I had heard of Sonic Youth in the 90's, but remained unfamiliar with their work. I just listened to this whole album and even though it's more "thrashy" than my usual listening tastes, I so love it. Innovative, original, and they show some real advanced musicianship. I read up on them, and Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore's focus on alternate tunings, many they pioneered, really draws me in. Such an artistic approach to their craft, and so much expression in their music.

Love Rush -- such amazing musicians, each member. This album preceded 'Signals,' and it was during the Signals tour that I saw them in concert, December 1982. Incredible, high energy, fun show. They opened with Spirit of Radio, played Limelight, Tom Sawyer, and other biggies, and did a YYZ encore. I was 15. Saw the show with my good friend, Drew. It was epic!

Radiohead is one of the bands I've always wanted to love but still haven't quite embraced to their fullest. Their originality, musicality, expressiveness, talent, the undeniable influence on so many others; it's all there. I don't really understand why I haven't connected more strongly with this band. Kind of a "perfect match on paper but for some reason, no chemistry" story for me. Giving 5 stars to show the respect they deserve.

I wish I had words to convey how much I love and admire this artist and her extraordinary creations. Everything: songwriting, her poetry of lyrics, musicality, composition, performance (studio and live), originality, expression, timelessness,...I could go on and on. I hope anyone who loves music gets the chance to explore her catalog. Just incredible. (5 stars seems waaaay to low for this one.)

I was rather devoted to this band in the 80s and into the early 90s. Always loved their style. Stipe is a heck of a lyricist and I like his voice. I'm still a huge Mike Mills fan. Bill Berry is so solid. I don't recall seeing or hearing Peter Buck's name in any discussions about great rock guitarists, and I think that's a shame. To me, one of the clearest hallmarks of a rare and special guitarist is I can tell who it is as soon as they start playing, and Peter Buck is in that small group of guitarists with a true signature sound. I am not interested in someone's shredding ability, hyperspeed, or whatever...I want to hear your unique voice, regardless of instrument. Love these guys and this is a strong album.

Similar to Black Sabbath not so much in sound or style, but in how I can hear how much they influenced a lot of 70s rock. I get the influence, makes sense this is on the list. Blackmore’s solo and rhythm riff on ‘Highway Star’ are totally high octane, and ‘Smoke On The Water’ is forever etched on the walls whether we like it or not, but this isn’t on my personal favorites list.

Really interesting album from a great band. Can absolutely hear their 70's punk roots and influences (which means I also hear 60's surf rock), but they are much tighter rhythmically and more daring than most punk bands.

Love Rush -- such amazing musicians, each member. This album preceded 'Signals,' and it was during the Signals tour that I saw them in concert, December 1982. Incredible, high energy, fun show. They opened with Spirit of Radio, played Limelight, Tom Sawyer, and other biggies, and did a YYZ encore. I was 15. Saw the show with my good friend, Drew. It was epic!

It's Bob. Always welcome!

Wow, had not heard of Supergrass and I really like their alt-rock vibe. This band has some incredible musicians. Very sophisticated and well-thought-out stuff!

Oh, such a fun album. Absolutely remember this spinning at many a party when it came out. One of the first rap groups I heard. Love the way they weave R&B, rock, and rap elements together.

Somehow, I don't think I'd ever listened (or at least known I was listening) to PJ Harvey before. What an interesting album and interesting musician. Absolutely unafraid.

I had never heard of this group or album, so I gave it a listen. I tried to find things in it that I liked, but didn't hear much of anything I would ever want to listen to again. I suppose maybe as absurdist theater it might be interesting, but not to me.

I've had an odd interested-not interested connection with U2 since I first heard them in the early 80s. I'm back to appreciating them again, especially the Edge's innovative guitar work that does not get the respect he deserves. He's an incredible musician who knows how to pull in one's ears. This is a solid album.

