Solid, riff heavy rock and roll. Probably more like a 3.5 but not really my thing. I appreciate it though. I don’t think I’ve ever actually listened to it all the way through although certainly familiar with it from being adjacent to some of the music I loved in 1995 or whatever. The coda to super unknown is fun and the little marching band into Beatles melody of head down. Black hole sun is a winner thirty years later. It is just its own distinctive vibe (file under: Chris Isaak wicked game).
Eh. There are so many incredible live Neil sets out there these days I don’t see needing to revisit this. Kind of meanders professionally until sedan delivery which is strange and fun and rips pretty hard before concluding with a crunchy, unenjoyable rendition of my my hey hey. 2.5*
Maybe the only other queen album I’ve heard it in entirety aside from night at the opera. Brian and Fred announce their virtuosity right off the bat and I can imagine loving this album if you’re really into what they do. I felt like I was listening to the soundtrack for a play I hadn’t seen interspersed with some generic seventies rockers. A few highlights- killer queen, stone cold crazy- but this generally confirms that I’m not too interested in queen best their (mostly excellent) singles. I never really understood why all the metal bands loved queen so much but stone cold crazy is a metal blueprint. I wasn’t at all surprised to see that Metallica has covered it several times.
Paul doing all his Paul things.
Muscula,r dude rock with lots of terrific guitar interplay. Both of those guys really ripped. Phil, his swag and charisma. I enjoyed this more and more as it went on. Some boring aside, I do look forward to revisiting this.
It’s a ten. A great band at their absolute peak. Diverse and tight. Each subsequent listen is fresh and powerful.
Is CCR the quintessential American rock band? Fogerty was unstoppable at this point.
Was going to instinctively give it a four having lived with it for nearly three decades but then I popped it in. Their last release where it felt like it was just them and me. Their sound changes with Arab Strap (to great effect! [with diminishing returns thereafter]), closing a book on a once mysterious group.
Best soundtrack ever. Prince proving he can do anything. Maybe the best pop album of the eighties. I had like eight copies of this across all formats. Will probably buy more just because. The fucking coolest.
Nick at his most menacing.
I enjoyed some of their earlier singles- twitchy guitars and Karen o is definitely a charismatic performer; that said, this sounds like an LCD soundsystem album and I’m not Johnny Disco. I’m sure I might like some of these songs on a well curated playlist but I was glad when the album ended.
Does these mean there are two Buzzcock albums on the list?!? Punchy, aggressive melodic. Not nearly as awesome as singles going steady though
With her preternatural voice and presence, Aretha singing baby shark for 45 minutes would still be a three star. But with songs as strong as these…
I’m not going to return to this album over and over but man what a strange
Otis taking other peoples songs and owning them. Heck yeah.
Tepid watered down garbage. The pit of American rock and roll.
Mingus at his shamanistic best. Somehow ramshackle and meticulously orchestrated.
A level of misogyny, homophobia, antisemitism characteristic of the rap of the time (honestly even more so) paired with stories so vivid and expertly told delivered by one of the best to ever do it. Can say the same about his previous (and superior) first two solo albums. I hope he’s grown over the past three and a half decades. 3 as is; 5 without the skits and misdirected anger.
Shit cooks as it goes in. First listen I was annoyed by all the talking, but three listens later and I appreciated this as documentation of a real cookin event.
Sometimes a little clunky but always lovely with at least three perfect songs.
Starts a little politely- maybe due to the Newport audience of 1960. But really gets smoking midway through. Maybe not where I would start but worth a listen.
No thanks. This band is for someone who is not me.
Kinda sounds like a socal version of mid era belle and Sebastian. This is not an endorsement.
Fun trashy rock and roll that I would never be unhappy to hear but at the same time, i can’t imagine I’ll ever listen to it again.
All down hill after the single. Sounds like the band in a sixties youth comedy made by squares.
A new iteration of the band and largely devoid of cales avant garde influence, lou might be at his melodic peak and I can’t get enough of sterlings guitar tone. Perfect in a new way.
