Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Loved it, great discovery. If you like this, try Gwenno (Welsh language) or Cate LeBon.
Didn’t mind this one. Kind of a strange album, but mostly kept my attention and overall was good. 3.5/5 Might listen again
What a great surprise this album is. It feels like something from the 80s somehow. H>A>K made me check the date, though. An interesting listen for a way too hot day so I was happy to stay in one spot in front of the fan and take it in :)
Een of andere meid met een keyboard op een zolderkamertje. Hoewel ze op een gegeven moment wat loopt te jammen met een bandje. Tja, wat is hier bijzonder aan?
Hé wat geinig. Het zit ergens tussen singer-songwriter-muziek en triphop. Heel relaxed. Tot er op één nummer één kerel de boel opeens komt verstoren. Ik negeer dat maar en geef een ruime 4 sterren.
In eerste instantie dacht ik bij het zien van dit album, ja hoor, daar hebben we weer een snobkeuze. Iets recents, waar ik nog nooit van heb gehoord, dat kan niks zijn. Maar het is zowaar best leuk. De basis heeft een flinke elektronische vibe, trip-hop-achtig, maar ook met psychedelische folky tinten. Het geheel is best dromerig, maar toch ook wel weer dansbaar op een bepaalde manier. Het heeft iets weg van Goldfrapp of Moloko, maar ook wat Massive Attack en Jefferson Airplane. Er zit genoeg variatie in, het is zeer onderhoudend. En je kan het prima op de achtergrond aanzetten als je aan het werk bent (al is het soms wel wat wazig). Soms verrast een snobkeuze dus en dat is dit keer wel het geval. Leuk om te horen!
Not super interesting. Last two were the only stand out
Loved this, new to me, going to find more.
Not heard this before. Retro electronic masterpiece. A little dated sound synths but quite good.
Interesting
This one caught me by surprise. Really feels like some early 00's indie in the vein of Goldfrapp mixed with Florence and the Machine. Soft, dreamy and an easy listen.
I'm shrugging emphatically
Florence and the machine but the machine is broken
At times, this sounds like the Cocteau Twins re-cast as a 1970s German Krautrock band. As if to confirm my comparison, it was only after reaching this conclusion that I discovered that the original lead singer of the band Can actually guest featured on one track of Weaver's record. Like both bands Can and Cocteau, the lyrics of Jane Weaver aren’t really clear, but that’s no problem. The grooves hold their own.
This was interesting, but didn't hold my attention.
This has a weird balance between synthy soundscapes to soft indie girl music. Some of these tracks feel like they would be at home on the Adventure Time soundtrack. Your mileage may vary with this, it doesnt have any edge, outside of maybe The Architect so it comes across a little boring. Still, an interesting listen
Boring white girl indie music. Your wife will love it!
Good background-y vibes, some of the lounge of Modern Kosmology reminds me of Jackson Browne for reason. All of the tracks fit pretty well together, production is great. Vocals are pleasing. Doesn’t evoke a ton in me but I don’t think that’s the point of this album. There’s a tad bit of monotony I felt after a while…it’s sort of drone-based so that’s totally ok.
2.5
Like a less austere Stereolab.
This is a 3.5 for me- pleasant listening, nothing life changing, certainly not in the top 1000 albums I think a person needs to listen to, but I'm not mad about it!
So boring. Weak vocals. Uninspiring lyrics. A total slog to listen to and I don't understand why it's on the list.
Rating: 6/10 Good album overall, really enjoyed the chill vibes. This album is good background music, it has a few very good songs but the rest are pretty forgettable but pleasant to listen to. Favorite songs: Did You See the Butterflies?, Modern Kosmology, Slow Motion, The Lightning Back. Worst song: H>A>K.
I had a lot of fun with this one and will be going back.
this is real good. not sure what to say about it thought.
All up my alley but new to me. Ethereal introspective lyrics, naturalistic samples and drones over rhythmic guitar. Heck yeah.
Meh
Not a fan
I like strange things that still sound pleasant and make me wanna trip!! 🍄🟫
The album started off well but then got boring as each song passed. By the end I'd lost interest. It wasn't bad though 3 ⭐️
I liked this quite a bit. 3.5 stars.
3.5 Took a while to get into it. In the end it was alright.
Thoughts before listening: I have never heard of this artist or album. Probably British? Maybe dance music? Not really sure. Review: Ok...this is a pleasant surprise of an album even if it probably has no business being on this list. Some of the music is familiar with krautrock rhythms and psychedelic textures throughout, coming off a bit like LCD Soundsystem's organic take on dance music. This is a sound I enjoy, so I am liking those songs. Some other songs have more of a dream pop sounds that is less interesting to me. Overall, it's nothing ground breaking so I give it a solid 3-stars.
Probably wouldn't remember I listened to this
Did not know this artist before and was actually blown away by how much I enjoyed the vibe and album.
Not for me. 1/5
Geggjað ...
Interesting...liked it more than I thought I would.
Never heard of this before, or heard any songs on the album. Seems fine, though a bit inconsistent. Certainly doesn't seem memorable or groundbreaking. Not sure why it made the list. "I wish you were cool I wish you were something" 2 stars
It's fine. Enjoyable enough. But I'm not sure why it's considered a Must Hear album.
