Reviews by justcoolvinyl

I’m not sure that they can duplicate this record but this is a true punk rock statement. As a male, I was physically uncomfortable listening to this record. However, when combined with the live performance I could not stop watching. And perhaps that is the point. This record is a shared experience and I would imagine that how you connect with this record depends entirely on you. There are very few records, let alone punk rock records where you are aware that the music is truly trying to make a connection with you as an individual rather than an audience. If you have any doubts about your individual capacity for empathy and love, this album is a test. It is not a traditional punk rock record. It is very similar to how Minutemen’s Double Nickels on the Dime changed the trajectory of what it means to be both a punk and the sound of punk rock. This is that album in 2026. It is also not for everyone and I also get that. I’m from Vancouver originally and have followed bands from that town for 50 years. There are no predecessors to Piss. None. So, with that said, give it a listen. Then take a break. I took at least 10 days to revisit after the first listen. Does it get easier? Not for me, but the experience is unique for a record. Honestly, I am surprised it’s on Sub Pop. It’s a better fit for Neon Taste/ Drunken Sailor which have Bootlicker and Chain Whip. Ah well. Let’s see how the next year plays out. I can’t wait to see where this band goes. 9/10

If you are hearing this in 2026 for the first time you would probably think this was some warped version of Soft Cell. It’s just freaking weird. When it came out in 1977, I thought it was an amazing take on glam, proto-punk, psych-rock and a the then new wave of electronic artists which were the architects of synth punk including Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle, Kraftwerk, Can and Faust. The real mind blower was the use of then novel, delay to great effect. A couple of certified classics that influenced a ton of bands including The Slickee Boys, Psychotic Pineapple and The Fleshtones. Ghost Rider, Rocket U.S.A. and Cheree are such a classic trio of songs I legitimately never got tired of playing them. They are such distinct songs yet the similarities are what make them standout. Every once in a while you hear them being played in a bar or before a concert and they are immediately recognizable as Suicide. Then you get to side 2 and Frankie Teardrop blows your freakin mind. This you’d never play on repeat because it is such a powerful and disturbing song that when played loud it will disrupt your heart rhythm. You’ll understand this when you play the song. There is a repetitive pattern that underlines the track building tension as the song becomes darker and darker. It reminds me of the sound of a lightbulb being amplified. The shrieking is unsettling. Hence, I mostly listened to side 1. I’d forgotten that there was a track after, Che which also is dark. The sound of night with vocals. Hooray Hooray…Che Che…. Honestly, a brilliant record that is unique to this day. 5/5

Not another Neil record. Anyone who tries to see you that approximately seven Neil record belongs on a list of the 1001 albums you should listen to in your lifetime is both a liar and full of shit. If you go back and comb through my prior reviews you’ll get my thoughts on his entire catalog. Short version. I like the idea of Neil better than Neil. I like him because he’s Canadian. He is fucking whiny. This album has the only listenable tracks in his catalog - Powderfinger and Hey Hey My My - both halves. Two - it’s a small number. Does this album belong here. Of course it doesn’t but as all of you have observed by this point, half the records on this list don’t belong. My life would not have changed at all as a young teen today encountering these records for the first time without any prior musically experience. As I am at the other end of the musical listening experience- hindsight is a bitch. I’d have done things differently. I’d limit it to only one album per artist. There are only a handful of artists who have made two genius records in their careers. There would be no Dylan, Steely fucking Dan, Eagles or Red Hot Chili Peppers on the list. I’d be wary of anything a professional music pimp, I mean music critic has hyped because they are mostly idiots. You get it. Oh, and Neil in his myriad of forms littered throughout this list, likely wouldn’t make it either. So, whattabout this album? Well, it doesn’t suck but it doesn’t really standout except the two tracks I mentioned. Its average so 3/5.

