Reviews by syrinx

Decent production doesn't make up for how terrible this music actually is. Snoop seems like he's a super cool guy in real life. His music is the same as the rest of this kind of hip hop - misogynistic, needlessly violent, juvenile. Again, another example of an album that people call genius that is objectively bad music. Not for me. 1/5

I bought a 'Best of Jefferson Airplane' album once and it was basically 80% of this album with like three or four other songs stuck in. I think that kind of sums up how I feel about them too. This is a good album, the highs are really high - Somebody to Love and White Rabbit are two of the best songs from the 60s. At least for this kind of music. The lows of this album are pretty low but still listenable. It definitely deserves a spot on this list though being one of the seminal records of psychedelic rock and really of the 60s in general. For me, I like a few of the songs a lot but could take or leave the rest. 3/5

For an album that has so many songs continually playing on classic rock radio, I never really connected with this one. It is a good album but something about it just makes me want to pass. I like a few of the songs a lot and when they come on even think to myself 'oh I forgot about this song!' but I still don't think I would buy this and listen to it all the time. Maybe it's just too generic sounding for me? I don't know. I can't really pinpoint any complaints but I just have never been blown away by this one. 3/5

The only other record I've had from Curtis Mayfield so far was Superfly and although that was fine, I am really happy to have a non-soundtrack album from him. I think he deserves that for sure.
From the first bass notes of this record I can tell I'm going to love it. Funky guitar comes in, vocals begin. This is going to be a good one. I love the grooves, and all the instrumentation is really great. Super laid back vibe that I could listen to all day. Jury's out on the vocals but they aren't off putting and fit well.
Then there's a weird song about Jesus for some reason. It loses points for that. Write all the songs about Jesus you want but I feel like there is a different genre for that and it's oddly out of place on a mainstream record like this.
The record is a too short, I was sad it ended. And that's the mark of a good album I think. I don't think this is the best early funk/soul record but I do really like it and will probably play it from time to time. 3.75/5

I don't think I'd heard this one before. It's pretty standard indie as far as that genre goes. Not really my cup of tea but I can see how it inspired a lot of what came next, for better or worse. I like the loose-sounding guitars but the production is overall awful. The whole album sounds like it's wrapped in some kind of muddling cloak. Vocals are terrible and very poorly recorded. The drums seem to be sort of playing in the background at the same time rather than as a part of the whole. The bass is almost like a drone that just washes over everything. I can't say I'm a fan. There were a few parts here and there that I enjoyed but nothing that stuck out enough for me to want to listen again or listen to more from them. 2.5/5

I don't really know what to say about this one. It is an album that I listened to today. I will not listen to it again. 2.5/5. That review is about as fulfilling as the album.

Man what a great record is this. Raw Power is an apt title for sure. I hate to be one of those 'back in my day...' types (this was considerably before my day anyway), but I wish there were more bands making music like this still. Just go in with guitars, bass, drums, vocals and crank out a badass record. Sadly that doesn't happen much anymore. This album is one of those special ones that made countless kids want to pick up an instrument or start a band and we're so much better for it. You can hear all of the punk from the later 70s on coming from this record.
This is a record you should listen to twice back to back - first listen to the Iggy version then the Bowie version. Really interesting to hear different takes each of them had with the same raw tapes. There are some things I like about the Bowie version better but if I had to choose one it would be the Iggy version. It's just less polished and harsher sounding and I think it fits the music better. The harsher production becomes an instrument in itself.
You can't really say enough good stuff about this record. Or you could go on forever about it. 5/5

Why is this so thin and weird sounding? I had to check that my EQ wasn't messed up. I totally get the REM comparisons. I hate when you get albums like this that you know are going to get a pretty low rating after the first two songs but you still have an hour left. Part of the problem with this album is that I think the music would actually be decent if it wasn't for the terrible, terrible production. I mean at some point a lot of people heard this mix and said 'yeah that's how we want this to sound' which is sort of baffling. It's not like the late 80s had some kind of trend where everything sounded like it was recorded in an Altoids tin so I'm curious about that decision. The unfortunate production makes this basically unlistenable. And a double album with the same two or three songs playing over and over makes it that much worse. 2/5