I had not heard of them before this album came up here for me. Wow! Very impressive. Super-tight and musical for a "punk" band. Much as I love a lot about the punk movement, some (maybe many?) punk bands seemed too hellbent on proving they are anti-establishment and could veer into dissonance for dissonance's sake. What I absolutely LOVE about this album is the balance between how strongly steeped in early punk it is yet how superbly skilled the musicianship is. A punk band with tight rhythms and even some freakin' brass arrangements? Hecks, YES! I'll now listen to this band regularly.

I had heard of Sonic Youth in the 90's, but remained unfamiliar with their work. I just listened to this whole album and even though it's more "thrashy" than my usual listening tastes, I so love it. Innovative, original, and they show some real advanced musicianship. I read up on them, and Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore's focus on alternate tunings, many they pioneered, really draws me in. Such an artistic approach to their craft, and so much expression in their music.

I can hear the demonstrable talent and skill in their music, and some of the tracks are musically interesting, but the vocals in both presentation and content feel too gimmicky for my personal taste.

I liked Elvis Costello in high school and college, and saw him in concert a couple times. Real fun pop with a twist, and he's a solid entertainer. It was nice to revisit and listen to this album again. I don't plan to start listening to his music again--the songs are a little too similar to each other for my taste--but I understand the appeal.

I respect very much Bruce's place in the Pantheon of American rock music, and he deserves it. There are a handful of songs of his I really love, but simply as a matter of personal preference, his music just never "clicked" with me. I have no criticisms of him music; it genuinely is as simple as chemistry either being there or not, and for me and Bruce, it's just not.

Based on when this album came out, I can hear how it is part of the continued evolution of many sub-genres of rock. It's got a late 60's rock sound to it but also sounds a bit precursive to some "alt-rock" styles. Very talented band, but I'm not a fan of the vocals and this is not the kind of music I would like to listen to regularly.

Really fun album. Hadn't heard of the artist before. I doubt I'll listen to this again -- just too frenetic most of the time for my own personal preference -- but I appreciate how good it is.

I'm a recovering wanna-be hippie (Gen X, so not a real hippie) so I know that in that culture Joan Baez was enormous. I think she's a super-cool and interesting person, I can appreciate her powerful voice, but...just never really enjoyed her music. (Sorry, my dear fellow aging tie-dyed folk!)

I don't know how I missed this band in the 80's - they are from my home state and were popular in my college years; I heard their name a lot but didn't listen to them - so I'm glad I heard this. Hard-driving and thrashy, so not my usual listening fare, and really solid.

This is absolutely beautiful.

I don't listen to dance music, but this is fun, and I enjoy the mix of spoken word and sung lyrics. Sarah Cracknell's voice is GREAT. Not the kind of music I turn to normally, so nice to have a chance to give it a listen.

Metallica is a great band, and this is a fantastic album. I love hearing genres come together, and although blending rock and symphony is not at all new, this is a great example of how good it can sound.

I know it's cliche, but I really do love Elvis. What a voice. Great songwriting. One of my favorites is 'Suspicious Minds.' Underrated musician and guitarist. And I'm a sucker for the Hagstrom guitar he's holding in the album cover photo. So freaking cool!

I had heard of this band but wasn't familiar with their music until I just listened to this album. While I'm not really into synth-pop, their sound has a little more edge to it, and Elizabeth Fraser's voice is incredible. Just on a purely subjective, personal preference basis, not too into this, but can understand their appeal.

Listened to at least a portion of each song. Tried to like it, but really didn't. No particular reason, just a matter of personal preference.

I seldom listen to electronica (is that what this is?) or dance music, but some of these were fun. A bit too tinny and frenetic for my listening tastes, though I can appreciate the interesting beats and artistry of it.

Very cool! Had not heard of them before (kind of the point of the whole 1001 albums project, I know, which is why I love this). Intriguing sound, can hear the punk and post-rock style, and I like their mix of styles (e.g., some spoken-word stuff that sounds kind of Beatnik and art-rock-y). Not something I'd listen to often, but I definitely appreciate the work.

