Album Rating

2011-04-12T00:45:00.005+07:00

Montrose - Montrose (1973)

2010-12-02T09:36:00.004+07:00

First album by Sammy Hagar's pre Van Halen band, where he worked with prominent guitarist Ronnie Montrose. It was highway-rock style and both Montrose and Hagar's writings weren't impressive yet; the impressive track is the cover of Roy Brown's 1947 classic "Good Rockin' Tonight". C

Black Oak Arkansas - Balls of Fire (1976)

2010-08-14T12:52:00.001+07:00

Still energetic and ugly but some tunes are memorable such as the funky "Fistful of Love" and the rocking "Rock and Roll". C

Big Audio Dynamite - This Is Big Audio Dynamite (1985)

2010-08-14T12:34:00.002+07:00

Former Clash's guitarist debut is probably the best dance-rock album ever made. Track after track, the band bashed out solid beats with great Clash-like melodies. On "Medicine Show", Mick Jones mixed a sampling of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" soundtrack that includes gunfires and whistling, an inspiring one. A

Deep Purple - California Jamming (1974)

2010-08-14T11:48:00.001+07:00

This was Deep Purple Mark III at their peak. Their appearance on the 1974 California Jam Festival at Ontario Motor Speedway is legend. They played songs from both Mark III and Mark II era, with "Burn" and "Smoke on the Water" as highlight. C

James Gang - Yer Album (1969)

2010-08-14T11:38:00.001+07:00

If without quite a few slow, boring moments in between, this James Gang's first album would be one of the greatest. It's motorcycle-rock, and those powerful rhythms makes "Funk #48" one of classic rock's staples. C

Mountain - Masters of War (2007)

2010-08-14T11:29:00.002+07:00

Master of War is an album consists of Bob Dylan's covers. Mountain had Ozzy Osbourne contributing his vocal on the title-track. Ozzy's synthesized vocal brings the song to another dimension, which is as magical as Jon Anderson's take on "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" on Steve Howe's Dylan project. The rest, sung by Mountain's guitarist/vocalist Leslie West, sound dull and dated. C

King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)

2010-08-14T11:25:00.001+07:00

Long and experimental instrumentation centered by a catchy song called "Epitaph". B

George Harrison - The Concert for Bangladesh (1972)

2010-08-14T10:17:00.002+07:00

This originally triple-vinyl album features Ravi Shankar with his impressive Indian sitar. All supporting friends like Billy Preston, Leon Russel, and Bob Dylan were at their prime. Eric Clapton also participated but didn't play his own song. A

Suzi Quatro - Suzi Quatro (1973)

2010-08-13T11:02:00.006+07:00

Early 70s' bubblegum rock in the bandwagon of The Sweet's and The Slade's. However, the fact that they played straightforward rock and roll in the progressive-rock era should earn them some recognitions as part of the initiators of the early punk or glam metal scene. C

The Outlaws - Ghost Riders (1980)

2010-08-13T10:55:00.002+07:00

If there is cowboy-rock, then "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" should be the anthem. C

Country Joe And The Fish - I Feel Like I'm Fixin To Die (1967)

2010-08-12T17:17:00.002+07:00

Cool band name and album title but disappointing material, it's the typical less-talented side of psychedelia where tunelessness could well be considered as abstract. E

Roky Erickson - I Think of Demons (1987)

2010-08-12T17:13:00.001+07:00

As crude and tuneful as the early Them, the first solo album of Roky Erickson, ex 13th Floor Elevator's singer, is worth collecting. B

Bloodrock - Bloodrock (1970)

2010-08-12T17:02:00.001+07:00

The first two tracks are guitar-based blues rock. The rest are organ-laden progressive rock. C

Billy Idol - Rebel yell (1983)

2010-08-12T16:56:00.001+07:00

Melodic "Rebel Yell" is fast, loud and well-crafted. It was an anthem for the rich rebels and has since become Billy Idol's signature song. It was a hit-intended album so the rest are not to be taken seriously. C

Buffy Sainte-Marie - It's My Way (1964)

2010-08-12T16:48:00.002+07:00

Buffy Sainte-Marie was a folk singer and songwriter from Canada. It's My Way sounds like Cher's early work but with more in-depth songs. Among them, "The Universal Soldier" is a lesser-known folk classic. B

Savoy Brown - A Step Further (1969)

