Reviews by beamer4444

I enjoy the Black Keys sound. It has a produced/manufactured roughness to it. A bit of buzz and distortion, but in a purposeful way. The first half of the album was stronger for me. I was getting a bit tired of it by the end, but I think "These Days" was a great way to finish it off.

I'm curios to see if their album El Camino is on this list. I think that would be more up my ally. A shorter album with more upbeat radio hits.

Do you know when someone introduces themselves to you and you forget their name immediately? That's how I felt at the beginning of every song. They intro who's rapping every song and I forgot who's who by the end of it.

I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would. I think this would be a fun show to see in person. The biggest surprise to me was finding out that my wife listened to Wu-Tang Clan!

Another album that I should enjoy more than I do. I know that Iggy Pop is a major influence for the Punk movement, but does that mean I have to like him? Do I have to like Doom to enjoy Call of Duty? Do I have to like newspaper comic strips to enjoy cartoons? Do I have to like 2001: A Space Odyssey to like Interstellar?

That being said, it's not like the album was difficult to listen to. I just probably won't be coming back to it.

Sad/melancholy lyrics with an upbeat chorus is a winning formula for me. This album made me feel like world is shit, but I guess I'll keep on doing my thing.

Standout songs:
Novacaine for the soul
Susan's house
Rags to rags
My beloved monster (THE SONG FROM SHREK!!)

This is an interesting band to be signed to DreamWorks label. I guess it makes sense. DreamWorks isn't going to have a safe pop band to play in their Disney family friendly fairy tale. They're going to have an ugly sad ogre of a band that you eventually fall in love with by the end.

I am a huge Kate Bush fan! That is as long as she is singing a song that has recently regained popularity for being a major plot point in a prestige TV show that is heavily nostalgic for the 80's. Outside of that, I'm not really a Kate Bush fan.

A cool funky album throughout. Not typically my genre. I was going to give it 3 stars, but I caught myself singing "We are Family" all day.

In a world with 3.5 hour long movies, 4 hour long concerts, and every new film idea being dragged out into 10 episode tv series, it's nice to have an album only 35 minutes long. What's to say about CCR? You know all their hits, and some of them are on here. The ones you don't know are 8 minutes of pure swamp doggin'.

Put a pot of water with spices on the stove and play this album. When "Bootleg" starts, put red potatoes and sausage in the boiling water. Add corn at "Good Golly Miss Molly". Put the crawfish in when "Keep On Chooglin'" begins, and enjoy a good ole fashion Low Country Boil once the album ends!

I never knew British Folk was a genre. I guess it makes sense that this album is what started it.

This was a welcome divergence to most of the albums in this list. I wouldn't normally go out of my way to listen to folk music, but I might have to start. A beautiful voice that's easy to fall into followed by a folk sound that's not quite Appalachian Mountains and not quite Celtic either. It's a great blend between the two to make it's own genre.

For an album that's 55 years old, it sounds like it could come out today.

Deerhunter has been part of my Alternative Chill playlist for years now, however, this is my first time actually listening to a full album. What a perfect album to have on in the background while working in the office. I didn't realize I was halfway through until I looked down to see the song name for Desire Lines. Very easy to listen to. I would love to have this on vinyl to put on in the background at home.

This album feels like a Key and Peele sketch.

Tom Waits (played by Peele) walks into the recording studio and talks to the recording manager (played by Key)

Manager: Come on it. Were glad to have you here. The band is all warmed up and were ready to go.

Tom Waits (speaking in a normal voice): Sounds great. Let's get started.

Tom begins singing like he's being tortured during the Spanish Inquisition and is quickly interrupted by the manager.

Manager: Ok..... that was great, but why don't we try it again with your normal voice.

Tom (normal voice): Not a problem. I love the feedback. Lets try again.

Tom sings in a high falsetto this time.

Manager: Stop! Let's try that again. Remember, we're paying the piano and saxophone player by the hour here.

Tom (normal voice): I completely understand.

Tom turns around and fires half the band leaving only the drums.

Manager sighs and looks down.

Tom begins singing like McGruff the Crime Dog on crack.

Manager: Fuck it. We recorded the band warming up earlier. We can just fill in the rest of the album with that and some background chatter.

I don't know if a half hungover 2-hour drive home after a bachelor party is the best way to review an album, but this might have been the best album for this environment. No major standout songs. No real highs or lows. A steady enjoyable sound. That being said, when I want to listen to Fleetwood Mac I won't be coming here.

Tay...lor... Yeah!

Banger after banger. When a single album has this many hits how can you not give it 5 stars.

A very unique sound. You always know when you're listening to Smashing Pumpkins. I feel like I should like them more, but every song sounds kinda the same. I don't know if that's a plus or a minus. There are three songs that I have heard before (Cherub Rock, Today, and Disarm) but I didn't realize they were all different songs. I thought Smashing Pumpkins was a one hit wonder.

One of the longer albums we've heard so far. Over an hour long.

This is a tough one for me because I can appreciate the genius Stevie Wonder, but I don't think I will ever go out of my way to listen to him. I would say this is good album, but it's not for me.

A few things to note though:
-Higher Ground is originally by Stevie Wonder not RHCP
-The arrest scene in Living for the City was wild!
-This feels like an important African American album especially in the early 70's
-I will never be able to hear Don't You Worry Bout A Thing without thinking about the arrest in Living for the City again.

I was expecting an electronic dance album only knowing their song "Heads Will Roll" (and all of it's remixes). It feels more punk inspired than anything else.

I started out slow with this album, but it really grew on me by Black Tongue. I came around on it, and a few songs will be added to the rotation. Maps is definitely the standout song!

P.S. Yeah Yeah Yeahs is a great name for this band as they love repeating words in their songs.

The inspiration behind bands like Nirvana, Radiohead, and Weezer. Like many forms of art, they may have been the first to do it, but they are not the best to do it.

If Jack Johnson was slower and sadder.

Probably the best Jazz album I have listened to