Average Rating: 3.15 Rating Variance: 0.49 Objectivity Score: 87% (Well Balanced)
Sorted by Rating | Sort by Name5 classicBeach Boys Pet SoundsTo call this album classic doesn't do it justice. A rival with only two or three albums as the greatest album of all time. It is this good. The Beach Boys are one of the greatest bands of all-time, certainly to have ever come out of the 60s. Their vocal harmonies are second to none, and Brian Wilson's compositions and arrangements are nothing short of masterful. Need proof? Listen to Pet Sounds. This is pop rock at it's best. "Wouldn't it Be Nice" remains one of my favourite songs, even after having known it for the vast majority of my lifetime. "Good Vibrations" would have been right at home here (and perhaps should have been), but even without it this album shines. An absolute must for any collection. I can't describe it here, it has to be heard. Ignore what you think you know about the Beach Boys. Buy this album, if only to appreciate the massive influence they've had over music. The Beatles didn't change the face of music alone, you know.Billy Bragg Back to BasicsThough it a compilation album, like the Smiths' release Hatful of Hollow it is in my top 3 favourite albums ever. It must be stated that this isn't a compilation record in the "greatest hits", "singles" or "best of..." sense. Rather, it compiles Bragg's first two EPs and LP in complete form, and organises them chronologically. It is almost like a boxset of his early career but on one CD, if that makes sense. You can clearly notice the progression from bare-bones, unrefined music to music where more care is paid to arrangment and instrumentation, but the lyrics and passion remains intense throughout. Everyone needs to hear this quite simply. Bragg is a knowledgeable, opinionated, learned individual who possesses the rare talent of being able to turn matter-of-fact wordings into beautiful songs. He's folk but he's punk; he's indie but he's pop. He's a barrel of contradictions and he needs to be heard. DJ Shadow EndtroducingA stunning album in both concept and execution, it simply needs to be heard. Comprised entirely of vinyl samples, DJ Shadow should be praised for his hoarding and compiling skills before music is even mentioned. Oh and the music is spine-tingling, of course. Elvis Costello My Aim Is TrueBest debut album ever recorded? Quite possibly. It is energetic yet digestible, diverse yet coordinated, and intelligent but exoteric. The album sets the bar high and refuses to lower it from beginning to end. He is witty and sardonic, but the best song is not ferociously biting but rather the beautiful and mellow "Alison". Jeff Buckley GraceI don't have the same fawning adoration for Jeff Buckley as many people around these parts have, though I really should. I've never taken the time to really absorb this album, but even with casual listening I've come to recognise it as one of the finest records period. "Lover You Should Have Come Over", "Grace", "Last Goodbye", "Corpus Christi Carol"... it's all beautiful. Everyone needs this album.Michael Jackson ThrillerThis isn't the highest selling album of all-time because people like the album cover. The music is just flat out jaw-dropping. This is pop music at its best. With each new masterpiece of a song, Jackson tops the last one. With each repeated listen, each song improves and you notice something genius hidden in there. But that's not even why this is a 5. The impact that this has had not just on pop music but on music period, on culture period, cannot be calculated. Nevermind who he is now or what he has done, Jackson is an unmitigated genius when it comes to music. Everyone must have a copy of this record, pop fan or not. Pulp Different ClassWhen I try to sum up my understanding and recognition of the Britpop movement and the "Cool Britannia" sentiment that dominated the 90s, this is the album that comes to mind as a condensed version of the movement. Not coming from Britain and being relatively young at the time of the Britpop era, I don't really have a first-hand recollection of anything other than "Wonderwall" being flaming huge. But Different Class seems to fill in the holes: the irreverence, the pride, the optimism, the drugs and sex. But perhaps most notably, it has the defining element of Britpop: anthems. "Mis-Shapes", "I Spy" and the anthem to end all anthems, "Common People". A great recapitulation of a generation.The Beatles RevolverAmong the musically knowledgeable, Revolver is the near-undisputed best album of all time. I don't hold it in quite such high esteem, and in fact Rubber Soul is my favourite album by this group, but even with this in mind, Revolver is a phenomenal album. Essential listening for anyone with even a passing interest in music.The Beatles Rubber Soul (US)The Beatles Rubber SoulMy personal favourite Beatles album, Rubber Soul has all the right ingredients. "Norwegian Wood", "Nowhere Man", "Michelle", "I'm Looking Through You", "In My Life" and basically every song rings classic through and through. The only weak track is "Run for Your Life", and considering the album has an above-average 14 tracks, this one probably should have been cut. But it doesn't make Rubber Soul a bad album... it remains in the highest ranks of music history.The Clash London CallingThis is the album that made me realise the proximity between punk music and alternative. I had always considered punk to be some drunken, slurred, fast-paced ramblings about topics they only grasped at an elementary level, but the Clash made me