2010-08-12T16:28:00.001+07:00

Savoy Brown was Bloodrock's English counterpart, a band less popular than Ten Years After and more rootsy than Wishbone Ash. In A Step Further, they, like Wishbone Ash, played a lot of twin-guitar solo and, like Ten Years After, played a boogie medley of early American rock & roll classics. C

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Street Survivors (1977)

2010-08-12T16:06:00.002+07:00

Street Survivor is the final studio album by the classic lineup of Lynyrd Skynyrd and was Ronnie Van Zandt's personal favorite. Without triple-guitar solo and blazing hard rock sound, the album shows the band's maturity in songwriting and new member Steve Gain's outstanding contribution. Unfortunately, an air accident closed the book for this still-promising lineup. B

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - East West (1966)

2010-08-11T22:45:00.001+07:00

Paul Butterfield's blues was not generic. They came with mercury feel and pop appeal, thus it was probably the reason they were recruited by Bob Dylan when he first went electric. The last track, "East West", is a long instrumental track that blends voodoo rhythm and Indian raga, must be very influential back then. B

B.B. King & Eric Clapton - Riding with the King (2000)

2010-08-11T22:29:00.001+07:00

The title track is a John Hiatt cover. Most of the songs are covers or co-written by BB King with other songwriters. Consists of generic blues songs and catchy folk songs, the album was mixed in a glossy sound with fine guitar works by the two masters. C

Tim Buckley - Greetings from L.A. (1972)

2010-08-11T22:24:00.003+07:00

The better songs here sounds like the worse songs of The Doors. The psychedelic folk sound could be the sign of a time but it didn't last long. D

The Band - Stage Fright (1970)

2010-08-11T22:16:00.001+07:00

The Band's third album is still a good one. "Strawberry Wine" the straightforward rock song sounds like a leftover gem from The Basement Tapes session. "Stage Fright" rocks in Americana style. "All La Glory" sounds like an inspiration for Thin Lizzy, and "Daniel and the Sacred Harp" are again the band's singers at their vocal-harmony best. B

Van Halen - 5150 (1986)

2010-08-11T21:12:00.002+07:00

5150 was the fist Van Halen album with Sammy Hagar as vocalist. During an interview, Eddie Van Halen stated that Hagar's vocal capability enabled him to write songs in a wider scope. Those high-note songs, the glossy "Why Can't This be Love", "Dreams", "Summer Nights" and "Love Walks In", were indeed a remarkable differentiation from David Lee Roth's era. B

Deep Purple - Burn (1973)

2010-08-11T20:46:00.002+07:00

The title track "Burn" was a phenomenal anthem for a generation and is the last great song ever made by Deep Purple. The song showcases the virtuosities of guitarist Ritchie Blakmore and organist Jon Lord when they took turn demonstrating their skill, backed by an impressive vocal of the then-unknown young David Coverdale. Unortunately, the rest of the album are incoherent as the band's new mark III lineup was phasing themselves to funk. C

Foghat - Fool for the City (1975)

2010-08-11T20:43:00.001+07:00

Fool for the City was the first Foghat album that went platinum and is regarded as their best work. It contains "Slow Ride", their best-known song and a loud boogie-metal anthem. Other notable tracks are "Fool for the City" and a more funky version of Robert Johnson's "Terraplane Blues". C

Soundgarden - Louder than Love (1989)

2010-08-11T20:33:00.001+07:00

An album full of mid-tempo songs with melodic wail. "Big Dumb Sex" has a memorable chant that was later used by Guns N' Roses as medley in "Buick Makane". C

Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction (1987)

2010-08-11T11:55:00.001+07:00

If The Clash's debut is the Beatles of punk, then Guns N' Roses' debut is the Beatles of heavy metal. The album consists of short, fast, energetic and melodic rock songs. Axl Rose's high-pitch vocals, supported by Slash's and Izzy Stradlin's ferocious guitars and Steven Adler's speedy drumming, makes Appetite for Destruction a heavy-metal masterpiece. A

Roger Waters - Amused to Death (1992)

2010-08-11T11:43:00.001+07:00

It's Roger Water's third studio album since leaving Pink Floyd. Similar to the two predecessors, it's a concept album. However, the concept of this album is unclear, though Waters had Jeff Beck playing guitar here. It doesn't have the main structural melodies of The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking and impressive tracks of Radio K.A.O.S. The catchy song is "Watching TV", with Don Henly as guest singer, about a Chinese girl that died in Tiananmen incident. D

