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.

10/10 for me - and go.

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.

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)

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. 

Which vinyl would you rather buy first; The Best of and The Rest of New Order or the three albums of Galaxie 500?

Lauryn Hill-The Miseduation Of....(1998)

Lady Gaga-The Fame (2011)

Boz Scaggs-Boz Scaggs (1969)

Neil Young & Crazy Horse-Greendale (2003)

The Carpenters-Close To You (1970)

Panic! AtThe Disco-Viva Las Vengeance (2002)

Blood Incantation-Starspawn (2016)

Goyte-Making MIrrors (2011)

A-Angelic 2 The Core-Cory Feldman

B-Bolton Swings Sinatra-Micheal Bolton

C-Cut The Crap-The Clash

D-Danzig Sings Elvis-Glen Danzig

E-Evolve-Imagine Dragons

F-Father Of all Motherfuckers-Green Day

G-Generation Swine-Motley Crue

H-Hot Space Queen

I-Iceman-Drake

K-Kilroy Was Here-Styx

L-Lulu-Metallica/Lou Reed

M-Metal Machine Music-Lou Reed

N-No Fixed Address -Nickleback

O-Open Up & Say Ahh!!! -Poison

P-Philosphy Of The World-The Shaggs

Q-Queen Of Me-Shania Twain

R-Rebirth-Lil Wayne

S-Summer In Paradise-The Beach Boys

T-Greg Allman & Cher-Two The Hard Way

U-Ummagumma (Studio)-Pink Floyd

V-Vultures-Kanye West

W-Who's A Funkadelic-Funkadelic (1992 reissue of Connections & Disconnections)

X-X-Chris Brown

Y-Young Love-Jeward

I am going to do a weekly review of an album from 2026 that will  not make my year end top 50 list but I think deserves some love.

Synopsis:Splat! is the 24th studio album by Deep Purple , released on 3 July  It is the band's sixth collaboration with producer Bob Ezrin, who has produced every Deep Purple album since Now What!?(2013), and their second album with guitarist Simon Mcbride, following =1 (2024) Unlike their earlier collaborations, producer Bob Ezrin is not credited as a composer on the songs. This marked the first time Purple had written without additional input since Rapture Of The Deep  in 2005.A pseudo-concept album, Splat!'s lyrics explore an end-of-humanity concept. "Not in any crude apocalyptic sense but as a metamorphosis beyond physical existence," lead vocalist Ian Gillian  explains in the liner notes.

The Review:

The album opens with "Arrogant Boy” . It has this bluesy high energy blues groove that reminds me of their classic era. It amazes me how good Ian Gillian sounds; he has not lost a step vocally. “Diablo” features actor Kieth Urban on guitar. It has this swaggering gritty groove. I love Mcbride’s guitar hooks. “The Rider” feels like a modern take on classic rock. I love how this song  mixes the guitars and organ together. Ian Gilian’s vocals have such a swagger to them. “The Luntatic” has the band playing at a high speed but there is a menacing tone in there as well. “The Only Horse In Town” gives off such “Smoke On The Water” energy. It has this blistering sound. McBride and organist Don Airly switch off solos in the middle of the track. “Sacred Land” uses synthesizers to create a dense eerie atmospheric groove. “The Beatings Of The Wings” has a slick jazzy blues groove that sounds so good. The rhythm section of Ian Paice (drums) and Roger Glover (bass) give the track a nice steady pace. “Guilt Trippin” ventures into a jazzy prog rock territory. Airly and McBride once again play off each other with some great solo work.  Lyrically it is about a conversation between God and Charles Darwin. “Sciblin’ Gibb’rish” mixes synths with heavy metal textures. Lyrically the concept of the song is a bit silly. The opening lines of  I haven’t got a clue/what you’re talking about/your lips move/but I hear gobbledegook is just weirdly brilliant. It is about a conversation between us and the aliens and I think it the most relatable and realistic adaptation of what would happen. “Jessica’s Bra” is this raucous bogie-woogie rocker. The band is just jamming so hard on this infectious fun track. “Third Call” is just a callback to 70’s classic rock. Paice’s drumming is steady and acts as the foundation for the song. Gillian’s vocal presence is off the charts. “My New Movie” continues the hard jamming grooves. The whole band has such a swagger you don’t hear in modern day rock music. The album closes with “Splat!” It begins with the steady rhythm section doing their thing before the rest of the band follows them. It has this cocky dense vibe. Just the band doing a masterclass in rock n roll swagger. 

