Rated 6/10
This is not your comfort album. It's an odd blending of electronica and psychedelia and industrial. Lyrically sparse, and not really hooky. It's not bad, just not something you can settle into and vibe with. I liked it, and I'm glad I heard it, but I don't know if I'll return to it.
My Rating: 3/5
Rated 10/10
DUDE! This is a must listen.
Trip-hop before trip-hop was cool. The basslines creep into your spine and force your head to bob. Serge Gainsbourg's voice is DRIPPY. So smooth over the bassline, enhancing it, just slipping in there, delivering the lines. This is an album you'll want to keep in your back pocket. It's all in French, and one day I hope to become fluent enough to understand all of it.
My Rating: 5/5. I'd give it 10, but I can't.
Rated 6/10
It's not a bad album, it's just not good. I was bored. And the falsetto in every bloody song is just annoying. The electronica touches were nice, but it was like... are they a rock band or an electronica band? Make a decision, embrace one or the other, don't try to do both.
My Rating: 3/5
Rated 10/10
Amazing album all the way through. It's missing someone when listening to it streaming, though, because you don't get the divisions of the two LPs and the extended EP that shipped with the original pressing. I was recognizing the origins of hip-hop tracks from Stevie, and I'm glad he got composer credits over there.
Rated 10/10
Lovely. Jazz I like. It'll put a sway in your shoulders and a bounce in your head. I wish THIS had been the jazz Stan Getz played at the Village Vanguard.
My Rating: 5/5
Rated 8/10
Foundational thrash metal album. Yes, it's good. It's not THAT good. I know the metalheads love it, I know the Metallica fans love it. It's not perfect. Let's not pretend it is. They get full of themselves with the song lengths.
Rated 4/10
Generic alt-rock. Adequate, but not good. The songs are boring. You'll be better rewarded by just listening to Husker Du. And there's backmasking, how edgy... not.
My Rating: 2/5
Rated 8/10
Progish background music. Pretty at times and melodic, and then deconstructed. Not really what I needed today, but knowing this exists might help in the future. That first song, though... man... everyone says it's long, and that's both a warning and a blessing. It's pretty, but LONG and repetitive.
My Rating: 4/5
Rated 10/10
Pretty good Jimi Hendrix album. It takes a special kind of disconnection from reality to properly appreciate Jimi's lyrics. When he starts singing about flying on a dragonfly as a perfectly acceptable and logical means of conveyance, you know he's HIGH. Like, higher than you've ever been on today's chemical enhancement, and this was in the 70's, when the weed wasn't as good as it is today.
A very appropriate pick for Christmas Day.
Well done, festive, and just far enough from the classics to be it's own twist on those songs, while nodding back at the originals. Will definitely keep in mind for Christmas breakfast cooking next year
Rated 10/10
Interesting. The album felt like melodic chaos. Like a happier, more sober version of Tom Waits. It's very good. No hooks, though. It's music as art, which we need more of, and very approachable. Nothing abrasive, like audio silk with a few wrinkles to grab onto for texture.
M y Rating: 5/5
Michael Franti raps as a cyberpunk street preacher, decrying the evils of the 90's. If you didn't know better, you might think this was an RATM side project. Lyrically dense, but the backbeats are there to keep you bobbing through it all. This is perfect politically conscious rap.
My Rating: 5/5
Rated 10/10
I obviously remembered the hits. The rest of the album is delightful, but maybe not radio worthy.
Rated 6/10
If this album came out today, nobody would notice. Her background does a lot of the heavy lifting for why critics like it, and why it's on the list. The music is good, but fairly dated due to Steve Winwood on keyboards that give it that early 80's sound. The lyrics are edgy enough, giving her teeth. Even the notorious track, "Why'd You Do It?" isn't any more scandalous today than most rap hits. In 1979, this is shocking. Today? This is just another Thursday.
My Rating: 3/5
Rated 10/10
Such a weird album. Each track felt like the audio track from a David Lynch film. Complete with the actors voices. If artst-fartsy music turns you off, don't bother.
Rated 10/10
Wow. This is like a darker, more somber version of James Taylor. His guitar work is amazing. "At the Chime of a City Clock" almost painted a picture of him being in the city waiting for things to happen. I really enjoyed this, and I hope there are more of his albums in the list.
My Rating; 5/5 shoes
Rated 10/10
Lovely album. I didn't think it's possible to be upset listening to samba. The bear bounces along and her voice is lovely.
Rated 8/10
They're rock, with some industrial influence. They come so close to having a good hook, and stop short, which keeps them from getting too deep into your head. Will definitely look for more from these guys.
Rated 6/10
I was expecting 70's singer songwriter. This is not that. It was interesting. It felt a bit like Björk in the delivery. Not the pixie dreamgirl, but how the music takes turns you didn't expect.
Rated 6/10
The songs are well done, but most of them are covers. I don't know that this really needed to be on the list. I'm happy to have listened to it, but once you've heard one Dusty album you've heard them all.
My Rating: 3/5