Okay, so this album not only introduced me to a band I'd never heard of, but a whole new (to me) genre: "chamber pop." (As the name suggests: very generally speaking, rock/pop music orchestrated with 'classical' instruments.) Enjoyed quite a few tracks. Neil Hannon's voice is great, and I like his sense of melody. Some amazing vocal harmonies on some of the tracks, too. Not something I'll listen to regularly, but glad I got to learn about it.

For whatever reason, it always feels weird to write anything about Bob Dylan. What can I say about him as a poet, musician, pioneer, bear-poker, and overall just fascinating human and artist. Now, this album. Fantastic. The date of this show is one night after the infamous "Judas!" heckle to which Mr. Dylan responded beautifully (just looked it up: I knew the heckle and Bob's response; what I didn't know is after he responded to the heckler, he turned to his band and growled, "Play it fucking loud!", and, by gum, they sure as hell did.

I think I'm going to cry as I listen to this most-excellent album again. Been a while, and I just absolutely heart The Jam. I saw a documentary on them a few years ago, and it served only to deepen my heart-ing them. Paul Weller is very much the opposite of the full-of-himself rock star. This album should receive more attention, as should the band. Just this week, I (a relative noob guitarist) just started learning and practicing 'That's Entertainment,' one of my all-time favorite songs of all-time favorite songs. In honor of this album and band showing up in my 1001 rotation, I shall do my best to play it well, record it, and share it with friends. Make music, share music.

I remember listening to some of this band's later work when I was in college, and I'll never forget their video for 'Bring On The Dancing Horses' (a song from a later album) that always reminded me of Equus, a great play (no idea if the band intended that). This album, their debut (I think), is great. Nice mash-up of rock, post-punk, new wave -- this is all my best guess; I often mess up all these subgenres -- and I like the strong bass lines.

I hadn't heard of this band before, so when I started playing it I could hear how grounded in the early day of Seattle grunge this album and band are. It has that mix of punk, early garage band metal, and the usual grunge elements. On the surface, they might sound rough and dissonant, but they are tighter than that. They are really good musicians. Much as I applaud what the grunge bands were doing -- a good turning point or shake-up in any art form is how things evolve -- it's not really my favorite sound. Just personal preference.

This is great! This album is yet another reminder of why I love this 1000 albums project. I doubt I'd ever hear of them or hear their music, and I love this. I don't even usually listen to electronic music, but this is different. The mix in real instruments, too, and incredible vocals. Some tracks are dreamy and haunting, which I love. Some are also downright beautiful. Some are a bit too jarring for me, but overall, very good. Thank you, 1001 albums generator!

I didn't enjoy this album very much, but I read about it and I understand its importance in the history of Brazilian music, so nice to see it get some attention. For my own musical preferences, not my thing.

For a brief period during my college years, I really liked CCR and listened to them a lot. I do love John Fogerty's guitar playing, and I absolutely get the importance of this band. That being said, I haven't listened to them in years. Nothing bad about it, just not interested anymore.

Radiohead is one of the bands I've always wanted to love but still haven't quite embraced to their fullest. Their originality, musicality, expressiveness, talent, the undeniable influence on so many others; it's all there. I don't really understand why I haven't connected more strongly with this band. Kind of a "perfect match on paper but for some reason, no chemistry" story for me. Giving 5 stars to show the respect they deserve.

My first real exposure to LL Cool J's music was when I saw his performance of "Mama Said Knock You Out" on MTV Unplugged in 1990 and it blew me away. Listening to this album all the way through serves only to make me more of an admirer. Such great music, lyrics, performing, fun, depth, all of it. Loving the groove, loving the energy in his voice; just really loving this album.

