Rated 4/10
Umm... no. I don't want to spend all this time just to listen to "You've Made Me So Very Happy", which is the only truly good song on the album. The whole thing feels like Tom Jones with a full orchestra, and everyone gets a solo, the songs stretch on too long and don't go anywhere.
My rating: 2/5
Rated 8/10
Amazing album, but it felt like they could have cut the first track into it's respective tracks and then stopped there, because that's the story they were trying to tell. After that it's album filler.
My rating: 4/5
Rated 8/10
I liked it for sinking in and vibing. The long tracks have a way of puling you in and letting you get settled into a groove without thinking. There are times where he feels a little like Dylan over 80's, sure, but it's not unpleasant.
My Rating: 4/5
Rated 8/10
This is the critic's pick for nu-metal, because it's the most palatable. I think there are "better" representations. I don't like the lead singer's idea of "scatting", because it sounds like a meth-head trying to do Cab Calloway. Musically, It's hard and fast and chunky at the right places. The lyrics are crass and big and ego-driven. Not a bad album, but not their best, and not the best of the genre.
My Rating: 4/5
Rated 8/10
Interesting to hear the hits in the original context. The Eagles were more country-rock than I'd thought. Good album, nonetheless.
My Rating: 4/5
Good album, solid rock tunes. Each track felt like they belonged on different movie soundtracks. Each track is a good bop.
My Rating: 4/5
Rated 6/10
Opens up with the scream of a TIE Fighter, letting you know this is going to be a fun album. Solid 90's rocking all the way through, but nothing really grabbed me. It just sounded like average radio pop-punk.
My Rating: 3/5
Rated 4/10
There's a little bossa nova and a little Caribbean bounciness, but it dips a little too much into psychedelia for my taste. It's not bad music, and I'm glad it's on the list, but there wasn't anything in here I'm dying to show to someone else. If someone were to say "Hey, have you heard of this guy?" I'm thinking "Yeah, but no."
My rating: 2/5
David Byrne barking and scatting(?) through this album. The music itself is good, but I don't like a full album of David Byrne. He's just not pleasant to listen to.
Liked Songs: Take Me To The River, The Big Country, I'm Not in Love
My Rating: 3/5
TIGHT! ALRIGHT! OUTTA SIGHT!
I don't even like jazz, and you can't go wrong with Count Basie. Smooth, dynamic, big band jazz delivering something you can just jam along to and be productive or just listen and tap your feet. The songs never feel overdone or leave you wanting more. I could listen to this about 15 more times and not get tired of it.
Rated 4/10
A little more varied than Urban Hymns, but they still get into unstructured music and droney mediocrity. This did not belong on the list.
Rated 10/10
I have never heard a bad ZZ Top album. Solid rock/blues album, even the songs that didn't get radio play are good.
Bowie before he got super weird. This album deserves more radio play than it got. I liked starman and Star
Rated 8/10
What a deliciously weird album. Not quite techno, not quite bubblegum pop. They don't know exactly what they want to be, but you'll find yourself tapping your foot and bobbing your head to it.
My Rating: 4/5
Rated 8/10
Lovely little album. Of course, everyone has heard the hits. The songs on this album that didn't make big radio play are still good songs. My only issue is all the songs are love songs. New love, lost love, love love love. Like... Buddy, tell us how lonely you are on the road. Tell us about anything but how much you wanna hug and kiss that girl over there. The whole album feels like it's driven by a greasy dude in a cheap suit chomping on a big Cuban cigar, telling him "Buddy, you can sing about anything as long as it's about a girl." I just want some depth.
My Rating: 4/5
Rated 10/10
Only knowing "Walk on the Wild Side", this was fun. Understated, silly, fun. He doesn't take himself too seriously. It's a short album, good for a commute. It's interesting he put a closer on the album.
My Rating: 5/5
Rated 6/10
Another one where I'm smelling the honky tonk while this is playing on the jukebox. The opening track had me asking "George, what did you DO?" Lovely, soulful, sad country.
Rated 6/10
It's not bad, but I think this is the type of music we'd have gotten from Trent if he was a little bolder and forward with his sexuality. It feels like a cross between NIN and Lords of Acid. Like an angry incel teenager. I like the musical styling, just not the lyric content. Marilyn, quit being a sex pest.
This album smelled like an 8-track. Literally. Otis deserves more respect than this album gave him. I would have liked it better if Otis had been able to get a couple more original songs. Hearing him get to perform with Booker T and the MG's was amazing.
-1 for not enough of his own work.
My Rating: 4/5
Rated 10/10
I wish we'd seen past all the controversy that is Prince back in the 80's. This album was amazing! Even though this breaks the "no soundtracks" rule, I'm glad it's on the list. The usage of backmasking and environmental sounds is interesting. It's racy enough to be titillating, but not so much that it feels dirty, even with "Darling Nikki".
My Rating: 5/5
