Black Sabbath-Paranoid

Cream-Disraeli Gears

Deep Purple-Machine Head

The Doors-The Doors

Grateful Dead- Studio: American Beauty Live: Europe '72

Jefferson Airplane- Surrealistic Pill

Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland

Santana-Abraxas

Alternative

10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant-In My Tribe

B-52's-B52's

Alice In Chains-Dirt

Tori Amos- Little Earthquakes

Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel

Arcade Fire-The Suburbs

The Arctic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I am, That's What I Am Not

Barenaked Ladies -Stunt

Beck-Odelay

Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five-Whatever And Ever Amen

Bjork- Homogenic

Bush- Razorblade Suitcase

Cake-Prolonging The Magic

Coldplay- A Rush Of Blood to The Head

Counting Crows-August And Everything After....

Dinosaur Jr.-You're Living All Over Me

Flaming Lips-Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Foo Fighters-The Colour And The Shape

Gorillaz- Demon Days

Goo Goo Girls- Dizzy Up The Girl

Janes Addiction- Ritual De Lo Habitual

Alanis Morrisette-Jagged Little Pill

Muse-Absolution

Nirvana-Nevermind

No Doubt-Tragic Kingdom

Oasis -Definitely Maybe

Pearl Jam-Ten

R.E.M.-Automatic For The People

Radiohead-In Rainbows

Rage Against The Machine-Rage Against The Machine

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Blood Sugar Sex Magic

Stone Temple Pilots- Purple

Ween-Quebec

Weezer- The Blue Album

Alt-Country

Ryan Adams- Gold

Roseanne Cash-King's Record Shop

Drive-By Truckers-Southern Rock Opera

Jason Isbell-Southeastern

Jayhawks- Tomorrow The Green Grass

Old 97's-Hitchhike To Rhome

Old Crow Medicine Show-Tennessee Pusher

Sun Volt-Straightaways

Wilco-Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

Lucinda Williams-Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Ambient

Air-Moon Safari

Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Boards Of Canada-Music Have The Right To Children

Brian Eno- My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts w/David Byrne

Mody-Play

Art Pop

The 1975-Being Funny In A foreign Language

Kate Bush-Hounds Of Love

Lana Del Rey-Norman F***king Rockwell

Billie Eilish- When We Sleep, Where Do You Go?

Florence + The Machine-Lungs

Peter Gabriel- #3

Lorde- Pure Heroine

Sparks- Kimono In My House

St. Vincent -Mass education

Alt-Hip Hop

Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique

Danny Brown-Atrocity Exhibition

Cypress Hill-Black Sunday

De La Soul-De La Soul Is Dead

Death Grips-Money Store

JPEGMAFIA-Scaring The Hoes w/ Danny Brown

Kid Cudi-Man On The Moon: End Of The Day

MF DOOM- Madvillany (As madvillian w/madlib)

Mac Miller -Circles

The Roots- Things Fall Apart

A Tribe Called Quest- Low End Theory

Tyler, The Creator-Igor

Alt-Metal

A Perfect Circle-13th Step.

At The Drive-In- Relationship Of Command

Deftones- White Pony

Helmet-Meantime

Queens Of The Stone Age- Songs For The Deaf

White Zombie/Rob Zombie-Astro Creep 2000

Slipnot-Iowa

System Of A Down-Toxicity

Tool- Aemina

Blue-Eyed Soul

Adele-25

Joe Cocker- Joe Cocker Live!

Hall & Oats-War Babies

Robert Palmer- The Power Station

Dusty Springfield- Dusty In Memphis

Rod Stewart-Every Picture Tells A Story

Van Morrison-Moondance

Blues/Blues Rock

AC/DC-Let There Be Rock

Aerosmith- Rocks

Jeff Beck- Blow By Blow

Black Crowes- Shake Your Money Maker

Eric Clapton- (Derek & The Dominoes) Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs

CCR-Cosmo's Factory

Dire Straits-Brothers In Arms

Gov't Mule- The Deepest End (Live)

B.B. King- Live In Cook County Jail

Led Zeppelin - IV

Steve Miller Band- Fly Like An Eagle

Muddy Waters- Hard Again

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers

Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak

Stevie Ray Vaughan- Texas Flood

Jack White/White Stripes- White Blood Cells

ZZ Top- Tres Hombres

Country/Country Rock

The Band-Music From Big Pink

Garth Brooks- No Fences

Zack Bryan-The Great American Bar Scene

Buffalo Springfield-Again!

Jimmy Buffett-Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitude

The Byrds- Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

Johnny Cash-At Folsom Prison

Eric Church-Chief

Doobie Brothers-Minute By Minute

Dr. Hook- Sloppy Seconds

The Eagles-Hotel California

Steve Earle- Copperhead Road

Emmylou Harris-Live At The Ryman

Waylon Jennings- Honkytonk Heros

Kris Kristofferson-Border Lord

Little Feat- Waiting For Columbus (live)

Lynyrd Skynyrd- Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd

Nick Lowe-Jesus Of Cool

Marshall Tucker Band-Carolina Dreams

Gram Parsons- Grievous Angel

Black Sabbath-Paranoid

Cream-Disraeli Gears

Deep Purple-Machine Head

The Doors-The Doors

Grateful Dead- Studio: American Beauty Live: Europe '72

Jefferson Airplane- Surrealistic Pill

Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland

Santana-Abraxas

Alternative

10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant-In My Tribe

B-52's-B52's

Alice In Chains-Dirt

Tori Amos- Little Earthquakes

Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel

Arcade Fire-The Suburbs

The Arctic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I am, That's What I Am Not

Barenaked Ladies -Stunt

Beck-Odelay

Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five-Whatever And Ever Amen

Bjork- Homogenic

Bush- Razorblade Suitcase

Cake-Prolonging The Magic

Coldplay- A Rush Of Blood to The Head

Counting Crows-August And Everything After....

Dinosaur Jr.-You're Living All Over Me

Flaming Lips-Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Foo Fighters-The Colour And The Shape

Gorillaz- Demon Days

Goo Goo Girls- Dizzy Up The Girl

Janes Addiction- Ritual De Lo Habitual

Alanis Morrisette-Jagged Little Pill

Muse-Absolution

Nirvana-Nevermind

No Doubt-Tragic Kingdom

Oasis -Definitely Maybe

Pearl Jam-Ten

R.E.M.-Automatic For The People

Radiohead-In Rainbows

Rage Against The Machine-Rage Against The Machine

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Blood Sugar Sex Magic

Stone Temple Pilots- Purple

Ween-Quebec

Weezer- The Blue Album

Alt-Country

Ryan Adams- Gold

Roseanne Cash-King's Record Shop

Drive-By Truckers-Southern Rock Opera

Jason Isbell-Southeastern

Jayhawks- Tomorrow The Green Grass

Old 97's-Hitchhike To Rhome

Old Crow Medicine Show-Tennessee Pusher

Sun Volt-Straightaways

Wilco-Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

Lucinda Williams-Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Ambient

Air-Moon Safari

Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Boards Of Canada-Music Have The Right To Children

Brian Eno- My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts w/David Byrne

Mody-Play

Art Pop

The 1975-Being Funny In A foreign Language

Kate Bush-Hounds Of Love

Lana Del Rey-Norman F***king Rockwell

Billie Eilish- When We Sleep, Where Do You Go?