And once again, thanks to this project, I not only discover a new band but also a new subgenre: "shoegaze" (according to the Wikipedia entry, "is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming volume"). This album is really good, this band is great, and I'm glad I've been introduced to them. Remind me a bit of the Meat Puppets, who I like, as well as a bunch of 90s bands that came after, and were probably influenced by, the Meat Puppets, this group, and similar bands at the time. Really great music here.

I have heard a few Eminem songs over the years, and with the exception of "Lose Yourself," a song I like (great beat, cool guitar riff, and good lyrics), I was never interested in listening to his music. I just listened to this album and came to the same conclusion. There's a whole lot of "I don't give a ***" being vocalized, and no matter the source, I find that self-proclamation of individualism to be amongst the more boring messages, artistic or otherwise, one can utter. That, and musically and content-wise, this album does very little for me.

This one of a handful of albums I do not need to hear again to know how important it is, how much I love it, why it's one of the best-selling albums ever, and why it's absolutely essential on a list like this. Her songwriting, her recording and performance of the material, the album's cultural significance and impact on music that followed, and so on. That, and by all accounts, she seems to be an absolutely wonderful person (I even walked right by her when I lived in L.A. and she gave me a big smile! Yep, I'm totally star-struck ;). Five stars in every way!

One of the many things I love about this 1001 Albums project is the inclusion of the Wikipedia article about each album. Through this album's entry, I learned about Merle Haggard's prison time and its effect on him and his music. I happen to LOVE knowing the stories behind the art. Always adds such richness and depth to the experience for me. Regarding this album, although I only very rarely listen to country, I enjoyed this album. Great songwriting, singing, and playing. Nice one.

Impossible to be a teen in the 80s, as I was, and not know 'Take On Me' (and have a grand ol' time attempting the high notes in the chorus!). Admittedly, I honestly don't remember ever hearing any other song by them. I just listened to this album now and I can say with all certainty I didn't miss anything. Just too 80s-synth-pop for me without enough in it to keep me interested. Was right for the time, I know, and it's not bad, it's just utterly dull to me as a listener.

Although I was familiar with TLC - difficult to miss them in the 90s, they were everywhere - but had not really listened to their music. Listened to this album and it's great. Really nice mix of R&B groove, hip-hop, and some fantastic vocals (those voices, wow!). Enjoyed this one.

Given the release year (1969), I can hear how this album influenced others that followed. It's good music, sung and played well, and a good representation of the style. Not one I'll listen to again. Nothing against it; it's a style I've heard done so many times in so many ways that due to the passage of time it's too hard for this album to stand out for me.

I had this album in college and listened to it quite a bit. I never got fully into punk (super-broad music category and cultural term, I know), but did have a time in my life when I listened to what were then called "punk/alternative" radio stations, had my haircut asymmetrically, wore a dangling sword earrning, and generally had no idea what I was doing. What I did, and still do, find interesting is any form of counter-culture, especially when it's expressed artistically. I know this band is considered one of the, if not the, pioneering band in the London punk scene, which spread everywhere, and I still find this album a good listen, though far less so than I once did. Such is the nature of evolving tastes and interests.

I had not heard of this band or album, and I don't recognize any of the songs, but it's really solid. I like their style. It's a nice blend of rock and pop, but has its own sound -- maybe "indie rock"? -- and I like how that edgy sound is balanced with vocals and vocal harmonies, plus catchy rhythms, that all make for a rather infectious mix. Very glad I've been introduced to them.

I wish I had words to convey how much I love and admire this artist and her extraordinary creations. Everything: songwriting, her poetry of lyrics, musicality, composition, performance (studio and live), originality, expression, timelessness,...I could go on and on. I hope anyone who loves music gets the chance to explore her catalog. Just incredible. (5 stars seems waaaay to low for this one.)

New one to me (both the album and the artist). I enjoyed this one. Hard not to bob the head or tap the foot along to the whole album. I happen to really enjoy listening to the French language, spoken or sung, even though I can't speak it, so that added a sweet layer to the music for me. Great music.

