Rated 6/10
Unhinged energy in this one. The band is pretty great, but the singer is a bit of an acquired taste (soooo much falsetto). I liked this all in all, definitely something different.
Best song: In My Family
Rated 4/10
That’s tough because I do love Emmylou’s voice and there are a couple good songs here, but the genericized “Americana” fusion sound is not really my thing. Just a very dull and grey-sounding album.
Best song: Bang the Drum Slowly
Couldn’t connect with this one. Maybe too avant-garde, or maybe just not into synthpop enough. There’s definitely a vision here, though.
Rated 6/10
Going pop isn’t always a bad thing. A slightly bloated but quite good Britpop album.
Best song: The Drugs Don’t Work
Rated 6/10
A mysterious album, full of whispery vocals, mild instrumentation, and strange lyrics that seem to finish stories you can’t even guess the beginnings of. I’m not a huge fan of it, but it is memorable and has lots of great harmonies.
Best song: Mrs. Robinson
Rated 6/10
Punks get serious about their lives. There’s a world where this album is flabby and boring, but they successfully mix raw guitar music with smooth balladry. I liked it.
Rated 4/10
Yeah that’s not for me my friend. Too much wailing and thrashing.
Rated 6/10
A very strange but entertaining album with a highly original sound. I was in the right mood for it.
Rated 10/10
A fascinating album since it seems nobody knew how to take it at the time of release: way too hokey and earnest for the critics, way too twangy and traditional for the hippies, way too soft and hippy-dippy for the rednecks. Despite that, it’s stood the test of time as a foundational album for alternative country. The Byrds’ harmonies and jangly guitars blend beautifully with country standards and style.
Best song: Hickory Wind
Rated 4/10
You’ve heard of the Booty Jam. Now get ready for its enlightened and empowered cousin, the Dick Jam
Rated 6/10
The aggressive energy of this album is really striking. You get a little tired of listening to the same song over and over but the whole thing is only 20 minutes.
Rated 6/10
I was really into the first half but the second disc went wildly off the rails. Since that’s intended to be the weird experimental half I guess I can accept it and split the difference.
Best song: Halleluhwah
Rated 8/10
Rough and gritty, yet soothing and meditative. (Much like, wouldn’t you know it, car wheels on a gravel road. It’s poetic and whatnot.) Some great stuff on this album.
Best song: Greenville
Rated 4/10
As a statement of loss and grief, this album does its job stunningly well. I found it agonizingly dour and depressing, but maybe in the right frame of mind I could connect with this. I really really hope I’m never in the right frame of mind to connect with this.
Rated 8/10
I spent a lot of time listening to this as a teenager so pretty much impossible to take an unbiased view. Huge sound, huge hooks. The Killers can be a little annoying but they reach some pop-rock perfection on this album.
Best song: Midnight Show
Rated 8/10
Hell yeah. RIP Ozzy
Best song: Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener
Rated 6/10
A strange and idiosyncratic album with a big 60s pop rock sound. Nice harmonies.
Rated 2/10
Look at me I can’t sing or play guitar I’m so edgy oooooo
Rated 8/10
Good album that successfully mixes traditional country with 60s-70s folk rock, though it can be lacking in energy and melody.
Best song: Brass Buttons
Rated 6/10
Slightly maddening but kinda fun anyway.
