Reviews Supplemental

07 Nov 2014: The Cars/"Panorama" (1980)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/strange-and-not-strange-by-strangers.html

After a very impressive debut, The Cars put out two albums devoid of any of the creativity present on the first. Not much to come for here.

07 Nov 2014: Helloween/"Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II" (1988)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2014/01/nursing-and-cursing-by-elderly-care.html

The first one was so good that I have to do the second RIGHT NOW

This album's filler intro track is much better than the last one.
This album's thirteen-minute finale isn't as good as Halloween, though. It's less memorable, but it's still very good.

I think that Part I was the better album, but not by much.

As for bonus tracks, I don't like the backing vocals on Save Us at all. They don't fit with the sound of the album at all.

08 Nov 2014: Julian Lennon/"The Secret Value of Daydreaming" (1986)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/muffin-men-by-men-who-are-not-muffins.html

Unlike his last album, this one is completely devoid of any originality or personality. Great job.
Notably, the song called Want Your Body is a ballad. Never would have guessed.

08 Nov 2014: Billy Squier/"The Tale of the Tape" (1980)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/tainted-trains-by-trainers.html

This album begins with The Big Beat. I remember back on Teh Forum, I figured out that you could embed two videos in our "song of the day" thing next to eachother. Purple's day was next, and he embedded The Big Beat twice.
The song is better when you play it twice with a slight delay between them, so the chorus goes "I I got the got the big beat big beat".

This is a very good album. The worst song is The Music's All Right, which is, well, all right. I'm actually kind of impressed.

09 Nov 2014: KISS/"Psycho Circus" (1998)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2014/09/julio-and-case-of-missing-greatness-by.html

This was what became of the reunion of the original line-up. Criss, Frehley, Simmons, and Stanley. This is the only album they recorded together this time around, and it would be the band's last until 2009. There was an album of rerecordings in 2008, but that's bullshit and I don't count it.
The cover art is horrible, by the way.

The first track is very welcome. It's the most KISS-like KISS song the band has done in over a decade; maybe even two.

This album 100% confirms to me that KISS's original line-up was perfect. Ace, Gene, Paul, and Peter are exactly what this band needs, but this is likely the last album they'll ever record together.

09 Nov 2014: Bill Withers/"Just as I Am" (1971)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/having-favourite-time-by-time-men.html

Bill's first album, featuring a huge hit, Ain't No Sunshine. Ain't No Sunshine is a classic, and for good reason. Bill Withers is one of those guys where his biggest songs definitely deserve the recognition they get. It's a bit short, though.

Do it Good is so annoying. The weird background vocals are just horrible.
There's a cover of Let it Be that is so completely different from the original. If you had told me the idea behind the arrangement, I would have assumed it was absolute shit. Bill, however, makes it work. I don't think it would have worked for anyone else, though.

Not as good as Still Bill, but I'm glad I gave it a listen.

10 Nov 2014: Foo Fighters/"Sonic Highways" (2014)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2014/11/julio-and-case-of-missing-gargantuan-by.html

This album came out today. I've been really looking forward to it since I first read about it. I haven't heard any of the singles, as I decided to wait for today.
The album was recorded in eight different cities, and features one track from each. It's the companion to an HBO miniseries, but whatever. It's the band's eighth album, following four albums I've rated five stars (out of five albums of theirs that received that rating), so the stakes are high.

Something from Nothing's bass riff is stolen from Holy Diver, but it still sounds very cool. It's a very, very good song. Not sure if it's a good opener, but it's got my attention.
If you were to ask someone who is not a Foo Fighters fan what a Foo Fighters song sounds like, you'd probably get The Feast and the Famine. It's not very inventive or imaginative.

Congregation sounds pretty generic. It's also not very inventive or imaginative. I don't really like the chorus, either. "Just as you were" isn't a very good line to repeat over and over.
What Can I Do's rhythm reminds me of Runnin' Blue. I'd say that's a good thing. The way it leads naturally into God as My Witness is also neat.

Outside is so middle-of-the-road, it isn't even funny. It's more average than I thought possible. It's also far too long.
In the Clear is just as average as Outside, which is pretty amazing, really.

Okay, I swear that Subterranean was on another album. They're just reusing songs now. Imagine Up in Arms, but without the speed-up, and instead with three more verses. The worst part is that it's currently in a four-way tie for third-best song on the damn thing. Fucking hell.
I am a River is trying to be Home or Statues or whatever, but it's a shit version of both.


This is a disappointing album. It's not bad, but it's not very good. Something from Nothing led me to believe I was in for another 5/5, but I can't justify this getting above a 3/5. Honestly? I might be being a bit generous. This means it's officially the band's worst album in twenty years.
I'm legitimately disappointed. Fuck 2014, seriously.

10 Nov 2014: Loggins and Messina/"Motherlode" (1974)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/havinga-horijgf-by-hands-that-cnt.html

Good old Loggins, always there for me when I'm REALLY FUCKING DISAPPOINTED AT DAVE GROHL
This album is also a 3/5, but I'm not disappointed. It's not like I have any stock in this shit. It's not like I've been anticipating this album for months. I'm still mad.

