Reviews by stade

From an objective view there are some very powerful songs on here, especially if one is willing to dig further into the German lyrics. Most definitely an interesting inclusion in terms of musical style and historical context.

From a subjective view, I am respectfully not built for this.

Standouts: Ballade von der belebenden Wirkung des Geldes (The Song of the Invigorating Impact of Cash) • Song of a German Mother • The Trenches (Hanns Eisler)

You know you're in for some gas right off the opening seconds of the album! Total glam rock bangers on here, on top of the classics I was already familiar with. I do think Bon Jovi is best enjoyed in moderation, however, as their sound would surely get old fast in a frequent rotation.

Standouts: Let It Rock • You Give Love a Bad Name • Livin' On A Prayer • Raise Your Hands

The one nice thing about Second Issue is that it's much more rhythm-focused than the first (at least in the front half). Let it be an introduction to Dub if it must, but nobody should have to endure John Lydon to enjoy meaty, hypnotic bass grooves and drums!!

Standouts: Albatross • Swan Lake • Poptones

I ordered enchiladas and I ate 'em 🔥

Some of the smoothest voices in hip hop gliding effortlessly over equally smooth grooves!!

Standouts: Luck of Lucien • After Hours • I Left My Wallet in El Segundo • Bonita Applebum • Can I Kick It? • Youthful Expression • Go Ahead In the Rain • Description of a Fool

Second 30-minute shitpost album pull in a row? I'd hate it more if they weren't rocking out so hard most of the time, and I admit I did kind of buy into the humour by the end.

Standout: Back to Africa

Alex Harvey goes dumb stupid, but admittedly rocks pretty hard at certain points.

I can't possibly conceive how this album belongs in the 1001 list, but if Robert Smith and Nick Cave somehow hold this guy in high regard I guess I can't argue with it.

Standouts: Swampsnake • Gang Bang • The Last Of The Teenage Idols

You know what, this album is sick as hell!!!

Went into this already fondly familiar with the big hits, though fully expecting to be let down by the deep cuts as with many past albums. Instead, the album experience completely recontextualized the hits, and I can confidently say there is not a moment of filler on this!!!

You mean to tell me Holiday led into Boulevard of Broken Dreams all this time?!?! The lone guitar note transitioning the two genuinely blew my mind!

The concept album angle was also a really pleasant surprise. Even if it's not as topical today as it was back then, that cohesion elevates the album so much to me.

I was on the fence about the rating until I found myself listening front to back two more times today, each listen better than the last. How can I argue against that? Banger banger banger.

Standouts: American Idiot • Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams • Are We the Waiting / St. Jimmy • Give Me Novacaine / She's a Rebel • Extraordinary Girl / Letterbomb • Homecoming

Cohen's one of the rare folk singers that truly draws me into the stories any time I listen. With how dated synth-heavy 80s records tend to sound, I was actually surprised that it suits his singing pretty well here (even if they overdo it pretty bad on Jazz Police).

The stripped-back Tower of Song is still Cohen at his best though; one of my favorite songs of his to date, and a beautiful closer to this album. Not bad!

Standouts: First We Take Manhattan • Everybody Knows • Tower of Song

Loved the disco-funk elements on this! I was personally a fan of that recent period of 80s synthpop revival, and it seems like Christine and the Queens were right at the start of it with this album. Had I discovered them at the same period as I was listening heavily to L'Impératrice and modern The Weeknd, this could have been an insta-5.

As fun as it is to have some French music on the list though, I just don't think anything stands out as an essential listen.

Standouts: Damn, dis-moi • Doesn't matter (voleur de soleil) • Goya ! Soda ! • Le G

Easier listen than expected from The Velvet Underground. You probably could trace much of The Strokes' sound back to this exact album. It's not bad at all!

Standouts: Candy Says • Pale Blue Eyes • I'm Set Free • The Murder Mystery • After Hours

Bowie gets….. soulful & funky??? what!
I’m truly predisposed to like it off the genre influences alone; if there’s any white dude who can be creatively trusted to pull off a genre switch like this, it’s him. Could see this becoming a 4 if it stays in the rotation!

Standouts: Young Americans • Fascination • Right • Fame

Look, if Pharrell's on production, I'm sat the fuck down.

...... Is what I thought at first; unfortunately I don't think this album holds up all that well. It released near the cutoff date for the book's first edition, and perhaps at that time, this would indeed seem like a revolutionary record that would help shape the sound of the 2000s. Listening today though, it mostly sounds like a collection of oddly dated club jams (and not in a "fun throwback banger" kind of way).

Shoutout to that one reviewer and their dancing wife though, because just as I was starting to get dismissive about the album, my own gf came into the room and started really vibing along. That's an angle we don't consider enough in these reviews: would your partner dance along to it? JT might indeed be one for the ladies.

Standouts: (Oh No) What You Got • Take It From Here • Cry Me A River • Nothin' Else

Solid R&B joint. Good beats. Great voice. It doesn't amount to anything super outstanding though, and Christmas continues to overshadow her 😭

Standouts: Honey • Breakdown • Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise) • The Beautiful Ones

fusion-era Miles Davis. unmatched 🎺🔥

Standout: Miles Runs the Voodoo Down
(he really ran than shit down)

Nirvana better rock my fuckin world the day it comes up

Standouts: Gigantic • Where Is My Mind?

My favorite Kraftwerk to date! The title track is an absolute joy! They get into some more experimental and psychedelic stuff for the remainder of the album -- some of which you could mistake for early Pink Floyd if it wasn't so electronic and, well, German lol. It's fine, but definitely falls a bit flat after vibing to "Fun fun fun at the Autobahn" (misheard lyrics i know) for 22 minutes.

Standouts: Autobahn • Kometenmelodie 2

This album is straight candy. It sounds super dated, it's not as technically impressive as their notable contemporaries... and yet, I can't help but find it really charming. It's like some British City Pop.

Standouts: The Word Girl • Absolute • Don't Work That Hard • Lover To Fall • Wood Beez

Bob, brother, your picture's out of focus!!

As someone who enjoys Bob Dylan's music almost purely on vibes -- I can't seem to keep up with the stories without the lyrics up but can definitely feel the emotion behind them -- this has been my favorite album of his by far. Just a blast to listen to, his delivery is unique and the musicianship consistently impressive.
As usual, I feel like I'm missing half the appeal by not delving deeper into the lyrics. I definitely plan to at some point in the future. Even then, this was thoroughly enjoyable and fully deserving of a 4!

Standouts: Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 • One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) • I Want You • Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues • Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine) • Fourth Time Around

Songs to challenge a rival to a fierce dance battle to.
Not sure about any regular listening though.

Standouts: One More Chance • Rent • It's Sin • I Want To Wake Up

It's cursed knowledge to read up on this album. The music and performances themselves are excellent, and connecting all these different regions' music through radio skits is pretty charming; if it was a way to spotlight the various bands we hear throughout, this would be a lovely project!

Instead, the spotlight is on Malcolm McLaren, for who this is really only a business venture -- so artificial-feeling that even the gorgeous cover art contribution from Keith Harring is reduced to just another marketable element.

Standouts: Obatala • Double Dutch • Merengue • Punk It Up • Jive My Baby