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Omar's Album Reviews of The Rolling Stones' Top 500 Albums (and some other albums too)

Voltaire26

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These are my 1971 LPs. It must be in here. Idk how many of them are on the list. A few I've only listened to once... that was back in the day when you bought an LP blind or based upon a cut or 2. The ones with asterisks I purchased after 71, the rest I bought when they were current.

Chicago - Chicago III
Janis Joplin - Pearl
Carole King - Tapestry
Miles Davis - Jack Johnson *
Alice Cooper - Love It to Death
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
CSNY - 4 Way Street
The Doors - L.A. Woman
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
Procol Harum - Broken Barricades
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On *
Grahamn Nash - Songs for Beginners
Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells a Story
Joni Mitchell - Blue *
The Allman Brothers - At Fillmore East *
The Moody Blues - Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
The Who - Who's Next
Ten Years After - A Space in Time
Aretha Frankiln - Aretha's Greatest Hits *
John Lennon - Imagine
Uriah Heep - Look at Yourself
Cat Stevns - Teaser and the Firecat
Chicago - Chicago at Carnegie Hall
The Who - Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy
Pink Floyd - Meddle
Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey
Elton John - Madman Across the Water
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II
Faces - A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse
Sly & The Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On *
Yes - Fragile
Alice Cooper - Killer
Carly Simon - Anticipation
Bonnie Raitt - Bonnie Raitt *
Traffic - The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
Humble Pie - Performance Rockin' the Fillmore
David Bowie - Hunky Dory *
Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks 1964–1971
America - America

Pink Floyd - Meddle ... possibly one of the greatest songs ever written and recorded ... Echoes

 

Voltaire26

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Are You Experienced: 3/5 stars. Rank on RS Top 500 Albums List: 15

Are_You_Experienced_-_US_cover-edit.jpg


<reviewing the original North American release, which contained 11 songs>

1967 album from The Jimi Hendrix Experience that is generally considered one of the best debut albums of all time, but you already knew that. I enjoyed it, in some parts more than others, but overall I did enjoy it. My favorite songs are "Purple Haze" and "May This Be Love," neither of which I consider even close to masterpieces... which brings me to my largest complaint with this album- mediocrity throughout the entire project. Those two songs are good, but again, neither are close to top 250 (or even top 500) songs of all time. I know people love "Hey Joe" and "Foxey Lady," but those songs are really just meh to me.

I think the biggest problem I have with this album is that its electric guitar-centered, and while I love a good electric guitar solo, I'm much more of a drums/vocals guy. "Fire" has some good drums (and I like that song), but outside of that, it's Hendrix's guitar playing that is supposed to steal the show; and it hits and misses for me.

I think this song would be really cool stoned. I'll have to give it a try when I get back into the weed-smoking scene at the end of May. But sober; this album is good, not great for me.

Weirdly enough, if you get the North American CD reissue album with the bonus tracks, the 13th track, "51st Anniversary" is fucking awesome. It's not a well known song at all, but check it out- it would be my favorite track on the album if it appeared along with the original 11 songs. Plus, you can hear Hendrix do a rather large bump of cocaine towards the end of the song:drool:

Eric Clapton appears on 10 different albums on this list (two solo albums, three with Cream, one with Derek and the Dominos, one with the Beatles, one with George Harrison, one with the Yardbirds and one with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers). My next review will be of one of these albums, and should drop later tonight, or at the latest tomorrow morning.

I think you're gonna re-review it and come away with a different answer. Whether, or not you do ... your music reviews are the best I've seen!! A shitload better than the professionals back in the day!!!
 

Wazmankg

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Pink Floyd - Meddle ... possibly one of the greatest songs ever written and recorded ... Echoes


I didn't even know who they were. I heard One of These Days on an FM station and bought the album based upon that. I liked it so I bought their next, Obscured By Clouds. I didn't really care for that one though, so I sort of lost interest until a friend put on DSOTM, that had just been released.
 

