Reviews by gregorsmith

I went into Surrealistic Pillow already knowing the big hits in "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" and yeah, they totally live up to the hype. Grace Slick is just on another level, and honestly, I wish she sang lead on everything. Outside of those heavy hitters, the rest of the album was a bit of a surprise. It’s got this weird mix of folksy, acoustic stuff and bluesy tracks like "Embryonic Journey." Some of the quieter moments feel a little dated and slow compared to the energy of the singles, but as a whole, it’s a pretty cool time capsule of that 1967 San Francisco scene. It’s not perfect, but those highs are so good that it’s easy to see why it’s considered a classic.

Weirdly these poster children of the 1960s counterculture morphed into the 1980s corpo-synth-pop machine that produced "We Built This City" and "Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now", fuckin' sell outs!

Goo is such a legendary Sonic Youth album, and it really shows how far ahead of the game they were compared to the rest of the 90s alt-rock crowd. Some people think it’s too polished since it’s their first major-label release, but I think they nailed it. They took all that signature noisy, dissonant energy and somehow turned it into catchy songs without losing their edge.

Kim Gordon is the real MVP here. Her vocals on "Kool Thing" and "Tunic (Song For Karen)" are just incredible and still sound super fresh. Between the fuzzy riffs on "Dirty Boots" and those classic feedback squalls, the whole thing is just perfectly balanced. It’s way more than just a cool t-shirt design, it’s basically the blueprint for the entire decade of music that followed.

It’s borderline criminal how members of the Wu-Tang guys just casually drop absolute bangers solo albums, and Liquid Swords is for sure top-tier. It’s dark, moody, and super cinematic, RZA’s gritty, lo-fi beats and those old kung fu movie samples just pull you right into another world. I know the long dialogue clips from Shogun Assassin might be a bit much for some people, but I think they really nail that creepy, samurai vibe that makes the whole record feel like a classic. Tracks like "4th Chamber," "Shadowboxin'," and the title track show exactly why he’s called the Genius. It’s a total masterpiece of '90s hardcore hip-hop that just gets better the more you spin it.

This is such a classic trip-hop record, and Tracy Thorn’s feature on the title track is honestly next-level. When I really sit with it, the whole vibe Massive Attack created is just super moody and nocturnal, it’s like the perfect soundtrack for a late-night drive or just staring out the window on a rainy day. The production is so clean, and it’s cool how they pull in guys like Horace Andy and Tricky without it ever feeling too cluttered.

That said, it’s not always an easy listen. It definitely feels like they were still figuring things out between the massive heights of Blue Lines and Mezzanine. If I’m not in the right mood, the slow pace can start to feel a bit like background noise, and honestly, tacking that "Light My Fire" cover onto the end feels really out of place. It’s a great album if you’re in the zone to actually pay attention to it, but it’s definitely not something I’d put on as casual background music.

I went into It's Too Late to Stop Now pretty skeptical, mostly because double live albums can be such a slog and, honestly, it's hard not to mention how difficult it has become to separate the music from the man himself after his recent years of erratic, frustrating nonsense... But despite the baggage and the ninety-minute runtime, the actual music completely won me over. The Caledonia Soul Orchestra is incredibly tight, and the horn and string arrangements bring so much life to these tracks.

Even if you’re not a fan of his vocal quirks or think some of the covers drag a bit, the high points are legit. A lot of these versions feel way more intimate and soulful than the studio ones, hearing "Into the Mystic" live was a total highlight for me. It’s a bit of a commitment and might not change your mind if you already hate his stuff, but as a raw, honest look at a 1970s live show, it’s a killer record.

I wasn't expecting much from this one, I honestly thought I was in for another boring, slow acoustic slog, but it totally blew me away. It's the perfect mix of bluegrass and alt country and raw americana, just a really intimate, stripped-back sound. Since there are no drums or fancy production, the whole thing just breathes, Gillian Welch’s voice is haunting, and the guitar work is incredible.

It’s definitely a slow, moody burn, so it might not be for everyone, but every single note feels important. Songs like "Revelator", "Everything Is Free", and "Elvis Presley Blues" are top tier songwriting, and even the super long "I Dream a Highway" kept me hooked the whole time instead of dragging. Such an unexpected gem, I wanted to start it over the second it finished.

Aladdin Sane doesn't quite hit the same effortless high as Ziggy Stardust, but it’s still a wild ride through Bowie’s American tour era. It swaps the polish for something a lot dirtier and sleazier, leaning into gritty riffs and that weird, theatrical glam swagger. It’s definitely a bit chaotic in places, but you can’t deny how good it gets when he really goes for it.

