178
Albums Rated
3.34
Average Rating
16%
Complete
911 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950
Favorite Decade
Hip-hop
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
23
5-Star Albums
10
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Last Of The True Believers
Nanci Griffith
|
5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
|
John Prine
John Prine
|
5 | 3.22 | +1.78 |
|
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
|
5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
|
Fear Of A Black Planet
Public Enemy
|
5 | 3.34 | +1.66 |
|
Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
|
5 | 3.36 | +1.64 |
|
Stardust
Willie Nelson
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
|
5 | 3.41 | +1.59 |
|
Live!
Fela Kuti
|
5 | 3.43 | +1.57 |
|
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
|
5 | 3.51 | +1.49 |
|
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
|
5 | 3.64 | +1.36 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
|
1 | 3.43 | -2.43 |
|
Fragile
Yes
|
1 | 3.32 | -2.32 |
|
Django Django
Django Django
|
1 | 3.2 | -2.2 |
|
Maxinquaye
Tricky
|
1 | 3.05 | -2.05 |
|
Throwing Muses
Throwing Muses
|
1 | 3 | -2 |
|
Spiderland
Slint
|
1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
|
The Doors
The Doors
|
2 | 3.94 | -1.94 |
|
Heroes to Zeros
The Beta Band
|
1 | 2.9 | -1.9 |
|
Faust IV
Faust
|
1 | 2.78 | -1.78 |
|
Playing With Fire
Spacemen 3
|
1 | 2.55 | -1.55 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Miles Davis | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 5 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| The Rolling Stones | 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (23)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Foo Fighters · 2 likes
2/5
This is like yacht rock for areas that are inaccessible by boat, such as skate parks and Spencers.
Cocteau Twins · 1 likes
5/5
As I mentioned, one of the first vinyls I added to my collection.
I started a miniature version of this list with all of the top albums on Rate Your Music and, despite earning their pretentious reputation, I was lead to this album.
It pleases me to say that even my normie brain really gets this album. It’s definitely one of the only albums that I listen to solely in its entirety. I don’t think I could tell you any of the song titles or tell them apart because I’ve only consumed it one way.
Yesterday, I did my listening while reading through my new copy of The Crow: Special Edition. I know that Eric was canonically a Joy Division guy, but I feel like he would’ve loved this album. It fit in well with his manic dancing.
Slint · 1 likes
1/5
Tough listen. I would almost say aggressively unpleasant.
1-Star Albums (10)
All Ratings
SZA
4/5
Elvis Presley
3/5
Lots of good songs, but it’s always strange to me how many tracks in this era are basically just covers of someone else’s.
Radiohead
5/5
There’s not much I can say that hasn’t already been said
The Smiths
2/5
Technically very impressive. I have always thought of myself as a Smiths enjoyer, but I have to say that the experience of listening to this album was fairly unpleasant. Morrissey’s voice/singing was really the only thing that I didn’t like, but it soaked through everything.
Maybe it’s because I live in a place where the sun shines fairly often and it’s not eternally dreary, but I can’t know for sure.
Meat Loaf
4/5
I’ve always heard the big hits from this and thought that they’re basically just songs from a rock opera, so I was not surprised to learn that his discography was adapted into a full-blown musical. I’m tryna go see that
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
This was a strange one. I really enjoyed some parts, but I kinda felt myself drifting between the songs and some were a little too similar for my tastes.
I’d definitely be interested to hear more of his other projects.
Metallica
4/5
Absolutely shreds. Not as much variety as some of their other projects, but its one of the quintessential Metal albums.
Iron Maiden
4/5
What a legendary debut album. The variety, innovation, instrumentation, it’s all there. Not quite as perfect as some of their other projects, but still an absolute pleasure to listen to.
(4.5)
Kings of Leon
3/5
Joy Division
4/5
What a weird album. With most other albums I like a little variety, but something about the vibe of each song plodding along really appealed to me here.
I feel like this would be great montage music for a crime drama or something.
The Offspring
4/5
I've heard a few Offspring songs here and there, but this was a real treat. Still working on beefing up my knowledge of the punk scene as my angsty teenage music phase was super boring by most standards.
The vocals are exactly what I'd expect and enjoy here, and I really enjoyed the instrumentation. There are some great riffs here that I've been humming all day.
My favorite was probably "Come Out and Play" which really got me in the groove. I wasn't a huge fan of "What Happened to You" though, it was giving mid-ass anime opening.
Stuck between a 4/4.5 here.
Coldplay
3/5
Chill album with some classics. I’d give it a 3.5
Patti Smith
2/5
I was driving through horse country while listening to this album, which is most likely not the best setting to consume it in. Very manic, very strange, very cool.
I'm between a 2.5 or a 3 here. There were a few songs I really enjoyed, but it didn't quite land for me with the limited time I had with it. These are the flaws with one album a day; I think I could've gotten a lot more out of this with more time, and I probably will in the future.
