Reviews by theblanderman

He had a great voice that was very reminiscent of his estranged son Jeff Buckley. The songs were very much 'meh' singer songwriter music with no clear standout tracks, but definitely a vibe. 3/5

Pretty good/mid 60s rock record. 3/5.

While Sunday morning is a great song, I've never been especially impressed with the rest of the album. Nico is underutilized, and Lou Reed, while a talented musician, is not a vocalist or lyricist I prefer. Not bad overall but not amazing. 3/5

A purely o.k. soft rock album. Some instrumentals that were maybe a bit influential to 90s bands like Radiohead. 3/5

A very interesting listen that I went back and forth on. On one hand I LOVE the electronic elements, and songs like These Chains, Night and Day (my god that's a banger) and Flutes are crazy good. On the other hand I really didn't like the indie elements at all, including Look at Where We Are and Let Me Be Him which are songs I really hated. All other songs were fairly good or just ok. The album structure was weird, in that the first half was ok, it peaked in the middle, then ended flat. All around I think Night and Day is what pushed this from a 3.4 to a 3.5, awesome song. 3.5/5 -> 4/5

A good album but really pales in comparison to the other albums in his discography. The disco elements are nice and show his adaptability. 3/5

Really just o.k. all around. I actually much prefer his Hearts and Bones album to this. This album reads as derivative and soulless, like he was creatively bankrupt then decided to adapt the music of South African and African American artists to refresh his sound and capitalize on the apartheid press. I'm sure this wasn't intentional, however the result is an album that, while sounding good, doesn't represent Paul Simon. 2.7/5 -> 3/5

A good Christmas album that has quite a few singles in constant rotation. Is it meant to be an album experience? Not at all (especially compared to a '5' like the Charlie Brown Xmas soundtrack). But good listen nonetheless and appreciate the staying power of some of these songs. 4/5

This album suffers from being both post-grunge and nu-metal at the same time. Really cheesy, unappealing, dated songs other than a few exceptions. 2/5

A good listen that only suffers due to the passage of time. His voice is good and the instrumentals are nice, I just wish there was a bit more variety and less covers for the length. 3/5

I don't hate it, but it certainly comes off as generic garage rock/punk adjacent music. Some songs stood out, but overall pretty flat. 2.5/5 -> 3/5

I was afraid that this album was going to stand on the power of Cult of Personality but am pleased I was wrong! Some really great rock, with phenomenal vocals and story telling. A few songs toward the middle-back half that paled in comparison to some early tracks, but Which Way to America is a great closer. 4/5

Weak vocals, forgettable songs, and severely dated lyrics rendered this album embarrassing to listen to. Some good instrumentals keep it afloat (Perfect Day is a great song, and the last minute of Satellite of Love is really hypnotic), but I could get better versions of these experiences on a David Bowie release.
And the colored girls go: "Meh, I'll pass."
1.4/5 -> 1/5

I enjoyed the subtlety of this album. Not too bombastic or standout, but pleasant enough in the background. 3/5

A messy messy album. I commend the vast array of musical styles that went into this. While I think it's generally disjointed and chaotic, this album was certainly cutting edge. 3/5

This album really hit it out of the park for me. I'm not typically into Reggae/Ska as genres, but the lyrics, themes, beats, instrumentals and even subtle electronic elements really elevates this project. Thoroughly impressed. 5/5

I've listened to the album for years - it is good but certainly not their best. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is a classic. Not an album experience I return to often, but good nonetheless. 3/5

I really hated this, but acknowledge it's probably a personal preference thing. I find the lead singers voice to be shrill, with an effect on my ears reminiscent of styrofoam. The backing vocalists cooing and yelping are tedious and gets under my skin. The instrumentals are proficient and technical (I'll give them that), but the meandering flow, and changing time signatures and tempo in top of my other criticisms made this album unlikeable, and virtually unlistenable. The last 30 seconds of the album were very good. But certainly a net-negative experience. 1.3/5 -> 1/5

Really a transcendent and flawless album from front to back. 5/5

90s hip-hop is always hit and miss for me, and I've listened to the Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders off and on over the years and have never been that impressed. That being said, this is a very impressive debut album for the group that I prefer to those other releases. The sampling was great, the lyrics were good, and the jazz elements fit well. 3.5/5 -> 4/5