1001 Albums Summary

Phish has always sounded like incredibly intricate, highly technical children's music to me.

Cinematic and haunting. Deserves a place on the list.

1974 was a watershed year for electronic music. Tangerine Dream released the spacey, kosmische "Phaedra," and Kraftwerk released their epic ode to the German motorway with "Autobahn." Both albums which are part of the official 1001 list, and rightly so. But somewhere in the liminal space between those two more famous albums lies "Zuckerzeit," which was also released in that most auspicious year. "Zuckerzeit" is much more tightly packaged and catchy than the loose and atmospheric "Phaedra," but it is far less rigid than the conceptual "Autobahn." It was a turning point in Cluster's work, moving away from their noisier and more abrasive past in Berlin, and towards something closer to IDM, which would take another 2 decades to fully develop.

I like some folk music, I like some electronica, but not necessarily together. This is like combining milk and orange juice.

Favorite part: drum programming Least favorite part: vocals

I'm not much of a folkie so this is largely lost on me.

A letdown to be sure. But I wouldn't call it beautiful.

This should absolutely be on the list. It is more deserving than half the selections from 2004 at the very least. Shit, even the old fogeys at Rolling Stone put this in their top 500. Get with it Dimery.

I didn't expect to enjoy this so much, but I was almost instantly charmed by the mood of this album. Very different from their earlier output, which I'm somewhat more familiar with. I'd say this is a mature record, and I mean that as a compliment. It's not to say it isn't fun and playful - more that it has a refined production style and compelling arrangements. A pleasant surprise that makes me reconsider this band and their talents.

Never heard of them before, but they've instantly become one of my favorite Australian bands. They hit the spot somewhere between Nick Lowe and Joe Jackson. Cracker of an album. Cheers mate.

From reading this band's Wikipedia page, I'm sorta surprised they aren't represented on the actual list. They seem unique and ahead of their time in many ways.

Even though I'm not especially enthusiastic about this album, I'd say it deserves a place on the list. It was an undeniable part of the indie landscape of the early 2000s.

This made #25 on the UK charts? How did it not make the list?

Like Marc Bolan fronting Black Sabbath with John Cale behind the boards.

Is this in the Norwegian version of the book?

Like an American version of XTC or Squeeze.

If you were young in Boston in the 90s, I can see how this might hold some nostalgic sway for you. Otherwise, this is some pretty watered down funk.

I have to respect the maximalist approach. The structures and arrangements are a rollercoaster ride.

Most of these songs sound like they would work well during the emotional climax of a Hallmark movie.

I might burn in someone's version of punk hell for this, but I wish Bad Religion was on the official list instead of The Dead Kennedys.

Good call. Another glaring omission from the book. Every song on this album is an anthem. Not an ounce of fat. It's the second coming of power pop from a nerd's POV.

Electro Sparks. I'll take it. I'm a sucker for sequencers.

I'm so glad someone put this on here! There's a handful of reggae albums on the list (mostly Marley), but no dub, which is, I think, a huge musical innovation, and worthy of having at least one album to represent the genre. If there would be a single pick to represent all of dub, this would be a strong contender. Others might be Keith Hudson's "Pick a Dub" or something like Lee Perry's "Blackboard Jungle Dub." Dub is pretty much the birth of the remix, and has been highly influential on the the effects and techniques used in all kinds of music, especially electronica. Dub is also intertwined with the birth of hip-hop. Groundbreaking stuff that deserves more attention. This album is an exquisite example of using the studio as an instrument.