realise there might actually be something behind it all. Musically competent, politically and socially astute, and a pre-cursor to all the music I had come to know and love? Count me in. The music is great, but it is a 5 for everything else surround it.The Smiths Hatful of HollowThough it is a compilation album, this is my favourite record of all time. It encapsulates everything that was great about the early Smiths. It's great for getting new fans into them (it features some of their best early songs including "This Charming Man", "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" and "Hand in Glove"). It also features alternate versions so it is isn't redundant for people who already own The Smiths. This album is just quality through and through and I would recommend it to any music fan. Read my review for my expanded opinion.4.5 superbBilly Bragg Brewing Up With Billy Bragg: Special ReiBilly Bragg Talking With the Taxman About PoetryDepeche Mode ViolatorDepeche Mode's finest album, Violator encapsulates every positive aspect of dark 80s pop, despite being released in early 1990. It may not belong to the decade in terms of its release date, but make no mistake, Violator closed the door to the 80s in respectable fashion. Highlight songs include "Personal Jesus" (later covered by Marilyn Manson and Johnny Cash), "Enjoy the Silence", "Policy of Truth" and "World in My Eyes". The album is short and delivers on every song. A definite classic for synth-pop, post-punk and music in general.Elvis Costello This Year's ModelGang Of Four Entertainment!Joy Division SubstanceManic Street Preachers The Holy BibleMassive Attack MezzanineThe ultimate trip-hop album, Mezzanine has only grown in respect and recognition since its release almost ten years ago. The album is alternately ethereal, chilling, subdued, or just plain cooool. Highlights include "Angel", "Teardrop", "Mezzanine" and "Group Four". You've probably heard at least one of these songs before but don't even know it. Whether you're familiar with any of it or not, this is another essential album for fans of all genres. Miles Davis Kind Of BlueOasis Definitely MaybeOasis Whats the Story Morning GloryRadiohead OK ComputerRites of Spring End on EndRyan Adams HeartbreakerHis first solo album also happens to be his best. While he delved into many other genres on later works, Heartbreaker is the kind of simple, no-frills alt-country which works best for Adams. Highlight songs include "To Be Young", "Oh My Sweet Carolina" and "Come Pick Me Up". Recommended for fans of any of his 2005 records.Sinead O'Connor The Lion And The CobraThe Beatles Abbey RoadThe Beatles The BeatlesThe Kinks The Village Green Preservation SocietyThe Pogues If I Should Fall From Grace With GodThe Smiths The SmithsA raw and unbridled introduction to a band that would go on to singlehandedly reshape British pop music, the Smiths is alternately brilliant and frustrating. The heights of "This Charming Man", "Hand in Glove", "I Want the One I Can't Have" and so on are flat-out jaw-dropping, but there are songs of unabashed mediocrity which weigh the record down ("Miserable Lie", "I Don't Owe You Anything"). The album would have been better served with the inclusion of peerless B-sides like "Handsome Devil" and "Girl Afraid" would have made this album an indisputable classic, but as it stands it is just really, really good. The Smiths SinglesAs with any "classic" band from the past, the Smiths' legacy has been enshrined in countless greatest hits collections in the twenty years since their demise. To keep things simple, there exist three main hits collections available to potential fans of the Smiths. The Best Of... is overlong and unfocused; Greatest Hits is redundant and a shameless cash-in. That leaves Singles, and while its singles-only tracklist omits some fantastic album cuts and b-sides, the chronological album tracks the progress of the group pretty accurately. As long as you avoid thinking the Smiths were purely a singles band, and keep in mind that the Smiths have equal or even better material available within their catalogue, then Singles should be an inviting introduction to a truly "classic" band. The Smiths The Queen Is Dead4 excellentAir Moon SafariAlanis Morissette Jagged Little PillAndrew Bird The Mysterious Production of EggsAphex Twin Richard D. James AlbumBackstreet Boys MillenniumBeastie Boys Paul's BoutiqueBelle and Sebastian The Boy With the Arab StrapBilly Bragg Don't Try This At Home: Special ReissueBlur ParklifeBob Dylan The Freewheelin' Bob DylanBrian Eno Another Green WorldBrian Wilson SmileButch Walker The Rise And Fall Of Butch Walker...Christina Aguilera Back to Basics Pretend the first disc doesn't exist save for "Ain't No Other Man" and "Oh, Mother", and this is easily one of the best records of the year, regardless of genre. Since that type of selective exclusion could only have been performed before the release of Aguilera's latest record, we'll have to make do with just a very, very good double album. Inheriting Madonna's chameleonic tendencies, for the third time in her short career Aguilera has adopted a new image and sound, but ultimately it revolves around the same pop pastiche as always. Where she revisits familiar territory, the album falters (as evidenced by the first disc). Where she steps out of her management- directed comfort zone and explores territory beyond over-singing white bread r&b, she shines. Highlights include the bombastic "Welcome", sultry "Nasty Naughty Boy", emotional "Hurt" and "Oh Mother", and the delightfully