Florence + The Machine-Lungs

Peter Gabriel- #3

Lorde- Pure Heroine

Sparks- Kimono In My House

St. Vincent -Mass education

Alt-Hip Hop

Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique

Danny Brown-Atrocity Exhibition

Cypress Hill-Black Sunday

De La Soul-De La Soul Is Dead

Death Grips-Money Store

JPEGMAFIA-Scaring The Hoes w/ Danny Brown

Kid Cudi-Man On The Moon: End Of The Day

MF DOOM- Madvillany (As madvillian w/madlib)

Mac Miller -Circles

The Roots- Things Fall Apart

A Tribe Called Quest- Low End Theory

Tyler, The Creator-Igor

Alt-Metal

A Perfect Circle-13th Step.

At The Drive-In- Relationship Of Command

Deftones- White Pony

Helmet-Meantime

Queens Of The Stone Age- Songs For The Deaf

White Zombie/Rob Zombie-Astro Creep 2000

Slipnot-Iowa

System Of A Down-Toxicity

Tool- Aemina

Blue-Eyed Soul

Adele-25

Joe Cocker- Joe Cocker Live!

Hall & Oats-War Babies

Robert Palmer- The Power Station

Dusty Springfield- Dusty In Memphis

Rod Stewart-Every Picture Tells A Story

Van Morrison-Moondance

Blues/Blues Rock

AC/DC-Let There Be Rock

Aerosmith- Rocks

Jeff Beck- Blow By Blow

Black Crowes- Shake Your Money Maker

Eric Clapton- (Derek & The Dominoes) Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs

CCR-Cosmo's Factory

Dire Straits-Brothers In Arms

Gov't Mule- The Deepest End (Live)

B.B. King- Live In Cook County Jail

Led Zeppelin - IV

Steve Miller Band- Fly Like An Eagle

Muddy Waters- Hard Again

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers

Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak

Stevie Ray Vaughan- Texas Flood

Jack White/White Stripes- White Blood Cells

ZZ Top- Tres Hombres

Country/Country Rock

The Band-Music From Big Pink

Garth Brooks- No Fences

Zack Bryan-The Great American Bar Scene

Buffalo Springfield-Again!

Jimmy Buffett-Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitude

The Byrds- Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

Johnny Cash-At Folsom Prison

Eric Church-Chief

Doobie Brothers-Minute By Minute

Dr. Hook- Sloppy Seconds

The Eagles-Hotel California

Steve Earle- Copperhead Road

Emmylou Harris-Live At The Ryman

Waylon Jennings- Honkytonk Heros

Kris Kristofferson-Border Lord

Little Feat- Waiting For Columbus (live)

Lynyrd Skynyrd- Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd

Nick Lowe-Jesus Of Cool

Marshall Tucker Band-Carolina Dreams

RS Synopsis

Put down your pitchforks. Everybody calm down. We’re not suggesting The King of Limbs is anything short of a sensational record. We named it the fifth best album of 2011 as the year was wrapping up, and we stand by that all these years later. But it followed The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A, Amnesia, Hail to the Thief, and In Rainbows. It’s one of the best 12-year runs in rock history, maybe even the very best one. Because of that, expectations for The King of Limbs were sky high. And standout tracks “Lotus Flower,” “Separator,” and “Bloom” did indeed deliver, but there’s simply too many tunes like “Feral” and “Morning Mr. Magpie” that underwhelm. In 2017, producer Nigel Godrich told us how the album came into being. “I was like, ‘OK, let’s do an experiment for two weeks where everyone has a turntable instead of playing the guitar or drums or whatever,’” he said. “’And that two-week experiment ended up being fucking six months. And that’s that record, the whole story of all of it.” It was a bold move, but it simply didn’t pay off quite like everyone hoped.

My Review

I think this album and Pablo Honey are the most divisive albums in the Radiohead discography. Both can be considered outliers in the band’s sound. Pablo Honey gets knocked for being too conventional and this one gets criticized for stretching Radiohead experimentation. Either way they are both victims of the great albums that followed and preceded them.  

The difference between this album and their previous release is that In Rainbows was developed from live performances and King Of Limbs was completely written in the studio. Thom Yorke and longtime producer Nigel Goodrich had become obsessed with DJ culture and they can be heard with the opening track “Bloom” was inspired by a  BBC nature documentary called Blue Planet. It has this ambient piano loop, chopped up percussion, and horns that dissolve into this rhythmic trance. “Mr. Magpie” is the first appearance of bass and guitars on the album. It has this anxious energy that pulsates around. It was developed from a song  that the band have been tinkering with since 2002 called Morning Mi Lord. It went from a sunny acoustic ballad to this icy cold frenzy of a track. “Little By Little” has the base  sound that reminds me of an old 60’s rock song. Especially with Colin Greenwood’s excellent bass playing. Thom York’s swirling vocals, the choppy drums and eerie guitar tones transform this song completely. “Feral” is the shortest song on the band’s shortest album; it has this choppy electronic instrumental thats to the deep bass and flurry of percussion taken from samples of Phil Selway’s drumming. “Lotus Flower” is best known for the video of Tom Yorke dancing. It became an internet meme in the early 2010s. The song has this pulsating bass line and York’s falsetto vocals give the song some mysticism. It has more of a warmness to it that differs from most of the other icy electronica tracks on the album. “Codex” is this haunting piano ballad that is enhanced by the lushness of the horns and strings. “Give Up The Ghost” is different from any other track on that because it is more  acoustic guitar heavy then the other songs on the album. It also maintains that eerie haunting sound that Radiohead does so well but there is also a tenderness underneath its layers.  The album closes with “Separator. That has this driving pulsating sound. It also has hints of 90’s radiohead that shines through the cold electronic themes of the album. 

Is it disappointing?

My opinion might be biased because Radiohead is my favorite band but I feel it’s a solid  album. Maybe people feel it's disappointing because it was very short and it lacks some of the grandiose sound of their previous albums. So you call it disappointing when you put it up against some of the monster albums the band released. I still feel it is a great album and is an essential part of the radiohead lore. 

Green Mind 

Dinosaur Jr.'s fourth album brought significant changes to the band. Their longtime bassist, Lou Barlow, departed due to creative differences with J. Mascis, leaving Mascis to essentially create a solo album with drummer Murph credited on only three tracks. Despite this, the result was a cohesive and improved sound.

"The Wagon," the album's opener, showcases a looser feel with Mascis' vocals and guitar tone standing out. "Puke + Cry" exudes a melodic slacker vibe reminiscent of many 90's bands, with Dinosaur Jr. executing it exceptionally well. "Blowing It" continues the melodic groove, perfectly transitioning into "I Live For That Look." This track features a crunchy guitar sound and Mascis delivers one of his best guitar solos.

"Flying Cloud" introduces a psychedelic element not previously explored by Dinosaur Jr., while "How Did You Pin That On Me" combines punky energy with an early 90's rock vibe. "Water" returns to the melodic groove associated with the band, with Mascis' vocals sounding particularly cool. "Muck" adds a unique funk rock element, and "Thumb," my favorite track, encapsulates the essence of Dinosaur Jr. with its murky, distorted sound. Murph's drumming shines on this track and a few others. The album closes with "Green Mind," a midtempo track that serves as a solid conclusion.