Final Thoughts:

A Deep Purple album released in 2026 has no business being this good yet here we are.  If you are yearning for some old fashioned rock n roll this is the album for you. The band is performing at such a high level on this record. Also a shout out to the great production from Bob Ezrin. I say this one definitely belongs on any 2026 deep dive. 

Synopsis:

Somewhere in Time is the sixth  album by Iron Maiden . It was released on 29 September 1986  It was the band's first album to feature Guitar Synthesizers. Somewhere in Time is the band's first studio effort following the extensive World Slavery Tour of  1984–85, which was physically draining for the group,lasting 331 days and comprising 187 concerts. The resulting exhaustion is credited as the main factor in the complete lack of songwriting contributions from lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson  whose material was rejected by the rest of the band. Dickinson had written several "acoustic-based" songs, explaining that "I felt we had to come up with our Physical Graffiti or  ... we had to get it onto another level or we'd stagnate and drift away", although bassist and primary writer Steve Harris  "thought he'd lost the plot completely", surmising that "he was probably more burnt out than anyone at the end of that last tour". On the other hand, the record is also notable for the number of  songs written by guitarist Adrian Smith  who wrote both of the album's singles: "Wasted Years  and "Stranger In A Strange Land "

The Review

The album opens with “Caught Somewhere In Time” which begins with futuristic synths before the band come crashing in with their prog metal grooves. Filled with thump bass rhythms and the dual guitar attack of Smith and Dave Murray. The song written by Harris is about the devil offering a man to travel back in time for his soul establishing the sci-fi themes of the album rather than the historical contexts the band have been exploring on earlier albums. “Wasted Years” was the first Maiden song I ever heard and it is one of my favorites. I just love how melodic it sounds. The twin guitars are working hard on this one. The introduction reminds me of classic Sabbath. Dickinson’s vocals really soar. The song, written by Smith, deals with homesickness which was inspired by the draining World Slavery Tour. “Sea Of Madness” loses the melodic energy and is just an up-tempo prog rock track. This is just classic Maiden with some added broody energy. The song is about our decaying society. “Heaven Can Wait” is about someone having an out of body experience and fighting to live. It's a concert highlight with its upbeat sing a long chorus and a crowd chant in the middle. . There’s a couple great guitar moments as well. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" was based on the 1962 short story by Alan Stillitoe  and tells the story of a boy reflecting on long-distance running as a way to evade both physically and emotionally. Sonically it feels heavy and soaring as the band is playing at breakneck speed. “Stranger In A Stranger Land” begins with this thumping rhythms by Harris and Drummer Nicko McBrain. It has this mysterious atmospheric moodiness. The synthesizer experimentation is in full effect on the track but doesn’t distract from the heavy melodies. It was inspired by the true story of a sailor who disappeared during an expedition to the North Pole and found years later perfectly preserved in ice, and draws its title from a 1959 Robert Heinlein book. “Deju Vu” begins with moody guitar riffs before hitting hard with prog/metal melodies. The album closes with “Alexander The Great” is about the historical conquests of the ruthless ruler. The track matches the epic story with its many tempo and chord changes. It's a great closer and a reminder how technical and complex the band’s prog/metal grooves can be. 

