JohnXDoesn't
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Reviews 97
Approval 93%

Soundoffs 15
News Articles 55
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Album Edits 13

Album Ratings 270
Objectivity 74%

Last Active 06-26-22 8:34 am
Joined 06-19-05

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Average Rating: 3.60
Rating Variance: 0.65
Objectivity Score: 74%
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2017
U2 Songs of Experience4.0
2015
Bay Faction Bay Faction5.0

2014
U2 Songs of Innocence4.0

2012
Justin Bieber Believe1.0
Fiona Apple The Idler Wheel...4.5
Bruce Springsteen Wrecking Ball4.5

2009
U2 No Line on the Horizon4.5
Bruce Springsteen Working on a Dream4.0

2008
TV on the Radio Dear Science3.5
Sonic Youth The Destroyed Room B-Sides and Rarities3.0

2007
Bruce Springsteen Magic4.5
Foo Fighters Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace3.0
The Smashing Pumpkins Zeitgeist3.5
Bon Jovi Lost Highway2.5
Chris Cornell Carry On2.5
Bruce Springsteen Live in Dublin: With the Sessions Band4.0
Live In Dublin: Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band was recorded on the final leg of a world tour that saw Bruce and company take their brand of loud folk music to fans and the newly converted alike, and if you saw the group early in the tour you were sure to be pleased. But its obvious from this recording the best was yet to come.

It pays to note that as good as the chosen material is for this album, whether taken from last years Seeger Sessions album or newer additions, among the standout cuts are Bruce's own originals, several of which mix nicely side by side with the traditional numbers .

This is a loud, full bodied, revivalist celebration of folk / traditional music. With back up singers, a full horn section, banjo, piano, organ, percussion, steel guitar, pennywhistle, and maybe even a little washboard, the performances on Live In Dublin are straight forward and bold from the beginning.
Satellite Party Ultra Payloaded4.0
Tim Armstrong A Poet's Life2.5
Rush Snakes & Arrows3.5
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Baby 814.0
Patti Smith Twelve3.0
Nine Inch Nails Year Zero4.0
Jennifer Lopez Como Ama Una Mujer2.0
LCD Soundsystem Sound of Silver3.5
Joss Stone Introducing Joss Stone4.0
Arcade Fire Neon Bible3.0
Lily Allen Alright, Still4.0
John Mellencamp Freedom's Road4.0
John Mellencamp's most focused work in well over a decade, Freedom's Road is a rock n roll blast of idealism from the heart of the American Midwest. Troubled songs for troubled times it hits the sweet spot between hope and hardship and delivers the goods true on heartfelt numbers such as "Forgiveness" and "Ghost Towns Along The Highway", as well as stating a case for a kinder, gentler America in soaring anthems like "The Americans" and the This Land Is Your Land inspired "Our Country".

Mellencamp's songwriting prowess and keen eye for the plight of the common man remain undiminished and steadfast as he and his mix of old and new players let the guitars ring out like it was 1985 and his classic "Scarecrow" album all over again for a new generation. But the songs and performances on Freedom's Road are lower key then were found on that album and are infused with a maturity, reflection, and perspective that often comes only with age and experience, and it serves Mellencamp welll on these eleven solid tracks of rootsy rock n roll twang and blue collar, blue state patriotism. Some may scoff while others may cry "liberal" at the albums love thy neighbor sentiments in this time of war and often volatile discourse, but Freedom's Road is full of music so good and lyrics so unabashedly forward in statement and tone the sound of the naysayers are easily drowned out by the voices of rock n roll freedom lovers everywhere and John's focused, determined songwriting and performances. The new years best rock release thus far.
Sloan Never Hear The End Of It3.5

