User
Reviews 99 Approval 96%
Soundoffs 100 Album Ratings 5000 Objectivity 100%
Last Active 08-13-18 2:50 pm Joined 04-05-15
Review Comments 19,991
| The Last 100
I’m approaching 5000 ratings at which point I’m retiring this account. To make sure my next account is as elite as feasible I’m clearing as much of the RYM top 1000 albums within that last 100 as possible. As luck would have it, if you strip the stuff I don’t count as actual popular music records (classical, soundtracks, goddam Computer game music) there’s little over a couple of hundred left - let’s see (list in progress, ratings will appear in time). This list should also take out the last of the Sput top 200 too, or near enough (except classical, soundtracks, etc etc) | 1 | | Iron Maiden Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
[2.1]
Same operatic cheese, same galloping rhythm section (dum-de-dee-dum-de-dee-dum-de-dee-dooo - this will never sound heavy to me, almost like how you could never look the hard man while whistling and skipping through a sunny meadow), only now with added synth lines and prog arrangements. I'd rather listen to one of the better Dream Theatre albums than this, and that's not a good thing to realise. Apologies everyone, I know everyone digs Maiden. I did enjoy portions of some of the proceeding albums so this was still a bit of a shocker for me. | 2 | | OutKast ATLiens
Think I’ve already listened to this, whatever
[3.5]
...and still not sure if I listened to this before. Outkast are alright, that mellow brand of hip hop I can take or leave. 'Wheelz of Steel' was a banger, nothing else sounded too life changing. | 3 | | Ornette Coleman The Shape of Jazz to Come
[3.8]
For me the big issue with free jazz isn't actually the lack of structure which is what I presumed would be the deal breaker as to whether I can enjoy it or not, rather it's the tonal palette. If I enjoy every sound, every timber, if they're all honey to my ears then honestly free wheel away to your hearts content. The minute an instrument or vocal enters the mix that I dislike then the whole project collapses like a deck of cards. I like the palette Ornette is working with on this one, quite traditional, well balanced, not too shrill - hence I enjoyed this a mighty good deal. | 4 | | Otis Redding Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul
[4.5]
This was just pure class...even if some of these songs I prefer other cover versions. | 5 | | Charles Mingus Blues & Roots
[4.3]
It's just really good, esp 'Moanin', check it - an essential. | 6 | | Milton Nascimento and Lo Borges Clube da Esquina
[4.1]
Not at all what I was expecting...thought this would either be more samba/bossa nova (South American tag) or more ethnic-y (the cover art). Instead it's a breezy folk/psychedelic 21 track rock mish-mash that's hard to assess on a first listen other than saying I like it. The second and third listens will be key as to whether it's an album that remains in my listening or not, could end up a classic for me possibly. | 7 | | Opeth Still Life
[3.1]
It's Opeth, it's the dictionary definition of proficient but slightly boring. Preferred 'Morningrise' and 'Blackwater' personally, but there you go. | 8 | | Alice Coltrane Journey in Satchidananda
[4.3]
That harp, that Eastern influence, how could anyone resist this one? | 9 | | Miles Davis Jack Johnson
[4.8]
Here it is! We have a 5! The best 'jam rock' album of all time? If it isn't then it's real close to being the best. 'Right Off' is immense - my favourite Miles Davis album (although I'd guess one of his least traditionally 'jazz' records?)...but there are still a couple more on this very list... | 10 | | Electric Wizard Dopethrone
[3.8]
25% Nirvana, 25% Kyuss and 50% Sabbath, I can definitely see the appeal of this. Does it have a song as good as a 'Symptom Of The Universe', 'Negative Creep' or 'Spaceship Landing'. Ah, you see, that's where I'm not quite so sold on Electric Wizard. I'm not sure this is graced by the presence of song writing genius but - it is fun in a slightly amateurish, loose and raw way. It sounds like a good time, it sounds like it doesn't take itself tooooo seriously, so I won't either. Enjoyable. | 11 | | The Dave Brubeck Quartet Time Out
[2.8]
Possibly revolutionary/time signatures bla - despite being pleasant enough I found this very lightweight bordering on dull. Yes, including 'Take five' which I'd heard before a few times. It's acceptable hotel lobby music, it sort of swings in a slightly mannered way, it gets a 'low 3' rating. | 12 | | The Kinks Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
[4.1]
I like The Kinks, a bit more convincingly irreverent and rocking than The Beatles of 1969 - I don’t feel they’re delivering classic song after classic song here though, there are a few more forgettable moments. ‘Shangri-La’ and ‘Churchill’ back to back is an obvious high point. | 13 | | Art Blakey Moanin'
[3.8]
Occasionally a little too old fashioned and 'marching band-y' for my personal tastes but overall it's a wonderfully smooth listen and earns my respect, if not quite love. | 14 | | Fela Kuti Expensive Shit
[3.8]
It’s pretty chill but it’s no ‘Zombie’. | 15 | | Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Deja Vu
[4.1]
Ok, I think Young has a few better albums than this himself but saying that, this is right up there. The only song that absolutely snagged me first listen was 'Almost Cut My Hair' but most everything else was at least solid. One I'll revisit many times and maybe - maybe - purchase. | 16 | | Slayer Seasons in the Abyss
Certain I’ve listened to this but will check
[3.4]
Not sure I had checked this but I remembered most of these songs from the Decade of Aggression live album which was by far my most played Slayer album when I was a kid. Some will say it's their most refined album...I'd say it gets close to being their most recycled album. Still, some good tunes, in particular the title track has one of the best AIC choruses in the year that band released their own debut. In summary, Hell Awaits [3.9] remain my favourite, followed by 'Reign in Blood' [3.7]. | 17 | | Agalloch Ashes Against the Grain
[3.4]
Deep down, when push comes to shove, this is really just a post-rock album - just one with a few folk and black metal baubles adorning it. There’s nothing wrong with that but you’ll have to deliver something truly phenomenal to impress me within the genre of post-rock. This is decent...but I’d rather listen to the latest Kauan album to this 9 times out of 10 as that albums so emotionally powerful in places I start crying like a great big baby. Sadly some of this makes me yawn like a cynical 39 year old man and that’s no good at all. | 18 | | Agalloch The Mantle
[3.1]
I liked all the different sounds used here but they only very rarely added together in any real satisfying way - so the atmosphere and songs were both lacking. If metal could ever be accused of being 'wallpaper music' then it's here, Satan's own elevator music. I'm not a huge fan of Ulver but they're more 'grabby' than this. Perhaps a grower and as there's another Agalloch on the list at least I try the band again, and soon. | 19 | | Sly and The Family Stone There's A Riot Goin' On