Massive Attack
3/5
Very subdued, but I enjoyed most of this album. I don't have a ton of experience with Trip-Rap, but I'll have to at least check out more of their stuff. Thinking 3-3.5 (we really need a half star system)
Missy Elliott
4/5
What an iconic choice having Busta Rhymes interludes bookending the album. There are definitely ideas that were improved upon later, but this is a great foundation for that future growth.
My sense of time always gets so fucked up when I see all the different collaborators and features coming together like this. Really saw then vision of this as a cornerstone in that late 90's sound. 4-4.5
Pretenders
3/5
Forgot to write my thoughts down on Friday, but I remember liking it fine. Nothing super memorable
Pink Floyd
5/5
My first experience with Pink Floyd back in the day and it’s stuck with me ever since. Most of my favorite songs of theirs are on here.
I’ve always loved how well the album flows together while still having a distinct feeling with every track. Absolute 10/10 for me
Ride
3/5
3-3.5
I always enjoy albums like this, so I feel a little conflicted about the rating. This one kinda dragged on for me, and a lot of the sounds and ideas are just versions of earlier stuff that I like more (Coceteau Twins).
My enjoyment of Shoegaze/Dreampop music buys most of these stars, but this is not up to par with others I’ve heard.
The Beta Band
1/5
This album was very strange for me. I don't have a ton of knowledge on the subject of music theory, but if there is a concept of musical edging, this album edged the shit out of me. My lizard brain would activate at least once per song and say "oh here it is, this is the stuff you like," only to divert into a sound that I did not enjoy. Naturally, this made for an unpleasant listening experience.
On a related note, I listened to this album via a Youtube playlist from an account with dozens of other full album playlists. About halfway through listening, I discovered that this account had inserted some sort of AI sleeper cell activation video from an Indonesian rock band in the middle of every single one of their album playlists.
The video has millions of views and hundreds of comments from bots talking about crypto and stock tips, and it does not contain any information that is comprehensible for the human mind.
After listening to some of it, I went back to the album, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I had taken the Blue Pill but hadn't been mind-wiped about the existence of the Matrix, which feels like a clear violation of the canon.
All of these factors combined lead me to believe that I experienced some sort of psychotic break as a result of watching that video, and as such I have no choice but to give this album 1.5 stars.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Had a good time with this, pretty chill/what I expected.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
3.5-4
Lots I enjoyed here, but nothing that I really loved.
Radiohead
3/5
Pantera
3/5
I respect the craft, but Pantera is definitely a little heavier than I like my metal. I enjoyed a few of the songs, but overall its just not my vibe.
John Prine
5/5
This album is so incredibly important to me. I was brought up in the John Prine tradition, meaning that our family car rides consisted of this album and "Sweet Revenge" whether we were headed to the beach or to dinner.
The scope of emotions contained within are nearly unbelievable, even now. "Sam Stone" has gone down as one of the saddest songs of all time for obvious reasons, while "Paradise" captured that very Kentuckian feeling of the beauty of our state and its corruption through exploitative extraction. "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" became the first (and my personal favorite) of the protest songs that JP would later be known for, and one that, unfortunately, has become more relevant every year since it was written.
While tackling all of these themes could easily trend towards nihilism, the picture he paints of the world is an inspirational one. In reference to these societal issues, he once said: "I saw all that. I knew, and I couldn’t figure out why no one would say anything."
I've always tried to take inspiration from this attitude, that you have to put a name and a face to the darkness in order to produce a little bit of light. I think JP embodied that sentiment until the end of his life, and now he's back here with us in KY, flowing down the Green River.
One of the greatest to ever do it, and one of my favorite albums ever. I hope everyone enjoyed this one if you haven't heard it before, but even if you didn't, it'll still be here when you need it. 10/5
Weather Report
4/5
What a surprise. I didn’t really give this one a chance at first, but eventually we were groovin, driving around and imagining myself on the case with my grizzled detective partner one day from retirement before his local nemesis rears his ugly head, presenting my partner with a no win scenario: take down his sworn nemesis or spend time with his family.
The Notorious B.I.G.
5/5
Some of the hits from this album are always in rotation but its nice to have a reminder to listen all the way through again. A foundational work, not much to say.
Supergrass
4/5
Usually when I listen to these albums, I’m busy doing something with work, driving, playing a game, etc. At least on the first listen.
Imagine my surprise as I started humming along with the songs in the middle of the album. If my subconscious liked it that much, I figured I needed to give it another go.
Had a ton of fun with this, and I only disliked the one song where they talked like kids bc it triggered my misophonia.
Honestly feeling a 4.5 to 5 on this.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
The highest form of praise I can give an album is to add some of the songs to my liked song playlist.
I added more from this album (and Monday’s) than any others from our list thus far, so I feel like that has to warrant a 4.5 or 5
Blue Cheer
2/5
Spacemen 3
1/5
This was honestly a baffling inclusion on this list.
Looking into this group’s background, they gained some notoriety as a “drug band” and later released an album called “Taking Drugs To Make Music To Take Drugs To.”