Very clearly a modern singer-songwriter album. Ethereal, breathy singing, and light synth work. Some of the songs could be on a space-related movie soundtrack. A pretty good album, but honestly nothing particularly special.
unexpectedly really pleasant, what a nice surprise
really cool, loses a little bit of steam in the second half
Musically this album has got Krautrock vibes. The vocals are airy dreamy style. I didn't know what to expect here, but this is really good. 5/24/2024
3 stars for The Architect. Great song.
i got bored but it took awhile. 3.5
Decent
I think this is the newest album I’ve gotten on here now. Surprised I’d never heard of her until now.
This album was fine. There's nothing about it that stands out as being noteworthy or innovative or even substantially different from a ton of other music that came out around the same time. It seems like your standard sad-girl music that would be used in a movie trailer or on some prime-time TV show. 3/5 because I basically feel neutral about it. It's not bad, but there's nothing special about it.
Nr. 178/1001 H>A>K 3/5 Did You See Butterflies? 4/5 Modern Kosmology 4/5 Slow Motion 5/5 Loops in the Secret Society 3/5 The Architect 3/5 The Lightning Back 3/5 Valley 4/5 Ravenspoint 2/5 I Wish 3/5 Average: 3,4 Etheral and mystical sounding pop album. Had some cool songs in the first half, fell a bit off towards the second half. Still an interesting listen.
why is this so supposedly notable?
ok
Incredible.
At least it isn't too electronic. Then comes track 3. This is an awful genre.
Nothing about this strikes me as radically original, but I enjoy it. Good songwriting and sense of harmony. I got bored though.
interesting choice for an album i should hear before i die, especially when the selection from the 2010s is so limited. but that said, i did like this quite a bit
Not nearly as bad as the reviews made it out to be. Does it deserve a spot on the list? Maybe, definitely better than some others I've gotten. 3/5
Starting to wonder what the qualifications are to get an album here. Pretty mediocre stuff.
Not sure it it’s a 4 or 5? It’s really good either way. 9/10
4/30/24. Wasn't familiar with Jane Weaver before this album, and I wasn't expecting an electronica/folk type sound. This is the type of record I would draw from for my own sound and songwriting, and really appreciate how each song brings something unique to the table. I always like artists who aren't afraid to push the limits.
I’m also baffled at the inclusion of this album. I enjoyed most of the tracks and it reminds me of things I was listening to and have been listening to for a while now but I’m not sure what makes it standout from contemporaneous albums that I frankly think might have more iconic potential to be on this list. This album seemed rather way more obscure. Overall, happy to be introduced to the album and come back to it but something I’d expect someone to recommend to me and not to be featured on this list. My standouts were I Wish and H>A>K. I had a hard time rating it. I’ll prob weave those couple songs into my playlists but i think my first impression was better than as I re-listened. I realized the album has a lot of potential and aspects I like but there’s something missing so I’m probably being maybe more harsh because I don’t understand it’s place here. 2.5
The tiniest echo of early Pink Floyd. It’s the pounding bass lines and the heavily reverbed vocals. I wanted these tracks to go on and on…they seemed to fade out just as they were getting started.
This was quite good, and I wish I could have spend more time with this record. Lots of little sound gems scattered all around, like bread crumbs tracing a path in the forest... The first songs remind me a bit of Stereolab, and brings in flavours of Krautrock. It might be her voice. The sound landscape is both minimalist and quite rich. Overall the whole thing is very intriguing. The themes and the sounds echo one another - images of nature, curtains of butterflies and a summery meadow. There is an interesting interplay between the natural, organic feel of the whole, and some elements and themes that have quite an industrial feel to them - like the bass and drum parts in the 1st song, or the synths loops in the 3rd song. It gives off a feel of what would happen if we get to see the 2 worlds (the post-industrial and the natural) as integrated into a new whole. Her voice is what brings it together. Naive, airy, a bit tenuous at times, like if it was walking an edge between two universes. Riding the beauty flourishing in surprising encounters. Not necessarily my cup of tea, so I do not know whether I'll come back here often. But I enjoyed my time here.
I liked some of the songs on here. It was more to my younger taste than my current taste. But I’m glad to have discovered this artist and this album. I’d never heard of either before.
Quite eclectic indie pop. A lot of synthy stuff, with driving rhythm. A few moments reminded me of velvet underground.
I tend to give post-2000 albums a pass if they were really popular on release or have since become popular, because that means they would've had a big impact on the music world (for better or worse). Modern Kosmology definitely didn't make a big splash on the music scene, looking at the Spotify listens. Because of this, I have to ask: why is Modern Kosmology included in this list? The music itself has a mix of good and bad going for it. The good: it's chill music. Very atmospheric. Good to put on in the background while you meditate, before/after a big public speech, or during a particularly uninteresting cricket match. I liked the very out-of-place male vocal that bookended the track Ravenspoint. Also, the style is pretty consistent but still varies in terms of songwriting. There's a good creativity-consistency balance. Now for the bad. Jane Weaver's singing is... not great. It's possible that either she or the production team knew this, and added thick layers of effects/filters in some tracks to disguise it. (This actually made her voice sound definitively worse.) But even without the filters, she doesn't have much in the way of vibrato, range, or clarity. Her voice is a little breathy and she doesn't get much volume or depth out. Another criticism I have is with the synths, which are almost too consistent/unwavering within tracks. Often, they'll either drone one note for entire songs or song sections, or repeat some simple melody relentlessly. It's exhausting for the close listener. But yeah, I did enjoy the music. Kinda. Just not sure why it made the list. Enjoyment: 3/5 Does the album belong on this list: 1/5 Avg: 2/5 Key tracks: Did You See Butterflies?, Modern Kosmology, Valley
Not bad but not sure why it is on this list
I do not need to hear we’re turning to dust repeatedly to start my morning. Lotta nihilistic stuff going on, 1,001. This is like Aimee Mann with an electric gimmick-obsessed producer. But the nihilism is worse. Hoping for Weird Al to compensate.