Elvis Costello - Armed Forces (1979)

2010-08-11T11:30:00.003+07:00

After two angry albums, Elvis Costello polished his third with less punk and more new wave. Single "Oliver's Army" is a fine pop song while "Goon Squad" and "(What's so Funny about) Peae, Love and Understanding" still carry his early-days edge. C

Stone Temple Pilots - Purple (1994)

2010-08-11T11:23:00.001+07:00

Since the success of Pearl Jam, suddenly the industry was filled with modern rock bands that sounded like Pearl Jam. Stone Temple Pilots was one of them but was an even more hardcore one. Purple was a mainstream grunge album with "Interstate Love Song" and "Vaseline" went to no. 1; however, the real good tune here is "Lounge Fly". D

Van Halen - 1984 (1984)

2010-08-10T23:17:00.001+07:00

1984 is the last Van Halen album with David Lee Roth. During the making, Eddie Van Halen was intensively exploring the synthesizer. His colorful synth riffs decorates all over the heavy rock songs such as "Jump", "Panama", "Hot for Teacher" and "I'll Wait". The album was a blockbuster. B

Meat Puppets - Too High to Die (1994)

2010-08-10T23:11:00.001+07:00

Too High to Die is a more accessible album by Meat Puppets, a hardcore punk band that turned root rock after signing to major label. They created their modern root rock style with notable tracks like "We Don't Exist", "Flaming Heart" and "Comin' Down". C

The Byrds - Ballad of Easy Rider (1969)

2010-08-10T23:00:00.002+07:00

Ballad of Easy Rider shows a musically-declining Byrds. The only strong track here is the title track which was also used as a movie soundtrack. The song was inspired by some Bob Dylan's notes that was turned into a soft motorcycle song by Roger McGuinn. D

The Kinks - Something Else (1967)

2010-08-10T22:54:00.001+07:00

Something Else is The Kinks' most melodic albums and is a blueprint for Britpop. It starts with the anthemic "David Watts" and ends with the extremely-tuneful "Waterloo Sunset". B

Soul Asylum - Let Your Dim Light Shine (1995)

2010-08-10T22:45:00.001+07:00

There are two great songs here - the slow-tempo opener "Misery" and the mid-tempo closer "I Did My Best". Unfortunately, the rest are fillers. D

Pearl Jam - Vs. (1993)

2010-08-10T22:34:00.001+07:00

As a seven-time platinum album, Vs. contains a lot of dull energy except the highly-adrenalized "W.M.A.". The mid-tempo "Daughter" is a great song and as Pearl Jam always made cool ballads, "Indifference" is the unexceptional one here. C

Ian Hunter - Ian Hunter (1975)

2010-08-10T22:29:00.001+07:00

The calmness-turn-thunderclap "Once Bitten Twice Shy" and the slow Dylanesque "3,000 Miles from Here" are the only two tracks worth listening here. D

David Bowie - Diamond Dogs (1974)

2010-08-10T22:16:00.003+07:00

Diamond Dogs still followed the Ziggy Stardust concept. "Diamond Dogs" and "Rebel Rebel" reflect the vigorous "Suffragette City" and "Hang on to Yourself", while "Sweet Thing", "We Are the Dead" and "Big Brother" reflect the melodramatic "Five Years", "Soul Love" and "Rock & Roll Suicide". New approach is heard on "1984", a heavy funk track. B

Primus - Tales from the Punchbowl (1995)

2010-08-10T22:14:00.000+07:00

Too experimental and unaccessible. The only listenable track is "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver". E

Uncle Tupelo - Anodyne (1993)

2010-08-10T22:07:00.002+07:00

Uncle Tupelo is Wilco's songwriter Jeff Tweedy's previous band, and Anodyne is their final album. In this album, like Wilco's early albums, many promising intro are heard but followed by disappointing songs. D

The Jayhawks - Hollywood Town Hall (1992)

2010-08-10T22:03:00.004+07:00

Hollywood Town Hall features The Jayhawks' best song, "Waiting for the Sun", which is also one of the best alternative country rock song ever made. Other excellent tracks include "Crowded in the Wings", "Nevada, California" and "Martin's Song". Mixing root music with fuzzy guitars, the Jayhawks were at their best with Hollywood Town Hall. B

Whiskeytown - Faithless Street (1995)

