1001 Albums Summary

Glam rock at its finest. Cosmic Dancer and Planet Queen are my personal highlights, though the well-known single isn’t bad. One of a couple T-Rex records I’ve played a lot and the only one to make my top 100.

The well-known tracks are the good ones, and the only ones I’d return to. Every song felt much longer than it needed to be or actually was. Turn Blue was especially long and cringeworthy, but everything else was listenable and enjoyable to a point.

The production is rightly designed to let the music take a backseat to the vocals, but it leaves the whole thing feeling a little soulless to me — like expensive karaoke. I found it a little exhausting to listen to at first because I felt like she was singing everything at a nonstop 10/10. I did start to enjoy it more as it progressed and found “I’ll Be Waiting” to be the most enjoyable track. She’s got a supreme talent but it’s not my thing.

Astoundingly good vocals and incredible storytelling on this record. The well-known hit was my favorite. At just over 27 minutes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Also included a few lyrical themes that surprised me for a 50+ year old record. I’m not a country fan at all, but I enjoyed spending a little time with this one.

Not much of a Christmas Music appreciator. I can tolerate it on Christmas Day. Had to end a few of these before listening fully once I’d gotten the idea. Ending with the message from Phil Spector just left a bad taste in my mouth. Generous extra star for getting this on the 25th of December.

Felt like a night at a jazz club. I enjoyed the music but prefer to listen to something like this as a live performance. I was only familiar with the later hits, which I have never been a fan of. A pleasant surprise, but still not something I’d likely revisit.

Very good rock record. Seven Nation Army is a memorable classic for a reason. However, I was reminded of why I never really listened to this album much. It definitely tails off in the second half. All of my favorite White Stripes songs are elsewhere.

I’ve never delved into R.E.M. completely although I like several albums and hits. I’d only heard “Stand” and “Orange Crush” before, but “ Pop Song 89” was another standout. I generally enjoyed the whole thing, except “The Wrong Child,” which immediately made me Google “worst REM song.” First album on the list I’ve played for the first time that I think might get added to my rotation/collection.

I’m certain I was in the wrong headspace to hear this album, but I also don’t want to be in the right one. I don’t feel like this album was created for the purpose of enjoyment, and I found myself getting irritated with artist for inflicting it on me. I wasn’t too surprised to find initial reviews echoed my feelings. Other thoughts: Is sad song supposed to be sad? Just saying sad song over and over again doesn’t make it sad. Dear every artist - I hate your song with the crying baby sample. I can see how this would be a moving and effective album for some, but it’s not for me.

I was grateful for the educational aspect of this album. It would not have been nearly as interesting without it. That said, my sensibilities are probably too closely tuned to “western music” to find this engaging for very long. I can’t help but think that if it weren’t for The Beatles, I’d have no idea who this was and probably would not be listening to his album now.

This is the kind of listening experience that I hoped for when I started this challenge. Moondance isn’t something I ever would have played, but I immediately connected with it. There’s something so nostalgic about the sound that tapped into an unexpected emotional response. Side 2 isn’t nearly as memorable as side 1, but the first 5 tracks will be enough to keep me coming back to this one.

Literally groundbreaking, Rock & Roll stands on the shoulders of giants like Little Richard. I listened to a lot of music like this when I was younger, before I developed my own taste. These days, it’s tough to listen to this and not yearn for something a little more interesting. I feel like I could have just listened to Tutti Frutti 12 times and come away with a very similar experience. Listening to a record also means you miss the physicality of Little Richard’s performance. At this point, it’s really only interesting as a marker to show how far music has come.

I’ve heard this once before and remembered it was very different overall than the single, “Drive,” which was one of my favorite popular songs from a year I didn’t like very much radio music. The album starts off pretty engaging but starts to sag in the middle until Drive, which still sounds good a quarter century later. The only terrible part of the album was the last two songs. Pardon Me has an irritating delivery, and Out From Under an incredibly stupid lyric they felt the need to repeat. I probably won’t go too long without playing Drive, but I might never play the rest again.

What’s big and dumb and not my idea of fun? This album. It’s the sort of record that makes you wonder if music was a mistake. I suppose I was able to sit through the whole thing, but the first three tracks were genuinely the worst time I’ve had during this challenge so far. The best thing I can say about it is that it was short.

I admit I wasn’t looking forward to listening to this, not being a metal fan and having a vague idea of what to expect. I won’t say I was blown away, but I actually kind of taken with the tunefulness and musicianship here — even if I could have used a couple more moments to catch my breath! Where I was most wrong: I expected an AC/DC-like screechiness to the vocals, but the singing was a real strength here. I still don’t like metal very much, but I’ve always respected it. I understand why this might be someone’s favorite band.

I’ve tried and tried to get into Led Zeppelin and I just can’t do it. The songs that do have interesting hooks wear them out and then continue for several more minutes. Kashmir might actually be a good 4-minute song… at 8 1/2 it gets tedious. Really can’t stand the way Robert Plant sings. So many songs start out fine, and then he goes into screech mode and I hate it. Enjoyed some parts of “disc 2,” notably In the Light. Ten Years Gone was okay. Whenever I listen to a double album I’m mentally editing it into a single. In this case, Kashmir would be the only song from the first half I’d take… but I’d struggle to even get to a full album from the 2nd because I really can’t stand anything about the last two songs. Harmonicas should generally be confiscated.

This was such a welcome sound after several days of hard rock and metal. It starts off so confidently with Billy Jack, When Seasons Change, and the best track, So In Love. Things get derailed with a 6-minute song about Jesus that really doesn’t go anywhere. The band never does anything that interesting for the rest of the record and I ended up a little disappointed. I’d probably return to tracks 1 and 3 again, but the rest didn’t leave me feeling like this was a great album. It did make me interested to hear more music I like in the same vein, so that’s a win overall.

It’s a raw emission from the underworld, chugging toward you like a runaway train. Its mission statement is clear: be loud, be Satanic, be the thing that makes people clutch their pearls. I respect metal music and this album for being committed to the bit… though Teacher’s Pet was an unwelcome addition to the record’s themes. It’s so unabashedly up front about it, that it feels like a parody… and parody doesn’t hold up well to repeated listening. I guess I can see why this makes the list, but once is enough.

While I’d definitely heard this before and know the first three tracks very well, my musical taste moved on from bands like U2 before I ever really delved deeper into this one. There’s something about it that feels a little safer… a little less vital than some of their earlier records (or indeed Achtung Baby after it). That said, “Streets” is a soaring track, and easily my highlight, while “Still Haven’t Found” isn’t far behind. I’m certain “Trip Through Your Wires” made me switch this off every other time I’d made it that far. It’s two steps down in quality from everything else on the album. If you make it past the harmonicas, “Exit” and “Mothers of the Disappeared” are nice rewards that end the album with some real depth. I’ve long felt I should have given this album a fair shake, and I found it an enjoyable experience that I could see improving with further listening.

A rare album on the list that I’d not only never heard before, but didn’t know existed. I really enjoyed the sonic textures that get layered on as each song progresses. It felt a little like Jesus and Mary Chain if they weren’t as tied to the traditional pop/rock song structure. I felt like this was headed for a solid 4, but the length did start to get to me a little. Not every track justifies its runtime. That said, I enjoyed my time with Spiritualized and am interested to check out their more-successful work that followed this one. Still a light 4!

A landmark album, so I’m told, and I will say it definitely sounds newer than it is. 21st Century Schizoid Man is a little too chaotic - could have used a consistent bass line. It feels more meandering than schizophrenic. I Talk to the Wind and Epitaph are much better… moving and swelling in ways that feel beautiful and purposeful. And then there’s Moonchild. Never have I ever heard a longer stretch of directionless messing around on a record. The musical equivalent of doodling. It’s fine as background noise, but it’s not good. Finally, the Court of the Crimson King is the highlight of the record. Everything comes together (although there is a minute more of pointless noodling near the end that keeps it from being a perfect song). This record has some 5/5 moments and some 1/5 moments… but the good parts are so strong I still think it’s a light 4, and an album that I think could grow on me with repeated listenings.

