178
Albums Rated
3.29
Average Rating
16%
Complete
911 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960
Favorite Decade
Pop
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
21
5-Star Albums
6
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Moby Grape
Moby Grape
|
5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
|
Myths Of The Near Future
Klaxons
|
5 | 3.06 | +1.94 |
|
Technique
New Order
|
5 | 3.18 | +1.82 |
|
Faith
George Michael
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
|
5 | 3.43 | +1.57 |
|
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
|
5 | 3.54 | +1.46 |
|
The United States Of America
The United States Of America
|
4 | 2.61 | +1.39 |
|
Born To Be With You
Dion
|
4 | 2.62 | +1.38 |
|
Pictures At An Exhibition
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
|
4 | 2.64 | +1.36 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
|
2 | 4.2 | -2.2 |
|
Heartattack And Vine
Tom Waits
|
1 | 3.07 | -2.07 |
|
Peace Sells...But Who's Buying
Megadeth
|
1 | 2.98 | -1.98 |
|
American Idiot
Green Day
|
2 | 3.77 | -1.77 |
|
Let's Get Killed
David Holmes
|
1 | 2.67 | -1.67 |
|
Hard Again
Muddy Waters
|
2 | 3.6 | -1.6 |
|
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
|
2 | 3.53 | -1.53 |
|
Timeless
Goldie
|
1 | 2.51 | -1.51 |
|
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
|
2 | 3.5 | -1.5 |
|
Third
Soft Machine
|
1 | 2.45 | -1.45 |
5-Star Albums (21)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Klaxons · 1 likes
5/5
This is a five for me. I got this album when it came out and I think it really holds up. Also a really unique sound.
The White Stripes · 1 likes
3/5
I wish I could’ve heard this when it came out. I think it would’ve been pretty mind blowing. I liked it now, but thought it was a bit long and repetitive. I liked Jack White, but I don’t always love his music.
Jerry Lee Lewis · 1 likes
3/5
His backing band was The Nashville Teenagers. Surprised that he didn’t marry them.
1-Star Albums (6)
All Ratings
Bauhaus
4/5
This album is surprising. I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would. I was expecting faux-Gothic horror rock, and there is elements of that, but this really is so much more. Taking influences from Punk, Glam, Bowie, the Clash, Ska, Raggae makes something thats not quite post-punk and not quite new wave. I hear how this influenced others, notably INXS and other late 80s bands. Production is cool. Lo-fi in some songs, but then really artful in others. Cool album to start with. 8/10
Top Songs
The Passion of Lovers
Of Lillies and Remains
Kick in the Eye
Muscle in Plastic
The Man with XRay eyes
Yes
4/5
Enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Definitely music made by dorks, but that is cool. No surprise, but the bass tone rips. The standout tracks are the long ones.
David Bowie
3/5
An easier listen than I was expecting. Heavy Subject matter, but the instrumentation is so interesting, and it provides for a reflective, but not dour, listening experience. RIP Bowie
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
A bit hard to divorce this one from the Classic Rock guys that have taken this album. But, all in all it still rips. I've heard most of these songs before, but not in the sequence of the album. Starts off strong, and then gets a little listless towards the end. Crazy that this was just a trip, because the mix is really full. Glad I listened to it, but I don't know if I will again. Certainly tracks for sure.
Solomon Burke
2/5
I'm shocked that I hadnt heard of Solomon Burke before this listen. He has such a great voice. The album itself is mostly standard early 60's soul and ballads. I was also struck by the session musicians on the record, especially the guitar player. They really rip and help to elevate the album. Ultimately, it's a bit "standard." I don't think that ill listen to the whole album again, but all in there are definitely some great tracks that I'll seek out again.
Notable tracks: Cry to Me, Won't You Give Him (One More Chance)
Nirvana
2/5
Fine. I'm not the biggest Nirvana or Kurt Cobain fan, but I can appreciate this for the cultural force that it is.