[3.2]
Not as enjoyable as their previous album imo, this one (whisper it) kinda bored me in places. | 20 | | Novos Baianos Acabou Chorare
[2.5]
Ok, this what I was worried 'Clube da Esquina' would sound like - this is the Latin stuff that does zero for me beyond I recognise it's well made and sounds 'nice'. Not for me. | 21 | | John Coltrane Olé Coltrane
[4.0]
You say the word 'jazz' - this is the exact music that forms in my head. It's good, but it never exactly surprises, other than with the T/T that's just perfect. | 22 | | The Kinks Something Else by The Kinks
[4.1]
Is this my favourite Kinks so far? Maybe not but it has some great tunes on it in the shape of 'David Watts', 'Two Sisters', 'Lazy Old Sun' and of course 'Waterloo Sunset'. | 23 | | Burzum Hvis lyset tar oss
[4.1]
This cat has the magic ingredient that so much metal on this list is missing? Know what it is? The evil. This dude brings the authentic evil vibes every time, I'm becoming a bit of a fan of Burzum and they're slotting alongside the similarly evil sounding Blut Aus Nord as metal champs in my house. Also, he has this effortless knack with throwing in the perfect riff, there's some absolute beauts in here, but he doesn't always hammer then to death ad infinitum. Basically I like the cut of The Count's jib, despite obviously hating the dude for being a murdering, racist sack of shit. Talent is talent. | 24 | | Iron Maiden Iron Maiden
Fucking iron madmen
[3.1]
Above average meat and potatoes hard rock/heavy metal album without the operatic vocals, grandiose compositions and glossy production that would all follow very soon. Less galloping too! Ok, the problem is (and why this album is only my 2nd favourite Maiden album behind 'Piece of Mind') is there's no classic songs. There are a few great ones though so cool. Not bad, esp for Maiden ;D | 25 | | Cannonball Adderley Somethin' Else
[4.0]
‘Autumn Leaves’ is absolutely outstanding and the rest is pre smooth too. All in all a great early jazz release. | 26 | | Van der Graaf Generator Pawn Hearts
Dreading these dudes just cos the name
[2.4]
Technically excellent no doubt, but the vocals are the stuff of nightmares and it's just the epitome of widdly woo prog, enjoyment level close to zero. '...is a vampiiiire and it feeds on meeeee' - as OTT as Queen without Freddie's charisma. Possibly mightily influential, etc etc - not for me. There was a good section towards the end of the 25 minute long 'Lighthouse'....followed by a horrifically boring pomp section that closes out the song (naturally). But there was a good section. | 27 | | Yes The Yes Album
[3.5]
I just don't know, all the qualities I like on 'Close to the Edge' are still dotted about here and there on this release but none of them add up to the epic quality of that one. 'Close to the Edge' made me think 'this is where The Soft Bulletin' was spawned from'...this sounds like a transition away from humble and antiquated sounding beginnings (I'm guessing, I haven't spun their earlier material). There's some great musicianship here at times, it's worthy of a 3.5 and it could well come alive on future revisits - for now I'm underwhelmed. | 28 | | Neu! Neu!
[4.0]
Some real excellence here - two instant classics in the form of 'Hallogallo' and particularly 'Negativland'. I'm not ruling out a future .5 bump. What a stunner for 1972! | 29 | | Death The Sound of Perseverance
[3.8]
The thing I like about Death's albums is the fast sections actually sound like their peers on fast forward - incredibly tight, what a rhythm section, perfect drums for this style. Where does this sit among other Death albums? Too early to say, this is another quality entry in their discog though. | 30 | | Black Sabbath Heaven and Hell
[2.2]
Ronny James Dio is an insurmountable cheese wheel. That is all.
Also the riffs are quite commercial/boring. Doesn't really 'sabbath' at all. | 31 | | Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus
[3.4]
Grrreat sax playing, grrreat rhythm section, grrrrrrreat piano - hard to find fault....hard to wet myself too much too. | 32 | | John Coltrane Africa/Brass
[4.1]
This is also some more rather good jazz, really getting a taste for Coltrane's style now. | 33 | | Chico Buarque Construção
[4.1]
Now this right hereis a brilliant Brazilian album to my ears. Some baroque Chamber orchestration but loads of South American flourishes and rhythms in there too. He has an attractive tone to his voice (ooh) and If I were to bother to read up and learn sections of these lyrics perhaps this could be a 5 in waiting? I spend a lot of time listening to English speaking artists try and capture this style (Josh Rouse, ahem) but this is the real deal. | 34 | | Judas Priest Sad Wings of Destiny
[3.0]
Musically I think I much prefer early Priest...vocally, lol Halford, he's great at what he does but this comes across almost as a comedy album with his style. Far too OTT and theatrical for my tastes, sort of like a more cheeseball Axl Rose on the ballad sections. Yikes. Saying that, 'Tyrant' is a great great tune I thought. | 35 | | Emperor In the Nightside Eclipse
[3.9]
I come from ye olde generation where people didn’t listen or have instant access to every genre...which is to say I feel bad coming to this from checking out Santana. This is meant to be extreme, you are supposed to be a card carrying extreme metalhead to listen to this imo, a face paint and all black’er. But no, I’ve been acclimatised to this sort of music a long time now to the point this album doesn’t even feel all that extreme - it’s quite cosy even. I also feel bad that back in ‘94 if you were into black metal and ONLY listened to black metal as you’d do, then this would be one of the major classics you’d have to clutch to your bosom for five years or whatever. I’m listening to this among loads of other stuff and as much as it might be an ‘Ok Computer’ of symphonic black metal I’m just judging it against Santana...and Pink Floyd...and everything else. It feels a bit wrong, but I’m of that generation - I shouldn’t really be listening to this. Not really. It’s good though | 36 | | Organized Konfusion Stress: The Extinction Agenda
[3.9]
A little teeny tiny bit too funky fresh for Doof hip hop tastes but still enjoyable, though as much as I keep wanting to like it as much as the previous year's '36 Chamber' from Wu-Tang...I just can't. | 37 | | Morbid Angel Altars of Madness
[3.5]
Rhythmically really really great, very raw production also which I think suits the intensity. Strange but even the solos seem there more for rhythmic/tempo diversity rather than being overly melodic/progressive. I'm putting a 3.5 up for now but I'll revisit this to see what sticks. Overall I prefer a little more atmosphere I'm thinking. | 38 | | Charles Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus
Hella mingus | 39 | | Opeth Ghost Reveries
Morpeth | 40 | | Death Individual Thought Patterns
[3.8]