TheDayMan

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Are You Experienced: 3/5 stars. Rank on RS Top 500 Albums List: 15

Are_You_Experienced_-_US_cover-edit.jpg


<reviewing the original North American release, which contained 11 songs>

1967 album from The Jimi Hendrix Experience that is generally considered one of the best debut albums of all time, but you already knew that. I enjoyed it, in some parts more than others, but overall I did enjoy it. My favorite songs are "Purple Haze" and "May This Be Love," neither of which I consider even close to masterpieces... which brings me to my largest complaint with this album- mediocrity throughout the entire project. Those two songs are good, but again, neither are close to top 250 (or even top 500) songs of all time. I know people love "Hey Joe" and "Foxey Lady," but those songs are really just meh to me.

I think the biggest problem I have with this album is that its electric guitar-centered, and while I love a good electric guitar solo, I'm much more of a drums/vocals guy. "Fire" has some good drums (and I like that song), but outside of that, it's Hendrix's guitar playing that is supposed to steal the show; and it hits and misses for me.

I think this song would be really cool stoned. I'll have to give it a try when I get back into the weed-smoking scene at the end of May. But sober; this album is good, not great for me.

Weirdly enough, if you get the North American CD reissue album with the bonus tracks, the 13th track, "51st Anniversary" is fucking awesome. It's not a well known song at all, but check it out- it would be my favorite track on the album if it appeared along with the original 11 songs. Plus, you can hear Hendrix do a rather large bump of cocaine towards the end of the song:drool:

Eric Clapton appears on 10 different albums on this list (two solo albums, three with Cream, one with Derek and the Dominos, one with the Beatles, one with George Harrison, one with the Yardbirds and one with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers). My next review will be of one of these albums, and should drop later tonight, or at the latest tomorrow morning.

God damnit Omar...
 

Wazmankg

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Are You Experienced: 3/5 stars. Rank on RS Top 500 Albums List: 15

Are_You_Experienced_-_US_cover-edit.jpg


<reviewing the original North American release, which contained 11 songs>

1967 album from The Jimi Hendrix Experience that is generally considered one of the best debut albums of all time, but you already knew that. I enjoyed it, in some parts more than others, but overall I did enjoy it. My favorite songs are "Purple Haze" and "May This Be Love," neither of which I consider even close to masterpieces... which brings me to my largest complaint with this album- mediocrity throughout the entire project. Those two songs are good, but again, neither are close to top 250 (or even top 500) songs of all time. I know people love "Hey Joe" and "Foxey Lady," but those songs are really just meh to me.

I think the biggest problem I have with this album is that its electric guitar-centered, and while I love a good electric guitar solo, I'm much more of a drums/vocals guy. "Fire" has some good drums (and I like that song), but outside of that, it's Hendrix's guitar playing that is supposed to steal the show; and it hits and misses for me.

I think this song would be really cool stoned. I'll have to give it a try when I get back into the weed-smoking scene at the end of May. But sober; this album is good, not great for me.

Weirdly enough, if you get the North American CD reissue album with the bonus tracks, the 13th track, "51st Anniversary" is fucking awesome. It's not a well known song at all, but check it out- it would be my favorite track on the album if it appeared along with the original 11 songs. Plus, you can hear Hendrix do a rather large bump of cocaine towards the end of the song:drool:

Eric Clapton appears on 10 different albums on this list (two solo albums, three with Cream, one with Derek and the Dominos, one with the Beatles, one with George Harrison, one with the Yardbirds and one with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers). My next review will be of one of these albums, and should drop later tonight, or at the latest tomorrow morning.

If Foxy Lady & Hey Joe are just meh and you think it's too electric guitar-centered, then Hendrix is just not for you.
 

Omar 382

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[Untitled] (Commonly Referred to as Led Zeppelin IV): 3/5 stars. Rank on RS Top 500 Albums List: 69

61qTE9kINgL._SX355_.jpg


There's a lot for me to unpack here, so I'll try to keep it as brief as possible.

I just can't seem to figure Led Zeppelin out. I don't want to resign myself to the "just doesn't get it" club, because I do like some of their music. This is probably my favorite outing from them that I've heard. There's one masterpiece, "Stairway To Heaven," but I also really like "Going To California" and "Rock and Roll."

I don't know. I don't want to write a novel about them because I'm not qualified to, and I recognize that I'm in the minority on them. But "Black Dog" is just drivel, and I really don't know how anyone could like it. It's weird because I don't even hate hard rock or anything, but this group just pisses me off.

