Reviews by guggmo

I mean… I dunno what to say, really. It’s probably just a 3, but I enjoyed it.

It’s really strong instrumental music, and it keeps a pretty solid quality throughout the album. Pretty energetic start, bit of a low-key finish. I get the energy of “it’s a farmer’s day” so from sunrise to sunset, yes, this is generally what a soundscape might feel like. It translates well.

It’s just not that captivating to me where I can give it anything more than like, a 3. I zoned out a number of times in this album, and by the end, I just kinda felt like I didn’t need to listen back to it. It’s good music, but it’s not music I’d come back to unless I was really itching for this type of soundscape, or if I wanted to use it for say, ambience or study music. It’s totally competent, and I would recommend people give it a listen… but I’m probably not gonna come back to it, hence the 3. Still good though.

I’m at a (slightly biased) 4.5 that I think I’m gonna go ahead and bump up to a 5.

This is the general soundscape I’ve kinda been waiting for – I have a lot of love for like, the Goo Goo Dolls or Matchbox Twenty, so this album finally hit around that sound, and it does it super well. The guitar work in particular, while occasionally way too loud in the mix, is really good throughout this whole album. Courtney Love’s vocals, which I’ve never really heard before now, have a great tone to them, especially when she holds notes on the lower end of her register; there’s just a deep grit there that really makes the lyrics pop more.

It’s just a really solid album where everything clicked for me, and I just liked almost every track here; obviously, there’s a number of references to Kurt Cobain, and Courtney’s reputation and image in light of what happened. This album, I believe, was her first chance to really respond with some music, and what emerged is an album that fits right alongside some of its contemporaries for 1998. I feel good bumping it up to a 5; I just enjoyed it that much.

That’s a super fun 4.

Ultimately, I think it just suffers from being a little too same-y and a little too repetitive to justify a 5 off a first listen, but this is an album made for car rides, concerts, and good times; repetition should be damned with this one. It’s got good vocals that are occasionally reminiscent of David Byrne and Talking Heads, great instrumentation that feels very R.E.M.-esque at times, and ultimately, the vibes are just overwhelmingly fun.

I feel good with giving this one a 4; it could bump up to a 5 if some of the other songs just hit right, but the whole album is a treat to listen to.

It’s a 3.

There are some really good songs here, but I’d say about half of the album hits that good mark, and the other half just sorta falls flat, either from trying too hard to sound edgy and deep, or from not doing enough creatively with its instrumental soundscape to justify the screaming vocals as the main focal point.

When this album hits, I do think it hits really nicely, with a good burst of energy; Born Stubborn is probably my favorite one here. When this album hits those lulls, it just feels like I’m waiting for another chance without getting any kind of feeling from the song itself, no matter how hard it tries to keep the energy up – Lookaway is full of these exotic grunts and backing vocal yells, but they just come across as cheesy to me. Don’t even get me started on the last track, which had me captivated for the first 6 or 7 minutes off just percussion and atmosphere, and then had me begging for it to end by the 10 minute mark when it just kept fucking going.

It’s a good album, but it just has a number of flaws to me that make it so I can’t justify going any higher than a 3.

Yeah, that’s a 5.

I knew this was the album that had Baba O’Riley, but I never made the connection that Won’t Get Fooled Again was that fucking song. Those are the two standouts, obviously, but everything in between so perfectly compliments each other in terms of the instrumentation and the vocal performance, probably most deeply anchored together by the fantastic percussion throughout this album that really makes each song pop that much harder, especially on The Song Is Over and Getting in Tune.

It’s just a really fucking good album, man. Even its weakest points where the sound lulls a bit or repetition starts to seep in, which are few and far between, are still great to listen to. Very deserving of a 5, and highly recommended.

I’m at a 4.5 that I think I can round up to a 5.

I think the vast majority of this album is incredibly strong, all the way up until Gangsta Shit, and even through Toilet Tisha, but I think the album kinda limps to the finish line after that. I only knew the 3 big tracks going into this listen (So Fresh, So Clean, Ms. Jackson, and B.O.B.), but there’s so many good tracks here; Spaghetti Junction, Humble Mumble, and Gangsta Shit are all standouts to me, and almost everything else before Gangsta Shit is still pretty damn good.

I do wish this ended on a stronger note, but regardless of the final 2 main tracks falling short for me, I think so much of this album does so many things so right, in terms of flow, lyricism, and great beats that I’d be kinda criminal to not give it a 5.

That’s a 10.

I’m just glowing with praise, man; that’s a no-skip album from start to finish, with incredible energy throughout, a deeply captivating soundscape entirely anchored by a band working in genuinely perfect harmony. Led Zeppelin IV might have all the classics, but I think this album outshines it. I’m still just shell shocked and really struggling to find the words; all I know is that everyone has to hear this album, and that’s the most glowing praise I can give it. Absolutely spectacular, and one of the very best albums we’ve gotten so far. Wow, wow, wow.

It’s a rather dull 2.5 that I just can't bump up to a 3.