I’m mostly familiar with Talking Heads through a hits collection I liked but never loved so I never felt the pull to delve into their albums. I’ve been enjoying a few of their songs anew again so I was happy to get this one, even though it doesn’t have any of the hits that resonated with me before. I think I like the general sound and feel of Fear of Music more than I like the individual songs, although Life During Wartime was a standout from the first half. The album starts to drag a little toward the end… especially with the song about nothing much happening in Heaven where nothing much happens. I also found Animals to be kinda annoying. Surprisingly, it saved the best for last — Drugs has some great instrumentation and atmosphere, with a synth line that sounded familiar (perhaps subconsciously lifted by Gary Numan for This Image Is)? At any rate, this was a pretty brisk listen. I wouldn’t mind hearing it again and I’ll be looking forward to getting another album by the Heads.

I was only familiar with the first three tracks but I must have been in the mood for this because the rest of it hit just as hard. All of these mundane observations, semi-detached vocals, and WAY ahead of its time indie rock sensibilities came together so cohesively as to make this collection of demos sound instead like a greatest hits. I can hear the influence of these songs retroactively in some of my favorite records, by the likes of Violent Femmes, Pixies, and even Parquet Courts. I don’t really want to follow where Jonathan Richman leads after this, but I’m glad others followed in this record’s spiritual footsteps.

It’s a good indie rock record with some hints of Tweedy’s alt-country roots. It’s got the usual double-album problem of being too long. The cuts are less obvious to me though, because I just let it wash over me. There was nothing about it that made me want to let it in.

I’m not very familiar with Billy Joel’s music, so the only one from this that sounded familiar was Only the Good Die Young and that’s never been a song that’s made me want to explore further. Fortunately, I enjoyed songs like The Stranger, Just the Way You Are, and especially Vienna a lot more. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant compares both favorably and unfavorably to Paradise by the Dashboard Lights — unfavorably because it reminds me of it in style and scope, favorably because at least it’s a better song! The album kinda loses me in the last two tracks though the reprise of the whistling from The Stranger was a welcome coda. I’ll definitely come back to Vienna and I won’t be upset about drawing another Billy Joel album, but I’m not converted either.

I had played this album a few times before, focusing on the Harold & Maude connection, but this time through I found the whole thing to be something special. The music has a comfortable familiarity about it, but it also has an ache and a longing for something just out of reach… particularly in songs like Sad Lisa and Into White, which were standouts for me. I still love Where Do the Children Play and On the Road to Find Out. Cat Stevens really did have one of the best voices in music. I knew I was going to like this one, but I kinda loved it.

After experimenting with the Complete version, I decided the original LP was probably more my speed, as I’m not overly familiar with jazz. I enjoyed hearing the repeated motifs in Blues to Be There, and the tempo of Newport Up. Diminuendo and Crescendo In Blue is clearly the centerpiece of the album, but what parts of that crowd reaction are genuine? Maybe it doesn’t matter. I’m glad I heard this, but I’m probably missing too much context to understand why this is such an important album. But hey, you’ve got to start somewhere.

I knew very little about the sad history of Tim Buckley and his son before playing this. Some pretty astounding vocals throughout this record. No Man Can Find the War starts it off with a real statement, but it’s Pleasant Street and I Never Asked to Be Your Mountain that are the highlights of side 1. I felt like I enjoyed it more as it went along, which is always a good recipe for repeated listening. I’m surprised given what I’ve read about which Buckley records are included in the list, but I’m glad I heard this one and am definitely curious to hear more.

I’ve been looking forward to this one as it’s always been on my list to give a proper listen to and I never seem to get around to it. Radio Free Europe is one of my favorite songs — the only one I’d heard more than once or twice before. It was still my favorite by the end of the album, but had a lot more competition. Each of the first three songs, plus Perfect Circle and Catapult stood out on first listen… and held up on the 2nd. I think I could see this being one of those records where nearly every song takes a turn as a favorite with more listens — a great sign for becoming an all-time favorite. You can hear seeds of avenues REM would take on future songs, but it is expertly distilled to a mission statement here. I came to REM through their 90s output, but I think this will end up being my favorite era. Wish I hadn’t taken so long but better late than never!

Has some pleasant easy-listening sounds as long as you don’t pay attention to the lyrics. I’m honestly not a fan of the explicit themes, and nearly every song overstays its welcome. “Alright” and “Smooth” were the highlights. The singing is accomplished but not my style. I feel like I heard enough stuff like this on 90s pop radio.

I’m not sure why I’ve been so resistant to giving Parachutes a proper listen. The songs I heard a lot — Don’t Panic and Yellow — I always thought were pretty good. This time through, I was really struck by Trouble, which I recognized but had never appreciated before. The whole album has a nice flow. Yes, it’s the equivalent of “Indie Easy Listening” but I find that description far more welcoming than I did in 2000. This feels like Coldplay at their most honest, and I found that refreshing.

The opening track is an undeniable classic, but all the “baby,” “man,” “woman,” lyrics in everything make the album start to feel like a word salad with few ingredients. It’s surprising to see how many different writers there are. Another case of a talented singer and uninspiring material. The music sounds too old to be 1967.

I’m a big fan of how music was developing in the early 80s, but most of this feels a little dated and out of step with the time. The first three tracks don’t do much for me, and some of the keyboards sound like Steve is squeaking out a tuneful fart. The music gets a little better starting with track 4, where we get some more traditional instruments he sounds more comfortable with. I figured I was headed for a 2/5 here, but Spanish Dancer was a huge surprise — the first time I’m hearing something really interesting and good. Solid groove, much better keyboard sounds. Actually makes me think of stuff from Robert Palmer’s “Clues.” This track alone makes me feel a lot better about Arc of A Diver, even though it might be the only track I return to.

This definitely passed me by on original release. It sounds a lot like a noisier Blur with less-clever lyrics and too much screaming. The single, Get Free, was probably the worst thing here, but the album is consistently enjoyable in its more-tuneful moments. Sunshinin strikes a nice balance — rocking out without resorting to pointless noise. I’m struggling to find anything here to be too excited about — it all seems to have been done better by some of their contemporaries. The good moments just remind me of other bands I’d rather listen to. A light 3.

I know this had been played for me before by someone who hoped I’d like it. I kinda remembered White Winter Hymnal. In general, it sounds pleasant but unmemorable… like it’s trying to stir up an emotional response but doesn’t tap into anything real. Perhaps a live performance would make these songs feel right and memorable… for now, I find them aptly fleeting.

It was exciting in 2013 to finally have a new David Bowie album, but I remember that excitement fading as I was underwhelmed and put off by the first single and the album cover. I got the CD anyway and I’m not sure if I ever made it to the end back then. Now, determined to finish, I find the record lacks cohesion… and I wonder if it’s by design. It feels like a rejection of image. It’s leaving all the old personas behind, but doesn’t really replace them with anything. Taking the songs individually, I still enjoyed The Next Day, I’d Rather Be High, Boss Of Me, and Heat (I really think this was the first time I’d made it to the last track). There’s a sort of general loudness to this album that I find sort of exhausting. The songs don’t have space to breathe and many of them end before they feel fully explored. Being able to listen to this again AFTER absorbing the masterful “Blackstar” puts those problems into clearer focus. As a collection of 14 songs by David Bowie, this is at least a 3/5, but that’s pretty disappointing for David Bowie’s first album in 10 years.

I was excited to revisit this one as it’s been in my collection since it was released but I got stuck on a couple of songs. “Zero” might just be one of the best songs of all time… and following that up with “Heads Will Roll” is a nearly-unrivaled one-two punch. However, the album has so much more to offer. Karen O’s variety of vocal deliveries help keep every song interesting, and the increased use of synthesizers over YYY’s previous albums add welcome texture. Soft Shock, Dull Life, and Runaway have great hooks I’d remembered — but forgotten they all came from the same album. I was newly impressed by the groove on Dragon Queen, a new favorite after two plays. In returning to “It’s Blitz!” I found an album that seems to have grown on me without even listening to it. I’ll be coming back for more, and delving a little more seriously into the rest of YYY’s stuff that I’ve missed over the years. Fantastic.

