Average Rating: 3.94 Rating Variance: 0.76 Objectivity Score: 64% (Fairly Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicNew York Dolls Too Much Too SoonSuch an intense and fiery album. One of the greatest albums ever made. And, certainly, one of the greatest proto-punk albums ever released. Slight improvement over their gritty debut album. Fucking fantastic. Each song is stellar. A+r- ZachThe Modern Lovers The Modern LoversTersely put, the coolness and excitement found in this album is nonpareil! Excellent and meticulous. A very refreshing and fun album; the inherent essence of rock and roll and punk. Lovely album. Thoroughly enjoyable. A +r- ZachThe Rolling Stones Exile on Main St.This is going to be one hellish album review. How do you review such an epic masterpiece? I shall indubitably try my best. This is THE Stones' record. Nothing they ever put has been such well-crafted and fully lived-in. It's grimy, dirty, perverse, dark, intense, lovely. It rocks so ***ing hard. "Rocks Off" is such an intense and self-deprecating album opener. Love it. "Rip This Joint" is so powerful and moving; it grooves so well. "Shake Your Hips" is better than anything ZZ Top ever put out, hands down. Excellent. White blues personified. "Casino Boogie" is intense and completely satisfying. Another great song. "Tumbling Dice" is heart-wrenching and beautifully so. "Sweet Virginia" is quaint; lovely. Great advice found within. "Torn and Frayed" is simmering with intelligence and hidden beauty. Exceptional. "Sweet Black Angel" is dark. Hypnotic. "Loving Cup" requires many re-listenings but is innately beautiful. Transcending. "Happy" is Richards' song. "Turd on the Run" rocks. Excellent. "Ventilator Blues" is ***ing brutal; I love it. One of the best on this pseudo-greatest hits album. "I Just Want to See His Face" is a perfect followup to "Ventilator Blues"; its choral elements make me want to stand up and shout. Amazing. "Let It Loose" is completely lived-in; stellar. "All Down The Line" is bluesy and intense. One of the best songs on this album. "Stop Breaking Down" follows its predecessor's energy expertly; such a reverential cover. As lovely as "Love In Vain" from "Let It Bleed". "Shine A Light" is hypnotic and has such an intense and commanding presence. "Soul Survivor" meticulously closes out this epic of an album. One of the most energetic infusions of blues, country, soul, gospel and rock I've ever laid my ears onto. Certainly the Stones at their absolute peak. However, I will say that while it's not as tightly focused as "Let It Bleed", it's eclectic and beautifully so. Colossal. A+ - ZachThe Stooges Raw Power"Search and Destroy" is one of the greatest album openers of all time. Pure chaos and fury; exactly what the Stooges were and are! Next is the hypnotic and dismal "Gimme Danger". Excellent in its perverse chaos. "You're Pretty Face is Going to Hell" follows and it's explosive and beautifully so. As Iggy howls the title, it feels as if you're really going to Hell. I love this track; it's perfect. "Penetration" lives up to its namesake and it's fiery and chaotic. Following, is "Raw Power" which starts out with a glorious burp, signifying a "fuck you" to the audience; another perfect song. On the same plane as "Sister Ray" by the Velvets in terms of entropic intensity! "I Need Somebody" is an intense and volatile "ballad" of sorts; it's pure mania. "Shake Appeal" follows and it's my favorite song on this album; it's nonpareil in its intensity. Nothing I've ever listened to before or since has quite rocked so hard; perfect. Ending this album is the widely amplified and resonant "Death Trip" which is the perfect album closer. This album is my favorite album and has been ever since I first heard it. If you're looking for entropy personified, look no further! A+The Velvet Underground The Velvet UndergroundSuccinctly stated, intense, emotive, warm, serene, and dismal. Exceptionally lived-in. One of the greatest albums ever released. An all-time favorite. It's potency lies in its inner beauty, at-times tranquility and partially chaotic capacities. Lovely, and I mean that wholeheartedly. Ungodly beautiful and complex. A+r- ZachThe Vibrators Pure ManiaIntense and crazy. Explosive. "Into the Future" kicks off the album and it's pure mania. "Yeah Yeah Yeah" is as electric as its predecessor. "Sweet Sweet Heart" is a punk ballad of sorts, and it's marvelous. One of my favorites on the album. "Keep It Clean"'s lyrics blow me away; phenomenal. An inner beauty to it. "Baby Baby" is yet another punk ballad; and it's fantastic. "No Heart" is hypnotic and brilliant. "She's Bringing You Down" is another stellar song; fast and frenzied. "Petrol" keeps up with the wild nature of the album, quite