Reviews by funlisten445

All I know is "Tainted Love" by them. Blind listen

"Frustration" - Very 80's. It's alright 3/5
"Tainted Love" - The hit. It's so catchy. 4/5
"Seedy Films" - I found this one quite boring. 1/5
"Youth" - This one missed me too but I did like the ethereal background of it 2/5
"Sex Dwarf" - Nothing like a thirsty fantasy spelled out in song 1/5
"Entertain Me" - Another ok song. The chorus is kind of fun 3/5
"Chips on My Shoulder" - Sounds like an 8-bit video game beat. Didn't hate it 3/5
"Bedsitter" - Not for me 1/5
"Secret Life" - Another miss 1/5
"Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" - better than the last two but I was still bored through it 2/5

Songs added to playlist: "Tainted Love"

This was disappointing. Nothing else on this album touched the level of "Tainted Love". Definitely a product of it's time but felt like generic 80's pop to me. Two stars on this one.

I am a fan of Sam Cooke's music because my late father was a fan of Sam Cooke and all things soul from that era. I look forward to this one even though I don't usually like listening to live albums.

"Soul Twist/Introduction" - That crowd is ready 3/5
"Feel It (Don't Fight It)" – This swinging music makes me wanna flip. Great opener to a show to raise the energy. 5/5
"Chain Gang" – An ultimate sing-a-long song for me. Great crowd work 5/5
"Cupid" – I had to take a break after this song. I love this song and this version just flooded my mind with memories of enjoying music with my father. Like a serious (yet totally manly, of course) ugly cry. Miss ya pops. 5/5
"Medley: It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons" – Fun live version with the crowd singing along 3/5
"Twistin' the Night Away" – That club must have been rocking during this one. 5/5
"Somebody Have Mercy" – It's like you can feel the band feed off the crowd energy 4/5
"Bring It On Home to Me" – Another classic that can't go wrong 5/5
"Nothing Can Change This Love" – It rolls on and on 4/5
"Having a Party" – I'm having such a good time 5/5

Songs added to playlist: Damn near all of them

Woah. This may be one of the best live albums I have had the pleasure of listening too. It helps that it contains many hits from one my favorite artists but this one really made me imagine and feel the energy of the club, the crowd, and the musicians. Easy 5 stars. I am happy to discover this one.

Santana is another one of those artists in which I only know the hits. If someone asked me, "Hey, do you like Santana?", I would answer "Yeah, I love Santana!" This challenge has made me realize I would say those things without listening to the majority of work that any particular artist had put out there.

“Singing Winds, Crying Beasts” - Very psychedelic and slow intro. 2/5
“Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen” - The guitar, the drums, the closing energy, this is a classic 5/5
“Oye como va” - One verse repeated with 2 minutes of slick instrumental in between the verses. So simple, yet memorable 5/5
“Incident at Neshabur” - Okay instrumental but it didn't catch me. 3/5
“Se acabó” - Fast paced and driving. This is good. 4/5
“Mother’s Daughter” - This feels like a more traditional late 60's/early 70's rock song. Still good. 4/5
“Samba pa ti” - Beautiful guitar but too slow and dragging for me 3/5
“Hope You’re Feeling Better” - This rocks. Funky, groovy, its got it all 5/5
“El Nicoya” - A short song of drums. Meh 2/5

Songs added to playlist: “Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen”, “Oye como va”, “Se acabó”, “Mother’s Daughter”, “Hope You’re Feeling Better”

Really fun album but I usually struggle with fully instrumental songs. However, the songs I do like off of this album, I really do like. The song "Hope You're Feeling Better" really caught me by surprise and may be my favorite song on this album. Easy 4 stars for this. Now I can confidently say, "I love Santana!"

I have never listened to a Fatboy Slim album although I am familiar with a handful of his songs. This albums brings me back to an era which I was young, dumb, lifted, over-partied, and (in hindsight) cringe-worthy. I wonder how my "old man" mind will think of this album now.