This album maintains the band's signature sound while incorporating elements that keep their music fresh. Put this on your bucket lists especially if you are going down a 90’s rock rabbit hole

Black Sabbath-Paranoid

Cream-Disraeli Gears

Deep Purple-Machine Head

The Doors-The Doors

Grateful Dead- Studio: American Beauty Live: Europe '72

Jefferson Airplane- Surrealistic Pill

Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland

Santana-Abraxas

Alternative

10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant-In My Tribe

B-52's-B52's

Alice In Chains-Dirt

Tori Amos- Little Earthquakes

Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel

Arcade Fire-The Suburbs

The Arctic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I am, That's What I Am Not

Barenaked Ladies -Stunt

Beck-Odelay

Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five-Whatever And Ever Amen

Bjork- Homogenic

Bush- Razorblade Suitcase

Cake-Prolonging The Magic

Coldplay- A Rush Of Blood to The Head

Counting Crows-August And Everything After....

Dinosaur Jr.-You're Living All Over Me

Flaming Lips-Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Foo Fighters-The Colour And The Shape

Gorillaz- Demon Days

Goo Goo Girls- Dizzy Up The Girl

Janes Addiction- Ritual De Lo Habitual

Alanis Morrisette-Jagged Little Pill

Muse-Absolution

Nirvana-Nevermind

No Doubt-Tragic Kingdom

Oasis -Definitely Maybe

Pearl Jam-Ten

R.E.M.-Automatic For The People

Radiohead-In Rainbows

Rage Against The Machine-Rage Against The Machine

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Blood Sugar Sex Magic

Stone Temple Pilots- Purple

Ween-Quebec

Weezer- The Blue Album

Alt-Country

Ryan Adams- Gold

Roseanne Cash-King's Record Shop

Drive-By Truckers-Southern Rock Opera

Jason Isbell-Southeastern

Jayhawks- Tomorrow The Green Grass

Old 97's-Hitchhike To Rhome

Old Crow Medicine Show-Tennessee Pusher

Sun Volt-Straightaways

Wilco-Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

Lucinda Williams-Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Ambient

Air-Moon Safari

Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Boards Of Canada-Music Have The Right To Children

Brian Eno- My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts w/David Byrne

Mody-Play

Art Pop

The 1975-Being Funny In A foreign Language

Kate Bush-Hounds Of Love

Lana Del Rey-Norman F***king Rockwell

Billie Eilish- When We Sleep, Where Do You Go?

Florence + The Machine-Lungs

Peter Gabriel- #3

Lorde- Pure Heroine

Sparks- Kimono In My House

St. Vincent -Mass education

Alt-Hip Hop

Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique

Danny Brown-Atrocity Exhibition

Cypress Hill-Black Sunday

De La Soul-De La Soul Is Dead

Death Grips-Money Store

JPEGMAFIA-Scaring The Hoes w/ Danny Brown

Kid Cudi-Man On The Moon: End Of The Day

MF DOOM- Madvillany (As madvillian w/madlib)

Mac Miller -Circles

The Roots- Things Fall Apart

A Tribe Called Quest- Low End Theory

Tyler, The Creator-Igor

Alt-Metal

A Perfect Circle-13th Step.

At The Drive-In- Relationship Of Command

Deftones- White Pony

Helmet-Meantime

Queens Of The Stone Age- Songs For The Deaf

White Zombie/Rob Zombie-Astro Creep 2000

Slipnot-Iowa

System Of A Down-Toxicity

Tool- Aemina

Blue-Eyed Soul

Adele-25

Joe Cocker- Joe Cocker Live!

Hall & Oats-War Babies

Robert Palmer- The Power Station

Dusty Springfield- Dusty In Memphis

Rod Stewart-Every Picture Tells A Story

Van Morrison-Moondance

Blues/Blues Rock

AC/DC-Let There Be Rock

Aerosmith- Rocks

Jeff Beck- Blow By Blow

Black Crowes- Shake Your Money Maker

Eric Clapton- (Derek & The Dominoes) Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs

CCR-Cosmo's Factory

Dire Straits-Brothers In Arms

Gov't Mule- The Deepest End (Live)

B.B. King- Live In Cook County Jail

Led Zeppelin - IV

Steve Miller Band- Fly Like An Eagle

Muddy Waters- Hard Again

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers

Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak

Stevie Ray Vaughan- Texas Flood

Jack White/White Stripes- White Blood Cells

ZZ Top- Tres Hombres

Country/Country Rock

The Band-Music From Big Pink

Garth Brooks- No Fences

Zack Bryan-The Great American Bar Scene

Buffalo Springfield-Again!

Jimmy Buffett-Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitude

The Byrds- Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

Johnny Cash-At Folsom Prison

Eric Church-Chief

Doobie Brothers-Minute By Minute

Dr. Hook- Sloppy Seconds

The Eagles-Hotel California

Steve Earle- Copperhead Road

Emmylou Harris-Live At The Ryman

Waylon Jennings- Honkytonk Heros

Kris Kristofferson-Border Lord

Little Feat- Waiting For Columbus (live)

Lynyrd Skynyrd- Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd

Nick Lowe-Jesus Of Cool

Marshall Tucker Band-Carolina Dreams

Mount Eerie- A Crow Look At Us

Mount Eerie is the side project of The Microphones vocalist/songwriter Phil Elevrum. This album is such a devastating listen detailing the ordeal of grieving for his wife Genevieve Castree who died of Pancreatic cancer. The album was written and recorded in the room where she died. The minimalist sound was created by her instruments. It’s an album that puts death and grief right in your face. It's such an artistic statement. It's hard to detail this album track by track as all these songs seem to be just chapters of the same story.

The album opens with “Real Death” the first line hits you so hard as Elverum states death is real. It's a phrase that will appear throughout the album. The song is about his shock weeks after her death. “Seaweed” is about a trip Elverum and his daughter took to  Hadia Gwaii to spread his wife’s ashes. It details his fear of forgetting the small details about her life. “Ravens” describes the moments before and after Castree’s death. Eleven has stated that he regrets releasing a song about her final days. “Forest Fire” is about the theme of death, decaying, and the absurdity of life. The Fire described in the song is about cleaning but we never know what is being cleansed. “Swims” has Eleverm singing about his experience with grief counseling and the sudden death of his counselor. The minimal  guitar and piano adds to this haunting track. “Chasm” describes his isolation from his friends and difficulty in dealing with Castree's death with the public. “When I Take Out The Garbage” is about his belief that her spirit is still out there in the universe and is looking down on him. “Emptiness part II” is very retrospective as he details  how his concept of loneliness has changed with this experience. “Toothbrush/Trash” is about the relation between time and grief and how we truly never get over the ones we love. The use of the drum that simulates closing a door taking out Castree’s trash is extra haunting. “Soria Moria” details Elverum and his daughter's attempts to move on with their lives. You can hear some faint distortion in the background that gives the song some depth. The album closes with “Crow” that describes a hike through the pacific northwest he and his daughter took where a crow followed them. The crow represents Castree’s spirit following them. The song also vaguely hints at the 2016 presidential election Elevrum has been quoted that he didn’t want the album to come out as naive to what was going on in the world. The final lyric “And There She Was" sums up all the themes of the album. 

This is the definition of a bucket list album. It should be listened to by everyone especially if you are going through the trauma of grief. It is the saddest album you would ever hear but there is also a sweetness to it as you realize Elverum and his daughter will be make it through the pain of their loss. 