I’m honestly a little mixed about this record. As records go it is the perfect mix of its influences (Blue Oyster Cult, Good Aerosmith, Good Kiss, and a dash of Def Leppard) mixed with Axl sauce and Slash Pepper to come up with a pretty listenable slice of pop metal. There are some punk undertones on a couple of tracks - notably It’s So Easy and Rocket Queen but in the main it’s a stadium ready rock album made to appeal to the masses and a surprisingly large number of strippers… I mean exotic dancers. When this came out on my numerous trips back home to Canada, when I hit the pub with my friends I heard the entire album so many times that you could associate various dancers with the songs they preferred. It was honestly a head trip seeing several dancers strip to Mr. Brownstone. That means a records good, right? Consequently, the record is actually a recorded cliche covering sex, drugs and rock n roll. But who cares, it’s great at parties. I’m not sure it belongs on this list to be fair as it really is not that revolutionary, influential or unique given the readily identifiable influences, but I’m not going to knock it down for that. 4/5

This is a pile of crap. Okay, not a big pile but still a pile. I get that there is a dedicated group of people who thought these shallow love songs were great. They are not. A Hard Day’s Night and Can’t Buy Me Love are catchy, energetic and lyrically shallow. I get this is the first album that is Lennon/McCartney but the majority of songs are formulaic - well played but all verse chorus verse with Harrison’s Rickenbacker doing much of the heavy lifting. I guess if you like folk rock, loved the Everly Brothers and generally were an aficionado of late 50’s rock n roll, you’d spend time playing this but I’d venture to say that most people can’t hum the melodies of more than half the record. I get that some say this is the Beatles zenith- their best record. Rational humans know it is not. It’s sugar with no substance and looking back which is often dangerous, highlights the weakness of this record. 2/5

Springsteen is complicated. While not my thing, I can see how his working man stories would appeal to the masses even though he has not worked a regular guy job since he was in high school. He also has a complicated legacy that interferes somewhat with assessing where a work like Nebraska would stand in the pantheon of albums that are on this list. You see, for me, the weight of the hype clouds one’s ability to truly discern whether this album, its songwriting strengths, its messaging and Springsteen’s authentic delivery make it special compared to the thousands of similar singer songwriter albums. Are there some good songs? Certainly. Atlantic City, Nebraska and Johnny 99 are great. But the rest are kind of ordinary. You can never say that Springsteen can’t write a great lyric because he obviously can. But so do lots of other musicians- it’s why music becomes popular. So, as records go, it’s solid but it’s not great. I guess it comes down to it being a one note record, mostly a fucking downer, and that gets kind of tiring. 3/5

When you look back over the 55 years or so since this record was released, you would be hard pressed to find a record as influential as this record despite it having originally sold so few copies. No matter your feelings about some of the musical choices Iggy has made over the years, the years with the Stooges are exceptional. Sure, you can here some of the influences the Asheton brothers and James Williamson copped - particularly the MC5, but Iggy’s vocals are savage and Williamson’s guitar tone is to become the foundational tone for all of punk rock. And that’s the real reason everyone should own a copy of this record- you will recognize the psychedelic rock carry over from the late 60s (You’re Pretty Face is Going to Hell) but what should blow your mind is the howl from the guitars. It’s that sound that will inspire generations in the future. And that’s is not hyperbole. You know an album has something when even the lesser-known tracks have potential to melt your face. Check out I Need Somebody with its slinky start and Iggy’s twisted vocal. A blues track with fuzz that sound dangerous. A remarkable record I first discovered in 1979 through my discovery of The Cramps. Raw Power is truly a classic record that still resonates today. The Iggy mix released in 2023 is the definitive mix in my opinion removing some of the sludge from the original. It is noticeable on certain tracks such as Shake Appeal which is now so crisp and sharp you could cut concrete with that guitar tone. Exceptional from start to finish and I didn’t even have to point out the tracks you would know because they have entered the cultural knowledge base by now. 5/5

Well a pleasant surprise someone actually put this album on the list. I bought this new when it came out as a 20 year old going to tons of shows in Vancouver and Seattle during this period. The Undertones were an anomaly as they were a mix of punk and pop and Feargal’s vocals were definitely unique in the punk world. As an Irish band they were much like Stiff Little Fingers, Boomtown Rats and a young U2 - melodic, with captivating lead vocalists all more pop oriented than punk and looking for success outside their borders. I honestly think their debut is better than this one because the sound on this record is so thin. Especially when compared with the live sound where the bass and drums really are upfront in the mix. All that said, this is a teen angst record and while Wednesday Week and My Perfect Cousin are solid singles, my favorites on this album are Hypnotized, The Way Girls Talk and Nine Times Out of Ten. The cover of Under The Boardwalk is an interesting nod towards their pop influences but is a bit tiresome on repeat play. An excellent record though overall and definitely above average for records of the day. Some of this record still holds up more than 45 years later but probably wouldn’t make the list today. It might for me though. 4/5

