is a vibe, but it’s been overused in films to the point of predictability. That goes for the album as a whole: it feels predictable, which is probably the opposite of what it was going for (and how it probably landed originally).
No liked tracks for me, but I’m not mad I gave it a listen. The musicianship is off the charts.
I really like the riff-heavy rock tunes. There are too many divergences from that formula for me to be completely on board upon first listen, but I there’s a good possibility that those tracks will grow on me.
Added to my liked list: Seven Nation Army, There’s No Home For You Here, and Ball and Biscuit.
I bought this album as a teenager after seeing the video for Tonight, Tonight. I loved many of the songs, and it works great as a double album.
Already had Tonight, Tonight, Bullet with Butterfly Wings, Tales of a Scorched Earth, and We Only Come Out at Night on my liked list. Added Zero this time.
Heard this a lot when I was younger, but as a suburban white boy, I wasn’t really bumping it. I eventually got into it more in my teenage years after Eminem and 2001 blew up. It’s a classic album, no doubt, but some of the skits go on too long and interrupt the flow and they make it feel dated. That’s fine for nostalgia, though.
I already had Let Me Ride and Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang liked. I added High Powered and Stranded on Death Row this time, as I was really vibing with RBX and The Lady of Rage.
I still prefer the Ben Folds cover of Bitches Ain’t Shit. Yeah, I’m white white.
This is my first listen of this particular album from start to finish, but I used to listen to Elliott Smith a lot with a friend of mine in college, so I probably heard several of these tracks. I like Elliott Smith a lot, but most of his songs do sound the same to me.
I added the following songs to my liked list: Junk Bond Trader, Easy Way Out, Can’t Make a Sound. Those are just the ones I vibed the most with on this listen, but it could be others next time.
With most of the albums on here, I listen on my morning commute, possibly again on my evening commute, and then I write up my thoughts. This one hit on a weekend and I had a long drive to boot. I had this on repeat and listened at least six times, maybe more.
I already knew several of the songs, Bohemian Rhapsody most notably. However, I’m a child of the ‘90s and knew it primarily from Wayne’s World. I had no idea how experimental the album as a whole is. It’s eclectic to the nth degree! My first listen I wasn’t vibing, really, but I was appreciating; until Love of My Life hit and the beauty of it brought literal tears to my eyes. I replayed that song before listening to the rest and I was completely connected. The next listen I ended up adding most of the songs to my liked list. Each subsequent listen I enjoyed more and more and I now consider the whole album nearly flawless (I’m not in love with I’m in Love with My Car).
Added to liked list: Death on Two Legs, Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon, You’re My Best Friend, Sweet Lady, Seaside Rendezvous, The Prophet’s Song, Love of My Life, Good Company, Bohemian Rhapsody.
This is not a new album for me, but it’s one that I never really could get into. I like jazz for all the qualities that this is not. It’s way too smooth and nice. I listened again and didn’t feel much different about it.
No tracks added to my liked list.
I didn’t fully get into the vibe of this until about half way through it, so I let it repeat a second time and I was completely into it. So many features of 2010s music is here in nascent form, but it also works as a culmination of the 2000s-era digital landscape.
Added to liked list: Bamboo Banga, BirdFlu, Mango Pickle Down River, The Turn, XR2, Paper Planes, Come Around
My uncle is a huge Rolling Stones fan; I am too! I went to a concert of theirs in the ‘90s thinking they were old then, but they’re still performing now! That’s incredible. Mick Jagger is the consummate rock-n-roll front man. I was absolutely floored by his energy and command of the stage at the show I saw.
Anyways, all that aside: I knew a lot of these tunes; I’ve probably listened to this album before, so I decided to compare and contrast the UK and U.S. versions by listening to them back to back. It turns out, it’s a tough choice! The US version has the advantage of starting with Paint It, Black, which is such a banger; however, it misses Mother’s Little Helper, which is a great tune. I think placing Going Home as the outro track makes a lot of sense and, ultimately, it’s what wins the US version over for me. Both versions are great though!
Added to liked list: Mother’s Little Helper, Stupid Girl, Under My Thumb. Going Home, Out of Time, Paint It, Black, Lady Jane.
Good enough for what it is, but definitely not my preferred genre. Too repetitive, lacking in meaning, and obnoxious. However, I still found myself vibing at times.
I even added a song to my liked list: Take a little time.
I am not familiar with PJ Harvey. On first listen, I find her voice grating. There are a couple of tracks that had me almost enjoying them, but each one had me wishing more that it was over. Not an album or artist I’m likely to seek more from any time soon.
I’ve listened to The Velvet Underground before. For whatever reason, it never really stands out to me. However, weird stuff like The Murder Mystery track—that’s my jam!