Reminds me of a combination of St. Vincent and Black Moth Super Rainbow.
Enjoyable record, especially the second half.
It’s ok.
This is pretty ok. Vocals and drums are good. Not impressed by the lyrics or the mood being clear expressed. What's the point?
Never heard of this before. I dig its folky and easy-going charm. Has a bit of an ethereal, spaced-out mood throughout. Nice one to drift off and chill out to.
I was completely unaware of Jane Weaver before this recommendation. I didn't know what to expect, but I liked what I heard. The electronic side of her music is kind of right up my alley. I'm not sure if I'll go back to her music again, but it was nice to hear some music that was off my radar.
Decent. Nothing really stood out other than the agreeable vibes that reminded me of other bands such as Stereolab, Broadcast, etc.
This one blindsided me, I came into it with no knowledge of what to expect, certainly not this kosmische inspired sound. It’s kind of like Beth Orton fronting Broadcast, really really good stuff. I will have to check out more.
I liked this. I had never heard of the artist before.
This album made me look up if Mitski was on the list. She isn't. Should be.
Ugh, terrible
interesting, dreamy, chill sound. Overall enjoyed it, but may not listen to much again.
Perfectly pleasant in places but overall a bit dull.
I’ve already got the title track off this saved to a playlist, but never heard anything else by her. So far this is really good. Almost feels like she made it by herself in her basement. Like, her voice almost sounds like it’s in the room with you. Despite the layers of music and filters and samples, she feels unvarnished somehow. Hard to describe. But this is actually really good. Not too heavy handed, not a lot of posing. A real toe tapper. Very nicely engineered, good balance. There are elements on this record that are clearly inspired by a lot of other artists on this list. This is an excellent distillation of the past into something new. Enjoying every song, no skips. Almost like Velvet Underground meets Goldfrappe. Very nice surprise. Really enjoyed this.
I don't really know why this is on the list. It doesn't change my view on anything. Modern music, older music. Not valuable for me personally. I'm sure there are fans of her, but I'm not one of them.
Almost a 5 🤏
Never heard of Jane Weaver before. This record is excellent. Her voice is reminiscent of Mitski in places. Favourite tracks: H>A>K, Modern Kosmology, Slow Motion, The Architect, Ravenspoint.
Another new one for me, although when I saw the album art I would have sworn I’d heard it before. It doesn’t ring a bell though. On first listen I dig it. I really like the middle of the album with Loops in the Secret Society and especially The Architect. The latter reminds me a lot of a really great song by the band Spoon, “Outlier”. I think it’s cool that the 1001 Albums list contains a few obscure and scantly listened to artists and albums (Jane had 57K monthly listens at the time of this review). I do wonder about the criteria for inclusion and whether a larger social impact has any weight in including an album - at that listen rate I’d imagine few people participating in this have heard of her. It is a neat way for artists to get some exposure and recognition. I gave it a second and third spin and I really like the album. It’s accessible on first listen but also a grower and an excellent melting pot of influences.
About as trippy as you’d expect - planetarium show music plus a little more energy
I think I preferred her earlier album 'Silver Globe', but this is still enjoyable. Not sure it's truly essential like most of the more modern choices on here but definitely worth a spin. I'd say there are fewer stand out tracks on this one, this one is more of a spacey psychedelic journey with the usual lush analogue sounding electronics.
Mostly OK. Very reparative which I would have on for background music. 3/5
Det indtil nu, mest ligegyldig album. Jeg har glemt alt om det igen. Burde ikke have været med på denne liste.. Lyder fint, bare ikke noget jeg burde høre inden jeg dør...
Pop gjort interessant. Det kunne godt være det album skal lyttes en gang mere.
Not bad! I like the vibe
Meh
I remember little of this the next day
Really enjoyed this.
I leapt out of my seat upon seeing an album that wasn't released before my great-grandparents were born. Nice vibes, overall enjoyable. Favourites: slow motion, loops in the secret society, the lightning back, I wish. 4/5
Really chill album. I like her voice, loved the instrumentals, great vibes. Unrelated to the rating but the album art is excellent as well. The melodies are really well done, and H>A>K did a good job drawing me into the album and setting the tone. I wasn't a huge fan of the more psychedelic elements of some of the songs such as Ravenpoint, but overall still a terrific album. 4/5, could've been 5 with more of the poppy elements (just because I don't like the psychedelic parts). Favourites: Did you See Butterflies?, Slow Motion, H>A>K, The Lightning Back.
Finally we get something that was released after the year 2000. Was just some chill vibey stuff with some cool electronic instrumentals, which were what I liked most about the album. Although I enjoyed it, I find it hard to understand why this album is on the list - I had never heard of this artist (60,000 listeners on Spotify), and there are plenty of new albums that are far more influential and unique sounding. Nevertheless, I really liked Slow Motion, The Architect, and I Wish, and will give this my third 4 in a row
relaxing and a good vibe had by all
Weird
not really my thing lowkey but still good
Modern Cosmology is a very versatile album worth exploring. From the first to the last note. I only knew The Architect and really liked that song when it came out, but never explored the rest of Jane Weaver's discography for some reason. I'm glad I did. There's so many influences on this album, from 80's disco, to Velvet Underground, Gary Numan or OMD. And Jane weaves (heh-heh) it all as one whole.
Not much of an impression left. It was fine.