An album of misery played out as if it was a Broadway play. Look. This is a bunch of pirate shanty’s whisper spoken by a guy who can’t sing. This is really just theater of the absurd. Some of this music could fit perfectly on a Residents record if Tom’s vocals were pitch shifted. It is mind blowing to me that people would pay real money to someone who is putting there self-therapy to rather crappy music. Worse is that some critics believe this is genius. Genius in the world where this record is considered good is also a world where music containing the sound of sharts over a blues beat would also qualify. C’mon. This is not serious music for serious people. It is just not that interesting and Tom’s vocals are wearisome. Like Bob Dylan, Tom is from a generation of musicians where the novelty was that they could make something musical. That’s a pretty low fucking bar. Now 16 year olds are more talented than these sad sacks. 1/5

An album for another decade. I can see the appeal of the other Wilson recording an album of pastoral pop songs highlighted by a not so surprising vocal approach. The songs are well produced and are in some aspects a world away from the Beach Boys, but in others reflect the same careful lyrical approach and more symphonic tendencies that Brian brought to the Beach Boys. That said, it’s not a remarkable record. Rather it is pleasant, likeable even, but reflective of the decade of its release. As a late 70s record released the year the Sex Pistols record hit America, this record harkens back to the late 60s and is clearly targeting an audience that is in their mid-life. This is not for angst ridden teens. All that said, there is truly nothing extraordinary about this album and the deluxe edition makes it clear that the best stuff ended up on the record. This is an album that would only appeal to fans. 3/5

Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the soup. I saw Talking Heads 3 times between 1979 and 1983. I loved 77 and More Songs About Buildings and Food. By Fear of Music it was obvious that there was some inter-band dynamics that was shifting the band towards a more world music slant. I honestly blamed Eno who’s excess was legendary and thoroughly discussed in the music weeklys. Remain in light however was the bridge too far. While I get those people way smarter than me will say this is their zenith- in my estimation it is not. There are a couple of amazing tracks namely Once In A Lifetime and upon much reflection, Crosseyed and Painless. But the rest is jammy nonsense with really no recognizable lyric, melody, rhythm or structure. To the extent that is comes off as aping much of the music from the Caribbean Islands I think that criticism is a little overblown. I see it truly as a failed attempt to merge New York rock with African and Caribbean influences. If you ask yourself, after the days have gone bye, whether you can recall anything about the songs that come after Once In A Lifetime, I think many would not recall anything. There is no definition or shape to these and I believe it is because this was a band at a crisis point and Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth along with Jerry Harrison were all trying to contribute after finally being given a real opportunity to do so and the result shows all of their contributions but lacks the cohesiveness of a band. I get it. Bands are difficult systems to navigate because it’s not objective about the music. There is ego, biases, and each individual’s perception about the creative process. I still blame Eno as he was not helpful here about defining the vision. You have one song that is the heart but you were unable to help the band achieve clarity about what the rest of the record should sound like. I’ve played this album only a couple of times over the past 45 years or so. I don’t revisit it much because there are better versions of Talking Heads. Even Stop Making Sense which as a concert film blew my mind only has two songs from this record. Yup, the two I mentioned. So, if you can distance yourself from the hype around this record, I think you’ll find it beautifully performed and recorded but those performances and just not that interesting, mostly too long by a couple of minutes and far too busy to actually breathe. 3/5

So what do you do when you encounter a secret Neil Young record? That is the real question. As a sorta member of Buffalo Springfield this record really does sound like an ensemble work with different voices loosely held together by the sonics of the time. Neil is also less Neil like as his vocals had not yet evolved into the Neil whine encountered in the 70s and beyond. Don’t get me wrong - it’s still a whine but it’s not distracting and unpleasant. The excellent Mr.Soul is a great start to the record because it’s uptempo and the guitar work is really precise and interesting. It is fair to say that there are several excellent tracks on the record and the different voices make repeated listening worthwhile. You may not appreciate the country rock such as on A Child’s Claim To Fame but that throwback to late 50s county makes sense given that it was part of the scene and serves as an interesting transition to the Everyday’s - Live which sounds like it was written to be played in a small smoke filled nite club between sets. The piano countering the folkie elements found on several songs. And that may be the secret to understanding this record- it’s as diverse a record as you will likely find in this period and plays much like a weird compilation album as there really is no aural connector from song to song. The hallmark harmonies that will become a centerpiece for the Stills and Young later appear for the first time on Expecting To Fly the 4th song on the record. Other highlights are the excellent Rock and Roll Woman and Broken Arrow which is a coda to the album and a bookend to the opener Mr. Soul. As I’ve noted before, I like the idea of Neil Young better than I like Neil. The man can write a song but I wish he wouldn’t sing them. 4/5

