Reviews by mattrickpow

Overall: 9/10

This album really surprised me. I only know of Nico from her collaboration with The Velvet Undeground but I haven't actually listened to that album so I didn't know what to expect. I'm glad I had no idea cause this is so cool. Nico's vocals are haunting and beautiful and I adore the sparse, minimal instrumentation. I didn't think it was perfect and a couple of tracks seemed to drag on, but I love this style overall and I'm so glad to have had it recommended to me!

Fav Song: These Days
Least Fav Song: It Was a Pleasure Then

Overall: 5/10

This isn't a bad album, but it feels lackluster compared to so many other great albums in this list. They're like R.E.M. with a bland vocalist, and if you saw my review from yesterday you would know that I'm not a huge fan of R.E.M. I got some enjoyment from this but it doesn't belong in the list when so many other great albums we're passed over for this.

Fav Song: Laughingstock
Least Fav Song: Bad Liquor

Overall: 6/10

R.E.M. is a band that's always just kind of been in my life in some form. I've never had much of an opinion on them either way beyond liking a few of their singles. This album doesn't really sway my opinion in either direction and I feel like they'll always be one of those bands that just exists. I really like the different instrumentation on some tracks though and Orange Crush is one of my favourite R.E.M. songs.

Fav Song: Orange Crush
Least Fav Song: The Wrong Child

Overall: 10/10

This is my absolute favourite Bowie album and I've listened to it an insane amount. I can't really pin down why it's my favourite Bowie but I love how much piano there is on this album and every song is so dang catchy that I can't help but sing along every time I hear them. I hope I don't get every Bowie album early on cause I love him and I wanna space it out, especially with the ones I haven't heard as often.

Fav Song: Life on Mars?
Least Fav Song: Eight Line Poem

Overall: 7/10

While I agree that this album was "the beginning of the end" for Metallica, it's actually a pretty good album in it's own right and I have a sense of nostalgia for it as it was my first Metallica album. James sounds vocally at his best here, you can actually hear Jason's bass (!) and Kirk gets some great solos! If anything my biggest issue with this album is that the songs get overplayed. It's pretty great and I recommend it.

Fav Song: Wherever I May Roam
Least Fav Song: Of Wolf and Man

Overall: 8/10

Really interesting jazz with some crazy time signature business going on! As someone who doesn't listen to a lot of jazz, I find it hard to analyze critically so I just kind of judge it by my experience while listening to it. I thought this was a lot of fun and I especially liked the piano playing done by Mr. Brubeck. This is classy, hip and cool and I highly recommend it.

Fav Song: Blue Rondo à la Turk
Least Fav Song: Three to Get Ready

Overall: 6/10

The horny levels are off the charts with this one. I don't really have any major issues with this album but I expected there to be more variety. The talent is obviously there. Marvin is a legend for a reason. I just can't imagine myself ever listening to this seriously. It just sounds like the same song over and over again.

Fav Song: You Sure Love to Ball
Least Fav Song: Come Get to This

Overall: 6/10

This is a pretty solid country album, and it's very close to being the best country album I've gotten so far. Merle had a wonderful voice and a great band backing him up. I could see myself putting this on during my next playthroughs of Red Dead Redemption 2 or Fallout: New Vegas.

Fav Song: Drink Up and Be Somebody
Least Fav Song: Mary's Mine

Overall: 10/10

I was so incredibly happy to see this pop up today because it's an all time favourite album of mine! There was something special about the Max era of Sepultura, and even though it would have been better if he had stayed with the band, I'm glad that he left after such a high note. What makes this album special for me is not only the stylistic shift from previous albums (thrash/death -> groove metal) but the addition of brazilian elements and contributions from the Xavante tribe. This album is a showcase of their love for their home country and they wore their influences on their sleeves. Many will disagree with me but this is quite possibly one of the best metal albums ever made.

Fav Song: Born Stubborn
Least Fav Song: Jasco

Overall: 8/10

I like to affectionately call this band "The Bores" because 90% of their music bores me to tears. With that being said, they struck gold with their debut and other than a couple tracks, this thing is loaded with catchy choruses, stellar organ work and underrated drumming. It's a shame that (in my opinion) they never made anything that comes even remotely close to replicating the greatness of this album. Highly recommended.

Fav Song: Break on Through (To the Other Side)
Least Fav Song: The Crystal Ship

Overall: 1/10

This dude sounds exactly like Taron Egerton! I hate it. The beats are trash and his flow is awful. The concept isn't interesting and the protagonist is unlikable. Never listening to this one again.