subtle "Save Me From Myself". While it's not the pre-war jazz epic her marketing promised listeners, it is a refreshingly different attempt at blending the new and old; it is not rooted in the past, present or future; it is simply captivating music - all gimmicks aside. Cocteau Twins Heaven Or Las VegasColdplay ParachutesCursive The Ugly OrganCurtis Mayfield CurtisDamien Dempsey To Hell Or BarbadosDamien Dempsey Seize The DayDamien Rice ODeath Cab For Cutie Something About AirplanesDeltron 3030 Deltron 3030DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince He\'s the DJ, I\'m the RapperDuran Duran RioEcho and The Bunnymen Songs to Learn and SingElliott Smith XOElton John Honky ChateauElvis Costello Armed ForcesElvis Costello Get Happy!!Elvis Costello continued his string of superb releases with this sublime album. In his early career, Costello was untouchable. Need proof? Listen to Get Happy!!. "High Fidelity", "I Can't Stand Up (For Falling Down)", "Love For Tender"... song after song of quality. Costello owned this era. Eminem The Marshall Mathers LPEric B. & Rakim Paid in FullFleetwood Mac RumoursWhat's so amazing about this record may not even be the music but the fact that it was even completed, considering all the intraband tension at the time. But as history indicates, friction often leads to some of the best music ever produced. Case in point? Rumours.George Michael FaithHandsome Boy Modeling School So ... How's Your Girl?Iron And Wine Our Endless Numbered DaysJoe Jackson Look Sharp!John Coltrane Giant StepsJohn Coltrane A Love SupremeJohn Martyn Solid AirJoy Division Unknown PleasuresKelly Clarkson BreakawayKraftwerk AutobahnLily Allen Alright, StillFurthering the oh-so-British pattern of coupling vitriolic or irreverent lyrics with blithe pop music, Alright, Still epitomises the apathetic buoyancy of youth, however paradoxical. The record is hardly a triumphant display of musical prowess, but with its cheeky nature and carefree effervescence it doesn't need to be. "Smile" is a sendoff fit to rival "You Oughta Know"; "The Littlest Things" harkens back to the heydays of morose British pop done right. Other highlights include "LDN" and "Everything's Just Wonderful". A perfect summer record due for American release in the most dreary of seasons, if nothing else it should brighten up some days.Madonna The Immaculate CollectionMiles Davis Bitches BrewMorrissey Viva HateMorrissey Bona DragMuse Origin of SymmetryNeutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the SeaNew Order Low-LifeOur Lady Peace Happiness is not a fish that you can catchPavement Slanted and EnchantedPavement Crooked Rain, Crooked RainPeter Gabriel Peter Gabriel (III)Pink Floyd The WallPublic Enemy Fear Of A Black PlanetPulp This is HardcorePulp His 'n' HersR.E.M. Automatic For the PeopleRadiohead The BendsRolling Stones Sticky FingersRyan Adams Love is HellRyan Adams GoldRyan Adams Cold RosesSerge Gainsbourg Histoire de Melody NelsonSimon and Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled WaterSufjan Stevens IllinoisTalking Heads Remain In LightLikely the Heads' most famous album, it also happens to my favourite. The album is funky, unconventional and quirky, and yet it is rooted in unsurpassably catchy new wave pop music. While the obvious highlights are songs like "Once in a Lifetime" and "the Great Curve", the whole album is quality.The Beatles A Hard Day's NightThe Beatles 1The Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club BandThe Beatles Help!The Clash The Clash (US)The Cure Boys Don't CryThe Dears No Cities LeftThe Decemberists PicaresqueThe Housemartins Now That's What I Call Quite GoodThe Streets Original Pirate MaterialU2 The Best Of 1990-2000U2 The Joshua TreeProbably the most lop-sided record in history. The A-side gets lauded to no end, but no one seems to care for the second half. It may be that it lacks a single, so while the first half of "With Or Without", "Where the Streets Have No Name" etc. is permanently ingrained in our minds, the latter half doesn't have the same punch. But rest assured, the whole album is genius. U2 War3.5 greatAndrew Bird Weather SystemsAndrew Bird The Swimming HourThis album is infectiously cool. Bird, a trained violinist, makes his fluttering passages seem effortless. He combines jazz and singer/songwriter tendencies for intoxicating effect. He also claims to be a professional whistler, and makes no short use of his talent on this album. Highlight songs include the ininhibited "Core and the Rind" and the sultry "Why?". Andrew Bird Armchair ApocryphaAvril Lavigne Under My SkinBeck Odelay!Ben Folds Five Whatever and Ever, Amenblink-182 blink-182Bloc Party Silent AlarmBlondie Parallel LinesBrand New Deja EntenduBrand New The Devil And God Are Raging Inside MeBright Eyes Fevers & MirrorsChristina Aguilera Christina AguileraCommon BeDamien Dempsey The Rocky RoadDashboard Confessional The Places You Have Come To Fear The MostDavid Bowie The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust...Death Cab For Cutie The Photo AlbumDoves The Last Broadcastdredg Catch Without Armsdredg El CieloElliott Smith From A Basement On The HillElliott Smith Either/OrElton John Goodbye Yellow Brick RoadFatboy Slim You\'ve Come A Long Way, BabyFugazi 13 SongsGnarls Barkley St. ElsewhereGorillaz GorillazJohn Mayer Continuum John Mayer might be a pu[font=verdana]ssy[/font], but for every "Your Body is a Wonderland" there is a "Covered in Rain" which effectively nullifies all gripes against him. Continuum is a soft record, but Mayer masters adult contemporary