Death truly are the Fugazi of metal - I find it impossible to rate their albums anything other than a 4 rating. I guess this means that 'Spiritual Healing' will be the 'Steady Diet' 3/5 exception. 'The Philosopher' is definitely one of my favourite Death tracks, what a closer. | 41 | | Santana Abraxas
Sultana fucker
[2.6]
Not the absolute most boring artist of all time but definitely in the top 1. My dad loves this dude and so Mr Sultana was a big part of my childhood. Now, well, it’s Nandos music. Music to eat spicy chicken by. Etc. Harmless ethno jammy friendly mildly progressive hippy-bliss bollocks. I’ve shaken my knob to get rid of the last drips of urine in restaurant lavatories to ‘Oye Como Va’ more than any other tune on this planet - it’s good for that purpose. Maybe I’ll get that song to play on repeat in my home lavatory? Or perhaps I’ll try to never listen to this willingly again? | 42 | | Gang Starr Moment of Truth
[3.9]
The name rang familiar and yeah, I’d listened to this before - my brother used to listen to this quite a bit. It’s good, and it shows when it comes to hip hop I’ve far from rated everything I’ve listened to. | 43 | | Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul
[3.8]
Isaac my dude, this is real good - way better than ‘Black Moses’ I’m thinking. | 44 | | Dissection Storm of the Light's Bane
[3.3]
Missing that evil, missing that intensity. Really, only a couple of steps away from Iron Maiden (ok this has some blast beats and some growls, but not much more). A couple of decent tunes in 'Night's Blood' and 'Crimson Death' but I'm not blown away. Not for me. | 45 | | The Mothers of Invention Freak Out!
[3.9]
Not my favourite album from the Mothers but this is still enjoyably barkin' mental. Satisfying in how it gets progressively stranger and stranger as it goes leading you all the way to the 12 and a half minute 'Monster Magnet' finale (never knew that's where they'd taken the band name from). Part of me is highly suspicious of the fact listening to Zappa is at least as much an intellectual exercise as a purely musical one...but then he makes the majority of his albums a lot of fun so it's just about ok. I let him off. | 46 | | Mercyful Fate Don't Break the Oath
[2.3]
Ok they improved, a little more polish and proficiency, and the vocals are better produced and delivered. Still not my bag, hitting that damn vocal high note all the time - like 100 times on the album the same goddam high note 'aaaaaaaaaaahhh'. They get a merciful (correct spelling) 2.5. | 47 | | Sun Ra Lanquidity | 48 | | Miles Davis On the Corner
[3.5]
Every track on this album starts out and you think you're in for a huge treat....but then it becomes apparent you're only in for a more modest treat. Sound palette is to die for...compositions are alive and yet become hard to live with. I might still warm to further given time. | 49 | | Caravan In the Land of Grey and Pink
[3.5]
This was going to land a big flat [3.0] until I got to the medley on Side B...the songs on Side A land JUST the right side of insufferably twee, they have an addictive and daydreamy quality to them though. The second half of the album amplifies the dreaminess and it's the very best sort of jam track, rhythmically it just keeps motoring, can see it being something addictive I reach for. Intriguing stuff. | 50 | | MF DOOM MM.. Food
[3.6]
Like food you can get stuffed on too much of the same thing, his shtick wears a little thin with me after 25 minutes (yes, inc Madvillainy, another 3.5). This is great in short doses but taken as a whole that’s a lot of comedy skit and a lot of mellow backing tracks. | 51 | | Iron Maiden Somewhere in Time
Fucking Irons | 52 | | Miles Davis Get Up with It | 53 | | Emperor Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
[3.8]
I’d rate this a smidgen behind the debut, it’s a lot more polished but not always to its benefit imo. Still, some great riffs and keyboard melodies here, and certainly it boasts its own intriguing atmosphere. | 54 | | Stevie Wonder Talking Book
[3.7]
Another smooth Stevie album, think I marginally prefer 'Innervisions' but there's not too much in it. This one gets a bit sappy taken as a whole. | 55 | | Deltron 3030 Deltron 3030
[4.1]
After the first three full length tracks on this I was honestly thinking a possible 5/5...but do I need to say any more? The curse of hip hop - why’s this thing so long? Some of the later tracks aren’t anywhere close to the same standard so down goes the score and that good will gets gobbled up bit by bit. Still a strong release all the same, and there are some decent latter tunes here - can’t go over a strong 4/5 rating though, shame. | 56 | | Judas Priest Screaming for Vengeance
[2.7]
Cheesy but also quite catchy, in reality I'm just incredibly bored of Judas Priest at this stage. Can't imagine how people get such a boner over their style, I mean I see how Halford got excited dressing up in leather slacks and rock-god'ing it every night, but I'd have to be susceptible to an almighty degree of vicarious pleasuring to get anywhere near the same level of excitement. It's an ok rock album. | 57 | | Peter Gabriel Melt
[3.0]
Ooh this was cruising to a [2.7] until the last two songs arrived. I enjoyed both of those a bit more than what preceded but still, I’m not feeling this. Not a big Genesis fan, not a big Phil fan...and now it appears I’m not a big Gabs fan. Scrapes a 3/5. | 58 | | Lou Reed Berlin
[3.5]
I'm marking this down as a potential grower and a half, first impressions weren't amazing, but the final run of songs was excellent and I see the whole thing putting the hooks in on my second or third try. For now it gets the 3.5 holder treatment. Sometimes you really can hear how much of a Reed fan Dan Bejar must be when listening to Lou. | 59 | | The Fall This Nation's Saving Grace
[4.4]
This will probably annoy Butch no end but this is my favourite Fall so far, sneaking ahead of 'Language' (that'd be a 4.2 rating though, not far behind). A basic pick perhaps, but this is their most immediate sounding album of those I've tried so far. | 60 | | Mercyful Fate Melissa
[1.8]
Loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool. When I said Iron Maiden weren't heavy, well this is worse. Still a'galloping, but here the vocals are so much funnier - with this girly 'aaaaaaaaaahhhh' like the lead singer is having his pubic hairs pulled out periodically. Embryonic, thank Satan metal got more genuinely tough/evil sounding than this. Think it was someone on RYM who said once you picture Mickey Mouse singing the 'high parts' it's game over for being able to listen to this with a straight face. 'Ya yooooooooooooooooooooooow'. Lol. | 61 | | New Order Power, Corruption and Lies
[3.9]
I liked this a lot more than I expected to, for as wet as it is at times, it has this underlying Kraftwerk sort of metronome heartbeat of cool, quite hypnotic. Massively influenced AND massively influential - one of those. Parts remind me of the Mark Renner comp I got into this year, some other parts you can trace all the way up to the latest Hot Chip song etc. The songs that open each 'side' are the best two. | 62 | | Thelonious Monk Brilliant Corners | 63 | | The Beatles Help!