This did get a chuckle out of me, but by that metric Playing With Fire is the music that you have made when you no longer have a grasp on how many drugs you've taken.
Weirdly enough, it was one of their first releases. 1.5
Fugees
4/5
Blur
4/5
Plenty to like here, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that several of these songs were attempting to hypnotize me, which is a typically British move that I did not appreciate.
3.5-4
The Thrills
2/5
This album has shaken my faith in the Irish people.
Pentangle
4/5
Even with a couple of misses, this one still really managed to catch my ear.
I think this would be a 5/5 soundtrack to some folksy medieval indie movie. As an album I got a little bit lost with a few of the songs and I think they showed their age.
3.5-4
Sinead O'Connor
4/5
A couple of slower parts here and pretty sparse musically, but I think that’s the charm of this album. Intimate and evocative of a private concert.
I’m a huge fan of Sinead O’Connor’s vocals. I love The Cranberries, so I’ll take any amount of Keening that I can get.
Overall, there’s a melancholy to her music that’s hard to shake off. I try to separate the albums from their respective artists, but it’s hard not to think of her personal and professional struggles that followed her success.
She was obviously vindicated after the fact (fuck you Joe Pesci and Madonna) but it seems like her struggles were more from the attention she received as a whole, and the Pope-tearing incident was only a part of the story.
At least my GOAT Morrissey knew what was up and supported her.
Eagles
4/5
I’ve never been tapped in to the discourse on why The Dude hates the Eagles or why the cab driver loves them so much that he tried to fight over them.
What I can say is that listening to this album with the windows down on one of the last warm days of the years was an immaculate vibe.
The Who
2/5
I’m not really sure if I liked or disliked this album. I tried to listen through twice, but it just went straight past me.
Not sure if it was just very boring or if I wasn’t giving it my all.
Tangerine Dream
3/5
This is one of those pioneer albums that you have to respect but not really love listening to. It’s very impressive to have unlocked the electronica vibes in the 60’s.
It kind of reminded me of Tron, but if it was a slice of life-type movie instead of racing.
Apparently this band released over 100 albums, so I could see them as the Mother Yeast of all electronic music. I usually prefer to eat the bread that is descended from it, though. 2.5-3
Skepta
4/5
Imagine how good this would’ve been if it wasn’t Bri*ish.
In all seriousness, the front and back end songs didn’t really fit with the meat of the sandwich, and the skits were 10000x more annoying than American ones due to the slang.
The core of this album was pleasantly surprising, and I could see myself returning to those fairly often.
Dagmar Krause
2/5
What a wild ride. I had a stressful day at work while listening, and I genuinely thought I was going into psychosis at some points.
I saw several comments around the internet of a version of this project where all the songs were in their original German form, and I think that would have been better than what we got.
As a non-German speaker, I still preferred the songs that were sung in German. Maybe I just didn’t like the lysis that I could understand very much, but it also seemed more fitting with the music.
Something about the whole experience tells me that it would be awesome in a live setting. As an album and while having to move around in the real world, not so much. 2.5
Talking Heads
4/5
Always love me some David Byrne. I didn't find this one quite as compelling as some of their later projects, but even then it's still a good mix of that delirious, trance inducing sound.
R.E.M.
3/5
There are certainly some jams here, but it all started to blur together after a while. For every song I liked there were 2 that just kinda passed me by. 2.5-3
James Brown
4/5
So much sauce here, I can only imagine how cool this was live.
Live albums can definitely be a bit wonky sometimes, but every now and then those legendary ones can make you feel like you were there in the audience. Something about the cheering and laughing just put me in a good mood.
3/5
I can’t keep living a lie. I have to admit it… I do not care for Bob Dylan’s voice.
The iconic harmonica, the guitar, the whole band, all of it is amazing. As far as the live setting goes, it appears to have the sauce. I’m sure it would’ve been an amazing concert to witness.
The only problem is that I just can’t listen to his voice for more than 2 or 3 songs before needing a break. I wish that I could hack it, because his influence speaks for itself.
2.5-3
Butthole Surfers
2/5
There were a few songs here that made me believe in this album, even if just for a few seconds. Then, they would do something so bizarre that I remembered the name of the band.
I suspect that whatever impulse that drives one to say “Yes, I am the lead singer of the Butthole Surfers” has to drive them to making other questionable musical decisions.
1.5-2
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Absolute cinema, what can I say.
Definitely his highest quality album, but not the one I like listening to the most on a daily basis. And that is perfectly fine with me.
I am continually surprised by this album every time I listen, and it’s a classic for a reason.
Steely Dan
4/5
Listening to this while cruising on a boat produces some of the greatest vibes known to mankind.
Red Snapper
2/5
Video game title menu music
I didn’t despise this album and there were plenty of parts I enjoyed. However, once they’d been repeated non-stop for 6 minutes, I was over it.
2-2.5
The Dandy Warhols
2/5
I found this one to be extremely vapid. Just didn’t do anything for me at all.
1.5-2
Frank Zappa
4/5
I’ve never heard a Zappa album with so few vocals, but I enjoyed this a lot. Not super familiar with him overall.