2006
Matisyahu No Place To Be3.5
Perhaps his most seductive release to date, Matisyahu returns at years end to lay upon us "No Place To Be", a seven song EP and 90 minute live DVD in one package. An oddball to some and small genius to others, this record continues the deep jam, reggae influenced dancehall stylings that is this groups/artists specialty. From the funky, socially/politically charged opener Jerusalem (Come Out Of Darkness), spiritual yearning of the reggae/pop groove Warrior, and lean, upbeat, high energy dancehall remix of the previously released "Youth", the CD portion of the package continues to show this is one Hasidic Jew who knows his beats and is far from the fluke and gimmick some have accused him of being in years past. The DVD includes live footage from a Tele Aviv show before an adoring crowd as well as interviews and scenes from the city itself. Taken together this two disc set gives a strong overview of the man, the artist, and the band, and serves as a great introduction for the curious and interested, or another fine taste of this artist for the already converted.
Various Artists (Punk) Brats On The Beat: Ramones For Kids3.0
Taylor Hicks Taylor Hicks3.0
The Flaming Lips Live At Austin City Limits3.5
The Beatles Love3.0
2Pac Pac's Life3.0
Snoop Dogg Tha Blue Carpet Treatment3.5
U2 U218 Singles3.0
Tenacious D The Pick of Destiny4.0
Foo Fighters Skin and Bones4.0
The Who Endless Wire3.5
Sarah McLachlan Wintersong3.0
Twisted Sister A Twisted Christmas3.0
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Love Their Country3.5
Rod Stewart Still The Same....2.0
The Decemberists The Crane Wife3.0
Jerry Lee Lewis Last Man Standing4.0
New Found Glory Coming Home2.0
The Who Quadrophenia Live3.5
Bob Seger Face the Promise2.5
TV on the Radio Return to Cookie Mountain2.5
Everclear Welcome To The Drama Club3.0
Papa Roach The Paramour Sessions4.0
Los Lobos The Town And The City4.0
Perhaps Los Lobos most meaningful and musically rich work since the artistically triumphant Kiko album of nearly 15 years ago, "The Town And The City" is as diverse, colorful, and soulful a record as this group has ever put out in its long and prolific career of making music. Peaceful thematic ballads such as "The Valley" and "If You Were Only Here Tonight" mix with Southwestern flavored rockers like "The Road To Gila Bend", "Two Dogs And A Bone", and long traditional Los Lobos fare like the Cesar Rojas led "Chuco's Cumbia" and "No Puedo Mas", which makes for very rewarding listening throughout.

With drummer/guitarist Louis Perez and singer/guitarist David Hidalgo handling the bulk of the songwriting and arranging as usual, and with a clear and unique vision that has stood the test of time for over 30 years, "The Town And The City" is a dizzying, jazzy, sonic trip through the landscape of the American barrios the members of this group come from. And like so many times before they show the depth of feeling and understanding only life can provide in its words and stories, and manage to make beautiful music from it as well. Simply a superior effort in a catalog teeming with albums you can say the same of.
R.E.M. The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-19874.5
Bob Dylan Modern Times3.5
OutKast Idlewild4.0
Christina Aguilera Back to Basics3.5
Tom Petty Highway Companion3.0
New York Dolls One Day It Will Please Us To Remember...3.5
The Who Wire And Glass3.5
The Format Dog Problems4.0
Grant-Lee Phillips nineteeneighties4.0
The Replacements Don't You Know Who I Think I Was?3.5
A great album for those unfamiliar with this band, "Don't You Know Who I Think I Was" covers a lot of ground over it's twenty tracks. Taking songs from the entire 'Mat's catalogue, including the first three "punk" albums, and the listener gets is a strong impression of what this band was and what they eventually became. Every track here is solid and is truly among the Replacements best work. Of course omissions abound, but with material like "Left Of The Dial", "Alex Chilton", I Will Dare, and "Achin' To Be", who's complaining?The best way to sample this band yet for the five early songs included and if a sample is all you want to digest. Also included are two new songs of some merit, and while nothing too special and sounding somewhat like Paul Westerberg solo cuts, they do contain the spirit of The Replacements. Especially the garage pop of "Pool & Dive". And they are good songs, both. Recommended for the uninitiated or interested.
Sonic Youth Rather Ripped3.5
David Lee Roth Strummin' With The Devil3.0
Elvis Costello The River In Reverse4.0
Born of the hurricane Katrina disaster that destroyed a major American city in one fell swoop, this soulful, deeply spiritual release finds Elvis Costello and the Imposter's engaged with legendary New Orleans R&B piano man Allen Toussaint for a set of his classics, several newly penned collaborations, and just a little bit of protest. Costello shines on vocals doing the old standards while Toussaint lays down tasty piano work throughout, but the real revelations come on those several newly written songs and the Costello penned title track. And what was simply to be a "songbook" record of Costello doing Toussaint covers was instead turned into a thoughtful, bluesy, gospel infused album of pain, hope and despair, and a testament to the hardship of overcoming. A must listen for any Costello, Toussaint, or music fan in general.
Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium4.0
Neil Young Living with War4.0
Bruce Springsteen We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions4.0
Prince 31213.5
Bruce Springsteen Hammersmith Odeon London '753.0