I didn't get my driver's license until I was 27 years old. Because of this I had to depend on a lot of other people for rides anywhere/everywhere I went - a lot of people with a wide variety of music tastes. This was mostly when I was a teenager in the 90s, before I moved to smaller college towns where I could get around without a car. It goes without saying Dave Matthews was quite popular at that time, and I had many people giving me rides who were fans. By this point I was shuffling my way towards being a hipster, and shying away from most mainstream music on my own time. So, I never owned any Dave Matthews CDs or anything, but I ended up listening to him quite a bit. I'll tell you, most of those people who were fans, were some of the nicest, more generous people I knew at the time. I know Dave Matthews is the butt of many jokes for some reason, but I don't find his music any great pain to listen to. It's not the feel good jam band fluff the internet might have you believe. At least not on this album. In fact I'd say it's pretty out there, challenging even, for what was a multi-platinum Billboard chart topper. Just listen to "Halloween" for example - it's unhinged. Or, better yet, just to show you how much DMB I listened to back in the day, listen to the live version of "Halloween" from the "Recently" EP. Besides a handful of standout tracks, I can't say I love this, but I don't think it deserves the shit talking it gets from my hipster peers. This album certainly brings me right back to the CD era - secret tracks and all.

I slightly prefer this to "Beautiful Freak," but I still don't like it. As the cover might imply, this mostly sounds like warped children's music.

Had an ex girlfriend who got me into this way back when. It was a big part of our romance in those days. Even though that relationship soured horribly, those memories don't tarnish the power of this music. It's such a beautiful contradiction: lo-fi but ornate with arrangements, cryptic but heartfelt. A cult classic that undoubtedly deserves its place on the list.

I think I like this better than Manu Chao's solo album on the list.

Post-punk lives on.

I'm sorry I'm tired and don't feel like going to the club tonight. You go ahead without me.

Mellow drama.

I like the proggier bits, but the rest sounds like emo musical theatre.

Sadcore death fantasy.

The Irish Protomartyr.

Somehow manages to be both dreamy and down to earth all at once.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda been on the list? May not be as influential as some of the prog that did make the cut, but certainly as enjoyable, if not more, to listen to. Love the sound separation and mixing. Each instrument is isolated clearly and the elements are well balanced. Would be a good record to test your audio setup.

Bar band blues rock.

What is now foundational was once revolutionary.

I'm familiar with Buffett's hits because, oddly enough, he has a rather large following in Cincinnati of all places. I guess it's the kind of place where people really need a low key escapist fantasy in a musical form in order to cope with their day to day existence. The cover captures that slacker escape image perfectly, but besides "A Pirate Looks At 40," there really aren't any other iconic hits here. This album shows that he really is a country singer/songwriter at his core. I feel like Gulf and Western is a cute but accurate description of the sound. Overall, his writing is either a little too jokey, or a little too sentimental for me, but if the lifestyle he's selling works for you, I get it.

Seems like the sort of thing that would've been on the list.

From this period onwards I'll take Donald Glover over Kanye. Mostly familiar with him as an actor and hadn't listened to any of his music really, but this is an entertaining mess of an album. Keeps you on your toes, and it definitely got a few audible laughs out of me.

Lord Godiva.

I like the rockier parts better than the folkier parts.

Chock full of hits that were ubiquitous during the era. Don't understand how this is not on the actual list. Could easily take the place of the Triffids album from 1987 if we want to swap Australian bands.

Oh yes, I'll have another helping of psychedelia please. The cover of "I Was Cool" was a bit unexpected, and entertaining I suppose, but perhaps best kept to a B-side. Other than that, I'd say this could go toe to toe with most other psychedelia of the era. Rhythm section kicks ass, and is what would set them apart from their peers. That bass tone! Oooeee!

One Garbage album on the list is plenty.

I'll take The Fleet Foxes or Bon Iver for this sort of indie-folk thing.

This kind of dreamy, semi-detached synth-pop is right up my alley. The loose concept album helps maintain its moody, cinematic appeal throughout the long runtime.

I like this for a track or two, but a whole album drags. The piano based "All to the Wind" is my favorite by far. Makes me wish that was the primary instrument rather than guitar.

I had their debut "Glee" on CD back in the day, but didn't realize they continued to make more albums. Always thought of them more as a sort of one hit wonder/novelty act. It sounds like an excuse to get all your friends together to record a bunch of stuff, slap an picture of some tits on the cover, and call it an album. A sprawling incoherent mess.

