494: Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual

Year: 1983

1. Money Changes Everything
2. Girls Just Want to Have Fun
3. When You Were Mine
4. Time After Time
5. She Bop
6. All Through the Night
7. Witness
8. I'll Kiss You
9. He's So Unusual
10. Yeah Yeah

RollingStone Says:
Lauper's first band had broken up, she had filed for bankruptcy, and she was singing in a Japanese restaurant. Then this debut album of razor-sharp dance pop became the first by a female performer to score four Top Five hits, including "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and "Time After Time."
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Adam Says:
I grew up listening to this music. 80's pop was my mothers music of choice, and as such I heard songs from this album on an almost daily basis. 20 years later and "Time After Time" is still one of my all-time favorite songs. It's such an epic, just a perfect storm of vocal harmonies, and smooth pop production. Likewise the other smash single, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" is still a fun, breezy little piece of pop history.

Like a lot of pops albums though, none of the other cuts can match the sheer infectiousness of the two hit singles. The songwriting is solid throughout, and I appreciate that none of the songs feel like blatant filler, but when you have two of the greatest pop songs ever written in the first 4 tracks alone....well needless to say you're giving the rest of the album a lot to live up to.

It's also worth mention that at times Cyndi Lauper's vocals come across a little too unhinged for my taste. You can tell she was having an absolute blast while recording these songs, but she often sounds like a child whose had too much sugar, just bouncing off the walls and having trouble focusing. Then again I suppose that's part of the charm. It's a good album though, and a huge part of my childhood. I enjoy it as much today as I did when I was 4.

Overall - 4/5
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Dan Says:
I have only heard the hits "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" and "Time After Time" off of this album. I love synth driven 80's pop music. I love the clean guitar tones, and the vocals are flawless. One weakness that I did find with this album is that some songs are a bit lengthy and become repetitive. In all a great album.

Overall - 4/5

495: Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising

Year: 1985


1. New Day Rising
2. The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill
3. I Apologize
4. Folk Lore
5. If I Told You
6. Celebrated Summer
7. Perfect Example
8. Terms of Psychic Warfare
9. 59 Times the Pain
10. Powerline
11. Books About UFOs
12. I Don't Know What You're Talking About
13. How to Skin a Cat
14. Whatcha Drinkin
15. Plans I Make

RollingStone Says:
These three Minneapolis dudes played savagely emotional hardcore punk that became a key influence on Nirvana and other Nineties alt-rockers. Guitarist Bob Mould and band created a roar like garbage trucks trying to sing Beach Boys songs, especially on the anthems "Celebrated Summer" and "Perfect Example."
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Adam Says:
This is exactly why I decided to do this list. Here's yet another band I have never heard of, that completely blew my socks off. It's amazing. I wish I could go really in-depth to explain just how immaculate this record and  band is, but truth me told I literally know nothing about this group, so i'm not going to try to bullshit my way through it. I can only really tell you what I heard on my first few listens...

When RollingStone says these guys were influential to Nirvana, they're not kidding. I can hear Nirvana all over this record. One listen to "The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill" reveals where Nirvana got the whole Sonic Blueprint for its "In Utero" album. In fact RollingStone wasnt far off when they said you can practically hear the whole damn 90's alt rock genre here. It's mind blowing how many bands have borrowed ideas from this group and built their houses on the foundation that Hüsker Dü laid.

Enough talk though. This album is a masterpiece. So, so happy I got to check it out.

Overall - 5/5
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Dan Says:
If I had to use one word to describe this record it would be "Dirty." This is punk to the core. The songs are quick and to the point. The guitars are buzzy. The vocals are sloppy. A great rock n' roll record to say the least.