2005
U2 Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago3.5
Nickelback All the Right Reasons2.0
The Knitters The Modern Sounds Of The Knitters3.5
X (USA) Live In Los Angeles4.0
Don't let the 2005 release date sway you from checking this one out. "X: Live In Los Angeles" finds this band of now middle aged punks swinging for the fences and knocking 'em clean out of the park. Classics such as Los Angeles, Johny Hit And Run Pauline, We're Desperate, and The Hungry Wolf are all performed with as much, if not more vigor, then when this band was brand new. And the unique harmonies of singers John Doe and Exene Cervenka are just as fresh and familiar today as they were 25 years ago. If anything all sounds even better for age and experience, but this original line-up have also retained the explosive power and spontaneity of its youth. Perhaps one of the better and more accessible live punk rock albums ever recorded, X: Live In Los Angeles is sure to please fans but is also a great introduction for the newbie to this highly influential group.
Mariah Carey The Emancipation of Mimi3.5
Concrete Blonde The Essential3.5

2004
U2 How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb4.0
R.E.M. Around the Sun3.0
Green Day American Idiot3.5
The Who Then and Now3.0
Jessica Simpson In This Skin (Collector's Edition)2.0

2003
Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros Streetcore3.5
Jet Get Born3.0
The Who Live at the Royal Albert Hall3.5
Led Zeppelin How the West Was Won2.5
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin [DVD]3.0
Everclear Slow Motion Daydream3.0

2002
Christina Aguilera Stripped2.5
Bruce Springsteen The Rising4.0
Red Hot Chili Peppers By the Way3.5
The Blasters Testament: The Complete Slash Recordings4.0

2001
The Strokes Is This It3.5
R.E.M. Reveal3.5

2000
U2 All That You Can't Leave Behind4.5
Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes Live At The Greek4.5
Led Zeppelin Best Of, Vol. 2: Latter Days2.5
Everclear Songs From An American Movie, Vol. 14.0

1999
Led Zeppelin Best Of, Vol. 1: Early Days2.5
Foo Fighters There Is Nothing Left to Lose3.0
The Clash Live: From Here to Eternity4.0
Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros Rock Art And The X-Ray Style3.5
Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication4.0
The Who 20th Century Masters3.0
Stone Temple Pilots No. 43.5
Britney Spears ...Baby One More Time1.0

1998
R.E.M. Up3.0
Roy Orbison Black & White Night4.5

1997
X (USA) The X Anthology4.0
L7 The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum4.0
Everclear So Much For The Afterglow4.0
Bob Dylan Time Out of Mind4.5

1996
Journey Trial By Fire2.0
R.E.M. New Adventures in Hi-Fi4.5
Paul Westerberg Eventually4.0
Stone Temple Pilots Tiny Music... Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop3.0

1995
Rancid ...And Out Come the Wolves4.0
Green Day Insomniac3.5
Red Hot Chili Peppers One Hot Minute3.0
X (USA) Unclogged4.0
Oasis (What's the Story) Morning Glory?4.5
Radiohead The Bends4.0

1994
Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York4.0
R.E.M. Monster3.0
Stone Temple Pilots Purple3.5
Weezer Weezer3.5

1993
Guns N' Roses The Spaghetti Incident?3.0
U2 Zooropa4.0
X (USA) Hey Zeus3.0
Dinosaur Jr. Where You Been3.5
1992
R.E.M. Automatic for the People5.0
Screaming Trees Sweet Oblivion4.5
Sonic Youth Dirty3.5
Stone Temple Pilots Core2.5
Bruce Springsteen Lucky Town3.5
Social Distortion Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell3.5

1991
Genesis We Can't Dance2.5
Nirvana Nevermind4.0
Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik4.5
Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion II3.5
Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion I3.0
Rush Roll the Bones2.5
Hole Pretty On The Inside3.0
R.E.M. Out of Time4.0
Pixies Trompe Le Monde4.0