What an interesting album! I had not heard of "Jah Wobble" (stage name of John Wardle that came about as a drunken Sid Vicious mumbled his hame), but now I know he grew up with John Lydon and other Sex Pistols members. I've also now learned that Wobble was the bassist for PiL. This album is great. Influenced by reggae, world music, and the rock/punk world in which Wobble grew up, it all comes together quite nicely here. I hear some of the tracks as "Velvet Underground moves to the Caribbean." Really cool.

Electronic music like this is not something I listen to very often, or really at all, at least not on purpose, but I like this one. I don't know anything about how this kind of music is made, which is maybe why it feels less accessible to me; however, this album has some interesting elements, like sampling of movie quotes that fit well with the feel of the music. Even though I doubt I'll listen to this or any electronic music all that regularly, at least not now, I am glad I got to hear it.

This album came out in my second year of uni and it certainly was a huge hit in the American (and I would imagine at least European if not elsewhere) university set (yes, I'm generalizing, but that was my experience). Heard it at nearly every gathering for about a year. I liked it, I think I bought it (can't remember), but I lost interest after a while from a combination of hearing it too much and just moving on to other music. I haven't heard it in decades. I must admit that as I listened just now, I was bored. Really bored. I recall hearing Morrisey's voice back then and liking that it was different from most pop/rock bands. I'm surprised to say this now, but to me when I hear him now he sounds like someone imitating Morrissey, and not in a flattering way. And while I can definitely appreciate the skill of the musicians, both in writing and performing, I just wasn't engaged with any of it.

Really nice grooves at times. Not the kind of music I like to listen to, though.

Quite intrigued by this one. Through no fault of its own, it suffers a bit from cultural overload, meaning that in the ~50 years since the album's release, this style of music has been so heavily co-opted by spas and yoga studios that it's really hard for me to separate it all out. Fortunately, this album has a depth of layers and textures and other interesting elements that the typical spa/yoga album or playlist tends to lack. The album gets intense at times, and rhythmic, in good ways.

Wow, this is really smooth, interesting, catchy stuff. I had not heard the album in full before, and I like it. To state the obvious, Common has certainly gained so much visibility since this album, and deservedly so. Solid, well-thought-out, jazzy, captivating stuff here.

R.E.M. is an incredible band and this might be my favorite album of theirs. I'm usually quite reluctant to apply labels like "favorite" or "best," or to rank an artist's or group's output, so I use "favorite" here in lower-case letters or parenthetically, mostly to indicate how I gravitate towards it. I don't want to diminish my affection for their other work. All that being said, there's a depth and texture to this album that makes it stand out for me in R.E.M.'s impressive catalog. It's odd to say this, but I actually believe this band is underrated, as are the four individual members as musicians and songwriters. I am particularly fond of Peter Buck (my view: because he didn't rip massive solos, even though he was more than capable of it, he is not talked about as much as other rock/pop/alt guitarists, but he's fantastic) and Mike Mills (quiet and cerebral, so not a limelight guy, he's an amazing bassist, pianist, singer, and writer). What I learned from the Wiki entry that's linked to this album is the John Paul Jones (yes, as in Led Zeppelin's JPJ) contributed string arrangements to four tracks on this album. That is super-cool (JPJ is another way, way underrated musician).

I was a teen in the 80s and this album, especially the song 'Relax,' are about as much an integral part of the 80s soundtrack as I can remember. At the time, I was mostly a hard-rock devotee but I do remember enjoying this music, synth-heavy as it can be. It's catchy, fun, and even interesting at times. I had forgotten it was also political at points, which adds something to it, as did some of the controversy they stirred up; e.g., unabashedly gay, which was still somewhat rare in the 80s, and doing covers of songs that ticked off some people, which I think is healthy in many ways. Good stuff.

