Reviews by florida-metalhead810

Ah, Thriller. The best-selling album of all time, made by the King of Pop himself. It's legacy is immense and impossible to overstate. All of the album's songs are good, from the hits everybody in the civilized world has heard a thousand times to the lesser-known songs with less staying power. Something as omnipresent as this almost transcends "album to review" status in favor of being an important document of American pop culture. I don't know what else I can say about it.

This album is the top ranked album of 1982 globally. Other 1982 albums rated by me:
1999(2/19)-4
Rio(4/19)-4
Nebraska(6/19)-3
Too Rye Ay(8/19)-2
The Rise and Fall(10/19)-4
The Nightfly(11/19)-3
The Dreaming(12/19)-3
Black Metal(17/19)-2
Junkyard(19/19)-3

I'm getting pretty tired of just having a bunch of Britpop albums I don't care about. At least this one has one major hit on it ... And then an hour of other songs. Many of the songs are OK, and some are actually surprisingly good, but I don't really think any of them truly reach great status. This album mostly stays in one particular quasi-melancholy groove for an hour and doesn't really do much besides that. It's OK, but it's a bit too long.

This album is ranked #5 of 25 albums for 1997. Other 1997 albums rated by me:
Either Or(4/25)-3
In It For The Money(8/25)-2
A Short Album About Love(19/25)-3
Life Thru A Lens(21/25)-1
Let's Get Killed(22/25)-3

Ok...a blues album from 1989 with a lot of guests? Interesting... Anyway, it's alright blues music. There's some cool guitar bits on some of the tracks, but much of it isn't that interesting. I don't feel like the guests on most of the songs add anything significant to any of them. Also, this probably isn't the greatest representation of John Lee Hooker or blues music in general. It's ok, but nothing special.

This album is ranked #10 of 26 albums for 1989. Other 1989 albums rated by me:
Disintegration(1/26)-5
Doolittle(2/26)-5
The Stone Roses(3/26)-3
Like a Prayer(6/26)-3
Done by the Forces of Nature(12/26)-4
Rhythm Nation 1814(13/26)-3
Let Love Rule(14/26)-2
Fromohio(15/26)-2
Nick of Time(17/26)-2
Djam Leelii(19/26)-4
Moss Side Story(24/26)-2

I just had an Eno album a week ago. I'm kind of bummed to get another one so soon. Notably, this album is more ambient and calming than the other album I had. However, it's not any better, though the vocals are less grating. The songs tend to lack hooks, unlike the ones on his more poppy debut that I had earlier. It is interesting, but not enough to make it a properly great album.

This album is ranked #22 of 27 albums for 1977. Other 1977 albums rated by me:
Rumours(1/27)-5
Exodus(2/27)-4
The Stranger(3/27)-4
Out of the Blue(4/27)-3
"Heroes"(5/27)-3
Lust for Life(6/27)-4
Talking Heads '77(8/27)-4
Low(9/27)-3
Marquee Moon(11/27)-4
Aja(12/27)-3
Zombie(13/27)-4
Bat Out of Hell(15/27)-4
My Aim Is True(16/27)-2
Peter Gabriel(17/27)-3
The Idiot(18/27)-3

One of the few Britpop albums on this list that has actual significance. Still, 2 in a row is a little much. Even worse is that nothing in particular on this album stood out to me. It didn't feel like it should be an album with enduring significance, instead just sounding like all the other Britpop bands. Maybe they get a pass for being the first, but it doesn't make the album any more interesting. Getting this after the Happy Mondays(another less well-known but similar-sounding band on this list) really just sucks.

This album is ranked #3 of 26 albums for 1989. Other 1989 albums rated by me:
Disintegration(1/26)-5
Doolittle(2/26)-5
Like a Prayer(6/26)-3
Done by the Forces of Nature(12/26)-4
Rhythm Nation 1814(13/26)-3
Let Love Rule(14/26)-2
Fromohio(15/26)-2
Nick of Time(17/26)-2
Djam Leelii(19/26)-4
Moss Side Story(24/26)-2

Oh, great, another British band I've never heard of. As for the album, it was ok. There were a few good bits, but also a few bits that felt like poor imitations of 70s American soul. Most of it is just guitar pop with an electronic tinge, nothing really special. I don't get why this one is on the list at all.