[3.2]
I left the correct Beatles albums resting on the shelf I’m thinking. This is ok, a sunshine-y Beatles. Love/hate relationship with the title track...actually it’s hate most of the time. Damn. | 64 | | Thin Lizzy Jailbreak
[3.4]
Jukebox favourites but as jukebox hits go ‘The Boys are Back...’ only scores a 7 or 8 out of 10 for me - and its the best tune here. The guitar playing has that usual style you associate with TL but it lacks power in places and the whole album comes across a bit polite. That’s not good for an album that’s supposed to be rebellious and raucous. Decent enough. | 65 | | Darkthrone A Blaze in the Northern Sky | 66 | | Aretha Franklin Lady Soul
[3.8]
Solid, thing that impressed is a lot of the 'non-standards' are equally good if not better than the well knowns. Not my favourite genre ever but this is undeniably classy. | 67 | | Van der Graaf Generator H to He, Who Am the Only One
These better be godly | 68 | | Popol Vuh Hosianna Mantra
Neoclassical - will leave this in for now
[4.1]
Thar's some magic in this here album, possibly has 4.5 to 5 potential - only time will tell... | 69 | | Aretha Franklin I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You | 70 | | The Beatles A Hard Day's Night
[3.1]
Not thinking this will be a Beatles fave of mine, a few good tunes we’re all familiar with, rest sounds like the band were starting to progress into something slightly less pop and towards rock. | 71 | | Charles Mingus Let My Children Hear Music | 72 | | Big L Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous
[3.9]
Didn't finish as far behind 'Illmatic' (a Doof 4.2) as I expected. Technically strong...missing something in the charisma stakes to be a real great? Probably his style just has to grow on me. | 73 | | Jay-Z Reasonable Doubt | 74 | | The Pharcyde Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
[3.9]
When people describe the main positive with an album being it's 'fun' then those warning lights flash...but in this case this genuinely is a lot of fun - importantly, with an edge and some rawness added. A great peak period hip hop album. | 75 | | Paul McCartney Ram
Ram fucking man
[4.0]
One of the big surprises this rating significantly higher than the two Beatles albums on the list. I can take or leave some of the more obvious Beach Boys harmony tracks but when this gets strange in the fashion of Dr. John ('Monkberry') or a proto Animal Collective ('Uncle Albert') it's really appealing. | 76 | | Mayhem De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
[4.2]
This is more like it, what a beast this is. Perfect guitar sound, perfect drum sound, this just whips up an absolute frenzy. The band sound supple, loose, it actually GROOVES - so many black metal bands sound frozen stiff. Sky's the limit - this could be a 5 in time. | 77 | | Bob Marley and The Wailers Catch A Fire
[3.6]
I know some of his stuff is protest music, or political, or spiritual...but sorry Bob, this is 'superior background listening' for me and always will be. Nice stuff, best 600 of all time? No chance. | 78 | | Tim Hecker Harmony in Ultraviolet
[3.9]
Think I might prefer this to Rave, gives good ambient fuzz. One of the greatest 600 albums of all time? Nah. | 79 | | Thelonious Monk Monk's Music | 80 | | Edge of Sanity Crimson
[3.8]
Ahead of its time actually, sounds more of a 00's album. So good at what it does in fact it really should make a lot of albums which followed somewhat redundant. I'm listening to the version where the 'Acts' of the 40 minute song are broken up with track breaks, and they do individually sound like separate songs - so really rather than a 40 minute single song this is more like 8 very unified songs that flow into one another perfectly. Either way, this is all over the place but somehow it all works incredibly well. | 81 | | Fairport Convention Liege & Lief
[3.8]
Some great musicianship but not a vocal delivery that transmits anything beyond the technical. I get more emotion from something like this year’s Stick in the Wheel. I wanted to enjoy this more, will revisit and check some of their other albums - sure they’ll have one I’ll connect with better. | 82 | | PJ Harvey Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
[3.6]
A little more mainstream/conventional but she still has her quirks for sure. I liked this, not sure quite how much, seemed to get stronger as it progressed so not sure if that's genuinely how the quality is spread here or it's just a case I warmed up to the album as it went on. Saying this, I still doubt this one will end up my favourite PJ. | 83 | | Marvin Gaye Let's Get It On
[3.4]
Yeah it's good for background sexytime soul music, Marv's got a great set of pipes...but no song here blows me away that I'd reach for it other than in the deep PM or early AM if you get me. | 84 | | D'Angelo Black Messiah
Listened to most of this before, what ever
[3.6]
More of a 'vibe' album than a memorable song album I'm thinking, that could change on subsequent listens. The atmosphere is a world beater though, I prefer this sound to any Prince album that's for sure. Dripping in cool - so intimidating to a square like the Doof. Like it. | 85 | | Rush 2112
Goddam thrush | 86 | | T. Rex The Slider
[3.3]
Similar to 'Electric Warrior' this sounds cool but it just blends and lacks consistent song writing genius - if we agree Ziggy is a 5/5 (and we do) then unless something VERY iffy is going on with your rating scale how can you justify awarding over a 3.5 for this? There's an awful lot of rewriting the same songs from EW imo, which is why it lands a little below that album's [3.5] Doof rating. Nowhere near a top 600 album. Not even close. | 87 | | Fela Kuti Roforofo Fight
[4.0]
Enjoyed this even more than the other Fela on the list ('Expensive Shit') - I might discog binge the dude, I love this afro jazz stuff. | 88 | | Robbie Basho Visions of The Country
[4.2]