I had only heard the songs Chicago did in the 80s, song I just didn't like (too saccharine for me), and much later I heard a few of their earlier songs, which to me are notably better. I had not listened to this album before now, though. Definitely more rockin', soulful, political, and interesting as a listening experience than the song I heard on the radio in the 80s. Very much a reflection of late 60s rock/soul/pop and the cultural and political climate at that time, this helped me to view the band Chicago in a better light. A bit too dated for me now, and I don't have any personal memories associated with this music, so I doubt I'll listen to it again, but I can see why people would like it.

A powerful, profound, and gripping album by an indisputable icon. While I was already familiar with Ms. Simone's enormous and versatile talent, I was not familiar with her story, which I read in the linked Wikipedia article. Wow. What a strong, brave, and visionary person. I hope more people get the chance to learn her story. And of course, listen to her wide-ranging, massive, and incredible body of work.

Another band I really never heard when they were getting airplay and were talked about by some friends. I don't really connect with hard-driving thrashy metal like this, but I can absolutely appreciate how difficult this music is to play. Certainly doesn't lack energy.

PJ Harvey is yet another in a too-long list of outstanding musical artists who I somehow just simply missed altogether when they were definitely available to me as a listener and concert-goer. I remember hearing her name a lot, and she was spoken very very highly of by a number of people whose musical tastes were similar to mine. Anyway, even though I can't quite explain how I didn't listen to her 21 years ago when this album was released, I can say after having listened to it that I think it's fantastic work. Compelling, intriguing, very interesting chord progressions and rhythms, and I just dig the overall vibe. Dark without being too self-referential or too harsh. Really solid album.

And here I am again, confessing my ignorance of yet another larger-than-life name in latter-half 20th-century popular music. Brian Eno's name has been present in my mind for probably 35 years, and yet I don't recall ever consciously listening to his work. I've heard some collaborations of his, vaguely, and know he's widely admired by all sorts of music folk like critics, fans, and fellow musicians. I do know his reputation for constantly reinventing himself, and even though this is the only album of his I've ever listened to, I can hear that even within the ten tracks on this work. I can also imagine that for its time (1974), it pushed some boundaries, which is always healthy for any artform, or society in general. I might give this another listen some time because there definitely are layers I'm sure I missed the first time through, but I don't much like it. It's not something I am psyched to listen to regularly, at least that's not how it feels to me right now. Might be suffering a bit from how I've heard a lot of other music from around that time (as well as before it and after it) that was fairly similar, and it's never quite grabbed me. Sometimes feels like it's being, I don't know, "avante garde" or odd for its own sake, or trying to be funny but it doesn't make me laugh, but that's a bit silly of me because I have no idea what Brian Eno or his fellow performers on this album were thinking or feeling.

As a long-time fan of what some categorize as "hippie music," I find it interesting that quite consistently I dislike this kind of music, which I understand is often labelled "psychedelic rock." Nothing wrong with it, and the musicians on this album are great, but I just never seem to enjoy this style of rock. It grates on me.

Love this album! Great music (Brother Larry on guitar really draws me into some of these songs), compelling words, cool production, all with such a sweet feel and positive energy.

Totally get how fun they are as nostalgia -- such great representatives of their time and genre -- and it's a hoot at times to enjoy the slightly (or more than slightly at times) Eurovision cheesiness, but overall I find their music rather dull, and all those synths and soaring voices grate on me. No, thank you.

Another in the long list of bands whose name I know but know very little of their work (yes, I know, a major benefit of this whole 1001 Albums project is I am finally getting 'round to hearing all these bands!). 'Song 2' is familiar to me now that I hear it again, and I really like it. Great energy and fun. I like most of these tracks. Some really cool guitar work going on here. Nice.

I remember hearing their name, probably heard some of their music on "alternative radio" (I listened to WFNX in Boston and college stations in the mid-and-late-80s), but I don't know for sure. I can see why they are grouped with the early-90s grunge movement. It's a bit screamy for my tastes, which I know is often a trademark of the grunge era (scream at least part of the song, usually the chorus after a quieter verse or two), and the guitars get real thrashy (nothing wrong with it, and I admire the skill it takes to play that in time, just doesn't appeal to me except in small doses).