Mick Ronson is an absolute beast on the guitar here, and those frantic, borderline-insane piano solos from Mike Garson on the title track are just next level. Songs like "The Jean Genie", "Drive-In Saturday", and the hauntingly beautiful "Lady Grinning Soul" are total standouts. It’s a bit messy and abrasive, sure, but it’s such a cracked masterpiece that’s essential listening if you’re a Bowie fan.

Curtis Mayfield’s voice on this one is a total love or hate thing, it’s definitely not the flashy, cinematic soul of Superfly... It’s way more stripped back and mellow. You’ve got these tight, moody basslines and a super laid back vibe that makes for a really powerful, socially conscious listen if you’re in the right headspace. Tracks like "Hard Times" and "So In Love" are just pure class.

That said, it’s a slow burn, and if you’re looking for high-energy funk, you’re not gonna find it here. The tempos stay pretty low-key throughout, and things like "Jesus" are definitely a bit niche. You really have to be in the mood to just sit with it, otherwise it can feel a bit like it’s just drifting along.

An absolute head scratcher of an entry on the list, this album feels neither popular nor essential. Listening to Finley Quaye's take on dub and reggae is like hearing a musician lean heavily into a questionable patois while floating on top of some of the most featherlight, directionless arrangements imaginable. While a few tracks like "Sunday Shining" offer a genuinely sunny, groovy vibe with a nice wobbly bassline, the rest of the record too often plays out like beige wallpaper music, background noise on a lazy Sunday, yet fundamentally unmemorable and soulless.

The most I remember about Finley is he's a Hibs fan, and a former Hibs ball boy.... This album the the aural equivalent of Hibs-ing it

Moody goth rock from a man who ended up doing a duet with Olivia Rodrigo? Putting on Seventeen Seconds feels like stepping into a monochrome, dreary world where everything slows down to a crawl.

Sparse? It's got it in abundance.

Atmospheric gloom? We got jangly, reverb-drenched guitars, driving bass lines, and an eerie, hypnotic space that captures the absolute essence of early post-punk right here!

While some might find its minimalist structure a bit too brooding, tracks like "A Forest" and "Play for Today" stand out as undeniable masterpieces that effortlessly bridge the gap between haunting despair and mesmerizing beauty.

I was not prepared for Randy Newman to drop the hard r N-word right out of the gate on "Rednecks," and it definitely makes for a jarring, uncomfortable, and polarizing listen. While I understand the album is a deeply satirical concept piece skewering the hypocrisy of both the American South and smug Northerners, hearing the man behind Toy Story casually belt out those slurs through his signature ragtime piano is an experience that leaves you with very complicated feelings.

I went into 69 Love Songs wondering who actually has three hours to kill on such a self-indulgent marathon. Like a lot of people, I found it a total endurance test that swings between some really witty indie-pop gems and a whole lot of half-baked filler that’s exhausting to sit through.

Some people love the quirky variety, but I just felt the weight of the massive runtime and kept wishing it was a tight, 12-track album instead. It’s definitely an ambitious project from Stephin Merritt, but after slogging through all that filler, I’m left pretty divided... I respect the hustle, but I once listened to the whole Ella Fitzgerald sings The Gershwin Songbook for that long, but at least it was goddamn Ella Fizgerald singing...

Listening to A Wizard, A True Star is basically like going on a chaotic, psychedelic trip through Todd Rundgren's brain. He completely ditched the usual songwriting rules for a kitchen-sink, all-over-the-place collage where songs bleed into each other, one minute it's weird sound effects and animal noises, the next it’s a smooth pop hook or a soul medley. It's totally unhinged and kind of a masterpiece in how weird it is.

Another Ice Cube record. Throwing on AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted feels like opening a heavy, intense time capsule of 90s gangsta rap. The production from Public Enemy’s The Bomb Squad is a dense, funky chaos, and Cube’s flow, plus his sharp take on race and inner-city life, is undeniably brilliant. It’s a huge landmark, especially since he proved he could absolutely thrive on his own after leaving NWA.

That said, listening to it is pretty exhausting. The constant, graphic misogyny and violence, especially on tracks like "You Can't Fade Me", cast such a frustrating shadow over the record, and I’m always left struggling to reconcile that brilliant social critique with all the hostility. It doesn't quite have the same focused punch as The Predator did later on, and it’s a bit bloated with the constant petty digs at his old bandmates, but it’s still a massive, high energy piece of history that leaves me feeling pretty conflicted.

But the question remains unanswered, should he have been put in the Guiness book for all the shit he took?