Never heard of Jane Weaver before, really liked this album, feels like a peak of modern phydellic pop, not sure enough to make my frequent rotation but one I want to come back to at some point, so I’m glad it’s made the list.
I am unsure why anyone thinks people should hear this album before they die. There is nothing special about Modern Kosmology. I've heard a number of bands that sound similar or better than this. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't anything special, unique, or whatever word you want to use.
The Sound of Starbucks.
Revisit
Very interesting. The acoustic guitar and her voice are incredible. Though, this is definitely a chill day album.
I liked it, not sure if I like it enough to listen to again though
So I've been at this for 991 days and this was not the album I needed to get today. It's not Jane Weaver's fault, and this was a perfectly decent listen, but I've had it with these albums that can best be described as superfluous. I absolutely could have shuffled off without ever hearing this album. The album itself was fine if unoriginal, melodic with hints of a Krautrock vibe. The vocals were fairly unremarkable. I probably will wake up tomorrow having forgotten most of it but with a mild sense of irritation that I wasted my time and some apprehension over what day 992 will hold for me. Fave Songs: The Lightning Back, The Architect, Ravenspoint, Loops in the Secret Society
I kind of liked this one.
This is pleasant, but unremarkable.
Well…. It’s music.
Brit synth folk. It worked for me. Obviously this is woman fronted so it got panned on here - but I found it completely listenable.
Interesting. Can't listen to too much of that drone sound at once though.
This feels like the late 2010s—electronic crispness, clinging sounds and laid back vocals. It’s a good album but not great compared to the rest of the list.
2.5
Excuse me waiter I'd like ten more
This was ok but doesn't really stand out compared to other similar band. Reminded me of a second-class Stereolab.
Interestingly enjoyable
Track no1 strong Track 2 beautiful I'm listening more and more Just a fucking quality record. Absolutely
This was a welcome break from a long streak of 60’s/70’s/80’s. I enjoyed it quite a bit, even if it wasn’t overly groundbreaking.
Another good album, always enjoy the sort of alt pop. I saved a song so I wouldn’t forget since the album breezed by.
The post-2010 picks on this list are often so puzzling to me. I've never heard of Jane Weaver, and this album doesn't even have it's own page on wikipedia! What the hell? That seems like a first. The music is pretty good, I liked a few songs, but who needs to hear this before they die? When we got that Microshift album from 2018, I listed some better candidate albums from that year that could've been included instead. I'll do the same here for 2017: Antisocialites from Alvvays, Mac DeMarco's This Old Dog, Tyler the Creator's Flower Boy, Stranger in the Alps from Phoebe Bridgers, Father John Misty's Pure Comedy, and Go Farther in Lightness from Gang of Youths. Shit, it just hit me how recent 2017 was, these are albums that I still listen to all the time. Anyway, all of these are more deserving of a place on this list to represent 2017 than this decent album. Favorite tracks: H>A>K, Slow Motion, Valley. Album art: Kind of cool design on a parchment background, honeycomb type thing that spells out the album and artist. I just don't give a shit about this album, sorry. 3/5
I found that the album kept slipping into the background of whatever I was doing so I didn't thoroughly listen to it, even though I tried. It was fine, but since it didn't really capture my attention it's a 3.
Good album from an artist I've never heard of before. Might be the first one on the list that's totally new to me that makes me want to listen to more.
It got a bit tiresome to be honest. It's a new one on me. I won't revisit.
I'd never heard of this. It was the kind of female vocals I don't really like but was otherwise nice enough. I'm not completely clear on what was supposed to be so special about this particular album and the Wikipedia page didn't add any insights. Listens: 1 Fave Track: The Architect Rating: 3
very interesting choice for this list
Totally fine, but not my thing.
Today we have the rarity that is a modern album. In the list of 1001 Album You Must Hear Before You Die, there are only a handful that were released after 2010, and this is one of them. Despite being modern, I’ve never heard of Jane Weaver. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Architect This album was ok. It’s the kind of album that I can put on, feel like it’s decent, but then also realise I’m not actually paying it that much attention. It doesn’t grip me like some other albums do, but it’s certainly not bad by any means. It’s creative at times, and generic at others. Ultimately, it is a pop album so isn’t trying to be anything wacky. Not sure why this was picked as an essential listen though.
Me encanta cuando un disco me sorprende. Y este lo ha hecho.
Beetje kek maar wel origineel
It started off really good and then slowly got worse but barely. 4.5/5
Atmospheric for sure, with strong Krautrock influences (nice touch with Malcolm Mooney, original lead singer of Can stopping by to provide some spoken word vocals), but not an album that lingers long in the memory after it has finished. It’s not terrible and individual songs in isolation are fine, it’s just a bit dull as a whole.
did you see butterflies? slow motion loops in the secret society the lightning back i wish
This list doesn’t have a ton of representation for 21st century music. There is a good amount from the 2000’s, but when talking about 2010 and further, the number of albums decreases significantly. This is easily the newest album I’ve listened to so far. But this album truly feels like an anomaly to me. I’m not sure where the author of the book could have found something like this. This artist doesn’t have a large number of monthly listeners. This album is relatively unknown. It doesn’t have a hit on it. It doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page. All of that adds up to what I would call a diamond in the rough. I respect anybody that is capable of putting an album together entirely by themselves. And this sound took a bit of time to grow on me initially. She really honed in on being very entrancing and meditative. This is one of the most hypnotic dream pop records I’ve ever heard. At first I thought that this choice caused a lot of repetition, and made for a lot of songs that never had much of a climax or big moment. But eventually I found comfort in just letting things play out and seeing what ways she experimented with her own sounds. Plus she has a solid singing voice, and she harmonizes and layers it with so many textures and chord progressions to create a really massive sound record. I love albums that totally fill my head with noise, and especially those that are able to do so even when I’m listening to it with a pair of cheap Apple earbuds. The best way I can describe this album is a tour through a botanical garden. But one that is made up entirely of digital art and computer programming. This might be the single least known record on this list. But often music like this that goes under appreciated is where the real gems lie. Rating: 7/10
Brilliant
I have tried hard to get into this but it really isn't doing it for me.