Maybe it’s just because I’m not familiar with Grateful Dead, but this is basically just a 73 minute jam session that’s completely inoffensive to the ears. Boring? Eh, maybe a little. It never really perked up my ears, but I never felt outright bored or annoyed by the soundscape, it just sort of existed.

It’s not a bad listen, but it’s not something I’d recommend unless you’re looking for ambient and almost relaxing background noise. There’s not really any standout bits here, and for a live album, I heard almost nothing of a crowd. It’s a rather forgettable album, but it’s not a 1 because there is some decent energy throughout, and I’d be lying if I wasn’t at least nodding my head along a few times during the few points where everything just seemed to be in perfect sync between the band. A dull 2 feels about right. Right around a 5.5/10.

I’m exhausted as hell from jumping around. That is a spectacular 5.

I’ve never heard this album in full, and I was only vaguely familiar with “Smack My Bitch Up,” but good lord, what a ridiculously energetic collection of songs that manage to feel captivating and engaging throughout all 56 minutes of its runtime.

Part of it was me getting up and being active and letting the energy of the songs come through me in a way where my body hit a sort of adrenaline rush, but part of it really is just the excellent production; great drum samples, deep heavy basslines, great guitar, gritty vocals, and ultimately, just finding the right moments to break down and give a song new life when it started to get a little too repetitive or overbearing on the ears. Those moments really kept the album’s energy up for me, and they always hit at the perfect time.

One of the most enjoyable albums we’ve had yet, and an absolute bomb of energy to boot; easy 5, spectacular electronica, probably a 10/10 if I were going out of 10. Fantastic stuff.

It’s a very good 4.

If we’re being really honest, I think this album kind of peaks by The Girl From Ipanema. The good news about hitting that peak so early is that it sustains it really well through the first 5 or 6 tracks of the album. I do think by the end, it finally sort of tapers off, but more from just an inevitable fatigue of the soundscape. What’s here is incredibly relaxing, very enjoyable, and super easy to listen to. It never really falls off a cliff, but it sets the tone so well and so early that every other song, by comparison, feels a bit lesser, but still pretty good.

I think the only reason I’m stuck at a 4 is mainly just how rigid the album can feel; not in terms of the compositions themselves, but simply the instruments at hand. I understand the general vibe of bossa nova, and how going full big band on it would immediately betray everything, but this album sticks really deeply to its core instruments, and it keeps a relatively soft tone throughout. I’ve heard passionately done bossa nova with a little bit more bite to it, and I don’t think this album ever really has that kind of bite to it. Regardless though, it’s a great album, a very recommended listen, and a good time that deserves a 4 – maybe a 5 on a re-listen or two.

I can finally give a solid 4 for the first time in a bit.

I don’t think this album ever quite gets up to the territory of being a 5, but regardless, this album just glides from start to finish. Never a dull moment; maybe a few lulls here and there, or one or two songs that didn’t quite click right with me, but there’s not really a moment fully wasted throughout all 42 minutes of this album. Bono’s vocals are fine, and occasionally great, but what really anchors this album is the stellar guitar work and the masterful percussion.

It’s just a good time – good lyrics, good vocals, strong instrumentation and just a delightful listen from start to finish. Very highly recommended 4.

I dunno… it’s a 3.5 that I think I’ll round down?

Ultimately, I think it’s harder for me to fairly rate this album because Spotify just doesn’t display the lyrics like that, and to follow along on say, Genius, or something, takes away from the excellence found in a lot of the soundscapes. I can’t fully appreciate the lyrics without sacrificing paying attention to basslines, or backing vocals, or acoustics or electric guitar or synths. The same is true in a vice-versa sense.

Ultimately, though, I really enjoyed listening to this. It’s super chill music, and from the lyrics I have looked up, it’s got good storytelling chops. I do think the vocals are one of the weaker parts of the album, but ultimately, for 1974, I think this is really innovative stuff. Solid album, I wish I could stick to a 3.5, but I just don’t think I can round it up because it never REALLY blew me away like that. Strong 3, like a 7/10 again.

Yeah, that’s a 5.

There are a few lulls of “that’s just OK,” and two specifically weak tracks to me: Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and Sir Psycho Sexy (but only for its lyrics, because the instrumental is fabulous).

The rest of the album, however, just really fucking clicked for me. I do think some of those “just OK” tracks could’ve been cut to shorten the runtime down a bit, but there’s just a lot of energy and charm oozing off of this album, man. I think my favorite was probably The Righteous & the Wicked, but about 12 (13 if you count me laughing my ass off at the absurdity of the last track) of these songs were SO good. Just a banger of an album to me, easily deserving of a 5, and one of the more fun ones we’ve gotten overall. I really enjoyed it.

It’s a very front-loaded 3.5 that I just don’t think I can bump up to a 4.

The first 5 tracks here really clicked well for me, but of the back 7, I really think only 3 of them caught my ear in a really meaningful way. I might be a little tired, but I do think a number of songs in the back half just blend together in terms of messaging, lyrics, overall vocals, and instrumentation that doesn’t really hit the same heights as the first 5.

