Rated 6/10
I actually liked this record when it first came out but grew to loathe the hits over time. On this listen I didn’t hate it quite as much as expected and got a twinge or two of nostalgia for sophomore year of high school. Flea’s bass playing is always fun too. Nonetheless I’m good with never hearing it again.
Rated 6/10
Girl can seriously freaking sing. The hits are very well written songs and some of the album cuts are pretty good too. The Cure cover was a fun surprise.
Rated 6/10
Another Blur record. I hadn’t realized “Girls & Boys” was their song. It’s really the only thing that stood out as memorable here.
Rated 8/10
I generally don’t like ska (likely due to having come of age during the abominable 90s ska revival). There’s something about this I kinda dig though.
Rated 4/10
This is not quite as bad as their earlier stuff. The King Crimson/Talking Heads influence helps. But why does it have to be so long?
Rated 8/10
Scream, soft ears!
Rated 2/10
Leave it out there. Insufferable.
Rated 8/10
I hadn’t heard this one before but it reminds me of the Beck I liked.
Rated 8/10
Funky proto prog. I dig it.
Rated 10/10
My 2nd favorite Beatles record after Rubber Soul. Possibly the greatest exercise of melody in any rock album ever.
Rated 4/10
It’s like if The Cure had no soul (contrary to the singer’s claims).
Rated 6/10
Sleepy and inoffensive.
Rated 10/10
Absolutely majestic af
Rated 6/10
Pleasant enough but puts me to sleep. The singer’s lisp kinda annoys me. Extra star for Isobel Campbell.
Rated 8/10
Oozing with talent, charisma and creativity but simultaneously possibly the most damaging piece of art to the fabric of society ever.
Rated 8/10
This one’s tough. Two of the greatest songs ever written, but the rest is jangly forgettable nonsense.
Rated 8/10
I dig the vibes on this one.
Rated 6/10
I like a couple of songs on this but I still find Jagger painfully annoying. I highly recommend Soulsavers’ cover of “No Expectations” with Mark Lanegan singing. Way better than the original, which I often find is the case with Stones tunes.
Rated 8/10
Super creative beats on this, especially the MF Doom ones.
This is one of the greatest records ever made. A beautiful encapsulation of how it felt to live in NYC at the turn of the millennium right before 9/11 changed the city and the world forever. I still remember my friend Zoe telling me how good this record is right when it came out and man, how right she was! I think it makes me cry more than any other album whenever I listen to it.