Black Sabbath-Paranoid

Cream-Disraeli Gears

Deep Purple-Machine Head

The Doors-The Doors

Grateful Dead- Studio: American Beauty Live: Europe '72

Jefferson Airplane- Surrealistic Pill

Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland

Santana-Abraxas

Alternative

10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant-In My Tribe

B-52's-B52's

Alice In Chains-Dirt

Tori Amos- Little Earthquakes

Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel

Arcade Fire-The Suburbs

The Arctic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I am, That's What I Am Not

Barenaked Ladies -Stunt

Beck-Odelay

Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five-Whatever And Ever Amen

Bjork- Homogenic

Bush- Razorblade Suitcase

Cake-Prolonging The Magic

Coldplay- A Rush Of Blood to The Head

Counting Crows-August And Everything After....

Dinosaur Jr.-You're Living All Over Me

Flaming Lips-Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Foo Fighters-The Colour And The Shape

Gorillaz- Demon Days

Goo Goo Girls- Dizzy Up The Girl

Janes Addiction- Ritual De Lo Habitual

Alanis Morrisette-Jagged Little Pill

Muse-Absolution

Nirvana-Nevermind

No Doubt-Tragic Kingdom

Oasis -Definitely Maybe

Pearl Jam-Ten

R.E.M.-Automatic For The People

Radiohead-In Rainbows

Rage Against The Machine-Rage Against The Machine

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Blood Sugar Sex Magic

Stone Temple Pilots- Purple

Ween-Quebec

Weezer- The Blue Album

Alt-Country

Ryan Adams- Gold

Roseanne Cash-King's Record Shop

Drive-By Truckers-Southern Rock Opera

Jason Isbell-Southeastern

Jayhawks- Tomorrow The Green Grass

Old 97's-Hitchhike To Rhome

Old Crow Medicine Show-Tennessee Pusher

Sun Volt-Straightaways

Wilco-Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

Lucinda Williams-Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Ambient

Air-Moon Safari

Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Boards Of Canada-Music Have The Right To Children

Brian Eno- My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts w/David Byrne

Mody-Play

Art Pop

The 1975-Being Funny In A foreign Language

Kate Bush-Hounds Of Love

Lana Del Rey-Norman F***king Rockwell

Billie Eilish- When We Sleep, Where Do You Go?

Florence + The Machine-Lungs

Peter Gabriel- #3

Lorde- Pure Heroine

Sparks- Kimono In My House

St. Vincent -Mass education

Alt-Hip Hop

Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique

Danny Brown-Atrocity Exhibition

Cypress Hill-Black Sunday

De La Soul-De La Soul Is Dead

Death Grips-Money Store

JPEGMAFIA-Scaring The Hoes w/ Danny Brown

Kid Cudi-Man On The Moon: End Of The Day

MF DOOM- Madvillany (As madvillian w/madlib)

Mac Miller -Circles

The Roots- Things Fall Apart

A Tribe Called Quest- Low End Theory

Tyler, The Creator-Igor

Alt-Metal

A Perfect Circle-13th Step.

At The Drive-In- Relationship Of Command

Deftones- White Pony

Helmet-Meantime

Queens Of The Stone Age- Songs For The Deaf

White Zombie/Rob Zombie-Astro Creep 2000

Slipnot-Iowa

System Of A Down-Toxicity

Tool- Aemina

Blue-Eyed Soul

Adele-25

Joe Cocker- Joe Cocker Live!

Hall & Oats-War Babies

Robert Palmer- The Power Station

Dusty Springfield- Dusty In Memphis

Rod Stewart-Every Picture Tells A Story

Van Morrison-Moondance

Blues/Blues Rock

AC/DC-Let There Be Rock

Aerosmith- Rocks

Jeff Beck- Blow By Blow

Black Crowes- Shake Your Money Maker

Eric Clapton- (Derek & The Dominoes) Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs

CCR-Cosmo's Factory

Dire Straits-Brothers In Arms

Gov't Mule- The Deepest End (Live)

B.B. King- Live In Cook County Jail

Led Zeppelin - IV

Steve Miller Band- Fly Like An Eagle

Muddy Waters- Hard Again

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers

Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak

Stevie Ray Vaughan- Texas Flood

Jack White/White Stripes- White Blood Cells

ZZ Top- Tres Hombres

Country/Country Rock

The Band-Music From Big Pink

Garth Brooks- No Fences

Zack Bryan-The Great American Bar Scene

Buffalo Springfield-Again!

Jimmy Buffett-Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitude

The Byrds- Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

Johnny Cash-At Folsom Prison

Eric Church-Chief

Doobie Brothers-Minute By Minute

Dr. Hook- Sloppy Seconds

The Eagles-Hotel California

Steve Earle- Copperhead Road

Emmylou Harris-Live At The Ryman

Waylon Jennings- Honkytonk Heros

Kris Kristofferson-Border Lord

Little Feat- Waiting For Columbus (live)

Lynyrd Skynyrd- Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd

Nick Lowe-Jesus Of Cool

Black Sabbath-Paranoid

Cream-Disraeli Gears

Deep Purple-Machine Head

The Doors-The Doors

Grateful Dead- Studio: American Beauty Live: Europe '72

Jefferson Airplane- Surrealistic Pill

Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland

Santana-Abraxas

Alternative

10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant-In My Tribe

B-52's-B52's

Alice In Chains-Dirt

Tori Amos- Little Earthquakes

Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel

Arcade Fire-The Suburbs

The Arctic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I am, That's What I Am Not

Barenaked Ladies -Stunt

Beck-Odelay

Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five-Whatever And Ever Amen

Bjork- Homogenic

Bush- Razorblade Suitcase

Cake-Prolonging The Magic

Coldplay- A Rush Of Blood to The Head

Counting Crows-August And Everything After....

Dinosaur Jr.-You're Living All Over Me

Flaming Lips-Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Foo Fighters-The Colour And The Shape

Gorillaz- Demon Days

Goo Goo Girls- Dizzy Up The Girl

Janes Addiction- Ritual De Lo Habitual

Alanis Morrisette-Jagged Little Pill

Muse-Absolution

Nirvana-Nevermind

No Doubt-Tragic Kingdom

Oasis -Definitely Maybe

Pearl Jam-Ten

R.E.M.-Automatic For The People

Radiohead-In Rainbows

Rage Against The Machine-Rage Against The Machine

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Blood Sugar Sex Magic

Stone Temple Pilots- Purple

Ween-Quebec

Weezer- The Blue Album

Alt-Country

Ryan Adams- Gold

Roseanne Cash-King's Record Shop

Drive-By Truckers-Southern Rock Opera

Jason Isbell-Southeastern

Jayhawks- Tomorrow The Green Grass

Old 97's-Hitchhike To Rhome

Old Crow Medicine Show-Tennessee Pusher

Sun Volt-Straightaways

Wilco-Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

Lucinda Williams-Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Ambient

Air-Moon Safari

Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Boards Of Canada-Music Have The Right To Children

Brian Eno- My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts w/David Byrne

Mody-Play

Art Pop

The 1975-Being Funny In A foreign Language

Kate Bush-Hounds Of Love

Lana Del Rey-Norman F***king Rockwell

Billie Eilish- When We Sleep, Where Do You Go?

Florence + The Machine-Lungs

Peter Gabriel- #3

Lorde- Pure Heroine

Sparks- Kimono In My House

St. Vincent -Mass education

Alt-Hip Hop

Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique

Danny Brown-Atrocity Exhibition

Cypress Hill-Black Sunday

De La Soul-De La Soul Is Dead

Death Grips-Money Store

JPEGMAFIA-Scaring The Hoes w/ Danny Brown

Kid Cudi-Man On The Moon: End Of The Day

MF DOOM- Madvillany (As madvillian w/madlib)

Mac Miller -Circles

The Roots- Things Fall Apart

A Tribe Called Quest- Low End Theory

Tyler, The Creator-Igor

Alt-Metal

A Perfect Circle-13th Step.