The Cure
2/5
A bit conflicted on this one. First, I think I like The Cure more when they are doing pop songs. I can appreciate this for what it is, and was impressed by the production. However, I think it fell a little flat. It may not be fair to compare it to Mask by Bauhaus, but I left that feeling surprised and delighted to how they blended Goth with Hard Rock, Reggae, and Ska. However, with this album, it was mostly what I expected from an early Cure album. Good, but it met my expectations.
Common
2/5
Now that is some socially conscious rap. Wow, that's also a long album. I immediately saw the runtime and thought about those long 90's albums, where they really tried to fill up the whole CD. About half way through this, I was thinking that it may live up to the runtime, but by the end, I was back to thinking that it couldve used some editing. Production and beats were incredibly, unsurprisingly given that J.Dilla and Questlove were behind them. A good amount of questionable "feminism" and lots of homophobia. It was a different time. Ultimately, its a good listen, production is great and certain tracks are classics. However, as an album, its a bit too long, and I dont think it fully holds up in the way that the BlackStar album, or D'Angelo albums do.
Soft Machine
1/5
Yeah, now this is what I thought this experience would be like. A band I've never heard of, making a long prog-ish, jazz-ish album. In all honesty. this was interminable at points. A bit too noodley, and free form for my tastes. Now, I can certainly appreciate how influential these guys are. The Canterbury Scene is cool, and I do like the boundaries that they pushed with technology and song form, and it's cool that Andy Summers went from this band to the Police. Also at points when the band fully comes together it's not a bad listen. Clearly, these are all fantastic musicians who were experimenting, and thats cool and worthy. But....as an album....it's not something that I am going to listen to again. The 1 star seems low, and it may be, but if I'm grading this on my opinions and predilections, that's where it's at. If I'm grading based on historical significance and coolness, it's probably a 4/5.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Never listened to this before the whole way through, but yeah, it lives up to the hype. Songs are great. Really poignant, and the lyrics are meaningful. Really enjoyed this listen, and I will definitely listen again.
4/5
Those crazy Brits, always grappling with their national identity! I really liked this album. The band was very tight and the songs were very sharply written. Victoria is such a great track. Will definitely listen to this album again.
Violent Femmes
2/5
Interesting! I think there's a reason that Blister In the Sun is the most popular track from the album. All in all, it's pretty cool and ahead of it's time, but its not my favorite.
Elis Regina
2/5
I went into this having never heard of Elis Regina, as it seems to be for many of the people doing this listening experiment. I can see how she was an important figure for Brazilian jazz and music. It seems that the most popular songs on the album were more influenced by folk and traditional Brazilian music. These were good, but the songs that connected most with me were the funk/disco songs. Her band was phenomenal. Right now I'm between a 2 and a 3 for the album. I wish I could do a half star. I'm thinking that 3 will be the marker of would I listen to this again. Right now, I wouldnt listen to the album again, but certain tracks I would definitely listen to again.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Great band. Great songs. 38 Minutes. The first two songs are the best on the album.
Stan Getz
4/5
Really good. Great band, surprised that I hadnt heard this before because it seems to be a classic. But, I really enjoyed this.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
A pretty great album. I think Bob Marley gets overshadowed by his legacy and image, but there is a reason for that. The band is really tight, and the songs are great.
John Lennon
2/5
I'm not the biggest John Lennon fan, although I am a big Beatles fan. I am glad that I listened to this, but I think it is reminiscent of a lot of other post-Beatles albums by the members of the Beatles. 1 or 2 standout, classic tracks, surrounded by fine songs that are not very memorable. John and Paul brought out the best in each other, so this ultimately doesnt live up to any of the late-period Beatles albums. But yeah, it was fine.
Goldie
1/5
Cool that I learned the Flight of the Conchords reference on Timeless. But let's be honest, I'm never going to listen to this again. For me, Goldie will mostly be known as the henchmen in The World Is Not Enough.