Yes, American primitivism is my sort of thing and I can certainly enjoy this mellow album of mostly acoustic guitar with the occasional Tim Buckley-eque vocal reverie. Looks hard to track down a physical CD copy or a download so that may harm its chances of going anywhere higher that a 4 - we'll see what I can do. | 89 | | Miles Davis 'Round About Midnight | 90 | | Rush Permanent Waves
Permanent thrush
[2.0]
I don't get this band and I doubt I ever will. Just so goddamn wet - those vocals are the epitome of nerdo naff. The music is...it's Rush, there are no great songs, some decent musicianship sure, but nothing to stick a flag in and claim as a fucking song. Ugh. Rush. Ugh. | 91 | | Prince 1999
[2.1]
Cheesy nonsense, didn’t like it. ‘Something in the Water’ is a stand-alone gem though 💎 | 92 | | Immolation Close to a World Below
[1.8]
Incredibly boring album, yes this is proficient music, and the approach is somewhat brootal, plus the vocals almost have a burpy Demilich quality...but everything is so goddam flat and one toned. It doesn't groove, it doesn't reach any sort of real heaviness, it just sort of pummels away in this unappetising way with no rise and fall, there are no peaks of excitement or intensity. Easily the most absolutely ear numbingly dull album on the list, no contest. This piece of shit deserves it's Jesus steak house album sleeve, burn in hell. | 93 | | Lynyrd Skynyrd Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd
Can never find a stream of this damn buggaloo - ok, not sure why I couldn’t!
[3.8]
Actually enjoyed this, I don’t know much about them except they’re the archetypal southern rock band and had beef with Neil Young. Scrapes a 4 because I’ve actually never got sick of ‘Free Bird’ | 94 | | Depeche mode Music for the Masses
Music for molasses
[3.0]
So what rating do four excellent songs and six coming in at just above average get from Doof? A [3.0].
A simple system. | 95 | | Opeth My Arms, Your Hearse
Mooooorpeth | 96 | | Immortal At the Heart of Winter
[3.4]
Has a real 'stop-start'y' feel to it - when it works it's impressively dynamic, when it doesn't it feels a little cheap and grabby. The vocals are...just there, sort of a gurgle burp deep in the mix. Could be a grower :/ | 97 | | Belle and Sebastian Tigermilk
[3.2]
Too twee and inconsequential for me, though I see the appeal. Bit scared ‘Electronic Renaissance’ was the inspiration for ‘Partie Traumatic’ by Black Kids. | 98 | | Judas Priest Defenders of the Faith
Fucking priest
[2.5]
This sure sounds like 'leather metal', my bung hole is sweating just listening to this. | 99 | | UGK Ridin' Dirty
Sure I’ve listened to this shit
[3.1]
Yeah I'd listened to some of this before, mellow southern gangsta stuff - not my hip hop jam but I can respect this is well done for what it is. | 100 | | Darkthrone Transilvanian Hunger
Takes me down to no. 601, that’ll do
[3.0]
Lo-fi black metal, sounds like it was recorded in a toilet. The title track was interesting...then with every passing song it became less interesting. Black metal is a genre that needs crisp or atmospheric production for me, the performance can be raw but not the sound quality because then it just sounds like murk with never ending tin can drums. Tinny tinny tinny. Still, I like the spirit, and in small doses it sounds almost revolutionary. | |
DoofusWainwright
06.13.18 | You’d think there should be a few 5’s up there. Bet there aren’t lol | Mentasm
06.13.18 | great life goal there chief | DoofusWainwright
06.13.18 | Month goal for serious listenuuuuur | Papa Universe
06.13.18 | *in Werner Herzog voice*
And when he reached a 100th review and a 1000th vote, he bid the world farewell and went off to his fairytaleland he came from, full of joy and satisfaction, to greet death, his old friend, but he will live on in the hearts of children, for the stories of him will be told for generations to come. Farewell and peace be with you. | DoofusWainwright
06.13.18 | That's pretty much it Uni, my work on this planet is done | Demon of the Fall
06.13.18 | I can tell this is going to be amusing, look at all that extreme metal :-) | Papa Universe
06.13.18 | It's gonna be raining some extreme 1s here | InFlamesWeThrash666
06.13.18 | can't wait for you to shit on some of my favorite albums | bgillesp
06.13.18 | So much jazz for you to get on (: | DoofusWainwright
06.13.18 | I doubt there'll be more than a couple of 1's here, if that. Remember this is ALL the remaining extreme metal and jazz in the RYM top 600 I haven't rated...so I've already rated a lot of jazz and extreme metal. | Yotimi
06.13.18 | Really surprised you haven't heard some of these. I spot a few Doofy albums here | DoofusWainwright
06.13.18 | Yot - put your money where your mouth is, pick three here you think have the most Doofy potential (also means I'll prioritize them) | AsleepInTheBack
06.13.18 | I have a feeling 58 and 78 will be your kind of jams | Sinternet
06.13.18 | this is little known but 75 actually had a sequel, it's only one song but you should definitely take a look quick before you hear it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlPlVzgw6l0 | DoofusWainwright
06.13.18 | Thanks Sint will check at the time
Good picks Asleep
I’ve knocked out the Beatles as I knew that’d be easy and I’d listened to 50% of the songs on those albums before. | TwigTW
06.13.18 | This looks like fun. By the way, 93 is on Spotify. | DoofusWainwright
06.13.18 | Twig - hmm, must have evaded me somehow
Is it any good? | Sinternet
06.13.18 | you should check it now | DoofusWainwright
06.13.18 | I don't know how 75 will live up to that, video was pretty hot Sint | TwigTW
06.13.18 | It's a mixed bag, especially if you're not a fan of southern rock... and I'm guessing you're not. | bgillesp
06.13.18 | If you don't love 45 ill cry | DoofusWainwright
06.13.18 | Check my ratings, I’ll probably like it a lot :D | Yotimi
06.14.18 | I'd say 78 due to your love of fennesz. 68 is really good, don't let the neoclassical tag scare ya. And 82 is prob a safe bet. | Meridiu5
06.14.18 | 34 is as close to a 5 as it gets | DoofusWainwright
06.14.18 | Nice Yot, tried the Hecker earlier and was the best stuff I’ve heard from him.
