Reviews by syrinx

I had never heard of Fred Neil before. Great voice although I don't like the country twang that seems to come and go. A pretty chill album but not one that I would ever care to listen to again. I liked a couple of the songs but this is another one where I was questioning why it was on this list. It wasn't groundbreaking, or unique, or particularly well done. I think whoever made the list must have just been a fan or had some nostalgic reason to include this one. 2/5

Such a classic album. Right on the edge of punk and grunge. Short songs, loud, aggressive, seemingly uncaring about a vocalist that maybe wasn't the best but was certainly unique. I love it. I feel like it could have been produced a little better and would have benefitted from maybe not sounding quite so raw and maybe having the guitars sound a little fuller. You have to be in the right mood for this one, it's not something you could just put on to magically fix however you are feeling. But that can be said about most records. To me this is the best Pixies album and I'll listen to this a lot more in the future. 4/5

I can't ever decide if I like Van Halen or not. Their first album was great, I do like that one a lot. Everything after that is kind of just more of the same. I mean they are all great at their respective instruments and you can deny Eddie Van Halen's impact on guitar playing. But I tire quickly of the 80s hair band stuff. It has very little variance from one band to the next and it's not something I would ever really listen to by choice. And David Lee Roth just seems like he'd be a gross guy to know in real life.
I suppose I have to rate this album in isolation, and it's fine. It's exactly what you would expect a Van Halen record to be even if you had never heard Van Halen before. That's sort of disappointing in a lot of ways. But you can't really rate something like this without regard to the rest of their albums. It's pretty much the same album. I feel like the first Van Halen album would have been plenty for this list. 2.5/5 but will round down to because even though Eddie Van Halen was an unbelievable guitar player, this specific album just kind of washed over me and I was ready to move on before it was over.

I unashamedly love this. It's genius. Though I totally get why it's rated so low on here, I don't think it's for everyone. I can see John Lydon's vocals as a sticking point but I've always thought he was unique to the point of greatness. For the people who do connect with this for one reason or another, it's just brilliant. I can't even describe why I like it, there's just something about it that seems so far ahead of its time and wonderfully arranged and produced. As others have said the bass is fantastic throughout. I wouldn't ever throw this record on to just have it play in the background, I'd want to play this when I'm in a certain headspace and sit and listen to it. It would be a really good record for driving. Like maybe hour 2 or hour 4 of a 6+ hour drive. Anyway, this is an unexpected 5/5 for me.

This album is supposed to be funny right? Because it's pretty funny. I love the satire, I love the intentionally (I hope...) stupid and sophomoric lyrics. The cover of Sonny and Cher made me laugh out loud. But the music is actually played well. Of all things it reminded me most of what we now have with Steel Panther, albeit tamer and a little more innocent. But in parodying the hard rock lifestyle in the 70s they sort of laid the groundwork for what would be punk.
I mean I like that this album is on the list, but if we were looking for an early punk album I think I'd pick something else. This one, though it isn't bad and does show what punk was like in the very early stages, does sound like a semi-talented high school band. Which I guess it was. And I guess that's the point. And that's where punk all came from anyway I suppose. As a concept, I think this is hilarious. I hope I didn't misunderstand this one, but I would call it a satirical, well played, and fun album that is not supposed to be taken seriously. For that, I think it was a success. As for a rating? I mean I probably won't listen to this again but I did enjoy it one time through. I don't know. I might come back to it now and then when I need something fun. 3.5/5 but will round down because I can't give it a 4.