2010-08-10T21:35:00.002+07:00

Said to be heavily influenced by country-rock legeng Gram Parson, Faithless Street sounds like generic country music played in a modern way. D

The Cult - Sonic Temple (1989)

2010-08-10T12:11:00.001+07:00

Sonic Temple by British heavy metal band The Cult was a top ten album in the US chart. "Sun King" is arousing. "Soul Asylum" reminisces the guitar orhestra of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir". D

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Nuthin' Fancy (1975)

2010-08-10T11:56:00.002+07:00

No triple-guitar solo like "Free Bird" in their first album and highly-notable intro like "Sweet Home Alabama" in their second, Lynyrd Skynyrd's third album Nuthin' Fancy focus on hard rock song "Saturday Night Special". The blues is as heavy as before as heard on the harmonica-driven "Railroad Song" and the generic "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller". Still a fine blues-rock album. B

Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger (1991)

2010-08-10T11:51:00.001+07:00

Compared to their major-label debut Louder than Love, Badmotorfinger rocks faster, harder and, not less tuneful, with "Rusty Cage", "Slaves & Bulldozers" and "Jesus Christ Pose". It's an essential grunge album with heavy metal root. C

The Doobie Brothers - Cycles (1989)

2010-08-10T11:44:00.001+07:00

Cycles is the first album after guitarist and vocalist Tom Johnston reunited with The Doobie Brothers. The old mates could still churn out some catchy and moving songs like "One Chain", "Time Is Here and Gone" and "Too High a Price". C

Orhestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Architecture and Morality (1981)

2010-08-10T11:38:00.001+07:00

During the synth-pop era, Orchestral Maneuvres in the Dark could be termed as progressive synth. Lots of experimentation on synthesizer but "Joan of Arc" and "Maid of Orleans" were catchy enough to popularize the band. C

Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque (1991)

2010-08-10T11:34:00.002+07:00

Sounds like teen rock but it's not. Bandwagonesque is a tuneful album characterized by harmony vocals and strong hooks. "Star Sign", "Pet Rock", "Sidewinder", "Alcoholiday" and "Guiding Star" are the notable tracks from this Britpop band. B

Foghat - Stone Blue (1978)

2010-08-10T01:08:00.001+07:00

Stone Blue is a minor album from the English southern-rock band Foghat's catalogue. The hard-rocking title track and "Easy Money" are worth listening, as well as boogie-track "Chevrolet" that features a nice guitar solo. D

The Who - Quadrophenia (1973)

2010-08-10T01:00:00.001+07:00

It is the third from the three great albums by The Who that came out in a row - Tommy, Who's Next and Quadrophenia. Same cinematic with Tommy, Quadrophenia rocks harder. Its theme is about a scooter-driving Mod kid who was having quadruple personalities. With John Entwistle's aggresive bass lines and Keith Moon's explosive drumming, this double album rocks solidly with "The Real Me", "The Punk and the Godfather", "5.15", "Bell Boy", "Doctor Jimmy" and ends grandeurly with "Love, Reign o'er Me". A

Grant Lee Buffalo - Mighty Joe Moon (1994)

2010-08-10T00:51:00.001+07:00

Despite the band name that combines Ulysses S Grant, Robert E Lee and American wild animal buffalo, the album is not Americana at all, blame it to the mass production of grunge bands by the industry in the 90s. Except "Lone Star Song", the rest sound almost the same. D

Gang of Four - Entertainment! (1979)

2010-08-10T00:45:00.002+07:00

When "Damaged Goods" was first released as single, it was a crudely-produced punk song. But in Entertainment!, it was polished into a glossy, funky piece, together with many rhythmic funk-punk tracks like "Natural's Not In It", "I Found That Essence Rare", "Glass", "At Home He's a Tourist". The album was proven influential as admitted by members of latter funk-rock bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against the Machine. B

Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation (1987)

2010-08-10T00:39:00.001+07:00

This is an Aerosmith-reinventing album. It features one whimpering ballad, "Angel", to appeal to the mass. "Rag Doll" and "Dude" are great for rock radio playlist. "Magic Touch" and "Permanent Vacation" are two energetic, Aerosmith-style rock songs. The album is good enough to be owned. C

Blues Traveler - Four (1994)

