Doolittle

I go back and forth on this — some days it's a 4, some days it's a 4.5. The inconsistency in my own feelings about it probably reflects the slight inconsistency of the album itself. But at its best, this is breathtaking.

Inventive and consistently engaging. One of the better albums I've heard this year.

Took me three listens to fully appreciate what was happening here but once it clicked, it really clicked. The layering is incredible — you hear new things every time. A rich, rewarding album that demands your attention.

A solid album with some standout tracks, but a bit uneven overall.

The kind of album that makes you want to pick up an instrument.

Somehow sounds even better decades later.

This was the album that got me into this genre and honestly nothing else has matched it since. The songwriting is inspired, the performances are committed, and the whole thing hangs together as a complete artistic vision. Masterful stuff.