Reviews by john

Some good lyrical miracle posse rapping.

Highlights are One Of Them, which is more vicious than most tracks on here, followed immediately by Hey, which just has an incredibly pleasing instrumental.

It goes from a solid 4/5 to Free Bird bringing it home to an undeniable 5/5. Anthem after anthem, from songs about classism to songs about cocaine. This is the southern rock classic

If you’re like me and wanted a record to engage in your confirmation bias that 90’s britpop was largely overrated and melodramatic, boy do I have the album for you.

Much like beans on toast, you can only hope this is a product of a bygone, more troubling time

I was never clear which song came first, Babe I’m Gonna Leave You on this album, or 25 Or 6 To 4 by Chicago. But I’m convinced someone copied someone.

The good about this album is its slightly saturated, gritty, natural rock sound. Early signs of that Tolkien-inspired-folk here and there. And hey look! Black Mountain Slide is the obligatory Indian-style jam, as every rock band had around this time.

The bad is the insane amount of whining about women/his woman. It was par for the course during this time, but Robert Plant just doesn’t stop. Additionally, even though it’s their first LP, you can already hear the imitating of black vocalists from time to time.

I actually kinda mess with this one, or at least some songs on this one. Session Man is a very fun meta song without getting too lost in its own joke. I think I’ve heard Sunny Afternoon a few times before as well. Some highlights, some songs shouldn’t have made the cut, but at least there are some memorable, very Beatles-inspired moments.

Yeah I’m really not too sure this needed to be on here, outside of Take Me To The River there are no iconic or unique moments worthwhile. Love Talking Heads but this one isn’t it

I’m sorry there’s no way I’ve had 3+ REM albums a quarter of the way through this list. Not happening. Wish I could veto but I’m in too deep at this point.
Even more unfortunately, the music itself does nothing to prove its placement on this list. Outside of the rare almost catchy hook, this album offers nothing. Not memorable, not descriptive, not unique. I’m so sad about this. Have to give it a 1.

These guys were a hit song away on this album from stardom forever, I truly believe that. Great album opener, very fun album closer. What is it about these guys? Is it spunk? Panache? Rhythm? Whatever it is, they’ve got it. A refreshing hidden gem. Sneaky good

Witness a man staring death in its face!
This album is transcendental, given the context that Bowie knows he’s terminally ill. Complete existentialism at the end of life for one of the world’s greatest artists. Makes for a powerful listen

I really wonder what this album will sound like in 20+ years. It’s still young enough that it’s cool, but also starting to get old enough to be considered for the seminal work it is.
Pharrell kills it on Numbers, and of course Shutdown is quintessential UK grime listening - this whole album is, really.

Some generational hits packaged in an album that’s largely about the toll of war (in Vietnam or otherwise) - that’s nothing new for rock of this albums time.
However, what is new is a sort of looming dread Paranoid carries with it. Manic mental states, confronting death in its face, grappling with the modern technology of war.
These guys may have a legacy of mindlessly rocking and rolling, but behind that lies a lot of existential questions about the horrors we can barely comprehend

Not his most outstanding work by any means, but only because Bowie set himself such an astronomically high standard throughout his career. One of the few artists who deserve to have more than two albums on this list. We were lucky to walk the earth at the same time as David Bowie

Considering her output in the years to follow after this album, this is a refreshingly progressive pick to be on this list. Highlights for me are “SOS” and “Onanon”.

HOW the HELL does THIS make the cut, but “This Is Happening”, one of the greatest indie dance albums of all time, DOESNT?????

Really, really struggling to see how this album earned a spot on this list. I will remember nothing from this album other than it being new wave. Is it outright bad? No. Is it at all unique or memorable? No.

Is this the first or second best CCR record? Because if not, there shouldn’t be more than two on this list!!

All is as it should be with this album. Songs about the backcountry, about rambling, about being a rolling stone that grows no moss - even in the swamp.

Funky and full of ground zero for the term “gangster rap”

There is nothing that hasn’t been said about this masterpiece so I will just add in a personal anecdote — i’ll add that I cherish the rides over to the cabin or night hike drives where this was a new, exciting, fascinating album. The vast expanse of Shine On juxtaposed with the stripped rawness of Wish You Were here captivated our attention and soundtracked our good times.

For that, I am forever thankful.

My first childhood band obsession was AC/DC, former expert checking in here.

New lead singer Brian Johnson is here and he brought some of the most momentous arena rock of all time with him. It’s hard to think of another band that had a lead singer pass away, and have a graceful replacement take the band (so quickly) and elevate its sound like Brian does here. I really respect their decision to take heavy rock aesthetics, package them into a pop box, and not be gentle in introducing you to their new identity. Kinda ballsy to make the first song after Bon Scott’s passing (RIP) “Hell’s Bells”, but they practically HAD to - that song is meant to be an album opener.

The only glaring reduction of this albums greatness is what any post-1980 AC/DC record can be criticized for - each song sticks to a tried & true formula; that formula can get a bit mundane, especially to the ears of a younger generation. Additionally, some lyrics and innuendos are very corny and aged, but that’s sadly par for the course for this genre.

Man. What a total “dudes rock” album. Such a stellar tone-setter. One of the best album openers ever. And such a great closer to the record as well! I feel like it’s sound is a bit of an homage to Bon Scott, blending the new cutting-edge heavy sound with something slightly bluesy/twangy/lazy — a sound they had perfected by the end of the 70’s.

I really wanted to like this more than I ended up liking it.

There is some good to be had in here, for example, this is definitely a progenitor of the yung lean/lil b ethos - where it doesn’t matter how atonal you are, it only matters that you’re rapping with personality.

But yeah, I wish this album stuck its landing a bit more. The shock value samples/lyrics aren’t that zany, the sick & twisted aesthetics are just passable. Feels like the same 3-4 things are being brought up over and over again. Interesting guy, but this just doesn’t do it for me like I hoped it would