1990
The Replacements All Shook Down3.5
Pixies Bossanova4.5

1989
The B-52s Cosmic Thing3.5
The Replacements Don't Tell a Soul2.5
Tom Petty Full Moon Fever4.0
Pixies Doolittle4.5

1988
X (USA) Live At The Whiskey3.5
Pixies Surfer Rosa4.0
DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper3.5
R.E.M. Green2.5
The Pogues If I Should Fall from Grace with God4.0

1987
The Replacements Pleased To Meet Me4.5
Bruce Springsteen Tunnel of Love4.0
Pixies Come On Pilgrim4.0
R.E.M. Document3.5
X (USA) See How We Are3.5
Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction4.0
An album that was dead in the water until a video caught on with the MTV crowd, Appetite For Destruction sounds exactly as the title suggest. Far from the bloated and slick hard rock of the day that was clogging up the airwaves, this hungry, outrageous, hell raising band from the gutters of L.A. calling themselves Guns n Roses would put any and all poser bands to instant shame with this furious first effort of hard rock tracks such as "Welcome To The Jungle" "Mr Brownstone", and "My Michelle". Signaling the real beginning of the end for hair bands far and wide that simply couldn't keep pace, Guns n Roses "Appetite For Destruction" is a lean, mean, ground breaking hard rock album for the ages. And destroy it did.
John Mellencamp The Lonesome Jubilee4.5
R.E.M. Dead Letter Office3.0
U2 The Joshua Tree4.5
Robbie Robertson Robbie Robertson4.5

1986
Husker Du Candy Apple Grey4.0
Pete Townshend Deep End Live!4.0
Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet1.5
R.E.M. Lifes Rich Pageant4.5
This, REM's fourth full length album in as many years, finds the band working with a new producer and a new sound after three albums of jangly acoustic rock leanings and vague undersung vocals that perhaps even CIA decoders would be challenged to decipher. Here, the band picks up noisy, distorted electric guitars for outstanding cuts such as "Begin The Begin" and "These Days", but also strike a nice balance in softer tunes such as "Fall On Me" and The Flowers Of Guatemala". A turning point for the band that would see it leave it's indie roots behind while remaining true to all they ever were, Life's Rich Pageant finds REM coming to new life as a rock n roll band as full and rich as any you can name. And it remains one of the bands very best.
Big Country The Seer4.5
Sonic Youth Evol4.0

1985
Pete Townshend White City: A Novel3.5
The Clash Cut the Crap2.0
R.E.M. Fables of the Reconstruction4.0
X (USA) Ain't Love Grand2.5
Motley Crue Theatre of Pain1.0
U2 Wide Awake in America3.0
Big Audio Dynamite This Is Big Audio Dynamite3.0
Husker Du New Day Rising4.0
Lone Justice Lone Justice4.0
The Replacements Tim4.5
The Pogues Rum Sodomy & the Lash4.5

1984
U2 The Unforgettable Fire3.0
Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A.3.5
Bob Marley and The Wailers Legend5.0
Van Halen 19844.0
Wham! Make It Big2.0
The Replacements Let It Be4.0
Los Lobos How Will The Wolf Survive?4.0
Black Flag My War3.5
R.E.M. Reckoning4.0

1983
U2 Under A Blood Red Sky4.0
Big Country The Crossing5.0
X (USA) More Fun In The New World4.5
Pink Floyd The Final Cut4.5
R.E.M. Murmur4.0

1982
Prince 19994.5
The Who It's Hard2.0
X (USA) Under The Big Black Sun4.5
Duran Duran Rio1.5
Bruce Springsteen Nebraska4.5
Van Halen Diver Down4.0
Pete Townshend All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes4.5
Pete Townshends second offical solo album and arguably one of his most satisfying works, All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes finds The Who leader clean and sober and spritually relieved for the first time in perhaps a decade up to this point, and it is through this work that he chose to express his new found clarity. Musically upbeat, reflective, and meloncholy, and lyrically bold and honest, ATBCHCE chronicles Pete's personal journey through his struggles with his demons, his relationships, his drugs, and his very life. And the listener is rewarded by his passion for his message of forgiveness and redemption and acceptance, both lyrically and musically. A substantially greater work then any of The Who's last three albums, this album and the one which came before (Empty Glass) shows Townshend at the top of his game, instead of the fading rockstar he had become with The Who. And it's a refreshing listen for Who and non who fans alike. Rock, pop, a touch of new wave, and The Who, this album has it all. I highly recommend it.
The Clash Combat Rock4.0

