So many classic songs, incredible arrangements. A great start to an unbeatable catalogue of albums!
An absolute belter! To think the label didn't want to release it!!!
I really like Randy Newman - but you need to read up on the inspiration for some of these songs to really appreciate them.
Still sounds fresh, original and inventive. A flawless album.
A brilliantly inventive album, and his use of synths as an instrument (as opposed to a shortcut to the sound made by an instrument) was ahead of its time. However, you'd be pressed to say that the songs themselves are his best work.
A period piece, capturing the point at which psych rock became hard rock/metal. Ridiculous lyrics don't detract from the energy here, the key to this album is they play fast and don't repeat themselves (something many later heavy rock bands sadly didn't learn from).
Absolutely glorious - all coming together in one of the ultimate pop singles, which is even better at the end of this album that as a stand-alone song. Yes!
Hard one to rate. It sound so hazy and loose in places, its hard to tell if they were trying. But when they lock into a groove or a good vocal line, it's magic. One of those albums that invented a template many others copied, and that no doubt sounded mind blowing at the time it was released, but I'm not sure this is really an album someone who's not already a big CSNY fan really needs to hear in 2021.
There are some excellent moments on this album, but as a whole, I lose interest in the second half and find the lyrics not especially engaging. Good - but possibly a little overrated.
I've no doubt it was/is innovative and influential, but I find this very hard work to listen to. It just rambles on and on and on and on. And then they start a new track and it rambles on some more. I much preferred 'In A Silent Way'.
A nailed-on 5 and without any competition the best dance/electronica album ever made.
Infectiously catchy throughout, can't really find a fault with it, but it isn't quite a true classic.
Surprisingly enjoyable in places, the drums are lively, the tunes are catchy. But some of the lyrics - especially the hip hop cameos - have not aged well. It also gets very samey by the end. Absolutely non essential, but better than I expected.
This is absolutely brilliant - why have I never heard this before? I guess they are victims of being percieved to have a novelty hit. The arrangements are fantastic, the songs instantly engaging, the vocals are perfect. What a find!
You can hear why this was so influential, but you only need to hear it once!
Obviously inspired and inspirational, and no doubt a nailed-on 5 to many. But I don't really connect to this as much as similar-ish indie bands from that era. Give me Pavement or Dinosaur Jr instead!
The best album from the punk era.
The great tracks we all know and the other great tracks. Nearly loses a point for some of the lyrics.
Don't like his voice and found the songs consistently boring. Only managed the first half of the album before I switched off.
Magnificent in places, but I am inclined to agree with Scott's own view that is was a tad unfocused. Is it OK to like the people who ripped this album off more than the original?!!
Catchy, memorable, inventive. One of my all time favourites!
The only one of his albums I know, but one I have played regularly and think is a classic.
I know it's a classic and everything, but I was bored by track 5.
The singing and playing are flawless. However, although Emmylou got here first, I think there are stronger collections of alt country songs out there, which i will almost certainly be going back to before this one.
Even though it compiles lots of different musicians, there is a great flow to this album. I particularly enjoyed the piano tracks. Highly recommended!
An enthralling listen. Even if you don't know/care about its legendary status as the first jazz-rock fusion album, you will enjoy the music.
Great singing and arrangements. Liked the low key approach.
3 Americans and 1 Brit bridge the Britpop divide, packed with actual hits and could-have-been hits. But has the studio wizardry that sounded futuristic at the time dated? A little. And is not the follow up Version 2.0 even better? I think so. A strong 4.
Incredible playing, but in places, a little too slick. I prefer some of their other albums, but it's still a great listen.
The 'acoustic' album with plenty of electric guitar! Not as many famous tracks, but still packed with invention and ideas.
First ever listen to this. Knew this band were highly influential, and you can hear why. In my opinion, lacks a truly knockout track, but it sounds great.
Really catchy songwriting and punchy arrangements. The first 'pop punk' album?
A masterpiece. You never regret going back to this one!
Some brilliant songs. And some boring songs. Prefer Oasis.
One of those bands where I am totally clueless as to why they are so popular. Not for me, Clive.
Incredible songwriting, brilliant arrangements, combining punk, pop, disco and a bit of prog. The Strokes were taking notes!
This was quite quirky and fun, and I suppose was a bit of a trailblazer in proving that instrumental soundscapes could be popular. But I feel this genre has come on so much in recent years, and while this wasn't at all bad, I can't see myself choosing it over some of my recent favourites, such as Andrew Wasylyk.
A stunning collection of songs. Side One has some of Lou Reed's finest work, and then Side Two sees the band branching out. Bands based entire careers out of the ideas on the final two tracks. I'd argue they are both more exciting than the noise experiments of the first two albums. Although it was not to last, this album presents the Velvet Underground as a cohesive, collaborative unit, adding magic to Lou Reed's masterpieces.
A truly great live band, but on record, you need to give these songs time to sink in. As others have said, possibly not as good as their debut, Lost Souls, but it has some excellent singles and the intensity never drops. Brilliant!
Two American gringoes steal Brazil's music. But they steal it very, very well. 5
Although they didn't have as much of an impact as either the Sex Pistols or the Clash, this album shows that the Damned should not be overlooked. On this album, they provide a lot of the building blocks that would soon be adopted by the US hardcore punk scene. There are some great tunes here. Not an out-and-out classic, in my opinion, but showed that there was life in the core punk sound when many of their peers were moving on to post-punk/new wave.