The music does tend to dip into the “Yoinky Sploinky” zone a bit much for my tastes, but those incidents were thankfully few and far between.
Paul Simon
4/5
I enjoyed just about every song on this project, but it didn’t really scream 5 stars to me for whatever reason. Just about there, though. 4.5
Eminem
3/5
In all honesty, I have never been the biggest fan of Eminem. My opinion suffered via the simple fact that, as a young lad, the most annoying people I had ever met up until that point were massive Eminem fans. They listened to his music and had that same kind of crude sense of humor, but never really said it was a joke or dropped the persona.
Naturally, I did not want to be around these individuals or share any of their interests, so I wrote Eminem’s music off (excluding his huge hits and singles ofc).
With that bias in mind, I did enjoy parts of this album, but the PTSD flashbacks from those mouth-breathers were definitely unpleasant. My first thought was that it just hasn’t aged well, but I’m not sure that I’ve ever been edgy enough for this kind of thing to be that appealing.
Tricky
1/5
*guy throwing headset off meme*
Elvis Costello
2/5
This was such a roller coaster for me, and not in a good way.
I was stuck in Lexington traffic when I listened to the majority of this, and some of the songs were so frustrating that I considered aiming for the trees.
Here and there a song would get my feet tapping, but I found some of the others to be shockingly bad. Best I can do is a 1.5.
Morrissey
4/5
Some real jams on here, what else did I expect from the Chosen One?
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Absolute bangers all the way down.
Jefferson Airplane
2/5
I’m not sure if it’s just my tastes or the technology of the time, but lots of these 60’s era albums sound like they’re recorded in an empty warehouse. It just doesn’t do it for me.
Fela Kuti
4/5
While I usually take offense to super long songs, the organization of this album was great imo. Short in the number of tracks, but with plenty of time to explore some pretty cool stuff.
I could tell that this was gonna be a wild ride when I read that Kuti married 27 women simultaneously, and I was not disappointed. Maybe each one of them got to play a drum on these songs.
R.E.M.
3/5
The beginning really convinced me that I was not going to enjoy this album, but the second half really saved it for me.
I think I’d need to give it a thorough redo sometime in order to have a completely accurate score.
Jeff Beck
3/5
The potential for this to be a great album is there. I could feel myself slipping into the vibe on several tracks, but something kept me from becoming fully immersed.
If I knew anything about music theory I could probably explain what it was, but since I don’t I will blame it on vibes.
2.5-3
Depeche Mode
5/5
This album has been in my rotation ever since I tried to do the miniature version of this list on Rate Your Music.
Everything about it just clicks for me. It’s not one that I can listen to every day, but every now and then I’m feeling melodramatic enough to give it a spin.
Buena Vista Social Club
5/5
I listened to this today whilst in God’s Own Country (the Bluegrass Parkway) and absolutely loved it.
2024 was my Tejano phase, so 2026 may warrant another foray into some Latin American music.
The Byrds
2/5
I had never heard of The Byrds before, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I had an educated guess based off of the era and album cover.
It is as I feared, and the album was very similar to all of the parts of The Beatles that I don’t really care for. Lyrically it’s fine, but musically I found myself bored to tears by most tracks. An initial highlight was My Back Pages, but Brandon said that was a cover, so it may be more of a demerit.
I found myself agreeing with one review that stated: “There is nothing new or startling on Younger Than Yesterday.”
It could also be the fact that we are coming off of two albums that I loved, so I was ready for an album that I didn’t want to listen to all day long, or at all, really.
Brian Eno
3/5
Didn’t have a ton of time to get into this one today, but from a quick first listen, it has everything that an amateur fan of David Byrne such as myself would like.
It’s definitely on the list for a re-listen.
Various Artists
3/5
One of the better Christmas albums for sure. 3.5-4
Sam Cooke
5/5
Absolutely electric. I’ve only heard a few live albums that made me genuinely sad that I wasn’t there in the audience, but this one got me there. I felt like I had FOMO once I was done.
Maybe the best compliment I can think of is that it makes me want to go to more live shows.
Elliott Smith
2/5
I didn’t find anything here offensively bad, but I just do not enjoy this kind of bleak, mewling music.
1.5-2
Richard Hawley
4/5
Really enjoyed this. I love a crooner!
Gang Of Four
2/5
2.5-3
The Who
3/5
A classic, but I was a tad bit bored by the end. 3.5-4
Dusty Springfield
3/5
A few misses for me, but overall I liked this one.
It reminds me of songs that will come on the jukebox at the beginning of a movie scene and are enjoyable for the first few seconds, then fade out as the characters start talking and you don’t hear it again.
3-3.5
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Taylor Swift
4/5
As far as I know, this is the first time I have ever listened to a T-Swift album all the way through. They have been played for me before on long car rides but I definitely zoned out (sorry Depp).
I really enjoyed it overall! Not a huge fan of her music in general, but this one has so many hits for a reason, even though a few tracks didn't hit quite as hard.