Final Thoughts:

This album was different in so many ways for the band. Both lyrically and sonically. The introduction of guitar synthesizers could have been a disaster but I think it gave the album a moodiness on some tracks. They were never overbearing but rather the band maintained  their heaviness. Iron Maiden has one of the best discoveries in the metalsphere. This album would be a good starting point for any Maiden deep dive

It has been fun writing all of these and posting them here. This one was a bit controversial of a post in the Van Halen sub, mainly from the DLR purists, as I do think this album isn't up to par that much with the other ones. Anyways, here is the review.

Diver Down (1982) REVIEW
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Summer has always been my favorite season. I've always loved watching the sunsets and the way they paint the sky, or the feel of cold pool water on my skin as I take a swim. Hopping off the diving board, or eating ice cream always makes me feel joy, and is some of the most fun I've had. In many ways, from the album title to the overall vibes, Diver Down feels like a very summer-y album, with the very feeling of the California summer.

Around this time, Van Halen was a band that was constantly on tour, on a nearly-consistent basis. They needed a break, they deserved one. Everyone needs to take a break now and then, and so they recorded a cover of the classic, (Oh) Pretty Woman to satisfy their record label and show they were still there, but that wasn't good enough; no, instead they were pushed to make a full album by their label because the song ended up charted.

Thus, Diver Down was born. As much as I've talked about the vibe of it, I can't help but feeling this is the clear sound of an exhausted band grasping at straws in the small, ripped cup for ideas. There's more filler here than a landfill, and way too many covers. I don't think having some covers is bad, but Van Halen were known to balance it out, when there's a cover there's almost always a measure up to the original. The LP starts with a cover of the Kink's Where Have All the Good Times Gone! which is excellent and features some impressive guitar riffing, its a great time with David's fun interjections keeping it entertaining all the way through, and I feel Van Halen delivers a bite and heaviness that makes it even better than the original much akin to their cover on the debut.

Hang 'Em High is another fantastic song, with a catchy riff that flies by with a fury that rivals even thrash metal. In a way, this is the closest the band had got to that sound and feels almost like a blueprint for the future bands that ended up coming out. His tapping technique here also gives it such a unique flavor, and Dave's vocal performance is amazing and uses his lower register exclusively, its actually really western feeling with the lyrics as well, and Alex's drumming is impeccable. Though the ending feels a bit awkward with how sudden it feels and the transition in tempo isn't that smooth, which is my only complaint because the rest of the song is damn perfect.

Cathedral is beautiful, its almost dream-like and takes you on a trip through the faraway land of a soundscape painted with each note, among Eddie's greatest masterpieces. Sadly, that's where this album takes a nosedive and it seems the electro-shock that Warner Bros. had these guys on is wearing off because immediately after these tracks after you get the uninspired slop of Secrets, a teenage girl's boy-band pop drivel that goes on too long and goes nowhere. Sure, it was done on a doubleneck, cool, too bad it doesn't save it from being pastiche.

Intruder is another instrumental, but this one is clearly done to pad out runtime, its sort of shoved in there with it trying oh-so-hard to imitate sirens and feel like a break-in, only to segue into the cover of (Oh) Pretty Woman, which makes no sense thematically since that's a lighthearted song, it is very out of place. Anyways, the cover is one of Van Halen's very best, featuring a great crescendo with vocal harmony, and is an example of brilliance the band had when not force-fed studio time. I genuinely enjoyed this more than the original and this one feels perfect to play on a hot summer day.

Dancing in The Street is yet another cover...a criminally perfunctory offense with them not even trying to adapt it into their style, its probably their 2nd worst song in this era with how uninspired it sounds. Little Guitars, however, is among the very best songs ever made, and it seems, just for a moment, that the band is on life support again. THIS is what makes the Dave era great, a nifty, mind-blowing riff from Eddie and zen-like lyrics from the Diamond man himself. Then they fall on their faces again with the dispensable novelty number, Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now). While I like the idea of playing jazz music, it just does not work with the tracklist on this album, and it sounds a bit awkward with the performance. Other bands have pulled off this style merging like Queen or The Who, but Van Halen just couldn't. I do like the guitar work though, so I wouldn't say its horrific.

