Reviews by blakestewart

Santana has some great songs and is a cultural staple...I've never met a Santana fan in my life. Not a statement about this album. Merely an observation. I actually really enjoyed sections of this. I used it as cleaning music. It worked pretty well for that purpose.

Another great and consistently Costello album. If you like him it's a treat. If not, you probably won't care for much of it though there may be a few bright spots. I, personally, adore his lyrics and music. Singing is hit or miss but usually on. I enjoyed this effort in total.

Overall one of my favorites to just kind of let play through a grey day. Since it was that it was sort of perfect. Not every song is a masterpiece but the whole album is an amazing painting and you need places to rest upon. This album gives you those. Heck, I love it. Maybe I place it on a pedestal.

Odd fun album. I feel like this band was somehow familiar but had slipped from memory. A decent amount of variety in the arrangement and an interesting slant on folk and rock.

Kind of surprised me that I enjoyed it. I think I tend to think of the cakes as sort of a prototype for the most annoying breed of hipsterism. Turns out the kinks are good and it's the worst of the hipster that are actually annoying.

Decent music but the muzzy vocal recording really got under my skin for some reason?

I absolutely adore this album. I don't even really listen to a ton of other Rush but I never had the chip on my shoulder about Geddy Lee's voice. This is legitimately on of my favorite albums. Maybe on my desert island 25 or so.

That said it ain't perfect and my personal bias aside the last two tracks are weaker than the bulk of the album.

It's so damn close to being a "perfect prog album" while still remaining approachable and I don't think I've ever heard anyone give it that due? That's a difficult trick to pull given the nature of the genre.

Red barchetta is the standout track for me. As perfect of a story song as I know of. Totally frivolous and fun.

A big portion of this album feels like if the Talking Heads got too drunk to play a show but went on anyhow after pounding a few more shots.

I think I'd give this multiple listens over time.

Good album if wildly indulgent in that way that r&b can get at it's extremities. I do like him and have been to see his stuff at Stax. When no one was around I touched his amazing car. I like his style and panache.

Love is a band I'd maybe heard one song from prior. This is their second album on the list and I'm a little surprised that their sound and name didn't have more staying power in the intergenerational zeitgeist. This isn't as strong of an album as Forever Changes but it's still a good album.

Highs and lows. I genuinely do like Ladies Love Cool James. I think it's funny that he plays both the Heel and the Babyface in rap and maybe was one of the first to treat it like a wrestling star in a way? I like his flow for the era. That said it gets to be a little stale in places on this album

Interesting in that it is sort of genre defying while being somehow entirely in the pocket.

Fuck it. I own a bar and host karaoke and I should be sick to death of this man...but...damn it he's so smooth.

Infectious in a few spots but maybe the best parts are the parts with the least little Richard.

It's stupid and fun and a total cartoon.

A titanic classic of an album. Imperfect but really dang good.

Good country that somehow feels disingenuous in its heart? I know nothing of him.

I'm all for separating artist from art. It gets markedly harder when overt bluesman is also overt racist but, then, I also don't really care for Clapton.

I usually care for the cultural staple of Iggy more than the man himself. For his contributions and his movie soundtrack hits. That said, this whole album is pretty solid. Not great but solid.