What are their songs about? Even "Stairway To Heaven," which I recognize as a masterpiece- what the hell is it about? I understand that as a listener of music, I'm not going to understand everything the curator says, or intends (if he intends anything at all). I get that; it's a part of listening to music or viewing any art form. But this band takes it to a whole new level. What the hell is "The Battle of Evermore" about? It's hard enough when you can hardly understand fucking Robert Plant's vocals, but then the lyrics you can hear are so cryptic? Fuck off.

I do like the chord progressions on "When The Levee Breaks," which, thankfully, is easy enough a song message to understand.

I didn't hate this album. By and large, I don't understand it. Maybe that's my own shortcoming at this junction in my life.
 

beardown07

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[Untitled] (Commonly Referred to as Led Zeppelin IV): 3/5 stars. Rank on RS Top 500 Albums List: 69

61qTE9kINgL._SX355_.jpg


There's a lot for me to unpack here, so I'll try to keep it as brief as possible.

I just can't seem to figure Led Zeppelin out. I don't want to resign myself to the "just doesn't get it" club, because I do like some of their music. This is probably my favorite outing from them that I've heard. There's one masterpiece, "Stairway To Heaven," but I also really like "Going To California" and "Rock and Roll."

I don't know. I don't want to write a novel about them because I'm not qualified to, and I recognize that I'm in the minority on them. But "Black Dog" is just drivel, and I really don't know how anyone could like it. It's weird because I don't even hate hard rock or anything, but this group just pisses me off.

What are their songs about? Even "Stairway To Heaven," which I recognize as a masterpiece- what the hell is it about? I understand that as a listener of music, I'm not going to understand everything the curator says, or intends (if he intends anything at all). I get that; it's a part of listening to music or viewing any art form. But this band takes it to a whole new level. What the hell is "The Battle of Evermore" about? It's hard enough when you can hardly understand fucking Robert Plant's vocals, but then the lyrics you can hear are so cryptic? Fuck off.

I do like the chord progressions on "When The Levee Breaks," which, thankfully, is easy enough a song message to understand.

I didn't hate this album. By and large, I don't understand it. Maybe that's my own shortcoming at this junction in my life.


You crack me up, dude.


I anxiously await the real review on this 2 years from now.
 

Wazmankg

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[Untitled] (Commonly Referred to as Led Zeppelin IV): 3/5 stars. Rank on RS Top 500 Albums List: 69

61qTE9kINgL._SX355_.jpg


There's a lot for me to unpack here, so I'll try to keep it as brief as possible.

I just can't seem to figure Led Zeppelin out. I don't want to resign myself to the "just doesn't get it" club, because I do like some of their music. This is probably my favorite outing from them that I've heard. There's one masterpiece, "Stairway To Heaven," but I also really like "Going To California" and "Rock and Roll."

I don't know. I don't want to write a novel about them because I'm not qualified to, and I recognize that I'm in the minority on them. But "Black Dog" is just drivel, and I really don't know how anyone could like it. It's weird because I don't even hate hard rock or anything, but this group just pisses me off.

What are their songs about? Even "Stairway To Heaven," which I recognize as a masterpiece- what the hell is it about? I understand that as a listener of music, I'm not going to understand everything the curator says, or intends (if he intends anything at all). I get that; it's a part of listening to music or viewing any art form. But this band takes it to a whole new level. What the hell is "The Battle of Evermore" about? It's hard enough when you can hardly understand fucking Robert Plant's vocals, but then the lyrics you can hear are so cryptic? Fuck off.

I do like the chord progressions on "When The Levee Breaks," which, thankfully, is easy enough a song message to understand.

I didn't hate this album. By and large, I don't understand it. Maybe that's my own shortcoming at this junction in my life.



Robert Plant is a Tolkien fan (Hobbit, LOTR, etc) and many of his lyrics are based upon or homages to Tolkien works. At least that's what I'm told... I'm not a big Tolkien fan. I don't think they "mean" anything except to sound cool when Plant sings them. His voice is more or less another musical instrument in the band(guitar, horn, sax ?) that blends with the other 3, than it is voice that's singing words that convey a message, if that makes any sense. Anyway, it's best not to examine the lyrics too closely. Nobody listens to Led Zeppelin for the lyrics. This is their best effort.. by far in my mind. Top 20 rock album all time.
 