2010-08-10T00:33:00.001+07:00

Four is a commercial breakthrough for Blues Traveler with two very successful singles - "Run Around" and "Hook". The singles and other tracks like "Look Around","Fallible", Freedom", "Just Wait" are catchy pop blues. Since Blues Treaveler is regarded a jam band, it has to be noted that Four is not a live album so don't expect any long jam there. C

Queen - A Day at the Races (1976)

2010-08-10T00:29:00.000+07:00

It's Queen's fourth album with the driving hard-rock anthem "Tie Your Mother Down" and the multi-layered vocal hit "Somebody to Love". The rest are fillers, thus making it a weaker album than it's predecesor A Night at the Opera. C

Damn Yankees - Don't Treat (1992)

2010-08-10T00:25:00.001+07:00

Supergroup Damn Yankees consists of Ted Nugent, Tommy Shaw of Styx and Jack Blades of Night Ranger. The radio-friendly rocker "Don't Tread on Me" by Blades and power ballad "Where You Goin' Now" by Shaw were the hits, but the cool-rocking ones are Nugent's fast and heavy "Firefly" and "Double Coyote". C

Drive-by Truckers - The Dirty South (2004)

2010-08-09T23:15:00.001+07:00

The album sounds tough with opener "Where the Devil Don't Stay". On Track 3 "The Day John Henry Died", it has generated the listener's dopamine release. And when it reached track 5 "Carl Perkin's Cadillac", I wondered why the band isn't the biggest on the scene. Not all tracks are great though, but the Truckers are the masters of shaping all tracks in good forms. B

The Bottle Rockets - Songs of Sahm (2001)

2010-08-09T23:12:00.004+07:00

Country instead of rock. "I'm Just a Country Boy" is catchy. "I'm Not That Kat Anymore" is like 70s bubblegum rock. This is a substandard Bottle-Rocket album. D

Bright Eyes - Lifted or the Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground (2002)

2010-08-09T23:09:00.001+07:00

The album starts with "Big Picture" that sounds like Bob Dylan's "It's All Right Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)". The music then swings from acoustic folk to psychedelic folk which becomes less accessible. The track that left an impression is "Bowl of Oranges". C

Brian Setzer - Nitro Burnin Funny Daddy (2003)

2010-08-09T23:05:00.001+07:00

Brian Setzer's rockabilly is produced heavier here than before. Two higher-gain rockabilly numbers, "Sixty Years" and "Don't Trust a Woman (in a Black Cadillac)", sounds uplifting and followed by a catchy banjo intro that sooon rocks with "When the Bells Don't Chime". But then, things get a bit dull till "Wild Wind" that reminisces the Yardbirds-era psychedelic. At the end, Setzer repeats the banjo mix that makes it overally an enjoyable album. B

Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes (1982)

2010-08-09T23:00:00.000+07:00

An unimpressive debut by an alternative-rock band. E

Deer Tick - War Elephant (2007)

2010-08-09T22:55:00.002+07:00

Tuneful folk rock, though sometimes the mixes sound amateurish. Hardly any band could put so many good tracks in one album like War Elephant these days. B

Billy Bragg - Talking with the Taxman about Poetry (1986)

2010-08-09T18:50:00.002+07:00

The high time comes at track 7, 8 and 9. "There Is Power in a Union" is a working class anthem, "Help Save the Youth of America" is a hand-clapping satire, and "Wishing the Days Away" is Billy Bragg at his poetic surge. C

Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan (1962)

2010-08-09T18:13:00.001+07:00

Similar to many new artists, Bob Dylan's debut consists of mostly covers. His own compositions are "Talkin' New York" and "Song to Woody". The latter one is a tribute for his mentor Woody Guthrie. Dylan's songwriting brilliance is not yet heard here, but "Song to Woody" spearheaded a new wave of folk songs. C

Son Volt - Trace (1995)

2010-08-09T18:11:00.003+07:00

Good Americana atmosphere but none of the songs is impressive. E

My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges (2008)

2010-08-09T18:06:00.001+07:00

The first five tracks are tiring jazzy falsetto songs. It turned country rock at track 6 "Sec Walkin'". And at track 13 "Touch Me I'm Goin' to Scream Pt. 2", they sound like Supertramp. Quite an odd album. D

Social Distortion - Prison Bound (1988)

2010-08-09T17:57:00.002+07:00

"Indulgence" is rocking. "Like an Outlaw", with saddle-hitting yell that sounds like a Marshall Tucker Band song in fast beats, defined cowpunk. Unfortunately, the rest are unimpressive. D