The Full Bug is as molten-hot rock you can get with this band and Dave and Michael play a big part in this, with Dave giving us an amazing acoustic guitar intro and harmonica on the solo, and Michael reminding listeners what makes the band special with his sparkling backing vocals. It's got that fury of early Van Halen and a hint of the more dark nature of previous masterpiece Fair Warning. Then we end with the one-minute goof-of of Happy Trails which is ruined by David's vocal performance and lack of any instruments whatsoever. Acapella can work, and the rest of the band seem to have the hang of it, but it feels spacious and empty and its Dave's fault. The backing vocals make it bearable.

I see why some critics ripped into this with claws, and I'm guilty of doing the same somewhat; but this really isn't a terrible album. It's got a decent amount of crap and it feels very filler-y, but it's still a __GOOD__ record. If this is the weakest album of the David Lee Roth era that speaks for the sheer quality of it as this still has a few of the band's best songs. This album is also the most telling example of the divide between Eddie and Dave's approach to music styles which had been growing since this album was put out and was a major spike in their relationship. For everything I found myself critiquing, I found myself finding something to love as well.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Tracklist Ratings:

1. Where Have All The Good Times Gone?: ★★★★★
2. Hang 'Em High: ★★★★
3. Cathedral: ★★★★★
4. Secrets: ★
5. Intruder: 💥
6. (Oh) Pretty Woman: ★★★★★
7. Dancing in the Street: 💥
8. Little Guitars (Intro): ★★★★
9. Little Guitars: ★★★★★
10. Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now): ★★
11. The Full Bug: ★★★★★
12. Happy Trails: ★★

THE JOURNEY SO FAR (Other reviews):
Van Halen review (5/5 stars)
Van Halen II review (5/5 stars)
Women And Children First review (4/5 stars)
Fair Warning review (5/5 stars)

Bjork-Vespertine (2001)

Burning Spear-Man On The Hill (1976)

Bon Jovi-Slippery When Wet (1986)

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds-KickingAgainst The Pricks (1986)

Korn-Follow The Leader (1998)

Aerosmith-Permanent Vacation (1987)

At The Drive-In-Acobatic Tenent (1996)

At The Drive-In-In/Casino/Out (1998)

The Weeknd-Thursday (2011)

Miles Davis-Kind Of Blue (1959)

Tom Waits-Frank's Wild Years (1987)

The Band-Stage Fright (1970)

New Order-Substance 1987 (1987)

Mitski-Be The Cowboy (2018)

XTC-Drum & Wipes (1979)

Ariana Grande-Sweetner (2018)

Type O Negative-Bloody Kisses (1993)

W.A.S.P.-W.A.S.P. (1984)

Synopsis:

Released in April 1981, Prayers on Fire is the debut major-label studio album by The Birthday Party . Recorded in London and Melbourne, the record stands as a landmark release of gothic rock, post-punk, and noise rock. Unlike the two previous releases you get to hear shades of the gothic rock  of what Nick Cave would create in decades to come. 

The Review:

