Reviews by john

This was alright. I remember that Michael Kiwanuka album from a while ago, I feel like this laid out the blueprint for the successes that one saw later one. A nice blend of African influences and pop music here. Not really a bad song on here, but nothing that rocked my world all the same.

My pick is the one-two punch of "Survival" into "Frustrations" on the front end of this record. 3/5

I’ve gotta be on a notable cold streak at this point. All I heard during this albums hour long run time was something falling short of The Rolling Stones.

Halfway through there’s even an identity crisis that includes a bad Elvis impression, then a softer rock ballad. Just no across the board. This sound was done better by other bands. Pass 1/5

An album that puts you in a bit of a tough spot. On one hand, this is a very sensible accompaniment - the symphony really elevated the mystical element of Metallica’s lyrics. On the other hand, I was not built for 2 hours of this. But you also can’t do anything about it, I’m sure this was a 2 hour headline show that many people were amped for.

The intro on “Master Of Puppets” might be as good as it gets in terms of this album providing a cinematic angle to the normal Metallica songs.

I was honestly a bit disappointed though with the renditions of “One” and “Enter Sandman” at the end. I think the originals just can’t be beat.

I will remember this as a well-executed project that went on for far too long. Strong 2/5.

Nothing new here, just ZZ Top hard committing to a mixture of blues, rock, and a bit of country, all with a heavy-for-it’s-time twist.

This record was recorded/produced really well though, it’s quality of sound stood out to me consistently for something made in 1973.

“Precious & Grace” is my non-La-Grange pick for this project. Soft 3/5

Tracy Thorn has a ridiculously good voice, but that only takes this project so far. As a huge dance music fan who was of an impressionable age when I heard the Todd Terry remix of "Missing", I had a hard time digesting this soft, squeaky-clean ballad sound - or dethatching Tracy's voice from that minimalist, cutting-edge club beat sound. I hope they like that remix, I'm sure it follows them everywhere. Anyways.

"Love Is Here Where I Live" has some decent electronic instrumentation, even without Tracy or Ben's voice this sounds like some nice 1990 shopping mall/waiting room music (a critique leveraged by many, but to me it's pleasant when done well).

It's quite sweet to listen to a song like "I Always Was Your Girl" knowing these two quietly fostered a love for each other, never marketed it, and eventually got married almost 20 years after this record came out. Context doesn't always matter for listening to the albums on this list, but I feel like that little nugget means a lot.

All these nice things being said, I think I'd heard enough by the 7th or 8th song. A solo piano with a strong melody, a choral accompaniment, something more was needed to give this thing some punch. "Apron Strings" came too little, too late.

2/5 stars because this just isn't an album you need to listen to, no matter how sweet it is

Would've loved for this to go anywhere or do anything, but it instead settles for loads of 90's acoustic rock pastiche. Karaoke-level singing allowed by the onset of Pearl Jam a few years earlier really rears it's ugly head on this album. "The Hook" almost had me hopeful for something of substance, but "Soft Wolf Tread" dragged things right back down.

It's all a bit sad, I could see country and 90's alt rock going well together, but not this way. This album isnt gritty and visceral, it's poorly-performed and sometimes hard to get through. Surely most people that like Fuzzy were of an impressionable age in 1993. I'd love to get behind the messaging of "America Snoring" if I could get over how on the nose it is, or the shrill, harsh singing.

The closing "You Just Have To Be Crazy" is a suggestion for the mental state you need to attain to thoroughly enjoy this one. Unfortunate 1/5 we go next

Something very charming about these guys. I’d like to think this album is a bit ahead of its time, it’s got a 90’s rock pulse to it!

…is what I thought for the first two songs. Everything after that devolved and nose-dived into protopunk nothingness that all blurred together.

Feels like the more pleasant version of Sufjan Stevens. Specifically, almost every song on here had a fantastic last minute or so. These songs are very well written and performed. The catch, for me, is I couldn’t care less about the lyrical content. Not in a bad way! But he could just be saying anything and I’d enjoy it no more or less.

“If You’re Feeling Sinister” is my standout pick on this project. A great road trip song with some Americana inspiration.

Much like the bossa record we had yesterday, this kinda sits at one placid wavelength from beginning to end. On a bad day, I wouldn’t have much tolerance for this one. On a good day, it’s a great, relaxing accompaniment to whatever I’m doing. Firm 3/5

No need for a song by song breakdown or to point out any specific song at all. Just make a mimosa on the morning of your day off and kick your feet up for this one. Front to back great vibe

It was a vibe at times, it was a bit forgettable at times. I do think there’s a lot of 80’s music that has aged so very poorly, but this actually holds up alright!