I feel like The Band is one that I never really understood why they are so well liked. They have an interesting story I suppose but that doesn't make them better at writing music. The Last Waltz film was great but that was due to the guest artists if you ask me. My father-in-law contends that Robbie Robertson is some kind of once in humanity genius and I respectfully disagree. This album is really just Canadians playing Americana/country-influenced 60s pop rock. There are plenty of bands that did the same thing that are basically indistinguishable from this. Most of the songs are fine, a few bordering on good, and a couple are basically unlistenable. 2/5

Fantastic record. I had never listened to this one all the way through, but I'm so happy this was on this list. Just a really great jazz trio. I know Bill Evans is supposed to be the focal point here but Scott LaFaro on bass is just tearing it up throughout the entire album. Fantastic playing, and super sad that he died just a few days after this was recorded. Kind of Blue is probably the best jazz record of all time but this has to be right up there in the top 5. I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for this at the record shop. 5/5

I love this. Such a great album and one that has influenced so much music since. Great mix of funk, soul, rock, psychedelia that not many others have been able to achieve. I love the extended jams on this record, it makes me wish I could have seen them play this live back when it was new. I bet that would have been quite an experience. There are a couple of slow spots for me on this one, but even those are better than average.
I'm always blown away by the musicianship on these types of records. Being able to sound so relaxed but so tight at the same time, just incredible.
This one is right on the line of a 4 and 5 for me and I'm having a hard time deciding. I think that on the whole it's fantastic, but the slow spots do take me out just a bit. I think I'd call this one like 4.5/5 but will round down because I think it needs just something a little more to call it a 5.

While this isn't exactly my style of music, I did really enjoy this one. It's super chill and fun to listen to. I think it is a bit long, I was kind of ready to move on after half an hour or so. But I could definitely see myself throwing this on in the future to have on in the background while doing other things.
And I don't get the hate for reggae that comes from outside Jamaica. I mean It's just adding different flavors. People don't get so upset about all the British invasion bands playing blues, why would they be upset about this? Makes no sense.
I like the more instrumental songs better. I'm a little too young to get the full effect of the problems with Margaret Thatcher so a lot of the lyrics just kind of washed over me. 3/5

I really liked this record, I hadn't heard the whole thing in one sitting before. I sort of have a soft spot for 70s glam rock and this is a classic for sure. I'm not sure the comparisons with Bowie are exactly accurate but it's certainly in that direction. A good and fun album, 3.75/5

I don't know, man, I just don't really like Bob Dylan. How did he get so far with a voice like that? Maybe because he has a voice like that? Lyrics are good, music is fine, production is ok. Then comes in that damn harmonica. Every chance he gets. I know there was a lot of controversy when he 'went electric' but it's literally the same thing he was doing before just with a telecaster. I mean there's just like an electric guitar in the background playing fills and turnarounds here and there. It's still buried under acoustic guitar and harmonica. That's not exactly going electric if you ask me. Why were people so made about this? It's more of the same.
I don't know, some of the songs are actually pretty good, but I just don't like his voice and I hate the harmonica in general. 2/5

Who doesn't love Prince? The man was a genius. This album is wonderful. And although I don't like it as much as Purple Rain or Sign O' The Times, it's still a banger. Great grooves, nice funk, brilliant instrumentation and production, just enough weirdness to it. What's not to like? As with a lot of his records, I feel like this one is better as a whole album rather than pulling songs out individually. Sure, 1999 and Little Red Corvette are great on their own but the album as a whole is really fantastic. 5/5

I'm sort of surprised to see this album on the list instead of their first one. It seems like the first album would be on this list just because of For What It's Worth. Maybe that's on the list too? Although two Buffalo Springfield albums seems like a lot for this list....
Mr. Soul is a great song. I like that song much more than For What It's Worth which I've always been a little indifferent about. The rest of the album is decent, great guitars, pretty cool bass lines. I don't like the vocal style and the near constant harmonies but at least it's done well on this album. And what's up with the last song? Trying to be Beatles-weird or something?
I probably wouldn't count it as much of a loss if I never heard this album again, or indeed if I never heard Buffalo Springfield again. And I hope I never hear For What It's Worth again, that's just personal preference though. 3/5