Aimee Mann
3/5
Pretty standard early 90s rock album and thats a good thing! There are enough production techniques and ideas that the album feels pretty exciting. It's a bit long, love those 90's CD lengths, but all in all a very solid album
Bee Gees
2/5
Oh no, those Gibb boys have done it again, and gone country! All in all this did not need to be a double album. Some very cool ideas that couldve been trimmed. You can definitely hear the influence from the Beatles, and it's interesting that this came out a few years before Sticky Fingers, which was also country-inflected. Never listened to a non-Disco BeeGee's album, but this was pretty decent.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
A really amazing album. An album about trying to figure things out. Political fear, war, violence, ecological disaster. An incredibly timely album, but one that also feels timeless. The production and musicianship is second to none. One of my favorite albums before starting this 1001 album journey, and it was a great experience getting to relisten to this.
T. Rex
2/5
A pretty straight ahead rock record. Pretty cool, but a bit repetitive, and I don't know if it fully holds up. Get It On is a great song though.
Tom Waits
1/5
Not my thing. I can understand why Tom Waits is considered a unique musician, but I think he's just alright. I wonder if most people like Tom Waits, because cool people like Tom Waits. I don't know. This was ok.
George Michael
5/5
A great album. I think that George Michael is underrated in the US, and his output is generally pretty outstanding. From the WHAM! days to his solo work, it is a shame that George Michael is not as well remembered over here. I think this album is very good. If half stars were possible I would probably give a 4.5, but since they are not, its a 5 star album for me. Faith - Father Figure - I Want Your Sex is a new contender for any 3 song run on an album.
Sabu
2/5
Good! Very good musicianship, I can definitely see how this rocked people's shit in the 1950s.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
An album which has 3.5 Stones classics (Gimme Shelter, Let It Bleed, You Can't Always Get What You Want, the country version of Honky Tonk Woman) and 1 Stones minor classic (Midnight Rambler). The rest is ok. I think that's worth 4 stars.
The Doors
3/5
Never listened to the whole album before, but it's not bad. I think my rating really just comes down to the fact that I find Jim Morrison annoying. Musically, the album is really good. Feels of it's time, but some songs do feel current.
John Cale
4/5
I just listened to this album for the first time a few months ago. I really liked it then, and I think I liked it more on this listen. Lots of cool choices, and he really plays well within different styles and genres. It's cool to learn that Lowell George played guitar on this album. Listening with that in mind, I feel like the guitar adds a lot more than I realized on first listen.
Green Day
2/5
Lots of thoughts on this one. This came out when I was in middle school, which is probably the perfect age for an album like this. I personally was never a huge Green Day fan, but my brother was, and this CD was stuck in his car, so we listened to it alot. That being said, I probably havent listened to this since 2006. All in all, it holds up, even if it seems a little quaint now. Definitely some good Bush-era protest music, which was very of its time. The rock opera elements of this are interesting too, and they probably are a more explicit "rock opera" than many famous concept albums. I do think the songs are generally ok, but can't really sustain the length of the album. I would love to give it 2.5, but I can't, so I think 2 is a fair rating.
Miles Davis
4/5
Hell yeah. Not an everyday listen, but this goes hard.
Sigur Rós
3/5
Growing up means that I can freely admit that this isnt my shit. As a too-smart indie teenager I always had to go along with this. And that's fine, I can appreciate the music, and how orchestral and cinematic it is. But is this something that I feel particularly drawn towards? Nah. Glad that I listened though. I can hear Radiohead and early Coldplay, so this album was probably very influential to others. Yeah...right down the middle. 3/5.
Radiohead
3/5
I feel like your could copy my Sigur Ros review here, and it lines up exactly. I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would, but still, meh. Radiohead just isnt my thing. They annoy me, but, I can still recognize that this album is good.
Dion
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Love the Phil Spector 70s production. Sounds like George Harrison, but more focused on New York. Really cool.