“Right Here, Right Now” - This brings me back and I still want to dance to it. 5/5
“The Rockafeller Skank” - Great song but was overplayed a lot in my circles. 4/5
“Fucking in Heaven” - funky beat but a drop off from the first two tracks. 3/5
“Gangster Tripping” - This is okay. 3/5
“Build It Up – Tear It Down” - Another middling piece. 3/5
“Kalifornia” - Makes me wanna breakdance. I'd probably break my neck if I tried. 4/5
“Soul Surfing” - Started okay but got annoying the longer it went 2/5
“You’re Not from Brighton” - More hip-hop flavored breaks in this one. Meh 3/5
“Praise You” - Another great release from this album that got overplayed. 4/5
“Love Island” - A house song that repeats the word "house". Kind of cheesy 3/5
“Acid 8000” - This will make your booty move. Probably my 2nd favorite track on the album 5/5

Songs added to playlist: “Right Here, Right Now”, “The Rockafeller Skank”, “Kalifornia”, “Praise You", "Acid 8000"

One thing I have noticed over the years of hearing electronic music is on highly-touted albums, there is only a few of the songs (that usually get released as singles) on the album that I'll enjoy while the rest get repetitive and boring. This album is similar but does have a higher amount of songs than I normally enjoy from an electronic dance album so 4 stars for me.

I have heard of Pavement. That's all I have to say. Blind listen again.

“Summer Babe (Winter Version)” - So 90's. This one didn't catch me. 2/5
“Trigger Cut / Wounded-Kite at :17” - This one pinged a nostalgia feel for me. Not bad. 3/5
“No Life Singed Her” - The screaming in this was a major turn-off. 1/5
“In the Mouth a Desert” - Another poke at my nostalgia for 90's rock. I don't mind this one 3/5
“Conduit for Sale!” - Interesting with the spoken word verses and repetitive chorus. I like the driving rhythm in this 3/5
“Zürich Is Stained” - Nice vibe to this one. A bit too short but I like it. 4/5
“Chesley’s Little Wrists” - Sounds like they are goofing off in studio but I find it annoying 1/5
“Loretta’s Scars” - It's alright. I like the backing music but the vocals put me off. 3/5
“Here” - Not bad. Very calming song. 3/5
“Two States” - Boring song. Guitar sounds good. 2/5
“Perfume-V” - This didn't move me. Still love the sonic, driving guitars though. 2/5
“Fame Throwa” - This one is all over the place. I couldn't find the groove. 2/5
“Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era” - Nothing but repetition 2/5
“Our Singer” - Not terrible but not feeling it much 3/5

Song added to Playlist: Zürich Is Stained

Much of this album teased me with the nostalgia of that 90's rock sound without giving me the payoff I had hoped for. This album feels very raw, like a band trying to discover their sound. I think it would take at least one more enjoyable song for it to reach 3 star for me, so I am going with 2 stars.

The only reason I have heard of this band is because my dad has this album on vinyl. I never listened to it but I will always remember the album cover that has a freakin' armadillo tank on it. Maybe the album lives up to the cover art.

"Tarkus" - A 20 minute song? Some parts are rocking and groovy, while others feel pretentious and nauseating. Too much for too long. 2/5
"Jeremy Bender" - Followed by a under 2 minute song. Underwhelming 2/5
"Bitches Crystal" - Blazing pace and spacey sound. Cool piano solo. Okay, but I'm not connecting 2/5
"The Only Way (Hymn)" - Opening feels very gothic and very slow. I was waiting for this take off but never did. 1/5
"Infinite Space (Conclusion)" - I'm sure the musicianship during this instrumental is really good but this song goes nowhere for me. 1/5
"A Time and a Place" - This has a deep groove that I like. Probably the only song I have somewhat enjoyed so far on this album but still not a song I will playlist. 3/5
"Are You Ready, Eddy?" - An old school rock throwback, like 1950's old. I like the sound but it is cheesy and repetitive 3/5

No songs added to playlist

This is not an album for me. All the musicians can obviously slay on their instruments but every song was a miss for me. I won't revisit this again. The armadillo tank deserved better. 2 stars

Who is Louis Prima? Yet another totally blind listen.