Nicht meine Musik. Sicherlich gut nebenbei zu hören, aber kein Genuss.
De la pop soignée et sentie, mais jamais mièvre. Mon seul commentaire est que, bien que fort jolie, la voix de la chanteuse ressemble pour moi à celle de Lily Allen et d'autres chanteuses ; on dirait qu'elle manque de personnalité. 4,5.
Ethereal, dreamy, ominous
4/5
3.5 this one had a few fun songs in there that I’d add to a Jake Rudh playlist.
4.0
This was a really solid album and one of those that reminds me to not always judge an album by the cover. I saw the album artwork for this one pop up and the album year/name and figured it wouldn't be something I would like. Not sure why, just looks a little Starbucks counter to me. But from the first song I was pretty impressed. Didn't fully fall in love with it but enjoyed the music. I'd never heard of Jane Weaver before but was really impressed with this album and her musical vibe. I'll check out some of her other albums and see if they're my thing. Standout Tracks: H>A>K, Modern Kosmology, Slow Motion, Loops in the Secret Society, Valley, I Wish
Nothing special. Will probably never hear again
I don't mind it, but it doesn't deserve to be on this list.
It seems like psychedelic rock is always lauded on release post 2000s. Yet not many stand the test of time. Nothing of interest here.
Disco necesario, muy en mi línea de la música que suelo escuchar. Momentos de homenaje a Vangelis. LOVE.
Why is this on here?
1. 3.5 2. 4.2 3. 4.1 4. 3.7 5. 3.8 6. 4 7. 3.8 8. 4.2 9. 4.4 10. 4
Not bad, but unremarkable.
didnt enjoy it much, not very listen friendly for me
didn't really feel this one...
Was good, then became too long and overstayed it's welcome. A shame. 3/5
Ja nicht schlecht, kann man gut hören, geht vielleicht irgendwann als gedudel etwas auf die Nerven. So richtig neu klingt der Sound nicht.
Mola! Cuesta pillarle pero luego coges el gustillo
First impressions are favorable, here’s a 21st century artist whose music is intelligible, and inoffensive, but by the end of the album it’s really kind of annoying. It’s monotonous and kind of wears on you. I’d have given it 3 stars if it wasn’t for the annoying weird white noise at the end of the last track.
It's... fine, I guess. It's certainly a vibe. And that vibe is someone's jam, I'm sure. But it ain't mine. Production values were good but the performances were too pointedly "retro" and the songs were incredibly repetitive and empty. To the point that I felt my anxiety rising as the songs went on because they just didn't go anywhere and rarely managed to find their way to anything approaching a resolution. It's fine. But it's not fine enough to be good.
If I were to have heard any of these songs by themselves as part of a mix, I may ask who was singing. Listening to these songs one after another was just too much melodic electronica....not bad per se, just not my thing.
I don't feel I needed to hear this. I don't mind hearing it. Dreamy female vocals with psychedelic synths and occasionally some jangly guitar. Nothing fresh and groundbreaking. More like newish music for old people. Not bad though. But it shouldn't be in the next edition of the book. Favorite song: Modern Kosmology
sometimes i hear stuff on this list that’s new to me and it just seems like garbage but sometimes i hear stuff that’s new to me that’s really cool
too electronic for me
Did not like this one. Ended up skipping a number of the songs.
Bleeps and whistles, perfectly serviceable - a little Stereolab, a little Beth Orton, a little Air - not sure it's shaking any trees but a perfectly engaging record.
Album Nr. 18 Interessantes aber für mich nur eher durchschnittliches Album. Der beste Titel "The Architect".
I've never heard of Jane Weaver before, and I don't think I have anything to say about her. On to the album. It sounds cool and fun. Production is superb and Weaver explores a good variety of sounds to keep things fresh. I liked it but not enough to warrant calling it great or anything. It's just a good listen.
Dreamy whispy vocals overlaying tasty electronic beats - great find!!
I really liked this whole album; the compositions, beats, lyrics, vocals...the whole thing was just cohesive and enticing. Lots of beauty here.
I might need to change my rating system because a lot of albums will receive a 2 star review this way. Nothing that really interested me, wouldn't want to listen to the album again.
Why is this included? I love indie pop, but this was boring
Interesting... but not my kind of jam. Worth learning about Jane Weaver
2.5/5
Never heard of her, but sound pretty cool
Did not expect to like this one but for the most part I did.
Pop album not for me
Well I really like the artwork, intrigued by something this new and relatively unknown. First song is cool, really like the indie pop drums and the synth, they play very well together. The vocals are a little odd, it rings hollow. Like there isn't enough depth or warmth there. The second song had better vocals, I enjoyed the bouncy guitar and more dream-like state. There is a degree to which this music more resembles muzak, but in a positive way. It seems deep but mundane. The wisdom that comes from everyday life. Next song was like early 00s indie rock with a common synth hook, it ended decently though. Next song was just boring. Overall, this album is good, but it falls into the weird category of why is this here? It is on a list of 1001 albums to listen to before you die, and I have no idea why. It is a fine album but hardly one to rave about, and certainly not one of the best thousand albums of all time. Its fine, but because of the disappointment I think I would do 2/5. Favorite Songs: Did You See Butterflies?, The Lightning Back, Least Favorites: Loops In The Secret Society, Ravenspoint,
There is a lot of technology involved with this project, but it's not really techno. I saw one band Jane is involved with called "technofolk." Hmmmm.....in any case, I enjoyed a cut - but just one.
