Some Reviews

Band: Dave Matthews Band
Pre-Existing Knowledge: I knew they were wildly popular in the 90s. One time someone told me that since I liked BNL I would probably like them, so I listened to one song online and hated it.
Opinion Now: I don't like him (still). I dislike the singing voice, and the instrumental part/music leaves something left to be desired, its just not quite satisfying - you are sort of waiting for something to happen and it never does. There was one song I recognized from the radio on the album I listed to, "Crash Into Me." It is an OK song, but again just not quite satisfying

Band: Grateful Dead
Pre-Existing Knowledge: I knew that they sort of have a cult-like following, some people are madly obsessed with them and you still see their symbols and t-shirts a lot of places, they have that messed up teddy-bear logo. I also knew they had a lot to do with drug culture.
Opinion Now: The music was fine, low key. I don't really understand the obsession, I assume now its all totally the drug thing, their lyrics are packed full of drug references. There is one song that prominently featured "High on Cocaine, Driving that Train."

Band: Rammstein
Pre-Existing Knowledge: I knew a lot about them already, I already knew I liked "Du Hast" (there biggest American Hit) and "Feuer" from the movie XXX.
Opinion Now: I like them, they are super good angry music and its fun trying to translate the lyrics. It is so much easier to sound mad in German than English!!

Band: Fleetwood Mac
Pre-Existing Knowledge: Very little, a vague sense about not being sure if they were country or rock.
Opinion Now: I listened to about 40 songs of theirs, and came to the conclusion that their big hits that I did know (without knowing I new - "You Can Go Your Own Way"), is their biggest hit for a reason, because they have a lot of weird stuff, a lot of different sounds. There were couple of other songs I really liked by them, but there were also several songs that I would throw out.

Band: Cat Stevens
Pre-Existing Knowledge: Almost none. If you put a gun to my head I would have guessed Jazz singer.
Opinion Now: Low key, kind of hippie, not bad but nothing to write home over.

Band: Eagle Eye Cherry
Pre-Existing Knowledge: I remembered their hit "Save Tonight" from my high school years, and liked it, but I knew nothing else.
Opinion Now: I like him quite a bit. He has the same quality to his voice that the former singe rof BNL had, and the music while not anything superb has a nice sound and rhythm.

Band: Bush
Pre-Existing Knoweldge: None
Opinion Now: I like them quite a bit, nothing specific sticks out but I would listen to them more.

Band: Brigadoon (OK, not a band, a musical)
Pre-Existing Knowledge: Its a musical, it involves Scotland
Opinion Now: I enjoyed the music, seems like a fun story, would like to see it and am going to see if there is a movie version to add to my netflix queue

Band: The Irish Tenors
Pre-Existing Knowledge: Classical/operatic singing group
Opinion Now: They are quite enjoyable. I especially liked some of the more folksy Irish pieces and learned the origins of some words I did not know before.

Band: Lisa Marie Presley
Pre-Existing Knowledge: The less than popular daughter of Elvis Presley, more famous for being famous than for her musical career.
Opinion Now: There is a reason her music isn't what she is known for.

Band: Bon Jovi
Pre-Existing Knowledge: They recorded "Its My Life", which was madly popular when I was in Germany in High School, and I like that song
Opinion Now: I think I did not get a very representative album, it was VERY country. It was not what I expected at all but I did enjoy it.

Band: Gustav Holst - The Cloud Messanger
Pre-Existing Knowledge: I have hear Holst before, but no particular piece or fact about him stuck out.
Opinion Now: It was a very beautiful piece and I will likely pursue more of his choral work int he future.

Band: Tenacious D
Pre-Existing Knowledge: Jack Black's band, a few songs from Rock Band that I liked playing.
Opinion Now: I like them!! They have a Heavy Rock yet somehow acoustic sound, predictable but highly satisfying, ridiculous lyrics and of course I love Jack Black's craziness.

Band: Rolling Stones
Pre-Existing Knowledge: Epically famous, have a magazine names after them.
Opinion Now: I am holding off judgement. I managed to get an album that was entirely acoustic ("stripped" down).