pop to a degree he only hinted at being capable of on his previous hit records Room for Squares and Heavier Things. While his voice is still a hindrance to the enjoyment of his music for many, the musical quality of Continuum deserves recognition. Highlights: "Gravity", "Belief", "Waiting on the World to Change"Joy Division CloserThough it would be easy for a cynic to attribute the widespread adulation of this album to Curtis' suicide and subsequent deification, it's even easier to recognise that the album deserves this respect based on its content alone. While it doesn't surpass their debut, Closer is still a fantastically bleak and funereal look into a world to which none of us should have the displeasure of visiting. Kanye West The College DropoutKings of Leon Only By The NightKraftwerk Computer WorldMaroon 5 Songs About JaneMew And the Glass Handed KitesMichael Jackson BadMono Hymn To The Immortal WindNick Drake Pink MoonNirvana MTV Unplugged in New YorkOasis Don't Believe The TruthPaul McCartney Band On The RunPavement Brighten the CornersPink Floyd Wish You Were HerePortishead DummyR.E.M. In Time: The Best Of REM (1988-2003)Radiohead Kid ARegina Spektor Begin To HopeRilo Kiley The Execution of All ThingsRolling Stones Exile on Main StreetWhile the album is good, I don't get the "greatest album ever" or even "best Stones album" vibe from it. It is consistent, it's rocking, but there's nothing that really pulls it apart from their average work. "Shake Your Hips", "Tumbling Dice", "Torn and Frayed", "Let it Loose", "All Down the Line" and so on are great songs. But there's a little too much filler and so-so material packed in here for it too be a really remarkable album. Rolling Stones Beggar's BanquetSoundtrack Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion PictureFlush with personality and spirit, Dreamgirls, the soundtrack to a musical chronicling the woes of a Supremes takeoff act, deserves all the critical praise it has been receiving over the past months. The collection shines from the funky "Steppin' to the Bad Side", Gaye-like "Patience", bubbly "Love You I Do", and the Beyonce showcase "Listen" to one of the most powerful singles of the year, "And I Am Telling You I Am Not Going" sung to perfection by Jennifer Hudson. Given depth from stellar performances by Hudson, Beyonce Knowles and Eddie "Party All the Time" Murphy, Dreamgirls is justified in being mentioned in company with the most superior of musical adaptations. Capable of being compared with the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, similar Motown performers, Sam Cooke, James Brown, Marvin Gaye and so on, the Dreamgirls performers outdo themselves.Sufjan Stevens Greetings From Michigan : The Great LakeTaylor Swift FearlessTaylor Swift is the latest in a long line of artists to effectively capture the trials and tribulations of youthful life and love. Do not write her off as an airhead country starlet or pop diva - she's just a songwriter building a repertoire laced with outrageously perfect pop hooks. Fearless is a first-hand account of teenage optimism, apprehension and heartache cloaked in infectiously melodic pop. Swift writes like a teenager, there is no doubt, but it nonetheless thoroughly suits the album. Witnesses compositions like Fifteen, You Belong to Me and the hit single Love Story that surely foretell a remarkable future for Swift. The Beatles Let it BeThe Beatles Please Please MeThe Beatles With The BeatlesThe Beautiful South Welcome To The Beautiful SouthThe Beautiful South Carry On Up The ChartsThe Cure PornographyThe Cure Greatest HitsThe Cure Three Imaginary BoysThe Decemberists The Crane WifeThe Housemartins London 0 Hull 4The Killers Sam's TownThe Pogues Rum, Sodomy, and the LashThe Smiths RankThe Smiths Strangeways, Here We ComeThe Smiths Louder Than BombsThe Smiths Meat is MurderThe Streets A Grand Don't Come For FreeU2 All That You Can't Leave BehindU2 BoyUNKLE Psyence FictionWham! Make It BigWilliam Shatner Has Been3 good!!! Louden Up Now!!! !!!...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead Source Tags and Codes50 Cent Get Rich or Die Tryin'AC/DC Back in BlackAerosmith Toys in the AtticAir Talkie WalkieAlanis Morissette Supposed Former Infatuation JunkieAlkaline Trio Good Mourning (Special Edition)Andrew Bird Oh! The GrandeurThis album follows his revival swing work with the Squirrel Nut Zippers much more closely than the indie music he would record in his later career. Those looking for another Mysterious Production of Eggs might be surprised, but it is a solid album nonetheless. Andrew Bird Noble BeastAntony and the Johnsons I Am A Bird NowAphex Twin Selected Ambient Works, Vol. IIArcade Fire FuneralArcade Fire The Arcade Fire EPArctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am....Art Brut Bang Bang Rock & RollAvril Lavigne Let GoBadly Drawn Boy The Hour of BewilderbeastBarenaked Ladies Born on a Pirate ShipBarenaked Ladies GordonBeastie Boys To the 5 BoroughsBeastie Boys Licensed To IllBeck GueroBeck Sea ChangeBelle and Sebastian Dear Catastrophe WaitressBelle and Sebastian If You're Feeling SinisterBen Folds Rockin' The SuburbsBen Folds Songs for SilvermanBen Folds Five The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold MessnerBilly Bragg Worker's Playtime: Special ReissueBilly Bragg Mr. Love And JusticeBilly Bragg Reaching To The ConvertedBilly Bragg and Wilco Mermaid Avenueblink-182 Dude RanchBloc Party Silent Alarm RemixedBlur BlurBlur Modern Life is RubbishBlur The Great EscapeBoards of Canada Music Has the Right to ChildrenBob