I feel like this is the point where the challenge fails to be a useful exploration of music discovery. I’m not overly familiar with rap/hip-hop, and the few places I’ve connected to it share a lot of DNA with Jazz. I lack the knowledge and the bridges necessary to come to Stankonia from a place of understanding. In fact, it feels more like I’ve been dropped in the middle of an alien planet and asked to survive. I did not. I tried to find some positives. Ms. Jackson is listenable, and Spaghetti Junction has some nice beats. Musically, it’s often too chaotic (BOB). Lyrically it’s frequently too profane and just plain gross. For every song with a nice flow (Humble Mumble), there’s one that’s just irritating (Stankonia). It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever heard. The people who made it are clearly too talented for me to call this bad. It’s just entirely not for me.

As a fan of synthpop I’m kinda surprised I never bumped into music by this band at all, which makes claims of their supreme influence on the genre feel dubious to me. I can definitely hear elements that might have rubbed off on the likes of Fad Gadget or Cabaret Voltaire, but what we actually get here is mostly distorted takes on 50s pop. When it veers further from that it starts to get less background and more irritating. It’s like the band playing in the corner of the bar mumbling and yelping over homemade instruments who’s before the ones you’re actually there to see. The longer and weirder it goes the angrier you become — and all the while you get the sense that’s actually the band’s goal. Girl and Frankie Teardrop are things I hope to never hear again. By 1977, Kraftwerk were already well-established… Ultravox had a minor hit with My Sex. Synthesizer duos would have happened without Suicide. I can just award this an extra star for being an influence for genres and bands I love dearly. I’m glad I heard this context, so I suppose it belongs on the list, but I don’t need to hear it again.

Sea Change has been one of my favorite albums for more than 20 years, but I realized it’s been a long time since I really listened through the whole thing. The experience was like visiting an old friend and realizing you’d actually grown together, in parallel. What an emotionally complete experience this is! I found myself profoundly moved by tracks that hadn’t even been favorites before like End of the Day and It’s All In Your Mind. The opening and closing tracks are perfect bookends to enjoying this on a long drive and just letting your mind wander. Special shout to the bass playing on Paper Tiger too. Nigel Godrich and Beck are a match made in heaven. The Information is a stellar follow-up for the partnership, but Sea Change is the pinnacle. Perfection.

It took me a long time to warm up to Smashing Pumpkins, but I’d been meaning to spend some time with this one since picking out Cherub Rock as a favorite several years ago. I think there are several more great moments on this record — I particularly enjoyed Soma and Mayonaise. Some of the louder moments like Geek USA work less well. By the time Silverfuck was halfway over, I was feeling a little checked out and kinda surprised it wasn’t the final track. The highlights are great, and despite being a little overlong I liked the album and would probably try it again sometime.

First time I’ve listened to Dusty Springfield other than her Pet Shop Boys collaboration. I was impressed by her soulful voice and enjoyed the quality of the songwriting in the cuts selected for this album. The Windmills of Your Mind was a highlight, along with cuts by Carole King and Randy Newman. Preacher Man feels a little overrated to me. Not my style, but a good listen!

This has ambition to spare and a mostly-appealing Britpop sound. I will say I found elements a little tedious or annoying more than once and I couldn’t name a standout track. It’s the rare album I can’t say hit with me but I’m intrigued enough to go back to it again… probably sometime soon. I sense it could be a grower but on first play I don’t know that it justifies its hour+ runtime.

This feels like a surprisingly obscure inclusion, but I immediately felt like it was a welcome and worthy one. The blend of synth and shoegaze textures create an incredibly immersive listening experience I’m sure to return to again and again. H>A>K lures you in slowly before drawing you along amid hazy beats and ethereal vocals, then Did You See Butterflies? brings in the human melancholy. By the time we hit Loops In The Secret Society, I’m firmly entranced and entrenched. The spoken-word passage in Ravenspoint was a little distracting at first, but it worked for me the 2nd time through. As the final track, Wish, ends it ominously fades back up and creates a perfect loop with track one, letting you repeat the cycle again. Just wow. It’s the first time the project has given me an album by someone I’d never heard of and left me feeling like I’d found a new addition to my favorite artists. Excited to delve into more of Jane Weaver’s music.

If I could make a short album out of the moments I liked, there’s something here. There’s some great guitar on this record. I genuinely enjoyed “Both of Us (Bound to Lose)” and “Move Around” quite a bit. If I could keep one jammier moment it would be “The Treasure - Take 1” which showcases a lot of the strengths of these musicians. I just wish there wasn’t so much dull country rock, straightforward blues, and hillbilly nonsense mixed in. It made the album a chore to listen to, and something I mostly didn’t like.

This is my 2nd collection of 50s rock after Here’s Little Richard and my reaction is much the same. We even get a version of Tutti Frutti that’s not as good as Little Richard’s. Blue Suede Shoes is the highlight. There’s a surprising variety of vocal range, but some songs don’t suit him. Mercifully short — Elvis definitely seems like a singles act, and one that’s probably better-appreciated in a live setting. I feel like this is still a few years away from rock n roll albums truly mattering more than the respective singles.

I’m inexperienced with hip-hop, but that wasn’t a big problem for me here because this was captivating music from the beginning. The basslines on the first two tracks especially drew me into the flow and the lyrics kept me interested. Mixing the vocal and jazz samples keeps each track sounding fresh. There’s clearly been a lot of thought put into the track order, as each one almost-seamlessly transitions into the next. I didn’t vibe with everything on the record and the first half was definitely better than the 2nd. However, I feel like this might be a great starting point to explore the genre.

An album that felt different depending on when I listened to it. It was fine in the morning, but listening again on a cold, wet night drive unlocked its magic for me. It’s a beautiful meditation on accepting mortality on your own terms. I might not always want to hear this, but when I do… I want it darker.

There’s a sort of discount Beatles vibe to most of this. The vocals remind me unfavorably of Bob Dylan’s at times, though I mostly find them better. The Wolf of Velvet Fortune is the best track, and that’s probably where it should have ended because Old Kentucky Home is wretched. It’s not one I’m going to remember well, but 10 of 11 tracks were pleasant. The best bands of this era were several steps ahead though.

It’s good background techno but nothing stands out compared to Fat of the Land. Not sure this needed to be on the list. Enjoyed it for what it was.

This felt incredibly familiar even though I don’t think I’d heard most of the songs before. It was a place that felt so welcoming, I think I played through this album more times than anything else so far in the challenge. Elliot Smith truly belongs to the tradition of great singer-songwriters.

Plenty of pompous lyrics, irritating harmonica, and bloated production all over this record. Neil Young’s voice has grown on me over the years, but I can’t say I enjoy what he’s singing about. The London Symphony Orchestra stuff doesn’t suit him at all. Are You Ready For the Country is pretty wretched. Old Man is part of a good song but it’s ruined by the grating backing vocals. The 2nd half finally has 2 minutes I enjoy without reservations. The Needle and the Damage Done is just a great song. Telling that it’s just Young and a guitar. The final track didn’t bother me but I was ready for it to be over by then. I think there may be a Neil Young recording out there I’d enjoy, but this ain’t it.

He can’t decide if he’s proud to be a gangster or regrets that it’s what he has to be. I guess it’s both at the same time. He also seems to be actively wishing for and courting death, while lamenting all the death that surrounds him. I suppose I relate to ambivalence, but that’s about it. Another album I can’t say is bad, but I really disliked it. Not for me.

I’ve been meaning to give this a listen for a long time. Cash’s music isn’t something I really gravitate towards, but listening to him work the crowd on this release is really something special. I would have expected a couple more of his hits, but I can see he was going for a theme. I liked how he seemed to show a kinship with the prisoners — though I couldn’t help but think they might have enjoyed a FEW more songs that didn’t remind them of where they were! Glad to have finally heard this one.