My second Neil Young this week and 5th overall, not counting CSN&Y or any of his other bands. Surely I have to be getting to the end of his albums? I was kind of surprised that this album is on the list, it didn't seem like it was particularly great or important from what I can recall. Maybe because this is him like 30 years into his career and it just interesting to compare? The cover is hilariously 90s.
If you don't like Neil Young, particularly his voice, you'll hate this album. I generally like NY, but this was not his best effort. It starts off a little too country rock for me. Sort of continues that way but has it's ups and downs. The guitars on this record are great - tone is amazing, great playing, really raw and gritty. That was the highlight of the album for me. There are a few songs on this record I really like and I feel like it gets better as it goes until the very end.
As with a couple others of his, this one gets a 3.5/5 but rounding down to 3 because it's just not good enough to round up. I'm not gonna run out and buy this one as soon as I see it.

Bittersweet Symphony and Lucky man are great. The rest of this album is kind of like a mix between U2 and and Oasis but sort of more bland than either. And remember when bands found out that they could put a 'secret song' on the end of a CD? That was dumb. Like why would I want to listen to 10 minutes of nothing just to hear the shitty 'song' (more often than not just a couple of minutes of random noises as is the case here) that you didn't deem good enough to actually be included on your record for real. I'm glad society moved passed that. It was kind of like the post-credits scenes that every movie seemed to have for a stretch of years more recently. We're kind of coming to the end of that fad too.
Anyway, I'd give this one a sold 3/5. It's not going to blow anyone away, there are a couple of good songs, some people will absolutely love it, but it is pretty bland and generic mid-90s Brit alt.

So this album very effectively accomplishes it's goal of sounding like a movie soundtrack. I like the concept of having an imaginary movie in your head and writing a score to fit. It leaves a lot open to interpretation for the listener. Fantastic idea and well done. I do think for the sheer uniqueness of this album it deserves a spot on this list. I'll never listen to it again but it was fun once. 3/5 mostly for the originality of the idea.
Having said that, all I could think while listening to this album was that Barry Adamson must have been something like:
"I know! Hollywood is where the money is at! I'll submit music for movie soundtracks!"
(one year and exactly 0 movie deals later): "Those bastards. I'll make a soundtrack anyway."

Ugh how many fucking Bob Dylan records are on this list? This is 5 for me and I'm not even to 500 records yet.
This album actually starts off pretty strong, I like Love Sick a lot. Not your typical Bob Dylan which is a big check in the pro box for me. I like it because he's older and his voice is gravelly and that fits this song well. Certainly because there's no damn harmonica (yet...).
Yeah after the first song it falls off a cliff. It's back to normal Bob Dylan although mercifully without harmonica. Yeah I'm just not a fan. After the first song the album just drags on and on. Sorry, Bob. I get that you're a legend in your own time but I just don't agree. Please no more Bob Dylan for me. 2/5

Neil Young is one of those artists who is always solid. He may not be my favorite musician of all time but I'll usually listen to him whenever he comes on. And be happy about it. I'm not so much a CST&Y fan (or any of his other bands, really), but his solo work is all great. This album is no exception. It's kind of a vibe album for me, not something I would want to throw on all the time but one that I would want to play every now and then when I was in a certain mood. I think that's how all his music is. I typically don't like the harmonica, at least this kind of harmonica, so I suppose it loses a little for that. But it's not like fucking Bob Dylan where every available breath is used on harmonica. Anyway, I enjoyed this album a lot, I don't think it's his best but even a second tier album from Neil Young is still pretty good. 3.5/5 but rounding down because it's just not quite good enough for a 4 and that damn harmonica.