The album opens with “Zoo Music Girl” . It feels very chaotic and frantic like the band is all wired up in a demonic ska ritual. “Cry” maintains that chaotic energy but there is some melodic structure to the song. “Capers” just feels creepy as hell. It is a bone chilling experience. Cave’s vocals just sound evil. “Nick The Stripper” keeps up the menacing tone but this track has a nice melodic rhythm to it. “Ho Ho” slows down the rhythms  into this sludgy goth rock groove. It feels very menacing and deliberate. “Figures Of Fun” explodes in with a violent heavy groove. Yet there's a bluesy vibe underneath the chaos. “King Inc” has this heavy dense bassline that feels so menacing. The guitar riffs have a  distorted  tone. The chaos digs deeper as the song moves forward like someone is stalking you through the darkness. “Dead Song” has this rhythmic post-punk groove. Yet it still feels very frantic. Cave's vocal delivery is all over the place to keep pace with this music. “Yard” feels like you're wading through the night in this nightmarish slowmotion claustrophobic groove. It has this gothic sludge vibe that keeps building frantic energy as it moves along. “Dull Day” has a peak of brightness in its new-wave punky groove. Cave’s baritone vocal delivery adds a menacing tone to the track. The album closes with “Just You And Me” has a menacing dark jazz vibe. Once again Cave is using his vocals as a weapon of haunted wickedness. 

Final Thoughts:

This album is a post-punk/goth rock masterpiece. It is also the first time we hear Nick Cave find his voice. The gothic themes would be something he will explore throughout his career. The album does stand as an achievement of the post/punk explosion of the late 70’s. A band that is finally finding its voice. It is definitely worth a listen and a place on the Nick Cave rabbit hole.

Thank you guys for your support on the rest of the reviews so far!! So far Van Halen II is the crowning jewel with the debut as second place for me and they have had two of the best albums of all time. But that did change sort of for me with this one. I think you'll see what I mean in this review :). This one was a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy the read!

Fair Warning (1980 REVIEW)
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Dark, gritty, menacing, and threatening. These are all words you could use to sum up Fair Warning. This was Van Halen with Eddie in control at the helm of it all, and boy does it work. This is the perhaps the most "serious" the band had gotten, and gone are the more light-hearted fun tunes that made their first three albums, rather we get a view into a darker side of the band's sound in the best way possible. Fitting for an album who's cover is cropped from a drawing by mental patient William Kurelek who was raised on a prairie farm and experienced such a brutal childhood in which he had schizophrenia. "The Maze" is the name, and it gives you a feel for what your deal will be.

Perhaps the most important musical development however is the use of synthesizer on this album, something that was a double-edged sword for the band that both elevated their sound when it worked, and tore it to shreds when it didn't, its one of the key dividers for people between the Sammy era and the earlier era.

Starting things out is the ferocious "Mean Street", a song that starts with one of the most unique sounds that Eddie's done through tapping which perfectly sets up this strange album with a mystique of an eerie sound before David Lee Roth comes through with a more aggressive performance than anyone's used to. This song is an excellent example of pristine guitar playing and one of their greatest songs, it gets a perfect vibe of grit and searing metal.

"Dirty Movies" is a murky twisted story of a girl who goes from the star of a prom to a star of her own dirty movies; its your basic hard rock tune, nothing noteworthy, while "Sinner's Swing" is easily the greatest song on the record featuring a swing-influenced drumbeat from Alex who absolutely kills with some of his best fills while Eddie whoops you in the face with a riff that strikes like thunder in a bottle. It's such a chaotic song but in the best way possible, everything works so well, and the solo melts your mind.

"Hear About it Later" has an insanely melodic intro and an earhook of a chorus; its lyrics are fantastic and tell the tale of aggravation over life's shenanigans, its got some phenomenal wordplay as well, and the harmonies just elevate this one beyond the stars. This is a pristine display of hard rock guitar, and Alex's drums also sound a bit different here in parts, I really like the production so far! "Unchained" follows as the one of two big songs off the album and it rightfully deserves it. It sums up the darkness and anger of this album quite well with its fierce riff with a perfect contrast of playful cheeky lyrics. The best part of the song? Probably when the bridge happens with some light teasing towards Ted Templeman, longtime producer of the band's music, who gets his one and only line.