The Bottle Rockets - Blue Sky (2003)

2010-08-09T17:54:00.001+07:00

Blue Sky appears to be more country than rock. It's more like a "back to root" album by a mature artist. The acoustic guitar-picking ballads are the better tracks, such as "Lucky Break" and "Cross the Highway". C

The Bee Gees - Odessa (1969)

2010-08-09T17:51:00.001+07:00

Odessa is the home for "First of May". It's a psychedelic album but a highly-accessible one with quality songwritings by the Gibbs brothers. Sometimes some songs come close to Bob Dylan's. A

Wishbone Ash - Argus (1972)

2010-08-09T13:55:00.001+07:00

Argus gives a relaxing mood. The best moment comes during track no. 2, 3, and 4 ("Sometime World", "Blowin' Free", and "The King Will Come"). All three tracks were mixed with plenty of guitar solos and a long jam on "The King Will Come". As usual, Wishbone Ash wouldn't end an album without a great moment, and the grandeur "Throw Down the Sword" does a fine job. A

Wilco - The Album (2009)

2010-08-09T13:47:00.001+07:00

Still using the same concept with the previous album but songwritings are a bit down the hill here. Only "I'll Fight" retains the previous albums' standard. D

Patti Smith - Trampin (2004)

2010-07-30T21:05:00.001+07:00

At the third decade of her career, Patti Smith was still able to make such a fine album. Most of the songs are mid-tempo and the lyrics are thoughtful and political. B

The Donnas - Get Skingtight (1999)

2010-07-30T20:50:00.002+07:00

They sounds like a female Ramones. The album starts with "Skintight" with fierce guitar solo. On "You Don't Wanna Call", the album shows itself as worth listening. C

The Who - It's Hard (1982)

2010-07-30T20:47:00.001+07:00

It's a hit-oriented album. Songs like "Athena" and "Emminence Front" are great for radio but not for home listening. C

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (2007)

2010-07-30T20:38:00.001+07:00

The concept of soothing and melodic verses followed by loud and fuzzy guitars is great, as heard on "You Are My Face" and "Impossible Germany". Title track "Sky Blue Sky" is a great alternative country song. Unfortunately, the rest of the album are below par from the three tracks mentioned. C

Joan Osbourne - Relish (1995)

2010-07-12T22:39:00.001+07:00

It was a hit album, highly polished and catchy but not losing its country and blues roots. Joan Osbourne teamed up with Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman of The Hooters in writing a collection of memorable songs. Her remade of Bob Dylan's "Man in the Long Black Coat" is one of the best Dylan cover ever recorded. A

Blondie - Parallel Lines (1978)

2010-07-09T18:21:00.001+07:00

With great songwriting and musicianship, Parallel Lines is too fine to be called a punk album. "One Way or Another" is probably the most melodic punk song in history and "Heart of Glass" is one of the best club songs ever made. The rest of the albums are quite Dylan-influenced. A

Billy Idol - Billy Idol (1982)

2010-06-27T18:17:00.001+07:00

In the post-punk era, the vocalist from the small-time British punk band Generation X has emerged big-time with two powerful and commercial hits, "White Wedding" and "Hot in the City". Though the rest are fillers, his concept was proven successful and did path his way to be one of the top rockers of the 80s. D

Stiff Little Fingers - Nobody's Heroes (1980)

2010-06-27T13:03:00.002+07:00

Tuneful punk rock album by Irish band Stiff Little Fingers. It is comparable to The Clash's first album in term of melodies, energy and politic. A

Wilco - A Ghost Is Born (2004)

2010-06-27T12:58:00.002+07:00

This followup of the wonderful Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was a disappointment, but it went to the top spot of the chart. D

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (1970)

2010-06-27T12:54:00.001+07:00

This debut album of one of the forerunners of heavy metal contains quite a few blues-rock material, mostly the non-hit numbers. B

Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic (1975)

2010-06-27T12:48:00.001+07:00

Though it contains two of rock's greatest anthems, "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion", the rest can't keep up with them and sound like fillers. C

John Mellencamp - Human Wheels (1993)

2010-06-27T12:28:00.001+07:00

John Mellencamp's mature work musically and lyrically. It's a thoughtful heartland rock album. Best songs are "Human Wheels" and "To the River". A

John Fogerty - Centerfield (1985)