Meri - still waiting for a breakthrough with Priest, prefer them to Maiden though | Meridiu5
06.14.18 | I see. Lot of later priest is odd b/c they took on this leather biker image. Sad wings was them closer to blues roots. If you like any of priest itll probably be this one | DoofusWainwright
06.14.18 | Meri - I'll try Sad Wings tomorrow
Starting to make a dent in this list, hopefully should get to try two or three more tomorrow as it's a quiet Friday for new stuff. | DoofusWainwright
06.15.18 | I've knocked out most of the 'easier' listens - what a silly sausage I am | Egarran
06.15.18 | Yeah what you wanna do is get rid of all the metal.
Metal Doof was the greatest affront to humankind since the black plague. | theBoneyKing
06.16.18 | Neat idea Doof, I reckon I’ll never get close to hearing all of the RYM top 1,000...that said there’s probably a lot in there I *should* have already heard but haven’t. Tellingly though there’s less than 10 things here that I have heard or feel I need to hear. After the top 200 or so it stops being “truly” essential stuff and turns to “bests of particular genres”...and if you’re not into those genres well you can move right along.
The PJ Harvey is a good ‘un, her most standard indie rock effort though. | DoofusWainwright
06.17.18 | Thanks Boney, I'll try the PJ Harvey today.
Starting to make a dent, think at this pace I should be able to listen to maybe 60 or 70 of these before I hit 5000 ratings. Most things have been decent so far, nothing below a 2.4 and I'm not anticipating anything below a 2.0 | SandwichBubble
06.17.18 | Excited for the unveiling of the WainusDoofwright account | Egarran
06.17.18 | Something anus doo something | DoofusWainwright
06.17.18 | What's the greatest metal album on this list in your opinion Egar? | claygurnz
06.17.18 | Yeah what's the new account gonna be called | DoofusWainwright
06.17.18 | It has already been created and it has a bit of a anticimax of a new account name tbh, feel like I'm letting everyone down
Soon as that final review goes up the account will spring into existence
| Egarran
06.17.18 | "What's the greatest metal album on this list in your opinion Egar?"
Nice try. | DoofusWainwright
06.17.18 | I was trying nothing...?
You know I really miss the DoofMetal account and now all I have is the DoofMetal list on RYM
https://rateyourmusic.com/list/DoofusWainwright/doof-metal-top-100-metal_heavy-albums/ | Egarran
06.17.18 | I'm not clicking that.
And yes you were clearly trying to have some of my elite metal attunement rub off on you. If I told you my favourite metal album, you would hype it everywhere, trying to gain some cred.
Look, I don't want to be an asshole, but you have to leave the metal behind. | DoofusWainwright
06.17.18 | ‘Trying to gain some cred’
There is no cred in metal, we all know this
You’re cocky for a dude with 400 metal ratings though, got to love you for that | Egarran
06.17.18 | You're just a quantity over quality guy.
I suppose you also think rich people are better than the poor. | theBoneyKing
06.17.18 | Fair rating on the PJ, that one falls somewhere in the middle of her discog for me as well. | DoofusWainwright
06.17.18 | egar - You’re a lazy generalisations debater - aka the worst, bye | DoofusWainwright
06.17.18 | Boney - I'll give it another go soon, was the second half stronger or was that my imagination? | theBoneyKing
06.17.18 | Idk about that necessarily, I’d say my favorite tracks are pretty well distributed across the tracklisting though it’s been a while since I spun the whole thing. The last two are definitely among the best though. Upon release the album was one of her best received (because of the Thom York features perhaps) but it maybe hasn’t aged as well as a lot of her others - as I said it’s her most standard “indie rock singer/songwriter” moment, less abrasive than her other stuff. | Egarran
06.17.18 | Aw doof I thought you were cool. | DoofusWainwright
06.17.18 | 'This Mess', 'Horses' and even 'Kamikaze' stood out for me first listen, but a first listen is only a first listen | DoofusWainwright
06.17.18 | Egar if you don't behave I'll make sure the biggest slice of pie on my new account is metal - and no one wants to see that happen | theBoneyKing
06.17.18 | “Place Called” sits at track 3 as my fave. “Kamikaze” I’ve never loved, it’s a bit too much of a watered down version of the abrasive stuff on her first couple albums. | DoofusWainwright
06.17.18 | Ah, I've only dipped into her first two albums so that may be why 'Kamikaze' stood out as more fresh for me | theBoneyKing
06.17.18 | It’s a “better in context” sort of song I think - you do need something a bit more upbeat in there at that point in the album.
I do probably overrate the album a bit at a 4.5 - I’d need to respin the whole thing but it is noticeably less consistent than her other albums I have on the same score even if the high points are among my favorite songs of hers. | tombits
06.17.18 | Gimme a rating on RAM | DoofusWainwright
06.17.18 | tombits - one of the best so far, no one is more surprised than I | SandwichBubble
06.17.18 | "proto Animal Collective" is now my least favorite sequence of words ever, right next to "paul simon is indie folk" | DoofusWainwright
06.17.18 | Always a clanger in the offing with a Doof list, you know the risks by this stage Sandwich | Pheromone
06.17.18 | 97 is classic | SandwichBubble
06.17.18 | I'll forgive the phrasing, since we do live in a post-AnCo world now.
