Reviews by syrinx

I kind of feel like this album is what you would use if you needed a scene in a movie that called for 'generic classic rock'. I mean I bet at least 4 or 5 of these songs are still in fairly heavy rotation on any classic rock radio station in the US. And I've always applauded (or laughed at, not sure which...) the bold decision to have the song Bad Company on the album Bad Company by the band Bad Company. They really must have liked that name I guess? Or maybe it was just easier that way.
But this is fine. I'd never actually want to play this album but it's not exactly a slog to get through if it does get thrown on. 2.75/5 rounded up.

This album goes to show that even the (arguably) best Beatle really needed to have the other Beatles around him to make music at the same level. That's not to say this is bad, it's not, but it is certainly not the Beatles. And I guess that was the point to a certain degree. There are Beatle-esque moments on this album, but overall it kind of fell flat for me. I'm not saying that I want everything Paul McCartney does to sound like the Beatles, but what he came out with here is just not even close to the same level. 2.5/5 but I'm going to round down. I feel like George Harrison's solo attempts were much stronger, especially All Things Must Pass. This is absolutely not that.

Maybe it's just the day but I think I like this album better than London Calling. This record is more 'punk' if that makes sense. Don't get me wrong - I love London Calling but this is a little more raw, more aggressive, less polished, and angrier. I love it. Along with Never Mind the Bollocks, which I think is probably a better record, this is a quintessential 70s punk album. I'm not sure I would call this a 5/5 record but it's damn close, 4.5 at least. Maybe I'm feeling generous today (Friday before a long weekend after all...) but I'm giving this one a 5/5.

It's funny to get this one today, I just had Superfly a couple days ago. But still, it's a soundtrack. The cultural relevance of this one definitely earns it a spot in this list. I mean if Isaac Hayes had released this as just a regular album and not specifically for a movie soundtrack, would people be upset it was included in this list? I don't think so. Regardless, Theme From Shaft is a fantastic piece of music and one that almost anyone (over 30 years old maybe...) would recognize even if they haven't seen the movie, which most at this point probably haven't.
That said, I don't think this is as good an album as Hot Buttered Soul, the other Hayes album from this list. A lot of this one is almost like generic elevator music or something you'd hear playing in the airport waiting areas. But that's the nature of it being a soundtrack I guess - support what's happening on screen without taking attention away. So in that sense it’s quite successful. But this one is still just a 3/5 from me.

This is so not my kind of thing. I hate CSN/CSNY and can't really think of a reason to listen to Buffalo Springfield. And the whole southern/country/rock blending, it's just not for me. I mean there is some good instrumentation and particularly some good guitar parts on this record but for some reason it just doesn't click with me. Maybe because it just sounds so much like a product of it's time. I don't think that's a necessarily bad thing, but it doesn't really seem to have anything new or different to offer. I liked a song here and there from this album but wouldn't seek it out or play it again in full. I found myself hoping it was almost over only to look and see that I wasn't even halfway through. 2.5/5 and rounding down because even though there were some great sounding guitars here and there, I was bored of it much too quickly.

Maybe it's just the day but two songs in and I'm already bored with this. I mean as everyone has said, Pink Floyd wouldn't exist without Syd Barrett. But that doesn't mean that he's some kind of brilliant infallible genius. This...isn't great. It's rough, it's not recorded well, it's uneven. I don't mind weird lyrics or experimental music but this doesn't really succeed at either of those things. It doesn't sound like this was actually a finished record, it sounds like a demo. Some of it almost sounds like a parody, really. It kind of reminds me of Spinal Tap - how they went through all the various genres of music over the years. This would be the Spinal Tap version of psychedelia. Imagine Cups and Cakes mixed with Listen to the Flower People, but not actually as good as either. That's this whole record. Had Syd Barrett not been involved with Pink Floyd but released this same album, would anyone even remember it? Maybe some. I doubt it would be on this list. 2/5

