Reviews by john

RHCP are such an interesting listen to me and this album is a microcosm of that experience. The hits are anthemic, timeless, and undeniable, and within an hour I’m really tired of hearing the band.

My non-hit-song highlight from here would be “Road Trippin” as it’s a good break from the slappy funk-rock that starts to otherwise blend together as the album lengthens out

There should be a 2 album per band limit and I don’t think Queen II cracks the top 2 for Queen

A rare, RARE case where a pop-adjacent album ends with its best two songs. This album has me conflicted, there are moments of Bowie-inspired greatness, and most of the compositions, specifically the instrumentals, are great. Sometimes the vocals are a little all over the place though.

I could see this being the greatest thing that ever happened to you if you were an impressionable teen at the time of its release, it has that sort of dramatic energy.

This is a soft 4 for me for now. But I’m coming back to it, I’m interested in this albums replayability

Essential early millennial listening that set the trend for tumblr pop in the years to come. The pop hits are hits for a reason, sometimes the performances and deliveries towards the end get a bit lethargic, and not in the cool way. Still, almost anything post-2000 is refreshing for this list

Boomers bring anything Steely-Dan-related to this list like Sheen brings Ultralord to class in Jimmy Neutron

It would be something if this album was unique, but it was just more of the exact same steely Dan sound too

>:(

An album that you give a 5/5 stars to without much thought. Not to say that it’s overrated at all though!
Most songs on here are household names for a reason. Billy Joel sticks the landing over and over again. A masterclass in storytelling done perfectly through the lens of piano-pop ballads

It’s is two separate things to “get” an album vs. to “like” an album.

I get this album. I really do. There’s no more needing to beat me over the head with it.

But I still don’t like it in the way everyone else does. There are other albums that go for this same aura and do it better

The earnest nature of the first song gave me hope, but alas, that hope was ill-placed. This is not in the top 1001 albums you should listen to, surely it’s not

We’re (I’m) around 215 albums into this list and the realization is coming over me that I’ll be getting real tired of the inclusion of albums like this - it’s the new random psychedelic rock album inclusion. I don’t care if these guys influenced bigger bands, the album just passes right by

My personal name for this album is “Context has the right to change my opinion”

When I first heard this album years ago I thought it (and all other Boards of Canada music) was a snooze fest that didn’t deserve any of the hype it got. Most of the songs just kinda came and went, there wasn’t much to grasp.

But maybe it’s not about grasping a song. Maybe it’s more about sinking into the vibe. Minecraft’s soundtrack led me to a deeper appreciation of Aphex Twin, who made a lot of music very similar to what’s on this album here. With that in mind, and the proper time to sit on it all, I’ve realized that this album is about embracing the liminal soundscapes that come and go, just like a nice dream. While this album does overstay it’s welcome a touch, it’s not nearly as challenging as it once was. Listen to it right before bed or right as you get out of bed.

A bit pretentious to call it that but when you listen all the way through and consider the man and the time period, you’ll allow it

REM probably hit a little harder if you were alive and tuned into american current events when this album came out.
Like...these songs are well-written (at least mostly), but are performed in a pretty bland way (outside of the obvious hit singles).
REM on the whole, not just this album, feels like a settled agreement or compromise by the radio listeners at large. Nothing is done outright BADLY, but nothing is that good to my ears.

indie darlings? yes.
Kinda snoozy? Also yes

I would like to cite the ending of one of the most popular reviews on this website (a 5 star review of Lorde's Melodrama) that ended by saying "Sorry it's not King Crimson or whatever."

And that feels fairly accurate. If I was born in 1954 and spent my 20's doing LSD, being sure that these guys + Pink Floyd had just figured out music, then I too would go bananas over this. So I respect it for how progressive it was for it's time. Additionally, there are passages in this album that are still placid and beautiful, like the ending of Exiles. But I don't see myself ever enjoying this an the every-day setting. Nor do I see myself remembering too much of it either

Perhaps the best use of a live vocal sample is Mat Zo sampling Chuck D. in Caught, Can We Get A Witness off this album.

This is carried insanely hard by the larger-than-life presence both Chuck D and Flava Flav have. Because I'm sorry, as fun as some of these beats aree, they are still clunky at the end of the day. I respect it either way

so that's where modest mouse got that voice

Finally, 211 albums in and we get some Bowie going. Outside of the individual album ranking, David Bowie is one of a few true solo artists who should be given 5 stars for his career, not just any one album. While Hunky Dory is an artsy, boundry-pushing, expressive rock (kinda) album, he truly went crazy with it over the years. For example, in 1997 he did an electronic BREAKCORE ALBUM that honestly holds up pretty well for what it is.

Anyways Fill Your Heart on Hunky Dory is my sleeper highlight here. STRONG 4 stars here. Truly an honor to have walked the earth at the same time as David Bowie

fun and simple, an ode to basic songwriting and simple themes. not many highlights, but not many lowlights either. Soft 3

For when it's dude's oclock and the fellas want to drink beers, try this album!

This sounds like a disciple of the iron maiden format, and it mostly works.

Seems like every Stones record is just
-honkeytonk admiration
-classic late 60’s rock doowop
-that one song everyone on planet earth knows
-more honkeytonk
-Mick having a moment of actual humane introspection
-oooohbabeyyy you’re a honkeytonk giiiirl from upper Virginia god I wish I grew up in Appalachia

Now I will give this album some credit for diverting from that method a slight bit and leaping away from the 60’s classic rock sound into something often more subtle and nuanced. And the story telling is pretty vivid too.