I'm just glad you like Ram. When that one's on it, it's on point. | tombits
06.18.18 | Yeah dude, RAM is immense! Weirdly underrated outside of musically discerning circles | Mentasm
06.18.18 | list title is clearly inspired by the last mimzy | DoofusWainwright
06.18.18 | clearly | Egarran
06.18.18 | Don't you dare drag that masterpiece down in mud of doof. | DoofusWainwright
06.18.18 | What masterpiece now? You got to chill and realize I was listening to Deicide back in 1995 so relax with this, there will be highs...there will be lows...and early first listen ratings change if they deserve to change.
Try and put down the metalhead battleaxe and look at how other people respond to lists like this, my ratings aren't going to influence the future health of metallidom | Egarran
06.18.18 | Could you relax just a bit? You're only triggering my inner edgelord. | DoofusWainwright
06.18.18 | Inner edgelord? I think you've got an 'outie' ;P | Egarran
06.18.18 | Look, I will do my best to stay away from this thread. Good luck to us all. | DoofusWainwright
06.21.18 | Imagine I’ll get another 30-40 of these done judging by how much other stuff I’m rating. Will prioritise albums from different artists - where there’s loads from one (Judas Priest, Opeth, etc) I’ll prob leave those. | AsleepInTheBack
06.21.18 | Spot on with 34 tbh | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | Nothing from this list is changing my belief that metal and hip hop both peaked between 1986 and 1996.
That's an awful lot of lesser metal and hip hop released since then... | AsleepInTheBack
06.23.18 | Idk, if you go into 1 looking for something heavy all these years down the line then I think you're looking at it from the wrong angle. It's just catchy, melodic, carefree and disarming cheese. Sure, I get why you would hate that mix of traits, but criticising it for a lack of heaviness doesn't hit the mark imo. I'd argue the same if you tried to criticise old sabbath as not being heavy and therefore disappointing; it's appriciable for other reasons imo | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | I'd say Maiden were taken reasonably serious and considered heavy, though they had a light side too (Brit sense of humour). I disliked Maiden aged 15 back in 1994 or whatever - and then they were still quite 'current' so I don't know, even then I always reached for Megadeth or Slayer ahead of them. That album was released after Master of Puppets, Reign in Blood, etc. Also, I do prefer some of the songs on earlier albums (I still have a few I haven't checked too). The 'galloping' rhythm section I also have a problem with, reminds me of a metal version of Adam and the Ants or something equally ridiculous, very English. I also do find early Sabbath patchy as hell but I wouldn't say the lack of heaviness is a problem - Zeppelin rarely suffer the same fate. | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | It is though, vocals are pre bad on that album too. If they had amazing vocals the acoustic/folk-ier sections would make a lot more sense | Mentasm
06.23.18 | Maiden sucks agreed. Priest and Faith are great tho so fuck you, man. | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | At least we can agree on Burzum. | Mentasm
06.23.18 | That's how Lucifer would sound like if you ever meet him down under | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | 'Faith'? I thought you meant 'Fate' as in Mercyful Fate :/ | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | Darius - going to have to revisit Morningrise and see why I rated that so much higher. Do the vocals sound the same on that one? There were some classic moments on 'Still Life', will give it another shot at some stage. Opeth are a band I like the idea of...but something turns me off them a bit, seem a bit glossy and ponderous at times. | Mentasm
06.23.18 | damn you auto correct! | Mentasm
06.23.18 | "Opeth are perfect in every conceivable way an artist can be judged.."
lol very Shadow-esque | Casavir
06.23.18 | Both your rating and description for Melissa are total horseshit, by the way. | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | Darius - Sounds like you're telling me the vocals are less polished and cheesy ;D I am quite fussy with vocals as this list is no doubt proving.
Opeth, they're 'perfect'ly proficient - I need a breakthrough with their later stuff, all I can do is return to the album and see what sticks. I'm not always a massive fan of technical perfection - something like Tool's Aenima is technically perfect in a lot of ways...but why is it sitting on a Doof 4/5. 'The Fragile' is technically amazing, but only a Doof 3.5. It's not always what makes me fall for music.
Mentasm - if Lucifer sounds like that I'll think I've landed in Fantasia
Casavir - describe the vocal style in a way that could make me understand how they are in any way 'musical' or 'acceptable'.
I'm listening to the other Mercyful Fate on the list now so second 2/5 rating incoming...or not? We shall see. Satan Mouse have mercy on my soul. The low vocals also sound like a retarded Robert Smith at times - they're sort of amazing. | Casavir
06.23.18 | Your Van der Graaf Generator rating is equally terrible. | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | You know, I can see how important Mercyful Fate are considering how early they developed this sound...but it's a bit like how I consider the early discog of the Beatles. Transitional, historical importance, but sound dated and quaint now. I could give a false 'intellectual' rating and say I consider 'Meet the Beatles' as being just as enjoyable to me as 'Revolver'...but it just isn't.
Band are a stepping stone with a lot of features that the greats would improve on or jettison.
Casavir - you prob have incompatible taste, that's the nature of music, you can discuss or just throw salt, but I won't have a lot to say to monosyllabic 'you're wrongs'. You're wrong imo :/ | Casavir
06.23.18 | Are you seriously implying that Mercyful Fate's first two albums don't hold up entirely due to the vocals? That's retarded. | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | The riffs aren't blowing me away either. It's a meaty early sound for a band at the time but again not mind blowing. Lead guitar work is decent sure.
One musical ingredient/factor will tend to kill my interest in a band though, yes. 'I'm just going to block out the vocals right now, oh this is a 5 now' - doesn't work like that for me.
I mean, the first album fair enough, less competition. This second one Metallica were steamrollering this stuff, just listen to 'Fight Fire with Fire' - this was plodding to the elephant's graveyard. No one who meant a shit sounded like this three years later. | Mentasm
06.23.18 | yeah Van Deer Yessir Whatever kinda blows, just like most symphonic prog out there. You should check out more stuff from the canterbury scene if you liked 39 man. | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | Darius - I want to get the emotion, in the more reflective passages I want to get the feeling the best mid-period Anathema material gives me, so far it just hasn't happened. I do change my mind a lot so there could be a turnaround, anything I rate above a 3 has a chance, it's at least good. | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | Mentasm - I haven't tried too much beyond Soft Machine/Robert Wyatt from that scene, what would you suggest are essentials? | Casavir
06.23.18 | What makes King's vocals fit for me with Fate is that he often gives me the image of an insane cultist that is completely lost in possession and more often than not, it works for me, especially when contrasted with the ominous riffs and melodies that Denner and Shermann write.
