Jul 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM

331. Clipse - Let God Sort 'Em Out (2025) [July 11th, 2025]

Gonna give this another spin before doing my AOTW Club review. I thought it was pretty good mostly. "Chains & Whips", "P.O.V" and "So Be It" are absolutely fire. I'm a bit mixed on the production on some of the tracks, and Pharell's vocals weren't really my cup of tea on this. Still, Push and Malice absolutely tear their verses up, and I'm overjoyed to have them back

 

Jul 12, 2025 at 1:41 PM

332. Pearl Jam - Ten (1992) [July 12th, 2025]

When it comes to the "Big Four" of Grunge, Pearl Jam has always been a bit of an outlier for me. I've always been into darker soundscapes of bands like AiC and Soundgarden more, and Pearl Jam just never really did it for me. One of my favorite teachers in High School was a big fan though, so I've always tried to have an open mid with them As a direct offshoot to Grunge pioneers Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam has a lot of history preceding it's debut record, and thankfully, there are lots of good elements present throughout Ten.

First off, I think that "Even Flow", "Alive" and "Why Go" are great. Every member pulls their weight on the album too. Eddie Vedder is a pretty good vocalist (even if he is a bit hard to understand at times), and Mike McCready has always been an incredible guitarist. Despite this, Ten never really "hooks" me, y'know. Even though it has songs I like, and the rest of the album definitely has quality throughout, I just never seem to fully get into it. I don't know, maybe next time.

 

Jul 14, 2025 at 2:25 PM

333. Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies (1994) [July 14th, 2025]

One of the best EP's ever, but a bit of an outlier in AiC's discography. Coming right off the heels of the incredible Dirt, AiC decided to (mostly) strip back their sound. While the band had experimented with folk-ish songs on their previous EP, and they would incorporate more acoustic elements on their following self-titled record, Jar of Flies is probably the most different record from the Layne era.

"Rotten Apple" shows off the new sound straight off the bat. If you played Dirt and JoF back to back, the transition from "Would?" to this, would be outstanding. After a minute long instrumental intro, Layne jumps in with a slow, and beautiful verse. By late 1995, Layne's voice had already started deteriorating as a result of his drug use, so JoF is the final AiC release to feature his "original" voice, so it is a bit bittersweet to hear him sing his heart out on the tragically beautiful "Nutshell". After the first two tracks, we get two songs that raise up the energy a bit, with "No Excuses" being the first vocal appearance by Jerry Cantrell on the EP. "Whale & Wasp" is such a beautiful, striking instrumental, and it's truly unlike any other song from the Layne era. "Don't Follow" is the only solo Jerry track on the EP, but it's also incredible. It's by far the most country inspired song on the project, but it's very fun. "Swing on This" is a good song, but it is a bit of an odd closer. I do like how it ends the record on a more upbeat note, but it might be my least favorite on the EP.

Even though it's an EP, Jar of Flies is an essential project in the AiC oeuvre. It has some of their most popular songs, but I feel like the project as a whole if a bit underrated by non-AiC fans, which is a shame. I truly think you should check this out man

 

Jul 14, 2025 at 2:26 PM

I hope to be able to follow in Adam Levine's footsteps someday

 

Jul 14, 2025 at 6:55 PM

334. N.E.R.D. - In Search Of... [Rock Version] (2002) [July 14th, 2025]

Is there any song that sounds as cool as "Lapdance". Seriously, everytime you watch an action movie from the 2000's, there's always a 80% chance that they'll play it during the introduction of the "cool" guy.

After making a name for themselves as The Neptunes, Pharrell and Chad Hugo teamed up with musician(?) Shay Haley to form N.E.R.D. The original 2001 electronic version of In Search Of... (Which will probably end up here at some point) was pretty d--- good, but it did feel a bit lacking. The rock version though? Well welll well...

I've already spoken about how cool "Lapdance" is."Things Are Getting Better" is a pretty chill number, and "Brain" is a dope eminder of how HORNY this album is. Like d---, these guys are talking about p---- 24/7. "Provider" is another chill track with a great hook, and "Truth or Dare" f---ing rocks, especially that Pusha T feature.