I met a girl in college who was into Blink-182. Listening to this now makes me wonder what she saw in it. If I had ended up with her, I might have developed a special place in my heart for this. I think I dodged a bullet.

#28 on the UK albums chart - how is this not already on the list?

I'm a TOOL.

Robert Smith, what have ye done?!

I wish they'd go hard more than they go pretty, and I wish they'd altogether avoid going twangy.

Surprised this wasn't already in the list, but it seems that despite being both popular and lauded in its time, most prog has fallen out of fashion with critics and pop culture in general.

What's not to like? Even the auto-played tracks that Spotify played after the album was over were fantastic. I could stay in this zone pretty much indefinitely.

This is some kinda meta-level irony that I don't have the time or the patience to come to appreciate.

A fun romp. I love the ambition, but I don't think this is infinitely playable.

Was put off by poppiness of the first song, but it got progressively more intense and experimental as it went along until I was finally on board.

A dreamy blend of electronic elements with a rock backbone.

Heavy psych made by a commune. Like a mutant version of Hawkwind; a band with whom they shared a bassist. Not much outside of Black Sabbath was darker than this when it was released in 1970. Part of the primordial ooze from which metal emerged. This is their experimental magnum opus, up there with the likes of "Tago Mago" and "Faust IV" in the krautrock canon. Dark, sprawling, weird, and singularly unique.

Though I don't really believe in guilty pleasures, this might be mine. Not a perfect album by any means, but surely worth inclusion on the list. Some of the lyrics are cringey, but the combination of genres works for me. An undeniable part of the soundtrack to my high school years.

I'm generally a fan of Zappa but he's real hit or miss. Although this is one of his most commercially successful albums, I'm kinda baffled as to why. Across its short 32 minutes this just became more and more annoying as it went on.

Surprisingly melodic metal with flashes of grunge, and do I hear some shoegaze in there as well? A more compelling mixture of genres than much of the metal on the actual list.

So you're telling me that the robot voice from Radiohead's "Fitter Happier" was actually a prototype A.I. which was given the nickname Johann Johannsson, and not only did it provide the famous interlude for "OK Computer," but it also composed "Exit Music (for a Film)," and was considered a 6th member of the band, who continued to provide guidance and input up through "Amnesiac," before suddenly disappearing, only to return in 2002 with a fully formed modern classical album entitled "Englaborn"? Unbelievable.

Folk boy goes experimental with mixed results. Seldom has auto tune been more unnecessarily applied.

Vous savez, il devrait vraiment y avoir plus d’artistes francophones représentés sur la liste.

I'm an alienated cyborg filled with existential dread, and I'm mildly allergic to modern folk music. This one started off all earthy and vulnerable, but ended up transitioning somewhere in the middle into what sounds like TV show theme songs.

Am I in a mall, or a made-for-TV movie? Or am I in a mall on a made-for-TV movie? I think the person on the cover was murdered in a mall parking lot, and the body was then dumped in a unmowed section of grass nearby. There will be a true crime TV movie made about it, but it will not feature any music similar to the music you hear on this album - only ominous low synth drones.

This album feels like it's building up towards something that never quite pays off.

This was a frequently irritating on first listen, but odd and unique enough that I'll punt with a neutral rating.

This sounds like the lead singer from Soul Coughing lost all interest in jazz and became obsessed with drugs.

Thee Oh Sees are so prolific and consistent sound-wise that it's hard to pick their best album, so a live set serves to represent their discography well. They have some prog/psych/noise tendencies that separate them from more run-of-the-mill garage rock.

When it comes to Dutch funk, I prefer aged Gouda.

Doing the Edgelord's work.

Unique and not what I was expecting, but as with many artists, the thing that prevents me from fully getting into this is the voice.