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
Very cool. Got to be a bit repetitive, but still enjoyable. I didn’t know that Roky Erickson was in this band.
Primal Scream
3/5
Is this Madchester?
Elvis Presley
4/5
This was very good. The backing band was excellent and that really made the whole album a great listen.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
This was very good. The backing band was excellent and that really made the whole album a great listen.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
Very cool
Megadeth
1/5
This was going to be a one, but then I found a different remaster. Then it was going to be a 2 until the song I Ain’t Superstitious. That song sucks.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
Not necessarily my cup of tea. But I can appreciate this, and I support anyone who promotes guitar pedals.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Yeah, it’s a classic
David Bowie
4/5
Not quite as good as Ziggy Stardust, but a cool exploration of the glam sounds.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
4/5
Really good
Deep Purple
3/5
A dumb rock record. Nothing wrong with that.
Doves
3/5
A dumb rock record. Nothing wrong with that.
The B-52's
4/5
Kitschy. Fun. Great musicianship.
Miles Davis
5/5
A classic for a reason
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
A bunch of dorks, playing music very well.
Nanci Griffith
3/5
Not something I’m always in the mood for, but great songwriting.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Not the best Curtis album, but still really great. Instrumentation is second to none.
Prince
5/5
I was thinking four, but Purple Rain (song) is very very good.
Carole King
5/5
Five star without a doubt
1/5
I can appreciate this as art but not something I want to listen to.
The Byrds
3/5
A good jangly pop album with just enough weirdness to make it a little more interesting.
Muddy Waters
3/5
There’s a reason why lame white dudes made this their personality.
Wilco
4/5
I listened to this a few years ago, and didn’t remember enjoying it this much.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
A classic. Incredible bass. Two modern jazz standards.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
I liked this more than the stars would indicate. But as an album, it’s very repetitive. But I don’t know if it was designed for sitting and listening. In a club I can see how this would be awesome.
Muddy Waters
2/5
Another album where I thought it was cool, but wouldn’t necessarily listen again. The production was great, and I can see how this helped usher blues into the 70s
Green Day
3/5
I think I gave American Idiot 2 stars and I liked this more.
Queen
4/5
I was between 3 and 4 for this album. I think I’ll go four because there are some classic Queen tracks.
Sonic Youth
4/5
This really rips. It’s the first sonic youth album I’ve listened to, and I get it. Bands still want to sound like this. That being said, it’s too long, and I don’t love some of the extended dissonant sections. But all in all, very good.
David Holmes
1/5
When comparing this to the Fatboy Slim album I listened to last week, this pales in comparison. I liked that album, I didn’t love it, but I enjoyed the listening experience. This, not as much.
Hole
3/5
Wow. That Courtney love sure can sing
Various Artists
5/5
The gold standard of Christmas albums. I love this album, and the Phil Spector sound.
Queen
3/5
I liked this a lot. Doesn’t have many of the classic queen songs on it, but it’s a band discovering their sound. I’ll always take an album where dorks sing about fairy tales.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Crazy that this was a debut album. She had such a unique voice and personality already developed. Also, the songs were great.
The Police
3/5
Between 3 and 4 for this. Some great songs, but a lot of what felt like filler. But, Sting did sing a song to dinosaurs.
Aphex Twin
2/5
Sure! This is the first time I’ve listened to Aphex Twin. I don’t really get it. Music dorks love this guy, and I thought it was fine.
Radiohead
3/5
I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’m going to be listening to every Radiohead album. Still have very mixed feelings about them. But this may be my favorite Radiohead, for what that’s worth. I remember when this came out and listened to it in 10th grade. So there’s some small nostalgia.
ZZ Top
3/5
First three songs are incredible. The rest of the album is just trying to remake those first three songs.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Probably the first album in this project where I remember it coming out and I listened to it. I was a big fan of Arcade Fire at the time and that’s waned a bit. But this album still holds up. A good theme and narrative. Probably a bit too long, but I think that about a lot of albums.