Overall - 4/5

496: Kiss - Destroyer

Year: 1976

1. Detroit Rock City
2. King of the Night Time World
3. God of Thunder
4. Great Expectations
5. Flaming Youth
6. Sweet Pain
7. Shout It Out Loud
8. Beth
9. Do You Love Me?
10. Rock and Roll Party

RollingStone Says:
By the time their fifth album was released, KISS was the most popular band in America, with sold-out stadium tours and eventually its own pinball machines, makeup line and a TV movie. Built around the proto power ballad "Beth," this is a ridiculously over-the-top party-rock album that just gets better with age.
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Adam Says:
Kiss was my favorite band as a kid. There, I said it. Something about the makeup and theatrics just dazzled my still developing mind. To be honest, like many children, I think I liked the "image" of Kiss more then the actual music. Luckily I find that as I get older, I grow to apreciate the music more and more.

Having now listened to the majority of Kiss's work, I would probably agree with this being one of their strongest efforts. Songs like ''Shout It Out Loud'' and "Beth" are among the best that "Classic Rock" has to offer. On the other hand though, tracks like "God of Thunder" really bring the whole silliness of Kiss to the forefront. While not a bad song per se, it comes across as very over the top and cartoonish. Most of this is due to Gene Simmons growling his way through the vocals and sounding maybe just a teensy bit too in to his character. Likewise ''Great Expectations" sounds wildly out of place....at first. One listen to the lyrics though reveals Kiss is still as lowdown and dirty as ever.

Still I hold a special place in my heart for this band, and this record. I guess I can understand how some might be turned away from Kiss, but to me they're probably the most pure, dirty, unadulterated fun you can have in Rock. What you see is quit literally what you get. Over the top, cartoon rock, built on a very sturdy foundation.

Overall - 4/5
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Dan Says:
I have a great hatred for classic rock. No particular reason mind you, but a hatred I have nonetheless been burdened with in my short 26 years of life. However, I didn't find this album altogether putrid. The ballads were enjoyable as far as the melodies go on such songs as "Great Expectations" and especially "Beth." Other than that I found the rest of the songs with the party-rock sound annoying. Hopefully one day I will come around to enjoying such music (as my counterpart Adam I'm sure wishes), but not today.

Overall - 2/5

497: Public Enemy - Yo! Bum Rush the Show

Year: 1987

1. You're Gonna Get Yours
2. Sophisticated Bitch
3. Miuzi Weighs a Ton
4. Timebomb
5. Too Much Posse
6. Rightstarter (Message to a Black Man)
7. Public Enemy No. 1
8. M.P.E."
9. Yo! Bum Rush the Show
10. Raise the Roof
11. Megablast
12. Terminator X Speaks With His Hands

RollingStone Says:
On the debut by Long Island's hip-hop revolutionaries, baritone rapper Chuck D and his production crew the Bomb Squad introduced an intense, booming new sound and an urgent social and political message to rap music, especially on "You're Gonna Get Yours" and "Miuzi Weighs a Ton."
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Adam Says:
Chuck D was easily one of the greatest mc's the "Golden Era" of Hip Hop had to offer. He was fiercely political and had one of the greatest voices to ever grace music. His Booming vocals absolutely demanded attention. Couple this with the frantic, almost post-apocalyptic production style provided by the Bomb Squad and you have an album that scared the absolute hell out of me as a kid. it's just so loud and fast, it was almost the Hip Hop answer to "Punk". Chuck D was pissed, and he spent the length of this LP venting about absolutely everything.

That being said, this is actually my least favorite of Public Enemy's classic records. I give them credit for arriving almost fully formed in their sound, but having heard the albums they would release after this almost lessens its impact for me. Mind you this album was released a year before I was born, so I'll never be able to fully appreciate the impact i'm sure it had when it dropped. This is still an essential lp for anyone's collection though, and a wonderful gateway in to the world of Hip Hop. It does sound dated, but in all the right ways, and perhaps most surprising of all; many of the subject Chuck D touches on are just as relevant today as they were in the 80's.