The comparison to Metaliica is hilariously stupid as well given that Fate aren't thrash and that most of early Metallica is literally just NWOBHM influence milling with their late '80s work past Ride the Lightning being surpassed by superior bands with a greater repertoire of skills and compositional variety. | Mentasm
06.23.18 | The Rotter's Club by Hatfield and the North, Fish Rising by Steve Hillage and Joy of a Toy by Kevin Ayers. I also recommend you to check 'You' seeing you gave Flying Teapot a 4. | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | Casavir - whatever style of heavy metal MF were peddling here (and occasionally some of it does get closer to thrash, 'Come to the Sabbath') it was an endangered species as this point...I guess iron Maiden and Judas Priest carried the torch a bit with the galloping/operatic thing a bit longer. Thrash took over (whatever your opinion) and Guns n' Roses took hair metal away from its Satan dependency in terms of looking tough.
'Don't Break the Oath' is an improvement, 'Gypsy' was actually a decent track the whole way through and some of the instrumental sections seem more polished in a good way.
'he often gives me the image of an insane cultist that is completely lost in possession' maybe I would have appreciated his style more in a live setting, on record it's just unrelenting. | Casavir
06.23.18 | "Thrash took over (whatever your opinion) and Guns n' Roses took hair metal away from its Satan dependency in terms of looking tough."
Oh, you're one of those people. | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | well yeah I like thrash, as I said above I do think metal peaked between 86 and 96. Metalllica, Slayer, Megadeth, Sepultura, Death, Voivod, etc is the stuff I like best.
I'm one of those, prob a bad thing, it is what it is. If nothing else this list will give a clear picture on my taste for varying styles of metal and hip hop.
Darius - 'I take it doof you're not a fan of operatic clean style vocals in metal' was it that obvious? | Casavir
06.23.18 | There was more good metal from '86 to '96 than just thrash and death, you realize that? | DoofusWainwright
06.23.18 | Yeah, I'm starting to realise I dig quite a lot of other metal from the period. I always liked Carcass but now Burzum the last couple of months have impressed me and honestly that Emperor album on this list had a certain something too. Some industrial metal, stoner and gothic stuff like Paradise Lost/Anathema was decent too. Obviously commercial stuff like Pantera I was into, some nu metal.
The point of a list like this is exploration - out of 600 albums considered the best these were the ones I hadn't already checked - why? Probably they were the most outside my usual listening habits/taste. | DoofusWainwright
06.27.18 | Still powering through this list, dunno if there are any shocks among my ratings for y'all so far.
Some great albums here, nothing has sneaked a 5 so far which is disappointing (I couldn't see an obvious contender up there but thought there could be a couple of surprises all the same).
Very boring pick for strongest album so far in the Otis Redding - it's incredibly solid stuff. The Fall are currently second and only a fraction behind really, my favourite Fall album so far so that's something the list has found for me.
Pleasant surprises? Mayhem, Deltron 3030 and 'Clube da Esquina' have been the biggest surprise to me maybe - all incredible albums. | AsleepInTheBack
06.27.18 | I was under the impression that you thought illmatic was distinctly average?
Intriguing description of Mayhem, will have to jam | DoofusWainwright
06.27.18 | Illmatic has always been a doof 4 - that's not average :D
I think I have yanked a few people's chains saying it isn't all that in some threads - but it's always actually been a 4 in my ratings, sometimes I just take the piss to see if people have actually realised I rate a lot of hip hop pretty high | AsleepInTheBack
06.27.18 | ah, hm, I have a feeling that's it haha | SandwichBubble
06.27.18 | Gonna catch a hit for that peter gabriel rating doof, here it comes 🤜💥 | DoofusWainwright
06.27.18 | Ouch, that hurt. I'm expecting worse from any Immolation fanboys in the house | Mentasm
06.27.18 | Why would you expecting instant classic albums, did you do that often? slap a 5 after only 1-3 listens? | DoofusWainwright
06.27.18 | It's more '5 potential' I'm looking for after 1-3 spins if you get me - nothing here has it I'm thinking. | sixdegrees
06.27.18 | 69 comments left... | bgillesp
06.27.18 | Your taste in black metal is surprisingly spot on. Lol at 60, so true | DoofusWainwright
06.27.18 | 'our taste in black metal is surprisingly spot on'
Never thought I'd read those words on Sput :D | Casavir
06.28.18 | The only thing that would make this list worse is if you reviewed Watchtower's albums because I can immediately tell which rating you'd give them. | neekafat
06.28.18 | Melt is pretty mid-tier Peter Gabriel to be fair | DoofusWainwright
07.03.18 | 32 still on the list but only 24 ratings left...probably will only get to a maximum of 20 of the remaining entries here. | bgillesp
07.03.18 | Forty-Fiiiiiiiiiiiiive | DoofusWainwright
07.03.18 | 45 will definitely get covered and rated, I actually got a few tracks in the other day but for some reason got interrupted and haven't returned to it since. I'll prioritize stuff on spotify so Jay-Z and a couple of others which aren't on there are guaranteed to be skipped. | Yotimi
07.04.18 | 91 is bad agreed | luci
07.04.18 | 92 sucks, thanks for telling it like it is | DoofusWainwright
07.05.18 | I'll do 10 more of these and I'm finished :D | DoofusWainwright
07.06.18 | That's it, run out of ratings...but watch out some of the albums I haven't rated on this account might just get rated early on my new account. | DoofusWainwright
07.06.18 | Miles Davis 'Jack Johnson' took the crown and was the lone 'first listen classic' - I'm not ruling out others emerging over time. | JustJoe.
07.06.18 | 👏 | bgillesp
07.06.18 | 4 comments left. How bout those negs? | DoofusWainwright
07.06.18 | I can live easy with the Approval score...if a member of staff removes all the negs then they have my blessing :3 | SandwichBubble
07.06.18 | Oh my gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood
Here lies doofus | bgillesp
07.06.18 | Final list when? | JustJoe.
07.06.18 | 🙇 | DoofusWainwright
07.06.18 | Final list now | DoofusWainwright
07.06.18 | Silencio |
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