perfectly. "London Girls" is as fantastic as its namesake leads you to believe. Excellent. "You Broke My Heart" is another hypnotic song; and it's magnificent in its approach. "Whips and Furs" is the Vibrators' initial foray into sado-masochistic proclivities; it's a perverse ballad of sorts. Fiery. "Stiff Little Fingers" is intensely driven and I love it; real catchy. "Wrecked On You" has an X-esque feel to it; stellar. "I Need a Slave"'s dual guitars amplify the song's catchy intensity; amazing. One of the strongest songs on the album; yet another exploration into BDSM. A long-lost cousin to the Velvets' "Venus in Furs". "Bad Time" is a perfect album closer; brooding and depressing. The detail in the lyrics is exquisite. Overall, a powerful punk album: ingenious songwriting and universally stellar songs. One of my favorite punk albums to date. A +r- Zachr4.5 superbLou Reed Street HassleThis album is seedy and gritty; an exemplary introduction to the underbelly of New York. Really reminds me of the Velvets' first album with Nico. It's dismal and perverse-- and I simply love it. Granted, it did take many re-listenings to really enjoy this album, but it's undoubtedly worth your time! "Gimme Some Good Times" is a stellar-- if not eerie-- reimagining of "Sweet Jane" from the Velvets' fourth album "Loaded". "Dirt" is hypnotic. Great. "Street Hassle" is a long, dreary and in-your-face song about how twisted life affords to be. "I Wanna Be Black" takes a "***-you" approach to racism; however, it is frankly hard to tell what the point of having this song on this album is. It's groovy but it is a dud, quite frankly (hence the 4.5/5). "Real Good Time Together" is eerily hypnotic, much like "Dirt"; it never fails to give me the chills. "Shooting Star" is an alright track, but it doesn't offer much to me. "Leave Me Alone" is Reed's song, where he implores critics and his audience to leave him alone; hmmmm, quite intriguing. "Wait" is a strangely and seemingly upbeat song, yet the perverseness resides in analyzing the lyrics. Stellar, creepy record. Heavily recommended. A - ZachNew York Dolls New York Dolls"Personality Crisis" is in-your-face and unapologetically so. Awesome. "Looking For a Kiss" is a stellar followup to the album opener. Gritty and intense. "Vietnamese Baby" rocks hard. Lyrics. "Lonely Planet Boy" is quieter but one of the greatest songs on this album. I can't rock out nor groove to "Frankenstein"; still a powerful song. "Trash" is seedy, if not a bit vexing at times. "Bad Girl" is intense and helluva lot of fun. "Subway Train" is exquisitely brilliant; fantastic. "Pills" is such an amazing cover. One of the best covers I've ever laid my ears upon. "Private World" is explosive and volatile; yet still manages to have a quiet ambience about it. "Jet Boy" is quirky and fun, much like the band itself. Great rock and roll and proto-punk album. One of the best, but not necessarily better than their sophomore album. A r- ZachRamones Road To RuinA huge improvement over the third-- and most critically acclaimed-- album, "Rocket to Russia". This album shows the Ramones maturing, yet still keeping their punk edge. "I Just Want to Have Something to Do" opens up the album and it's teetering on the edge of calmness and insanity throughout the entire run time; excellent. "I Wanted Everything" is a dud, and it bores me. "Don't Come Close" is a much quieter ballad, and it reminds me of some of the best songs on their second and third albums (which were all fiery punk ballads). "I Don't Want You" is fiery and a better version of a very similar song, "I Don't Care" from their third album. "Needles and Pins" is a stellar cover; melancholic and pleading. An excellent, satisfying song. "I'm Against It" is angry and aggressively punk; I love it. "I Wanna Be Sedated" is a bit silly but still rocks indubitably hard. And, for that reason, it's a great song. "Go Mental" is a dud and is too stupid to enjoy, much like "Teenage Lobotomy". "Questioningly" is my favorite song on this album, since this is not what we nor I would expect from the Ramones; thus, it highlights the preeminent element of maturity in this album. Amazing, intoxicating song. "She's the One" is a rocking ballad of sorts, quite similar to ballads from "Leave Home"; excellent. "Bad Brain" is yet another stupid song; a dud. "It's a Long Way Back" is a depressing yet ultimately perfect album closer. On par with "Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World", if not better. This album does have its flaws, but the level of maturity found throughout makes up for the silliness and stupidity sprinkled throughout. A solid punk album with more heart than any of the Ramones' first three releases. A - ZachThe Damned Damned Damned