Rated 6/10
Great debut by the Ohio singer-songwriter. Led by the quintessential hit 'Fast Car', the quality of her work remains consistent throughout. It delves into cool ideas but does not really explore them.
8/10 [KEEP]
Rated 4/10
It is a fairly enjoyable live record, but it feels somehow out of place in this list. The energy is immaculate in this one, but much more interesting metal albums could have been included instead.
7/10 [DROP]
Rated 8/10
To me, it's the greatest in the Boss' discography. It is such a cohesive listen, with every track serving a clear function and each one offering a couple of standout moments. Some of his other records might have stronger singles, but this one is strongest as a whole.
9/10 [KEEP]
Rated 6/10
This album is the posterchild of Garage Rock. There may be better albums that share the influence, but none that represent the movement as well as this one. It is energetic and dynamic rock music, with clear highlights in Strychnine and Have Love Will Travel. It was significantly ahead of its time in how loud it sounds, and had a clear influence in music to come.
8/10 [KEEP]
Rated 6/10
Considering myself a Trip Hop enjoyer, I am always left dumbfounded by how many such albums are included instead of 'Mezzanine'. Despite this, this album could be argued as Tricky's best, including his Massive Attack days. The record itself is very textured, not only by how dark yet sensual it sounds, but also by how it incorporates a lush tapestry of ambient, hip hop and soul elements to create a beautiful sound that would become synonym with the incipient genre.
8/10 [KEEP]
Rated 4/10
Having listened to 'Be' before, I had this one as a pending listen on my bucket list. It was probably not the greatest day for me to indulge in this album, and while overall my appreciation has been high, I cannot say that I got into it at all. Will definitely need to revisit this later on.
7/10 [REVISIT]
Rated 8/10
A loud epic album that is at the pinnacle of psychedelic rock, and which is equally as loud and funky as it is brainy and masterful. All of this lies in the guitar work, which is of the highest level.
9/10 [KEEP]
Rated 6/10
It has been significantly hard to assess this album on its own merit. Despite being a stepping stone in music as the pioneer of the Shoegaze genre, it is grossly overshadowed by its follow-up. However, there are not many albums that feel as compelling within the genre, making it a more than worthy inclusion.
8/10 [KEEP]
Rated 4/10
While browsing the website, I saw that there are no fewer than 106!! Punk albums on the list. With those numbers, it is no surprise that some inclusions are as uninspired as this one. Despite Ray Manzarek's production being a clear highlight, I still think their debut might have been a much stronger contender for a spot on the list.
7/10 [SWAP]
Rated 8/10
While I much prefer New Order to Joy Division, their first record, 'Unknown Pleasures', is as good as it is iconic for its artwork. The dark instrumentation, the basslines, and Ian Curtis' vocals are the stepping stone for much of 80s New Wave and for that I think the album's influence cannot be understated.
9/10 [KEEP]
Rated 6/10
Having been only exposed to their debut '(I'm) Stranded', I felt sort of underwhelmed by their work, feeling like their ideas did not fully stick. This is not the case with their follow-up record, which I found to be much more dynamic and ultimately ended up being much more interesting than the average punk album on the list.
8/10 [KEEP]
Rated 8/10
One of the major landmarks in Jazz music. Loud and complex, the album reflects as much musicianship and virtuosity as it does sublime beauty. I do appreciate how concise it is, probably my favourite Jazz record of all time.
9/10 [KEEP]
Rated 6/10
It is a much more focused effort than his other inclusion in the book. Despite this fact, however dark and cinematic it aims to be, I do not find it to be as epic as it aims to be. The upsides more than balance out the downsides, yet the album feels a bit flat somehow.
8/10 [KEEP]
Rated 8/10
Perhaps their record containing the most hits and which to me is the culmination of the sound they envisioned in 'Power, Corruption & Lies'. While it is baffling why the former was not considered for inclusion, this record remains a more than worthy addition on its own.
9/10 [KEEP]
I don't feel qualified to opine on this record, as I don't have enough exposure to its genre. However, I can say the album's soundscapes are lush and beautiful, and the masterful guitar playing feels cathartic and deeply atmospheric.
7/10 [KEEP]
It is a tasteful record, which offers at least some interesting qualities and has some cool ideas of its own. A bit on the lengthier side, I do not know if I would keep the album per se, but it is not an egregious inclusion.
7/10 [KEEP]
Rated 6/10
Even though 'Funeral' does this album a disservice by comparison, this record sits in the upper echelon of 00s indie rock. It does what other indie bands at the time did, but with more focus, offering great soundscapes and sounds that now feel reminiscent of the early 00s.
8/10 [KEEP]
The apex of psychedelia, the historical significance of the record is unmeasurable. While I believe that 'Electric Ladyland' is somewhat beyond in quality and memorable hits, it is an album that embodies an era and cemented Jimi as the greatest rock guitarist of all time.
9/10 [KEEP]
Rated 6/10
It sounds particularly ambitious for an album of its genre. While it is refreshing to hear an album with so many novel ideas, the lack of fleshed-out snippets throughout the record impairs its ability to make a bigger impact than the quality of its lyricism and its instrumentation deserve.
8/10 [KEEP]
Nothing against this record which off itself is a solid and tasteful compilation of bluegrass. While it presents the work of many contemporary legends in bluegrass and country music, I cannot help but to wonder if some more succinct representation of the genre would make for a more meaningful "must".
7/10 [SWAP]