Fav Song: Could Well Be In
Least Fav Song: It Was Supposed to Be So Easy

Overall: 4/10

I really wanted something good today due to the STRESS I'm feeling about a certain election, but I really didn't like this. The title track is actually really good and there's a couple other tracks that have potential, but it was overall disappointing. The production is really off-putting and the vocal delivery leaves a lot to be desired. This may have actually added to my anxiety instead of calming me down. No thanks.

Fav Song: Infected
Least Fav Song: Twilight of a Champion

Overall: 3/10

I have to admit, I think Christina Aguilera is an incredibly talented vocalist. It's a shame that the songs she's singing never hold the cake to her immense talent. I wanted to like this a lot more than I did but it really just sounds like generic mid-2000s pop music that follows a formula that I don't particularly enjoy. I didn't hate it but it was overlong and there wasn't much variety.

Fav Song: Without You
Least Fav Song: Candyman

Overall: 9/10

This is my first time listening to a full album featuring any of the members of this band and that's honestly kind of embarrassing. I'm glad to start closing this horrific gap in my music listening. In terms of this album, it's a country/folk/rock album that I absolutely adore. The harmonies are shockingly gorgeous and I love that Neil gets to shine the most on this album because he has the most unique voice of the four members. I've seen some people don't enjoy Neil's voice and I'm not sure why I do but he's one of the few whiney singers that isn't grating to the ears. The instrumentation is also diverse enough to keep the album interesting throughout. Can't wait to hear so many more albums from all of these guys.

Fav Song: Woodstock
Least Fav Song: 4 + 20

Overall: 6/10

Country really isn't my favourite genre of music and any artists making it needs something that stands out to differentiate them from the rest. Thankfully, Dolly stands out for two BIG reasons...her voice and her charisma! While it's not something I'm going to listen to a lot, this was enjoyable and I would recommend it to people who have a better relationship with Country than I do.

Fav Song: Early Morning Breeze
Least Fav Song: A Better Place to Live

Overall: 4/10

I avoided this album for years. I loved the song The Beautiful People so much that I thought there was no possible way that the rest of the album lived up to the hype. Turns out, I was right! I wouldn't call it an outright bad album, there's some stuff in here I genuinely do enjoy, and the industrial elements give it a slight edge that I think is great. The worst thing about the album is Manson himself. His vocal delivery gets really grating after a while and his lyrics have aged like milk. It hurts to give something this heavy a low rating but I have to be true to myself, y'all. This one ain't it.

Fav Song: The Beautiful People
Least Fav Song: Kinderfeld

Overall: 8/10

The styles used on this album are incredibly diverse! I think there's something in here for everybody and I especially love the punkier side they explore on this album (they started as a punk outfit). The guest spots from Q-Tip and Biz Markie also work really well and there's some instrumentals that help flesh the album out. It's one of those rare lengthy albums that I believe earns it's length. Not my favourite Beastie Boys album but definitely deserves it's spot in the list.

Fav Song: Get It Together
Least Fav Song: Shambala

Overall: 5/10

This one is a weird one for me. The beats are exceptional, and I think the rhymes are pretty good. For some reason, the songs just mostly seem to come and go without a second thought given. I couldn't tell you a single hook or line that stood out to me. I will say that it gave me MF Doom vibes at times. It's certainly a well made hip hop album but it didn't do much for me.

Fav Song: Welcome to the Afterfuture
Least Fav Song: I Feel Like $100

Overall: 6/10

This is my first Elliott Smith album, and on a forst impression I can see what makes him such a special artist for a lot of people. His lyrics are interesting and the songs have catchy poppy melodies. However, on a personal level nothing really stood out to me as being exceptional. Maybe it's a case of needing to hear it in the right setting but for now I think it's a pretty good album that I wanted to love but didn't get much out of. I also think a couple of track could have been removed to make it a smoother listen, cause this is a looooong album.

Fav Song: L.A.
Least Fav Song: Everything Means Nothing to Me

Overall: 1/10

I'm happy for the people that enjoy this but I've always hated The Smiths with a passion and listening to this album in full didn't do anything to sway me. I truly think that Morrissey is a godawful vocalist and the music behind him bores me to tears. I think it might be mostly the guitar tone, it's like nails on a chalkboard for me. One of the easiest 1 stars I'll ever give out, and if I hadn't promised myself to give every album a chance, I'd have completely skipped it (and I'm wishing I did).

Fav Song: Cemetry Gates (They're all garbage but the bass is actually pretty great in this song)
Least Fav Song: Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others