Damned"Neat Neat Neat" is rapid in succession and is an intense album opener (5/5). "Fan Club" has a harrowing ambience and is so gritty that it's beautiful in its approach (5/5). Next is "I Fall", which is unfortunately forgettable (1/5). "Born to Kill" is hard-hitting and superb (5/5). "Stab Yor Back" is fun and a bit silly, but still moving (3.5/5). "Feel the Pain" is completely eerie and hypnotizing (3/5). "New Rose" is a definite standout on an album chock full of excellent, faced-paced songs (5/5). "Fish" is the embodiment of fun and not taking things too seriously (3.5/5). "See Her Tonite" is expertly crafted and a highly intense song (5/5). "1 of the 2" follows and it's as intense as "See Her Tonite" (5/5). "So Messed Up" requires your attention; it's dark and intensely moving (5/5). Lastly, is their cover of "1970" alternately titled "I Feel Alright" which starts off powerfully, then detracts into pure entropy. However, this cover doesn't live up to The Stooges' original (4/5). All in all, an exceptional album, and completely powerful. (4.5/5)The Rolling Stones Let It BleedPowerful and almost completely lived-in. This album has tonal issues, but the themes of desperation and weariness universally make up for them. "Gimme Shelter" is emphatically emotive and simply demands attention. Beautifully complex song. Still gives me chills. "Love in Vain" is a superb blues cover and the band's interpretation is quite powerful yet remaining reverential. "Country Honk" completely distracts from the powerful themes set forth in the previous two songs. A complete dud; horrible choice to include it in this album. "Live With Me" is only above average; it rocks slightly, and is fun; however, misplaced in this album. However the incongruity innate in this song makes it quite interesting to listen to. "Let It Bleed" is darkly perverse and twisted; and it helps that it rocks fucking hard! Stellar title track. Following with themes of desperation, perverseness and wickedness is "Midnight Rambler". Haunting. "You Got the Silver" is such a lovely vocal performance from Richards; heart-wrenching. "Monkey Man" is simply fun, if not too silly. Not sure how I feel about the song on this album; perhaps a dud-- perhaps not. Lastly is the exceptional, "You Can't Always Get What You Want". Broodingly complex. An almost stellar album, but powerful nonetheless. Tighter and more focused than "Exile On Main Street", "Beggars Banquet" and "Sticky Fingers". Ar- ZachZeros Don't Push Me Around (Rare & Unreleased Classics FSuch a fantastic, if universally unknown, punk album. "Don't Push Me Around" is hypnotic in its fiery, heavily punk approach. "Wimp" is the only dud on the album; forgettable. "Main Street Brat" is fun and gritty; quite powerful, even. "Handgrenade Heart" is one of the best on the album. "Beat Your Heart Out (Version 2)" is the best song on the album; dark and heart wrenching. I love it. "Wild Weekend" is fast and highly frenzied. "Cosmetic Couple" is ingenious and simple, simultaneously. Paradoxical. "Rico Amour" is twisted-- and I love it. One of the strongest on the album. "Beat Your Heart Out" is a stellar song, but not as impressive as "Version 2". "Getting Nowhere fast" is highly punk and beautifully so. Such an intense song. "She's Just A Girl On The Block" is reminiscent of the New York Dolls' "Bad Girl". Fantastic. "They Say That (Everything's Alright)", for whatever, reminds me of the Who at their peak on "Who's Next" ("Teenage Wasteland, anyone?). Fantastic, wholly under appreciated punk album. Oozing with punk brashness throughout. Ar- Zach4.0 excellentLed Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV"Black Dog" rocks fucking hard. Emphatically energetic. Perfect album opener that sets the stage for things to come. "Rock and Roll" is magnificent in its inherent gargantuan energy and charisma. Excellent. "The Battle of Evermore" is incongruous; thus, a dud. Unfortunate. "Stairway to Heaven" exudes such a heavy-handedness of serenity that works quite well in its favor. Superb. "Misty Mountain Hop" is irritating; I can never groove to it. "Four Sticks" is forgettable. "Going to California" has some iffy songwriting but is still heart-wrenching. Excellent, excellent song. "When the Levee Breaks" is a stellar album closer. Completely encapsulates the vastness and epic unworldliness found in this album. The power innate in this song suddenly envelopes you. Perfect album closer. One helluva album. A- r- ZachRamones RamonesThis album conveys such an intense punk attitude and is most definitely reminiscent of stellar photo-punk bands, such as the Stooges, the Velvets, the New York Dolls, and the Sonics. This album is so enjoyable to listen to; one of the Ramones' best albums, if