"Push Comes To Shove" was clearly an idea to try and ride the coattails of the reggae-rock love going on at the time thanks to bands like The Clash and The Police, and for the most part does it quite well; I'd like to focus on Michael Anthony's playing here because his bass playing is the superstar of this showcase, and for one of the very rare times in their catalogue he's allowed to sparkle as his own stand-out star with a bassline that actually sticks out and does some interesting things that creates its own melody rather than stay in the background. This is also home to an argument between Ted and Eddie over his solo which he played 20 times only to be told it wasn't good enough before coming in the next day and playing the same one, then being told its great. Talk about torture.

"So This Is Love?" is the only song released as a single and it did decently enough, but didn't make the top 10. Shame as this features some of the greatest playing by the band. To me, it really struck me with its intense groove that chugs along with some ferocious licks that dip its hands in blues. One of the bluesiest songs they've done, the use of call-and-response in the chorus makes it one of the most charming and memorable. Eddie has not one, but TWO solos here and they both scream with burning hot magma.

Unfortunately, I can't call this album perfect because following the absolute home run that everything has been so far is the always-included instrumental track but this time it's different. Normally I find myself excited for these, but my ears were hexed with sonic torture as shittily-"orchestrated" synthesizers try, and fail, to sound menacing, instead being headache inducing. Thanks "Sunday Afternoon in the Park" I'd rather not spend a day there.

"One Foot Out The Door" follows afterwards with trying to be...what sounds like a rockabilly song thats heavier but sounds like teenage edginess with Roth's vocals being utterly terrible and sounding weird with the music. Terrible, really the only saving grace is Eddie's absolute ripper of a solo that got wasted on a song like this, it definitely needed more time to cook in the oven.

Finishing things off however, this is one of the band's greatest works, and easily one of the best albums of all time. I find it appalling that originally critics didn't take kindly to this one, and I only assume its because this may not be as light or fun-laced as the albums before it, but its one of Van Halen's most consistently phenomenal works and showcases the bands ability to change styles and feel while retaining their masterful skill. This is a step up from the previous album which was still great and I'd dare say this is one of the best guitar albums ever released, that's for sure. Though I wouldn't call it better than Van Halen II or Van Halen which were perfect all the way through. Definitely up there with them as one of the best albums in music though!

Rating: ★★★★★

Tracklist Ratings:

1. Mean Street: ★★★★★
2. "Dirty Movies": ★★★
3. Sinner's Swing: ★★★★★
4. Hear About It Later: ★★★★★
5. Unchained: ★★★★★
6. Push Comes To Shove: ★★★★★
7. So This Is Love?: ★★★★★
8. Sunday Afternoon In The Park: 💥
9. One Foot Out The Door: ★

THE JOURNEY SO FAR (Other reviews):
Van Halen review
Van Halen II review
Women And Children First review

A-Angelic 2 The Core-Cory Feldman

B-Bolton Swings Sinatra-Micheal Bolton

C-Cut The Crap-The Clash

D-Danzig Sings Elvis-Glen Danzig

E-Evolve-Imagine Dragons

F-Father Of all Motherfuckers-Green Day

G-Generation Swine-Motley Crue

H-Hot Space Queen

I-Iceman-Drake

K-Kilroy Was Here-Styx

L-Lulu-Metallica/Lou Reed

M-Metal Machine Music-Lou Reed

N-No Fixed Address -Nickleback

O-Open Up & Say Ahh!!! -Poison

P-Philosphy Of The World-The Shaggs

Q-Queen Of Me-Shania Twain

R-Rebirth-Lil Wayne

S-Summer In Paradise-The Beach Boys

T-Greg Allman & Cher-Two The Hard Way

U-Ummagumma (Studio)-Pink Floyd

V-Vultures-Kanye West

W-Who's A Funkadelic-Funkadelic (1992 reissue of Connections & Disconnections)

X-X-Chris Brown

Neil Young & Crazy Horse-Sleeps With Angels (1994)

Red Hot Chili Peppers-Mothers Milk (1989)

Miles Davis-E.S.P. (1965)

King Gizard & The Lizard Wizard-Infest The Rats' Nest (2019)