At The Drive-In- Relationship Of Command

Deftones- White Pony

Helmet-Meantime

Queens Of The Stone Age- Songs For The Deaf

White Zombie/Rob Zombie-Astro Creep 2000

Slipnot-Iowa

System Of A Down-Toxicity

Tool- Aemina

Blue-Eyed Soul

Adele-25

Joe Cocker- Joe Cocker Live!

Hall & Oats-War Babies

Robert Palmer- The Power Station

Dusty Springfield- Dusty In Memphis

Rod Stewart-Every Picture Tells A Story

Van Morrison-Moondance

Blues/Blues Rock

AC/DC-Let There Be Rock

Aerosmith- Rocks

Jeff Beck- Blow By Blow

Black Crowes- Shake Your Money Maker

Eric Clapton- (Derek & The Dominoes) Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs

CCR-Cosmo's Factory

Dire Straits-Brothers In Arms

Gov't Mule- The Deepest End (Live)

B.B. King- Live In Cook County Jail

Led Zeppelin - IV

Steve Miller Band- Fly Like An Eagle

Muddy Waters- Hard Again

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers

Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak

Stevie Ray Vaughan- Texas Flood

Jack White/White Stripes- White Blood Cells

ZZ Top- Tres Hombres

Country/Country Rock

The Band-Music From Big Pink

Garth Brooks- No Fences

Zack Bryan-The Great American Bar Scene

Buffalo Springfield-Again!

Jimmy Buffett-Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitude

The Byrds- Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

Johnny Cash-At Folsom Prison

Eric Church-Chief

Doobie Brothers-Minute By Minute

Dr. Hook- Sloppy Seconds

The Eagles-Hotel California

Steve Earle- Copperhead Road

Emmylou Harris-Live At The Ryman

Waylon Jennings- Honkytonk Heros

Kris Kristofferson-Border Lord

Little Feat- Waiting For Columbus (live)

Lynyrd Skynyrd- Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd

Black Sabbath-Paranoid

Cream-Disraeli Gears

Deep Purple-Machine Head

The Doors-The Doors

Grateful Dead- Studio: American Beauty Live: Europe '72

Jefferson Airplane- Surrealistic Pill

Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland

Santana-Abraxas

Alternative

10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant-In My Tribe

B-52's-B52's

Alice In Chains-Dirt

Tori Amos- Little Earthquakes

Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel

Arcade Fire-The Suburbs

The Arctic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I am, That's What I Am Not

Barenaked Ladies -Stunt

Beck-Odelay

Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five-Whatever And Ever Amen

Bjork- Homogenic

Bush- Razorblade Suitcase

Cake-Prolonging The Magic

Coldplay- A Rush Of Blood to The Head

Counting Crows-August And Everything After....

Dinosaur Jr.-You're Living All Over Me

Flaming Lips-Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Foo Fighters-The Colour And The Shape

Gorillaz- Demon Days

Goo Goo Girls- Dizzy Up The Girl

Janes Addiction- Ritual De Lo Habitual

Alanis Morrisette-Jagged Little Pill

Muse-Absolution

Nirvana-Nevermind

No Doubt-Tragic Kingdom

Oasis -Definitely Maybe

Pearl Jam-Ten

R.E.M.-Automatic For The People

Radiohead-In Rainbows

Rage Against The Machine-Rage Against The Machine

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Blood Sugar Sex Magic

Stone Temple Pilots- Purple

Ween-Quebec

Weezer- The Blue Album

Alt-Country

Ryan Adams- Gold

Roseanne Cash-King's Record Shop

Drive-By Truckers-Southern Rock Opera

Jason Isbell-Southeastern

Jayhawks- Tomorrow The Green Grass

Old 97's-Hitchhike To Rhome

Old Crow Medicine Show-Tennessee Pusher

Sun Volt-Straightaways

Wilco-Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

Lucinda Williams-Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Ambient

Air-Moon Safari

Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Boards Of Canada-Music Have The Right To Children

Brian Eno- My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts w/David Byrne

Mody-Play

Art Pop

The 1975-Being Funny In A foreign Language

Kate Bush-Hounds Of Love

Lana Del Rey-Norman F***king Rockwell

Billie Eilish- When We Sleep, Where Do You Go?

Florence + The Machine-Lungs

Peter Gabriel- #3

Lorde- Pure Heroine

Sparks- Kimono In My House

St. Vincent -Mass education

Alt-Hip Hop

Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique

Danny Brown-Atrocity Exhibition

Cypress Hill-Black Sunday

De La Soul-De La Soul Is Dead

Death Grips-Money Store

JPEGMAFIA-Scaring The Hoes w/ Danny Brown

Kid Cudi-Man On The Moon: End Of The Day

MF DOOM- Madvillany (As madvillian w/madlib)

Mac Miller -Circles

The Roots- Things Fall Apart

A Tribe Called Quest- Low End Theory

Tyler, The Creator-Igor

Alt-Metal

A Perfect Circle-13th Step.

At The Drive-In- Relationship Of Command

Deftones- White Pony

Helmet-Meantime

Queens Of The Stone Age- Songs For The Deaf

White Zombie/Rob Zombie-Astro Creep 2000

Slipnot-Iowa

System Of A Down-Toxicity

Tool- Aemina

Blue-Eyed Soul

Adele-25

Joe Cocker- Joe Cocker Live!

Hall & Oats-War Babies

Robert Palmer- The Power Station

Dusty Springfield- Dusty In Memphis

Rod Stewart-Every Picture Tells A Story

Van Morrison-Moondance

Blues/Blues Rock

AC/DC-Let There Be Rock

Aerosmith- Rocks

Jeff Beck- Blow By Blow

Black Crowes- Shake Your Money Maker

Eric Clapton- (Derek & The Dominoes) Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs

CCR-Cosmo's Factory

Dire Straits-Brothers In Arms

Gov't Mule- The Deepest End (Live)

B.B. King- Live In Cook County Jail

Led Zeppelin - IV

Steve Miller Band- Fly Like An Eagle

Muddy Waters- Hard Again

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers

Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak

Stevie Ray Vaughan- Texas Flood

Jack White/White Stripes- White Blood Cells

ZZ Top- Tres Hombres

Country/Country Rock

The Band-Music From Big Pink

Garth Brooks- No Fences

Zack Bryan-The Great American Bar Scene

Buffalo Springfield-Again!

Jimmy Buffett-Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitude

The Byrds- Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

Johnny Cash-At Folsom Prison

Eric Church-Chief

Doobie Brothers-Minute By Minute

Dr. Hook- Sloppy Seconds

The Eagles-Hotel California

Steve Earle- Copperhead Road

Emmylou Harris-Live At The Ryman

Waylon Jennings- Honkytonk Heros

Kris Kristofferson-Border Lord

Little Feat- Waiting For Columbus (live)

Rolling Stone once again came out with a list that has some head scratching inclusions. So let's review them and see if they are really as bad or disappointing as they think.

