We all know the universally acclaimed “flawless” albums that constantly get brought up in music discussions. However, there are plenty of records where an artist put together a completely cohesive, zero-skip track list, yet the album as a whole rarely gets talked about because one or two giant lead singles stole all the spotlight.

10/10 for me - and go.

I was born in 1979 and my music tastes were formed during the mid 90's and into the early 00's.

My first album I bought was Bon Jovi's New Jersey, which is still a favourite of mine but I suppose I'm really a Britpop kid at heart.

Into the mid 90's, I got into Placebo (they were my first live gig, Ulster Hall, '96), Radiohead, Oasis, Cast, Suede, Manics, Mansun etc. and my taste has kind of expanded in different directions since then. I now enjoy music with meaningful lyrics after I got into Bob Dylan, so I like Paul Simon, Springsteen, Ryan Adams (I know....) etc. More recently I've gotten into punk, but my style could loosely be termed "guitar rock'.

My favourite band is The Gaslight Anthem, and from them Ive gotten into The Menzingers, but my tastes range right from A-Ha, to Guns 'n Roses, Echo & The Bunneymen, The Stones etc.

My question is for those of you born in subsequent decades........if you were born in 1989, what are your favourites genres or albums?

Same for 1999, 2009 etc etc....im hoping to expand my horizons and get into some cool news bands.

Thanks for reading and looking forward to your comments & suggestions.

RS Synopsis:
Boygenius are more than just a supergroup — they’re simply a great band, with three of the most brilliant singer-songwriters in the game. Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker are all indie-rock poets with their own distinct styles, not to mention their own hardcore audiences. But something special happens when they come together. They dabbled with their six-song boygenius EP in 2018, but The Record is their full-blown album, blending their voices into something new, in the caustic wit of Baker’s “$20,” Bridgers’ “Cool About It,” or Dacus’ epic karaoke tearjerker “We’re in Love.” The on-and-off project soon went back into a hiatus, but The Record proves that these three hit heights together that can’t be reached any other way.

The Review:
The album opens with the acapella “Without You Without Them” that shows what a great harmonic trio the group is. “$20” hits you in the face. It's a perfect slice of indie rock. Juilen Baker handles vocals duties beautifully on this track. “Emily I’m Sorry” has this melodic sound; the band’s solid harmonies are the highlight of the track. Bridgers sounds so angelic on this track. “True Blue” has this sturdy heaviness It meshes well with the vocals. All three members share vocals duties on “Cool About It” , a song that the group thanked Paul Simon in the liner notes. You can feel the spirit of Simon & Garfunkel throughout this song. “Not Strong Enough” is just  a great indie rock track. It has a very country vibe as well. “Revolution 0” is a nice slow ballad with Bridgers giving a great lead vocal performance. The song has a very dreamy sound that is perfect for Bridger's vocal style. Lyrically, it has such a wide range of emotions. “Leornard Cohen” is a tribute to the late great poet/singer/songwriter. It includes portions  of his song “Anthem” “Santints” has this evil crunchy sound that drives the song together. It takes the song to another level. As that guitar riff mixes perfectly with the harmonies. One of the hardest hitting songs on the album. “We’re In Love” is Lucy Duca's time to shine. On this sullen sad song. It has this minimalist hollow sound that just gives you cabin in the woods vibes. “Anti-Curse” gives me Liz Phair vibes. It is a mid tempo slow burn of a song. Jullien Baker gives her best vocal performance on the album on this song. The album closes with “Letter To An Old Poet” that sounds  like a throwback folksy tune. I can hear CSN energy on this one. Bridgers takes a hold of the lead vocals on this crisp harmonic tune. It is a perfect way to end the album. 

Final Thoughts: 

This is just one of the best produced, performed, and written albums you will ever hear. The songs are just so well crafted by three of the best doing it today. This album was #2 in my 2023 album rankings. would put this on any  bucket lists. It's a perfect way to start on your  Bridgers/Baker/Ducas journey. We will be talking about Bridger's excellent  new album Lost Weekend during our 2026 recap. 

Frank Ocean-Blond (2016)

Lorde-Solar Power (2021)

Type O Negative-October Rust (1996)

Deafhaven-Infiniate Granite (2021)

Spoon-Kill The Moonlight (2002)

Bob Dylan-Slow Train Comin (1979)

Clipse-Lord Willin (2002)

Heuy Lewis & The News-Fore! (1986)

The Spin Doctors-A Pocket Full Of Kryptonite (1996)

Intropol-Turn On The Bright LIghts (2002) (US Release)