If you like Stereolab, you might like this album.
Very cool electronic music with an alternative/proggy feel, music that makes you feel like you're travelling through dimensions, it's a fun listening experience that you can contemplate the complexities of life and the universe, can be pretty repetitive to many listeners, but this felt hypnotic to me, excellent album
Not sure what it is about this album but it left a good mark on me.
Hey, released in 2017 nice to see you. I sometimes wonder which version of the book this list is operating from when I hear a record and can't find a single redeeming quality about it. I then think, How has this album survived? Why hasn't a revision or new edition of this book pushed it out in favor of something new? We only have 1001 slots to fit records into that I must hear before I die. I don't know anything about Jane Weaver but I already feel positively towards the album. Let's have a listen. Holy Smokes, this is up my alley or at least down one of my streets in the neighborhood of my tastes to twist up the metaphor. At the very minimum it integrates genres that I have an affinity for. So, why is it not in my orbit already? How different is Modern Kosmology from the rest of her output? Have I not heard of her because she is some obscure British State Secret? The answer is likely more mundane; my guess would be that I have been out of the loop on this kind of music during her most productive years. This record came out during peak metal. Obviously, this is not metal. It's some psych, indie electronica and a little bit of folk with a pop gloss. Lyrically interesting and well performed. I'm into it.
Not really my thing. The instrumentals were cool but the vocals kinda ruined it tbh.
Pas particulièrement mauvais, mais il n'y a rien de nouveau ou de marquant dans cet album. Généralement bien produit et bien mixé, mais le style est drabe et la voix n'est pas tellement impressionnante. Je ne crois pas quelle est la raison d'inclure cet album dans cette liste. Ça semble purement un biais de l'auteur pour ses goûts personnels. 5/10
Quite a trip. Atmospheric and airy.
A pleasant surprise, I'll definetily listen again.
Synth pop with sleepy female vocals. Ok background music
I actually enjoyed this quite a bit. Although, as a 2017 album, I wonder how this is different from folktronika albums that have come before
Got a vague sense of it
Another artist I hadn't heard of before and another pleasant surprise.
Enjoyed the chill vibe
Ny trevlig bekantskap. En finfin fyra blir det. Finns potential att bli en femma med lite fler lyssningar.
Wow, I had no expectations here and this is seriously good, would listen again and check out some of her other work.
Loved this!
Started off strong and felt really inspired/creative. I loved the "spectral" and 80s synth sound but also, with a contemporary vision. I genuinely feel like I can tackle any creative task when listening to this music. This is the first 5/5 on this list!
Feels like the pickers have a type -- not mine
Ok. Not groundbreaking lady art pop. Slow motion, the architect, i wish stand out on first listen
1. hak - 1.5 2. did you zee butterfliez - 1.5 3. modern kozmology - 1 4. zlouu motion - 1 5. loopz - 1 6. the architect - 2 7. the lightning back - 1 8. valley - 1 9. ravenzpoint - 10. i uuizh - 0
Tror jeg hørte albumet kan ikke huske tho
This was a lot sweeter than I was expecting, pleasantly surprised. Worth listening to for sure.
Mix ligt niet zo goed Vocals nog niet overtuigd Follow up track sterker, goede build up gitaren Psych rock vind ik altijd leuk, maar er zijn er betere dan dit... Niet slecht, maar past gewoon niet in de 1001 beste albums
前奏...的重複令人煩躁
I like Jane. Never heard of her until now but she’s cool. This music is vibey and ethereal but with an edge to it. I’m digging it.
Not really bad, but didn't speak to me
Pretty ok album
Vibe of the album seems to match the name. Could dream away in this album whenever I want
Nice vibe. Cool explosive drums with the singing drifting over hauntingly.
Acoustic, psychedelic, folkalternative, rockelectronica.
Very cool indie pop
Quite spacy, but not too shabby
i hadn’t even heard of jane weaver and i have a feeling this is my new obsession
"threads, i'll make it meta" I had no expectations at all coming into this album, and although the songs have strong parallels to bands and styles that I enjoy: crumb, melody's echo chamber, portishead, I found myself remarkably uninspired by most of these songs. Although there existed some cool synth lines or rhythms within certain songs, I didn't think this album deserved it's spot on this list. "Modern Kosmology," the title track, got it's place on the playlist. I did enjoy listening to this album, and would far prefer putting this on over metal, or most other genres for that matter, but I didn't think it did very much. 3/5
Yea, not bad
I could vibe with it, not my go to genre, but there was something to be said for the way it was all put together.
Yep, another album where I add nearly every song to my liked songs on Spotify, despite the various reviews stating it is simply too mediocre for the listener. I guess I like a lot of music. /shrug/
Kinda interesting but not for me.
great find!
Nee 2
There were some really good songs on this like Loops . . . and the Architect. As has become my norm, I’ll give 4 to recent albums that have some good stuff.