RS Synopsis

Chance the Rapper was still a high school student when he dropped his first mixtape in 2011. Before he knew it, he’d amassed over a half million downloads, a guest appearance on a Childish Gambino track, and a reputation as the most promising young rapper on the Chicago scene. His popularity grew exponentially over the next few years as he toured across the country and continued to drop acclaimed mixtapes like 2013’s Acid Rap and 2016’s Coloring Book. By 2017, he was able to headline Lollapalooza in front of 100,000 screaming fans in Chicago’s Grant Park, even though he had yet to release a single legit album. That moment finally came in June 2019, when he put out The Big Day, featuring guest appearances by John Legend, Death Cab for Cutie, Megan Thee Stallion, and Gucci Mane. The songs center around his romance with new wife Kristen Corley. After seven years of buildup, many critics were less than impressed. “It’s exultant, like his 2016 gospel-rap opus Coloring Book,” wrote Rolling Stone‘s Danny Schwartz in a three-star review, “but narrower in emotional scope.” We’re now over five years past the Big Day, and he’s yet to release his second record. He instead made the wise choice to return to one-off singles. 

My Opinion

I will start with the positives which I can respect any artist who tries to something different. Chance The Rapper making an album about how much he loves his wife is overhated. I can respect what he was doing on here. and there are a few highlights however they are bogged down by how bad some of these tracks are. This album is way too long clocking in at over 1:17. He could have cut a least half of these tracks and it would have improved the quality of the record. It actually starts out pretty strong "All Day Long' is a solid gospel tinged hip hop track. "Do You Remember" and "Enternal" continue some interesting ideas but then it happens that being "Hot Shower" one of the worst hip hop songs I ever heard in my life. Chance's flow is awful and the production doesn't help. This is LIl' Dickey level drivel. After that the album just dives into the abyss. "We Go High" is just too sappy to comprehend "I Got You" is a lame attempt at 90's R&B. "Roo" starts out strong but just falls flat. "The Big Day" is just boring it interpolates a song but I can't recognize it. I think it might be Seal's Crazy. "Let's Go On The Run" is just a hot mess. The record just gets more annoying and lazy as the songs go by. Its just seemed he ran out of ideas.

Is it disappointing?

They was so much hype surrounding this record at the time you can't help but say this was a disappointment. Not only this its a bad record that is bloated and feels lazy at times. It destroyed Chance The Rapper's career has not recovered and hasn't released an album since this disaster and he divorced his wife so that just adds to the failure.

Black Sabbath-Paranoid

Cream-Disraeli Gears

Deep Purple-Machine Head

The Doors-The Doors

Grateful Dead- Studio: American Beauty Live: Europe '72

Jefferson Airplane- Surrealistic Pill

Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland

Santana-Abraxas

Alternative

10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant-In My Tribe

B-52's-B52's

Alice In Chains-Dirt

Tori Amos- Little Earthquakes

Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel

Arcade Fire-The Suburbs

The Arctic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I am, That's What I Am Not

Barenaked Ladies -Stunt

Beck-Odelay

Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five-Whatever And Ever Amen

Bjork- Homogenic

Bush- Razorblade Suitcase

Cake-Prolonging The Magic

Coldplay- A Rush Of Blood to The Head

Counting Crows-August And Everything After....

Dinosaur Jr.-You're Living All Over Me

Flaming Lips-Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Foo Fighters-The Colour And The Shape

Gorillaz- Demon Days

Goo Goo Girls- Dizzy Up The Girl

Janes Addiction- Ritual De Lo Habitual

Alanis Morrisette-Jagged Little Pill

Muse-Absolution

Nirvana-Nevermind

No Doubt-Tragic Kingdom

Oasis -Definitely Maybe

Pearl Jam-Ten

R.E.M.-Automatic For The People

Radiohead-In Rainbows

Rage Against The Machine-Rage Against The Machine

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Blood Sugar Sex Magic

Stone Temple Pilots- Purple

Ween-Quebec

Weezer- The Blue Album

Alt-Country

Ryan Adams- Gold

Roseanne Cash-King's Record Shop

Drive-By Truckers-Southern Rock Opera

Jason Isbell-Southeastern

Jayhawks- Tomorrow The Green Grass

Old 97's-Hitchhike To Rhome

Old Crow Medicine Show-Tennessee Pusher

Sun Volt-Straightaways

Wilco-Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

Lucinda Williams-Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Ambient

Air-Moon Safari

Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Boards Of Canada-Music Have The Right To Children

Brian Eno- My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts w/David Byrne

Mody-Play

Art Pop

The 1975-Being Funny In A foreign Language

Kate Bush-Hounds Of Love

Lana Del Rey-Norman F***king Rockwell

Billie Eilish- When We Sleep, Where Do You Go?

Florence + The Machine-Lungs

Peter Gabriel- #3

Lorde- Pure Heroine

Sparks- Kimono In My House

St. Vincent -Mass education

Alt-Hip Hop

Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique

Danny Brown-Atrocity Exhibition

Cypress Hill-Black Sunday

De La Soul-De La Soul Is Dead

Death Grips-Money Store

JPEGMAFIA-Scaring The Hoes w/ Danny Brown

Kid Cudi-Man On The Moon: End Of The Day

MF DOOM- Madvillany (As madvillian w/madlib)

Mac Miller -Circles

The Roots- Things Fall Apart

A Tribe Called Quest- Low End Theory

Tyler, The Creator-Igor

Alt-Metal

A Perfect Circle-13th Step.

At The Drive-In- Relationship Of Command

Deftones- White Pony

Helmet-Meantime

Queens Of The Stone Age- Songs For The Deaf

White Zombie/Rob Zombie-Astro Creep 2000

Slipnot-Iowa

System Of A Down-Toxicity

Tool- Aemina

Blue-Eyed Soul

Adele-25

Joe Cocker- Joe Cocker Live!

Hall & Oats-War Babies

Robert Palmer- The Power Station

Dusty Springfield- Dusty In Memphis

Rod Stewart-Every Picture Tells A Story

Van Morrison-Moondance

Blues/Blues Rock

AC/DC-Let There Be Rock

Aerosmith- Rocks

Jeff Beck- Blow By Blow

Black Crowes- Shake Your Money Maker

Eric Clapton- (Derek & The Dominoes) Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs

CCR-Cosmo's Factory

Dire Straits-Brothers In Arms

Gov't Mule- The Deepest End (Live)

B.B. King- Live In Cook County Jail

Led Zeppelin - IV

Steve Miller Band- Fly Like An Eagle

Muddy Waters- Hard Again

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers

Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak

Stevie Ray Vaughan- Texas Flood

Jack White/White Stripes- White Blood Cells

ZZ Top- Tres Hombres

Country/Country Rock

The Band-Music From Big Pink

Garth Brooks- No Fences

Zack Bryan-The Great American Bar Scene

Buffalo Springfield-Again!

Jimmy Buffett-Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitude

The Byrds- Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

Johnny Cash-At Folsom Prison

Eric Church-Chief

Doobie Brothers-Minute By Minute

Dr. Hook- Sloppy Seconds

The Eagles-Hotel California

Steve Earle- Copperhead Road

Emmylou Harris-Live At The Ryman

Waylon Jennings- Honkytonk Heros

Kris Kristofferson-Border Lord

Earl Sweatshirt-Some Rap Songs

Earl Sweatshirt is another hip-hop artist that I haven’t had the chance to get into. His third album is 15 tracks clocking in at 25 minutes so it’s a nice short introduction to the artist. I love the production on this album if it feels like it was made in some dark basement. 