I got ten surrounding me
Hounding me
Center of attention
A riot it's bound to be
Though I'm in the middle
My jewels you're bound to see
In a pool of women
All of them drowning me

"Tape You" is horny once again, and I feel like "Run to the Sun" and "Baby Doll" do pretty well at being the softer point of the record. "Am I High" has a great Malice verse, and "Rockstar"...oh my God, Such a f---ing great track. "Bobby James" is a pretty nice track as well. I do have to say that "Stay Together" is probably my least favorite song on the record. It just feels mid. I feel like "Bobby James" would've been a better closer.

The rock version of In Search Of... is an amazing time, and I can definitely see the influence that this record had on artists like Tyler, the Creator and rest of OF. One of my favorites

 

Jul 15, 2025 at 2:31 PM

335. NIne Inch Nails - Still (2002) [July 15th, 2025]

Talk about an odd release for a record. In 2002, NIN released the compilation(?) record, And All That Could've Been. The first half of AATCB is a live record, which is probably good. The second half Still, is basically the unofficial 4th NIN record, and in a lot of ways, it's also the ending for the original era of the band.

The material on Still is split between reimaginings of tracks from previous NIN albums, and all new originals. Personally I think that this version of "Something I Can Never Have" is better than the original. I would say that the versions of "The Fragile" and "The Day the Whole World Went Away" are pretty great in their own ways too. "The Becoming" isn't as good as the version from ...Downward Spiral, but I still dig it. "Adrift and at Peace" is a great follow up to "La Mer" from The Fragile, but the standouts have to be "And All That Could've Been" and the closer "Leaving Hope".

Personally, I like to view Still as an epilogue for The Fragile, and this era of NIN as a whole. I really hate that this project is so overlooked by people, because I truly think that it is an essential part of their discography. After 3 albums (and an EP) that show the depths of hopelessness and self-loathing, Still promises a form of reinvention for the band, and it's always a treat to be able to check it out.

 

Jul 16, 2025 at 7:41 PM

336. Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) [July 16th, 2025]

This one was fine. The standouts are the three Harmonica/Frank tracks, "Harmonica", "Man With a Harmonica", and "Final Duel". The movie is awesome of course.

 

Jul 17, 2025 at 12:17 PM

337. Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska (1982) [July 17th, 2025]

At this point, I recognize that I've severely overused the terms "outlier", "odd record", and so on when it comes to albums. But honestly, I can't really think of any other way to discuss Nebraska. Back in April I think, I discussed my love for Springsteen & the E Street Band's third record Darkness on the Edge of Town, and as much as I like that record, I'm not really the biggest fan of Heartland Rock for the most part. I don't dislike the genre or anything like that, but the glossiness of records like Born to Run don't really grab me. And that's partly, why I enjoy Nebraska so much. To go from The River, to this, is nuts.

Nebraska is basically a pastiche of what makes the greatest Cash and Dylan records so good. The record is much more stripped back than the last 3, and it all pans out very well. "Nebraska", "Atlantic City", and "State Trooper" are probably my favorites on here. "My Father's House" is a big stand out too.

Don't really have much to say about it, but it's a pretty good time

 

Jul 17, 2025 at 5:15 PM

338. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) [July 17th, 2025]

This one took a long time, huh @Minato ?

The Marshall Mathers LP is one of the best albums ever. We all agree on that right? Less than a year after his debut, Em raised the stakes even higher with one of the best and most controversial records ever made.

I know that I've given tons of praise to "White America", but "k--- You" might be one of the best intros in Em's whole discography. That simple, but fun beat, and the lyrics...Jesus Christ. Em was already mean on The Slim Shady LP, but he sounds downright evil on this album. A big part of that has to be the "new" Em voice. The voice on SSLP and Dre's 2001 is noticeably more nasally and cartoony than on MMLP, and I think the change was for the better.