If this album (or any of the so-called-classic records from this genre of hi hop really...) was released today, I wonder how it would be received? My guess is that it would be immediately panned. I mean I guess that shows how far we've come in some respects over the past 30 years. But it's interesting listening to this because basically all of the racial and social problems from this album are just as bad now. Probably worse.
But it's another one of these hip hop albums that promotes violence, degrades women, and serves as basically a vehicle for boasting about yourself based on some weird idea of what you think would impress people. I really don't get why people like this. I’ve said it before, true here, this is objectively bad music and I wonder what Ice Cube would honestly think about it today. Every time one of these hip hop albums come up I resignedly sigh and question my vow to listen to every album on this list all the way through. 1/5

The second album I've had from them in about two months. Surely this has to be the last one, I can't imagine that 3 out of the 1000 albums everyone needs to hear are The Specials....
Yeah this is not really for me. I don't hate it but I would never listen to this again. As with their other record from this list, I liked some things about it but not enough to make me want to listen again or even listen to anything else they've done. I'll politely declined if offered. 2.5/5

There seem to be a lot of people who are mad that this album was on the list but I disagree. I think this belongs on the as really the first album of it's kind. It's more of an art installation piece. I might not actually want to sit and listen to it frequently, but it's kind of something you experience. A cool idea that I think people really take for granted these days because you hear stuff like this all the time now. But you hear stuff like this all the time because of this record. It's interesting if nothing else.
As for a rating, it's tough to say. I mean I don't really like it, it just kind of flows over you as intended. It's by no means complicated or musically advanced. I certainly wouldn't buy this if I saw it in a record shop or recommend it to anyone. But it does what it was intended to do very well. 3/5

I always go back and forth on Sinatra. Yes, he was an amazing vocalist. But he was sort of a one trick pony. He did one thing very very well and didn't really change that at all. I mean with this album, it's basically the same song for 50 minutes. It's a great song, but still. The same people who love this would deride 70s prog bands for writing songs that are 20+ minutes long. What's the difference? And those 20 minute songs will have more variation from start to end than this album does.
Having said that, I do really like this album; it's a classic for sure and one that I think you could play for just about anyone and they would appreciate it. Yes, it's dated. But we don't really have crooners anymore so of course it's dated. I don't think I would listen to this often but there's pretty much nothing better for certain moods. Imagine a quiet night at home, cocktail in hand, watching a rainstorm from the big windows in the lounge, this record playing softly in the background. That sounds like a night we all need to have every so often. 3.75/5

I don't really know what to say about this one. It is painfully 80s. But still fun. Great bass lines for the songs that actually have a real bass. It sounds like a soundtrack from a silly, feel-good 80s comedy. It gets a little repetitive. It's short and to the point though.
I don't know why this album was included. I feel like whoever made this list was just to the point of 'yeah I need like 50 more, what's an album I've listened to that's not here yet?'. But still, it was fine for one listen through. 2.5/5

Man this one is a downer. But I like it. You have to be in the right mood or atmosphere to appreciate this one. I listened to it alone on a gloomy and rainy day and it was great. Really sad but hopeful and optimistic at the same time. I See a Darkness and Death to Everyone are standouts to me. I also really like A Minor Place. The worst thing about it was that it's not on Spotify as of today so I had to listen to it on Youtube and it was interrupted by bullshit ads every other song. Anyway, loved this record and will listen again for sure. 4/5

God damn that's a great album cover. I almost don't have to listen to the record at all.
Early prog was so great. Just a bunch of nerds (as a nerd, I use that term endearingly) writing batshit crazy songs that are actually about serious subjects such as the futility of war and hypocrisy of politics, in this case told as a story of...(checks notes)...an armadillo/tank hybrid fighting a battle with a mythological lion/scorpion/human/porcupine hybrid. I mean that just writes itself really.
I would love to see an album like this released today. There are certainly bands doing things similar but they aren't exactly selling out stadiums.
The thing I don't like about Emerson, Lake & Palmer is the organ. I don't mind some synths here and there but the choice to have an electric organ sound in rock music is just so strange to me. It doesn't fit at all, it makes it sound like church. I know the organ was kind of a fad during this period of music but still. I mean it's played well and had it been another instrument it would have been epic but the organ just takes me out of it.
However, this is a fucking banger. I think this is basically like the ELP version of 2112, although 2112 is a far superior album. It falls off a little for me on the second side but not enough to dock too many points. I love this and will definitely be on the lookout for it at the record shop. 4.5/5