Reviews by meemesker

The whole is not necessarily greater than the sum of its parts.

I love this album, especially Neil Young's contributions - some of the best and most creative work of his career.

I generally like their sound. People call this twee but listen to the lyrics.

I didn't hate this as much as I thought I would. I mean, I didn't like it, but it wasn't unbearable by any means. Musically it's actually kind of interesting, but the lyrics are pretty atrocious. They at least have a sense of humor, and I kind of enjoy the prog-like twists and turns throughout. Rick Rubin's production saves it from a 2.

An undeniably powerful and heavy debut.

The Beatles throwing down the gauntlet for original songwriting here.

This vacillated between being generally pleasant and somewhat annoying to me. I don't typically go for this latter day old timey revivalist fare that NPR stations across the US are so enamored with. The rootsiness feels a bit forced, but it's generally inoffensive.

This is my favorite Yes album, largely due to Starship Trooper, or more specifically, part C: Wurm. Might be my favorite 3 chord progression in all of rock. Steve Howe is a severely underrated guitarist. The thing that really gives Yes their signature sound though, are those super melodic basslines from Chris Squire. Love how they foreground it in the mix. Gives them a really dynamic, three dimensional sound.

Respect for being pioneers, and love their wildness and weirdness, the whole Afro-Futurism thing, but this actually got on my nerves a bit.

Though I don't like this as much as "To Pimp A Butterfly," in many ways this album is more down to earth and, if not relatable, authentic. You can tell it's coming from a very real place of friends, family, and environment. One thing I always love about Kendrick Lamar is his ability to have these reflective, almost confessional verses that somehow interweave the usual rap bravado with a brave vulnerability.

Not a huge Sinatra fan but I find Jobim's music irresistible, so it ends up being a wash.

What if every song on an album was a mandatory overtime style jam? Well here you are. This sounds like the musical equivalent of experiencing schizophrenia. You can hear the influence it had on later Tom Waits albums, and I have respect for the insane bravery of this chaotic experiment, but definitely not something I'd listen to for enjoyment. I prefer his somewhat more tuneful output that followed.

A sprawling mess of an album. I appreciate his experimentation, but it is far too long. Needed some editing and refinement.

I'm a sucker for 90s Wu Tang. RZA in a creative fever pitch. To me his beats are THE quintessential hip hop sound.

Steely Dan transitioning into their studio perfectionist mode. I could probably do without "East St Louis Toodle-Oo" but I'll forgive them that indulgence for the smooth brilliance of the rest of the album.

Though I may prefer Funkadelic by a smidge, this is undoubtedly top shelf funk.

Once you get past the Curtis Mayfield cover the album opens up to become a very original mixture of genres. Can't quite pigeonhole it. I find it enjoyable in that vaguely nostalgic way, but it's a bit too all over the place for me to return to on my own.

GNR sound like the unintended consequences of a coke fueled orgy hosted by Aerosmith, and attended by AC/DC, Def Leppard, and a bunch of groupies.

This one is a big hit in our house. Love the melodic basslines and sing-along choruses. Catchy stuff.

Dreamy
Atmospheric
Moody
Nuanced