"Just a Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody": Now I know where David Lee Roth got it. This is rockin' +
"(Nothing's Too Good) For My Baby": Fun and Upbeat. Prima and Smith have great voices. +
"The Lip": Not for me but hearing "LIP-er-ace" made me laugh -
"Body and Soul": Fun instrumental but fell off pretty quick. -
"Oh Marie": Bouncy and fast, fun song +
"Basin Street Blues / When It's Sleepy Time Down South": This one wore thin on me. Fun beat and instruments but I wasn't feeling it -
"Jump, Jive, an Wail": I have heard this for sure. Was there a cover of this during the swing resurgence in the 90's? Fun song. +
"Buona Sera": Starts as a slower ballad and rises to another bouncy, swing song. It's good +
"Night Train": Great instrumental with a singing trumpet. Another good one. +
"(I'll Be Glad When Your Dead) You Rascal You": Closing out with a high-energy blast of swing. I think that man stole more than ravioli. +

Songs added to playlist: Just a Gigolo; Oh, Marie; Jump, Jive, An' Wail; Buona Sera; Night Train

This was a treat because it was bouncy and danceable, along with Prima's raspy and sometimes garbled vocals and his trumpet blaring. It's obvious that this album influenced many artists that would come later. I agree this is an album that everyone should hear at least once (or at least when they are playing Fallout). 4 stars

I have never heard of this band. Perhaps I have heard one of their songs and didn't know it was them? Another true blind listen.

"Something for the Weekend": Upbeat. Rolling drums. Nice twist at the end but I will pass on this song -
"Becoming More Like Alfie": No doesn't mean yes, it means no. This song is a no for me -
"Middle-Class Heroes": Feels like a song from a musical -
"In & Out of Paris & London": Boring -
"Charge": This one is all over the place. -
"Songs of Love": An acoustic song of young love and attraction. Not bad +
"The Frog Princess": Music is good but the lyrics sound hateful -
"A Woman of the World": A slow crooner builds into a show tune. I kind of like it +
"Through a Long & Sleepless Night": Lots of words in this song and I have no words to explain why I don't like it. -
"Theme From Casanova": Certainly sounds like a theme song for a 70's or 80's era TV show -
"The Dogs & The Horses": A slow-burn about death. It's okay but not a playlist song +

Songs added to playlist: Songs of Love, A Woman of the World

This album is not one for me. There were a couple songs I liked but the rest is not up my alley. The lead singer's voice was pleasant at times but other times I found it disconnected me from the music. The songs I liked saved this from being a 1 star, so I give it 2 stars.

I have never listened to Miles Davis. I know he is a jazz pioneer but I never listened to jazz either, not purposefully. Two long tracks, interesting...

- "Shhh / Peaceful": The beginning is give me Curtis Mayfield vibes. That singing trumpet is sure giving me calm. Really good instrumentation. However, after a while it faded to the background. Need more trumpet -
- "In a Silent Way": Trumpet is amazing but this one faded to the background as well. I did like the upbeat, more rock-styled parts though -

I think I understand why I don't enjoy jazz. It seems like a genre that would mostly be enjoyed by musicians, and I am not one. Maybe I'm just too simple-minded to connect to this type of music. I usually rate albums based on my enjoyment of each individual song and since I didn't really enjoy these two tracks it would normally get a 1. However, out of respect to that beautiful trumpet, Miles Davis, and the other musicians, I will give this a 3. I know, I'm not cool, but Miles Davis sure is.

The only song I known from them is "Cult of Personality" and that song rocks so hard I am surprised I never tried to listen to any of their other stuff.