The Kinks
4/5
Really good! I'm a bigger Kinks fan than I realized.
Klaxons
5/5
This is a five for me. I got this album when it came out and I think it really holds up. Also a really unique sound.
The Cult
2/5
Not bad but not my thing. It’s funny that this really just sounds like “rock”
The Doors
3/5
A few great songs. A lot of white guy blues.
Adele
3/5
Some great songs. A great voice. But I’m not going to listen to this again.
David Bowie
3/5
Interesting. It doesn’t get as much love as Blackstar, for good reason. But all in all a very solid late period Bowie album.
Louis Prima
3/5
I enjoyed this! It’s funny to think of this as music to sit down and listen to. I don’t mean that meanly. Louis Primas music is now known probably mostly for commercials and soundtracks, but this was fun and a good listen.
Lightning Bolt
2/5
Not my thing. I think this could be very cool live, or as an art piece.
Deep Purple
3/5
Not bad! Pretty generic rock, but it was good and helped me get some work done.
David Bowie
4/5
This was pretty great. I’ve never listened to any of the Berlin Trilogy but I’m excited to.
Throwing Muses
3/5
Im surprised I’ve never heard of this band before. They should be so much bigger! Really interesting album.
Deerhunter
3/5
Pretty good. I’m not surprised that I didn’t listen to this when it came out, it’s a little too atmospheric for me. But, it started slow and eventually got into a groove a bit more.
The Clash
5/5
Didn’t realize this was a double album. I was between a four and a five and I think I’m just going to do a five. Tons of great songs, iconic album cover.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
Very good.
Jurassic 5
3/5
Some good Bush era socially conscious hip hop. Reminds me of the Key and Peele Old School sketch. But, it was decent and the one guy has a very cool voice.
The White Stripes
3/5
I wish I could’ve heard this when it came out. I think it would’ve been pretty mind blowing. I liked it now, but thought it was a bit long and repetitive. I liked Jack White, but I don’t always love his music.
Don McLean
2/5
An interesting case study of what happens when a guy writes one amazing song and that’s it. The rest of the album is perfectly pleasant.
Beyoncé
4/5
Very good! I was surprised when it went into Prince territory, but I liked it.
Public Enemy
3/5
Very good. Maybe a bit too long, and the beats started to sound the same, but I enjoyed listening to it.
Jethro Tull
3/5
Glad to finally listen to this. Love that flute.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
I thought this was really good. I wish Wayne Coyne wasn’t so annoying. He seems likes he’s probably an alright guy, but he really annoys me for some reason.
Eminem
3/5
What happened to rap skits? This was good but was too long, like a lot of rap albums and albums from the 90s.
Screaming Trees
2/5
A perfectly fine rock album.
Supertramp
4/5
Supertramp fucks
Sam Cooke
5/5
This might be one of the best live albums I’ve ever heard. The crowd is having so much fun, the band is great, and Sam Cooke sounds cool as hell.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
4/5
I liked this more than I thought I was going to. I was surprised that this came out in the 60s, because I associate this type of jazz rock with the 70s.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
There’s a song on this album where Hendrix sings about becoming a Merman
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Not my favorite Zeppelin but still good
The Stone Roses
3/5
Pretty good! A good mix of jangle rock with some drum machine stuff thrown in.
Funkadelic
4/5
A great blend of longer jams and pop songs.
The The
3/5
Very cool. Great production. I wasn’t the biggest fan of his voice, but I still enjoyed the album. I felt like they only stayed in one lane and I’d be curious to see how the later albums progress.
Bad Company
3/5
I was expecting a big dumb rock record, and there was some of that. But there was also a lot of songs that I didn’t expect. All in all, I can see why it’s a classic.
3/5
I normally don’t go for “world” music, but I enjoyed this. It was really atmospheric and painted a picture. I don’t know if I’ll listen to this again, but I’m glad that I listened to it once.