Such a 2000 record. I was never a Hugh Linkin Park fan. They always reminded me of Nickelback - only not Canadian. There is not dispute regarding the quality of Chester’s vocals which made the counterpoint to Mike Shinoda’s rapping all the sweeter. Rap rock is kind of a tough genre to really engage with as a listener because in all honesty, it comes off as rather corn ball. However, this is quite an engaging record as several of the tracks are quite ubiquitous on what is now classic rock. It is amazing to me that the 90s and early 2000 is the new classic rock era shifting each decade to remain about 30 years behind the present. I guess this is the target for an oldies station as it is designed to target people who remember these songs from their teen years. Hence, oldies station demographics target those in their mid to late 40s. Linkin Park appeals to that audience. Hybrid Theory now represents the classic rock midpoint. I get it. I’m not sure this record belongs on the list but given the predominance of shit from Dylan, Chicago, Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, Steely Dan etc, of which this album is certainly superior, than why not. Is it great? Not really. It doesn’t take too much effort to identify that mist of these tracks follow a formula but I do note the formula mostly works. Mike and Chester had figured out that there version of call and response vocals would work well and sound good and it mostly does. Also, it helps that the songs are never rushed so it’s easy to sing along. And in the end, I tried so hard to make this a 4/5 but upon reflection it’s only a 3. 3/5

I actually was able to see the Boos open for Sugar in 1993, and that should some context to this album as I try to describe it from my vantage point. It is really a pop record that has shoegaze elements- the use of distortion is honestly masterful on this record. Most tracks have copious amounts of it making for some very interesting Sonic’s in the same vein as the better know Jesus and Mary Chain. The Brit pop of songs like Spun Around is battered by the vocal distortion. In isolation this would seem somewhat disorienting but in the context of the album it builds a necessary bridge to the second half of the record with the Oasis indebted If You Want It, Take It starting a run of great tracks with Lazarus being a highlight. It is actually somewhat surprising to find this record on the list as it is a bit of an outlier from the crap that occupies much of what is this list. Well worth the time to revisit as each listen delivers new insights into a brilliant record. 4/5

This is kind of a mid level album if we are being honest. I like Peter Gabriel. I always thought he was the most creative member of Genesis and not a douche bag like Phil Collins. This album contains two really fine tracks - Games Without Frontiers and Biko. The rest of the record is rather unremarkable to be fair. If this was truly a cultural classic that is timeless you’d be able to instantly recall a couple of more songs from this record but you can’t. Why? Because Peter was a genius naming every single record Peter Gabriel. You probably don’t remember that there was a track on this record called “I Don’t Remember” - do you? The best unknown track is And Do You Remember with Paul Weller, then still in The Jam, playing guitar. I bought this record when it came out because it was right in the middle of that first post-punk explosion and the emphasis on rhythm and the Siouxsie and The Banshees sounds were pretty unique for the time. It was one foot in post-punk and one foot in prog but no so proggy that it sounded like Genesis or Yes. That would have killed this record. As a college dj I’d play tracks from this quite regularly as it fit in with Gang of Four, Talking Heads and similar rhythm first bands. Not a perfect record and a couple of tracks probably should have been left off (Start and Family Snapshot in my opinion), but at times enjoyable enough that if you saw this in the Used bin at the local record shop you’d pay $5 and give it a spin. 3/5