4-4.5
Faust
1/5
I got to the title of the last song while listening and thought "man, this is a bit of a pain." Then I turned it off.
1-1.5
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
Maybe the biggest disparity between lyrics, music, and vocals that I've ever heard. I found the former two to be pretty enjoyable in most parts, but the vocals were easily the worst that we've been exposed to so far.
R.E.M.
3/5
Listened to it in bits and pieces throughout the weekend, but I don’t really remember much. I’m not sure how legitimate my review is in that case, but it is what it is.
2.5-3
Amy Winehouse
4/5
She just had that voice man. I am probably more of a fan of her later work, but this was such a fun listen.
Fleet Foxes
2/5
I really expected to love this but I found myself a bit bored. It has a lot of the stuff I like in a folksy album, but it just didn’t reel me in all the way. A few too many of the same ingredients, I think.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
Pretty cool, not as good as the Cuban album from a while back though. A bit too much of the same thing over and over
Sonic Youth
3/5
I liked this because it made me feel like a character in a montage where they make really bad decisions. The first half was much stronger than the second though.
By the end of it I felt a little exhausted.
3-3.5
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
Layla is just such an iconic song. I really enjoyed this aside from a few slower parts, but I can see why it’s a classic.
Prince
4/5
One of the best ending to an album that you’ll ever hear.
Coldcut
4/5
Very fun time. I feel like giving it a 4 instead of a 3 due to the fun factor.
Korn
2/5
I liked this more than I expected to. The only issue is that I expected to absolutely hate it.
I've never listened to a Korn album but am aware of some of their more infamous qualities. A few of the songs had me groovin, but in all honesty I couldn't get past the thought of how embarrassed I would be if someone somehow heard me listening to this. I don't think I ever have been or ever will be edgy enough to really enjoy something like this.
The Ice Cube feature was also insane. Sounded like he was calling from another dimension.
2-2.5
Cheap Trick
3/5
This is the type of live album that I've referenced in my other reviews.
I've always enjoyed Cheap Trick's hits but haven't gone deep into their catalogue. I didn't hate anything here, and I'm sure it was a great concert. However, I don't think the live setting added anything in the same way that our previous entries have. In certain parts it almost felt like the crowd noises were edited in.
It wasn't bad but it has nothing on Sam Cooke.
2.5-3
The White Stripes
4/5
Love me some White Stripes. Its been a minute, but it still hits.
Neil Young
4/5
This was a major vibe while clearing 100 lbs of ice off of my car. Hit equally as well on a quiet winter wasteland walk.
Hot Chip
4/5
Really really enjoyed about 95% of this one.
I was in the flow state until Now There Is Nothing, which I didn’t hate, but it ended what had previously been a 5 star run.
A pleasant surprise overall. 4.5
Nanci Griffith
5/5
So effortlessly cool and heartfelt. I’ve heard a few of her songs before but never an entire record, and I was not disappointed.
I listened to it today while digging my car out of the ice and it absolutely flew by.
Digital Underground
4/5
Day 5 of being snowed in: I stumble around downtown Lexington in a daze as a man graphically describes busting some cheeks, self conscious that others can overhear the music.
🗣️🗣️ yeahhh he’s the Packet Man 🗣️🗣️
Blondie
4/5
Wish it was a little longer!
4-4.5
Nirvana
4/5
Nirvana has never really been my cup of tea, but I can't deny their impact. This performance specifically, as a legendary live set, was something that I've seen many times and have always respected.
Unfortunately, Grunge has never been music that I enjoy listening to on a day-to-day basis.
3.5-4
Sisters Of Mercy
2/5
This was a worse version of other albums that we've already heard.
Gram Parsons
4/5
At first I found this to be a little too similar to other country-rock albums that I’ve heard, but after reading about it a bit I realized that this was THE country-rock album.
As a fan of the genre, I have to award it extra stars just for that.
3.5-4
The Prodigy
4/5
A full album of the club scene from Blade.
This didn’t strike me as the type of music I’d be into, but something about it kept me hooked for two listens. It all kinda blended together into one song for me, which worked to its benefit for whatever reason.
One of my favorites from the past few weeks for sure.
4-4.5, but I could see it jumping up to a 5 after another listen
Sade
3/5
Groovy
I liked everything going on here, but I could’ve used a little more variety. Some of the songs seemed too similar.
3-3.5
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Silky smooth and criminally short.
The album does suffer a bit by having one of the greatest songs ever written as the opening track. Every other song is a 4/5 out of 5, but they’re always a bit of a letdown in comparison.
Very very conflicted between a 4.5 and a 5, but I will round up out of respect.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
I mean.... its just perfect.
I love TPAB, but this album has always been the perfect fusion of depth, quality, and replay-ability. It is the album I would somehow bring to a deserted island and one I've listened to more than any other.
We should beam it out into the universe to attract aliens.
10/5
Beatles
4/5
I’ve never really been able to tell the difference between the different projects and eras of the Beatles, so hopefully this is the start of my redemption tour.