"Cult of Personality": This has always been a playlist song. It rips and even to this day we are still living in the era of cults of personality. +
"I Want to Know": A lot more pop-centric than the previous song. Love the chunky bass and guitar solo +
"Middle Man": Great riffs, great groove. It had me moving. +
"Desperate People": This one is a bit long but still a great song about the down side of drugs and the party life. +
"Open Letter (To a Landlord): Soulful and funky song about the gentrification and treatment of lower class neighborhoods +
"Funny Vibe": Public Enemy sighting? The funny vibe I get is this is a fun song. +
"Memories Can't Wait": Some good parts, some unenjoyable parts. A lot of genre shifting in this one. -
"Broken Hearts": A solid ballad +
"Glamour Boys": A island-tinged pop song with heavy riffs in the chorus. Didn't care for this one. -
"What's Your Favorite Color?" So funky, so good +
"Which Way to America": A driving closer about American consumerism. Banger +

Songs added to playlist: All of them except Memories Can't Wait and Glamour Boys.

I feel like an idiot that it took me nearly 40 years to listen to this album. I enjoyed it immensely from start to finish with only a couple tracks I didn't enjoy but don't degrade the quality of enjoyment I got from the listen. A lot of the social commentary still lands today. This is my first 5 star album.

I do like some Johnny Cash songs but have never listened to one of his albums. Also, I am not a fan of live albums so this one may have an uphill climb to get a good rating from me.

"Folsom Prison Blues": Great opener for a show at Folsom prison. +
"Dark as the Dungeon": Song was slow but crowd interaction was great +
"I Still Miss Someone": This one missed me -
"Cocaine Blues": Weird feeling to hear prisoners cheer on the killing of a woman. -
"25 Minutes to Go": Great story song. +
"Orange Blossom Special": Fun drumming, didn't care for the harmonica bits -
"The Long Black Veil": I liked this one although the crowd interaction broke the mood of the dark song +
"Send a Picture of Mother": A sad, heartfelt songs about imprisonment. I liked it. +
"The Wall": Short but good story. +
"Dirty Old Egg-Suckin Dog": A song about shooting a poorly trained dog. -
"Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart": Clever writing on this one. Humorous +
"Jackson": Fun song with June Carter +
"Give My Love to Rose": Did get into this one -
"I Got Stripes": Ok, a bit repetitive though -
"Green, Green Grass of Home": The nostalgia of youth and freedom wrapped into a country song. +
"Greystone Chapel": This one fell short for me too -

Songs add to playlist: Folsom Prison Blues, 25 Minutes to Go, Send a Picture of Mother, The Wall; Green, Green Grass of Home

The idea behind the recording of this album and the execution of it were very original and ground-breaking. Cash put together a set list tailored for this audience and gave them a bit of happiness in their dreary situation, even if it was for a brief moment in time. However, I only enjoyed half the songs on this album which precipitates into a 3-star rating. Decent album.

I have heard of Madness through their, what I'm assuming, only mainstream hit "Our House". I went through a punk/ska phase in high school and Madness always came up as pioneers in the genre so I look forward to listening to this. Seeing brownface on the cover photo was an unwelcome surprise.

"Rise and Fall": Not really the sound I expected. Kind of bland -
"Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)": Better than the opener but didn't enjoy -
"Blue Skinned Beast": Interesting song, the genres seem to shift as the song goes. Didn't move me though -
"Primrose Hill": Sounds like a rejected Beatles tune with more horns -
"Mr. Speaker (Gets the Word)": More ska in this one. First song I've liked so far +
"Sunday Morning": Started strong but faded quickly -
"Our House": Catchy and fun. There is a reason this was a mainstream hit. +
"Tiptoes": I was waiting for this one to catch me but it never did -
"New Delhi": Very boring song for me -
"That Face": Sweet bass line. But again not for me -
"Calling Cards": This is a fun one. +
"Are You Coming (With Me)": Another song that is boring for me. The hook grates on my nerves -
"Madness (Is All in the Mind)": All I can hear is "Fever" but not as good -

Songs I would add to playlist if Spotify had them: Mr. Speaker (Gets the Word), Calling Cards

I expected a lot more ska from this album but instead got a lot of bland 80's pop. This is definitely not an album I enjoyed but there were a few songs I liked enough to keep it at 2 stars.