A life changing album for me. Definitely mislead me as to what the Big Star sound is. Perfect in every sad, decaying way possible.
Fine for background music. Has a vibe. Boring one on one. Much prefer their soundtrack to virgin suicides, which has strong stronger songs and not just music.
Baby one more time is an earworm. But I’m not going to be spending my time listening to this.
Sparkling production. Did albino do this?!? Celestial harmonies. Songs tha stand the test of time. Kicks off with an all time favorite. Fuck it. Five.
Listened to this a dozen times over the years but maybe I was listening wrong bc this time it made sense. Sudden tempo changes. Time signature variations. The unexpected arrival of new cool sounds.
Maybe the best from a band that has multiple bests.
So stinking professional it almost doesn’t sound live. Perfect Sunday morning, coffee sipping, newspaper reading soundtrack.
Starts surprisingly strong before being bogged down by mediocre songwriting. My guess is that if a BR fanatic made me a comp I would enjoy it. Dunno. Might revisit this one.
After this one and no other, I’m convinced I need to listen to more gene clark. That Byrds family tree is really something.
Marvin gets real starkly confessional. Not a singles album.
I just don’t care to F with these guys. Their music does nothing for me.
It’s Boston by Boston and that’s what it sounds like.
Some juke joint rave ups and some stone cold classics. Her voice and a killer band.
Not at the top of my TW pyramid but this one sounds real good on a solo road trip. Must engage with it fully to appreciate it.
I have room in my heart for even more songs about building and food.
Great guitar time, dynamics, and man I even like his voice. I thought I was headed to a four and then got a few songs in and found them unlistenable. Not a songwriter. A guitar player. I like the primal backbeat quite a bit. I think this is where they started taking themselves way too seriously and ended up less self aware of the gimmick.
I don’t care. Maybe not a five. Art has the voice of an angel; Paul is an amazing guitar player-weird chords, expertise picking. Three stone cold classics.
Practically renders all Wilco albums after it meaningless (although I’ve come o enjoy the narcotic hangover that is Ghost). I love it. A ramshackle singular piece, fraying at the edges, threatening to topple from its axis.
Elvis going fulll Memphis. Took them a few songs to get his voice right in the mix. Really like this era.
Wasa five but then I listened to Boces and yerself is steak and it doesn’t quite reach those heights for me. Still a great album. Downhill from here.
Maybe if I had been in college in 1987 and I was laying around in a dorm room with my girlfriend at the time who loved this album and we played it over and over and over, I might have more affection for it. As it stands it’s pretty generic singer songwriter stuff for me BUT it certainly ends on a high note with the last three songs being the most distinctive. I’ll revisit them.
Some bangers. Some classics. Some songs that are way too long. But tons of hints of what’s to come. 3 1/2
Might be a five but it was an inattentive listen. Still funked and rocked.
I would have become a Dead fan significantly sooner had they followed the jazzy space rock thread. I need to steep myself in this era a bit.
I mean, it’s good but I would have to be in a super specific mood to listen to an entire Metallica album.
I resented this album for a long time for not being a Sugarcubes album. My bad. A solo career with many many highlights now across three decades.
Nothing could sound more 70s a.m. radio riding around in Mom’s 10 Chevy nova than this. Doesn’t resonate with me. It’s professional. I am going to check out the Al Kooper led debut to see if it’s got a little swing and grit to it but if has this seventies sheen then it’s in the toilet for me.
I hate to relegate anything to a genre but I’m this case I will: I do not enjoy seventies hard rock. Van Halen, AC/DC, thin lizzy. It doesn’t resonate with me. And maybe Aerosmith, a band I try to understand every few years through their first three or four albums, is at the bottom for me. Plus one because Perry really is an excellent guitar player.
Immaculate. Pristine. Meticulous.
I haven’t listened to it in years. I hadn’t heard all the once omnipresent singles in ages. I thought it would sound dated and overly familiar but it didn’t- fresh, new, exciting. 4 1/2 because the skits are errrr.
