Reviews by zmzamarripa

I get that he was an influential artist for a specific regional style of music and he has been doing this forever, a flag bearer for the combined N.O. sound and tradition.
I wont turn this off if its on and I will nod my head in rhythm if its on. This isnt something I would specifically seek out to listen to.
All of that being said just because I dont view this as a masterpiece that needs to be heard (believe me, unless youre really into this specific style you dont need to hear this before you die). Its good. 2.5 isnt an option so I will go with 3 simply because 2 would imply its bad.

Oooof, 1 really good and 2 decent songs. Another on this list of seeing things brighter with revisionist glasses. This was panned when it came out and is as 2.25 as can be today as well.

You know what? It's a bop. Sure there are really only 4 quality songs on this but they are perfect for their place in time. I would go 3.5 if I could.

Fun if formulaic song structures, talented musicians and back up singers and then James and his scrotum squeeze voice. Yeah, I don't think anyone needs to hear this before they die, I certainly didn't.

Ive never been a fan of Geddy's vocals BUT the musicianship on this is amazeballs. This is fantastically proggy.

Iggy Pop is overrated trash. I would zero star the shit out of this if I could.

2.5 is more appropriate. Im just not on the Paul Simon is a genius train. Sure, a couple of solid songs here and there. To me they are unremarkable.

Interestingly my favorite bits of this are the saxophones which would explain why I prefer Coltrane over Miles if I am listening to jazz.

Incredible musicianship is what garners this a 3 for me, would be higher if I were a Jazz Guy, but I'm not.

I'm not a jazz afficionado so my take on this isn't as glowing as I'm sure it could be.

This is nice. Great background music for a get together where conversation is more important than people gigging out.

No one needs to hear this before they die. Solid 3 though, very talented musicians.

Ew.

6 times Nick Cave is on this list. I don’t know 6 people that care for his music. His film scores are better than any of these albums.

I get it, the person/people that made this list fangirl over Nick. I don’t.

I am continually shocked at how praised the Pretenders are, especially by the media.

Over the course of decades there are a small spattering of decent songs that other than the take it or leave it voice of Ms. Hynde (I'll leave it) sounds just like everything else in its time frame from this genre. If it was a dude singing these songs you wouldn't remember the band name when the song you recognize comes on.

I'm not a jazz guy, lets start with that caveat.

This is good, I appreciate the idea of fleshing out a musical theme/thought/feeling for as long as it needs to be born, live and breathe and then die. I like music on the more progressive side so maybe that is what I found appealing about this. Much how I appreciate Mozart I prefer Beethoven, I can truly see the appeal of all the delicate twinkly beauty but I prefer a little meat and potatos mixed in.

For ME this isn't something earth shattering but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. I can see why this has been and will continue to be fawned over for a long time.

Heres the thing, this has all the elements of music that I truly love. Its melodic where it needs to be, gutteral where it needs to be, ever changing progressive structures and yet..... Ill just say it, the vocals kill this for me.

2.75 just because I wouldnt ever jump up to turn it off but I also would never play it purposely, its good just not something that makes me really WANT to listen to it.

While I am thrilled to see that Curtis Mayfield is on this list I can't believe either his eponymous debut album Curtis or even SuperFly isn't the go to choice here.

This album is a solid 3 where the two previously mentioned are 4-5 starts easily.

In 2002, Freewheelin' was one of the first 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

The best part about music is that its subjective to the listener. This listener gave this record a shot for the first time in a long time. I took into consideration just how important Bob Dylan to music and culture not just during his heyday but how much he has inspired generations of musicians. I often admire the songs he has written that have been reworked and performed by other artists so yes, maybe my now more mature 50 year old ears will appreciate his music performed by the man himself.

Here are my thoughts upon relistening: This guys voice sucks and this blows.

Just like every other late 80s early 90s dance club groups only not as good as the stand outs like Black Box, CeCe Peniston, Robin S., Everything but the girl, Crystal Waters, La Bouche.... you get the idea.

If you like good ol classic rock its hard to go wrong with AC/DC.

The great thing about AC/DC is if you have one of their albums you pretty much have all of their albums. There is a formula there and they are sticking to it.

Is this an album you must listen to before you die? God no, you've already heard it a million times or one of their other songs that for better or for worse are pretty much the same. Im clicking 3 stars but honestly its a formulaic 2.67.

Apparently I am in the minority here, but Iron Butterfly blows.

Listen, I love a good long epic song, but the one song anyone can name on this album is 17 minutes of ass.

An argument could be made that this isn't even within the top 20 albums of 1968 let alone making the cut of albums you MUST hear before you die.

2 stars just for what could be considered its influence on heavy music.

I wish there was a 2.5 star ranking as that is exactly what the doors were, a 2.5 star band that the death contributing mythos of the lead singer somehow made them legends. Had Jim lived into his 50s they would have faded into the background of the good but not great bands of their era, yet here we are.