Reviews by jkegz

4/5 - It's like you're scanning radio stations and every station has a GBV song. That's a good thing. So many songs, but Game of Pricks, Motor Away, and My Valuable Hunting Knife have been long-time favorites.

5/5 - I’m not at all interested in the “so and so sang it better” takes. King was one of the greatest songwriters in pop/rock all-time. This album is a goldmine.

5/5 - I've listened to this record more times than I can count since I was 16 or 17. It's perfect. No notes.

4/5 - I'm sure some would like to get off the bus about half-way through Sister Ray, but I'm glad Ira Kaplan never did. Did D. Boon and Malkmus first here talk-rock here? This is a pretty essential listen and certainly deserves a strong spot on this list.

2/5 - This one didn't age well for me. Haven't visited this in 20 years, and I think that was the right move.

2/5 - A few tracks like Speedway are fun, but after awhile, my brain is numb to what's going on here.

2/5 - Too much twang for me

2/5 - Sometimes this is catchy. Sometimes it makes me want to put a drill against my head. The latter times outweigh the former.

3/5 - I think it's just his voice that grates on me. I should like this band more than I do, but I don't. The tunes aren't bad, but I've never understood the hype.

4/5 - I Want You is a fine, fine song. I'm never really up for a whole album of EC, but there's almost always at least a few gems.

3/5 - If ever an album was more of a 3, I have not yet heard it. Competent, post-Beatles era tunes that are mostly decent except for the dreadful Coconut, but I’m never gonna be like, “Yeah, I need to hear some Harry Nilsson right now.” Props for the bath robe on the album cover, though.

3/5 - I'll listen to All the Way from Memphis again, but that's probably it. I learned that they were named after a novel from the 60s and Hooples are squares. Glad I heard it despite some of the clunkers.

4/5 - TVOTR is one of my favorite bands from the 2000s, and oddly enough, this is the album of theirs I've probably listened to the least. I doubt this is essential listening, but I like pretty much everything they do, so I'm happy to give it a 4. I'll probably listen to this all day.

Not sure I'll have another chance to plug it, so if you haven't seen the "Wolf Like Me" Letterman performance from 20 years ago (!!!), just watch it: https://youtu.be/MxawVMQ02dc?si=LbWxZxoq1GgA9VXf

3/5 - I'm not deep into Bowie's catalog, and this didn't change that. I listened twice, and aside from Heroes, which I've heard a thousand times, only the V-2 song really caught my ear.

3/5 - To this album's credit, I can imagine someone picking this up today and saying "this is my jam." While that person is not me, this is mostly alright if not way overwrought at times. This version of Hallelujah is of course a timeless classic.

4/5 - I'm certain this is more worth my time than half the 70s rock and older britpop this list has. Had never heard of Jane Weaver, but this is more than alright by me. I don't even know any of the "similar artists" on Apple Music. I like the folk-tronic sound or whatever this is; it's generally pretty chill, but the vocal hooks make this more than background music.

3/5 - Now I know where Duran Duran came from.

4/5 - This list is helping my previously (and still mostly) toddler-level understanding of hip-hop. I'm getting a better sense of what I like and don't like, and I now have a clue why this is so often cited as a pioneering album. I think it's not a surprise that I liked this given what an impression Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City made on me. I'll revisit here.

5/5 - Era-defining live album. You've heard it dozens of times. It's great.

2/5 - I'd have to be pretty deep into late 60s psychedelic folk to think this was essential listening. Nice vocals.