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
Is there a band that’s more accurately named than Electric Light Orchestra? You hear them, and they sound like an electric light orchestra. Anyway, I’m an ELO fan, and this has some great songs. Probably doesn’t need to be a double album, hence the four stars.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
First time listening to this the whole way through. You can’t beat Stevie. So many jams. I heard someone say that their favorite bass player is Stevie’s left hand, and I think I agree.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
I think I’m a slightly bigger fan of later Dinosaur Jr, when they’re slightly more poppy or maybe slightly less noisy? But, this was enjoyable, fun to think that this came out in the 80s, it seems anachronistic.
Jane's Addiction
2/5
Torn on this one. I learned guitar to this album a long time ago, and a few tracks really hold up. But, I just kept thinking that these are the dumbest guys. That’s fine on No One’s Leaving or Been Caught Stealing, but on 10 minute extended tracks, it’s wears a little thin.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
That’s a blues album alright.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
I don’t know. This is my first Nick Cave album, and it was fine. People seem to really love him, I find him very annoying. So I was expecting some really cool music, and it was fine. Not too good or bad. The band seemed tight.
Nirvana
4/5
It’s been a while since I’ve listened to this album straight through, but I’ve heard the songs so many times. I’m not the biggest Kurt fan, but it’s hard to deny this album. Really good.
Beck
4/5
This came out when I was in eighth grade and I remember getting it from the library. I loved this album, haven’t listened in years , and I thought it was still really solid today. EPro, Que Onda Guero, and Girl are a great way to open the album. From there it gets mellower with occasional bangers, such as Black Tambourine and Hell Yes. The slower songs aren’t up there with some of Becks others, but still, it’s an enjoyable listen.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
Wow, why have I never gotten into Everything But the Girl before? I was only aware of Miss You, and I liked that song, but never dug in. I really enjoyed this album. Introspective, but grooves really well. Can definitely hear how they influenced other bands. Excited to listen to more of their music.
William Orbit
2/5
The electronic albums are a bit of a mystery to me. I just don’t know that much about electronic music, and it doesn’t seem to resonate as much with me. This was fine, but I don’t know why this album was groundbreaking.
Fleet Foxes
5/5
One of my favorite albums. I remember reading about this in Under The Radar magazine and then buying it at Best Buy. It still really holds up.
Air
3/5
I had never heard of this band before, but they seem a lot more influential than I realized. Really cool and good bass lines.
Pantera
2/5
This does rip, and Dime is a great guitarist. But, they might be white supremacists.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
A good bossa album with a few standards.
David Bowie
3/5
Not my favorite Bowie album, but some really great songs none the less
B.B. King
4/5
Not a blue guy, but this is pretty undeniable.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Listening to this album it was good but not great, but a few songs were great. But I’ve probably heard Hurt too many times now. I would probably do 3.5 if I could.
The War On Drugs
2/5
I’m a 35 year old dad who plays guitar, this should be my shit. The first track was great, but the album never really went anywhere from there. It felt pretty one dimensional and the sound scape elements didn’t really do it for me.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
This is the first Echo album that I have listened to fully. I read some of the wikipedia which says that this got mixed reviews upon release, and if thats true, I cant wait to hear the other albums. I thought this was very good. Maybe a little self-indulgent, or a popular band on their 4th record. Most of the songs were good pop bangers accentuated with orchestral parts. Some songs were a little cringy, I'm thinking mostly of Nocturnal Me, but maybe that's what they were going for as proto-edgelord gothy 80s types. All in all, I enjoyed the listen.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
I think I said in my review of Ritual De Lo Habitual that it sounded like these were the dumbest guys you know. That’s not always a bad thing, dumb guys can make good music. I think it works better on this album. It’s a little tighter and there’s only one eastern inspired breakdown. Interesting to hear some of the 80s sounds which were gone by the next album.
