Reviews by syrinx

Dad Rock supreme. I guess it's like Grandpa Rock now. I mean it's fine. I've kind of always hated the Bayou/Southern Rock as a genre. And from a band from San Francisco no less. A lot of people love it, and that's fine, but it's just not something I care for. I listened to the whole album and didn't even add any songs to my Liked playlist on Spotify which is super rare for me. None of the songs on this record are bad, I guess, just not something I would be upset to not hear again. 2.5 stars because I do appreciate the instrumentation and musicianship, it's just not for me.

I feel like this is an album that everyone has heard a bunch of times. And deservedly so, it's got to be one of the best records of the era and probably the best album The Who recorded. Baba O'Riley is definitely a strong start but has never been one of my favorite songs. The middle does kind of sag a little but I think that's where you kind of intentionally put the songs you know aren't as strong. But even My Wife or The Song Is Over are still pretty decent. Finishes super strong, Behind Blue Eyes is always amazing. It's a fun album to listen to, great work. Still 5/5 despite it's flaws.

This one starts off a little slow and stays that way for really the whole album. It's not bad, just not what I would expect I guess. I also think it sounds a little thin, guitars in particular, but I feel like thin sounding guitars are kind of an R.E.M. signature. That's one of the problems I've always had with R.E.M. - I always feel like they need to fill out the sound spectrum a little. I felt myself kind of drifting out of attention throughout this whole record. Does that make it background music? I hate to use the word 'boring' but it kind of was. I was excited when this record came up for the day but left a little disappointed.
There are certainly songs I like on this record, Everyboy Hurts, Drive, Monty Got A Raw Deal, Man On The Moon. But I wouldn't play this whole album again. 2.5 stars

I've always liked the Pixies, Surfer Rosa in particular. And while I have probably heard most of this record before, never all at once. I like how this album is decently hard, has softer moments, and flows really well from song to song. Standouts for me are Rock Music, Down to the Well, The Happening, and Stormy Weather.

It's a short record but it does what it does well. 3.5 stars but round up to 4.

This is a solid record for sure. The arrangements are great and the songs all build really well. Good lyrics, good instrumentation, great production. Just based on this album I would imagine that Arcade Fire puts on a great live show, I have never seen them but I hear their live shows are pretty amazing.

Had this been the first thing I ever heard from Arcade Fire I would definitely go back and listen to more of their stuff.

I'm not too familiar with Cyndi Lauper. I've heard a couple of her songs, Girls Just Want To Have Fun and Time After Time of course. My first introduction to her was probably in The Goonies. I get the comparisons to Madonna for sure. A couple solid tracks, a lot of pretty standard 80s pop but if that's what you like then this would be a great album for you.

There can't be many albums that have 3 songs with over a billion streams on Spotify. Undeniably amazing voice - whether you like her music or not, you have to appreciate that she can sing. I had heard a lot of this record but never all the way through.
The trouble with this album is that it's sort of scattered. Some great songs (that everyone knows) but then a lot of filler. I've seen other reviews for this album saying it's like a greatest hits record but I don't get that at all. There are some bangers on here for sure but the whole album? I don't know. It flows well and I actually like how it kind of alternates a bit between the ups and downs. But the downs are forgettable, like just to fill in space to the next great song. 3.5 but rounding down to 3 for some reason.

Solid record. Classic Isaac Hayes. Musicianship is excellent, I love the grooves on this one. Arrangements are great. Wonderful voice on this man. By The Time I Get To Phoenix kind of starts off slow but picks up about hlafway through and finishes strong. I actually liked the shorter version better.
Not a 5 star record, but a solid 3.5. Rounding up to 4 for the awesome sounding drums on this album.

Not a fan of hip hop at all. I liked some of the Gnarls Barkley stuff that Cee-Lo did but I just can't get on board with hip hop. 2 stars because he has an interesting voice but I hate this kind of music.

If you put all the 80's synth-wave records into a blender, this is what would come out. Cool disco bass lines, lots of synthesizers, overly dramatic vocals. It's certainly fun although I don't think I'd call this absolutely something you have to hear before you die. I can appreciate that this is not everyone's jam, and although I enjoyed it, there are better examples from this era that I would imagine are forthcoming on this list.

What more needs to be said about Hendrix? Probably the greatest guitar player and innovator of all time. Nothing was the same after Hendrix and while I think I like Are You Experienced better as an album, Voodoo Chile has always been my favorite Hendrix song. Listen to both albums back to back you have some of the greatest guitar music ever created merging into one long record.