A lovely blend of psychedelic/folk/dream pop within a pulsing electronic framework that is reminiscent of Portishead's Third LP. Spotify has been teasing me with a few Jane Weaver songs over the last few years and, while they usually ended up on my "liked" list, I didn't bother exploring the LPs. My bad. She hits it out of the park with the title track, "Did you see butterflies " and "Architect" and a number of other tracks are strong. At times the synths sound ancient and to build on that she brings in an ancient CAN vocalist for one song. Jane Weaver was nearly 50 when this was released and had been performing for 25 years, yet she still innovates & sounds fresh (to my old ears anyway).
Something interesting for a Sunday morning. I’m surprised there aren’t more people remarking on the Stereolab and Krautrock influences. Nice ethereal vocals and dreamy production. This would be an acquired taste and demands another listening or two to fully appreciate
Emm……
Not my jam but I didn't hate it.
Ended up listening to Neutral Milk Hotel all day instead.
In a quick flipthrough of the book, one can find a certain critic, Chris Bryans, that champions a lot of British artists I never heard of before starting this challenge. Yesterday’s Wild Beasts. Today’s Jane Weaver. Since there are barely any albums post-2010 in the book, I’d say he’s part of the reason those selections feel refreshingly unconventional. Beyoncé. Taylor Swift. And HOOKWORMS Enter Modern Kosmology: the reason why I went down the Chris Bryans rabbit hole. Very little about this- the vocals, the synths, the guitars- suggests it was recorded in 2017; rather, it sounds like an alternate-dimension 1972. What’s more, it doesn’t even have a Wikipedia article 🤯 Yet despite (or in spite of) all that, this album is a gem. It’s serene but danceable, dated yet futuristic. It ends on the same synth bass where it begins, meaning it’s an almost perfect loop. (It fades at the end) Thanks for the rec, Chris HL: title track, “The Lightning Back”, “Valley”, “Ravenspoint”, “The Architect” November 9, 2023
Somewhere between Hawkwind, Joanna Newsom and Charli XCX there is this wonderfully odd album, which is pleasingly unlike much else I have heard before. A glorious surprise of an album.
Absolutely ethereal, loved this genre and the mood it created
Fine, nice but not really amazing
ehhhhh
I will never understand the appeal of this kind of music. Repetitive, whiny, whispy. Boring!
One of those albums you really need to hear through a good pair of headphones. Her vocals have a crystalline quality and give the impression of someone singing in a cathedral. This is over music that tends to float between the motorik realms of Cluster or Garmonia and the more pop oriented Curve and Stereolab. A very happy discovery.
Not what I normally listen to, but I can def appreciate the synth and lyrics. Pretty experimental album that I respect but don't love. Not for me. 2.5/5
kinda weird, kinda fun. didn't love it but it was enjoyable to listen to, i'd def listen again if im in the right mood
Not a fan
pretty boring. not sure why this had to be add to the list after the first selections 5/10
Throw Anne Clark, Daughter and Florence & The Machine in a blender, and this is what comes out. Although some tracks stand out (The Architect, HAK) it's a rather bland album.
First time I listen to this artist and I really enjoyed this album. Great find and what I was hoping to get out this list.
This is the type of record that makes this whole 1001 exercise worth doing. Never heard of Jane Weaver before, but I really liked this record. A mix of throwback folkie with contemporary synth pop. Was this recorded in 1968, 1984, 2017?
New to me. I liked it enough that I want to check out more of her stuff.
It's totally fine. And nothing more than that. It's music, and sometimes pretty, but turned into background noise really fast for me. Sometime I wonder if the book editors feel they have to find new music to put on the list.
Trippy
4/10, vibes album but lacked real substance
Loved it! Haunting vocals, good beats, and that synth sound! Yes!
Acoustic, psychedelic, folkalternative, rockelectronica.
Another to file under “what is this doing here?”
lovely. clearly a pet pick by the author but for good reason. will relisten
It was something, not super interesting. Glad to have some new music represented but this didn't feel especially groundbreaking. Probably would have been 2.5.
Hasn't heard of this before. I enjoyed it, lots of cool sounds and ideas. Not sure about it being one of the 1001 albums though
First song (H>A>K) is A+. The drums similar to Hallogallo - Neu! Reminds me of Cate Le Bon, U.S. Girls, Weyes Blood. Great album to cruise around to.
Smooth, pretty, dancable, great all around
This is cool, kinda like Stereolab with more chugging krautrock influences, kinda reminds me of School of Seven Bells or a much more rocking Broadcast as well. Ends right as I was starting to think it was going a little bit over long. Solid.
Good!
not sure of the significance of this album. Not my style of music, but it was catchy and I kind of liked it. I could see her putting on a good live show.
I really liked this album!
Gut
An album I’ve never heard of that I dug!
It's not too often, but my favorite thing in this project when an album assignment goes from, "oh, who the hell is this now?" to "Ah, this was JUST what I needed to hear today!" I don't even know where to begin to talk about the album, it has some sort of timeless (well, within the last half century) electronica to it, but also lovely melodies and such an engaging voice. I never got tired of listening to it. Wonderful!
This was a very pleasant listen, and something totally new to me. On the first listen, I thought it was good...but I warmed up to it even more on the second.
Wonderful!
I’ve never heard of Jane Weaver before but the music gives me a Stereolab vibe, a group I really love. There are vocal journeys at times evocative of Kate Bush. The songs are tightly crafted - quite a feat for such open, ethereal soundscapes. I absolutely love this - what a phenomenal album!
How have I never heard of Jane Weaver? 3 tracks in, this is RIGHT up my alley. It appears as though Modern Kosmology isn't even one of her bigger releases, it gets only a sentence in her (admittedly sparse) wiki bio. I'll definitely take a deeper dive.