I’ve never really invested time into getting to know Michael Jackson’s music, kind of figuring I’d heard enough naturally to get the idea. Off the Wall starts with the one track I’d definitely heard before. I like the length — it gives it time to breathe and serves as a nice opening salvo to all the pop hits that follow. The best song for me was Rock With You, with some really nice backing vocals in the chorus. It’s The Falling In Love was another one I found really catchy and was humming long after it was over. I wasn’t a big fan of the ballad, She’s Out of My Life, but I dig the way his voice breaks at the end. A nice touch I feel like modern records forget sometimes… a great voice should also still feel human. It’s a great pop record with an appealing disco sound. It’s not enough of my thing to go full marks, but it’s super solid, and something I enjoyed a lot more than I expected to.

This is an album I was looking forward to. It’s got plenty of nice grooves and is mostly easy to get into and listen to. It feels very “after-school special” in so many ways, which makes the stuff that doesn’t (like De La Orgee and a few others) feel really out of place. Even though there’s a lot of effort put into making this feel like a complete listening experience, I could probably just take the hits going forward. They seemed to be the best songs.

I was definitely not looking forward to this, especially after not being impressed at all with OutKast’s previous album. This one is a lot better, but I still struggled. The Rooster was the first track of theirs I genuinely liked, but I had to skip during tracks like Bust, Tomb of the Boom, and Church. There’s just too many irritating elements for me, even though I can appreciate the creativity. The Love Below half had a few more bright spots. Behold a Lady and Pink & Blue were both pretty interesting. I’m utterly sick of Hey Ya though, and Roses was so laughably bad I had to skip after a couple minutes. I definitely did not expect the jazzy take on My Favorite Things. Some of the vocal jazz takes elsewhere sound like parodies since the singing is really off. I feel like I at least can see the appeal of a lot of what’s here (vs. Stankonia which just didn’t have anything I liked or understood). There’s a lot of variety but it missed with me quite a bit more than it hit and the 2:15 length made it a slog to get through.

The music here sounded instantly familiar. Beck’s Sea Change is one of my favorite albums, and it’s so clear he was influenced by this record — particularly with the song Paper Tiger sharing the same DNA as the opening and closing tracks. As far as my enjoyment of this record goes, it’s slightly marred by reading up on the subject matter. Maybe it’s better I don’t speak French for my enjoyment. I listened through twice and En Melodie had the only moments of the record I didn’t enjoy. The closer is the best, keeping the tune and instrumentation of the opener and adding those haunting backing vocals. Just superb. I have to knock a star off because the whole storyline gives me the ick, but the music is pretty much flawless.

I was excited to revisit this one as it’s something I pretty much took two singles from and never really listened to the rest that much. The Sun Always Shines on TV is still my favorite track, but the rest of the album had plenty of synth-pop appeal. Morten Harket has one of the best voices in pop music and his range is on display throughout. Almost every track here could have been a single (and I gather half of them actually were). Somehow, Take On Me has never lost its appeal for me despite its ubiquity. It might never become an all-time favorite but I think I’ll be returning for more complete listens in the future.

I got this album years ago after a recommendation but it didn’t hit me right at all. I’m glad I revisited it because there’s something here. I’m not a huge fan of the vocals but a few of the songs really worked for me. I particularly enjoyed The Noise of Carpet and Metronomic Underground. I think this one could grow on me more, but I found it didn’t fully draw me in so it felt repetitive rather than immersive.

I have always avoided AC/DC because I can’t stand the vocals and I find the music incredibly dull, so this is the first time I’ve made it through an album. I struggled. It’s like someone took all the worst tendencies of Led Zeppelin and turned them up to 11, then stripped out anything interesting musically, and made the lyrics 1000% dumber. Rock and Roll might not be noise pollution but this album certainly is.

First time I've had a collection of classic rock that's a live setting and I think it helps things. I did feel like this was a little more restrained than the James Brown I expected, but I enjoyed listening to him work the crowd. None of the songs themselves particularly stood out. I rarely say this, but it might have been a little too short. By the time I think the performance really gets going, it's over.

Felt like a pretty run of the mill new millennium British pop rock album. I did like There Goes the Fear and Caught By the River. A few interesting production touches were too few and far between. Vocals were average. Nothing here that will draw me back, but decent all the way through. Quintessential 3/5.

I got this album shortly after it came out based on hearing “Clocks,” and found it a little disappointing and unmemorable overall. Years later, I found more to like. It stats off a little slow with a few okay songs, but The Scientist takes things up a notch and starts a really good run through Clocks and Daylight. Green Eyes is the weakest track and starts a bit of a late-album lull. The closer, Amsterdam, might be the best thing on the album. I like the songs that are a bit more piano-forward. I don’t think it’s quite as good as Parachutes but still a light 4.

When this came up and I saw the album cover and title I felt like I was being Punk’d. It’s tough to listen to these guys spout some of the corniest shit you’ve ever heard while they’re saying how much they’re loved around the world. I thought I might as well be listening to “Top That” from Teen Witch. When it’s not corny, it’s cringeworthy and/or far, far too long. I’m sure I didn’t have to listen to a blowfish with a transatlantic accent before I died… but i did twice just to be sure I’d heard what I heard. Truly terrible.

One of the greatest albums of all time. Starting with Shout and The Working Hour, you already have two of the best songs of the 80s and haven't even hit Everybody Wants To Rule The World yet. This might be the best three-song opening ever. Mothers Talk is a brilliant track in its own right, full of studio experimentation. I Believe slows things down... leading into one of my favorite combinations on any album -- the Broken/Head Over Heels suite. I love the way Broken hints at Head Over Heels and then explodes back in after the conclusion ending with thunderous applause. Concluding with the contemplative and atmospheric Listen works so well too. I don't think I'd change a thing. Other notes -- I think The Working Hour has the best sax performance in a pop/rock song. The Dave Bascombe production is top notch. His work on this album attracted the attention of Depeche Mode for Music For The Masses, giving us another of the greatest 80s albums. All this said, I might reach for The Hurting slightly more these days, but drawing Songs From The Big Chair over a weekend and playing through it a few times, I'm sure it's Tears For Fears' best. It just might be the best album of the decade.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one, given I'd been pretty cold on albums by Neil Young and Stephen Stills earlier. I probably enjoyed "Carry On" and "Woodstock" the most, and struggled a little with "Teach Your Children" (though that's probably more the fault of all the ways slide guitar has been used since this album). Neil Young's "Helpless" is another strong contribution. I couldn't help but think of a certain muppet every time he sang "big birds flying across the sky," but I enjoyed it anyway. Reading about the album it sounds like it was a difficult recording session, but it probably helped bring out the best in each individual.

There were a few tracks I enjoyed — Smoke ‘Em and Come Find Yourself were the best. The song they’re known for, Scooby Snacks, was definitely one of the worst things here. We Have All the Time in the World felt like a bad Lou Reed parody and Bear Hug made me want to give the whole thing a 1/5 and be done. I bet they’re entertaining live, but I think I’d be tired of it after half an hour. Just enough here to avoid the lowest score, but not by much.

Praise You has been one of my favorite songs for nearly three decades, but listening to it in the context of this album makes its success feel more like an accident than a work of genius. Each one of these tracks employs exactly the same tricks over and over again... riffing off of a vocal sample or two and a bit of music... each track going through the same progressions as the one before. Praise You is still a massive success, but I'll gladly bin the rest of this.

The Police might be an acquired taste I haven’t really sought out. Their biggest hits haven’t been enough to make me search for more and Sting’s voice has never been one of my favorites. I felt like I needed to give this one a couple of listens (and skip “Mother” the 2nd time — seriously what were they thinking including this?), and found I liked it better than I thought I would. The best part of Side 1 is easily the two parts of Synchronicity, with the 2nd probably being my favorite overall track. Side 2 is better, with Every Breath You Take being the obvious standout. King of Pain and Wrapped Around Your Finger were decent too. It’s not going to make me a fan and I feel like it’s overrated, but I did like it. There was just so much good stuff coming out in 1983 I don’t feel like this should have been as popular as it was.