Overall - 4.5/5
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Dan Says:
I had no idea what to expect going into this. I have never been one for rap. Don't get me wrong. Nothing in particular against it. It just has always been a genre of music that I felt no relation to. However, this record impressed me. Especially the song "Miuzi Weighs A Ton." I think I enjoy old school rap more than the new school. The beats bring back my early childhood from the eighties. I remember hearing music like this, and in my sheltered state of life, wondered what was really going on in the world. The beats are catchy. The lyrics are powerful. In all a great record that I suppose pioneered present day rap. I am amiably respectful.

Overall - 4/5

498: ZZ Top - Tres Hombres

Year: 1973

1. Waitin' for the Bus
2. Jesus Just Left Chicago
3. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
4. Master of Sparks
5. Hot, Blue and Righteous
6. Move Me on Down the Line
7. Precious and Grace
8. La Grange
9. Sheik
10. Have You Heard?

RollingStone Says:
A decade before the Texas blues trio became MTV stars, ZZ Top got their first taste of national fame with this disc, which features one of their biggest hits, the John Lee Hooker-style boogie "La Grange," as well as the boozy rocker "Jesus Just Left Chicago" and the concert anthem "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers."
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Adam Says:
I've never actually taken the time to sit down and listen to any ZZ Top album, ever.  Something about them just didn't strike me as something I would enjoy. So I ignored them. My bad.

I wasn't sure what to expect going in to this album, but I can say for sure I didn't expect to enjoy it. Mind you I wasn't going in to hate, I just didn't expect to have my opinion altered one way or the other. Surprisingly enough though the album did just that. I'm still not a huge fan of the group, but I did enjoy this album. It finds a lovely balance between 'Blue's and 'Rock', and even has a few hints of  'Country' tossed in for good measure (Though I suppose some will just call it "Southern Fried Rock").

I also appreciate that like most of these early albums, it doesn't overstay its welcome. It's a lean 10 tracks, the longest of which is only a bit over 4minutes.  The songwriting is good, and while I didn't really hear anything that leapt off the record, it's a very solid, enjoyable collection of cuts. I was more blown away by the fact that I actually enjoyed the album then I was the music, but it's a step in the right direction.

Overall - 4/5
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Dan Says:

Once again I have to admit I have not listened to ZZ Top at all in my lifetime. A problem I once again will admit that I need to rectify. This album is a great blues album with a very southern flair. I love the steady grooves with clean guitar riffs. There are some really nice ballads on this album as well. A great listen if you are in the mood for some relaxing blues. The vocals have a lazy feel to them which was appealing. From what I understand, this album is considered as the original sound of ZZ Top. They apparently changed their sound after this and lost a lot of their original fans. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it! Great blues with a Texas-southern feel. I am interested in listening to ZZ Top's albums that proceed after this one to see what kind of progression they made.

Overall - 4/5

499: Albert King - Born Under a Bad Sign

Year: 1967

1. Born Under a Bad Sign
2. Crosscut Saw
3. Kansas City
4. Oh, Pretty Woman
5. Down Don't Bother Me
6. The Hunter
7. I Almost Lost My Mind
8. Personal Manager
9. Laundromat Blues
10. As the Years Go Passing By
11. The Very Thought of You

RollingStone Says:
King's first album for the Stax label combines his hard, unflashy guitar playing with the sleek sound of the label's house band, Booker T. and the MGs. Hits such as "Crosscut Saw" and "Laundromat Blues" influenced rockers from Clapton to the Stones and earned King a new rock & roll audience.
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Adam Says:
I'm a huge Blues fan, so I've been aware of Albert King for a while now. Mostly though I had only heard his work through random Blues compilations and "Greatest Hits" packages; so this is my first time actually sitting down with a full lp from Mr. King.

To keep a long story short; I'm absolutely blown away. This is, without a doubt the greatest Blues album I have ever heard in my life. Bar None. Kings voice is Blues perfection, and his guitar playing is immaculate. Electrifying to say the least. The backing band is also amazing, but the real star here is King, and you're never let to forget that. It also doesn't hurt that every single song here is essential.