This is a super nostalgic album for me, as I'm sure it is with a lot of people. Takes me back to middle school as soon as it starts. I mean Wonderwall, as much of a sort of pop culture joke as it is now, is a fantastic song. I feel like if there was a mix of 20th century music sent into space for posterity, Wonderwall would be one of the first songs added to the list. Champagne Supernova, Don't Look Back In Anger, and Morning Glory are wonderful as well. And I always liked Roll With It.

Is this a 5 star album? I don't know. It depends on your mood I guess. On most days I don't think it would be for me and honestly there are a couple songs I'd probably skip if they came up randomly.

How can anyone not like this? Guaranteed to lift your mood. Everything about this record is exactly as it should be and the production is 10/10. Bootsy Collins in particular (of course) is a highlight throughout and I like that the bass seems to be brought out front a little instead of being buried in the mix. But that's also just common for funk I suppose. Absolutely some of the best bass lines of all time come from Bootsy and this album seems to showcase him all over.

It's too bad there aren't really mainstream funk bands anymore. I feel like the funk genre spent a relatively short time in the limelight and it's too bad it died out.

I would assume that there are other Springsteen albums on this list. I'm not sure why this one is included. I get the motivation/historical aspect of this album being writtend and recorded right after 9/11, but this isn't really an record I needed to hear. I did like Further On, but that was really the only stand out for me.
I've never been a huge fan of Springsteen anyway and this album hasn't changed that at all. Dad rock supreme and forgetable at that.

I'm not sure what to think about this record. Great voice, good arrangements. But I just don't really think this kind of contemporary pop is something I really enjoy. I had certainly heard k.d. lang before, and liked a few of the songs I have heard over the years but had never listened to a whole album. From this record, Constant Craving was obviously my favorite but I liked Season of Hollow Soul too. However, I'm not sure that I would seek out anything else from her just based on this record. It goes a little to far into country territory for my liking. Ultimately, I feel like is is a decent record but when it was over I wasn't left wanting more.

Love this album. Reminds me of a more improvised George Winston. It's wonderful to imagine him just really getting into playing and having such a great time doing it. I had never heard of this album or Keith Jarrett before but I will definitely be looking up more from him. This is the kind of thing I was hoping for when starting on these 1001 albums - new (to me) music that I can explore deeper.

I always liked Beck's voice. It's got a nice quality that really shows on this album. And it's good to see an artist like this that doesn't just make the same record over and over again. And while this one doesn't have some of the grit that his earlier records do, I think it holds up very well. Arrangements are good, vocals are great, production is top notch.
Lost Cause has always been one of my favorite songs of his. I also really like The Golden Age, End of the Day, Already Dead, and Sunday Sun.
A super chill album to throw on and enjoy a cocktail in the evening. I think this is one that gives a better experience listening to it as a whole rather than just a random song here and there.

This record is again a pretty straightforward picture of early 90s pre-grunge (or maybe grunge tangential) alt rock. There's aspects of classic punk, grunge, pop. It's not exactly groundbreaking. I remember hearing Mrs. Robinson all the time when I was little and I think that's probably the best song on this album.
In the end this album fits in with the rest of the bands from this time that were doing the same thing - Spin Doctors, Gin Blossoms, Better Than Ezra, The Breeders, etc. It's sort of a time capsule of when music was transitioning from the punk and glam metal of the 80s to something heavier and more depressing but there existed a couple years with light, dare I say inconsequential, sort of sparkly sounding alt rock before grunge really took hold.

This is a super chill record but it all blends together. Maybe that's the point. It's not bad but it doesn't really hold your attention at all. It's not something you would sit down and listen to intently, more soemthing you would put on in the background. Like this is what would be playing in the waiting room at a wellness spa in Santa Fe that has lots of incense and natural soaps for sale.

I don't know what to say about this one. People will swear it's "a classic" but I'm not really sure I agree. There are a couple decent songs on here, Judy Blue Eyes of course, but I feel like the reason this album is beloved now is purely nostalgia. Great harmonies throughout, but if the strong point of the record is good harmonies that's not really high praise. The music was certainly better when Neil Young joined, regardless of him actually breaking up the band. Someone else said that CS&N was better with Neil Young and Neil Young was better on his own, and you can't really argue with that.

In the end I feel like there were loads of albums that sounded just like this in the late 60s/early 70s and this one doesn't really have anything that makes it stand out. 2.5 out of 5 but rounding up because of the 10/10 David Crosby moustache on the cover.