Surprised this isn't on the list already. I've heard the name before, but I'm a tail-end gen-xer, so this was a little past my time. Not what I was expecting at all. Way more ambitious than your average pop-punk band. Way more range and variety. Like Emo-Prog or something. Often reminded me of Pink Floyd throughout. Shit, I'd say this is a better pop-punk opera than "American Idiot" honestly. I feel like there's more layers and range here. The lyrics surprised me how often they caught me off guard and made me laugh. I'm actually quite impressed, although I must say the general sound is not one I'm a huge fan of. If I were younger this would almost certainly have become part of the fabric of my life, but there's something that holds me back from fully embracing this. A close second to Green Day in the pop-punk realm for me, which, again, is far from my preferred genre. But this is surprisingly listenable and even enjoyable for me. It could even grow on me over time with repeated listens but if I'm being honest I probably won't. Glad to have heard it though.

I'm a big fan of The Boss, and this is his prime, with some interesting versions of these iconic songs with different arrangements, but I'm just not a huge fan of live albums in general, and that second disc with the longer numbers and covers kinda drags.

I would find this far more impressive if it was from 1994. I would totally shit my pants if this was from 1984. I would question reality itself if this was from 1974. But being from 2004 it's just kinda there.

Only 20 years too late.

I feel sorry for that horse.

I couldn't even get through the Korn album on the actual list, and this was no different.

It sounds like a 70s Genesis album with an 80s production style. The lead singer might even do a better Peter Gabriel impression than Phil Collins.

What? No "Flood"?

Sometimes you can judge an album by it's cover.

Someone's from Cincinnati and it shows. 4 stars for a 4-way bean at Clifton and Ludlow. Here's a quarter, get me a York peppermint patty to finish it off.

These guys are like Blur's little nephews.

British enough I wouldn't be surprised if it made it into future editions of the book.

Probably would've made a better final album with Pink Floyd than the "The Final Cut," which was more of a personal thing for Roger Waters anyway.

When you want something in between Tom Waits and Nine Inch Nails.

These guys sound like the link between Blur and more modern groups like Squid, except they have this tendency to keep lapsing into this almost Coldplay like emotional stuff that prevents me from fully embracing it. Quite enjoy the more propulsive rhythm driven tracks though.

A mishmash of genres drenched in layers of irony. Undoubtedly a unique blend, but it comes across like the sonic equivalent of a novelty mountain dew flavor. Won't be part of my regular rotation, but I have no doubt they will be included in future editions of the book. My favorite track was "One Million Dollars," which was more sample based. If the whole album was more of a collage like that, I'd be on board. But when they sing it just kind of makes me wince, especially when auto-tuned - regardless of whether that was an ironic aesthetic choice or not.

Kinda blown away by this guy's range of talents. A dazzling postmodern hybrid that evokes a wide range of influences.

Chock full of hits. The Pepsi to Springsteen's Coke?

An even better choice of Sufjan album for the list than the officially selected "Illinois."

Man, this brings me back to junior high.

I don't believe you.

Was into this at first, but it mostly turned into Zeppelin worship as it went on.

I think I enjoy this more than their debut. 3.5 up to 4.

Spanish jangle pop. I'll take it. Sounds a little ahead it's time actually. Indie before indie.

They got the post punk thing down.

In my wheelhouse for sure, but I'll take Built To Spill for this sort of thing.

I was with it until "Beautiful," then I lost all hope of making it through the rest.

If Bill Callahan was annoyingly clever, it would sound something like this.

Reminds me of a Mexican Squeeze or XTC.

What? No Moldy Peaches? He needs Kimya Dawson to temper him. A bit too clever for me. Short album, but each song felt unbearably long.

Very much sounds like a debut album where the artist is still trying to figure out their identity and what they're doing. So many mixed messages here, I find it hard to believe what he's saying.

A pretty major oversight from the original list. If Chic is on there, this should be too. "Lady Marmalade" is iconic, and the rest of the album solidly supports it. Infectious grooves. Recently got into Nona Hendryx's solo material. She is a fascinatingly eclectic artist who deserves more respect.