Dylan The Times They Are A-Changin'Bob Dylan Bringing it all Back HomeBob Dylan Highway 61 RevisitedBob Dylan Blonde on BlondeBob Dylan Love and TheftBox Car Racer Box Car RacerBrand New Your Favourite WeaponBright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's MorningBright Eyes Lifted or the Story is in the Soil...Bright Eyes letting off the HappinessBritish Sea Power Open SeasonBritney Spears In The ZoneBritney's best album in terms of consistency, it still suffers from too much filler. Fortunately, the better songs more than make up for this. "Me Against the Music", "Everytime" and "Outrageous" are intoxicating, and "Toxic", while equally intoxicating, also happens to be one of the best songs ever. Spears was beginning to hone her co-writing skills on this album, and while she has taken an extended leave from the music business, it is unlikely her continued musical progression will further develop when she does return. So cherish the record while you can. Britney Spears Oops!...I Did It AgainAnother inevitable album for a young superstar... the "oh look at me as a sexual being" transformation. As if ...Baby One More Time wasn't enough, Oops! I Did it Again cemented Britney Spears' position as a sex symbol, but the music is actually pretty good too. She missteps with a pretty dumb "Satisfaction" cover, but her own songs are generally catchy and far, far better than the material on her debut album. The title song, "Lucky" and "Stronger" are of particular note. The only terrible song is "Dear Diary", her only co-write on the album. Fortunately, her writing improves with age. Broken Social Scene Broken Social SceneBroken Social Scene You Forgot It In PeopleButch Walker LettersButch Walker Left Of Self-CenteredBuzzcocks Singles Going SteadyCalexico The Black LightCarrie Underwood Some HeartsCarrie Underwood Carnival RideColdplay X&YColdplay Live 2003Coldplay A Rush Of Blood To The HeadColdplay Viva La VidaController.Controller HistoryCursive DomesticaCursive Burst and BloomCursive Happy HollowCursive Mama, I'm SwollenDaft Punk DiscoveryDaft Punk HomeworkDashboard Confessional Summers Kiss EPDave Matthews Band CrashDavid Bowie LowDavid Bowie Aladdin SaneDavid Gray White LadderDeath Cab For Cutie PlansDeath Cab For Cutie TransatlanticismDeath Cab For Cutie You Can Play These Songs With ChordsDeath Cab For Cutie Forbidden Love (EP)Death Cab For Cutie We Have The Facts And We\'re Voting YesDeath From Above 1979 You're a Woman, I'm a MachineDepeche Mode Playing The AngelDevendra Banhart Cripple CrowDevo Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!Dido No AngelDido Life For RentDJ Shadow The Private PressDoves Lost SoulsDr. Octagon Dr. OctagonecologystEels Blinking Lights & Other RevelationsElectric Six FireElliott Smith Figure 8Elliott Smith Elliott SmithElvis Costello Almost BlueElvis Costello Blood & ChocolateElvis Costello All This Useless BeautyElvis Costello The Sweetest Punch: The Songs of Costello and BacharachElvis Costello NorthElvis Costello The Delivery ManEminem The Slim Shady LPFall Out Boy From Under The Cork TreeFranz Ferdinand Franz FerdinandFranz Ferdinand You Could Have It So Much BetterGeorge Harrison All Things Must PassGood Charlotte The Chronicles of Life and DeathGood Charlotte The Young And The HopelessGrandaddy SumdayGreen Day American IdiotGreen Day International SuperhitsGreen Day WarningGreen Day DookieHandsome Boy Modeling School White PeopleHot Hot Heat Knock Knock Knock - EPHot Hot Heat ElevatorHot Hot Heat Make up the BreakdownInterpol AnticsIron And Wine The Creek Drank the CradleJimmy Eat World Bleed AmericanJohn Lennon John Lennon/Plastic Ono BandJohn Lennon ImagineJohn Lennon AcousticJustin Timberlake JustifiedJustin Timberlake FutureSex/LoveSoundsWhen you wait four years between album releases, your audience is going to expect something worth the wait. They're also going to be quick to announce your inestimable failure in producing some remarkable. Predictable then, that Timberlake embarrassingly overexerts himself in attempt to avoid disappointment. His artless Lothario affectation threatens to overtake his abilities and the enjoyable music he has put to record. Fortunately when he does let the music do the talking rather than his juvenile gimmick, it is clear Timberlake has come up with something quite special. Even when aping from every musical legend of the past quarter-century, Timberlake has a way of making their style his own. "LoveStoned", "What Goes Around" and "My Love" are all remarkable pop songs, and a good half-dozen others are more than decent ("FutureSex/LoveSounds", "Losing My Way", "Chop Me Up" and so on). Ignore the thematic blunders, now everybody dance.Kaiser Chiefs EmploymentKanye West Late RegistrationKanye West 808s And HeartbreakKasabian KasabianKathleen Edwards Asking for FlowersKelly Clarkson ThankfulMaximo Park A Certain TriggerMichael Jackson Off The WallMorrissey Your ArsenalMorrissey Vauxhall and IMorrissey Live at Earl's CourtMorrissey You Are The QuarryMorrissey Ringleader of the TormentorsMuse ShowbizMuse AbsolutionN Sync No Strings AttachedNew Order Power, Corruption and LiesNirvana NevermindOasis The MasterplanOur Lady Peace NaveedOur Lady Peace Spiritual MachinesOur Lady Peace ClumsyPatti Smith HorsesPavement Terror TwilightPinback Summer in AbaddonPink Floyd Dark Side of the MoonR.E.M. Out Of TimeR.E.M. DocumentR.E.M. MurmurR.E.M. ReckoningRadiohead Hail To The ThiefRadiohead AmnesiacRed Sparowes At The Soundless DawnRihanna Good Girl Gone BadRolling Stones Let It BleedRolling Stones Goats Head SoupRufus