Then we have "Stan" which is one of the best and most important songs ever recorded. That 45 King Beat and the Dido sample just sound so gloomy from the beginning and the way that Em is able to slowly elevate Stan's obsessiveness over three verses before the crash is legitimately masterful. "Who Knew" is a great song as well, and it's the first song to really encompass one of the record's main themes. While SSLP was mainly centered on Em finally breaking through after years of hardship, MMLP show his reaction to the newfound fame, and he is PISSED. And no song shows that better than "The Way I Am". Em's vocals sound so f---ing venomous on this track, and the piano during the hook....DAMNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

"The Real Slim Shady" is the song that got me into Eminem in the first place. I do think that it is a bit lighthearted compared to the rest of the album, but it's still an iconic track for a reason. Also, this is random, but the beat always makes me think of Burger King. "Remember Me?" is a great showing from Em and RBX, but Sticky Fingaz takes the show man. The double punch of "I'm Back" and "Marshall Mathers" is probably my favorite stretch of the record. "I'm Back" has some of the best and most controversial lyrics ever, and "Marshall Mathers" is a vicious attack on like, everybody. "Drug Ballad", "Amityville", and "b---- Please II" are honestly just really fun as well,

Then there's "Kim". I think that "Kim" is basically the centerpoint of this album, and as an artistic statement, it's AMAZING. If you weren't put off by all the controversial lyrics beforehand, a horrorcore track about murdering your wife, her boyfriend, and his son oughta do it. It basically cements the record as a "f--- You" piece. The closer "Criminal" is also incredible. It's basically just Em doubling down on everything he's said so far, and more. It's a very fun way to end the record, and it has one of my favorite closing lines on an album ever,

s---, half the s--- I say, I just make it up
To make you mad so kiss my white naked a---
And if it's not a rapper that I make it as
I'mma be a f---ing r--ist in a Jason mask

The Marshall Mathers LP is a definitive record for Hip-Hop, the 21st Century, and music as a whole. Just like 99% of posters here, I believe that this record is absolutely incredible, and it's definitely one of my all time favorites

 

Jul 17, 2025 at 5:30 PM

339. Marilyn Manson - Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) (2000) [July 17th, 2025]

Circa 2000, Marilyn Manson was in one of the strangest situations a band could ever be. Just imagine, your last album was a great, albeit divisive glam rock record, and now you're being blamed for a tragedy that left 13 teenagers dead. What a day huh?

Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) is MM's best metal record. Essentially a "Declaration of War", Holy Wood... serves as the band's response to well...everything. In a lot of ways, I like to view Holy Wood... as a sort of kindred spirit to The Marshall Mathers LP. And just like MMLP, HW is great. "God Eat God" and "The Love Song" do a great job at setting up the record's dark, brooding atmosphere. "The Fight Song" and "Disposable Teens" bring in the energy with some of Manson's best vocals ever.

"Target Audience..." and "President Dead" keep the energy going, and they're great as well. "In the Shadow of the Valley of Death" is the first "slow" song on the album, and it might be my favorite on the entire record. Such a slow, gloomy song, but it's strangely beautiful. "A Place in the Dirt" advances the album's concept very well, but it would honestly take me an entire thread to discuss it, so I'll just say that it's pretty cool. "The Nobodies" is f---ing tragic man, and Manson's vocals on the chorus are absolutely stellar. "Lamb of God" is another great song, and "Burning Flag" shows off why John 5 is such an amazing guitarist.

I wouldn't say "Coma Black" is as great as its predecessor, but it's also stellar. The next 3 tracks are cool as h--- and "Count to Six and Die..." is such a sad but fitting ending for the record. I absolutely love this record, but part of me does wonder "What If...". Like, what is the band hadn't been blamed for Columbine. Would we have gotten another genre pusher like Mechanical Animals? Or would we have gotten a return to the metal sound no matter what. There's no way of knowing at the end of the day, but what I do know, is that Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) is an incredibly underrated record nowadays, and I implore you to check it out.