I did enjoy this even if I don’t think I fully appreciated it.
3.5-4
Willie Nelson
5/5
This album brought forth a vision of a little dive bar in the middle of nowhere and it seemed like it had the most immaculate vibes of any establishment ever.
Willie, along with John Prine, has been a staple of our family vacations for all of my 29 years of life, so there’s no way I wasn’t going to love this.
Paul Simon
2/5
I’m sorry Paul Simon, I’m very jet-lagged and I did not give a shit about this album
1.5-2
The Temptations
4/5
This sort of thing is usually right up my alley. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but a saxophone quintet appeared out of thin air and started playing while I was trying to listen to that, so I chose the live music.
The 13th Floor Elevators
2/5
Almost completely un-listenable for me. I don’t think it’s a 1 in any musical sense but I simply cannot stomach it at this time.
1.5-2
Neu!
2/5
nightmare nightmare nightmare
Syd Barrett
2/5
Any mid psych-rock that exists without being on this list exists without God’s consent.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
Decent, not super memorable. 2.5-3
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
The album cover did not match this at all. What a pleasant surprise!
Queen Latifah
3/5
Big fan of the faster tracks, especially the dance beats. Several of the tracks had as solid of a foundation as almost anything else we've heard so far.
I did not care for the slower tracks at all and found myself intentionally doing other things when they came on. Not entirely sure why. Also the sample for Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children was one of the worst I've ever heard. I wasn't able to find where it was from but it sounded like a deep-fried Mortal Kombat Fatality.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
PIIIIIIIIG PIIIIIIIG PIIIIIIIG
The Black Keys
3/5
A few songs I’ve always jammed to, but overall this is just ok. 2.5-3
Elton John
3/5
I love Sir Elton, by this one was a liiiittle too same-y. It felt like the same 2-3 templates stretched into a while album. Granted, they are great templates, but it still didn’t have the depth I expected.
3-3.5
The Mamas & The Papas
1/5
This did not hit for me. Several of their songs have made it into contemporary culture and most are fine, but damn I hate California Dreaming so much. It ends up in modern media in the most vapid ways possible.
The lyrics were also not my favorite. I'd bet you could assemble the entire album's lyrics by combining various Live, Laugh, Love-type posters from your nearest suburban neighborhood.
I barely got through it, unfortunately.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
While it wasn’t really my style, I found this one to be pretty cool. Very moody vocals and instrumentals.
I don’t think I’d listen to it regularly but I didn’t regret giving it a spin.
Jane Weaver
3/5
This was was so so so close to greatness. It felt like it was afraid to really let itself dive into the weirdness, or maybe I’m just thinking about it too much.
Wilco
3/5
I don't think I had ever consciously listened to a Wilco song before this, so I wasn't sure how I'd feel.
The highlights for me were Jesus, Etc, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, Poor Places and Ashes of American Flags. The other tracks were a little too muted for my tastes, or at least too subdued for what I was looking for yesterday. I could see this having much more to offer in the future.
3-3.5
Beatles
4/5
As a card holding member of the "doesn't get the Beatles sometimes" club, I really got this one. It probably helps that it has a few of my favorite songs of theirs.
The psychedelic Beatles most closely aligns with how I saw them as a kid, watching the Yellow Submarine movie and other wacky music videos. For me, despite knowing how influential their earlier projects are, this era stands out as the most distinct. I love how weird this shit gets.
4-4.5
Yes
1/5
I'm not sure what the deal is with this one but it didn't do it for me. It felt like the cry for help of someone struggling with HPPD.
1-1.5
Stephen Stills
3/5
This started out as a real treat for a windows down driving experience, but it lost a little steam by the end. I still enjoyed it overall.
3-3.5
Tom Waits
3/5
I know I would’ve loved being in the audience for this one, but it was a little too long/repetitive to listen to while stuck in traffic.
The first few songs were fine, but I found myself wondering if anything would really hook me. Then “Better Off Without A Wife came on, and for at least a little bit I was completely locked in.
I haven’t felt as strongly about a song on an album that I was otherwise lukewarm on, so it gets some props for that.
2.5-3
Scritti Politti
1/5
I put up with a lot of shit from Brit-Pop, but this I cannot abide.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
I don't have a ton to add, but I've always seen this as an iconic album and it didn't disappoint.
Nirvana
4/5
I can give this album its flowers while also admitting that I am not (and may may never be) a Nirvana guy.
Johnny Cash
5/5
In my household Johnny Cash is a hero, end of story!
I don’t blame Trent Reznor for relinquishing his ownership of Hurt. Even though I first heard this almost 2 decades ago, this album is still one of the most somber, bleak, but strangely hopeful projects I’ve ever heard.
I was watching The Road today which really bummed me out, and some part of me feels like this album may be the last one that ever plays.
Miles Davis
5/5
There’s a lot going on here (complimentary)
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
One of the coolest voices I’ve ever heard, but it wasn’t my favorite live album we’ve heard.
Regular score: 3
Do I wish I was there in the audience score: 4
Oasis
4/5
Lots of jams on here.