not their best. "Blitzkrieg Bop" is such an intense and hypnotic album opener. Stellar. "Beat on the Brat" is dark and lovely. "Judy is a Punk" is so hardcore and intense; its chaos makes it beautiful. "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" is possibly my favorite Ramones' song; it's loud yet demands a quiet reverence. "Chain Saw" is a fun and campy song, quite similar to the New York Dolls' "There's Gonna Be a Showdown" from their sophomore album, "Too Much Too Soon". "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue" is a dud and is therefore forgettable. "I Don't Wanna Go Down to the Basement" is an excellent, if campy, song. "Loudmouth" is not necessarily forgettable, but also not a standout. "Havana Affair" is such an amazing song; incredible. "Listen to My Heart" is such an intense, heart-wrenching song; a strange prototype to their punk ballads to come. "53rd & 3rd" is such a beautiful and dreary song; I love it. "Let's Dance" is such a moving and meticulous cover. "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You" is ultimately forgettable; unfortunate. "Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World" is an exemplary album closer, one of the Ramones' best. What a fun fucking album. Don't take the Ramones too seriously; simply enjoy. A-r- ZachThe Sonics Here Are the SonicsThis album is loud and intense, just like rock and roll should be. I love this album. It's exciting and innovative for its time. It's most definitely proto-punk and it's fiery. This is sonic power amplified! Great album if you're looking for an exemplary proto-punk album to groove to. A-r- Zach3.5 greatThe Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers"Brown Sugar" doesn't rock nearly as heavily as "Rocks Off", "Gimme Shelter", or "Sympathy for the Devil". Sad. "Sway" is highly intense and dreary. Exceptional in relation to this album's themes of loneliness, desperation and isolation. "Wild Horses" is heartfelt and intensely beautiful. One of the best songs on this album. Much quieter than most of their catalogue. "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" rocks hard but is unfortunately interrupted by a boring, lifeless instrumental session. "You Gotta Move" is on par with "Prodigal Son", "Love In Vain", and "Stop Breaking Down"in terms of blues-infused (and thus, Stones'-infused) energy and enthusiasm. "Bitch" is quite flat and therefore a dud. "I Got the Blues" is Jagger's song. Excellent in its dreariness. "Sister Morphine" doesn't do its namesake justice. A dud. "Dead Flowers" tries to be creative in its self-deprecation, but falls flat. "Moonlight Mile" is on par with "Sympathy for the Devil", "Ventilator Blues", "You Can't Always Get What You Want", and "Wild Horses" as one of the greatest Stones' songs ever written. Hypnotic. Dismal. Melancholic. Pleading. Perfect. An album that doesn't live up to its immediate predecessor nor successor. Still intense at times, though. Br- Zach3.0 goodCaptain Beefheart and His Magic Band Safe As Milk"Sure 'Nuff 'n' Yes, I Do" is bluesy and electrically gritty. Love it. "Zig Zag Wanderer" is forgettable; it rocks slightly, but, overall a dud. "Call On Me" is heart wrenching yet still remains electric; great song. "Dropout Boogie" is too silly and thus distracts from the inherent electricity and volatility found in this album; a dud. "I'm Glad" is simply perfect; quiet yet powerful. Favorite song on this album. "Electricity" is eccentric but overall grating. "Yellow Brick Road" is fun, but, unfortunately forgettable. Sad. "Abba Zaba" is a dud; also, forgettable. "Plastic Factory" is so fucking bluesy; it grooves so hard. Love it. "Where There's Woman" is quietly bluesy; then picks up traction throughout. "Grown So Ugly" is a bit too commonplace for me to groove to; not necessarily a dud though. Slightly enjoyable. "Autumn's Child" is a viable album closer, as it fits the innate strangeness and volatility in this album well. In summation, an intriguing album but not universally great. A few stellar standouts; others are too forgettable to afford many re-listenings. C+r- ZachLed Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IIIAt one point in time, this album meant a great deal to me and was my favorite Zep album. However, after further analysis of this album, my perspective has changed slightly. "Immigrant Song" tries to rock viciously; however, its content is too out-there to enjoy; not necessarily a dud. "Friends" is darkly hypnotic; huge improvement over the album opener. Stellar song. "Celebration Day" is simply mediocre; vexing drawl in the beginning. "Since I've Been Loving You" irritates: on one hand, getting through it takes willpower; on the other hand, however, it has an inherent