I said about another live album that they should only be included in this list if it really captures something spectacular. This album is absolutely that. Even if you don't like Nirvana, this has to be one of the greatest live albums of all time. I know there was a whole slew of the MTV Unplugged shows, but this is by far the best. I think what you see from this record is that everyone in Nirvana were actually very good musicians and I don't think the majority of people would think of them that way. And normally I wouldn't praise an album on this list for having so many covers but in this case it really makes it better. Not that the originals are bad or that they couldn't have achieved the same thing had they just stuck to Nirvana songs, but the choices of covers they made were perfect. I mean holy hell Where Did You Sleep Last Night is one of the greatest recordings ever. Covering Bowie is always a bold move. And I love that they left in a lot of the banter between songs, it makes it feel like a super honest and real record. I mean, really, you can't say enough good things about this album. 5/5

I was sort of just a casual Lorde fan until I saw her do Life On Mars at the David Bowie tribute and that was by far the best tribute to Bowie I've seen. Ever since then I've loved everything she's done. One thing I like about her music is that it's unexpected, it doesn't just sound like the rest of the pop music out there. Her lyrics are great and I love her voice.
For this album, it starts off really strong with Green Light and continues that way throughout. The one thing I don't like about this record is that there are no real instruments at all. At least as far as I can tell. It sort of loses points for that, but what is recorded is really good. Much better than the sort of electro-pop or dance pop that was coming out around the same time or even now. I know that's sort of a 'get off my lawn' argument but still, I appreciate real instruments more than something made on a computer. And keeping that in mind, it is a little ironic to me that the cover is a real (and fantastic) oil and acrylic painting. But I digress....
I'd find it hard not to give this album five stars even though I think it could be improved. It's a great album that I feel will stand the test of time and still be great 50 years from now. 5/5

Bjork is definitely a 'love her or hate her' kind of musician. Even scanning through reviews for this album, they are mostly either 5 or 1 with little in between. I love Bjork and this album is fantastic. I typically don't like electronic/house music but this works for me for some reason. I love her voice and I know that's a bit of a debated opinion. Like Someone In Love is really the only slow part of this album for me, the rest of it is brilliant. I don't know that I would give this five stars, it would be a strong 9/10 if I could do that. 4/5 seems too low though so 5/5 it is I suppose.

Not looking forward to this one, I've gotta say. I used to think I was just sort of indifferent to Bob Dylan but after listening to a few of his albums from this list I can say that I actually quite dislike Bob Dylan. It's just irritating. Lyrically, he's great. Not as good as people who fawn all over him claim him to be, but a better lyricist than musician for sure. And for the love of god not every break in singing needs to be filled with harmonica. His voice is grating but not in a good way. I mean Neil Young can't really sing either but it works for him and I like it. Bob Dylan is just irritating. Part of the problem with this album is that I feel like a lot of the songs could be great if someone else recorded them - Masters of War could be amazing. Sorry Bob, I'm just not a fan. 2/5

Being an American child (apologies for that given...everything now) at the time this came out, I was never really exposed to Blur much until they had already faded away. I knew Oasis, but Song 2 was literally the only Blur song I knew growing up. Even now, I can only name a handful. I guess that's all to say that as a kid growing up in the desert in the US, Blur didn't really make it that far, though I know they were much more popular elsewhere.
This album? It's just kinda plain. I feel like this could have been any number of British pop rock bands in the early 90s. And I'm sure it was. Maybe it's just looking back 30 years later but nothing really sticks out for me. I've heard sooo much music that sounds just like this, there's nothing that makes me want to keep listening. Villa Rosie is kind of a weird high point for me, I liked that one. The rest? Meh. I can think of a lot of albums missing from this list that would have been a better pick than this one. I was going to round up because the album name is great, but it's now the next day and I can't even remember how any of the songs went. 2.5/5.