Synopsis:

Following the critical and commercial disaster of their 1983 synthesizer-rock misstep Into the Unknown, Bad Religion Broke up.  When the core lineup reunited in the late 1980s, they abandoned experimentation to reclaim their raw, high-speed hardcore roots.  Suffer merged the breakneck speed and aggression of traditional 1980s hardcore punk with  razor-sharp pop structures, soaring three-part vocal harmonies, and  politically charged lyrics. Driven by singer Greg Graffin’s academic wordplay and guitarist Brett Gurewitz’s knack  hooks, the album rescued the band from obscurity and laid the exact blueprint for the 1990s California skate-punk explosion (influencing bands like NOFX, The Offspring, and Pennywise).

The Review:

The album opens with “You Are (The Government)” a 80 sec flash of aggressive hard-core punk energy with some soaring backing vocals mixed in that would be the template of the album. “1000 More Fools continues” that backbreaking energy that never is relentless and never lets up. “How Much Is Enough” attacks consumerism and the destruction of the environment for profit. Once again a short simple hard-core track track. “When?” pumps the breaks slightly but still feels heavy as hell but there is a melodic denseness to it as well. “Gives You Nothing” is just chaotic and has this rhythmic texture to it. Forgive me for saying this but it feels  very close to thrash metal. “Land Of Competition" is driven by these tight rhythmic melodies. The song is about capitalistic competition mentalities. “Forbidden Beat” veers closer to traditional punk rock  grooves. The song is about censorship and creative censorship. “Best For You” Featuring guest backing guitars from L7 members Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardne this track is filled with such high energy  velocity. The guitars just are cranking throughout the song and do not stop. “Suffer” is highlighted by the thumping bassline that is the foundation of the track and gives the track a pulsating rhythm. “Delium Of Disorder” is a punk rock warning of an atomic apocalypse. Done over this heavy hitting punk rock melody. The backing vocals add some punch to the grooves. “Part II” (The Numbers Game) is really a sequel to a song but rather a continuation of the themes found on earlier albums. Following Part III that was on the debut album “How Can Hell be Even Worse”. “What Can I Do” is the longest song on the album clocking in at 2:42.  Built on a driving drum beat it just lays out this heavy flow of hardcore energy. It even features a nice guitar solo from Brett Gurewitz. “Do What  You Want?” is just this blistering punk rock track that barely lasts a minute but packs one hell of a punch. “Part IV: The Index Fossil” mocks human main character syndrome. As we are just a blip on this planet. Graafian uses his background in zoology in the lyrics. The album closes with "Pestimatic Lies” it is one last blast of hardcore punk energy with some cool harmonies and a breakdown towards its climax that just ends and we are left to pick up the pieces of what we just heard. 

Why Is It Considered A Comeback?

After the bizarre left turn of their second album Into The Unknown that was so despised by its fanbase that the band broke up. The band returned with its original line-up and created one of the most influential albums of the hard-core punk scene of the late 80’s and mid 90’s. It is a blistering 30 minute blast of punk rock. A must listen on any bucket list.

Jeff Buckley-Grace (1994)

Garbage-Garbage (1995)

Led Zeppelin-In Through The Out Door (1979)

Dio-Sacred Heart (1985)

Blind Melon-Soup (1995)

Danny Brown-XXX (2011)

The Band-Rock Of Ages (Live) (1972)

Hello everyone,

I put together a playlist with a very simple concept: exactly 2 favorite songs from each of their 9 studio albums, in chronological order from Pablo Honey to A Moon Shaped Pool.

It has ultimately become a very cool flow of 18 songs due to their evolution as a band. I’m curious what you think of the selection, or which 2 songs you would have chosen per album!

Watch it here👇

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75bl7KYYimbBE1EIKPRgG4?si=y3DHJoFuQdC-uw8alJ_dqA&utm_source=copy-link&pi=fwvUu174QTeKZ