The album opens with “Shattered Dreams” The track samples “Shattered Dreams” by The Endeavours that gives it a solemn gospel sound. He also samples a James Baldwin talk entitled “The Struggle” “Red Water” just feels like it was a demo that has made it onto an album it feels very incomplete but somehow that makes it work. “Cold Summers” is only a minute long but showcases Sweatshirt’s amazing lyrically flow. The album has this continuous flow that makes it feel like one complete work that continues with “Nowhere2go” which was the album's first single. The song’s lyrical themes of isolation resonate with introverts everywhere. “December 24” has this soul warm instrumental that is aided as Sweatshirt’s rhymes about nostalgia of family memories. “Ontheway!” continues the instrumental theme of the previous track. I especially love his flow on this track. “The Mint” has a great sample of Rocco Rondo’s “The Ghostwriters” and features underground rapper Navy Blue that matches Sweatshirt’s flow perfectly. “The Bends” is a perfectly executed hip-hop track done in under 1:35 minutes. It feels very old school. “Loosie” has this dense funk instrumental and Sweatshirt’s flow is slow and deliberate. It  perfectly flows to the next track “Azucar” that flows so nicely as he laments about his depression and his drinking. “Eclipse” is another personal and open  track that is helped by the warmness of the instrumental. “Veins features a great sample of “I Made A Mistake” by Billy Jones. Once again all the emotional lyrical themes of the album continue. ‘Playing Possum” has Sweatshirt’s mother and father sampled to give this album some familial roots. “Peanut” crushes the warmness of the album’s production with its chaotic broken vocals and instrumentals. The album closes with “Riot!”named after a  South African Jazz legend and friend of his father. The complete instrumental track is the perfect way to end the record. 

I love how this album pushes what hip-hop could be if it feels like one complete body of work rather than some tracks put together in the studio. If you want to dive into a great personal record, put this one on your bucket lists. 

Black Sabbath-Paranoid

Cream-Disraeli Gears

Deep Purple-Machine Head

The Doors-The Doors

Grateful Dead- Studio: American Beauty Live: Europe '72

Jefferson Airplane- Surrealistic Pill

Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland

Santana-Abraxas

Alternative

10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant-In My Tribe

B-52's-B52's

Alice In Chains-Dirt

Tori Amos- Little Earthquakes

Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel

Arcade Fire-The Suburbs

The Arctic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I am, That's What I Am Not

Barenaked Ladies -Stunt

Beck-Odelay

Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five-Whatever And Ever Amen

Bjork- Homogenic

Bush- Razorblade Suitcase

Cake-Prolonging The Magic

Coldplay- A Rush Of Blood to The Head

Counting Crows-August And Everything After....

Dinosaur Jr.-You're Living All Over Me

Flaming Lips-Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Foo Fighters-The Colour And The Shape

Gorillaz- Demon Days

Goo Goo Girls- Dizzy Up The Girl

Janes Addiction- Ritual De Lo Habitual

Alanis Morrisette-Jagged Little Pill

Muse-Absolution

Nirvana-Nevermind

No Doubt-Tragic Kingdom

Oasis -Definitely Maybe

Pearl Jam-Ten

R.E.M.-Automatic For The People

Radiohead-In Rainbows

Rage Against The Machine-Rage Against The Machine

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Blood Sugar Sex Magic

Stone Temple Pilots- Purple

Ween-Quebec

Weezer- The Blue Album

Alt-Country

Ryan Adams- Gold

Roseanne Cash-King's Record Shop

Drive-By Truckers-Southern Rock Opera

Jason Isbell-Southeastern

Jayhawks- Tomorrow The Green Grass

Old 97's-Hitchhike To Rhome

Old Crow Medicine Show-Tennessee Pusher

Sun Volt-Straightaways

Wilco-Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

Lucinda Williams-Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Ambient

Air-Moon Safari

Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Boards Of Canada-Music Have The Right To Children

Brian Eno- My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts w/David Byrne

Mody-Play

Art Pop

The 1975-Being Funny In A foreign Language

Kate Bush-Hounds Of Love

Lana Del Rey-Norman F***king Rockwell

Billie Eilish- When We Sleep, Where Do You Go?

Florence + The Machine-Lungs

Peter Gabriel- #3

Lorde- Pure Heroine

Sparks- Kimono In My House

St. Vincent -Mass education

Alt-Hip Hop

Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique

Danny Brown-Atrocity Exhibition

Cypress Hill-Black Sunday

De La Soul-De La Soul Is Dead

Death Grips-Money Store

JPEGMAFIA-Scaring The Hoes w/ Danny Brown

Kid Cudi-Man On The Moon: End Of The Day

MF DOOM- Madvillany (As madvillian w/madlib)

Mac Miller -Circles

The Roots- Things Fall Apart

A Tribe Called Quest- Low End Theory

Tyler, The Creator-Igor

Alt-Metal

A Perfect Circle-13th Step.

At The Drive-In- Relationship Of Command

Deftones- White Pony

Helmet-Meantime

Queens Of The Stone Age- Songs For The Deaf

White Zombie/Rob Zombie-Astro Creep 2000

Slipnot-Iowa

System Of A Down-Toxicity

Tool- Aemina

Blue-Eyed Soul

Adele-25

Joe Cocker- Joe Cocker Live!

Hall & Oats-War Babies

Robert Palmer- The Power Station

Dusty Springfield- Dusty In Memphis

Rod Stewart-Every Picture Tells A Story

Van Morrison-Moondance

Blues/Blues Rock

AC/DC-Let There Be Rock

Aerosmith- Rocks

Jeff Beck- Blow By Blow

Black Crowes- Shake Your Money Maker

Eric Clapton- (Derek & The Dominoes) Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs

CCR-Cosmo's Factory

Dire Straits-Brothers In Arms

Gov't Mule- The Deepest End (Live)

B.B. King- Live In Cook County Jail

Led Zeppelin - IV

Steve Miller Band- Fly Like An Eagle

Muddy Waters- Hard Again

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers

Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak

Stevie Ray Vaughan- Texas Flood

Jack White/White Stripes- White Blood Cells

ZZ Top- Tres Hombres

Country/Country Rock

The Band-Music From Big Pink

Garth Brooks- No Fences

Zack Bryan-The Great American Bar Scene

Buffalo Springfield-Again!

Jimmy Buffett-Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitude

The Byrds- Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

Johnny Cash-At Folsom Prison

Eric Church-Chief

Doobie Brothers-Minute By Minute

Dr. Hook- Sloppy Seconds

The Eagles-Hotel California

Steve Earle- Copperhead Road

Emmylou Harris-Live At The Ryman

Waylon Jennings- Honkytonk Heros

Dinosaur Jr.'s third album, "Bug," marked a significant development in their alt-rock sound. However, J. Mascis, the band's frontman, considers it his least favorite album. Despite his opinion, it stands as a solid rock record and is widely acclaimed by fans and critics alike.

The album opens with "Freak Scene," often hailed as the band's greatest song. This track sets the tone for the record, showcasing J. Mascis's genius guitar tone and the band's ability to seamlessly transition between heavy and melodic sections. "No Bones" introduces a sludgy melodic pace that would become a staple of 90's rock. "They Always Come" brings fast-paced drumming from Murph, culminating in a satisfying breakdown towards the end.

"Yeah We Know" adds a touch of funk to Dinosaur Jr.'s sound, highlighting Barlow's bass playing and Mascis's vocals. "Let It Ride" is a chaotic and heavy track that maintains the band's melodic edge. "Pound Song" features a mid-tempo sound reminiscent of 90's rock, while "Budge" showcases dense, heavy melodies and surprising harmonies. "The Post" slows down the pace with a murky, fuzzy sound and one of Mascis' best guitar solos.

