Reviewing every must hear #59

FYM B-sides?! In my opinion, this is by far Simone's best project (although I haven't heard Nina Simone Sings the Blues, and that is a ten according to "The Melon"). It takes everything I liked about her previous albums, like the complicated instrumentation and the conscious lyrics, and makes pretty much the whole album about that. While there are elements of things I didn't like in her other projects, like the songs that are just about ... read more

Reviewing every must hear #58

This album is so close to perfect. Starting off with "Taxman," this album sounds like they are going in a more safe direction (not to say "Taxman" is a bad song; in fact, it's a 10/10 song), but when it gets to "I'm Only Sleeping," you can really start to see the psychedelic elements that the album has. Personally, I think this album is at its best when it's psychedelic on songs like "I'm Only Sleeping," ... read more

Reviewing every must hear #57

I don't have much to say about this album that I haven't said about Ascension (Edition 1). It is slightly more chaotic and slightly worse. One of my favorite comments on this website is when @planet_z said, "the saxophone is getting straight teeth." To close this review, I'd recommend this overall, but there are plenty of free jazz albums you should listen to first.

Favorite song: The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost

Final rating: ... read more

Highest rated album for every subgenre #1

This album is really cool with it's sounds. It can be a bit dated in it's soundscapes. it's generally strong lyrically but can be a bit corny sometimes. I'm not being super in depth for this review because I will be re reviewing soon

Favorite song: Head Like a Hole

Final rating: Great

Highest rated album for every subgenre #2

This album is shit. The vocals made me want to rip my ears out, the instrumentation is annoying, and the lyrics aren't even funny. The one saving grace for this album is its length, but even coming at such a short amount of time, it somehow is repetitive. No one should have to go through this album; it's really bad.

Favorite song: None

Final rating: Awful

Reviewing every must hear #56

This album is Dylan's best written, his best instrumentally, and his best overall, but I can't bring myself to give it a 100. But why? This album, compared to all his previous albums, is instrumentally fuller, showcased on songs like "I Want You" and "One of Us Must Know." This album is less pessimistic and more poetic compared to Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited, and I prefer that. With all of those factors, why ... read more

Reviewing every must hear #55

I'm just going to start this review by saying this album is really, really great. If you enjoy pop, you'll probably like this, but if you want to hear more about the album, then continue reading. The production on this is genuinely heavenly, and the vocals are just as good. The lyrics are shallow the majority of the time; personally, that's not a problem for me, but if you are looking for a lyrical masterpiece, that's not what this is. If I had ... read more

Reviewing every must hear #54

I don't really have a lot to say about this album it's just really smooth jazz playing with some interesting concepts.

Favorite song: Infant Eyes

Final rating: Great

Reviewing every must hear #53

There was a time where I wouldn't like this album, but that time has far passed. This might be the most impressive compositionally that Coltrane has gotten in his career. The way this album uses sounds that shouldn't work together and molds them in a way that sounds amazing is genuinely genius. It reminds me a lot of Free Jazz by The Ornette Coleman Double Quartet (no shit, look at the genre name), just without the interesting concept that the record ... read more

Reviewing every must hear #52

I'm going to be honest, I don't have much to say about this album besides the title track (kind of), "The Sound of Silence." The title track is one of the most atmospheric, brilliantly written, and somber songs ever, and the entire album disappointed me by being generic folk-pop. It's not even a bad album; I'd even go as far to say it's good. "Oh, but it's so influential and original for its time." WELL, IT IS THE ... read more

Reviewing every must hear #51

This album revolutionized music, focusing in on production as a tool to make the music better rather than a necessary evil. This wouldn't take full effect until 1967, as that is the year that gave us albums like The Velvet Underground & Nico and The Doors' self-titled, which you can hear elements of this album in. With this album starting with "Drive My Car," it never loses the momentum that the track brings. You can definitely hear their ... read more

This is a companion review for my review on Letterboxd. Link here: https://letterboxd.com/peter_igloo/film/a-charlie-brown-christmas/

Reviewing every must hear #50

The soundtrack for the short film A Charlie Brown Christmas is a genuinely amazing piece of work on its own, but it really shines in the context of the movie. The movie carries a somber tone throughout, but it is also happy at the same time, and a large part of how that works so well is the soundtrack. The soundtrack is a cool jazz ... read more

Reviewing every must hear #49

I somehow have never heard anyone talk about this album, and I have no understanding of why. This album is a masterpiece that everyone should hear. The album has a calming tone and a very minimalist execution. Only using guitar and his voice, Frank carries a somber tone throughout, but not exactly a depressing one. Everyone should hear this album; it's so good, and I could see myself bumping this up to a 10.

Favorite song: Blues Run the Game

Final rating: ... read more

Reviewing every must hear #48

ummmm overrated album, but "Sinnerman" is a top 50 song ever made. What I really wanted to say is I'm going to take a break from AOTY and listening to new albums for an indefinite amount of time. I will be putting out some reviews for albums I've already listened to

Fav song: Sinnerman

Final rating: great

Reviewing every must hear #47

On Otis Redding's 1963 album Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul, he makes a clean, concise, and well-performed project. He makes a very strong record, but if it was any longer, it would be boring. This album is very unremarkable in a good way. It doesn't have any especially low points, but it also doesn't have that many especially high points besides one song, "A Change Is Gonna Come." That song is incredible, and anyone should listen to ... read more

Reviewing every must hear #46

I want to give this album a 100, but I can't in good faith do that. This album really doesn't have any flaws lyrically, but instrumentally is where it fails me. The structure of the songs themselves are amazing, but the mixing and mastering on the songs doesn't do it for me. The sound is far too thin and rough for me to enjoy as much as I could. It sounds like I'm saying the album is bad, but I like the instrumentation, and lyrically, it is by ... read more

Reviewing every must hear #45

Nina Simone Sings the Blues is a great soul/vocal jazz record. This record is Nina's first time diving anywhere into R&B, and does she succeed? Yeah, this album is fucking great. Starting off with the 10/10 track that is the title track, it doesn't dip down in quality until track 9. After track 9, it has one ok track but then rockets back up to great. I don't have a lot to say about this album besides it is a great soul album.

Final rating: ... read more

Reviewing every must hear #44

Alright broski I'll level with you i don't feel like being that in depth so I'll just say that maiden voyage is a 10/10 track and I might come back and review this album later

Final rating: Great

Favorite song: Maiden Voyage

Reviewing every must hear #43

This is the first rock record from Bob Dylan. On this album, he splits his style in two, with side A being electric and side B consisting only of harmonica and guitar. On side A, he takes a very cynical view on life, especially on the first track, "Subterranean Homesick Blues," but on side B, he goes to a more poetic approach, as seen on The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. I like side B a lot more because he hadn't refined his style with electric yet, ... read more

Reviewing every must hear #42

A love supreme by John Coltrane is an album that everyone should hear at least once in their lifetime. If that is all you need to see to decide to listen to this album the great, if not then join me in the experience that is this album.

Part I — Acknowledgement
This album is genuinely insane. It starts with a crashing gong and cymbals before progressing into a haunting bassline. Eventually, Coltrane enters, repeating the main motif on his sax before the ... read more