capacity to fucking rock hard. Difficult song. "Out On the Tiles" is fun, but overall forgettable. Unfortunate. "Gallows Pole" is exemplary. Magnificent. Love it. "Tangerine" is heartfelt and inspirational. "That's the Way" is beautiful; there's no way around this. "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" is superb; quite frankly, it fits the album's acoustic ambience perfectly. And it rocks-- hard! "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper is an excellent album closer. Powerfully intense and dynamic. B-r- ZachRamones Rocket To RussiaI'm a huge fan of the Ramones and this album is intense, but not necessarily spectacular. "Cretin Hop" opens up the album but, quite frankly, it's not on par with "Blitzkrieg Bop" or "Glad to See You Go." It's intense, but the lyrics are quite silly and ultimately forgettable (3.5/5). "Rockaway Beach" is a presumed classic, however, I find it a boring and less intense song that "Cretin Hop" (3/5). "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow", however, is excellent and heart-wrenching. One of the Ramones' greatest and most authentic songs (5/5). "Locket Love" follows and it's spectacular and deeply moving (5/5). "I Don't Care" is rather boring and never gets off the ground and going (2.5/5). "Sheena is a Punk Rocker" is fun personified (4/5). "We're a Happy Family" is very forgettable, much like "Pinhead" (2/5). "Teenage Lobotomy" bores me and is too silly to take seriously, which was probably their intent; still, it vexes me (1/5). "Do You Wanna Dance?" is excellent and reminds me of summer and spring (3.5/5). "I Wanna Be Well" is superb and one of my favorite Ramones' songs (5/5). I'm indifferent to "I Can't Give You Anything" (2/5). "Ramona" is fun and really conveys the camaraderie between the band members (3.5/5). I really dislike "Surfin' Bird" and their version doesn't help uplift my distaste (0/5). "Why is it Always This Way" is an improvement over "You Should Have Never Opened That Door", but a step backwards from "Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World" (3/5). All in all, an intense album, but far from a stellar album. (3/5).The Replacements Let It BeHas a more discrete identity than its predecessor, "Hootenanny". That's a plus. Westerberg's vocals soar and afford meaning and enlightenment-- in some songs. "I Will Dare" is utterly fantastic. Stellar album opener. "Favorite Thing" is a dud; totally forgettable. "We're Coming Out" tries to be in-your-face punk, a callback to their first studio album, "Sorry Ma". Doesn't work on this album, though. "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out" isn't even remotely amusing; stupid. "Androgynous" works on this album; enjoyable, if not partially deep. "Black Diamond" is lifeless and boring. Along with "I Will Dare", "Unsatisfied" is one of the greatest songs on this album. "Seen Your Video" has a "Buck Hill" feeling about it; not as good though. "Gary's Got a Boner" is fun and Westerberg's vocals rock. "Sixteen Blue" is completely lived-in; stellar. Some parts of "Answering Machine" are lived-in and yearning; mostly a dud, unfortunately. Slight improvement over "Hootenanny". Deeper and more complex. C+r- ZachThe Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet"Sympathy for the Devil" is one of the most powerful and engrossing songs ever written. Universal classic, and I don't use that term lightly. "No Expectations" tries to convey a feeling of forlornness and desperation, but, ultimately falls flat on its ass. In polar opposition to its nonpareil predecessor. Sad. "Dear Doctor" is fun and silly; yet, I find myself listening to it on repeat. It works well. "Parachute Woman" is an excellent blues-infused track. Lovely. "Jigsaw Puzzle" tries exceptionally hard to create beauty hidden underneath its lyrics; no such luck. A dud. "Street Fighting Man" is not entirely forgettable, as it does rock slightly. I just can't rock intensely to this song. I really wish I could. Next to "Sympathy for the Devil", "Prodigal Son" is my favorite on this album. Beautiful cover. "Stray Cat Blues" is better than any rocker on "Sticky Fingers". Perverse, but man, does it rock hard. Love it. "Factory Girl" is a dud; unfortunate. "Salt of the Earth" is too self-indulgent, and quite frankly, I think it's a terrible album closer. This album most definitely has its standout moments, but overall, this is just the Stones beginning to come into their own. B-r- ZachThe Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground & Nico"Sunday Morning" is splendid and refreshing. An innate tranquility and ennui about it. "I'm Waiting for the Man" is intense and novel. I love it. "Femme Fatale" feels cold, brutal and completely lived-in. "Venus In Furs" is