Wainwright Want OneRufus Wainwright Want TwoRyan Adams Jacksonville City NightsRyan Adams DemolitionSex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's The Sex Silversun Pickups CarnavasSilversun Pickups SwoonSimon and Garfunkel BookendsSonic Youth GooSpice Girls SpiceSpice Girls SpiceworldStars Set Yourself On FireStars HeartSufjan Stevens Seven SwansSupergrass I Should CocoTalking Heads Talking Heads '77Taylor Swift Taylor SwiftTed Leo And The Pharmacists Shake The SheetsThe (International) Noise Conspiracy Survival SicknessThe Beatles Let It Be....NakedThe Beatles Magical Mystery TourThe Books The Lemon of PinkThe Boy Least Likely To Best Party EverThe Breeders PODThe Cars The CarsThe Clash Live: From Here to EternityThe Clash Give 'Em Enough RopeThe Cure The Head on the DoorThe Cure DisintegrationThe Decemberists Her MajestyThe Decemberists Castaways and Cut-outsThe Decemberists The Hazards Of LoveThe Delgados Universal AudioThe Divine Comedy Absent FriendsThe Faint Danse MacabreThe Futureheads The FutureheadsThe Go! Team Thunder, Lightning, StrikeThe Housemartins The People Who Grinned Themselves to DeathThe Killers Hot FussThe Kinks Lola vs. Powerman and the MoneygoroundThe Libertines Up The BracketThe Postal Service Give UpThe Rapture EchoesThe Replacements Let It BeThe Strokes Is This It?The Strokes Room On FireThe Tears Here Come The TearsThe Unicorns The Unicorns 2014 [EP]The Velvet Underground VUThe Velvet Underground The Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet Underground LoadedThe Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground and NicoThe Verve Urban HymnsTracy Chapman Tracy ChapmanTravis Invisible BandTravis The Man WhoTV on the Radio Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty BabesTV on the Radio Young Liars EPU2 How to Dismantle an Atomic BombU2 The Best Of 1980-1990U2 Achtung BabyU2 Rattle And HumVan Morrison The Best Of Van Morrison Vol 1Victor Wooten Yin YangWeezer The Blue AlbumWeezer Blue Album Deluxe EditionWilco A Ghost is BornWilco Yankee Hotel FoxtrotWilco SummerteethWilco Being ThereWings Wings' GreatestI got this record for free, shortly after I had digest all of the Beatles career and was ready to absorb the solo material. Based on reputation alone, I wasn't expecting much. McCartney had oft been shrugged off as a composer of "silly love songs" rather than a serious music artist. I personally don't see why the two can't go hand in hand. McCartney set a template for pop songs with his work in the Beatles; he expanded on it with Wings. While Wings were disappointingly inconsistent, their best work is quite good. While one would have hoped that the 1/4 of the "greatest band of all time" (quite possibly an accurate claim) would have created much better material than he did with Wings, their hits, their "greatest" songs, are wonderful. Still, Wings Greatest isn't comprehensive, thanks to an unusually short tracklisting, and it has since been rendered obsolete by the release of Wingspan Hits and History. Ultimately this now stands as a pointless album as many greatest hits albums end up being.Wire Pink FlagWolf Parade Apologies to the Queen MaryXiu Xiu A PromiseZero 7 When It Falls2.5 average2gether 2ge+her: AgainAction Action Don't Cut Your Fabric To This Years FashNothing overly original, if one takes only the 80s into account. If you measure this up with the new wave of ...new wave bands, it sinks against the competition. But it's still a decent album, a bit too much filler, and even the best songs (such as "Drug Like") lack any amazing qualities. I would only suggest buying it if you're a big fan of the Killers/Franz Ferdinand/the Bravery/Interpol, and all bands of a similar vein. And even then, this might feel like a weak imitation.Action Action An Army Of Shapes Between WarsAerosmith Big OnesAlanis Morissette So-Called ChaosAlanis Morissette Under Rug SweptAll Saints All SaintsAshlee Simpson AutobiographyDespite getting a lot of (deserved) flack for her lip synching fobbles and vocal shortcomings, Ashlee Simpson's debut album is actually pretty decent. I wouldn't urge anyone to run to the record store to purchase it, but there are some catchy pop tunes like "Shadow" and "Pieces of Me" which are worthy of at the very least being given a shot.Audioslave AudioslaveBackstreet Boys Never GoneBarenaked Ladies MaroonBeastie Boys Hello NastyBeck Mellow GoldBeck Midnite VulturesBen Folds Five Ben Folds FiveBilly Bragg William Bloke: Special ReissueBilly Bragg England, Half English: Special ReissueBilly Bragg The Internationale: Special ReissueBilly Bragg and Wilco Mermaid Avenue, Vol. 2blink-182 Take Off Your Pants and Jacketblink-182 The Mark, Tom, And Travis Showblink-182 Enema Of The StateBlur Think TankBrand New Brand New/Safety In Numbers SplitBrian Eno Ambient 1: Music For AirportsBright Eyes Digital Ash in a Digital UrnBritney Spears ...Baby One More TimeBritney Spears CircusCircus' highlights (If You Seek Amy, Kill the Lights and the title track) are some of the best Britney Spears has put out in almost a decade, but like all Britney releases this album is plagued by uninspiring filler. Unusual You through Mmm Papi slows the album's flow to a halt. The pop fan in me requires providing Britney with the benefit of the doubt, but despite her ridiculously enjoyable singles Spears has yet to release a record I can listen to from beginning to end without feeling slightly shafted.Britney Spears BritneyChristina Aguilera StrippedClap Your Hands Say Yeah Clap Your Hands Say YeahCraig David Born To Do ItDashboard