Reviews by mikey_nc

A hard one to evaluate. Definitely not something that I felt was an essential pick for the list. Sometimes interesting but sometimes boring in more or less equal measure. At the end of the day I just didn’t enjoy it very much.

Best song: Human Being

This isn’t that bad or anything, I think I’ve just reached the point where I’m extremely tired of yet another random British band from the 80s or 90s.

Best song: Something 4 the Weekend

I can’t front, I know Fats Domino is a big deal and a huge influence on rock music as a whole, but this is grandpa music. Just not very interesting from a modern perspective.

Best song: Blueberry Hill

Sharp, muscular, jazzy funk music. Didn’t totally understand the messaging but definitely felt the music. A really solid and quick album (without the CD tracks).

Best song: Zombie

Not a bad album, but a pretty boring one that failed to grab my attention outside of a decent opening stretch. Not a fan of their vocals. Unopposed but unimpressed.

Best song: The Calvary Cross

There’s a couple decent songs, and I can see how this probably influenced the Britpop bands. I certainly don’t think I needed to hear this before I die, though.

Best song: There She Goes

One of the most intensely 60s albums I’ve ever heard. It even came before the Summer of Love, so you could argue this was pretty forward-thinking towards that era. Not a lot of great songs here and the sound is pretty thin, but there’s a charm to it that I can’t really put aside.

Best song: Sunshine Superman

Motown’s crowning achievement, a timeless and beautiful album. The gorgeous music shimmers and gleams while Marvin’s voice yearns for happier times. The album is deeply political but never preachy, infused with purpose and emotion. Love the way that melodies and sounds repeat and develop over the course of the album. Incredible work by an incredible artist.

Best song: Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

OK yeah, it’s another Nick Drake album with… luxurious arrangements? Strings? Brass? What’s going on? This is definitely the odd duck of the three just due to its production, though I don’t feel substantially different about it. His voice is frankly too weak to sell some of these songs, but the album is sometimes beautiful. One worth coming back to once or twice.

Best song: Northern Sky

Definitely different from what I'm used to and definitely not something I'd always be in the mood for. Still, the passion and talent at work here are pretty clear. Great driving rhythms and sometimes mesmerizing vocals. Worth hearing.

60s psychedelic throwback. That sounds like something I’d super for on paper but it does fall flat on occasion, mostly because it gets a little too interested in being wEiRd and turns hokey. Some good songs and a solid sound here, though.

Best song: Dreaming of You

Fun catchy high-energy hard rock. Def one of the best live albums I’ve heard.

Best song: Surrender

Never listened much to Elton John but this does pretty much live up to the hype. Catchy, bright, sparkly, well-produced pop rock. Interesting prog-rock opener and mix of styles. A great album.

Best song: Bennie and the Jets

Very quaint and whimsical. Honestly, it verges on too quaint and whimsical. Still, Ray Davies is clearly a talented songwriter and there are plenty of lovable moments here.

Best song: Picture Book

Extremely 80s synthpop album. A few catchy songs but this is kind of an exhausting full listen. Certainly interesting in its atmosphere, at least.

Best song: Play to Win

I mean it’s Thriller. It practically solved pop music. Yeah it’s good as hell, shocker of the year.

Best song: Billie Jean

Album starts pretty strong and doesn’t close quite as well but I honestly like it a lot. I think music nerds react badly to Coldplay because they are “safe” and pop-focused but I don’t think those are dirty words. Great melodies.

Best song: Green Eyes

Mellow artful R&B perfection. Every song weaves its own fascinating story. Love the beats and his buttery-smooth vocals. I have listened to this one before and loved it for a long time so I am biased. Even if he doesn’t know how to perform live.

Best song: Pyramids

CCR in their short but sweet prime is pretty hard to top. It was funny the day I learned they were more or less all California hippies because I had assumed for years they came out of an actual swamp in Louisiana. The album certainly sounds it.

Best song: Born on the Bayou

Happy, lazy, quirky, bright. A little too hazy at times for me, but a pretty pleasant listen.

Best song: Dennis and Lois