Chaos doom incantations. Their best work yet to come.
Terrific set. I don’t love it as much as I do After Rain as far as late period muddy but I’m not slagging this one, I just love that dirty grimy album. Muddy and a band of guys who know what the fu k they’re doing with produced by a guy who clearly loves the music and knows when to leave well enough alone in a room for three days. The real deal.
I just don’t connect with it at all. I was waiting for the songs to end. I feel like you have to be into something that I am clearly not into to really enjoy this.
I don’t know. Inoffensive, low volume background music maybe. I know that one song from the commercial but it isn’t on the album and I don’t care to listen to it anyhow. I’ll spin it twice. (Update: nah) But sonically, melodically uninteresting. At its best. Some of it sounds like a pop version of a Spacemen 3 song with some funk wah.
I have tried several times over several decades to enjoy this album/band. But it just doesn’t hit for me. I appreciate that it is pure rock and roll but kinda generic to me. And I really don’t like the vocals. Would’ve appreciated them buried in the mix a bit more. I think if I saw them live back when that I would have a different opinion.
I’m not sure the kids realize just how perfect and original the kinks were. I have a lot of thoughts in this album, this band, the passage of time and how much is being left on the side of these roads due to the instantaneous nature society. But I’m just listen to this album again.
Why in lords name would I pick this up if I wanna listen to Bruce.
I’ve never embraced its reputation as an influential, classic LP, but still a very strong album with some excellent, atmospheric, close to perfect songs. But it’s a little too R&B for me in spots and has at least two songs that are unlistenable. Would be a terrific like 7 song EP.
I’ll give it another listen because there is something there. Put on my first go around. I didn’t think the songs were that strong and I definitely input off by the period production. Why’d ya do it is easily the standout for me. Marianne is a treasure but this isn’t the one for me.
A little punk snarl, some blue eyed soul and a whole lot of horns!would fit nicely on a shelf next to Elvis Costello, not because they sound the same, but because of an obvious affection for the music, they grew up with filtered through the lens of the music they came of age 2. An absolute rave up of an album. Loved it.
Great songs and instrumentation, but is voice is too golden for me to believe this. Needs a little Cash snarl or Willie rasp or whatever the hell came out of Merle haggard. Still a solid album, but a bit more kitsch than authenticity.
Nothing to add here. Sometimes they sound like a parody but when they hit, they hit hard.
Probably more like 3.5. I can’t imagine I will spend too much time with this album but a few (several?) of these songs could be on a great playlist.
Sinister, menacing, riff heavy. I like
Black Sabbath but I would have have discovered ut at a diffeeent time in my life to really feel it rather than merely appreciate it. much of it still hits hard.
A bunch of dudes got together in the early seventies to write the songs to be sampled in eighties rap songs and played at sports arenas.
If you care not for substance or originality but prefer anthemic yet sterile pablum, have I got the band for you!
First couple songs hit pretty hard before it started sounding ‘samey’ to me (which I’m sure it isn’t, but I don’t have metal ears. I would give it another listen or cherry pick some songs.
The MacGowan led Pogues at their most…mature? I think Shane may have been on the follow up as well but in a much diminished (in the full scope of the word) capacity. Could be wrong. But anyhow, a four for not being quite as ramshackle as their first two.
A resounding yes! Some twitchy post punk, synth soundscapes, and pop gems that would settle nicely into a John Hughes movie (as would later happen). Makes me want to dig deeper into the OMD discography. A terrific surprise.
Neil at towards the beginning of an unstoppable and nearly incomparable peak. Think I’ll just keep going after this one ends. As unstoppable as he is as a messy guitar god, he might be even better when he goes contemplative.
I would even go three and a half. Great production and quite a few grooves that had me enveloped in a warm aural cocoon.
This album is why Frank Sinatra is known as the fifth Beatle.