Omar 382

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Robert Plant is a Tolkien fan (Hobbit, LOTR, etc) and many of his lyrics are based upon or homages to Tolkien works. At least that's what I'm told... I'm not a big Tolkien fan. I don't think they "mean" anything except to sound cool when Plant sings them. His voice is more or less another musical instrument in the band(guitar, horn, sax ?) that blends with the other 3, than it is voice that's singing words that convey a message, if that makes any sense. Anyway, it's best not to examine the lyrics too closely. Nobody listens to Led Zeppelin for the lyrics. This is their best effort.. by far in my mind. Top 20 rock album all time.
Thanks for the info. As a hip-hop fan, just “ignoring the lyrics” is an adjustment for me.
 

GeekSportsFan

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[Untitled] (Commonly Referred to as Led Zeppelin IV): 3/5 stars. Rank on RS Top 500 Albums List: 69

61qTE9kINgL._SX355_.jpg


There's a lot for me to unpack here, so I'll try to keep it as brief as possible.

I just can't seem to figure Led Zeppelin out. I don't want to resign myself to the "just doesn't get it" club, because I do like some of their music. This is probably my favorite outing from them that I've heard. There's one masterpiece, "Stairway To Heaven," but I also really like "Going To California" and "Rock and Roll."

I don't know. I don't want to write a novel about them because I'm not qualified to, and I recognize that I'm in the minority on them. But "Black Dog" is just drivel, and I really don't know how anyone could like it. It's weird because I don't even hate hard rock or anything, but this group just pisses me off.

What are their songs about? Even "Stairway To Heaven," which I recognize as a masterpiece- what the hell is it about? I understand that as a listener of music, I'm not going to understand everything the curator says, or intends (if he intends anything at all). I get that; it's a part of listening to music or viewing any art form. But this band takes it to a whole new level. What the hell is "The Battle of Evermore" about? It's hard enough when you can hardly understand fucking Robert Plant's vocals, but then the lyrics you can hear are so cryptic? Fuck off.

I do like the chord progressions on "When The Levee Breaks," which, thankfully, is easy enough a song message to understand.

I didn't hate this album. By and large, I don't understand it. Maybe that's my own shortcoming at this junction in my life.
There are not a lot of albums out there that are 5 star from beginning to end, but Zep's fourth album is one of them. Others that come to my mind are CCR's "Green River," AC/DC's "Back in Black," and ZZ Top's "Tres Hombres."
 

Raw_Bee808

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[Untitled] (Commonly Referred to as Led Zeppelin IV): 3/5 stars. Rank on RS Top 500 Albums List: 69

61qTE9kINgL._SX355_.jpg


There's a lot for me to unpack here, so I'll try to keep it as brief as possible.

I just can't seem to figure Led Zeppelin out. I don't want to resign myself to the "just doesn't get it" club, because I do like some of their music. This is probably my favorite outing from them that I've heard. There's one masterpiece, "Stairway To Heaven," but I also really like "Going To California" and "Rock and Roll."

I don't know. I don't want to write a novel about them because I'm not qualified to, and I recognize that I'm in the minority on them. But "Black Dog" is just drivel, and I really don't know how anyone could like it. It's weird because I don't even hate hard rock or anything, but this group just pisses me off.

What are their songs about? Even "Stairway To Heaven," which I recognize as a masterpiece- what the hell is it about? I understand that as a listener of music, I'm not going to understand everything the curator says, or intends (if he intends anything at all). I get that; it's a part of listening to music or viewing any art form. But this band takes it to a whole new level. What the hell is "The Battle of Evermore" about? It's hard enough when you can hardly understand fucking Robert Plant's vocals, but then the lyrics you can hear are so cryptic? Fuck off.

I do like the chord progressions on "When The Levee Breaks," which, thankfully, is easy enough a song message to understand.

I didn't hate this album. By and large, I don't understand it. Maybe that's my own shortcoming at this junction in my life.


Well with a review like that you would've fit right in writing for RS back in the 70's (They always shit on Zep's albums back then, they finally came to their senses in the 2000's and reversed course) LOL. I admit, Zeppelin isn't for everyone and might take some getting used to if this is your first major exposure to them.

Their 4th album is one of their best offerings though, but I still rank LZ II and Physical Graffiti ahead of it.
 