It’s clear this album was one of the forerunners of punk, which had to make it fascinating for listeners at the time. It’s pretty interesting in retrospect too. Search and Destroy definitely feels like the album’s mission statement. The energy is fantastic right from the beginning… but the overall sound feels so thin. It’s about here that I saw there was a “Bowie Mix” and an “Iggy Mix.” After reading a little about them I decided to listen to both, and then tried switching between them mid-song a few times. Frustratingly, both of them have different problems. Bowie’s is too thin, Iggy’s is too loud. Goldilocks never really arrives. The songs themselves are all good without any of them being particularly memorable. Iggy has a lot of vocal styles — I like some and don’t care for others. I dig the repeated celesta melody on Penetration… it almost feels like a post-punk track. Raw Power itself seems to be the blueprint for the Sex Pistols. I liked this record without really loving anything about it. Perhaps if it had production that could make it feel as visceral as a live performance I could get behind it a little more.

I’m tempted to rank the songs by how much I disliked the harmonica playing in each one. It’s easily the album’s worst feature and makes me write off the first four tracks immediately. Bruce Springsteen’s voice isn’t quite at the level of gravely I can’t stand. The songs are sonically identical to each other so the standouts come in the form of the stories they tell. Highway Patrolman probably fares the best. Not something I needed to hear or want to hear again.

I had a lot of fun with this. It’s punk music but also lets in a little more complexity and lightheartedness. The big hit, “Another Girl, Another Planet” is definitely a highlight but far from the only one. Some of the guitar work is fantastic — at times feeling like a classic rock throwback and others feeling similar to post-punk licks by the likes of John McGeoch. I’d somehow missed these guys, even though the music is very near my wheelhouse. Based on the debut, I’d be interested in giving their other records a listen.

A couple of bright spots. Visions of You is decent and I liked Everyman's An Island, but I mostly found this alternately irritating and boring. It's like an entire album of the song that represents the lull in the running order.

It’s interesting to finally hear this after years of only listening to Mezzanine. The clear favorite for me is Unfinished Sympathy. I also dig the contributions from Tricky. Horace Andy’s vocals are hit and miss with me… making me not really care for One Love or Hymn of the Big Wheel, but being less of an issue on Five Man Army. Mostly I’m a little disappointed that a lot of the sounds I associate with Trip Hop aren’t really there on this record. Blue Lines gets closest to the sound I was hoping for. Maybe it isn’t fair to review this album for being years away from the major sonic breakthroughs the band would create later, but it’s clear to me that Mezzanine is the one that belongs on the list.

I find the B-52’s fun but only in small doses. After an entire album it starts to feel like a little much. It’s partly because this is so frontloaded with hits. Planet Claire, 52 Girls, Rock Lobster, and to a lesser extent Dance This Mess Around and Lava are all great. Their shtick starts to wear thin after that — and Downtown I found particularly grating. The songs are at their best when the guitar licks are pulling more of the weight. Torn between a strong 3 and a light 4, but the three strongest songs win out.

I thought I was going to talk myself into being okay with this album, but then Something In The Night starts to sound like dad’s drunken karaoke and it just starts going downhill from there. By the time he’s grunting his way through Prove It All Night with its ghastly harmonica and saxophone that sounds more like a kazoo, I’m so done. Maybe two Springsteen albums in one week broke me, but this was much worse than the one I rated a 2…

It's been a while since my almost-mandatory discovery and temporary obsession with The Beatles so it's been a long time since I've played this album in full. I appreciate all their eras (doesn't it seem strange now to talk about a band that was only around about ten years as having multiple eras), and the early albums are no exception. It starts off with maybe my favorite early Beatles track in It Won't Be Long, and continues with bangers for three more. Little Child is the album's first foot wrong and my pick for weakest Lennon/McCartney original. But it's followed by easily the album's best cover in Till There Was You. The rest of the covers don't do too much for me, but Ringo's turn on vocals, I Wanna Be Your Man, is another of my favorite early Beatles tracks. Not A Second Time is the last essential album cut. If this album was a 5, then every Beatles album would probably have a case. As it is, there are too many covers that are just alright for me to give this the same score as their half-dozen-plus absolute classics. Compared to other early rock & roll albums I've drawn though? This is light years ahead.

Pet Shop Boys is not a band I love as much as I used to, but this is right in the middle of what I consider to be their best stretch of albums. Discography is one of the best singles collections of all time and you get four of them here. Rent and It’s A Sin are my favorites, but What Have I Done To Deserve This has really grown on me over the years. The other material is nearly as strong too. Only PSB could make a song about shopping sound so cool. King’s Cross is often pinpointed as a should-have-been single and I concur. Somehow, this record doesn’t quite have my heart like others I’ve given full marks, but it’s better than any of my 4s. Getting this for my birthday was a fine gift from the generator. I’ll be generous in return.

An essential element of the Britpop landscape, this album has attitude to spare. I hate to be predictable but Stutter and Connection are my favorite tracks — both stellar songs I’m always happy to hear. The rest of the album has plenty to offer though. I was struck this time through by how much there is here without the quality dipping. Car Song and Indian Song stood out to me this time (need help with titles?). The lead vocals and harmonies are a highlight providing a perfect counterbalance to the more-aggressive instrumentation. It sounds right at home next to Blur/Suede or Veruca Salt. I anticipate playing this album again sooner rather than later.

The stories are engaging and the voice is pure, which already puts this ahead of a lot of country music for me. I was surprised I knew El Paso. It fits right alongside early rock and roll… no wonder he had so many hits. Also, Utah Carol is one of the strangest stories I’ve heard put to song.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this album hit me like a ton of bricks. I’ve never really listened to Joni Mitchell, but this record really made me feel something. The lyrics are consistently clever as they cut deep — finding new space in the simplest emotions. Her voice can be playful, sweet, and somber… sometimes all in the same song. I love the way her voice wavers when she holds a note. I also love how often the songs hit a slightly different note than I expected. I felt unexpected tears during “My Old Man” and they came around several more times before the album was done. River and A Case Of You might be my favorite pairing first time through. It’s an album that made me stop what I was doing and just listen. It’s rare for an album to hit me so hard on first play but I’m so glad I was ready to hear this… and that I was privileged enough for it to happen.

A live hard rock album has an uphill battle to earn my appreciation, but this one got there. The sound quality certainly isn’t the best, but the strength of the singing and the guitar shines through. By the time I reached the middle of “Still In Love With You” I was in. That’s definitely the standout track from the set — no surprise it’s the most replayed from the album. I think this is the hard rock fun people told me I was missing with KISS (which I did not find fun or good in any way). The singing and lyrics here are better, the playing is far better, and the performance feels more authentic. I’m probably not going out of my way to listen to this again any time soon, and “The Boys Are Back In Town” still doesn’t do anything for me, but I’ve got to give Thin Lizzy credit for being the most enjoyable time I’ve had with hard rock so far.

One of my first times obsessing over a “new” album is when Kid A was released. It didn’t feel like a betrayal of what Radiohead had been before — it felt like they were finally embracing their true selves. From the first notes of Everything In Its Right Place, Kid A is as captivating of a complete experience as you’re likely to find in music. National Anthem is hypnotic and explosive, then How to Disappear Completely is quietly devastating. I tried to listen with fresh ears, which is tough for an album I’ve known inside and out for a quarter century. It helped me see In Limbo as a great song in its own right rather than the bridge between Optimistic and Idioteque. I’ve never been as over the moon about Idioteque or Motion Picture Soundtrack as some fans, but they’re both great songs. More importantly, they give the album different textures while still keeping it feeling cohesive. I definitely gravitate toward In Rainbows more lately (honestly since October of 2007), but Kid A is a towering achievement and proof for any band out there that wants to ‘zig’ when the world expects you to ‘zag’ that being true to yourselves keeps the art honest. It’s the only way to survive and still create a masterpiece.