quite powerful and transcending; atmospheric. Best song on this album. "Run Run Run" is darkly twisted. "All Tomorrow's Parties" never really comes off of the ground; a partial dud. "Heroin" is one of the strongest and most vicious songs on the album. An epic. "There She Goes Again" appears pop-like but is quite dark. The lyrics. Great, if not twisted song. Similar to "Some Kind of Love" from their self-titled album. "I'll Be Your Mirror" still remains the most heart-wrenching song I've ever heard before. No hyperbole. "Black Angel's Death Song" is hypnotic at times, but overall a dud. "European Son" closes the album and it starts off promising. Leaves a stale taste in my mouth. Unfortunate. Overall, a great album. However, their third and fourth albums definitely take the cake. B r- ZachThe Velvet Underground White Light/White HeatEntropic. "White Light/White Heat" is a fantastic album opener; intense. Great proto-punk. Fuzzy and loud. "The Gift" is eerie at times, but the ending is too silly. Not a dud, though. "Lady Godiva's Operation" is one of the most intense songs on the album; very eerie. I love it. "Here She Comes Now" never really comes up off the ground. "I Heard Her Call My Name" is okay, but simply mediocre. Nonsensical lyrics. Perhaps that's where the enjoyment factor comes in, but not for me, unfortunately. "Sister Ray" is entropy personified; I fucking love this track. Brutal and sonically vicious. Perfect album ender and at polar opposite with the antecedent "Candy Says" on their self- titled third album. B- Zach2.5 averageRamones Leave HomeA viable followup to "Ramones" and a highly underrated Ramones album. "Glad to See You Go" takes itself more seriously than their previous album opener "Blitzkrieg Bop". For that reason, it's a more aggressive and ultimately more important song. "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment" has some hidden beauty in it; but, quite frankly, it's a dud. "I Remember You" is a heat wrenching ballad, and I love it; on par with their best songs from "Rocket to Russia". "Oh Oh I Love Her so" is intense yet has a quiet ambience about it; another satisfying song. One of my favorites on this album. "Carbona Not Glue" is the followup to "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue; however, I never enjoyed the stupidity innate in either song, so it's a dud. "Suzy is a Headbanger" is enjoyable, and most importantly, fun; predecessor to "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" from "Rocket to Russia". "Pinhead" is such a stupid song; easily the worst song on this album. "Now I Wanna Be a Good Boy" is unfortunately forgettable. "Swallow My Pride" highlights the maturity found in their songwriting, and I love it. "What's Your Game" reminds me of the Velvets' "Sweet Jane" for whatever reason, and I've grown to love this song. My favorite on the album. "California Sun" is an amazing and fun cover; something the Dictators tried to do, but to no avail. "You're Gonna Kill That Girl" is forgettable; another dud. Lastly, "You Should Have Never Opened That Door" is a weak album closer; most definitely not on par with "Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World". B- - ZachThe Replacements HootenannyOne of the Replacements' best, yet critically underrated. "Hootenanny" is an excellent album opener. "Run It" harkens back to the 'Mats' "Sorry Ma"'s inclination to teenaged frenzy. Tries to rock hard, but I just can't get into it. A dud. "Color Me Impressed" is one of the strongest on the album; a sign of maturity to emerge on "Let It Be". Beautiful. "Willpower" tries to be highly intense but I just can't get into it; the Damned did it better with "Feel the Pain". "Take Me the Hospital" is a bluesy punk rocker; similar to "Otto" from "Sorry Ma". "Mr. Whirly" is an intense song; but it's a bit silly. That doesn't stop me from fucking loving it, though. "Within Your Reach" is another ballad of sorts; much quieter than most of the songs on this album. Fantastic and powerful. One of my favorites on the album. "Buck Hill" certainly reminds of "It's A Long Way Back" by the Ramones. Excellent in its simplicity. "Lovelines" is such a stupid song; certainly a dud; pure filler. "You Lose" reminds me of an early Black Flag outtake; horrible. "Hayday" is a quick song; not quite memorable nor a dud. "Treatment Bound" reminds of the Zeros' "They Say That (Everything's Alright)". Still an okay song, though; simply mediocre at best. The preeminent problem with this album is its lack of a discrete, memorable identity. And, although a handful of songs are memorable (great, even), most are not. Problematic. And this is one of my favorites from them. C-r- Zach
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