A punk rock opera, huh? I think I might disagree. I applaud the ambitiousness of this album but, good god I can't stand the way Billie Joe Armstrong sings. Really most of the pop-punk bands from back in the day, the vocals are all trash.
This album was huge when it came out. I mean didn't they make a Broadway show off of this? No comment on the irony of that.... As with a lot of the other stuff from Green Day, I actually like the music fairly well. It's interesting, decently recorded, varies from song to song. But the vocals are just tough for me. Lyrically I think it's ok, a little simple and on the nose but not bad I suppose. I appreciate the message at least.
Green Day is a band that I wish I liked more, I just don't. Mostly because of the vocals, I just can't get on board. Generous 3/5

Ahhh another album that fell victim to the late 90s/early 2000s loudness wars. I don't really know why all the producers of that time suddenly thought, "you know what would make this album sound really great? If we just pushed all the faders on the console up all the way to make it sound like shit!"
This album does belong on this list, it had a massive impact on music for a while. I feel like this was one of the decently heavy albums to actually break through to the mainstream. Everyone heard this record when it came out and, although it's not really innovative, it was new for a lot of people who had never heard heavier music before. I knew a lot of people who got into heavier music that they never would have listened to because of this album. And it's got to be said that the drums on this album (though terrible sounding because of the production) are great and often praised highly, but are perhaps a little too busy. Joey Jordison should get a ton of credit but I feel like he should have backed off just a bit.
I'm not really sure how to rate this. I mean the music is good, the lyrics are dumb, it's well played, horribly produced. I hate the silly costume gimmick. And why the hell are there like 6,000 people in this band? I mean a trio or 4 piece sounding like this wouldn't be unexpected, why do they need so many people?
Important to a whole generation of people. Probably hated by anyone over the age of 45. And dammit it makes me feel old that this album is 25 years old now. 3.5/5 but rounding down because it isn’t good enough to round up.

Ok so I genuinely like this album. Yes, it is probably overrated. I think it's either a love it or hate it record, probably like most anything that Lou Reed has his hands in. I mean if it was largely paid for by Andy Warhol, you must know that it's going to be pretty weird. And I like that. Especially for the time, this was way out of left field. It maybe doesn't hold up as well today, but it still is miles ahead of a lot of records that came from the late 60s. I think this is certainly one of the albums that 'you are just supposed to like' and I don't really see it that way. I can see why it has its detractors. But for me, it's great and I listen to it fairly often. 4/5

This album sort of sounds like what a college freshman who just bought a guitar, synths, and some software would make in his basement with his girlfriend. That doesn't necessarily mean it's bad, it's just plain. Nothing inspiring about it at all. It gets boring and repetitive after hearing the same song over and over. I mean I can't for the life of me figure out why this album is on this list. Even with the bad albums I've come across or those I just don't like I can usually see why they would be included. But there is nothing special about this one way or another - it wasn't groundbreaking, it’s not profound, it's not novel in any way. 2/5

I don't understand why this album gets all the hate. I mean yeah it does sound really dated, and 80s dated is not the best. But I rather liked it. Not world-changing in any way, but it was a good sort of 80s indie, would-be-psychedelic pop rock. I didn't feel the need to listen to the entire 2+ hour collector’s edition that was all that was available on Spotify, but the 10 songs on the original release made a fun album to hear this morning. I think I'd probably buy this record if ever came across it in the shop, however unlikely that would be... 3.5/5 but rounding down because 4 is too much.

I can't imagine what it would have been like to hear this in 1977. It must have been so weird back then. Still pretty weird now, really. Psycho Killer is a monster of a song, I've always really liked that one. But the whole album plays really nicely; I think this is definitely a record best listened to front to back rather than just picking out a song here and there to add to a best of. While it doesn't have anything that really stands out and makes you sit and listen with your eyes closed, I will absolutely be on the lookout for this one at the record shop and will play it often. 4/5

I kind of get sick of the sort of folk bubblegum pop from the 60s. It's just super lame. I mean I guess I see the appeal of it as something that's easy to listen to and won't challenge you at all but that's not really something I enjoy much. This being hailed as one of the best albums ever recorded is so strange to me - it sounds like countless other albums from the mid 60s. I was glad when it was over. 2/5