11 Nov 2014: Phoenix/"It's Never Been Like That" (2006)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/dashing-by-men-of-action.html

Beginning the album with annoying filler was a bold move, to say the least.
North is the most boring filler instrumental I've heard in ages. It's just, like, chords.

Overall, it's an okay album without much to talk about at all.

11 Nov 2014: Elvis Presley/"Elvis Presley" (1956)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/service-me-by-service-professionals.html

This is the oldest album I've ever reviewed (beating out that Johnny Cash album by a year). I don't know why I didn't do it sooner, to tell the truth.
Elvis Presley is an artist that has two names, but only needs one. Say "Elvis", and people instantly get who you mean. Even if Elvis isn't the most common name, it's impressive for someone to utterly own a name like that.

Elvis's debut begins with a classic, Blue Suede Shoes. It's a great opener, actually. Following it with a ballad is an odd decision, though.
Really, these first two tracks tell the story of the entire album. The uptempo songs are all more or less winners, but the ballads are just kind of there. They're fine, but nothing great.

A good album that really should have been a bit more.

12 Nov 2014: Silversun Pickups/"Swoon" (2009)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/countries-of-madmen-by-madmen-themselves.html

I heard a relatively large amount about Silversun Pickups in 2008, but I heard nothing since then. Considering that their first album came out in 2006, and this one in 2009, that's PRETTY FUCKING ODD

There's No Secrets This Year would be better if that weird slow ending bit wasn't there. I don't remember that part being in whatever Guitar Hero game the song was in.

The album as a whole is very samey, and never reaches the high of There's No Secrets This Year, which is disappointing.

12 Nov 2014: Johnny Cash/"Orange Blossom Special" (1965)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/buckle-by-beltseats.html

I don't know much about this album, other than the fact that it's Johnny Cash's fifteenth(!) album. It's rated pretty highly on RYM, so why not?

Unnecessary female backing vocalists? Oh boy.

OF COURSE RYM LIKES THIS
IT'S COMPLETELY VOID OF ANY INTERESTING MUSIC

13 Nov 2014: Tears for Fears/"Songs from the Big Chair" (1985)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/post-avant-jazzcore-movie-by-movers.html

Featuring the band's two biggest hits, Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World.

The album begins with Shout, which is very repetitive and about twice as long as it should be.
The best song here is an instrumental called Broken. It's the best because-oh it's not an instrumental WAIT WAIT WAIT If the guy can sing a song like this, why is the rest of the album so slow and boring? Head Over Heels is really good, too.

Listen is absolute fucking garbage with absolutely no redeeming qualities whatso-fucking-ever.

The album would have worked better as a single, with Head Over Heels as the A-side and Broken as the B-side. Everybody Wants to Rule the World can tag along if it really needs to.

13 Nov 2014: .38 Special/"Tour de Force" (1983)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/xbax-live-by-microsofts.html

After the success of their last two albums, which had Hold on Loosely and Caught Up in You, .38 Special decide that it's time to phone it in.

I don't know why, but the band wrote a song called "Twentieth Century Fox". All that's going to happen when I see that name is I'll think about The Doors, and there's no way that comparison is coming up favourably for you.

NOT THAT GOOD

14 Nov 2014: Styx/"Man of Miracles" (1974)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/feedforward-by-backs.html

Beginning with Rock and Roll Feeling was a great move. The band has tricked me into thinking this might not be so bad. Havin' a Ball expertly keeps this ruse going.
Golden Lark and A Song for Susanne are more in-line with what I was expecting, but A Man Like Me and Lies try to trick me again.

Luckily, Evil Eyes is there to be a Styx song, but then Southern Woman continues with the TRICKERY I mean, that guitar solo is solid gold.
Christopher, Mr. Christopher is there as the best of the slower songs, then it ends on the title track, which is the best song on the album.

STYX YOU ARE NOT TRICKING ME INTO THINKING IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO REVIEW ANOTHER OF YOUR ALBUMS
EVEN IF THIS ONE WAS YOUR ABSOLUTE BEST I'VE HEARD

14 Nov 2014: Alice Cooper/"Welcome to My Nightmare" (1975)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/karts-of-iron-by-iron-karters.html

This was the first album that Alice Cooper released after the band Alice Cooper broke up, and Alice Cooper changed his name to Alice Cooper, and started a solo career under the name Alice Cooper. Yeah, I don't know. Does it even matter?

This album is so cheesy and shit that it's hard to stomach the whole thing. Like, after three tracks, I just couldn't take it any more. One or two is nice, but Jesus Christ, this just goes on and on and fucking on.
I've got a headache.

Ah, Man of Miracles. I have a feeling I would really dislike it if I tried to revisit it.

Also, I'm fairly certain that I had Southern Woman on our collaborative admin runtime error GH list on teh forum.


and I completely missed your review of Wild & Peaceful....i didn't know it was possible to hate Jungle Boogie.
I agree Heaven At Once is the cheesiest song ever. The speaking over top is unbearable.