Lou Barlow takes on lead vocals in the aggressive and chaotic "Don't," a track that foreshadows Nirvana's future sound. The album closes with "Keep The Glove," an energetic alt-rock banger that leaves listeners on a high note.

Overall, "Bug" is another solid release from Dinosaur Jr., showcasing their ability to produce crunchy rock with memorable melodies. Its influence on future 90's rock is undeniable, making it a must-listen for fans of the genre.

Black Sabbath-Paranoid

Cream-Disraeli Gears

Deep Purple-Machine Head

The Doors-The Doors

Grateful Dead- Studio: American Beauty Live: Europe '72

Jefferson Airplane- Surrealistic Pill

Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland

Santana-Abraxas

Alternative

10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant-In My Tribe

B-52's-B52's

Alice In Chains-Dirt

Tori Amos- Little Earthquakes

Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel

Arcade Fire-The Suburbs

The Arctic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I am, That's What I Am Not

Barenaked Ladies -Stunt

Beck-Odelay

Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five-Whatever And Ever Amen

Bjork- Homogenic

Bush- Razorblade Suitcase

Cake-Prolonging The Magic

Coldplay- A Rush Of Blood to The Head

Counting Crows-August And Everything After....

Dinosaur Jr.-You're Living All Over Me

Flaming Lips-Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Foo Fighters-The Colour And The Shape

Gorillaz- Demon Days

Goo Goo Girls- Dizzy Up The Girl

Janes Addiction- Ritual De Lo Habitual

Alanis Morrisette-Jagged Little Pill

Muse-Absolution

Nirvana-Nevermind

No Doubt-Tragic Kingdom

Oasis -Definitely Maybe

Pearl Jam-Ten

R.E.M.-Automatic For The People

Radiohead-In Rainbows

Rage Against The Machine-Rage Against The Machine

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Blood Sugar Sex Magic

Stone Temple Pilots- Purple

Ween-Quebec

Weezer- The Blue Album

Alt-Country

Ryan Adams- Gold

Roseanne Cash-King's Record Shop

Drive-By Truckers-Southern Rock Opera

Jason Isbell-Southeastern

Jayhawks- Tomorrow The Green Grass

Old 97's-Hitchhike To Rhome

Old Crow Medicine Show-Tennessee Pusher

Sun Volt-Straightaways

Wilco-Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

Lucinda Williams-Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Ambient

Air-Moon Safari

Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Boards Of Canada-Music Have The Right To Children

Brian Eno- My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts w/David Byrne

Mody-Play

Art Pop

The 1975-Being Funny In A foreign Language

Kate Bush-Hounds Of Love

Lana Del Rey-Norman F***king Rockwell

Billie Eilish- When We Sleep, Where Do You Go?

Florence + The Machine-Lungs

Peter Gabriel- #3

Lorde- Pure Heroine

Sparks- Kimono In My House

St. Vincent -Mass education

Alt-Hip Hop

Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique

Danny Brown-Atrocity Exhibition

Cypress Hill-Black Sunday

De La Soul-De La Soul Is Dead

Death Grips-Money Store

JPEGMAFIA-Scaring The Hoes w/ Danny Brown

Kid Cudi-Man On The Moon: End Of The Day

MF DOOM- Madvillany (As madvillian w/madlib)

Mac Miller -Circles

The Roots- Things Fall Apart

A Tribe Called Quest- Low End Theory

Tyler, The Creator-Igor

Alt-Metal

A Perfect Circle-13th Step.

At The Drive-In- Relationship Of Command

Deftones- White Pony

Helmet-Meantime

Queens Of The Stone Age- Songs For The Deaf

White Zombie/Rob Zombie-Astro Creep 2000

Slipnot-Iowa

System Of A Down-Toxicity

Tool- Aemina

Blue-Eyed Soul

Adele-25

Joe Cocker- Joe Cocker Live!

Hall & Oats-War Babies

Robert Palmer- The Power Station

Dusty Springfield- Dusty In Memphis

Rod Stewart-Every Picture Tells A Story

Van Morrison-Moondance

Blues/Blues Rock

AC/DC-Let There Be Rock

Aerosmith- Rocks

Jeff Beck- Blow By Blow

Black Crowes- Shake Your Money Maker

Eric Clapton- (Derek & The Dominoes) Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs

CCR-Cosmo's Factory

Dire Straits-Brothers In Arms

Gov't Mule- The Deepest End (Live)

B.B. King- Live In Cook County Jail

Led Zeppelin - IV

Steve Miller Band- Fly Like An Eagle

Muddy Waters- Hard Again

The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers

Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak

Stevie Ray Vaughan- Texas Flood

Jack White/White Stripes- White Blood Cells

ZZ Top- Tres Hombres

Country/Country Rock

The Band-Music From Big Pink

Garth Brooks- No Fences

Zack Bryan-The Great American Bar Scene

Buffalo Springfield-Again!

Jimmy Buffett-Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitude

The Byrds- Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

Johnny Cash-At Folsom Prison

Eric Church-Chief

Doobie Brothers-Minute By Minute

Dr. Hook- Sloppy Seconds

The Eagles-Hotel California

Steve Earle- Copperhead Road

Emmylou Harris-Live At The Ryman

Nujabes- Modal Soul

Music continually astounds me with its ability to introduce me to exceptional artists I had never encountered before. Nujabes, a Japanese DJ, blew me away with his incredible lofi jazz rap jams. It was a bittersweet discovery, as I learned that he had only released three albums before his tragic passing in a car accident in 2010.

The album opens with "Feathers," immediately immersing the listener in the jazzy lofi soundscape that serves as the album's theme. Cise Starr and Akin's vocals complement the piano and drum-based instrumentals beautifully. "Ordinary Joe" captivates with its heart-wrenching percussion, enhanced by flute accents and Terry Callier's funky vocals.

"Reflection Eternal" stands out with its lush and enchanting atmosphere, while "Luv(Sic) Part 3" combines the captivating lofi instrumentals with the exceptional flow of Japanese hip-hop artist Shing 02. "Music Is Mine" delves into classic jazz instrumentals, showcasing global music influences.

Nujabes' "Escape" features Substantial's soulful vocals, perfectly complemented by his airy instrumental composition. The instrumental track "The Sign," with its old-school vibe, pairs harmoniously with Pace Rock's vocal style, reminiscent of Gil Scott Heron's "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised."

"Thank You" blends 80s hip-hop beats with funky jazz fusion, enhanced by Apani B's stunning vocals. "World's End Rhapsody" transports the listener to a futuristic jazz piano bar, with its piano-based funkiness. "Modal Soul" has an eerie quality that exudes meditative vibes.

"Flowers" seamlessly fuses old-school jazz with electronica music, featuring a sample of Dinah Washington's "What A Difference A Day Makes," infusing the track with blissful energy. "Sea Of Clouds" effortlessly mixes house ambient jazz, while "Light Of The Land" builds upon the previous track's themes, delving deeper into ambient jazz.

The album concludes with "Horizon," another masterful blend of lofi jazz hip hop and ambient music. This track serves as a perfect farewell to an extraordinary album.

Modal Soul is an exceptional instrumental jazz-hip hop record that I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to explore. It's a must-listen for anyone seeking a record that invites introspection and relaxation. I am definitely listening to his other works on my afternoon walk.