Added to my liked list: The Murder Mystery
I’ve heard plenty of this before, but I never listened to it in its entirety. I’m delighted by the conceptual framework of an alien broadcast. I felt the funk take me over. It worked.
I love that I listened to The Chronic before this. So much of this is in there.
I had never heard of Slade. This album won me over completely. What a fun rock group! The misspelled names give a general cheesiness to the affair, while the tunes contain a nice mix of hard rock and casual singing. The expanded edition I listened to also included some ad promos they did for Melanie readers, which reminded me of Spinal Tap something fierce. Just all around good fun.
Added to liked list: How D’You Ride, Look at Last Nite, Move Over, Gudbuy T’Jane, Mama Weer All Crazee Now, I Don’t Mind, Wonderin’Y, Man Who Speeks Evil
Great energy! I especially like the track Dirt and the excessively noisy final track L.A. Blues, but they’re not exactly the type of thing I put on my liked list. I’ll come back to this album and explore the rest of this band’s oeuvre, for sure.
Radiohead has never been for me. While listening to this, I thought it sounded like a motion picture soundtrack… and then the track Motion Picture Soundtrack played. It’s just messing with me at that point. A chore of an album to get through. Made me irritated during my drive.
The first couple of tracks were hitting alright, but by the end of the album I just wanted him to shut up. The build on these songs… I just felt like I wanted it to end. Unpleasant.
This hit the spot, but it’s a spot I didn’t know needed to be hit. I like it, but I don’t know that I’ll seek it out again. Definitely unique and original: sounds that soothe in an uncomfortable way.
I don’t recall listening to this band at all prior to this. I’m impressed by the musicianship. The first two tracks seemed like they’d grow on me, but the rest of the album failed to stand out. It feels very generic for its time. When the first two tracks played again, I didn’t find myself nearly as captivated. I don’t think I’ll be returning to this one.
I do not like Radiohead, despite all of my best attempts. This sounds like the ‘90s through a muffled, whiny filter. It does not give me joy.
Feels like the perfect entry point to heavy metal for me. I’ve listened to smatterings before, but never a full album. I had this play through twice while I was driving—it’s great driving music. Love the tempo, love the energy. I was most surprised by the fact that the lyrics are actually intelligible (and intelligent). I kind of assumed the vocals were just used as an instrument (which they are as well, impressively!).
Didn’t add any tracks to my liked list, but I’ll be coming back to this one for sure.
I’m glad I had an album by The Stooges first. I really like this a lot more, though. It’s like a mix between The Doors and The Rolling Stones, but with a bit of David Bowie flair. I actually like the track “Sixteen” the most, which I found out is the only track on the album that Iggy Pop wrote entirely on his own. So that bodes well for my opinion of him as an artist. I look forward to discovering more from him.
Songs added to my liked list: Lust for Life, Sixteen, The Passenger, and Turn Blue.
Really more of a three-star album, but the final track, Time of the Season, is an all-time classic that I could listen to on repeat by itself, so that boosts the whole project. I’m not as big of a fan of these harmonies compared to the Beach Boys or the Beatles, but it’s still a nice sound and there appears to be some experimental work going on in a few of the tracks. Beatles-esque, really, but for me that’s a good thing. I listened to the album twice, so that’s a good sign it will grow on me more.
Added to liked list: Brief Candles, I Want Her She Wants Me, Time of the Season.
One of my favorites. I’ve listened to it a ton.
As a teen, I was more into SSLP, but, once I hit college, I got way into this. Truthfully, I like all aspects of the Slim Shady persona; I think a lot of what he pulls off is even more brilliant than it at first seems. It goes beyond just the wordplay and the flow.
Every song is on my liked list. (No skits, though; some of those are crazy).
I actually messed up and listened to this band’s first album instead of this one by mistake. So I was rocking with that all day until I sat down to write this review and realized my mistake.
I enjoyed the rawness of that album and the “flower power” aesthetic. This album feels much more polished, the production more professional, the lyrics more intentional. I don’t like it as much. Still a good record, though.
Added to my liked list: a bunch of tracks from the first album and just “Seven and Seven Is” from this one.
I don’t have any prior knowledge of this artist, so I found it hard to gauge his sincerity. I don’t have a problem with goofy, pretend sincerity—I am a Ween fan after all—but I hate to think I’m misreading it and he’s actually sincere. Anyway, I’ll give it three stars and come back to it when I know more.
Added to my liked list: Sigourney Weaver and Chicken Bones.
For about twenty seconds of the first track, I thought maybe I’d finally caught the vibe of Radiohead. There was a glimmer of something there, but, ultimately, not enough to win me over. I had a thoroughly miserable drive listening to this. I don’t find the sounds appealing at all and I’m baffled by the praise this gets.