This album is ranked #17 of 22 albums for 1990. Other 1990 albums rated by me:
People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm(2/22)-5
Heaven or Las Vegas(3/22)-4
Bossanova(4/22)-5
Fear of a Black Planet(5/22)-5
Shake Your Money Maker(6/22)-2
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got(7/22)-4
Ragged Glory(12/22)-5
The La's(13/22)-3
En-Tact(22/22)-1

THIS, right here, is my kind of music. Pounding, furious rhythms, loud distorted guitar, and the pure anger expression by the vocals. Very few listening experiences on this list match this for sheer ferocity and righteous anger. Of course, this makes for one of my favorite albums. I own a copy on CD, it's that good. I understand that this style of music isn't for everybody, but it is very much my kind of music. It deserves a way higher rating than 2.7.

This album is ranked #22 of 23 albums for 1991. Other 1991 albums rated by me:
Ten(2/23)-4
The Low End Theory(4/23)-5
Blue Lines(6/23)-5
Achtung Baby(7/23)-1
Qui Seme le Vent Recolte le Tempo(15/23)-4
Spiderland(17/23)-4
Rising Above Bedlam(23/23)-2

Ooh, a krautrock album. Haven't had one of those in a while... It's definitely a different kind of krautrock than Can is. Where Can's style of krautrock was more beat-driven and groovy, this is incredibly spacey ambient music. There are no lyrics or even conventional rhythms to latch on to, making this not really a listening experience in the conventional sense. Instead, it produces a calming effect on the listener, like an early precursor to our modern ambient genre. It's definitely not something I thought would be on this list.

This album is ranked #25 of 26 albums for 1974. Other 1974 albums rated by me:
Sheer Heart Attack(1/26)-5
Queen II(4/26)-4
Pretzel Logic(7/26)-3
Court and Spark(8/26)-4
Here Come The Warm Jets(19/26)-3
Grievous Angel(22/26)-4

Oh, great, that one Bowie album everybody forgot existed. It is just that; forgettable. If ever an album could be described as "Bowie by the numbers", this is it. It has some good songs, but he isn't doing anything particularly interesting here compared to his earlier stuff. I genuinely don't get why this particular album is on the list, especially when Bowie has many other, better albums here already.

This album is the top ranked of 5 albums globally for 2013. This is the first 2013 album to be rated by me.

Another McCartney solo album? Should be excellent! It's not as good as the Wings album also on this list, but it's still a pretty good pop/rock album. Many people cite this as the first indie rock album, which is true to an extent. However, unlike most indie rock, this album is actually good. It has a very raw, somewhat unpolished feel to it, which is surprising to those used to the Beatles. While this is not McCartney's best album, it's still a pretty good album.

This album is ranked #19 of 29 albums for 1970. Other 1970 albums rated by me:
Bridge Over Troubled Water(2/29)-5
Led Zeppelin III(3/29)-4
Cosmo's Factory(4/29)-5
Black Sabbath(5/29)-5
All Things Must Pass(6/29)-3
Tea for the Tillerman(10/29)-4
After The Gold Rush(11/29)-5
Morrison Hotel(12/29)-3
Deep Purple In Rock(14/29)-5
Fun House(17/29)-5
Ananda Shankar(27/29)-4

Ah, Brian Eno. A producer with a taste for experimentation in music. Should be interesting, then. It was pretty interesting, if not quite as experimental as expected. It has a clear sensibility towards experimentation while staying within recognizable genre confines. I noticed that Eno's voice is markedly different from the deep vocals I expected, instead sounding almost like Billy Corgan in places. The lyrics are mostly nonsensical and serve only as garnish atop the compositions. This was a pretty interesting album to listen to, but it's not quite my favorite listen from this era.