Does the submitter know someone in the band or something?

I like the beats more than the rhymes, but it's an interesting blend.

Deserves a place on the list, and could easily take the place of a Britpop album without anyone noticing.

Remove the melodramatic strings and cut the runtime in half and... I still wouldn't like it.

Yes! More dub! Finally Lee Perry getting some love!

Okay, that was at least a very original combination of electronic music and metal (as well as many other genres). And it's done in a way I've never quite heard before, or ever expected to hear for that matter. Kind of thrilling in that sense. It's funny, if you put Mike Patton on vocals over this I'd be fully on board, but vocals as is kind of hold it back for me. Glad to know this insanity exists though.

Not quite as good as their debut.

I think if I was the kind of person who knew how to read music, or had a better understand music theory, I'd also be the kind of person who'd appreciate this album. Alas...

Apparently she sold a bunch of records.

Solid.

These songs don't seem to capture the mood of the Edgar Allan Poe stories they are supposedly inspired by.

Pop.

Easy listening that is ubiquitous in all Goodwill and Salvation Army thrift store record sections. You don't see this one quite as often because it is treasured for its cover. I was ready to pan this, but in listening to it, I can't deny its charms. Recorded with some of the finest members of the Wrecking Crew.

Like a more commercial-sounding Devo. Weird, but not alienatingly weird.

I like the more soulful songs, but I don't like the folky ones nearly as much, especially the sparer, slower ones.

Robyn Hitchcock often sounds like what a latter day Syd Barrett might've sounded like, had Syd not completely lost his marbles.

Sounds like a less polished REM.

Painfully 90s.

2004 was a good year, and this was one of the best things about it.

Big sound drenched in reverb. These songs are long.

Why is this not on Spotify?

Damn, what a lineup.

When people say they don't like 80s music this is what they think it all sounds like.

Kinda stuck in its immediate past.

Very much of its time. Whininess and all.

Modern folk leaves me cold.

This is one of the most truly unique pieces of music I have ever heard. It's albums like these that I wish were more present on the actual list. Something that truly surprises me. Melding ancient and modern in a most unexpected way. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Don't usually go for such clever lyrics, but this feels like it's coming from an honest place, rather than simply trying to impress. Perhaps it's the lo fi sound that lends it that credibility.

I would say ambient electronic music is underrepresented on the list and underrated in general. This is a shining example. Intriguing balance of synthetic and organic. The texture and atmosphere envelops you. If I were to take acid again, this is the kind of thing I'd like to have on.

Very 3. Much drama.

I want to like this more, but the vocals ruin it for me.

I'm done with indie folk.

Probably list worthy to represent the genre, but not to my taste.

Charming stuff. It could grow on me.

Yes, more of this please.

I consider Khruangbin one of the best bands to emerge in the past 10 years. Definitely list worthy.

This, Meddle, and Saucerful of Secrets could all easily have their rightful place on the list.

Why yes, I'll have another serving of John Martyn, thank you very much.

Vulpeck is fun and all, but this is a double live album.

Absolutely agree this is list worthy. Punk anthems of my youth.

Live Album and Movie Soundtrack. A double whammy in my book... but it's Talking Heads. If you haven't seen the movie, do yourself a favor.

This should have been the pick over "Laughing Stock."

The Real Deal.

Any of their first 8 albums could have been included on the list. I feel like the one you hear first tends to have the most personal impact, so it's different for everyone.

Ween is severely underrated. Humor can be very divisive, but their skill and versatility are no joke.

Underrated heavy rock.

You must see the lead singer pour every fiber of his being into each and every song while performing live to truly appreciate the greatness of this band. And to realize that he does this night after night while on tour is simply astonishing. If you thought there was no true passion left in indie rock, look no further. Absolutely deserves a place on the official list.

A far superior choice to McCartney's first solo album for inclusion on the list.

