Reviews by john

Indeed it is.

Outright incredible storytelling. Leonard Cohen, one of the few exceptions to the rule I want to impose on this list of only 2 albums per artist.
This album proves that this guy should’ve got the spot the Bob Dylan took in the pop culture lexicon

When it’s going well, it’s dramatic, airy, theatrical.

When it’s not going well it’s a bit over-performative

It is so cool that the first few minutes of this album could be the beginning of a Tyler, The Creator album. There are moments of timeless composition, timeless performance on here. Impressive storytelling throughout. The one ding on this album is that it’s a bit long and played out, for how many songs sound so similar.
Still, a classic.

While I think this is a very left field pick for something out of the late 2010’s, it deserves to be here. I just wish there were more albums from its time.

I hear a lot of Spiritualized in these guys. They do the same exercise of taking a musical idea and letting it grow its own atmosphere over a few minutes. The abrupt ending of the song Boxing Day was really cool, caught me off guard. And Reunion will be used in the ambient playlist going forward too. Hard working 3 almost a 4

The Superbowl for depressed people who spend lots of time on the internet.

It’s alright, there’s instances of good storytelling, a clear ability to inject his personality into the songs. I think this is sadly a case of the albums aura being heightened by the context of its artist. Soft 3

It’s still hard to believe, even after the second REM album on this list, that this band was one of the most popular in the world. It’s just passable pastiche

It’s sometimes hard to listen to these super old albums in a comparitive context that this list forces. Like, this doesn’t sound anything like Lorde’s Melodrama.

But there are some cool things to be heard, like how the black social struggle was represented by Little Richard, and how it shares some base similarities with how it’s presented in music now.

Anyway, he’s very energetic, it’s fun to think that this was the cutting edge of pop performance back in its day

A wonderful, rich instrumental pallet cleanse from most other sounds of 1963

The Who delivers a poignant concept about living in a “modern” world that advertises you into submission, with a surprisingly timeless display of irony.

While the mediums have changed (tv -> social media), the inward cacophony that’s induced by yet another car sales jingle has remained all the while - this album will tug at that cacophony for years to come.

Their rendition of In The Hall Of The Mountain King leans into the cool unease so well.

Strong 4.

Gotta be one of the most accessible and lyrically logical Bobby albums

Along with some great, simple guitar playing

Some actually pleasant storytelling that you only need a surface-level grasp of social contexts to get what he’s often talking about

Strong 4

The more classic rock concept albums I listen to from this time period, the more I realize the peak male fantasy was some alignment of heavy rock n roll combined with mystical lyricism. The fellas just wanted to live in a Tolkien-inspired world. Pepper in some honkeytonk, add a smidge of rebellion. And boom. That’s it.
Soft 3.

ACAB: The Album!

We now know where Danny Brown got his flow, and with how catchy this album is, we don’t blame him

We’ve already pulled Paul’s Boutique, and to me this album gaps that one. PB was interesting and vivacious, but the thoughtfulness and experimentation pays off in spades for Ill Communication; Bodhisattva Vow is a good example of that willingness to experiment yielding a wonderful change in dynamics. No longer is everything shouted loudly and over pronounced.
This album feels like watching a former frat boy, now in his late 20’s, start to shed his old ways, reaching for a more meaningful lifestyle

The inclusion of two (at least, I’m only 230ish albums in) Roxy Music records has me irritable, when I know how many good post 2000’s records have been left off this list.
This album wasn’t as good as the RM album that came after it, not was it unique enough to justify its place on this list

Personal Jesus - ahead of it’s time in the sound department, never that good in the lyrics/writing department

Enjoy The Silence - timeless, beautiful, that little plucked guitar melody with the chords they run under it is precious.

Good album, worth your time, great sense of aesthetics and presentation. Strong 3, maybe a 4 if you catch me on the right day

Few albums will ever touch the complete artistic vision this album embodies. The songwriting is SO good that it completely escapes the time capsule many of its 80’s sound fonts have locked themselves in.

Everything good has already been said about this album, it’s performer, and it’s concept. I will just say that if the aliens do want us to send them a “NOW! That’s What I Call Humanity’s Greatest Hits” — the song Purple Rain absolutely makes it on that record

If early Skrillex was a signal from the transformers, then this was an eloquent message from aliens outside our solar system.
Otherworldly, gracious, delicate, tactful. Maybe not totally ‘music’ as it’s known, but most definitely inimitable art

Was it good?
Arguably - it was at least well-executed with tight production and a clear vision for what it wanted to be as an album.

Was it ageless/timeless?
…please refer to the cover art.

Her ability to inject genuine personality and character into each song is so astounding that the instrumentals don’t have to do that much work. I can think of few others over the past few decades who have that capability - maybe Frank Ocean, earlier Kanye, and Kendrick. Elite storytelling abilities puts her in elite company.

Side note, anytime I pull an album from 2000ish or beyond, I’m filled with excitement for something new, but also filled with dread - knowing there’s only more 60’s psychedelia and 80’s british post-punk to slog through