1981
The Police Ghost in the Machine4.0
Stevie Nicks Bella Donna4.0
X (USA) Wild Gift5.0
A wild, visceral trip through the hard life and hard fun of the Los Angeles underground scene circa the late 70's early 80's, Wild Gift by X finds the band with a stripped down, toughened up sound and heartbreak on their minds. The punk rock foursome break new punk ground with rockabilly stylings, bouncy pop-punk, and hard edged rock n roll. Singers John Doe and Exene Cervenka wail away like wild banshees on a rampage, Billy Zoom lays down lightening guitar licks, and DJ Bonebrake pounds his skins with finesse and fury. A must have recording in any rock music collection
Van Halen Fair Warning2.5
The Who Face Dances3.0

1980
The Clash Sandinista!4.0
U2 Boy3.5
Bruce Springsteen The River4.5
The Beat I Just Can't Stop It4.0
Pete Townshend Empty Glass4.0
Van Halen Women and Children First2.5
X (USA) Los Angeles5.0
The Pretenders Pretenders5.0
1979
The Clash London Calling5.0
Led Zeppelin In Through the Out Door4.0
The Who The Kids Are Alright4.0
Van Halen Van Halen II4.0

1978
The Clash Give 'Em Enough Rope4.0
Rush Hemispheres2.5
The Who Who Are You2.5
Elvis Costello This Year's Model4.5
The Cars The Cars4.0
Van Halen Van Halen4.5
Adding much flavor and needed color to the late 70's Los Angeles hard rock scene, Van Halen's self titled debut album took the nation by storm with fun and exuberant tracks such as "Feel Your Love Tonight" and down and dirty, living on the edge cuts like "Runnin' With The Devil". With a flamboyant lead singer that oozed sex appeal in David Lee Roth, a hard hitting rthymn section, and the latest hard rock "Guitar God" on hand in Eddie Van Halen, this once completely unknown group from Pasadena Cali came out of the gates smokin' and never looked back. Good time, uproarious rock n roll for whenever you're in the mood for such.
Bruce Springsteen Darkness on the Edge of Town4.5
Boston Don't Look Back2.0

1977
Styx The Grand Illusion2.0
This album blows harder then a mighty hurricaine wind. Full of overblown synthsizer work, boring guitar drivel, Queen inspired faux chior vocals, and silly pretentious pap such as the overwrought "Superstars", dumb cautionary tale "Miss America", the preachy "Fooling Yourself", corny "Man In The Wilderness", and of course the bloated, grandiose title cut, this kind of crap is like the heavy straw that would break the back of rock n roll. 100% awful.
The Clash The Clash4.0
Emerson Lake and Palmer Works Volume 12.0
Fleetwood Mac Rumours4.5

1976
Boston Boston3.0
Led Zeppelin Presence2.0
Bob Dylan Desire4.0

1975
The Who The Who by Numbers3.5
Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti4.0
Rush Fly by Night2.5
Bruce Springsteen Born to Run4.5
1973
The Who Quadrophenia5.0
Led Zeppelin The Song Remains the Same2.5
Bruce Springsteen The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle3.0
New York Dolls New York Dolls3.5
Bob Marley and The Wailers Catch A Fire5.0
Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy4.0
Bruce Springsteen Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.3.0

1972
Deep Purple Machine Head2.5
Neil Young Harvest4.0

1971
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV4.0
The Who Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy3.5
The Who Who's Next4.5
Joni Mitchell Blue5.0

1970
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin III4.5
The Who Live at Leeds5.0
Considered by many to be the best live rock n roll recording of the rock music era, Live At Leeds by the Who is loud, brash, violent rock n roll at it's best. Far from who the band were in the studio, on L&L The Who create music that is truly alive and spectacular. It's hard to imagine this much explosive power coming from only three musicians and a singer onstage, but from the opening number to the closing track this album is an almost physical assualt on the body and senses. Magnificiant, bold, and astounding in everyway, I cannot recommend any live recording higher.

Also available in an expanded "Deluxe Edition".

1969
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II3.5
The Who Tommy3.0
Neil Young Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere4.5
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin3.0

1968
The Beatles The Beatles4.5
Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison5.0

1967
The Who The Who Sell Out4.0

1966
The Who A Quick One4.0

1965
The Who My Generation4.0
1963
Various Artists A Christmas Gift For You5.0
The Beatles Please Please Me4.0
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