I’ll start with the positives. She’s got a great singing voice and the beats/production by Timbaland are consistently good. I liked the song, The Rain. It was kinda fun hearing the pseudo-cover of “Pass the Dutchie.” The negatives… almost every time there was a feature I found it really irritating. After the first three tracks, I wasn’t sure how much of this record I was going to be able to take. The best was later in the album with the track, “Gettaway.” There are definitely some clever lines throughout, but I generally don’t want to listen to the things she’s singing about. This was at its worst during Why You Hurt Me and I’m Talkin’, both of which I had to skip before the end. This feels like an important album because Missy seems to be announcing her presence — showing she belongs right at the center of the male-dominated rap scene. I respect it, but it’s not my thing.

I haven’t heard this one all the way through in 20 years and the first song might indirectly be the reason. Baba O’Riley is easily the best song on the album and it does so much I feel like it’s all I need by the time it’s done. As for the other big hits on the record, Won’t Get Fooled Again is just a bit too long for what it has to offer and Behind Blue Eyes is kind of a weak spot on the album to me. The rest of it almost felt like listening for the first time. Bargain was a really good follow-up to the opener, with sounds in the same vein. The next two tracks feel a little too straightforward to be interesting. The Song is Over is better, as is Getting In Tune. The band is at its best when it isn’t doing riff-based guitar music. Track one is an easy 5/5, but too much of this feels like run of the mill rock music. I’ll probably go right back to only ever playing Baba O’Riley. A strong 3/5… almost a light 4.

The worst part of this was definitely the skits, New Workout Plan, and Get ‘Em High. Some of the production is impressive. The only song I kinda liked was Never Let Me Down. A couple others were listenable. I suppose the final “story” track is interesting once but I can’t see why you’d ever want to play it a second time. I really don’t like the baby/chipmunk pitched up voice that features throughout the record. The length was just unnecessary to me too. Lots of ideas could have been dropped to make this a tighter story and strengthen the concept. Torn between a strong 1 and a light 2, but it’s so much better than the previous hip-hop albums I gave a 1 to. Not particularly looking forward to more Kanye, though I know it’s coming.

This was pleasant enough background music with some occasional standout moments. I liked Daande Lenol the best — the tones of the Balafon are quite relaxing. I don’t have much to say other than it wasn’t that engaging and wouldn’t be my go-to for background atmosphere either.

Portishead has not left much of an impression on me in my previous encounters with their music. It always seemed like something I could respect but wasn’t really for me. I might have been impatient. This album starts off interesting enough, but by the time The Rip segues into the electronic groove in its 2nd half I’m completely in. Beth Gibbons’ vocals add a beautiful fragility… sometimes matching the music, other times acting as its counterpoint. Plastic continues the strongest stretch of the album… leading to We Carry On, which might be my favorite track here. The variety of sounds throughout the record keep me interested and are particularly mesmerizing in this song. I love how the sparse ukulele track, Deep Water, leads right into the aggressive electronic bombast of Machine Gun. The sequencing of tracks on this record is such a strength, as are the sonic shifts within each song. It makes for so many memorable moments. “Third” is an album I felt needed multiple listens to even begin to rate it, and I’m sure more listens will continue to reveal more hidden treasures within. I’m looking forward to reevaluating Portishead’s other music and continuing to build my appreciation for this masterpiece too.

This was a nice listen all the way through. Sometimes they sounded a little like a British REM to me… other times the vocals almost made me think of They Might Be Giants. I didn’t think it was going to stand out enough to avoid the middle-of-the-road score at first, but starting with Captain’s Table I think the album actually gets stronger and maintains it all the way through the 2nd half. I Want You and Daniella are the best two songs and saved for near the end and last. I think the story about the Waterpistol album I read while looking up Shack was the most interesting thing I learned. Nothing stood out to become an immediate favorite, but everything was pretty good.

What a treat to get this record on a Friday. Hunky Dory has 4 of my favorite Bowie songs in Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life On Mars?, and Kooks. Yep, I really like Kooks — I don’t know why that gets pegged as the worst track on the album so often. Fill Your Heart is the only weak spot to me. I’m pretty happy listening to Bowie’s singles collections, but I make an exception for a handful of excellent albums, and this is one of them.

I’ve been avoiding this album for more than 20 years — tired of people telling me it was great or a big step forward for Green Day, or it had something important to say. I was a mostly-unwilling participant in Green Day being the soundtrack to my high school years and I was damned if I was going to let it follow me into my 20s as well. 20 years later, I think I was right to avoid it. It’s not horrible, but it has none of the fun and great tunes that made me enjoy Dookie despite it not being my favorite type of music. All the unavoidable radio songs still make me wince and hearing them in the context of the record doesn’t help. Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams probably fares the best of the hits. All that said I do appreciate that Green Day couldn’t make slacker teen punk music forever. It would have been worse if they entered their 30s still trying to recreate the feeling of smoking pot in their parents’ basement. A sprawling rock opera wasn’t the way I expected them to move on, and it’s not something I was interested in hearing — particularly from them. The middle section of the album is the worst part, playing out like a tiresome pop-punk version of Abbey Road, full of semi-unfinished loosely connected ideas. All that said, there is so much evidence throughout this record that Green Day is a band who is meticulous about their craft. It’s kind of daring for a band associated with music that loudly shouts, “who cares!?” to clearly care so much. Maybe part of me wished they still appreared to be as effortlessly cool as they did in the 90s, but looking back now I can’t fault them for realizing that version of Green Day had reached its expiration date. I probably won’t listen to this again. I respect it, even while I admit it’s not really for me.

It’s tough to listen to this album without feeling sadness for how Amy Winehouse’s story ended, especially on the opener, “Rehab.” The album does have an indisputably enjoyable swagger about it and the songs are strong and impeccably-produced. Amy’s vocals and lyrics are another highlight… though sometimes the bluntness feels a little incongruous with music that wouldn’t have been out of place in the 1960s. Back to Black itself is a highlight, along with Love Is A Losing Game — probably my favorite pairing on the record. Maybe “Me & Mr Jones” is a slightly weak spot, but the album is strong throughout with no filler. Maybe there’s something a little too slick about the whole thing that keeps me at a slight distance. It’s a very good record that I wouldn’t mind hearing again.

There was some good production on this record that made me enjoy the more-chill moments, but everything more aggressive just started to annoy me. It tailed off HARD in the middle starting with the I Will Survive pastiche.

I’ve spent a lot of time with Echo and the Bunnymen’s singles and the Ocean Rain album. This is no Ocean Rain, but it’s still a very impressive album. The Cutter and Back Of Love are the cuts I know really well, and they stand out as strengths here. But the album continues to present icy, jagged guitar and accomplished vocals that always seem to have more range than I expect. Clay, Porcupine, and Heads Will Roll represent another really strong stretch of songs. The band was on the cusp of creating one of the greatest records of all time, but this precursor is worthy of a place right alongside.

Ended up skipping around looking for anything to like. Nothing here for me.

I’ve always been a “Greatest Hits” listener to S&G, so it was interesting to add some texture to the songs here I know well. There are several standouts here, but Bridge Over Troubled Water itself is the album’s towering achievement. The vocal performance is Garfunkel’s best, aided by a production that ebbs and flows, swelling into a bombastic finish that’s totally earned. The Boxer and The Only Living Boy in New York are my other personal highlights, with If I Could and Song for the Asking not too far behind. I won’t say the more-upbeat tracks are misses. I do enjoy them, but they’re not on the same level to me. I wasn’t a huge fan of including the live version of Bye Bye Love. Overall, I think the stronger material in the singles separates itself from the filler tracks, but the whole experience was enjoyable and has me wanting to delve into the rest of their catalogue. Might be my strongest 4/5 so far.

I’ve liked Bittersweet Symphony ever since it came out, but always assumed the band was a one-hit wonder. I was surprised that several of the songs had 9-figure plays on Spotify, but I will say that those were some of the standouts. Lucky Man in particular shares just enough DNA with Bittersweet Symphony to sound like a worthy companion piece. The rock ballads work the best here, but I didn’t mind the jammier, harder moments either. It was a surprisingly brisk listen for an album that’s over an hour long. The only song that really didn’t work for me was the oh-so-90s hidden track tacked on the end after several minutes of silence (which was the style at the time). Deep Freeze is built around *checks notes* a crying baby sample. My kryptonite. Anyway, nothing really jumped out as something I needed to hear again anytime soon, but Bittersweet Symphony still stands up as a great song. I’m glad they’re finally getting paid for it.