“Genius Of Love” was a pretty cool beat for its time but goddamn I could happily never hear another song sample it again and I’d be perfectly happy with it.

“Lorelei” miiiiight be my favorite track purely for how catchy it was. Kinda like a talking heads cut. Either that or “On On On On”.

Maybe a soft 3 on this one

This shit rocked. Punk heads tap in, surely this is one of the better punk/post-punk albums out there no? Front to back this album was fantastic.

Something I immediately caught onto was the level of cynicism this album brings is very forward-thinking, as is the case with a lot of good punk music. The opening “Kill The Poor” makes it very obvious. “Let’s Lynch The Landlord” was also ahead of its time considering the more widespread anti-landlord sentiment these days.

The topics aren’t just what make this album so good, the deliveries and energy behind these performances is spectacular. “Your Emotions” is delivered sooooo well!! For that to roll into my favorite of the album, “Chemical Warfare”, WOW!! That’s all I can say.

These guys are also excellent in changing things up right when they need to, like the 1:45 mark in “California Uber Alles”.

Lastly, “Holiday In Cambodia” deserves the praise and placement on the GH3 track listing that it got.

Really solid 4/5 here could be 5/5 if I listen to it more

Dont really see the point of this Jamiroquai album being on here, as he’s later find his sound on albums like Traveling Without Moving, or my favorite, Funk Odyssey. What’s on here was probably pretty surprising for its time, like, who is this white boy that sounds strikingly like Stevie Wonder? But beyond the novelty, everything’s only just alright.

I enjoyed the messaging on “If I Like It, I Do It”.

The instrumental passage on the end of “Music Of The Mind” was stellar.

My favorite groove was easily “Blow Your Mind”, which had a Chic-esque bassline.

It’s clear this guy was very studied right out of the gate and had a great sense of how to make funk/disco music. But again, he has much more memorable work to be heard on later albums.

So for that I give this albums placing on this list a 2/5

As irreverent as it is creative - which I understand is a fair summation for Zappa’s entire musical career. To this albums credit, it’s much better than many pop-leaning psych rock albums of its time. This at least has some original ideas, even if it sorta beats them to the ground at points.

Some guitar solos too long, some musical tangents go nowhere, but the opener and “Little Umbrellas” were a great listen - the latter felt very appropriate for Halloween listening.

3/5 why not

I love most everything Damon Albarn touches past the year 1999 but this is a bit of a vanity project and vanity pick imo. The entirety of this album sits in one register. It’s all laid back slices of life over a dub bass. That’s it, that’s the entire thing front to back.

“Herculean” actually escalates its instrumental a bit towards the end of its runtime, but only so much.

I appreciate that this project only runs just over 40 minutes because anything longer than that would get on my nerves. Nothing here is bad, but it sure is all the same.

My highlight is the slowing/beat switch on the last third of “Three Changes”.

Soft 3/5 the ending pushed it just over the edge

One of the most strikingly beautiful first listens of an album on this list so far. Gil Scott-Heron pours his heart out with Brian Jackson accompanying him for some excellent instrumental performances/lyrical storytelling. An anomaly in the context of this list, this record actually gets better with each song, leading to a captivating end. All the while, explorations of socio-economic hardships and the struggles of being a black American are told in ways both hyper-specific and universal, all at once.

The opening "Peace Go With You, Brother (As-Salaam-Alaikum)" was a wonderful mediation on self-restraint, and anger pervading black male social circles. Little did I know this song would bookend the record!

I don't have much to say on the lyrics of "Rivers Of My Fathers", but GSH's voice is superb on this one, and the piano work is sooo soothing.

If I had to pick a lowlight, it would be "Very Precious Time". It's a lovely track with a bit of a twist in perspective on reflecting on young love, but considering the topics of the songs to come, this track sticks out from the rest just a bit.

"Back Home" made me think about all the nice homely things I hold dear, the warmth GSH conveys through this track is infectious.

"The Bottle" sets the bar for songs that are lamentations on cycles of alcohol abuse and cycles of social struggles that black americans are especially susceptible to - whether it's the 1970's or present day.

"Song For Bobby Smith" followed by "Your Daddy Loves You" are heartbreakingly bittersweet songs that act as a tender pulling back of the curtains a bit. The latter especially just felt so universal, so humane - much like Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely". Somehow, it got better from here.

Because "H2OGate Blues" rocked my world. A sprawling, colorful, vitriolic-yet-measured exploration of the United State's governmental wrongdoings, crimes, misdirection, and chaos all at once. While this song centers around Watergate and a number of crisis situations of it's time, I found myself making many a connection to the frustrations of this songs era to the times of today. American citizens attention being diverted by it's government, mentions of companies like Lockheed/Boeing skirting around the fact that they were profiting off the war in Vietnam. Paranoia on a widespread scale, the failure to stop fascism on the rise, the rich attempting to crush the lower and middle class. I'm in awe of how prescient and relevant these observations are. This is genuinely a top 10 song I've heard from my 550+ albums so far, and probably the best protest song I'll ever hear.