Wasn’t feeling it. I don’t like the one song I know and I don’t like the production. I didn’t get that far on, four of five songs maybe, so don’t take my word for it. I need some geetar music.
Just the guitar tone alone is enough to get me there. The last great Radiohead album.
If this album made the list, I have to imagine there are at least 6 more Bowie albums on this list. I’m marking it as 4 but probably more like 3.6846884328. It’s professional, stately Bowie. The next one though…
Thank our lucky stars for this album.
The sound of being coked out in a Berlin disco at three in the morning. 1975. Heart racing, music scratching at your brain, hangers on hanging on just to be seen. Not your stooges iggy. Great album.
Too tired to say anything but this is so essential. Cash is the coolest.
There are some cool sounds but this sounds like hipsters to me and fuck that noise.
I found it affecting at that time of my life, but although there are highlights much of this is too samey for me.
Stevie operating in rarefied air. Doing it all.
My first and forever Bowie. From here, there was no looking back.
Holy shit this is boring. Sterile production. Decidedly unthrilling guitar solos. Silly lyrics. No teeth. Seventies rock and roll is an abomination. This is why we needed the Ramones to happen.
Wears its influences on its sleeve bc every song on it sounds familiar. Even so, there are a few terrific head bopping singles throughout. I don’t know any of their other stuff but my guess is that a strokes going steady comp would be pretty enjoyable and imminently forgettable. The album doesn’t have anything new to say sonically or lyrically but the boys had time to bash out a few bangers, I guess. Entirely unsurprising that this was made by some rich kids slumming it but whatever.
Man this was a surprise! I thought this album was going to be a bunch or boring blues jams but there are some great songs on here and the boring blues jams as executed by this house on fire are slay queen kind of stuff! I’ve now listened to every version available on streaming and the live Fillmore set as well. I’m shocked. I love this. Duane Altman serving a side of sizzling slide from song four on. I’m two days behind bc I’ve had to milk every ounce of goodness from this short lived project. I guess now onto…Cee Lo?
Honestly wasn’t expecting to enjoy this so much as a Sunday morning party prep soundtrack. I’ll return to this at the right moments!
I wasn’t all there when it was in but some groovy REALLY 70’s rock was to be had. Might revisit.
The voice and the vibe but the songs just aren’t there.
A rich California guy on the downside of his career trying to convince us that the party songs here aren’t sad while the sad songs sound like hitting rock bottom. It’s really beautiful in its way and a must for anyone whose appreciation for the BB goes beyond the songs.
Enough has been said about this album that I have nothing to contribute. It’s not my favorite Joni, but it’s still perfect.
One of those whose art is hard to separate from his behavior over the last decade or whatever, but man this album is full of astute observations, sick rhymes, earworm beats, deft hooks. And he would keep this going for a number of albums. It’s not my five but it’s more than a four. Would expect he will show up at least a few more times here.
I mean, whatever I said about them last time around applies. More mostly very pretty ballads.
Need to listen again but James brown blows the doors off.
Probably ‘and a half’. A couple pillars of rock and roll, some high energy if kind of generic early rockers, a god awful cover of ‘I’m a Man’, and on any release available on streaming are a host of b-sides or singles or alternate versions or whatever. All the elements are here.
The most interesting things he made were rooted in guitar and sounded like they were bashed out in a day so no this overproduced piano album does not whet my whistle.
Mot perfect on the Rumors sense, but Mashable brilliance and my favorite album Mac album.
Pleasant enough. The first song is the most memorable by far- cosmic, evocative. Like something Dave Fridmann might have produced.
A five star scale without half stats really limits my ability to accurately rate an album. I never lived the singles from this album so to find how much I enjoyed them in context was a delight. A fun sexy silky synthy danceable New Romantic gem. More than a 3! Less than a four but not as far from four as from three so I’ll round to four. Looking forward to another listen. I don’t know. Maybe a four. A surprise!