Confessional A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A ScarDashboard Confessional MTV UnpluggedDavid Bowie Space OddityDavid Gray A New Day At MidnightDeath Cab For Cutie Narrow StairsDJ Danger Mouse The Grey AlbumDuran Duran AstronautElvis Costello Live at the El MocamboElvis Costello SpikeElvis Costello Deep Dead BlueElvis Costello Il SognoEminem The Eminem ShowGood Charlotte Good CharlotteGorillaz Demon DaysHoobastank HoobastankJonas Brothers A Little Bit LongerJonny Greenwood BodysongKaty Perry One of the BoysKeane Hopes & FearsLady Sovereign Public WarningA decidedly hit and miss record. Some songs, "9 to 5" and "Hoodie" among them, are genuine pop gems. Others are clumsy, aimless, and in some instances downright irritating. Her voice itself will probably detract a lot of listeners, if not the irascible and bratty attitude. But Lady Sovereign does have the gift of capable pop composition. At only 20 years old, she has much time to make use of it, even if Public Warning only shows glimpses of proper application.LCD Soundsystem LCD SoundsystemManic Street Preachers Everything Must GoMorrissey Southpaw GrammarMorrissey Beethoven Was DeafMorrissey My Early Burglary YearsMorrissey Years Of RefusalN Sync CelebrityThe inevitable "celebrity" album everyone must make once they make it big, Nsync apparently wanted to over-stress the point. But star complaints aside, there are some wonderful pop songs here. "Pop", "Girlfriend" and "Gone" were pretty accurate foretellings of what was to come for vocalist Justin Timberlake. But nothing else is of much note. Neutral Milk Hotel On Avery IslandNew Found Glory New Found GloryNirvana In UteroOasis Be Here NowOasis Familiar To MillionsOur Lady Peace GravityPanic! At the Disco A Fever You Can't Sweat OutI expect it will grow old pretty quickly, but right now A Fever You Can't Sweat Out has just the right amount of catchiness, though it borders on irritating at times. Highlight songs are "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom...", "Lying is the Most Fun..." and "I Write Sins...". If I had to pick a favourite out of the crop of similar sounding bands from the past couple years, it would probably be this band. The album has no longevity, but it's far from terrible.Pavement Watery, Domestic EPPulp SeparationsPulp We Love LifeR.E.M. RevealR.E.M. UpRadiohead Pablo HoneyRilo Kiley Under the BlacklightRyan Adams Rock 'n' RollRyan Adams 29Sonic Youth Daydream NationStars NightsongsStars' debut album, Nightsongs has none of the charm of their following releases. It never finds a proper direction and the songwriting is very weak compared to their next two albums. This album also features a cover of the Smiths' "This Charming Man", but they don't do it justice.Talking Heads More Songs About Buildings and FoodTalking Heads Fear of MusicThe Clash Combat RockThe Libertines The LibertinesThe Stone Roses The Stone RosesIan Brown is a terrible singer, among the worst I've ever heard. And I rated this 1.5/5 about a year ago, because after countless replays of the album I was sure his singing did not merit any higher than that. But I still find myself listening to this record on occasion, and enjoying it. You'll get over the voice, and what's hidden below the surface is actually pretty good. Not deserving of being placed on all those "best album ever" lists, but good enough.The Unicorns Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?U2 POPWeezer PinkertonWeezer Green AlbumWeezer MaladroitXiu Xiu La ForetNot being a fan of cacophony and dissonance, Xiu Xiu always straddle the line between brilliant and unlistenable. On their past albums they always had a strong song base beneath the irregular and odd approach they often adopted. On La Foret, I have yet to really grasp the base underneath. It isn't a bad album, and fans of experimental indie will quite enjoy this album. But it lacks the pop base which made Xiu Xiu so engaging in the first place.Yeah Yeah Yeahs Fever To TellYeah Yeah Yeahs Show Your Bones2 poorAerosmith Just Push PlayAll-American Rejects The All-American RejectsMeh might be an exaggeration. I bought this album off the strength of "Swing Swing", and that was as good as it gets. Not a terrible record, but I couldn't in good conscience recommend this to anyone. Good for a few spins, afterwards it all feels like filler. Most likely because it is.Angels and Airwaves We Don't Need to WhisperAudioslave Out Of ExileBeck Stereopathetic SoulmanureBritney Spears BlackoutDefault The FalloutThe singles received more than their fair share of radio play a few years ago. Rather fitting, considering this album is nothing more than a collection of bland radio rock tunes designed to be just inoffensive enough to prevent commuters from changing the station, but not good enough for anyone to actually be happy with their decision to stick with MOR 99.9. Great for Nickelback and Theory of a Deadman fans. That's about it. Editors The Back RoomAmong a sea of similar bands that have released albums in the past two years, there is nothing that sets Editors apart. They're darker than most of their contemporaries, but so are Interpol, British Sea Power etc. Not an explicitly bad album, but I can't encourage anyone to pick this up. If you do, look out for "Munich" and "Bullets" - both great songs. Elvis Costello Punch the ClockElvis Costello Brutal YouthGwen Stefani The Sweet EscapeHoobastank The ReasonJonas Brothers Lines, Vines and Trying TimesKatharine McPhee Katharine McPheeLindsay Lohan A Little More Personal (Raw)Lindsay Lohan should be an