The 1001 albums list giveth today, in a huge way. I encourage everyone to sit with this album, it's easily a 5/5 for me

This had some higher highs, but also some lower lows compared to the GFK solo album I got a little while ago. Though that one, and this one especially, are hard to be considered solo albums. More like posse rap projects, or an expansion of the WuTang universe.

"Knowledge God" felt like the first true banger imo, with a great rap chorus. Very vintage east coast too, a minor/atonal, minimal instrumental with thumping, cold percussion. Much of the same can be said for "Incarcerated Scarfaces" - though that one was even more hypnotic.

"Glaciers of Ice" had a very cool moment at 2:40 what they female singer performed what was pretty much an EDM riser with her voice - it really heightened the ominous energy of it all.

Lastly, "Heaven & Hell" SURELY is Raekwons eaast coast attempt of Ice Cube's west coast "Today Was A Good Day". Like, it's so clear with the more laidback sample sticking out like a sore thumb in the tracklisting, Rae even shouting out his west coast homies in the lyrics. It wasnt bad, it just didnt live up to the impossible standard Ice Cube set for a song like that.

A bit long and not exactly anything new, the instrumentals are indistinguishable from any other WTC project, or Mobb Deep for that matter. But enjoyable enough, soft 3/5

For some reason that’s escaping me, I’ve listened to this album already this year. Have I listened to this guy before? I’m officially too deep in to remember, but I believe I have.

To Todd’s credit, this album held my attention mostly front to back, which is very hard to do over a shrewd 90 minutes.

A great opening 2 songs had me pigeon-holeing this album to a sound, but it expands in a few different directions.

“Intro” is one of the coolest recordings I’ve heard, I can’t quite call it a song. But it’s very cool.

“Marlene” has some unfortunately unacceptable lyricism that made me skip instantly.

The last minute of “One More Day” was very catchy, it stuck in my head all day!

“Piss Aaron” touches on the universal experience of knowing people in high school that were just so crazy you can’t quite believe they were real, or that they actually did the insane things they got up to.

“Hello It’s Me” had quite a nice groove, proving that Todd had the chops to write a good pop song but didn’t want to all the time. The sax on this one went especially hard.

Lots of good moments, a few that weren’t so palatable, but a full listen front to back. 3/5

I liked this a tad more than most albums of its time and genre. There’s more meaningful, directed songwriting that isn’t just 60’s folksy psychedelic pastiche.

Wonderful opener had me cautiously hopeful, then it took a few songs to get to the crazy flowery fun of “I Never Asked To Be Your Mountain”. Buckley sells out on the vocal performance, so does all of the band really.

Then, in a rare 1001 albums list occurrence, the last few tracks on this album were easily the most impactful.
“Goodbye and Hello” is easily Tim’s best vocal work, ranging up into some high-pitched verses.

My favorite of the album is easily the closing “Morning Glory”. A tender story with some vivid imagery and great backing vocals. Placid tune, it got a replay out of me.

3/5 the Buckleys could write some good music

An absolutely fascinating project in that its second half is demonstrably more captivating than its first half. It seems like two of Bowles friends were big inspirations for this one: Iggy Pop & Brian Eno. The front side of Low sounds like the Iggy side; standard proto-punk rock that was a slog to get through. But the back half is soooo worth it; mostly lyricless, electronic, ambient, and experimental.

Seriously, as soon as “Warszawa” starts off side B, things get interesting. Dramatic, suspenseful, and eerie.

“Art Decade” has the same drum machine sound that much of Eno’s “Another Green World” has.

“Weeping Wall” continues to sound like a progenitor for AGW, with some waiting-room-style keys and bells.

“Subterraneans” closes the project out on a climactic note, I love the horns coming in at the end of it all.

Really hard to be fair about this one, as I enjoyed none of the first half, while I loved the second half. Let’s go 3/5, Bowie seemed to be reaching for things more than executing an exact idea to his usual standard of perfection. But always a good day when it’s a Bowie album regardless

For some reason I read this albums release year as 1986 instead of 1966, so I was underwhelmed and confused until I looked again during the song “Oh How To Do Now” (which is a fantastic song) and realized it’s from 1966. With that in mind, I’m super impressed by the lead singers performances - so much personality & vibrance.

Im a little split on this one. On one hand, it’s another rock album from the 1960’s. On another hand, it exceeded my expectations for a rock album from the 1960’s. Soft 3/5