Paul Simon
5/5
Immediate 5 for me. This is one of my favorite albums, and no tracks are skips.
The Strokes
5/5
One of the best debut albums that I can think of. Really tight and focused, and all of the songs are really good. Even nepo babies can make cool music.
Tricky
2/5
Yeah, it was an interesting album. Sounds more modern than you would expect, but still very 90's and very British. The production was a bit same-y at times, but it was interesting enough to listen to the whole thing. It did feel a bit edgelord-y. Maybe it wasnt received that way at the time.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
All in all a really enjoyable listen. Cool to see how the Stones expanded their influence. But, there was still a lot of white guy blues. This rating is for the UK version, which is what I listened to. That 11 minute track is the middle is rough. But, the US version would probably be a 4, given that it's shorter and has Paint It, Black on it.
OutKast
3/5
Glad to finally listen to all of this. And it is very long. Too long. But there are moments. I've seen people say that you could cut this down and it would make a good 45 minute album, and I do agree. But, that would take away from what this was trying to be. But I dont know. Outkast was always best when you had the "normal" rapper Big Boi and the weirdo Andre 3000, but that also takes away from how weird Big Boi could be, and how hard A3K could go. I do think that they do themselves a bit of a disservice with the two record concept, but still, Big Boi made a pretty great rap album, and Andre made a really great Andre album. So, definitely some conflicting feelings. It was long though.
AC/DC
3/5
Dumb. Loud. All the songs sound the same. Nothing wrong with that.
The Verve
3/5
Some really solid late 90's British rock. Bittersweet Symphony is probably the best track, but it remains really consistent throughout. Would give a 3.5 if I could.
Dr. Dre
4/5
Two thoughts. 1. There should be more skits on albums of all genres. 2. Remember when Ben Folds said the N word when covering Bitches Ain’t Shit?
King Crimson
3/5
My first full King Crimson album. Not entirely my speed, but parts really do go hard.
The United States Of America
4/5
For as experimental as this is, I found it pretty easily digestible. Really cool experimentation and great bass.
The Cars
5/5
Such a great debut album, combining elements of pop and new wave. I’ve argued before that Let The Good Times Roll, My Best Friends Girl, and Just What I needed is one of the best three song runs on any album.
Meat Loaf
4/5
A pretty classic album. Nothing else really sounds like this.
The Thrills
3/5
Album really sounds like 2003 in a good way. I’m surprised that I never heard it before pretty good all in all, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the lead singer’s voice. Random thought I had during this is that there’s a lot of banjo and other instrumentation in the production. If you think about it, it may be wasn’t so crazy when Mumford & Sons seemed to come out of nowhere, but really they were just following along with other instrumentation.
Neu!
3/5
I guess I always thought that Krautrock was just Kraftwerk. But this was much less austere and more cinematic. Really cool and I’d be curious to hear more.
The Band
4/5
It’s always funny to me that The Band are Canadian. Anyways this album rips and Rick Danko is a great bass player.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Really sad.
Supergrass
4/5
Really good, snotty Britpop. I really enjoyed this and can’t wait to listen to more.
The Fall
3/5
I can see how they were important and influential but I wouldn’t necessarily listen to this again
Scott Walker
3/5
I really liked the production of this album, the orchestration was great.
Stephen Stills
3/5
A better than expected album. Really enjoyed the flute and other orchestral elements. Didn’t love the song Black Queen, more white guy blues. Wish I could give it 3.5
Ray Charles
3/5
A solid album. Curious as to why this one made the list, where it seems like Ray Charles has so many albums.
Depeche Mode
5/5
I guess I’m a big fan of Depeche Mode? This was awesome.
Deee-Lite
4/5
A lot of dance albums don’t really translate to sitting and listening, but I thought this did. Groove Is In The Heart is the best song, no surprise, but the rest is really fun and solid dance music.