The Stooges
4/5
This felt so grimy and disgusting, I loved it. Especially after reading about the live shows where Iggy Pop would cut himself with glass and smear various fluids on himself before crowd-surfing. This does significantly reduce the "would I go to this concert" rating, however.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
I love the vocals, I love the sounds, I mostly love the vibes. I HATE the song "Rehab" and I have every time I've ever heard it. The obvious criticisms aside (vanity, aging poorly, irony) I've never liked it in any way.
The rest of the album is pretty good, but I started thinking about Neil Patrick Harris and his stupid fucking cake, so I ended the evening sad and didn't want to think about it anymore. Too much baggage for me.
The Vines
3/5
This was pretty cool, nothing that will stick with me the me though.
The Stooges
2/5
I wish we had gotten this before Raw Power. There were a few songs I enjoyed, but to me it sounded like a more underdeveloped version of Raw Power, so the timing definitely dings a star or two.
Foo Fighters
2/5
This is like yacht rock for areas that are inaccessible by boat, such as skate parks and Spencers.
The B-52's
3/5
I’ve only ever seen Rock Lobster as a gimmick song, so this was better than I expected.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
If I had a nickel for every time an album started with screaming…
Turned out much better than I expected. I genuinely enjoyed the songs around the middle of the album, but the bookends of it weren’t the best.
There was a palpable sense of arrogance in this and while I tried not to let it influence me, I wasn’t totally successful.
Public Enemy
5/5
This is the first rap album I can remember listening to on my dad’s CD player. The samples still hit, the messages still hit, all in all still a great album.
4.5-5
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
Better than expected! Reminds me of the old drugstore music I used to hear every Saturday morning.
3-3.5
The Rolling Stones
2/5
I too listened to the UK version. Not much that I enjoyed here, but I didn't hate it. When I think of The Rolling Stones I think of excitement, but this was quite boring.
Green Day
4/5
Haven’t listened to this one all the way through in some time, but I loved it.
4-4.5
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
Ehhhhhh... I don't know...
Django Django
1/5
The potential was there on the first song but my god… this got tedious as it went on. The more they sang the more I checked out. I barely finished it.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
I enjoyed it, but it got a little tedious as the songs went on. I kept finding myself drifting off while listening to see where they'd go. It is entirely possible that I don't have the music IQ to fully appreciate her genius.
I see the vision though, 3-3.5.
Sex Pistols
4/5
Exactly what I think of when picking a definitive Punk vibe.
Sometimes I’m put off by the anti-establishment vibes of the 70’s and 80’s because plenty of artists have sold out since then, but this album still rang true for me.
Miles Davis
5/5
Who wants to play this whole album on Rock Band 2 with me?
The Sugarcubes
4/5
As someone with very little Bjork knowledge, this was a treat. I need to learn more
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
This is one of those albums that I’d say I enjoy on paper but have a difficult time sitting through. Some of these songs are so ubiquitous, it felt like I was listening to a commercial.
Not S&G’s fault of course. Objectively I would say this is still a great album.
Quality in a vacuum: 4.5
Enjoyment: 2.5-3
Billie Holiday
4/5
Very moody, dreamy, cool, chill, lovely
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Decent, but definitely need to revisit when I have more time.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
As I mentioned, one of the first vinyls I added to my collection.
I started a miniature version of this list with all of the top albums on Rate Your Music and, despite earning their pretentious reputation, I was lead to this album.
It pleases me to say that even my normie brain really gets this album. It’s definitely one of the only albums that I listen to solely in its entirety. I don’t think I could tell you any of the song titles or tell them apart because I’ve only consumed it one way.
Yesterday, I did my listening while reading through my new copy of The Crow: Special Edition. I know that Eric was canonically a Joy Division guy, but I feel like he would’ve loved this album. It fit in well with his manic dancing.
N.W.A.
5/5
An obvious classic. This is another one that my dad showed me as a young lad, so it's always stuck with me.
I feel like I get something new out of each listen, though it may be that the length makes me tune in and out at different times. It's tough to listen to a full hour length album without getting distracted these days. I would blame that on getting old but that seems like something that would get easier with age, so maybe its just donkey brains.
Throwing Muses
1/5
I couldn’t find an angle into this one. Everything seemed disjointed, I didn't care for it sonically or lyrically, overall just not for me.
1.5 as there wasn’t anything egregious.
Beastie Boys
4/5
The shrill, scream-y Beastie Boys sound has never really been my favorite, so I did not look forward to this album. I ended up being pleasantly surprised, however.
Loved the jazzy samples, percussion, and instrumentals on this one. I checked to make sure I was listening to the right album 3-4 times around the middle of it.
This one will need another listen.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Classic
The Smiths
4/5
I just can’t hate this album. In my mind this is how sad all British people are.
Harry Nilsson
2/5
Didn’t really hit for me. A couple of songs in the middle seemed promising, but the album was bookended by pretty boring ones. 1.5-2
The Beach Boys
3/5
My inability to really “get” the Beach Boys rears its ugly head. There are tracks I enjoy here, such as You Still Believe in Me, Pet Sounds, and the major hits, of course.