This album is a must. I'm actually almost upset that this isn't a bit higher on the list. My only complaint would be that I can't actually track down a copy of this on cd....it's out of print....*sigh*

Overall - 5/5
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Dan Says:
This is blues at it's best. That is all. The entire record can be summed up with that statement.

Overall - 4/5

500: Eurythmics - Touch

Eurythmics - Touch

Year: 1983

1. Here Comes the Rain Again
2. Regrets
3. Right By Your Side
4. Cool Blue
5. Who's That Girl?
6. The First Cut
7. Aqua
8. No Fear, No Hate, No Pain (No Broken Hearts)
9. Paint a Rumour

RollingStone Says: 
Annie Lennox looked like a gender-bending robot zombie, but she sang with soul; producer Dave Stewart hid behind his beard and masterminded the sound. Together they made divine synth-pop, especially "Who's That Girl," a tale of kinked-up sexual obsession, and their biggest hit, "Here Comes the Rain Again."
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Adam Says:
My first thought when seeing this cover: "So....is this a David Bowie album or what?". The Answer is No. Admittedly I hadn't heard of this duo, the first of many on this list I don't know sadly, but I can honestly say I'm happy I had the chance to check this album out. RollingStone pretty much hit the nail on the head when naming the key tracks. I thought "Who's That Girl" was absolutely amazing, One listen and I was hooked. "Here Comes the Rain Again" is equally as good, and a very strong way to start the lp.

Sadly I didn't feel as strongly about the rest of the record as I did with those two tracks. Nothing here is bad mind you, just a lot of it doesn't stand out from the other Pop music that dominated the 80's. The best way I can describe this album; think of the soundtrack to just about any 80's movie you've ever seen, that's this. Annie Lennox is an exceptional singer to be sure, but a lot of the production just sounds dated. I applaud them for the variety of sounds the duo cooks up, but in the wake of everything that would follow it in the 80's, it just doesn't sound as timeless as I would expect a classic lp to sound. Great album though. Looking forward to checking out more from the duo

Overall - 3.5/5
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Dan Says:

I have never heard of this album even though it has sold over a million copies in the US. That's because I have not listened to many bands from the 80's, a problem I am rectifying.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this record. I am a huge fan of bands that use electronic instruments. The melodies and rhythms are fantastic. I didn't enjoy the vocals or lyrics (though the back up vocals caught my attention). The mix is incredible. Out of five stars I give this record a 4. Very well produced and worthy of a listen.

Overall - 4/5

The 500 album challenge

I love music. Period. I love discovering it. I love reading about it, and most of all I love listening to it.

While browsing through rollingstone.com I came across their "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" list. I quickly set to work on reading through the list to see what albums I had, and had not heard. Much to my disappointment I soon came to the realization that I hadn't heard even half the albums on this list. this simply wont do. 

So I start this blog with one thing, and one thing only in mind. I'm going to go through this whole list in its entirety, and listen to/rate every single album. I'm going to post my own comments alongside the original Rolling Stone comments and see how it stacks up. An exciting endeavor for a music lover such as myself, but a rather large one all the same. Still it's a challenge I look forward to.

I'm also toying with the idea of bringing in some of my equally music crazed friends to get some more varied opinions on the albums. Nothing set in stone mind you, just a fun idea.

Here's the full list that we will be digging through
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/touch-eurythmics-19691231

Anywho, enough talk. On to the list!
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About the Authors

Name: Adam (aka Vocab)
Age: 23
Favorite Genre: Hip Hop
Least Favorite: Love it all!
About Myself: I love music. It's a huge part of my life. I collect albums fanatically and I'm always looking for new things to listen to.

Name: Dan
Age: 26
Favorite Genre: Rock 'n Roll
Least Favorite: Country
About Myself: I work 2 warehouse jobs. I'm the lead singer in a Ambient Screamo Rock band called The Widow. I am married and have two daughters. Music is my favorite hobby/job. I am eccentric and strange, but a nice guy nonetheless.