This album is ranked #19 of 26 albums for 1974. Other 1974 albums rated by me:
Sheer Heart Attack(1/26)-5
Queen II(4/26)-4
Pretzel Logic(7/26)-3
Court and Spark(8/26)-4
Grievous Angel(22/26)-4

An entire album consisting of one long song. It better be good, then. Thankfully, it is pretty good. It's not my favorite listen of the list, or even of the era, but it does flow very naturally and stay decently engaging throughout. It is completely instrumental and features a section where Oldfield just throws random instruments on the record for the sake of doing so, therefore seeming more like a passion piece for its creator rather than a full-fledged album intended for listeners. It's not for everyone, but it's not the worst thing I've ever listened to.

This album is ranked #20 of 30 albums for 1973. Other 1973 albums rated by me:
The Dark Side of the Moon(1/30)-5
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road(2/30)-4
Let's Get It On(4/30)-5
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nerd 'Skin-'Nerd)(5/30)-5
Band On The Run(6/30)-5
Catch a Fire(8/30)-4
Head Hunters(10/30)-4
Tres Hombres(11/30)-4
Raw Power(12/30)-4
Countdown to Ecstasy(13/30)-3
Selling England by the Pound(15/30)-4
Paris 1919(25/30)-3

I had the other J&MC(?) album many albums ago and thought it was good, so I have high expectations for this one. Also, I've heard that it uses a lot of distortion, so that could be interesting. It was interesting, almost sounding like the "desert blues" sound in 1990s America. While the reverb was off-putting to many, it actually made me enjoy the songs more, giving them an almost metallic quality. This is an interesting album that contains plenty of good songs and few duds.

This album is ranked #11 of 16 albums for 1985. Other 1985 albums rated by me:
Brothers in Arms(2/16)-5
Hounds of Love(3/16)-4
Low-Life(5/16)-3
Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash(6/16)-3
Hunting High and Low(8/16)-3
Steve McQueen(10/16)-3
This Nation's Saving Grace(12/16)-3
Picture Book(13/16)-2
Fear and Whiskey(15/16)-2

So, a 70s British rock band that can't spell their song titles properly. It's a pretty fun rock album with a little bit of edge and raunch to it. It's as dumb as you would expect an album with these horribly misspelled titles to be, but it's fun. Most of the album is built off of Brit-blues riffage("white man blues"), with the vocals having a similar boogie rock quality to them. It's not life-changing, but it is ok for a listen once in a while.

This album is ranked #29 of 31 albums released in 1972. Other 1972 albums rated by me:
Ziggy Stardust(abbreviated title)(1/31)-4
Vol. 4(4/31)-5
Can't Buy A Thrill(5/31)-4
Talking Book(6/31)-4
Superfly(7/31)-4
Machine Head(11/31)-5
Paul Simon(12/31)-4
All Directions(13/31)-4
Home Is Where The Music Is(14/31)-4
The World Is A Ghetto(15/31)-4
Eagles(16/31)-4
#1 Record(20/31)-5
School's Out(22/31)-3
Manassas(25/31)-2
Something/Anything?(26/31)-3
American Gothic(31/31)-2

This is my third and last Queen album of the list. It does all the things Queen does well, with their signature theatrical bombast and early-era heaviness both present in full force. While it doesn't have any of their era-defining hits, it has more than enough excellent Queen songs to justify its reputation with the band's fans. The songs are every bit as heavy as Queen II while also being more consistently good, and while it doesn't quite reach the heights of A Night At The Opera's best songs, they are more than adequate for an introduction to Queen as a band. I think that this and A Night are the Queen albums that belong on this list, with II being more questionable(but still good).

This album is the highest ranked album of 1974 globally. Other 1974 albums rated by me:
Queen II(4/26)-4
Pretzel Logic(7/26)-3
Court and Spark(8/26)-4
Grievous Angel(22/26)-4

This is only my second Nick Cave listen of the project(after the Birthday Party album sitting in the bottom 10 globally). This album is noticeably less abrasive and experimental than that album, instead being a very dark, theatrical style of album. If it weren't for the lyrics about brutal murders and horrifying crimes, this album's songs could easily be from a musical. His vocal style is a very deep croon, almost like Elvis except a whole lot darker. This is a pretty good album with well-structured storytelling songs and an interesting concept, but the songs can be difficult to listen to due to vulgar lyrics and the occasional screaming noise(in "Stagger Lee"). However, these critiques do not detract from my overall assessment of the album as good.