I have a theory and a suggestion. There is a place for albums like this as precursors to other amazing albums or influencers that clearly deserve recognition but because of the passage of time, technology and even artistry, these acts don’t belong in any discussion about greatest albums. My theory is that they remain included because the authors have an economic incentive to keep these earlier influences on modern music likely tied to the cost of reformatting a book no longer sold in large quantities and because keeping these 60s artists in the book attracts people of a certain age who might actually purchase and read a book. That’s my theory. My suggestion is to “retire” certain artists to a new section on legends - those individuals and groups who influenced modern music and are responsible for advancing the art. This way we preserve the legends, honor them, but move forward with the challenge of identifying new ideas and new influences in this highest of musical stratospheres. The Kinks would be in this first group with Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix etc. we know they are legends but in many cases their original albums no longer merit the accolades when measured against more contemporary artist. This album clearly was an influence on many of the late 70s and early 80s acts who made no secret of their love of the Kinks and their influence. On this record you could trace a direct line to The Soft Boys, Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians, Van Halen, AC/DC, the Ramones, The Jam etc. Sunny Afternoon still pops up in Tik Toks but there are also several other terrific tracks including Party Line and Little Miss Queen of Darkness. I do note that this album is infected with the 60s musical virus that destroys the likeability of several tracks. That virus is the tambourine which makes everything sound shitty. On this album it is so high in the mix it is both distracting and unpleasant. So, let’s move the Kinks into that legend influencer chapter of the book and forget this album exists. 2/5

I don’t like to listen to Neil. The whiny voice is just overwhelming in its truly terrible nasally extreme. In prior musings on Neil (as he is on this list several times), I like the idea of Neil better than Neil. He’s Canadian. He can write some pretty darn fine tunes. He sings like shit. So, with that background, this record goes true to form - mostly. There are some pretty good tunes on this record although the back half suffers from Neil’s decision to include lengthy noodles to extend otherwise good songs unnecessarily. I know that some people like jamming but it’s not jamming when the lengthy jams are recorded mere repeating elements of a scale. There is no tension to be released which is theoretically the goal of the instrumental section in all rock songs. Insert orgasm joke here. Fucking Up is easily the best track on the album in my opinion. It has those Neil elements of a call and response and a pretty good groove. Most importantly it’s a less affected Neil vocal and the solo is mercifully shorter than it could have been. Can’t say the same for Days That Used To Be, but that’s where the album should have ended. Not a terrible record but, again, not an album that belongs on this list. 3/5

Honestly this album never belonged on the list. While I acknowledge Vernon Reid’s vocals are excellent and Cult of Personality is a good song, this is really an average pop metal album. It’s got that 80s guitar sound with pretty good distortion but not enough Fuzz or reverb for my liking. There should be some rough edges on albums. The secret to greatness is not about perfection but it is the imperfections, this happy accidents that create emotions and subconsciously allow us to connect with the music. It’s why we want to see things live and it’s rarely interesting to hear songs played exactly as on the album. Such is the case here where I bet the live versions were killer. So, where does this album live when the album comes off as a little cliched. Time has not been kind to the production either. This frankly, is an era I hope never to see return. 2/5

Scientologist controlled by father and devoid of own identity after being rescued by church from real life makes the first of many boring records. There is no doubt that Beck has talent but the church has extinguished the life force and each album from this one forward to the latest release, Ride Lonesome contain elements of a man trapped in another galaxy of his own mind looking for escape. Sea Change was a sea change as we get serious Beck which is also boring Beck. Great voice but if you actually listen to the record there are Steely Dan moments where all life is extinguished from the song. The second half of the record after Lost Cause, which is by far the best track in this record, is a tough slog. Hard to get through the last 6 tracks. But I did. 2/5

Perhaps the most fascinating observation I can make about this record is that its impact on me as a teen was tremendous but now, more than 50 years later, the impact is noticeably different. And I think that says much about the relationship the listener forms with a particular piece of music because the initial attachment we form is dependent on a number of factors including age, experience, background and a whole host of both biological and environmental factors that ultimately determine the strength of the relationship we have with that musical idea. When I was 15 when this album came out, the things that drew me to Queen the band had been formed from my earlier encounter with Killer Queen. By this album the music was in transition but Freddie’s vocals were captivating. At that time, the access to music press in Canada was scant and the mythos surrounding this album did not reach where I was. But it was undeniably a pop record and less rock than earlier versions. Sure, Yiur My Best Friend and Bohemian Rhapsody stood out but honestly, the entire album connected with me. Now 50 years later, not so much. What has changed? Thankfully, me. I have a much broader musical palate and a lifetime of experience. I recognize that some of these songs are just dumb. Still somewhat enjoyable but still dumb. I’m In Love with My Car. Okay. But again, the greatest observation I can make is that when I examine my connection to an album that I thought was perfect, I recognize that throughout my life I have formed similar attachments to other great records but with many of those that strong connection remains. This album does not. I’ll spend some time wondering about what alters one’s perception of quality or musical genius, but for now, hindsight leaves me feeling this is a 3/5 and while above average, not the album I once thought it was. 3/5