Man I just wanna listen to EWF all the time
Hard to separate the person from the art, but although she’s completely insufferable and I’m really not sure what she’s contributed musically over the past three decades- this album still rips. I’m not leveling the accusation or contending that it was written but someone else but it certainly does bear the influence of her partner at the time with some Bleach era riffage and lyrical content similar to that that consumes Kurt. That said, she completely sells it on this album. I like it.
Maybe I’ll comment later. I like
Eno.
Plus another third of a star or so. Radiohead rocking.
Pleasant. Way too pleasant. Maybe if it was 4.00 am and I was coming down in the nineties it would be nice. But I’m through about half and need to turn it off and switch to something that will shock my ears back to life.
I always wonder where to start with Bill/Smog and his other endeavors. Here is as good a place as any. Anyhow, definitely a rabbit hole I can go down.
The other contender for ‘best live at a prison’ show. I’ll probably listen to this again today. The legacy version exists so throw that one on.
The only band that matters.
I don’t know I keep starting this and getting through half of it and something interrupts and then repeat so
I don’t know tf yo tell you. Definitely taking queues from Paul and Brian. Need to circle back.
Not generic nor does it particularly standout from its peer group. Certainly not the definitive Skip Spence.
No, I’m good.
Look I’ll listen to it and it might be fine but I’ve heard enough to know this is not a particularly significant band to me.
Conclusion: it’s fine and in places good and if I had teenagers and they were listening to this rather than corporate radio, I would be happy. Some good guitar and Karen seems cool but still not original or memorable for me.
Good songs and musicianship but not something I would put in just to listen to. Would make great music for any soundtrack I am producing and cool music for a cocktail party. My guess is that these guys ripped it live (and to that point, I will check out the live at Monterey set) but maybe we’re tightened up a bit in the studio. Maybe add a half to this score. At least a quarter.
Listened to a random 5 second section of a randomly chosen song and I never want to hear this guy again. I will listen at some point today but NOT looking forward to it.
Update: hot garbage. Will not finish.
Don trying to pretend that this is just a blues or early or r&b crooner album but you can’t lock this man up in some pithy genres! No! The weirdness always prevails and it’s absolutely delightful.
Preface: I love sultans of swing so much that been afraid to ever listen to any other DS beyond their few radio hits. It’s just so perfectly atmospheric with the stratiest guitar tone ever recorded. Guess this is what I’ve signed up for though.
Pretty terrific the first song is sonically a prequel to sultans, mark flexes on the acoustic too, and there’s a snappy little rave up reminiscent of Christian era Bob. The last song is a snooze fest though.
Some rockers, some ham fisted clunkers, GnR were definitely a thing though. Three and a half.
I mean for me this is the fifth or sixth best Nick Cave album but he’s released no bad albums and this is still a four or so but I guess I expect to see a lot more NCBS on this list although I doubt it. But in an isolated assessment, quite excellent album.
Se if it is a bit too hippy drippy, but there are a few absolute essentials of American music. Those voices.
The music, characteristic of its era, belies the fact that this is lyrically dark material of addiction, infertility, abuse. Really good! And a reminder to watch coal miners daughter.
Occasionally rises above generic lyricism and musicianship, but too much of it is less exciting and less memorable than their peers fifty years later. It’s good though with a couple inspired gems.
One of the best albums by one of the best artists. Listened to this three times yesterday and then just continued to listen to Bowie all day.
Sexy and smooth as shit and the title song does really make people drop their pants and screw no matter where they are. It’s got the power.
A really good album which I listened to once and really enjoyed and then put on again and nearly had a panic attack. There’s something about reggae music that is anathema to my brain. This makes me sad as theoretically it is a music I should enjoy.
I don’t know man. I listened to the wrong CFR album all day yesterday but what do I care.
Occasionally settles into a groove I enjoy but too much of this is pop music that sounds backed up by an 80s Casio keyboard.
Got about 2/3 of the way through and then switched to the dead milkmen.
And a half. It’s got its vine and I appreciate the politics. Sometimes a little samey but with some standouts.