actress. After all, she can morph from an Avril Lavigne to a Kelly Clarkson to a Hilary Duff to an Ashlee Simpson imitator all on one album. Perhaps if she developed some originality her musical career might be destined to more than bargain bins next to The Parent Trap videotapes; until then, she's just another Diet Angst teen.Louis XIV The Best Little Secrets Are KeptMiley Cyrus BreakoutMorrissey MaladjustedAlongside Kill Uncle, this stands as Morrissey's worst album. There are some subtly charming songs like "Alma Matters" and "Wide to Receive" and "Satan Rejected My Soul" and the creepy "Ambitious Outsiders", but they only stand out in relation to the other songs on this album. Because the other songs on this album are absolutely terrible. "Sorrow Will Come in the End" doesn't need to be heard by anyone, ever. "Roy's Keen" is retarded, for lack of a more appropriate adjective. Bad album, no need for anyone to hear it. Thank God he followed this with You are the Quarry (albeit 7 years later), or his achievements would have been forever tarnished by this steaming pile. Oasis Heathen Chemistry"The Hindu Times" was a great lead single, and there are odd gems tucked deep within the album like "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" and "Little by Little". But other than that, the album is as disappointing as Standing on the Shoulders of Giants. From the time of Heathen Chemistry's release straight through to early 2005, I had completely written Oasis off as a band with no chance of returning to their past glory. Fortunately Don't Believe the Truth redeemed them, and while it wasn't a perfect album it was a step in the right direction. But Heathen Chemistry hasn't improve over the years. Perhaps download a few select tracks or wait for them to appear on a greatest hits compilation, but stay away from the full album. Pulp ItR.E.M. Around The SunThe Magic Numbers The Magic NumbersThe Streets The Hardest Way To Make An Easy LivingBilly Bragg jokingly subtitled Talking With the Taxman About Poetry the "difficult third album". Were Mike Skinner to subtitle The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living, the "self-absorbed, humourless third album" might be more appropriate. The production has improved over his first two albums, but the drop in quality in every other area tips the balance. The choruses here are catchier, but the lyrics suffer and the topics are either insincere or lazily approached. Tales of the trappings of fame can be interesting, but Skinner's retellings allow for no sympathy. Hopefully he'll return to form with his next release, but I won't hold my breath. Cherish his first two records, stay away from this one.The Velvet Underground White Light/White HeatWilco A.M.Yeah Yeah Yeahs Yeah Yeah Yeahs1.5 very poorDavid Bowie EarthlingElvis Costello Mighty Like A RoseElvis Costello G.B.H.Elvis Costello Terror & MagnificenceEminem Encore"Mosh" is ok. "Like Toy Soldiers" is very good. And there the positives end. Eminem never was a very refined or sophisticated artist, but there's a certain line that has to be drawn where you say enough is enough. Written a song like "Puke" or "Ass Like That" crosses that line. Go back to complaining about being famous or your mom or your wife, but enough of this garbage. Morrissey Kill UncleThe album has an unfinished feel, which can only be explained by the fact that it is musically incomplete. Or so the story goes. Apparently, Morrissey's musical collaborator on this album presented the singer with some rough ideas of where he wanted the album to go. Musically and socially inept Morrissey, either too compositionally-challenged or sheepish to suggest that the songs needed work, took the demos as the final product and ran with it, resulting in the snooze-fest that is Kill Uncle. Ah, it all comes together. I'll give him credit though - "Our Frank" is a genuinely catchy song, as is "Mute Witness". And "Driving Your Girlfriend Home" has the moments of subdued awkwardness that only Morrissey can reflect. But aside from those relative high points, the real trouble with this album is really the lyrics. They're all stinkers. What a let down.New Found Glory CatalystOasis Standing On The Shoulder Of GiantsThese guys recorded "Live Forever"? Honestly? How times can change. This album doesn't even deserve a proper explanation for why it sucks so bad. Run of the mill tripe. Pulp FreaksR.E.M. MonsterSpice Girls ForeverThe Bravery The BraveryWhile initially the album was catchy and fun, this allure wore off after two or three plays. Listen to it, and perhaps enjoy it the first time. Then watch your opinion of it steadily decline. "An Honest Mistake", "Out of Line" and "Tyrant" are decent songs, but their appeal wears out almost as quickly as the weaker songs.1 awfulDeerhoof The Runners FourUnlistenable, at least to me. I need melody and structure and these guys try their hardest not to give it to me. The Smiths The Very Best Of The SmithsAn unnecessary album if there every was one. From the dreadful artwork to the bloated tracklist, this compilation is proof of music industry greed, as if more proof is needed. The music is fantastically fabulous, don't get me wrong. Just find another compilation to listen to.Weezer Make BelieveFor a band to be capable of descending from the heights of The Blue Album to the troughs of Make Believe is a story for the ages. "Perfect Situation" has its fleeting moments of decency, but that makes up only 15 seconds or so of the entire album. Don't buy this.
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