The total package feels a little lackluster. Of all the celebrated albums I’ve revisited, Pet Sounds is the one I’ve struck out on the most. Maybe listen #5 will be the one.
2.5-3
Doves
3/5
As others have mentioned, got Coldplay vibes from this, almost U2 at some points?
I thought it was good if not super memorable.
3-3.5
The Doors
2/5
Back Door Man, Light My Fire and The End were the highlights for me, but the rest were kinda forgettable. Didn’t really know what to make of this one.
2-2.5
Fela Kuti
5/5
It’s hard for these types of albums to go wrong in my eyes. Loved the intersection of jazz and Afro-beat. It’s another live album that made me wish I was in the audience.
It reminded me of a the music they’d play at my breakfast spot in Senegal. Shoutout Wally Seck
4.5-5
Slint
1/5
Tough listen. I would almost say aggressively unpleasant.
5/5
I don’t have much experience with Oasis beyond their hits, but I loved it.
Wonderwall has the reputation of being whipped out at a party by every amateur guitarist, but every song here evoked a backyard party with friends, culminating in the coolest night of your life. Even more so when I went back and listened to the acoustic versions.
Hole
4/5
Big fan of this! My only exposure to Courtney Love has been Kurt Cobain-related slander, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
It evoked an Ann Wilson sound, but if she was way more angsty. I’m exactly sure why, but something about it won’t let me rate it a 5. It’s easily a 4.5 though.
Miles Davis
4/5
A little bit harder for me to stay on top of compared to Bitches Brew, but still great. 4-4.5
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Felt like I was listening to the Jungle Book sequel where Mowgli goes to college.
4/5
Bono
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
Another band that I've always been around but never really given a try (outside of AM).
.Much better than I anticipated. The early-mid 2000s era of rock never clicked with me for some reason, and every time I listen it feels like I'm in some coming of age movie. I started getting a little angsty, which progressed to a desire to break things. This could be unrelated to the actual songs as I listened to some of the album in a Walmart.
3.5-4
White Denim
3/5
Enjoyed it more than I thought I would after the first few songs.
This one was bookended by tracks that I couldn’t get into, but the middle was pretty solid (Drugs, Bess St, Street Joy).
3.5
Neil Young
4/5
Got sidetracked by my deep dive into covers, but I still liked this.
My one complaint was the sound mixing. Maybe it was my car’s speakers, but it sounded like the vocals were at half of the volume they should’ve been on some tracks. Speak up Neil!
3.5-4
Yes
3/5
I’m always gonna love the instrumentals of a prog rock album, so my enjoyment of that aspect wasn’t a surprise. “A Venture” was the highlight in that regard.
I did not, however, care for the vocals. They easily brought this from a 4 to a 2, so I’ll split the difference.
Simply Red
4/5
Jazz, soul, pop, sophisti-pop??? This album had it all. Definitely a pleasant surprise.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2/5
These albums drive me nuts. Once again, I was enjoying the instrumentals and vibes only to be rudely awakened by the vocals.
Can someone edit the vocals out of this? It’d turn into a killer game soundtrack.
The Style Council
4/5
As much as I don’t want to be associated with anything called sophisti-pop, I did enjoy this.
Mostly a 3, but a strong ending to the album bumps this up to a borderline 4.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Very good, listened to it many times! 4.5
Nick Drake
3/5
This was not the best beach album I’ve ever listened to, which is not Nick Drake’s fault. I see the appeal though.
CHIC
4/5
4
Ice Cube
3/5
Expected to like this more than I did. Had much of that early 90’s hip hop sound that I expected but not much else. Too long and too much of the same thing.
2.5-3
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Listened to this during a 9 hour road trip, so I didn’t have as many complaints about the length as I may have otherwise. It did get a little bit too repetitive for me by the end, but overall this one was a surprise.
Anyone who was at music trivia may know that I am not very familiar with this band as I was unable to identify them by appearance or sound, but this will hopefully be my inspiration to learn more.
Arcade Fire
4/5
As a young teen who was very concerned with fitting in, Arcade Fire was the first band that I can clearly remember as being “cool but most people think they’re weird.” They were the kind of group that I’d only listen to around close friends and then still downplay my enjoyment.
Granted, this was more in the Reflektor era, but I listened to all of their projects after that, including this album.
Easy 4.5
Elliott Smith
2/5
Another strange one. I genuinely enjoyed the music for the most part, and I really didn't hate any part of the album, but its just his vocals. For my ears, they're just on a frequency that I don't even register. Attempting to listen to the lyrics created a Men In Black mind-wipe effect.
Aimee Mann
4/5
I fully expected to be unenthused by the soundtrack artist of the M.O.D.O.K (???) series, but I liked this quite a bit!
Got a little Cranberries vibe on a few songs. The lyrics that I was able to discern (as someone who has low grade lyric-deafness) weren’t my favorite.
3.5-4