Reviews by zmzamarripa

3 incredibly gifted musicians and whatever that shirtless guy with the microphone is, the weak link is what he is.
Being a world class musician doesn't make someone a world class songwriter as the majority of this album proves. Though that could be said for any of the RHCP albums.
If we are talking singles this is 4 stars all day every day. As a whole album 2.7.

I get why people would like this but it just isn't for me. This evokes no emotional response out of me other than distaste for the lead singers voice.
I cant 2.5 this (why wouldnt there be half stars?) so 3 it is.

Ralph Mooney is the MVP here, I could listen to that man play his steel guitar all day. Big fan of all the fiddle, violin, viola and cello players as well.

This is far from my preferred genre but this isn't bad at all. I can see how someone could love this and spend an evening crying into their beer.

3 stars.

This is nice. 3 stars.

I would like to hear a detailed explanation as to why this needs to be on a list of albums you must listen to before you die. As stated above this is nice and that's about as far as it needs to go.

A wonderfully twisted, genre blurring roller coaster of a ride. Honestly I believe Epic is the weakest song on the album even though for the time it was probably the most radio palatable track. I bought this on cassette when it first came out and it was shocking just how different it was from everything else on the radio at the time yet it still had a couple of toes in the poppy alternative box. This is easily one of my favorite records, its not perfect... this is the stepping stone to when they did get it perfect on Angel Dust.

What is wild to me isn't that LCD Soundsystem has an album on this list being that some people really REALLY like them. I am however surprised that they have 2 albums on this list. One was more than enough for some so so music. Taste is subjective so I won't pretend like somehow I am the be all end all of opinions. 2.5 all day everyday.

Seriously? Unremarkable. What is remarkable is that someone deemed this group needed 2 albums in this list of things you need to hear before you die.

WOW

Yeah, this is not for me.

This is cool and all but I'm a Beatles guy.

This is cool and all but absolutely no one needs to hear this before they die. Clearly someone is a big fan and this and it holds some importance emotionally for a place and time in their life, not mine.
3 stars because a neutral 2.5 isnt an option.

Lets get this part out of the way... whoever decided this needed to be on this list of essential listening before dying is a pretentious, wanna be cool, wanker. Get over yourself.

That being said there is about 18 minutes of really nice background music in this. The entirety of the Zopf section can do exactly what the person who put this on this list can do, fuck all the way off.

Its cool, there are some essential 80s vibe bangers on this. Its also incredibly dated sounding.
What did this album do that qualifies it as something you need to hear before you die? No one knows. Other than being in an 80s playlist mix I find it hard to believe anyone is sitting at work right now pining for the time they can finally get home and crank out some Culture Club.

Its cool, one solid single and 40 more minutes of decent if unfocused meandering does not make essential listening. No one needs to hear this before they die. All credit where credit is due though... this is worlds above the vast majority of crap that has been presented thus far on this list 2.95 stars.

So an album of almost all cover songs by one of rock musics most overrated bands is essential listening...sigh.

This hasnt aged well in my opinion. Aside from a couple of catchy tunes its pretty repetitive sounding.

I will never understand the UK obsession with Amy Winehouse.

What is shocking is that she has more than one album (thus far) on this list. If we were to only talk about soul/r&b lets use Otis Redding as an example. Perhaps one of the most talented singers to ever live has one album on this list, Amy has two. Sam Cooke has one. Smokey Robinson has one. Fuck all the way off with that.

The title track is the most palatable track on this album and much like Iggy himself its annoying trash.
Albums like this are why I lose faith in humanity on a daily basis... who thinks this is so good you NEED to hear this before taking your final breath?

I mean, its interesting and it is definitely different than anything being put out commercially at the time. I appreciate the odd time signatures and changes.

No one needs to hear this before they die.

Maggie May is undeniably an exceptional song. The rest is so so and feels repetitive.
Then again I am an unapologetic Rod Stewart hater.

There are a couple of cool songs on here.
I will however never feel the need to purposely download, purchase or listen to this. I'm not going to turn it off but I'm most definitely not going to turn it on.
Since I can't go with the 2.5 I feel this is since it evokes no feelings in me whatsoever I will go with 3 since there are some clearly gifted musicians here, 2 would imply its bad which it is not.