Reviews by heavymetal

“Donovan? Who is this Donovan? Yeah, right away I hate him!”

I don’t actually think Dylan hated him, but the clip in Don’t Look Back where they’re playing songs in a hotel room does feel a bit petty and spiteful on Dylan’s part.

Anyways, this is actually a wonderful album, but I’m usually pretty biased towards 60s psychedelic and folk music. This album actually has some of the best uses of sitar and tabla I’ve heard in western music; it doesn’t feel nearly as cliche or gimmicky as others.

Favourite tracks: Sunshine Superman, Three King Fishers, Ferris Wheel, Bert’s Blues, Season of the Witch

I had no idea Janis Joplin was in a band prior to her solo work. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but you get pretty much exactly what is advertised; a Janis Joplin fronted psychedelic blues band. Overall, I enjoyed it, but it’s probably not something I’m going to reach for all that often.

I was enjoying this more than I expected, but the longer it went on, the more I just couldn't stand it. The beats are good and he's undeniably a good rapper, but the lyrics are just so cringy and immature. It's just over the top violence, misogyny, and homophobia. The tongue-in-cheek rap battle against his conscience was pretty clever and somewhat funny, but I kind of lost all interest by the time we get to the part where he's rapping about taking his infant daughter to bury her mother at the beach. That's just not even remotely funny to me. In part it feels like he's exaggerating his real life experiences and frustrations, but it also feels like he's just trying to be edgy for the sake of being edgy and I really just don't have time for that nonsense.

Currently one of the top reviews for this album on this site mentions that this is what a shitty bar in the 70s would sound like and they would not want to go to that bar. I fully agree that these are the sounds of a 70s bar, but we clearly don’t like the same sort of establishments because I would absolutely love to spend time in this bar.

Noisy, experimental post-punk is exactly what I signed up for!

Favourite tracks: Laughing, Over My Head, Sentimental Journey, Humor Me

I haven't really listened to the Rolling Stones since high school and now I've had 2 albums generated in less than a week!

In my Sticky Fingers review I stated that it's probably not my favourite Stones record, but I'd figure that out when I had more generated for the project. Both records are great in their own right, but Exile On Main Street feels like the more polished and arranged record, whereas Sticky Fingers seems to have some of the bigger hits and felt more in-your-face rock and roll. I'm enjoying the second half of Exile a lot more than the first half and it might be squeezing out Sticky Fingers a bit.

Favourite tracks: Sweet Virginia, Sweet Black Angel, Loving Cup, Ventilator Blues, I Just Want to See His Face, Let It Loose

I really struggled with this one. I want to like it. I like punk music. I like post-punk music. Overall, I like the post-punk feel and attitude of the album. I like the instrumental parts and the backing tracks. I just don't like the singing and it's making the album completely unenjoyable to me.

Damn, I wasn't even through the second song and I was already wishing this album was over. I get that this is some breakthrough in electronica, and there were a few aspects of it I enjoyed, so I won't give it a 1-star, but it's just not for me. Honestly, dance music and electronica for the most part just aren't for me.

I’ve been flip-flopping as I listen to this album. There’s parts that are experimental 80s post punk/new wave that are clearly influenced by Bowie that I enjoy quite a bit, and then there are parts that are just cheesy 80s synth pop that I just don’t really enjoy at all.

Overall, I enjoyed it, but I don’t think I can see myself reaching for this album again; I’d rather just listen to some Bowie.

If I was asked what my favourite Rolling Stone album was, this probably wouldn't be it, but it's pretty damned good. That said, it's been a long time since I last listened to the Rolling Stones, so I don't think I even have a good answer to that question in the first place. I guess I'll figure that out once I have a few more Stones albums generated.

Favourite tracks: Sway, Can't You Hear Me Knocking, You Gotta Move, Sister Morphine, Moonlight Mile

There doesn’t seem to be any understatements in this album, but I’m down for some Arctic Monkeys with a bit of a Western flair. Overall, I’m happy to have listened to this, but not really interested in listening to this again.

I had never heard of Laura Nyro before, but this was some fairly enjoyable 60s pop.

Favourite track: Poverty Train, Stoned Soul Picnic, Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe)

Holy shit, this is so good! This is some of the most energetic, captivating, and fun protest music I've ever heard! I'll definitely be checking out more of his music

This album literally reminds me of having my teeth cleaned because this is the type of inoffensive music they play at my dentist office.

I honestly tried to go into this album with as open of a mind as I possibly could, but admittedly I was fully expecting to dislike it. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the first couple songs, but then utterly bored by the end of the third song and ready to turn it off by Set Fire to the Rain.

She’s a great singer, so I won’t give her a 1, but it’s all just safe, generic, boring. Nothing new, nothing exciting, not pushing any boundaries.

Eclectic, psychedelic folk music using a variety of weird instruments. On paper, this should be right up my alley. In reality, I don't think I'm quite high enough to fully appreciate this album. Overall, there were some good moments on it, but it was just a bit too out there and I don't think I'll be seeking this one out again.

Favourite track: Nightfall

As an aside, Rain by Dando Shaft started auto playing after this album finished. I had never heard of them before, but I'm checking out their debut album, An Evening with Dando Shaft, and it absolutely deserves to be on this list. This is the psychedelic folk music I signed up for! I'd give it a 5/5 so far.

Well you can’t deny this is an absolute classic album

Favourite tracks: Dreams, Never Going Back Again, the Chain, Gold Dust Woman

6:30AM on a Sunday morning is entirely too early for this nonsense, but I bet it would have been pretty epic to see live.

I posit that one of the least punk things you can do is cut the grass of the house you own. It’s right behind working a corporate job or paying a visible minority to cut the grass for you. You know at some point some marketing exec for John Deere or something realized that all the farmers already owned tractors, so the best course of action was to start targeting suburban dads by making them compete with their suburban dad neighbours over who has the nicest lawn and the fastest lawn mower. It was probably the same marketing exec that’s fighting against the rights to repair now.

Anyways, I listened to this album a couple times while cutting the grass. Thoroughly enjoyed it and it improved the experience, but probably not something I’ll be listening to regularly.

Favourite track: Shut Down (Annihilation Man)

I’ve had this chord progression I’ve been messing around with for a while now and it’s been so familiar, but I just couldn’t place it. Turns out it was Tangerine. I wish I could have actually written it instead of ripping it off by accident. Great song and a great album!

While this isn’t my favourite Zeppelin album, I’m pretty sure they’ll all get a 5/5 from me as they were one of my first musical obsessions.

Great songwriting and I can see why this was so influential for a lot of people. I also dig the lo-fi and fairly simple production. However, while I did enjoy the album overall, it's just not really for me. I probably would have been a pretty big fan had I heard this earlier in my life.