Reviews by polyjamjam

Another legend that I'm listening to for the first time, and Holy Harmonica! While Dylan is undeniably a lyrical genius (and I found this to be the aspect I enjoyed the most), I can't help my "meh" reaction to older folk and singer-songwriter tunes. Great musicianship, but unfortunately another album I suspect I'd appreciate much more if I was born before the 2000's. A 3 star record, but a very high 3 for sure.

Hey a non-Western artist on this list! More of this please! That being said, while I definitely enjoyed branching out and think that this project is objectively quite pleasant, I'm not the biggest fan of percussion-driven music in general and found it to be tedious.

Janis okayyy! Like many people, I didn't know she fronted a band before this but I'm glad I've been given the opportunity to hear it. Super fun acid rock and great guitar through-lines support this absolute time of an album. However, I also have to dock a point; I would've loved the cover art if it didn't have a bunch of racist caricatures plastered all over it. Yuck :/

As I've repeated many times, older folk isn't a genre I reach towards. Most of it (and country too) can't make me feel much beyond a "This is nice I guess". However, it appears I might've found an exception; This album is a step up from their previous albums as a part of Fairpoint Convention, and a great bit of music to return to after my week-long break! Overall, it's a high 3, but still not enough to tip it over to a 4 for me. I (predictably) enjoyed the hints of rock mixed in there.

A lovely display of musicianship here. On the surface it sounds like tame background noise you'd enjoy to while milling about a dimly lit restaurant, but it really pulled me in the longer I listened. Calming yet strangely entrapping, like slowly pooling molasses to the ears. I also find it immensely humanising how strangers' clinking of dinnerware and chattering has been frozen in time and forever immortalised on this record :)

The second Bob Marley & The Wailers album that I've gotten! In my opinion it's a step up from "Catch a Fire". A very intentioned 10 song 37 minute experience whose themes of politics, revolution and hope in the face of oppression betray it's laid back atmosphere in the best way possible. Even though I can admit I prefer more "exhilarating" genres to that of reggae, I recognise this album's importance to music history and applaud it's timeless uplifting message that endures to the present day.

A great subtly eccentric alt rock record with a banger second half! I'm usually not all that partial to bright major key rock that sounds like it could be played during the title sequence of a whacky indie film, but something about this really appealed to me. Part of it is definitely it's surprisingly biting and conscious lyrics.

I must say, glam rock is quite fun! Nothing too special, though it has the high energy of traditional rock injected with a hell of a lot of pop razzle dazzle (that provided some much needed balance). Didn't know what I was expecting from the cover art, though I came away from this record feeling lighter than I had 40 minutes prior.

I don't think this is bad per say, but after listening to my fourth new wave / Brit pop album, it's starting to get stale; the instrumentals and production become predictable after a while. Maybe it's not fair to compare but it doesn't have that interesting variety and creative manipulation of sounds I look for in other pop genres (especially modern alt-pop).

"Go Girl Crazy!" is enjoyable if a bit toothless, and it's not one of the most inspired punk rock records I've ever heard. It's regarded as one of the first progenitors of this genre though, and everything has to start somewhere! Time renders many initial inspirations retroactively pedestrian through decades of innovation so I try not to hold it against them.

My first ever Beatles album! Legend amongst legends in the world of mainstream music. I can't believe I've never listened to anything else except their most popular singles. I was almost nervous to press play... And don't hit me, but that nervousness seemed to be somewhat prophetic. While this is a good record filled with fun hooks and simple short joys, it's missing something that would've pushed it to "great". I can tell however, that their best is yet to come! I'm super eager to get into albums later in their career (especially a certain one of the most famous albums of all time).

Gentle and inoffensive to listen to, perhaps so much so that it comes at it's own detriment. There's the occasional exciting instrumental moment though, and I quite liked the singer's breathy grounded delivery. This one's a pretty alright and I greatly appreciate it's sentimentality (complimented by the sparkly guitars), but I have yet to encounter a Brit pop album that's really blown me away.

Seriously, what are the chances I'd get both Fairport Convention albums two days in a row? Similar to their previous project, I guess I've discovered British folk (and older folk in general) just isn't for me. It feels "old-fashioned" but I'm aware that's not the fault of the album itself. Though the main female singer's vocals remain as lovely as ever, and I enjoyed the more rock-ish elements woven into this one! It made for more interesting high-points and thus felt unfair for me to give this anything under 3 stars.

The oldest album I've gotten yet! Fairly enjoyable and I had a jolly time listening to the soothing folk sounds and pretty vocals. Not my favourite genre of music as it's a too mild and static for my tastes, but I can acknowledge that it's still a nice sounding record.

Undeniably playful and catchy! The music really suits the album cover's refreshing but wild pool day aesthetic. I found some of the lyrics to be mindless at times but this wasn't an egregious issue. Very cool tunes and I'd jam out if some songs ever come back on during shuffle.

I didn't think I'd enjoy this album as much as I did! Rocking guitars and bluesy vibes (they have a relatively milder sound than I was expecting from such a famous rock band) mixed in with a darker sensual undercurrent. The Rolling Stones is another one of those canonised bands that I didn't have much interest digging into. I figured they're revered for good reason, but their audience of middle-aged dads is wayyy outta my ballpark.

In my opinion some of the lyrics fall flat in their excessiveness and haven't aged the best. Sexual provocativeness is not the issue here, just the strange execution e.g., "Brown Sugar", which I'm not sure is supposed to be radical commentary or unintentional fetishisation that's trying to come off romantic. If it's the former, I don't think they pulled it off well or are the most appropriate people to deliver the message thoughtfully. This tackiness also extends to the album cover itself. I felt compelled to dock a point as a result, but I truly did like this one!

Decently fun, but an unusually milquetoast inclusion for a book called 1001 albums you must hear before you die? Not sure I agree with it but I'm not mad! I stand by giving most things a chance at least once, and I'm definitely not an anti-pop snob (quite the opposite in fact). However, the pop has to catch me in some way and this album didn't have that clinching factor. It also runs unnecessarily long, and the songs started to blend together past the mid-way point :(

The streak of 70's albums continues, but this time I'm thoroughly impressed. That sax! I'll admit I don't have much experience with prog genres or albums with long instrumentals (I vastly prefer songs with lyrics) and looking at two of the track lengths was daunting. But that's why I signed myself up for this challenge: to force myself outside of my comfort zone and discover stuff like this, which I'd be too intimidated and youthfully clueless to try on my own. "The World is a Ghetto" is a rich worthwhile experience bathed in thick auditory textures and groovy socially conscious melancholy. I kicked back, closed my eyes, and happily got lost in it.

Getting a lot of albums from the 70's and earlier in the past few days. Similar to a lot of folk and rock from these decades, it didn't really grab me. I liked some of the songs (the brisk half an hour runtime is a point in it's favour) but the album's weighed down by my personal indifference to this period of music. Maybe that'll change in the future as I go through the list! Even though the album is good in a purely musical sense, it wasn't for me I guess.

Another one I already know and love! Recently re-listened to this one and man, I don't give it enough credit for just how many bangers are on here. It's a welcome surprise to see this album make it on the list; a hodge-podge of genres with rock at its centre, but all of it comes together to create something very charming.