Reviews by john

Shocked that we are 186 albums into this list and this is the first Radiohead album we’ve had so far. Like so many albums in the early/mid 2000’s, there’s lots of despair and grappling with the world post-9/11. I’m pretty sure Radiohead has better offerings than this though

Maybe a bit more meditative than the 2 other wailers albums we’ve had so far, but otherwise pretty similar

They’re all self-aware jesters doing their best to make us giggle and I really appreciate that. Finally something from the 70’s that stands out a bit! Still not some generational record, but at least this had lots of character. Almost a 4 star from me

What am I supposed to say here “oh it really comes alive halfway through the second album oh the third disc really has some hidden gems in it.”
Get tf outta here with a nearly 3 hour long album comprised mostly of male manipulator music. This album was a huge test of strength for me to meet a piece of art where it’s at, and I tried my hardest. But after a while, these songs did what I’m guessing a lot of deadmau5 songs do for his first time listeners: blended all together.
This was a Spotify streaming bloat album well before it’s time though, I’ll give it that

It’s been a long time coming for this one. I hold this album close to my heart, it was a big revelation for me as a listener/consumer who was growing in and out of certain music tastes about 8ish years ago when I finally heard it.
This album helped me realize that a record can be greater than just the sum of its parts. On their own, many of these tracks are just fuzzy, hypnotic trip-hop, with strange samples going in and out of phase.
But as a whole, this album sounds just like the title of one of its best tracks: Midnight In A Perfect World.
This record manages to establish an atmosphere thats both liminal, AND blissful. So many odds and ends have been stitched together perfectly here. A haunting organ soloist sample. A vintage scifi movie clip. Or those lush, beautiful organ chords at the beginning of the aforementioned Midnight In A Perfect World!
I can’t completely put proper words together to describe the aura of Endtroducing. I’m convinced this album was conceived in its entirety under a full moon summer night.
So please do yourself a favor and save Endtroducing for those long summer months coming up (June 2024 as of writing this). Bring your headphones and go for a walk on that next full moon night. Listen to this front to back, your human experience will be enhanced for doing so!

There isn’t a single thing this album does better than its predecessor, Funeral. Therefore, outside of being a little recession time capsule, I don’t think this album will age with grace. It doesn’t have edges, it’s so soft.
My real gripe with this album is once again within the context of this list.
There is no reason for this to be on here, taking up a spot when I’m sure funeral already is on here. It’s milquetoast Grammy fodder for 30+ year olds who want to look back on their privileged suburban life fondly. Twinkly, sweet moments that are otherwise washed over by drab blehhhhh

Talking heads more like clicking heads am I right gamers?
Probably the quintessential talking heads album, I’m just more of a remain in light guy myself

Unlike most albums of its time, the last two tracks in particular brought it home for me. A surprisingly solid finish. If there’s one thing I’m learning, it’s that old heads love CSN&Y, and that includes all of their careers individually. Understandable, this was a respectable effort with a tasteful amount of shredding. Hard working 3

Candy sweet and squeaky clean. Like, almost too clean. I think a big part of most pop music today is that it doesn’t have to adhere to such tight production and mass-appeal standards (harry styles and a few others are exceptions though).
Pulls from what was working in 2014 but doesn’t lean into it too hard. Hooks for days, but as with every pop album, it’s front-loaded.

I used to always just be right on the edge of grasping the appeal of Massive Attack, and in some ways I still am. But I think it helped that I listened to this at 5:30 am while I buttered the forklift around the warehouse at the beginning of a quiet work day.
Massive Attack isn’t meant to be grasped super hard, and this album helped me realize that. Great background music, great weed smoking music

Thoughtful lyrical oldheads unite 💯
This is solid, it’s a good, summation of what Common is all about. Except there’s so much Kanye on here. Constantly.
Hard working 3

Anyone with parents my age knows this has a handful of generational hits on it. Specifically the first three songs, that’s an all-time track list. it’s insane how the first like 5-6 songs are all played on classic rock radio as hit singles. They figured out how to write a killer pop chorus, how to harmonize on it, and ran with that formula. As with most hit albums, my only criticism is that it’s a bit front-loaded. Last 2-3 songs are a bit lackluster. But holy shit. I acknowledge the nostalgia clouding my vision on this one, but I also think it’s fair to say this is one of the best, most succinct American classic rock albums

The Band. The Album. The Songs. The Music. The mid.

Fine at best, not unique enough to be deserving of a 1000 albums list at worst. Probably helped the onset of shoegaze as a genre but who cares

I do understand this, I really do. I even respect it. But it’s not for me. Especially after having just done Princes’ 1999 a couple days ago. Nothing in this album stands out from its 80’s pastiche

They’re the best bits of AC/DC + Aerosmith. The ultimate Dudes Rock arena album. Surprisingly good, energetic from front to back. Surprisingly thorough

He understood and performed music so well that he super rested the 80’s sound fonts so frequently used in this amazing album. Strong 4/5

Electric and emotive and most of all innovative. I’m guessing the reversing of the tape technique was pretty mind-boggling back then. Hendrix is what every frontman should desire to be.

Grooving’ but at what cost

This was passable and relaxing but further proves how ahead of their time the Beatles were

Running Free is absolutely the highlight here. The rhythm and drum fills tickle my brain. I wonder how much variance there will be in Iron Maiden albums, considering this was their first, and their output was pretty prolific