Pretty sure that was You Need Love. Great choice, either way, though. Sometimes, I wish I'd actually listened to the songs on other people's GH lists

Jungle Boogie just annoys me in so many directions. The vocals, the instruments, the grating repetition.

15 Nov 2014: Grateful Dead/"Aoxomoxoa" (1969)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/did-you-hear-news-by-olds.html

I've rated two Grateful Dead albums before, and neither impressed me. Third time's the charm, right?

This one starts off pretty strongly, but doesn't hold it, and kind of falls apart. China Cat Sunflower is good, though.
What's Become of the Baby is horrid filler. Horrid.

I literally just noticed that this is a different topic now. When a topic finishes its fiftieth page, I guess Forumotion automatically makes a new one. It's been a new topic for three months. I mean, I always enter from the front page, so there's no way I'd notice.

15 Nov 2014: Beck/"Mutations" (1998)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/misken-identity-by-identity-guys.html

Remember when I reviewed Sea Change? If you don't, it's on page 49 of the last thread. This album is a lot like that: an album by Beck that isn't really a Beck album. It's nice, normal music.

I really like the vocal melody of We Live Again. I think it might be my favourite Beck song. Bottle of Blues is really neat, too.

I really, really like this album. Why can't all of Beck's albums be like this?

BONUS REVIEW: Led Zeppelin/"Led Zeppelin I" (1969)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2010/08/virtue-by-men.html

Aside from Coda, this is the only Led Zeppelin album I've rated less than four stars. It's actually rated lower than Coda, somehow. The thing is, I only remember five songs from it. So here we are.

The one-two opening punch of Good Times, Bad Times and Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You is pretty much perfect. I've always been a big fan of them. I'd still say that SIBLY is better than BIGLY, though.
You Shook Me is kind of boring. The organ solo's kind of bad, too. If the song was two minutes long, it would be passable. At six-and-a-half, it's absolutely mind-numbing.

I don't think Dazed and Confused should have followed You Shook Me. Granted, Dazed and Confused is like You Shook Me if it was actually good, but they're too similar to be back-to-back like that.
Your Time is Gonna Come is just filler. It's so uninteresting. It's followed by a filler instrumental, of course.

Luckily, Conversation Breakdown is next. It's pretty sweet. I Can't Quit You, Baby is also pretty sweet.
How Many More Times is also great, if a bit long.

I was about right. I'll bump the album up to a 3.5, but it's easily the worst "proper" Led Zeppelin album.

16 Nov 2014: Meat Loaf/"Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell" (1993)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/rating-best-of-day-by-day-jobs.html

Where to even begin? The first Bat Out of Hell is a classic. Over fifteen years later, its sequel surfaces. I don't have high hopes or expectations for this, but let's see if Mr. Loaf can prove me wrong.

I Would do Anything for Love's beginning doesn't really make much sense, but whatever. Honestly, it's the perfect opener. It just screams "MEAT LOAF IS BACK MOTHERFUCKERS".
Life is a Lemon is just kind of there. I can't say I care for it, but I don't hate it.

Objects in the Rearview just doesn't make sense. Why make a song with THAT as the big repeating line? It's stupid.
Wasted Youth is just what? Why? Why? Fucking why? I don't get it. Why does this exist? What?

Everything Louder would have been great if it weren't EIGHT FUCKING MINUTES LONG
IT'S LIKE IF THE POLICE MADE A SONG THAT LASTED FOR EIGHT MINUTES
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THIS ALBUM WOULD BE BETTER IF EVERY SONG BUT THE FIRST WERE HALF AS LONG
I HATE THIS

16 Nov 2014: Green Day/"Tune In, Tokyo" (2001)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2010/09/balls-by-deyvyd-couvourdeylle.html

FUCK DOING SOMETHING INTERESTING
NEVER AGAIN

Seven live tracks, six of which are from the band's best album, Warning.

Opening with Church on Sunday was a poor idea. It's a good song, but it's not a good opener at all. Castaway or Warning should have been the opener.

You know, this is absolutely great. I really enjoyed this.

Bat out of Hell II is absolutely awful. I hated my entire listen through of it, included the first song
though, wasted youth is a great laugh

17 Nov 2014: Frehley's Comet/"Second Sighting" (1988)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2013/12/sights-of-worst-kind-imaginable-by.html

I've been getting behind on Ace albums, so here's one of those. Luckily, one more after this, and we're caught up to where we are with KISS.

A nice album, but nothing groundbreaking. Better than what KISS was doing at the time, I suppose.

17 Nov 2014: Paul Stanley/"Live to Win" (2006)
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.in/2014/01/hoping-for-best-by-best-guys.html

After the whole "reunion" thing ended, KISS did absolutely nothing for a while. Ten years, actually. Their 2008 album was covers of their own songs with the new line-up, so fuck that.
Between Psycho Circus and that garbage, both Stanley and Simmons released one solo album. I'm not going to review Gene's.

Imagine a Shinedown album, but replace Dr. Shinedown, PhD with Paul Stanley. That's this album. I guess the songwriting is a bit better, but it plays so much like that.
I enjoyed this, actually. Maybe Shinedown should replace the good doctor with Paul Stanley.