I grew up listening to Ween, but had a girlfriend during this era who kind of put a ban on them, and after "White Pepper" I thought maybe I had outgrown them anyway. But listening to this now I regret not having stuck up for them and holding on because I clearly missed this later career masterpiece - the spiritual successor to "The Mollusk" I had been waiting for. And possibly their last truly great album. Thanks for bringing me back in touch with Ween. I wish more people could be this open and playful with music that reflects their personalities vs some image they want to project of themselves to make them look cool/smart/whatever.

My friend used to work in a photography lab at night and I was hanging out with him in there when he introduced me to this in absolute darkness on boom box. Couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Such a unique sound. Iconoclasts. They made 3 great records, and it started here.

Listened to this on repeat during a very memorable roadtrip in college. It will forever be a part of me.

Best comeback of all time.

Synthpop = Pizza Pizza = Yum Yum = 4 stars

How was this not on the list? I coulda sworn... Dimery!!!

Give this a few more years or so and I'm sure it will outstrip Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" for best selling jazz album of all time. It's ubiquitous and beloved and probably many children's first exposure to jazz. Had this not been attached to a children's holiday special, I believe much of the music herein would still have made a lasting cultural impact in much the same way as "Cast Your Fate To The Wind."

If you had told me this was on the official 1001 list I woulda believed you. Should it take the place of Kid Rock's "Devil Without a Cause" from the same year? Probably.

Yes. I was just listening to this last week! This is where they really started to expand their sound and display their musicianship. Wish more people followed this model for how to combine rap and rock than what came to eventually dominate.

Can't believe this isn't already on the list.

Yes. I saw Toots perform at a small/medium sized club in my college town of Lawrence, KS back in the day. He had such a powerful voice. He held the mic far away from his mouth because he could project so well - like he barely needed the mic. Definitely one of my warmest musical memories. RIP Toots.

I remember listening to this with some friends in college - 4 CD boomboxes and all. Gotta admire the creative ambition, but I honestly remember the dance party where we played Daft Punk afterwards more.

Though Pop-Prog sounds like an oxymoron, this is probably the finest example of it of all time. This album is a nonstop stream of memorable hits. Not an ounce of fat. No skips. Even the low point in the momentum of the album, "Lord Is It Mine," is still a decent ballad. Shocked this isn't their official inclusion on the list as it's superior to "Crime of the Century."

A singular musical achievement that absolutely belongs on the list. This is as prog as it gets. How prog you say? So prog it's sung in a fabricated language. There are many good live versions of this on Spotify. The 1974 Marquee version is quite rousing, despite not having the best sound quality, but I particularly recommend the 1976 Reims version for the over the top guitar solo towards the end of the piece. Fucking bonkers.

One of the biggest oversights of the official list. If DJ Shadow is on there, this needs to be too.

Steve Reich absolutely deserves to be on the list as his influence goes far beyond the world of contemporary classical music.

Yes, I will take some Japanese disco flavored Kraftwerk. Thank you very much.

Always enjoy a cold synth.

More jazz. More Blue Note.

Yes! A cult classic that deserves more attention.

Gotta stick up for some noise.

Hands down Ween's best album. Should be on the official list in place of Chocolate and Cheese.

Although I think Avey Tare's more manic tendencies have their place, especially in contrast to Panda Bear's more serene approach, this is the album where I realized what I really like about Animal Collective is mostly coming from Panda Bear.

Aphex Twin should not be the sole representative of IDM on the list, and though I do love Boards of Canada, I do not consider them IDM. I think Squarepusher and also Mu-Ziq deserve to be on the list as well. Especially Squarepusher for his genre bending and synthesis of physical and electronic instruments. He really is a boundary pusher who I wish caught more peoples ears. Very inspiring stuff here. A true musical explorer who loves music itself rather than genres or labels or easy boxes to put things in. Hard to pick an album of his, but this one is as good as any in terms of his range of abilities and emotions he can capture.

5 stars for guitar skronk and ring modulator on the keys, minus 1 star for violin = 4 stars.