Similar to A Night at the Opera, it took a second listen to get completely on its wavelength, but then I was floating with it for several more listens. I’m debating whether to move it up to five, because I think it will inevitably end up there, or keep it at four where it’s at now.
I really, really, really like Nevermore, and the fantasy kingdom imagery is quite fun. Yeah, I’m boosting it to five.
Songs added to my liked list: Some Day One Day, Ogre Battle, The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke, Nevermore, The March of the Black Queen.
This is good. I listened to it multiple times. Perhaps if I was more familiar with the members, I’d be more into it. It’s definitely not a chore to get through. A nice variety of sounds, although I prefer the more energetic pieces.
I Don’t Like You Anymore stood out with each listen, so I’ve added it to my liked list.
The guitar work is otherworldly. The musicianship in general is off the charts. For casual listening, though, I much prefer Parliament. Wars of Armageddon is the standout track for me, but not the type of thing I add to my liked list.
It’s Creedence. I’m familiar with them. It all kind of blends together for me, though. I like the title track, I like the jamming that there is, but at times it sounds so much like Creedence that it’s almost a self parody.
Added to liked list: Green River and Bad Moon Rising.
This is a very enjoyable album with a distinct sound. I did not add any of its songs to my liked list, but I’ll hold myself open to the opportunity to reflect and change my opinion in the future.
Beautiful songs, selected well and crafted with care.
Added to liked list: House of the Rising Sun, All My Trials, and Wildwood Flower
This album starts with three ridiculously strong tracks that have been ingrained in pop culture, at least during the era I grew up in. It’s interesting, then, that the rest of the album is mostly guitar-led ambient jamming. I’m fine with that vibe, but it definitely contrasts with the initial momentum.
This is a confident album. The unique sound of the guitar oozes through the texture of the music. It’s a tactile experience.
I added the following tracks to my liked list (but I like the other tracks too, just more of an album experience than an individual track one): So Far Away, Money for Nothing, Walk of Life, and One World.
Legitimately love this album on first listen. It’s perfect for studying/working, staying focused. I love the textures and sounds, very unique layering and instrumentation. Some jazz influences mixed with ambient rock influences. There’s a strong counterculture feel to it as well—paving its own way.
Nothing added to the liked list, as the tracks are long and spacey, but they’re all good (especially the initial track, Djed).
I had this playing on repeat all day and it grew on me immensely. Some great rhythms and sounds. Killer bass lines. Strange vocals at times. Very confident delivery.
Added to liked list: Visions of You, Bomba, Ungodly Kingdom, Rising Above Bedlam, and Erzulie.
This is exactly the type of alternative rock music that I was into at the time, but, because of my love of Nirvana, I never listened to it. Courtney Love seemed like a problematic figure and I didn’t really understand all the details of her relationship with Kurt Cobain, so I just avoided her music entirely.
Listening to it now, I can appreciate the sound. Although it does sound similar to other stuff, I was rocking to it more than I wasn’t and I added a fair number of tracks to my liked list for future listening: Celebrity Skin, … Awful, Reasons to Be Beautiful, Dying, Northern Star, and Playing Your Song.
This is the most ‘80s-sounding album. Very much of its time. I was just a baby back then, but it’s fun to think I may have heard these sounds as I navigated this world for the first years.
The songs all work quite well as an album experience. I added Relax to my liked list, but the other tracks don’t lend themselves so well to isolated listening.
I get it, but it’s not for me. The repetitiveness and the quick cuts as soon as a groove gets going just drive me nuts. It’s very irritating.
This album is really well produced. I enjoy Kanye to a large degree, so his involvement is definitely a bonus for me. Common has a clear delivery and the subject matter is on point.
Added to liked list: The Corner, GO!, Testify, The Food - Live, and They Say.
Thankful for every note. Not the first time I’ve listened to it. Transcendent every time.
This is good. I like the variety. Excellent listening experience. Although it feels like it’s missing something (or, maybe, I’m missing something).
Added to liked list: Missing Pieces
This one really grew on me. It took multiple listens to realize what a concept album it is. Lou Reed’s voice is really great for this.
Added to liked list: Men of Good Fortune, How Do You Think It Feels, Oh Jim, The Kids, and Sad Song.
Son of a Preacher Man is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. The rest of the album struggles to reach that height, but it did grow on me with multiple listens, and when I finally listened to the deluxe album with some additional songs, I enjoyed those as well. So I think that’s enough to bump it up to four stars.
I’ve always found the Mamas and the Papas to be pleasant listening. Cass Elliot’s voice is especially pleasing to me. It’s enjoyable stuff. I love the cover art!
Added to liked list: Monday, Monday, Straight Shooter, California Dreamin’, In Crowd.