2010-06-27T12:25:00.001+07:00

John Fogerty still wrote songs in CCR standard, but the production was glossy so it couldn't reproduce the crude and soulfull CCR sound. Maybe because it was in the 80s and most albums sounded like that. A

Indigo Girls - Come on Now Social (1999)

2010-06-27T12:20:00.001+07:00

This album contains some of the best songs ever written by the Indigo Girls, which are the country-tinged "Gone Again", the big-band-style "Peace Tonight" and the highly-tuneful "Cold Beer and Remote Control". The last song "Faye Tucker" was played with Middle-Eastern flavor with lyric about a Texan woman waiting on death row. B

Hole - Live Through This (1994)

2010-06-27T12:17:00.002+07:00

It's the best female-vocal grunge album of the 90s. The band has proven they didn't just look good but wrote and played good as well. B

JJ Cale & Eric Clapton - The Road to Escondido (2006)

2010-06-27T11:50:00.001+07:00

A good collaboration between JJ Cale and Eric Clapton. Most songs are nice folk tunes written by Cale, including his signature jump-blues style "When the War Is Over" and "Ride the River". "Head in Georgia" is a great ballad. B

Big Audio Dynamite - No. 10, Upping Street (1986)

2010-06-26T18:43:00.001+07:00

Mick Jones' second album is still as great as the first but is incorporated with more reggae and funk elements. During the making, he had a peaceful time with Joe Strummer in the studio and they jointly wrote a great Clash-like song "Beyond the Pale", which has become the best moment of the album. B

Blackfoot - Strikes (1979)

2010-06-25T18:56:00.001+07:00

"Train, Train" and "Highway Song" are two great southern-rock hits, but the rest are arena-rock's fillers. C

Pete Townshend - Empty Glass (1980)

2010-06-25T18:23:00.001+07:00

Pete Townshend's solo materials aren't as rich as The Who's. Two songs worth mentioned here are the great radio hit "Let My Love Opened the Door" and the punk-acknowledging song "Rough Boys". C

R.E.M. - Accelerate (2008)

2010-06-25T18:11:00.001+07:00

After the more-tuneful Out of Time and Automatic for the People, R.E.M. moved to a less-tuneful and basic rock and roll sound with Accelerate. D

The Allman Brothers Band - Hittin' the Note (2003)

2010-06-25T17:59:00.001+07:00

Warren Haynes and Derek Truck did some great guitar interplay, but they didn't offer any catchy songs here. C

The Cars - The Cars (1978)

2010-06-25T17:55:00.001+07:00

It's a new wave classic but the first three tracks can be considered rock and roll classics. B

The Eagles - Hotel California (1976)

2010-06-25T16:56:00.002+07:00

It's commercial country rock. "Hotel California" is an all-time pop hit. The only good rock track is "Life in the Fast Lane". C

The Faces - A Nod Is As good As a Wink to a Blind Horse (1971)

2010-06-25T16:52:00.001+07:00

Rootsy, sloppy and hard-rocking, this masterpiece must have inspired The Georgia Satellites, The Black Crowes and many other southern-rock bands. All the rockers and ballads are great, including their brilliant remake of Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee". A

The Selecter - Too Much Pressure (1980)

2010-06-25T16:48:00.001+07:00

Emerged during the two-tone ska movement, The Selecter's materials are not as good as The Special's and The English Beat's. D

The Pogues - Waiting for Herb (1993)

2010-06-25T16:37:00.001+07:00

It's The Pogues' first album after main songwriter and vocalist Shane MacGowan left the band. It lacks the sloppy and drunken atmosphere while neat and calmness are the words for it. Good enough they still can come out with two good tracks - "Tuesday Morning" and "Once Upon a Time". C

The Kinks - Arthur or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire (1969)

2010-06-25T16:33:00.001+07:00

Some tracks are catchy but not commercial. The easy-listening power-pop anthem is "Victoria". C

ZZ Top - Recycler (1990)

2010-06-25T16:28:00.002+07:00

Most songs sound the same. The rather stand-out one is the boogie-rock single "Give It Up" with a rolling-thundering intro. C

Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptim (1968)

2010-06-25T15:18:00.001+07:00

Of all the seminal hard rock albums, Vincebus Eruptum has been underrated and forgotten. "Parchment Farm" was heavily-distorted and rhythmycally solid in 1968, released one year before Led Zeppelin I. A