Omar 382

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Well with a review like that you would've fit right in writing for RS back in the 70's (They always shit on Zep's albums back then, they finally came to their senses in the 2000's and reversed course) LOL. I admit, Zeppelin isn't for everyone and might take some getting used to if this is your first major exposure to them.

Their 4th album is one of their best offerings though, but I still rank LZ II and Physical Graffiti ahead of it.
I heard LZ I previously, wasn't a fan. I've heard a lot of their songs and the only ones I can say I genuinely enjoy are "Over The Hills and Far Away," "Stairway To Heaven," "Going To California," "Ramble On," and "Trampled Under Foot." Considering that I could name about 15-20 songs I don't care for from them; that's not a ton of songs.

I want to like Led Zeppelin. I should like Led Zeppelin. Maybe one day:noidea:
 

Wazmankg

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Thanks for the info. As a hip-hop fan, just “ignoring the lyrics” is an adjustment for me.

I'm with you on that. Not as a hip-hop fan but in believing that lyrics matter. I recall stoned conversations in college about what the lyrics to Stairway To Heaven mean because, while it's overarching theme seems to be the pitfalls of materialism, there are a few lines in there that are just like wtf ? We concluded it doesn't matter. It's also one of a handful of tunes I remember the first time I heard it, which was the day I bought the album. Black Dog & Rock and Roll were the only cuts getting airplay even on FM stations. FM stations were just becoming popular as the vehicle for "underground" or album-oriented rock. It took a year or 2 of word-of-mouth before Stairway even got airplay and the rest is history.
 

Wazmankg

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Well with a review like that you would've fit right in writing for RS back in the 70's (They always shit on Zep's albums back then, they finally came to their senses in the 2000's and reversed course) LOL. I admit, Zeppelin isn't for everyone and might take some getting used to if this is your first major exposure to them.

Their 4th album is one of their best offerings though, but I still rank LZ II and Physical Graffiti ahead of it.

Rolling Stone was way behind the curve on a lot of great new music in the early 70s. That's when I quit looking to them for that and started buying Creem magazine.
 

BigFin

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These are my 1971 LPs. It must be in here. Idk how many of them are on the list. A few I've only listened to once... that was back in the day when you bought an LP blind or based upon a cut or 2. The ones with asterisks I purchased after 71, the rest I bought when they were current.

Crazy amount of 71' music. Add T-Rex's Electric Warrior and Badfinger's Straight Up for 71' albums.
 

Omar 382

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So: 4/5 stars. Rank on RS Top 500 Albums List: 187

220px-So_%28album%29.png


5th studio album from former Genesis-frontman Peter Gabriel. Widely considered his most accessible album, it still features various sounds and instruments that you would never hear in, say, a Phil Collins album. Specifically, "Sledgehammer" (a top 250 song of all time) fuses soul and funk masterfully, and "This is the Picture (Excellent Birds)" contains a drum beat that sounds like a spike hitting metal.

"In Your Eyes" is a beautiful love song (and I'm not even much of a love song guy). I rank it third behind "God Only Knows" and "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)" as far as love songs go off the top of my head, which puts it in great company. Other notable love songs that I enjoy: "Follow You, Follow Me," "Something," and "Tiny Dancer."

Anyway, it is interesting to read critics malign this album for its "'80s production" and "overt commercialization." What? What other pop albums from this era sound like this? Even the most commercialized songs on the album, "Sledgehammer" and "In Your Eyes" are still lightyears away from something like "Invisible Touch" or "I Can't Dance" (not knocking either of those). It's kind of like Bowie and his 1983 album Let's Dance- they both blend new sounds with commercialized aspects of pop music, and then get accused of selling out. No one else did what Gabriel did before So so far as I can tell. Same with Let's Dance. Just because the albums were wildly successful and their styles often copied in later years does not make the works unoriginal. Fuck you critics; make something as fucking catchy as this and then we'll talk:

I kicked the habit (I kicked the habit)
Shed my skin (Shed my skin)
This is the new stuff (This is the new stuff)
I go dancing in, (We could go dancing in)
Oh won't you show for me (Show for me)
I will show for you (Show for you)
Show for me (Show for me), I will show for you


Next album review should drop today, and it's within the top 10 on RS' list.
 

Omar 382

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@SlinkyRedfoot you're a big Gabriel solo fan, right? What'd you think of So?

Also, thanks for this guy. Since May 1st, .274/.381/.556

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