I’ve been meaning to give this album a listen for years, but it’s the sort of music I have to be in the right mood for. The music itself is great and a lot of fun, but sometimes the silliness has been a little too intense. It’s a little like B-52’s for me in that way. I can get behind almost everything here and I really enjoyed Uncontrollable Urge and Mongoloid this time through. I’ve always liked their deconstructed version of (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction more than the original. The best song I’d never heard before was easily Shrivel-Up. Great music and a nice bleak message. Gut Feeling has a great groove too though I could probably do without the Slap Your Mammy bit at the end. It’s probably never going to be one of my favorite post-punk records, but it’s a really strong album I can finally admit probably belongs in my vinyl collection… to be brought out occasionally!

This was mostly pretty fun and only occasionally irritating. I didn’t think it started all that strong but it picked up as it went along. The rough edges in the playing and singing add to the appeal. Everything from FM on was pretty good. The late 70s seems to be a great era for the deconstructed 60s classic. Heard it through the Grapevine is probably my favorite track on the record, and might be my favorite version of the song. The reggae influences aren’t my favorite element, but they don’t bother me here nearly as much as they do in The Clash. I like The Slits best when they’re reminding me of Pylon — a band I’d honestly rather listen to. This is still a strong 3 and I admit I might be underrating it. It’s just that hearing it right after Devo’s debut (which I gave a 4) definitely highlights a gulf in quality between them.

I’ve long appreciated The Doors for just a few songs, so I was hoping to discover more to like here. I just found myself frustrated. Jim Morrison has such a wonderful voice when it’s used well. His vocals on Waiting for the Sun and Blue Sunday are great examples. Then there’s others like Roadhouse Blues and Maggie M’Gill where it’s just kind of wretched. Those two, You Make Me Real, and Land Ho! are all terrible. When I can stand the vocals, even some of those songs aren’t that great. There’s nothing here on the level of Light My Fire, The End, People Are Strange, The Crystal Ship, etc. I can’t see this being anyone’s favorite Doors album. If it is, I probably don’t need to see the rest of their record collection. The lightest of 3s.

I'm admittedly not the biggest Prince fan -- I've always found some of the more-eccentric vocals a little grating and the synths/rhythms a little basic even while appreciating the guitar playing. At the same time, I admire his skill and pop star aura. I'd definitely listened to parts of Purple Rain before -- namely "Let's Go Crazy," "When Doves Cry," and "Purple Rain." Let's Go Crazy is probably the gold standard for that sort of 80s party music sound I've always found very mid overall (see also stuff like Everybody Have Fun Tonight, Celebration, Walkin' On Sunshine...). But, if I could have one of those tracks, it would be this one -- love the spoken-word intro, and the closing guitar solo is such an announcement of presence. I should probably mention I've never seen the associated film... but the track order does feel like a filmic progression. Take Me With U through Computer Blue really move from strength to strength. My only stumbling block is "Darling Nikki," which slows things to a screeching halt with an uninspiring sound and storyline and some pretty annoying vocals in the 2nd half. When Doves Cry gets things back on track, even though the main synth backbone rhythm sounds like something from my cheap Casio keyboard. I think the song sounds better in the context of the album. I dig the way I Would Die 4 U transitions seamlessly into Baby I'm a Star, even though the latter is the less-essential version of "Let's Go Crazy" for me. Finally, Purple Rain itself is the album's masterpiece. I always found it a little long in isolation, but as the album's coda it's actually perfect. I will also always think of it in the context of his Super Bowl performance when it rained, only during this song -- still the greatest halftime show ever. I won't say I've been converted into a massive Prince fan, but I can firmly say I'm a fan of this record, a few quibbles aside. I get why it's held in such high regard.

REM is a band I've always liked without becoming obsessed, so it's been interesting to finally delve into more of their albums. Document feels like a strong album from the outset. Finest Worksong has never been one of my favorites, but it's a solid start. The next several tracks keep up the quality while still adding some musical variety. It's kind of wild that two of their most well-known songs are right in the middle of the track order. It's The End of the World As We Know It and The One I Love are definitely my two favorite tracks here and deserving of their status as all-time great songs by the band. As many times as I've heard it, I still can't sing along with "End of the World." Even though I don't engage with the lyrics like some do, I can't deny being engaged by its exuberance. I can't help but wonder how well Document would be remembered without them. I think it tails off pretty hard after The One I Love. The sax on Fireplace doesn't fit here, and the vocals are pretty irritating on Lightnin' Hopkins. King of Birds feels like a meandering march, and Oddfellows just might be the least-engaging thing on the record. That said, I'd probably put this about on par with Green and both of those a full tier under Murmur.

Tracey Thorn has a nice voice and the album has a pleasant sound. A lot of it is too influenced by smooth jazz for me. There’s nothing about the music that really engages me. Highlights are I Don’t Want to Talk About It, I Always Was Your Girl, and Oxford Street. There are no lowlights, but I’m still disappointed nothing felt like a standout. I might be more interested in a later EBTG record as I understand they try some different musical styles and arrangements.

I was immediately interested by this record because I had thought "Paranoid" was the first Black Sabbath album. I wasn't too surprised to read that it had been recorded in one day. It sounds like a live album, warts and all. It means there's a good energy and presence to it, but it also feels like it's begging to be tightened in places and have production touches added in others. The best track is probably the opener -- setting the tone as one of gloom and doom. I think I'd hoped for the mood to get gloomier and the songs faster and louder after this... but The Wizard is an odd duck. I don't like the harmonica. It just sounds like blues rock with fantasy lyrics. Definitely the album's weakest track. The next medley of three songs is another highlight. It always seems to be threatening to break into one of their more well-known riffs, so it's never fully satisfying. Wicked World feels a little too Led Zeppelin for my liking. I expected the final medley to bring everything together into some grand statement, but I don't think that's what they were about at this point. It just kind of meanders. What this record does show is a band with a lot of potential on the cusp of something great. They just don't have it here.

I was looking forward to revisiting this one, since I don't think I'd given it a fair chance when I first listened. It's one of those albums where its reputation preceded it -- a reputation it would be difficult for any album to live up to. I hardly made it past "Don't Stop" because it annoyed me so much that it just seemed to be "Waterfall" again with some parts reversed. It felt like they were out of ideas already on track 4. Backing up, the first three songs range from great (Waterfall) to excellent (I Wanna Be Adored) to one of the best songs I've ever heard (She Bangs the Drums). She Bangs the Drums is seriously worth the price of admission on its own -- that guitar break in the middle gives me goosebumps every time. The next three/four really fall off a cliff by comparison. Don't Stop still annoys me years later, Bye Bye Bad Man and Sugar Spun Sister sound like average filler, and I can't hear the Scarborough Fair melody without it feeling like a Simon & Garfunkel reference. As a result, I've rarely made it past this point of the record. There are definitely rewards for continuing. Made Of Stone is the first thing that feels worthy of the opening three tracks and This Is The One is very good as well. The album's original closer, I Am The Resurrection, does go on a bit for my liking without really building into anything. Perhaps it would have been better if the band had ended it in a cacophony of feedback as they'd originally wanted. As it is, it just kind of limply fades out. Finally, Fools Gold feels like the longest 10 minutes of music I've ever heard. I don't like it -- I'm as bored listening to it as they sound while they're playing it. I can't really hold it against the album since it feels very "bonus track." This is a frustrating album for me, because I think there's flashes of brilliance that make me understand why it's rated as one of the best of all time. I can't help but think those reviews are rewarding its highlights and the influence of the band rather than the album as a whole. That does count for something -- but not for full marks.