Of course I know who George Harrison is but I can only think of 2 solo songs of his I know. Holy moly, 23 tracks! This is going to be a long listen.

"I'd Have You Anytime": Not the strongest start. Great guitar but feels like a generic 70's slow tune the rest of the way -
"My Sweet Lord": One of the Harrison songs I have heard. This was already in my playlist. It's a good one. +
"Wah-Wah": This one has a very Beatles feel. It's ok, a bit long. +
"Isn't it a Pity": Slow start but builds beautifully. Drags quite a bit towards the end +
"What Is Life": I have heard this before, I think. I like it +
"If Not for You": It's alright but didn't catch me -
"Behind That Locked Door": Am I hearing a slide guitar? A country feel and I don't like country music much, but I like this one +
"Let It Down": I liked the chorus bit in this but overall it was a let down -
"Run of the Mill": This is soulful. Short and sweet +
"Beware of Darkness": A beautiful song. This one got me in the feelings +
"Apple Scruffs": Sounds Dylan influenced. Didn't like it. -
"Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let it Roll)": This has an uplifting feel to it. I like it +
"Awaiting on You All": This sounded like the Beatles did gospel. The chorus felt out of place. -
"All Things Must Pass": The title track. A great song about looking ahead. +
"I Dig Love": Not bad. Not a playlist type song but a fun little ditty. +
"Art of Dying": Fast paced and bluesy. Oh yeah +
"Isn't it a Pity (Version 2)": I think I like this stripped down version better than the other one. +
"Hear Me Lord": For some reason, I'm reminded of Pink Floyd in this song, which is a good thing +
"Out of the Blue": An 11-minute jam session. Too long and not for me -
"It's Johnny's Birthday": A goofy song/interlude -
"Plug Me In": Another jam session but much shorter -
"I Remember Jeep": More instrumentals with lasers -
"Thanks for the Pepperoni": Another rocking jam instrumental -

Songs added to playlist: What is Life, Behind That Locked Door, Run Of the Mill, Beware of Darkness, Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let it Roll), All Things Must Pass, Art of Dying, Isn't It a Pity (version 2), Hear me Lord

I really enjoyed this listen until I came to the last 5 tracks of instrumentals. Then I read this was a triple album and the instrumentals were sort of like a bonus inclusion to the double album. This is a really good to great rock album. I give it 4 stars.

Of course I have heard of Bob Dylan but can't say I have heard a lot of his music outside "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Like a Rolling Stone". This is my first listen to one of his albums in full.

"Subterranean Homesick Blues": Ok, definitely heard parts of this song before today. I think from a television ad. Upbeat. Not Bad.
"She Belongs to Me": Not my type of song but the lyrics are ok.
"Maggie's Farm": Nothing about this one stood out to me. -
"Love Minus Zero": Another boring one.
"Outlaw Blues": This is more upbeat. More bluesy rock style and more up my alley.
"On the Road Again": I grooved to this one a little bit. It's ok +
"Bob Dylan's 115th Dream": Another upbeat rock groove. I did like this one and it's strange lyrics.
"Mr. Tambourine Man": A very recognizable Dylan song but I do prefer the version by The Byrds (don't shoot me). I'll give it a plus because Dylan wrote it but this won't be the version on my playlist
"Gates of Eden": I'm beginning to dislike Dylan's harmonica in his songs.
"It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)": Dylan drops some bars on this one but overall this is not a song for me. Too long -
"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue": Too much folk, not enough groove

This album made me realize that I don't really like Bob Dylan's voice or his harmonica or maybe folk music itself. That probably doesn't bode well for future Bob Dylan albums on this list. I did like the more upbeat stuff though and those songs saved this album enough for me to give it 3 stars

The legendary Jimi Hendrix. Are you Experienced was a regular play for me from high-school still to this day but Axis: Bold As Love is new to me outside the song "Castles Made of Sand".