The title track is as good as it gets. The rest is in essential, harmless blues boogie from a band who would be largely forgotten if they didn't happen to know David Bowie.
It's not true that Tom Waits' music before this album contained no musical invention or experimentation. But, it is true that this is the point where he really let rip. Underpinning the bizarre sounds and vocal affectations is the great melodies you can hear on his earlier records. For such a wierd and wonderful collection, it ends up sounding and feeling really cohesive. I don't think it is quite his best work (that's Mule Variations, I think) but it is still a classic.
From this, you would barely recognise them as a 'jam band', the songs are tight and the three part harmonies steal the show. Brilliant.
Hmm... such an innovative and important band. But you really have to be in the mood, and I usually find the bleakness too much to handle - the band are great, but I am not really an Ian Curtis fan.
One half of abrasive, distorted horns and raucous blues, one half of piano ballads. Really feels like tweo seperate mini albums. Great singing, hit and miss on the songs.
I love the story of the Ramones, I love the idea of the Ramones and I love all the bands would never have existed without their inspiration. But their albums are patchy. On this, there are a handful of genuinely great songs, and then several more that are almost the same, but less memorable. Very much a band where a good compilation of the best songs is all you need to hear (I recommend the two disc Ramones Anthology)
I know this album will mean a lot to some people, but when someone is a serial abuser who should have been stopped long before he ended up committing murder, I think we should write them out of musical history. There are plenty of other Christmas albums to listen to instead. Should not be on this list.
Really fun listening to his banter with the crowd (inmates!) and how composed his performance is around what seems like a fairly chaotic setting. I love the interruptions by the warden. However, I'm not a huge fan of the songs themselves, so this is something I would see as a curio, rather than a record I would return to often.
Still holds up, even after every other band ripped off this sound. Glorious and epic!
Catchy, inventive and fun. Seem slightly too mainstream and poppy to be labelled 'indie', which is perhaps why they don't seem to pop up on other lists of 'most influential/important' records, but at the same time, they steer well clear of the stereotypical synth driven sound I associate with bands of this era. A good find that I would never have listened to if it wasn't for this site.
A strong contender for being the worst album ever made. Presumably only exists to help the US armed forces torture people.
A classic album. Reed's best collection of songs, in my opinion, combined with perfect balance of art-rock and pop.
Neither quite as inspired as other similar albums from this era (don't get why it is so popular) nor as bad as some critics would have you believe.
Tolerable as background music and I suppose this is an interesting period piece if you are feeling nostalgic for the early 90s dance/rock crossover vibe. But you absolutely do not need to hear it and it has not aged well.
Homophobic slur on track 4. Avoid.
Enjoyable listen, obviously hugely skillful with some enjoyable moments. However, felt a tad generic and the slick 80s production got wearing by the end. Fine, but can't see myself listening to it again.
I was a bit sceptical going in, did I really want two LPs of Led Zeppelin back to back? Turns out I did. Some incredible drumming powers the album, there is plenty of variety and the run of epics in the middle have such great melodies and ideas that they never get boring. Super enjoyable!
The music and message align and what would normally not work (funky rap rock) sounds vital and exciting. Album maybe tails off a big towards the end.
Every Fall album is different. Every Fall album is the same.
Some absolute classics on this record, despite the now dated early 90s dance stylings.
When the White Stripes first appeared in summer 2001, I was initially very keen. However, I quickly found that their songs didn't have staying power - they sound great on first listen, but I don't have a strong urge to revisit. So, this was my first listen to this in nearly 20 years. I haven't really changed my mind - there are some strong singles here, but none that would make my personal playlist, and some of the other songs are one-dimensional.
I also particularly dislike his 'proper gentleman' attitude, which I think at the time was mistaken for charmingly retro, but I think in fact is backward chauvanism.
Not one I would want to listen to again.
So widely imitated, its hard now to hear how unique and surprising this must have sounded when it came out. The songs themselves don't, however, always hit gold - but the album remains an engaging listen because of the daring arrangements. And then, the two final tracks are both stone cold classics and point the way for the huge improvement the band would go on to make.
An abolsute blast, but hard to take seriously (are we supposed to?) - I prefer this sound with Springsteen writing the songs.
One of the greatest albums ever made.
After the Beatles, McCartney made a couple of solo albums, combining leftover songs that would probably have ended up on the follow up to Let It Be, with ditties, jams and experiments.
He then formed a band, but the first two Wings albums found his songbook running a little dry - although he still managed to compose two of his most perfect songs (Dear Friend and My Love). But he was still, essentially, writing songs that could have gone on Beatles albums.
Then his band breaks up - Paul, Denny Laine and Linda head to Lagos, to find a barely useable studio and a hostile reception from the locals. Amidst the chaos, Paul finds a new sound - combining his outrageous gift for melody with influences from staudium rock, prog, reggae and soul. Epic, theatrical songs like Band On The Run merge with catchy pop (Jet) and gorgeous ballads (No Words), all arranged perfectly. There is even a throwback to the Abbey Road medley with the singalong coda to Picasso's Lasts Words. The album ends with one of McCartney's best ever songs, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five.
A masterpiece!
Pack so many ideas and inventions into such short songs.
A masterpiece of songwriting, arranging harmonising and playing.
Unlistenable lyrical content from an evil man.
Phil Collins steals the show with his drumming and writing/singing the best song on the album. Gabriel's stuff isn't bad either!
Captures the energy of the live performance and the impeccable playing.
One of the greatest songs ever written and some other great songs. I own this on vinyl and couldn't hit the 5 button faster!
