Rated 6/10
I liked this ever so slightly more than the other inessential Britpop artists I've received (Shack, Doves, etc.). They're basically Dollar General Oasis with a bit of bagginess thrown into the mix. Decent energy, a few good melodies, and certainly nothing I needed to hear before leaving this world.
3/5
Rated 6/10
Horrible Pink Floyd cover aside, I didn't hate this as much as I thought I might.
3/5
Rated 10/10
I've been on an interesting journey with this record. The first time I heard it - probably around 14 or so - I liked it and thought it was cool, but because it seemed so far removed from the other Miles/jazz I knew, I didn't think to go back to it. I listened to it a few more times in college and felt like I "got" it more, but again, didn't feel much of a returnability factor. The last time I picked it up 7-8 years ago, I wasn't really in the headspace for it and chalked it up to me not being much of a fusion guy. But goddamn, it hit me hard this time around. Much like In a Silent Way, the arrangements and playing are out of this world; unlike the calm and beauty of In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew is dark as fuck. So much swagger and intensity across the board. I've always felt a little tired by the end of the album's runtime, which is keeping me from getting to 5 stars right now on it, but that could very well change someday. Very glad this gave me another excuse to go back to it.
4.5/5
Rated 8/10
I like him, but I'm still figuring out how to love him.
3.5/5
Rated 6/10
Very easy for me to listen to, though most certainly not on the same level as Legalize It or any of the Marley records on this list.
3.5/5
Rated 6/10
A bit dated on the production side, but more interesting than his other record included in this project.
3/5
Rated 6/10
A pretty good album, despite "Cars Are Cars".
3.5/5
Rated 8/10
Not their strongest, but at this point, they have a floor of 4 stars.
4/5
Rated 4/10
Yes, I've also heard Stevie Wonder.
2.5/5
Rated 8/10
Dirty, grimy, stellar.
4.5/5
Rated 4/10
As expected, there are a lot of sonic and stylistic elements here that I'm really not into. However, I dug the first part of this record a bit more than I expected. In addition to her strong sense of melody, Janet's social messaging is quite prescient and powerful. Even if I don't really love the overall style, some of these tracks are among my favorites I've heard in this vein, especially "Rhythm Nation". Unfortunately, the ending trio of slow jams reeeeally sunk it for me; I have yet to develop the patience for or understanding of this particular type of R&B.
2.5/5
Rated 8/10
"Goin' Back" is obviously great, but I'm also partial to the psyched-out dreaminess of "Draft Morning", "Get to You", "Change Is Now", and "Tribal Gathering". McGuinn gets a bit McGuinny at times, but his guitar work on this album in particular is damn good. A solid mix overall of their classic jangliness, a hint of psychedelia, and a foreshadowing of *Sweethearts* to come.
4/5
Rated 10/10
Defining "rock and roll" is a slippery slope, but for what it means to me, I think Who's Next may just be the finest rock and roll album ever made. It's not just that Keith Moon plays drums with the most beautiful reckless abandon; it's not just that John Entwhistle's bass work is somehow equally aggressive, melodic, virtuosic, and tasteful; it's not just that Pete Townshend's guitar and keyboard layering is uniquely unparalleled; it's not just that Roger Daltrey is at the absolute top of his game, pulling off a bravado that is far more believable and emotional than other oft-heralded belters; it's that the four of them are so musically and spiritually locked in, honoring the essence of rock and roll while crafting a cohesive sound that I don't believe existed before this record (and has not been matched since). I suppose it doesn't hurt that Townshend (and Entwhistle, shoutout to "My Wife") has provided them with the right batch of songs to achieve this magnificence. With all due respect to his vision for Lifehouse, the right project was ultimately made, in my opinion.
I'm sorry that some people feel burnt out on "Baba O'Riley", "Won't Get Fooled Again", "Behind Blue Eyes", and/or "Bargain", because regardless of how many times I've heard them, I still don't hear anything but four masterpieces, flawlessly produced and performed. "Getting in Tune" has always been my pet song from this record, but I'm also never skipping "Love Ain't for Keeping" or "The Song Is Over". "Going Mobile" is the one "weak" spot, and it's better than 99% of other records' weak spots. These four guys were just operating on a higher level than most other bands at this time, and it still completely blows me away every time I listen to it.
It's hard to live a thousand miles away from my folks sometimes, but when I listen to Who's Next, I always feel like my parents are right there with me. My dad cheekily smiling and nodding his head whenever Keith breaks out a crazy fill, my mom fist-pumping and rocking along to every beat (probably with a glass of wine in her hand, yelling, "Isn't this fucking great???" two or three times per song). This album was an integral part of my childhood soundtrack, but it has continued to be there for me throughout my adult life as well, both in times of celebration and hardship. Whenever I write one of my horrendously annoying reviews for a classic album where I say, "Yeah, I like it, it's great, it's just not an all-timer for me", it's because I know how much I love albums like Who's Next. Precious few can touch it; it's likely just outside my top 10 of all-time, but it will absolutely maintain its top 10 status among the albums represented in this project. Total, unquestioned perfection.
5+/5
Rated 8/10
I think it could have been trimmed by a few songs - the middle-end lags a bit for me - but overall, I think the more fleshed-out production aids Elliott quite well. I am not against lo-fi by any means, this one just immediately impacted me more than the earlier records I've listened to. Interested to see how I feel after spending more time with it.
4/5
Rated 6/10
I know I'm supposed to love this, and I appreciate a decent amount of the songcraft, but I'm really not hot on their voices. It feels just a *bit* too sanitized.
3/5
Rated 8/10
On first listen, I'm not as high on this as *Unhalfbricking*, but it's still uniformly excellent, especially in direct comparison to yesterday's Pentangle record. Sandy Denny is just fantastic, Richard Thompson always crushes, and the arrangements in general are equally hearty and tasteful.
4/5
Rated 8/10
I definitely prefer I Never Loved a Man..., but this record is no slouch at all.
4/5
Rated 2/10
I'm positive this is competently produced and arranged, but for the most part, it's very much outside my wheelhouse and my patience quickly runs thin with it. Suba's story is quite tragic, though.
1.5/5
Rated 6/10
I liked Bakesale well enough, but Bubble & Scrape wasn't doing it for me too much this morning. Some great guitar work and a few really good tunes ("Soul and Fire", "Homemade", "Think (Let Tomorrow Bee)"), but overall, it felt like somewhat anonymous slacker rock and lacking in song structure. It gets up to a low 3 stars in my book, as I dig the general style, but I can't say I feel overly compelled to return much to this one.
3/5
Rated 6/10
Some cool moments, but quite uneven.
3.5/5