"Exp": Interesting intro with a Doppler-effect wall of guitar wails. Fitting for time period I guess
"Up From The Skies": A jazzy, bebop flavored start to this. Don't really care for this one
"Spanish Castle Magic": Now this sounds more like quintessential Jimi Hendrix
"Wait Until Tomorrow": Funky and bluesy, wonderful
"Ain't No Telling": A driving groove and Jimi guitar but the time changes threw me off this one
"Little Wing": A slowed-down song with some beautiful riffs. I like this one
"If 6 was 9": The beginning of this song reminds me of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man". A psychedelic counter-culture tune that drags on a bit too much for me.
"You Got Me Floatin'": Boring hook over great instrumentation. The back-up singers sink this one
"Castles Made of Sand": This one was already on my playlist because I love it
"She's So Fine": It's ok, not great, not terrible. Sounds like a different band without Jimi's vocals
"One Rainy Wish": Never heard this song before today. This is magnificent.
"Little Miss Lover": A bouncy song that gets your head nodding. Short song, I wanted more of this one.
"Bold as Love": This is a gem that I never heard. Jimi's guitar builds a great crescendo ending to a good album.

I got introduced to so many songs from an artist I already liked, but never did any deep album dives outside the debut. Great album.

My first time coming across an album I am very familiar with. My teenage years were in the 1990's and hip-hop was a big part of it. Naturally, this album was listened to many times during that era. In my opinion, Biggie is one of the best rappers of all time (not exactly a hot take) and this album deserves to be on the echelon of great hip-hop albums. But today is not the 90's and I will rate this on a fresh listen.

1 - Intro - A biopic gangster movie condensed into a 3 minute introduction
2 - "Things Done Changed" - Biggie shows that he can paint a picture of street life in the city. "Either you slinging crack or you got a wicked jump shot," shows how many view the streets as inescapable.
3 - "Gimme the Loot" - One my favorites from this album. Biggie showcases his flow on this one and the memorable hook and boom-bap beat makes this a classic.
4 - "Machine Gun Funk" - "I live for the funk, I'll die for the funk"
5 - "Warning" - One of my lesser liked tracks from Biggie but his flow and narrative still carry this.
6 - "Ready to Die" - The title track. A smooth beat with Biggie lyrics, but hearing Diddy in background now gives me cringe. Still good though.
7 - "One More Chance" - I've always disliked this song. The rhymes and flows are top notch, but hearing a dude brag about being good in the sack with overly raunchy lyrics always made me skip this one. This song always feels like it's wasting Biggie's talent
8 - "#!*@ Me" - Ah yes, a Diddy produced interlude of "love sounds". Gross
9 - "The What" - Biggie and Method Man? Oh yeah
10 - "Juicy" - The song that made Biggie hit the big time. As much as I dunk on Diddy, he produced a classic here with Biggie's flow telling a rags-to-riches story.
11 - "Everyday Struggle" - This beat always reminded me of the New Jack Swing style. Still Biggie.
12 - "Me and My B*tch" - Another of the weaker songs on this album but Biggie's great lyrics tell a sad story of collateral damage
13 - "Big Poppa" - The big hit of the album. I'm sure nearly every American has heard the hook from this one. Not my favorite Biggie song but still the banger that it always was
14 - "Respect" - Biggie pens a short biography with some Jamaican flavor from Diana King. Always liked this one (despite the cringe audio at the end of the track)
15 - "Friend of Mine" - Was never a fan of this one.
16 - "Unbelievable" - DJ Premier + Biggie = unbelievably instant classic. Probably my favorite Biggie song of all time.
17 - "Suicidal Thoughts" - A dark song to close out the album. Artistic but just too dark for me

As much as I would love to give this album 5 stars because of its impact to hip-hop and even being part of my own musical journey as a youth, it is not up there for me anymore. If you had asked me in the 90's, I would have said this is easily 5 stars, but the older me that is currently rating this gives it a 4 out of 5.