This might be a rare opinion, but Seventeen Seconds is a genuine masterpiece and The Cure's best album. I'm not sure I've heard something that so perfectly captures the feeling of isolation as this. It has a sort of anxious melancholy that I find strangely comfortable. The hits, Play for Today and A Forest, are definitely superb on their own. But they work even better in the context of this record. A Reflection sets the tone so perfectly, signaling this will be an introspective and experimental album. So much of the runtime is devoted to creating this atmosphere, but the album somehow still feels playful -- the sound of a band figuring out in real time what they're going to be about (sometimes even as the tape runs out). A Forest itself is simultaneously the most successful piece atmospherically and structurally. Like most of the record, it feels like a film... the opening notes setting the stage for a surreal nightmare that builds... threatening to strike until it suddenly leaves you... once again alone. M might be the most straightforward song on the record, but it's also one of the best. My personal pick when I need some Cure for my playlist but don't want to go with one of the more-obvious choices. With At Night and Seventeen Seconds, the isolation crystallizes... becoming a permanent, inescapable state. At this point, I will often choose to repeat the whole experience... knowing I'll never truly escape this album's pull. I couldn't fault anyone for choosing any number of The Cure records as their favorite -- I've had Head On The Door and Disintegration both at the top before -- but this is the one that feels most like a complete experience I want to return to again and again.

The sound of the music is right up my alley, but I don't think much of the actual songs. My biggest problem with PIL is right at the center. John Lydon's vocals and lyrics just don't do anything for me, as much as I agree with the sentiment of what he's saying (especially on tracks like Religion). Some of the guitar/bass work is really exciting... especially on Annalisa. That track has my favorite music on the album, but it just kinda goes on and on for a couple minutes after it's done its thing. I even had to skip one track -- the vocal histrionics on Fodderstomp were something I could no longer stand after a couple of minutes. I feel like I've complained a lot relative to my enjoyment of the record. It still sounds like something I'd enjoy watching live, and its post-punk sounds are right up there with some of my favorite records of all time. I just wish there was more form to the songs -- a few more tracks in the vein of Public Image and Low Life and this would have been a strong 4. As it is, I can only muster a 3.

There are a few bright spots -- the vocals from Jacqui McShee are unique and pretty, and some of the guitar is good. The opening track is probably the highlight. I don't really care for the male vocals in this project -- especially on House Carpenter where they're really painful to listen to. I'm not a big fan of the medieval-sounding songs and lyrics either. Given some of the strong competition in the late 60s and early 70s, I don't think this is something I'd have listened to very much at the time. It's not bad, but not really for me. A light 3.

He’s sort of a Britpop Tom Jones singing some fairly cringeworthy lyrics. The music itself sounds nice enough, but I’m not a fan of the subject matter. It goes on way too long as well. Maybe one track could be fun in a Britpop mix, but a whole album isn’t necessary. Not as witty as it thinks it is.

I really don't like this band, and the singles from this album are the main reason why. Around the World, Scar Tissue, Otherside, and Californication are full of grating vocals and painful turns-of-phrase. The worst part about this record is all the rapping. It's both corny and annoying. There are moments when the irritating front man isn't too distracting. I kind of liked Savior and thought Road Trippin' was a genuinely decent song. Normally, there would be enough here for me to go 2/5... but the amount of times I've had the big radio hits from this thing forced down my throat is worth a negative star.

This album has the beats and vibe from the music that I generally like in hip-hop. From one listen, I feel like it's Dr. Dre's big moments that represent the highlights, though I admit I don't always follow who's rapping on each track and when. The violence and misogyny is such a big turnoff for me. I think the use of profanity is fine, but I think it should be used as punctuation not space-filler. There's so many instances of mother-fuck(in)(er), that it no longer has any meaning or punch. This is also pretty clearly some singles and some filler... which makes it surprising they leave Express Yourself so late in the tracklist. That's easily the album's best song. I got tired of I Ain't The One and Dopeman and had to skip, but everything else at least had an appealing beat and flow. Even if I didn't like what they were saying, the rapping itself is skillful -- it helped to show the contrast getting this on the back of Californication, which should probably have the subtitle "How NOT to rap" attached to it. All in all, it's probably a middling for the hip-hop albums I've had so far and not something I'd want to return to.

I found the story of the group far more interesting than the actual music. I can see why they were asked to collaborate so much -- their vocals seem like they'd add great texture to other music. Listening to them on their own just didn't do much for me for very long. I really disliked the 2nd song -- didn't care for the kissing sounds and it seemed to go on forever. In fact, the English-language tracks represented all the weakest spots.

This is one I feel like I haven't had enough time to absorb. It's got an appealing grunge-like sound and starts strong out of the gate. It started to feel samey later in the tracklist and never really hit the heights of the first three songs again. Oh My Lover starts things with an appealing slow crawl, and O Stella picks up the tempo before transitioning abruptly into Dress which keeps up the pace. Vocals remain consistently good as does the instrumentation -- all with enough rough edges to keep the whole thing feeling appropriately raw. This is one of those albums that make me think the best from this artist was yet to come -- and I'm interested to find out more.

This is my 2nd Prince album this month, and I think I like his music more than I'd previously thought. It helps to hear his music in the context of an album because I think some of my previous complaints about his samey sound is because his singles tend to be cut from the same cloth. For instance, the song 1999 is this album's Let's Go Crazy... while Little Red Corvette is more Raspberry Beret. Further listening reveals a lot of variety. Delirious is an appealing and catchy pop track and Let's Pretend We're Married really draws me in with its driving beat. It's one of several very long songs on this record. I don't mind some of the extended length because it gives interesting instrumental passages the chance to breathe and feature. I do think it goes on a couple minutes too long on DMSR, Automatic, and Lady Cab Driver. I enjoyed Automatic the most of these three... with its crisp synthesizer and punchy bass. I did find my attention drifting slightly as the album went on. At the same time, I don't think 1999's songs would be as effective if they were cut down to 4-minute pop formulas. I suppose there are plenty of 7" versions if I want to compare, but I'm pretty sure I don't need them. I think the length will keep this from being an album I return to often -- or at least as often as Purple Rain -- but I can firmly say Prince is 2 for 2 and I'm happy to be reevaluating his catalogue. Better late than never.

The sound of this music is synonymous with its era. I can't help but think of a classy nightclub, a night on the town, or many of the motion pictures Frank Sinatra himself might be starring in. The album feels like it's full of standards... often ones where Sinatra's version is the gold standard. If I'm listening to this type of music, he's the one I want singing it.

This is something really special — I’ve never been so thoroughly blown away by a jazz record before. The interplay between the horns and the piano as the drum and bass provide the background for each track’s progression gives me the chance to enjoy each instrument individually and how they blend together. Sometimes I feel like jazz loses the plot, but these compositions feel extremely grounded while still leaving room for experimentation, playfulness, and emotion. I wasn’t bothered by the length because I was too excited and interested to see what the album would give me next. If there’s a weak spot for me, it’s really just the last song being a bit too chaotic. My dad always told me jazz was the superior music and he thought I’d come around in time. I wish I could share this listening experience with him. Brilliant stuff.

This is a tough album to rate properly. There are a lot of interesting political lyrics to dissect, which I'm sure would take several listens to fully understand. Track one, Lost At Birth, I find really difficult to sit through due to the repeated siren sound that never lets up. Then there's Flava Flav's voice. I know this wouldn't have been true in 1991, but all I can hear is annoying TV commercials when he opens his mouth. The whole production definitely sounds like pirate TV/radio... and that works in its favor. I could have definitely done without the Anthrax remix though. Ultimately, there's nothing here I enjoy as much as Fight The Power. I probably enjoyed it at a 2.5 level, but some great messaging and funky beats are making me want to round up rather than down.

As soon as the vocalist started singing on track one I knew I was in for a tough ride. He has many different styles... whiny, annoying rap, breathless whisper. There's almost no type of bad singing he can't do. The music isn't doing anything I want to hear. It exists in the liminal space between heavy metal/hard rock and jam band wankery. All the things I complained about in my review of Californication are here as well and they're mostly worse. The only thing this has going for it is that I'd never heard it before so no painful memories were unleashed. Luckily, I never have to hear it again.