Even as an unashamed Limp Bizkit fan, I am completely baffled by the inclusion of Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water on this list. This isn't the first band I've seen included as a sort of participation trophy entry and paired with their most commercially successful album... While it was a massive success in 2000, selling records does not equate to their best work, as both Significant Other and 3 Dollar Bill Y'all are magnitudes better. Aside from "My Way", which only was elevated for me because of its unforgettable soundtrack role in the WrestleMania 17 main event video package, this album is just the drizzling shits.

This album was a bit hit-and-miss for me, much like many shared by other listeners. While the iconic Al Green cover of "Take Me to the River" stands out as an undeniable highlight and a genuine career gem, the rest of the tracklist felt mostly like it was just kind of there.

On one hand, you can certainly hear the infectious energy of Tina Weymouth's basslines and the initial sparks of the band's collaboration with Brian Eno driving that signature rhythm. Yet, for every moment of quirky, dorky post-punk charm, David Byrne's frantic vocal delivery and idiosyncratic cadence could also come across as grating or exhausting over the stretch of a full playthrough, leaving me with mixed feelings about the overall record.

Hot Buttered Soul isn't just a title, it's a way of mind... This 1969 classic completely breaks the mold with its huge, cinematic arrangements and the Bar-Kays laying down some of the smoothest, funkiest grooves I’ve ever heard. Whether it’s the sprawling 12-minute take on "Walk On By", the hypnotic vibe of "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic", or that massive 18-minute version of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", this whole record just demands that you kick back and let the lush production take over.

Some might call the long intros and monologues a bit much, but I think they’re exactly what makes the experience so immersive. Hearing that deep, smoky voice delivering such bold, experimental soul is honestly magnetic. It’s an incredible piece of art that totally holds up, and I was hooked from the very first note.

I love Travis. I've already mentioned my tenuous links to the Glasgow scene of the late 90s and early 00s via Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand and chilling with Belle & Sebastian, but my link to Travis is anything but tenuous. Guitarist Andy Dunlop lived on my street growing up, went to the same school, and even delivered eggs to my house as a side hustle when we were kids! I grew up seeing their old "Glass Onion" stickers plastered on every flat surface around our small-ish town, and we're still Facebook friends today. So yeah, while some music snobs might look at them as an average band doing average things, seeing a mate's band blow up in such an epic way, capped off by that legendary Glastonbury set people still talk about over 25 years later, is just something else entirely.

Looking at The Man Who today, I completely understand the wildly mixed, visceral reactions it still provokes. I hear the endless comparisons to The Bends-era Radiohead due to Nigel Goodrich producing it, and fully acknowledge the accusations of it being "beige," "mid-tempo," or safe background music. But for me, and for the countless others who still hold this record dear, that critique misses the magic. What it might lack in aggressive grit, it more than makes up for with undeniable craft, gorgeous production, and deeply melancholic, beautiful melodies. Tracks like "Driftwood", "Turn", and "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" are flawless comfort food with a profound, tender warmth. I mean, I complain about album being over long and I chose to listen to the entire 2+ hour Anniversary edition of this and loved it entirely.

Just wrapped up Triangle, and honestly, it’s mostly just drivel. It feels like a total Poundland Bob Dylan cover band, with a singer who tries to mimic that Dylan drawl but doesn't have the chops or the charisma to make it work. Instead of some lost treasure, I got forced whimsy, tired folk tropes, and some really dated lyrics about "magical hollows" that just made me cringe. There’s absolutely nothing special here to justify it being on this list; it’s just another generic '60s band that slapped some harpsichords and strings onto their tracks to jump on the hippie bandwagon. The only mercy is that it’s under 30 minutes long, but it’s still a completely forgettable, tedious slog that I’m never touching again.

This was the only album Buddy Holly & The Crickets put out while he was still alive, so it basically plays like a greatest hits record. It’s packed with classics, and since it’s only about 25 minutes long, they don't make them like they used to. When you hear upbeat tracks like "Not Fade Away", "Oh Boy!", and "That'll Be the Day", you’re literally hearing the foundation of rock and roll being built. It’s such a fun time capsule and pretty much set the blueprint for how a self-contained rock band should work, no wonder it influenced everyone from the Beatles to the Stones.

Sure, some of the simpler instruments and slower love songs might sound a bit dated now, but that straightforward, youthful energy is exactly what makes it so charming. It’s hard to listen to this stuff without feeling a bit sad about what might have been, especially knowing he was only 22 when he passed. Still, as a pure slice of 50s joy and a massive piece of music history, it’s an absolute classic that never gets old.