I know of Sade through their hits "Smooth Operator" and "Sweetest Taboo" but have never listened to one of their albums since it's outside of my normal listening genres. I recognized the album cover because I have seen that image multiple times over the course of my life and know that it is an album that people adore.

"Smooth Operator" - One of the Sade tracks I am familiar with. Horns, bongos, funky guitar, Latin flavor all operating smoothly together.
"Your Love is King" - A modern (80's) slow jam with those quintessential blaring 80's horns and the smooth singing melds it all together. Great song
"Hang On to Your Love" - Funky rhythm with a great piano jumping in later. Another Like
"Frankie's First Affair" - First song on the album I didn't vibe with. I would say it is a bad song by any means but it was a let down for me after the first 3 songs were really good.
"When Am I Going to Make a Living" - Another funky banger. Enjoyed it
"Cherry Pie" - This starts off with a fat bass line and then a spacey and funky guitar joins in. I love the hook on this one. One of my top songs so far
"Sally" - The horns at the beginning felt like a noir film. It's got interesting lyrics but the pace was too dragging for me. A dislike on this
"I Will Be Your Friend" - A very similar groove to Smooth Operator with a great hook.
"Why Can't We Live Together" - This song has really cool percussion and groove. The lyrics have a great message of peace but overall I found this as a very boring finale to close out the album.

Overall, this was a great listen. I guess that makes me a Sade fan now. This falls just short of being a perfect score album for me. 4/5

Never heard of this artist before in my life but was pleasantly surprised with the first 3 songs on this. "Down to Zero" was great opener and followed by a couple of great vibes in "Help Yourself" and the funky "Water With the Wine". Then the album took a turn to the softer side which is really not my jam. "Love and Affection" is the most listened to song on this album on Spotify but I didn't enjoy it. "Join the Boys" and "People" were more up my alley but the remainder of the album wasn't my vibe. I'm sure this album speaks to many listeners out there but only about half of it was enjoyable to me.

All I know about this band is that I have heard the name in passing. Never heard a single song so this is a true blind listening to this album and band. After reading the track listing I see it is all in Spanish, lets see...

"Chan Chan": Couldn't get into this one. Great vocal harmony though
"De Camino a La Vereda": This one had a brighter feel. Great vocals but not generating any feelings from me
"El Cuarto De Tula": The percussion is really fun but I am not enjoying this so far
"Pueblo Nuevo": Some nice piano playing at the start. Oh, the whole song is a instrumental. Still feel nothing
"Dos Gardenias": Sounds like a great song for a slow dance or movie credits. Not moving me
"¿Y Tu Que Has Hecho?": Nice horn playing and guitar but boring
"Veinte Anos": I liked the duet but still can't connect
"El Carretero": I'm really struggling here
"Candela": I grooved to this for a bit, then I was waiting for it to end
"Amor De Loca Juventud": I want to skip but I'm in it for the long haul
"Orgullecida": I think I've zoned out.
"Murmullo": I'm sorry everybody.
"Buena Vista Social Club": Another instrumental with solid piano, but again
"La Bayamesa": Sounds like a sweet send-off but I am grateful the album is done.

I didn't enjoy this one at all. The genre of the music never spoke to me and the language-barrier kept me from connecting to the meaning of the lyrics. These musicians definitely put heart into these songs but since I am rating this on my personal enjoyment of the albums I have to give this 1 star.