Reviews by uls980

Gonna be honest. Aside from electronic music, if there's ever a type of music that was not made specifically for me, it's 70's jazz funk (50's and 60's jazz is more my speed, and then once you get into the 90's with jazz hip hop, I get back into the genre). There's just not anything in this album for me.

I can tell it's played well, and it's a good album, but I am just not going to continue listening to it past the first song. No need to waste my time on something I get nothing out of.

It's Not For Me/5.

This one is hilarious, because I keep listening to it, and I keep loving it, but I just can't think of anything to say about it.
It's just a great album, lol.

So I guess I'll just point out that I love that Tori Amos is in that class of experimental artists like Bjork, Kate Bush, and Regina Spektor that have somehow become the go-to music that extreme metal bands listen to outside of metal. That just makes me happy, and it's great, lol.

Honestly was dreading listening to this when I saw it was 60's psychedelic garage rock. What's crazy is I think I've found a 60's psychedelic album that I think I somewhat like? Either this album is good, or something's very wrong with my right now.

But yeah. Can't really place my finger on it, but I'm enjoying this quite a bit more than something like Pet Sounds, Odessey and Oracle, or Disraeli Gears.

It's got everything I dislike about psychedelic rock. The thin production, vocals, sharp and piercing notes. But something's just clicking.

Still not an album I'd likely go back to, but yeah. One of the best psychedelic rock albums I've come across so far. Although The King is in the Counting House does suck though. I don't know why psychedelic bands insisted on making really tacky "royal" ren faire music.

Its a tough one to rate because its been ages since I've listened to Loveless.

There's a bit to like in this one I think. It hews closer to a slowdive or Cocteau Twins, I think, compared to the noisier Loveless (at least from my memory), but both those bands are much better than what I'm hearing on m b v.

What's really bringing this album down for me is the length of the songs combined with the repetition. The ideas are good, but there's not a lot of movement or development of those ideas to my ears.

So yeah. Decent album, but not great. Honestly don't know why its even on the list. Really feels like a "legacy artist releases a new album, so it gets put on" inclusion, similar to a Fetch the Bolt Cutters (Fiona Apple - yes, Fiona catching strays here, but I'll explain in my review of FTBC when I get it).

"Finally... some good fuckin' food" - Gordon Ramsey

But seriously after a 13-streak of sub-4/5 albums, its nice to get something that actually hits with me. I don't think this is my favorite Muse album (probably Absolution), but it is a good one, and their last good album before they devolved into incredibly cliche "fuck the government, we will resist" tropes. Very "old man yelling at clouds" energy on those later albums.

That said, this is a good album. Songs like Supermassive Black Hole, Map of the Problematique, and Knights of Cydonia are great. I'm not very enamored with prog these days, but alt-prog like Muse, Coheed, and Mars Volta I can still get into.

I will say, while it doesn't affect my score, this album can fall into spots where the songs are clearly ripping off other (better) songs. Map of the Problematique is clearly heavily inspired by Depeche Mode's Enjoy the Silence, and Soldier's Poem just straight lifts the guitar from Can't Help Falling in Love (Elvis) for part of its melody.

But yeah, very good album.

Really thought this might break my 12-ish streak of albums I rated less than 4 since it is the best album I've gotten since I gave Rumours a 5, but unfortunately its just not hitting me.

One of those, objectively a 4, just not for me albums. Celebrity Skin is great, although a lot of that is coming from nostalgia playing Rock Band. The rest of the album is really good too, hitting that 90's alt sound that just works.

But I don't know, its just not grabbing me. Probably because I do like Live Through This more, and probably because this album doesn't feel particularly cutting edge.

Kinda Beatles-esque by way of Oasis/Blue style brit-pop, woth a heavy amount of garage rock.

Pretty solid, just not really my thing.

This one started off as one of the better albums I've gotten in a while. However, as time went on, it kinda just melted together, and I wasn't really feeling it by the end. Kinda Coldplay, kinda Radiohead, a little brit pop.

Decent album, but yeah.

Actually enjoying this one more than I expected. Usually this new wave/electropop stuff sounds really dated, but this one holds up. Also recognized Don't You Want Me, which is a classic.

But still, not my style of music, just a solid album.

Country music by way of some slight Scottish/Irish folk influence, it seems like to my ears?

Not bad, but kinda bored me a bit.

Honestly, my least favorite Eno album so far. Ended up not finishing it because I basically already knew what I was getting (I did skip through the later tracks to make sure, but yeah, just jammy, vibey electronic music that just isn't my thing).

Honestly, does nothing for me. Can't even see myself dancing to it. Type of electronic music that feels kinda useless IMO (not dancy, not really listenable by itself).

Definitely like the other Kate Bush album I got. Not that this one is bad, its kinda gives me Tom Waits vibes (and honestly preferred her over Waits), but the experimentalism wasn't working for me as much on this one as it did on Hounds of Love.

Think I like this one a bit more than the last Randy Newman album I got, but not by much. Still a solid record though. Certainly has a style, sounds exactly like the Toy Story stuff.

You Can Leave Your Hat On is a great bar somg though. Also, fun that I was driving through Dayton, Ohio when that song came on.

Don't know why, but this is giving me vibes of stuff like Carol King (Particularly something like I Saw the Light), Seals and Crofts (Although not as easy listening), and Looking Glass.

It's a pretty damn good album, but at an hour and a half, it wears on a bit. I think if I had more nostalgia for this like I do for the above listed albums, I'd be liking it more.

Kind of a throwback 60's/70's sound (A little Beach Boys), but with a kinda 2000's Flaming Lips vibe?

Feel like it's generally fine, but nothing that's wowing me.

I've basically resigned myself to accepting that The Rolling Stones are a singles band for me. I've had 3 or 4 Stones albums so far, and not a single song outside of the hits have been something I've been able to get into.

I mean, they're not bad, its just not anywhere near as good as the hits.

So yeah. Only thing on this album that does anything for me is Sympathy for the Devil.

Pretty decent, inoffensive electronica. Reminds me of The Prodigy, but not quite as good or interesting.

I mean, it's an absolutely timeless album. Every song is great (will say though that Don't Stop has aged quite a bit to my ears though, with its piano and synths - definitely in that category of music along with Foreigner and Boston where if I never hear it again, I won't be sad), especially tracks like Dreams, Go Your Own Way, The Chain, and Gold Dust Woman.

Normally I have more to say about albums like this, but honestly don't. It's just great.

More 90's indie rock that sounds like it worships at the alter of The Beatles. Specifically Sgt. Peppers era Beatles.

That said, while I enjoy it, there's just not enough her to get me invested. Only a single song above two amd a half minutes.

Decent for what it is, but feels very fragmented.