Reviews by steelermade28

Saw a tweet a few months back that says something along the lines of "There was a period in the late 2000s where every artist was trying to make their Pet Sounds". This is another one of those cases - Beach Boy inspired melodies and harmonies, modernized with some very nice sounding synths and other production. Really enjoyed this.

This might be the biggest surprise thus far. I have seen so many bullshit British 2000s albums on here that I expected this to be crap. However this album FAR exceeded my expectations. This is like if Coldplay kept releasing good britpop, any song could blend in on a rush of blood to the head and nobody would blink. I’m giving this a 4 for now but will keep this in my rotation - this could rise to a 5 in the future.

Really good! I am a sucker for jazz and he is obviously one of the greats. Like how this isn't as progressive as some of his later work, makes it more approachable, but it almost feels less interesting. Disagree that this is "hold music" as demonstrated in the top review - this is good stuff. 4 stars.

Good, not great. I recognized a few songs. Better soul on this list

I’ve given this album multiple shots in my life and I just can’t do it. Corny, bombastic for its' own sake, and a product of its time. There’s other R&B and modern pop that I like a lot better than this

Ahem, fuck Morrissey, etc

3 stars, -1 for being extremely forgettable. Turn this on in any Starbucks in America and it wouldn’t sound out of place

Same problems as Thriller - classic album, the hits rock, the duds sadly do not. Can't give this one the Thriller bump either. 3 feels fair.

A classic, but the non-classic songs are not my speed. 3 feels fair

Thought there’d be more Taco Bell. Lame

Once again, I am baffled by the amount of positive attention this group receives. Once you've heard one Beastie Boys song it feels like you've heard it all. I love hip hop and rap so this isn't a genre-phobic thing, it feels like there are similar flows and delivery across the entire thing. I will say that the beats are slightly better than Licensed to Ill - I do LOVE sampling - but the repetitiveness drives me up a wall. I'd give 1.5 stars if I could, but very fine with just bumping this down to a solid 1.

Good, but not great. Not sure it needed to be on this list.

Been so long since I had a one star! Here we are!

Really shocked by how much I loved this one. Great melodies and harmonies and new things to discover on each relisten. Easy 5

Not memorable but still fine

Very much whatever. I will not remember a single song from this album even if it sounded Simon & Garfunkel adjacent at times.

Really enjoyed this one! Lot of great harmonies and I love the log-cabin feel.

Just fine. I have a few songs I like, but it really all blends together into snoringly boring early 2010s alt pop

Torn here as this is my first Kanye album on this list. This is a classic album but it’s extremely difficult to separate the art from the artist here. Gonna call it a 2 star and move on

Think it's a little unfair to give this lower ratings. Sure, it's pretty derivative and not interesting, but it's absolutely fine! +1 because this sounds like something my grandfather would play, miss that guy.