Soundtracks are a weird thing to include on this list. But I suppose since this music was created for the movie and it's not just like a compilation, that makes it a real album? Anyway, this record is fine - it's not going to change anyone's life. It's got some great grooves and good playing throughout but I'm sure there could have been another soul/funk album to include on this list in place of this one. That's said, I enjoyed listening to this today though I probably wouldn't ever play it again. 3/5

It's quite an achievement to have your first album be the gold standard for an entire genre. I think Massive Attack might have actually put out the first trip hop album but this is definitely the one that everyone knows. It's such a great record and still holds up today. My favorites off of this album are probably Glory Box, Roads, and Biscuit but all the songs are great, really. I'm not usually one for electronic music but there's something about this that just works so well - the vibe, the way the songs are structured, it's electronic but not annoyingly so. And the vocals are amazing. I have always loved this album and am very happy to see it included on this list. 5/5

I'm willing to bet that for people my age, all of their dads love this record. It's too sappy for me. Good guitar playing, but he's not exactly Paul Simon in that regard. Or as a lyricist. The thing about this album is that it's just...lame. Like there's nothing behind any of the songs that makes me want to like them. Fire and Rain is a good song, I've always liked that one but the rest? No thanks. 2/5

Man I loved Lovefool back in the day. 13 year old me had a huge crush on Nina Persson. Funny thing is that I don't think I'd ever heard this whole album before now, just Lovefool and Iron Man. If I had to describe it in one word, I think 'sweet' would do it. But sweet like in a candy sense. Like I feel like I have a cavity after hearing this record. But I still like it. The Iron Man cover kind of comes out of nowhere but it fits really well on the album and they did a fantastic job of making it their own. I like this record a lot and I can report that the 13 year old in me still has a crush on Nina Persson. 4/5

Kind of surprised to see another album from them on the list. This is the second for me and apparently there's one more. Seems a bit odd to have three albums from them, but that's the world we live in I guess.
I wasn't super familiar with Echo and the Bunnymen before I started this list. I really liked Crocodiles so I'm not upset at seeing this come up at all today. This record is still solid, but I think I like Crocodiles a bit better. Really, I don't feel like we needed more than one album from them on this list despite having liked both so far. I'd give this one a 3.25/5.

I always struggle with this band for some reason. I don't know why. I mean the music is fine, it just does nothing for me. First song is already irritatingly monotonous. I love a good 7+ minute song but not this. I don't know. The whole southern rock thing never really appealed to me and even though they were from San Francisco, they definitely fall in the southern rock category.
I get that this is one of those albums that everyone is supposed to love, I just don't. But even if you aren't a CCR fan, you've probably heard at lest half of these songs a bunch of times before. The cover of I Heard It Through The Grapevine isn't bad, I'll give them that. 2/5

If you had only ever heard the Queen songs they play on the radio you would be super disoriented by this album. It's basically a prog rock masterpiece. I wish more people knew how great and weird Queen actually could be. Brilliant album that I'm ashamed to say I don't have on vinyl yet. 5/5

My first thought of this album is that it kind of sounds like it would be playing quietly in the background of a semi-upscale hotel lobby check-in and lounge area on a weekday. It's not exactly challenging in any way and it's easy to sort of tune out what the lyrics are saying. And that's a shame because I actually like the lyrics for the most part. I don't really like the sort of 'electronic beats with singing on the top' style of music in general and this one didn't do anything to sway my opinion there.
I feel like the English version and then the French version is too much. I would prefer to just have the French version, it seems more genuine somehow.
This record was kind of just middle of the road - didn't love it, didn't hate it. Probably won't listen again or seek out anything else that he has done. 2.5/5

Who doesn't like Rock Lobster? The rest of this album is certainly uniquely B-52s. If there's anything that can be said for them, it's that they don't sound like anyone else. Is it supposed to be funny? Just weird? Serious (hopefully not...)? I've always hated Love Shack. This album is fine. Other than the absurdity value, I don't really feel any reason to listen to this one again all the way through. 2.5/5