This album is ranked #12 of 28 albums for 1996. Other 1996 albums rated by me:
The Score(1/28)-4
Endtroducing...(4/28)-4
Tigermilk(8/28)-3
Everything Must Go(11/28)-3
Emperor Tomato Ketchup(13/28)-4
1977(14/28)-2
Better Living Through Chemistry(15/28)-2
Oedipus Schmoedipus(23/28)-3
Now I Got Worry(27/28)-4
Antichrist Superstar(28/28)-2

A live album by Nirvana released in the same year as Cobain's death. Notably, it does not have "Smells Like Teen Spirit" but has 3 Meat Puppets covers(all from Meat Puppets II, which is also on this list). The choice to deliberately exclude their most popular songs(except for "Come As You Are") is a very interesting one that showcases their artistic ethos. I will note that their songs work surprisingly well as softer, acoustic versions, which is a testament to the songcraft of the band. I do respect the fact that Nirvana refused to sell out when they became popular, instead choosing to stay true to their artistic selves even in the face of money-hungry corporations. It makes for a pleasant acoustic album of well-chosen songs that is definitely worth listening to, especially if you're a fan of Nirvana.

This album is the highest ranked album of 1994 globally. Other 1994 albums rated by me:
Dookie(2/29)-4
Grace(3/29)-3
Dummy(4/29)-5
Illmatic(7/29)-5
Smash(10/29)-4
Ready to Die(11/29)-2
Live Through This(13/29)-4
Protection(15/29)-4
Talking Timbuktu(17/29)-3
Music for the Jilted Generation(19/29)-4
Dog Man Star(20/29)-3
Vauxhall and I(22/29)-2
Snivilisation(28/29)-3

This album is the genesis point for the entire metal genre. It gets a 5 on influence alone. But it also gets a 5 for its iconic songs, basically ALL of which(except for "Warning") are all-time classics. Evocative lyrics, virtuosic guitar and drum playing, and the iconic voice of Ozzy, all in one album. What more could you possibly ask for?! This album is absolutely brilliant and one of my all-time favorites. And I know I'm far from the only one.

This album is ranked #5 of 29 albums for 1970. Other 1970 albums rated by me:
Bridge Over Troubled Water(2/29)-5
Led Zeppelin III(3/29)-4
Cosmo's Factory(4/29)-5
All Things Must Pass(6/29)-3
Tea for the Tillerman(10/29)-4
After The Gold Rush(11/29)-5
Morrison Hotel(12/29)-3
Deep Purple In Rock(14/29)-5
Fun House(17/29)-5
Ananda Shankar(27/29)-4

So, the album that basically invented gangster rap? I'm not sure whether to like or hate it for that. I'll start by saying that it is very good from a technical standpoint. The beats and production are excellent, and Dre has a good flow with strong interplay between him and Snoop. However, the lyrics are abysmal. This album falls into all the usual annoying cliches about "bitches on my dick" and shooting people. This album both exemplifies the excellent skill of the classic rappers and all the worst parts of 1990s gangster rap.

This album is ranked #4 of 26 albums for 1992. Other 1992 albums rated by me:
Dirt(3/26)-5
The Predator(5/26)-3
It's A Shame About Ray(11/26)-3
Connected(19/26)-1
Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury(21/26)-2
Lam Toro(23/26)-3

Ah, yes, Hotel California. An album so massively popular by a band so massively popular that it became a punchline. They're generally regarded as the Nickelback of the 1970s-with the omnipresent songs to match. However, many of the songs still hold up today, even the title track. While many other, softer tracks are weaker, the rockers generally hit pretty hard. This is a good album that doesn't quite make greatness.