Van Morrison
5/5
I’m waffling between a four and a five. What the hell, 5 it is.
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
A cool blend of new wave and punk.
3/5
Is Muse good? That’s an interesting question. I liked this album a lot when it came out but haven’t listened to it since. On one hand, yes, it’s good. But it struck me that Muse might be like Imagine Dragons or Coldplay with better marketing. They’re still just a rock band that got too big, that they’re a little lame, but a certain group of guys will always like them.
AC/DC
4/5
Hell yeah.
Can
4/5
Future Days? More like, still future days! This was really good, parts sounded very modern, but other parts felt of its time in a good way. I continue to have my definition of krautrock expanded.
Slade
3/5
Solid glam rock
Mekons
3/5
Interesting. I didn’t necessarily hear country, it sounded like it was more Irish folk, but still cool.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
I liked it all in all. I was hoping that there would be more disco elements, but that was limited to a few songs.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Not the biggest Skynyrd fan, but this album is very good.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
A really cool idea. Not something I’ll listen to again, but I enjoyed it.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Really great. I wish it was a little more up tempo, but the harmonies were awesome.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
His backing band was The Nashville Teenagers. Surprised that he didn’t marry them.
Moby
3/5
Honestly better than I expected. I think this was probably the right album for the time it came out, but I don’t necessarily love it.
The Cure
3/5
Very atmospheric. I think I like the cures poppier stuff more, but I still enjoyed this.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Should this be included on the list? That’s what I was thinking while listening to this. It’s not bad, it’s pretty good actually. But, I wouldn’t say that this is required listening. I remember this at the time mostly for the Volkswagen commercial. And they seemed to be mostly a Strokes-inspired band. Sure they had the later hits, but they seemed to fade pretty quickly. I don’t know, it was an enjoyable listen but not something essential, in my opinion.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
4/5
I’m surprised that I’ve never heard of him before. And he’s still alive! That’s crazy.
Travis
2/5
A late 90's British rock album if I've ever heard one. Right down to the hidden final track. Funny that this didnt really cross over to the US until Keane a few years later.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
Very good live album.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Good! Haven’t listened to this much since it came out. I think I still prefer the first album. It was interesting reading the Wikipedia, that Rolling Stone criticized the production as distant, which, I kinda get. It helped define the indie sound, but, it is distant. Also, anecdotally I remember indie bands being kinda anti Springsteen, but this album largely sounds like a Springsteen album. I don’t know if that was the bands or just young people listening to the music, but, it’s interesting.
Moby Grape
5/5
Cant believe I'd never really heard of them before. This album fucks.
New Order
5/5
Yeah, this was really good. I had never even heard of it before, but from start to finish, it was very good.
Bee Gees
2/5
Not my favorite but a few good songs. I particularly liked Lion in Winter.
R.E.M.
5/5
A five star album for sure. A great blend of introspection, joy and sorrow. Really wonderful orchestration as well. And Nightswimming might be in the top ten rock songs for me.
CHIC
4/5
Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers. What more could you want? Not a style that I’m always in the mood for, but they’re such a great band.
Girls Against Boys
2/5
I was surprised that this was released in 1993. That feels like its early than I would expect. It's good. Maybe, I didnt like it as much because rock sounded just like this for the next 15 years. But I can see how this was great when it came out.
Pixies
3/5
A good Pixies record. I'm not too familiar with the band, but this was good.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
A really solid album. I love the funk fuzz guitar solo tones. I also enjoy the covers. Always fun to hear a new cover that you hadnt heard before.
Steely Dan
4/5
Steely Dan is one of my favorite bands. I generally like all of their albums. This isnt necessarily my favorite, nor is it my favorite period of the band, but I can still appreciate this. Some of their best songs are on this album, but some lesser songs are there too.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
This was very good. I look forward to listening to an earlier album. This is a weird first introduction to Leonard Cohen.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
Good! I think at a different time in my love I wouldve loved this.