After reading other people's reviews, I was VERY surprised that I liked this album-not really my style of music. Trancy, electronic, melodic, dreamy...none of the things that I usually like in my music, but this works. It was a welcome change of pace for me, and I fuck with it.
Meh. Not much to say honestly, good tracks and singin
Overraskande bra, men dei elementene eg likte har blitt gjort bedre av andre, så då hørre eg heller på dei u kno?
Some of it reminds me of a more upbeat Beach House with synths and passive vocals and fades between tracks. Almost like Broken Bells but with fewer reverb. I don’t think I’d recommend it as a must-listen, but I’d have it on in the background.
4/5. An airy album, with a slight dystopian undertone, with lyrics alternating between ethereal and optimistic to dark and heavy. Her voice feels more like an instrument, flowing and distorting with the backing instrumentation. There is some bangers on this and some very nice songs to listen to as well, but overall an experience, like a story being told about a lost civilization. Don't think that's what it is about but it feels like it.
Decent and enjoyable enough but nothing to write home about
Made me nervous, while music is interesting, bit Cocteau Twins like singing. Guess bit to New Age like for me.Follow my feelings and give it 2 stars,
Dreamy, aimless, forgettable. I didn't dislike it, but having played the whole album on repeat all day, I still don't remember a single tune.
I gave this one a fair shot but unfortunately I don’t think this kind of music is for me. I didn’t like her vocal style and the music itself does nothing to compliment her voice. I can understand why people would enjoy it, but I did not.
New one to me. Nice!
As others have said, a baffling inclusion on the list. Fine enough, if a little sleepy
One of those didn't love it, didn't hate it. It just happened and I was there.
This was pretty fun! For having no prior knowledge of this artist I thought it was a good balanced sound, and I enjoy when tracks bleed into the next. Ethereal vocals and synths paired with a twangy guitar - I guess folktronica is what they call it? I'm not sure this record falls into must-listen territory (let's be honest that's half of these) - but it was chill to have on in the background while I worked. The Architect stood out as a track representative of the whole record, seemed to have a bit more verve. The spoken word on Ravenspoint threw me. Overall I wish the curators of this list had put more thought and effort into their selection of records from artists who either a) aren't male rockers or b) released something within the last decade. They play it far too safe with the modern stuff especially
This found its footing as it went on. I really loved the transition into Lightning Back. Also appreciated the concept of electronic folk. 3.5 but I’ll round up.
Nothing much to say about this. Have never heard of this artist and after listening, don't really feel like I'm missing anything. Not bad, just nothing particularly special to me.
Not bad, but nothing super special to my ears. This was fine to have on while I worked but nothing forced my attention to the music.
Bands like Stereolab explored ground between motorik and sixties Europop - and Jane Weaver merges these to great effect adding a touch of folktronica on top. She's a sturdy songwriter, so her subtle textures never obscure a great set of modern pop songs.
The approach with the vocals is not my favorite, I definitely prefer stronger sharper singing to the more floaty ethereal sound. That said, I do enjoy the production a lot, some of it sounds a little Postal Service at times and then a twangy guitar will come in and switch the vibe. Not really my bag but I didn’t hate it.
I didn't like this at first but it grew on me. Still feels like there are a ton of artists out there that have a similar sound. Not quite sure why this one was picked out. I still enjoyed it quite a bit and will check out more from her.
Overall monotonous, dull and uninteresting.
This was a revelation to me- how have I not heard of her?! This sounds like a 00's St Etienne which to me is a good thing. I like the electronic accompaniment and her voice is suitably melodic. A good find. I like this.
bit of a manc legend is Jane. this album is probably her best offering in about 20 years of releasing music and its genuinely good. i'd like to think if the list has dipped its toes into the modern psych scene that it might hit us with one of the behemoths from the scene like BJM or King gizz but something tells me this will be it.
Listening to this record at full volume as I drove the kids to their mother's house this morning, made me feel like crashing the car into a lamppost.
Go on Jane, lad.
decent
It was okay
This is...fine? But I'm clear why this is on here. It doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. It's not bad but it's not great, and it really makes me question the methodology behind picking any of these albums. I know of plenty of indie artists from around the same time who have released remarkably good albums that are better than this (and if anything I want to go listen to those now): Thievery Corporation Lula Wiles Kaki King
its ok. But surely not one of the best albums of all time!
Acoustic, psychedelic, folkalternative, rockelectronica.
I’m not listening to this again but it didn’t hurt my ears
I expected more, which says more about me than this Marianne Faithful wannabe.
Finalmente uma novidade para mim que funcionou muito bem, o vocal agradável conduz a sequência folk, indie psicodélica sem afetação.
I'd stop by her festival set if she wasn't in a contentious time slot. This is interesting, and I think live she could play with some of the tracks to make a hell of a show. This album creates the feeling of being on your phone in a beautiful, mountainous forest. Not sure when I'd want to feel that way. Won't end up in my rotation but I'm happy to have listened to it.
This is a strange one for me. It's not bad by any means but it doesn't break ground in any significant way. It didn't capture my attention at any point in my 3 listens. This one will fade into obscurity as time passes
Slow motion is pretty good. Kind of meh
I wish you were cool But you really did nothing Why is this album in this list?
I liked the psychedelic, almost new-wave sound, but nothing here really stood out. Favorite track was The Lightning Back.
Sounds like they wanted a few more modern albums to put on the list but didn’t want to put any effort in choosing them so they picked it out of a hat. 5/10