Ultimately, I do think it’s a good album, and it’s worth a listen – I’m sure someone will connect more deeply to the back half than I did. I just don’t think the album as a whole is good enough to go to a 4, so I’ll feel a little disappointed with a 3. It’s like a 7/10 album, though.

It’s a 4.5 that I will once again bump up to a 5.

My biggest complaint about Murmur was that I didn’t think the lyrical depth was too strong; the melodies were great, the vocals had a good kick, but the lack of really meaningful lyrics just ate at me. This album remedies that pretty well – there are still a few songs where the lyrics are a bit lacking, but there’s definitely more tracks that blend together the great melodies with really strong lyrics, especially on the more politically-charged tracks.

I really don’t think there’s a bad track on here; even the ones that I thought weren’t as lyrically strong more than made up for it with super strong instrumentation that felt at least 8 years ahead of schedule, and Michael Stipe’s vocals on this record really help to make those instrumentals pop. Ultimately, I think it's just a great album, hence the bump up to a 5.

It’s a 4.5 that I’ll round up to a 5, but there is one very noticeable flaw. It’s Jailbait. It hasn’t aged well, and it’s morally reprehensible in its lyrics.

With that said, the rest of the album is a ball of energy that overwhelms that one track so much that the entire experience is fine without it. Just a ridiculous display of the guitar, great tempos (and really hard percussion, I would imagine), all anchored in by Lemmy’s voice, which sounds like it’s a cigarette away from falling apart at any given time, but somehow just works perfectly for this sound and this style.

I just really, really liked it; it clicked super well for me, and I feel good about giving it a 5. Never adding Jailbait, though.

It’s a 4 that I’m gonna bump up to a 5 because of some bias.

Yes, there are some lulls on this album, but ultimately, what’s here is timeless. Really, truly timeless. I’ve got a lot of respect for Frank Sinatra’s specific era of music, because it’s stood the test of time. So often now, music is such a 1-way street of “drop, get the public attention for 2 weeks, leave,” and then go support the tour or the merch drops.

There’s so much talk about the “Great American Songbook” that I occasionally see, and I think this album is a great showcase of what that actually is. Yes, in 70 years time, I imagine the kids of 2094 will talk about Taylor Swift and not Frank Sinatra, but that’s the proof that even though music has changed, so much of its DNA can still be traced back to this era, these compositions, these melodies, and voices like Frank Sinatra that make them pop to life.

In that sense, this album just gets elevated higher to me; it’s a man at his peak showcasing songs that have lived on for years and years past their original versions because of this album and the amount of people that have tried to emulate his style. Almost every composition of these tracks, I would argue, is probably most heavily based on Sinatra’s versions, or at least Sinatra’s contemporaries who all took inspiration from him. That’s where the 4 gets bumped up to a 5: this album’s influence, and its timelessness. Great album, even if it has a few lulls.

I think the first half of the album is a 3, and the back half of the album is a 4, so once again, I’m at a 3.5 that I wish I could keep there.

I think I’m gonna bump it down to a 3. Ultimately, it’s because I think too many songs suffer from extended periods where everything just sort of blends together for too long.

There’s not a single bad song on here, but so many of them just fade into the background after a bit while listening. That wouldn’t be so bad if the entire album had great instrumental pieces, but I find the first half of the album to be a little bland and a bit generic in its instrumentation, so it really sticks out when those songs blend into the background. The second half of the album is great, and doesn’t suffer from it as badly because they have great instrumentation and just better all-around vibes. However, they do suffer from it. It’s a 3.5, but I’ll round it down for that. Another solid 7/10 album.

I kinda wish I could leave this right at a 3.5, but I’ll be nice and round it up to a 4.

Really, the only thing holding this album back, at least to me, is the technology of its time; there’s some really fun concepts in here, but the execution comes up just short on a few on them, not at the fault of The Kinks, but simply at what was available to them at the time. Lazy Old Sun is a prime example of this; I thought it felt really unique for 1967, and I imagine if they had the technology of even a decade later, they would’ve really made that song pop more than it already does.

I feel good about bumping it up to a 4 because I don’t think there are any bad tracks, just some safe ones that don’t really bring down the mood or the energy, though End of the Season sure tries. Overall, a little too early for its time without feeling out of place. Pretty good album regardless, though. 7/10, if we went by 10.

It’s a 3.5 that I’m gonna pretty easily bump up to a 4.

It’s all in her voice; it’s what carries this album through and through. Even though there’s some super good lyrics in here and some really catchy instrumentals, her voice just glides over everything and cuts through like butter. I think this album shines brightest when the instrumentation is either a bit more minimal, to let her voice stick out the most, or when the instrumentation builds into this bombastic piece to let her voice just glide up with it and still really stick out. Whenever it’s sort of in the middle, where the instrumentation is too much and too sudden, those songs just never fully kept me engaged for one reason or another.

Either way, it’s a fabulous listen, and there are some real classics in here, I think. Pretty pleased with a 4. Shoutout to I Don’t Want to Hear It Anymore.