I love Neil Young and this album really stands the test of time for me. Something about his haunting voice combined with his lyrics (such good writing; often haunting, too, and nicely melancholic without being self-pitying) and his unique guitar playing. All comes together just so perfectly. Great album.

The Smiths and Morrissey were part of the soundtrack of my college years. I didn't actively dislike their music; I just found them a bit dull for my ear. I'm also not a big fan of Steve Morrissey's voice. Like his music overall, it's not grating or terrible or anything like that. It's just not a voice I enjoy hearing. The guitar work on "Margaret on the Guillotine" is really nice (Vini Reilly played it), and on this one song Morrissey's voice sounds a little like Frank Orrall of Poi Dog Pondering (the song has an overall Poi Dog feel, too), and I love Frank Orrall's voice and Poi Dog Pondering's music, so I do like that song. Anyway, I know the music of The Smiths and Morrissey is an important part of the 80s -- not sure what the correct rock subgenre is, maybe "alternative," whatever that might mean -- scene, so I get why this on the list.

A few of the tracks are pretty darn fun; like the dark bluesy stuff and their rockabilly track is pretty cool (almost a spoof on Elvis? can't tell...the music is great). A couple songs get a little surf-rock sounding, which adds some nice texture. I like the 'Louie Louie' cover; has a nice little breakdown section, good jam. Hadn't heard of this band or album before. It's fine, but not likely one I'll return to; not really their fault, I suppose, but in the 50 years since this album was released there are just far too many more interesting offerings out there in this style.

I used to listen to a lot of Talking Heads and David Byrne, and still do from time to time, although much more focused on their later stuff. So inventive, so intriguing in so many ways, and often times quite catchy and fun. This is their debut album and I hadn't really listened to it in full before. It was good to read the Wikipedia article on it, too. It mentions how friendly they were with Lou Reed and how he gave them some advice. I definitely hear some Velvet Underground/Lou Reed-esque vibes in here (I have a feeling we'd say that about a lot of the 70s CBGB's bands). I can also hear how at this point in their career they could've pushed their sound into the punk scene or more into the pop/rock space, which is where they pretty much went (both genres are great; no judgment intended). This is good stuff; really quite good when I remember this is their very first album (hey, it's got 'Psycho Killer,' a rather iconic song).

I love Billy Gibbons (I was just listening to 'La Grange' the other day). He's an incredible guitarist, great vocalist, great songwriter, and a wonderful showman (in the most positive sense of the word). I do like this album and a lot of ZZ Top's work. When an artist (or anyone, really) is genuinely having fun at what they do, it's infectious. I lean more towards their more raw, "dirty blues" stuff because I do that generally when it comes to blues-based rock, but this is a fun album.

My first introduction to this band and album. Given the years this was recorded and released (start of the 90s), this sounds to me like a link in the musical chain stretching from 70s punk and 80s indie rock and thrashy stuff (even a little of the pre-punk 60s; not sure what the term is for bands like Velvet Underground) and 90s grunge and so on. Some of the tracks are too thrashy for my own personal taste (nothing against it; just not my thing) but I definitely appreciate how good this band is. Some of the tracks are very much too my liking and I can imagine myself coming back to hear them again. I get why this is on the list: for its time, it was very inventive and counter-trendy.

Quite the energetic set of tracks! Had not heard this band or album before (although I seem to recall the name Feargul Sharkey from something in the 80s, but can't recall what), and it's fun. Very much in that punk-leading-into-new-wave sound, and it's got some catchy tunes here. I enjoyed this one more than I expected to; really feels like pop (in a good way) but it's more raw.

I remember listening to some k.d. lang songs back in the 90s; liked her then, like her now, although it's been a long time since I've listened to her music. What a voice, and a really good writer, but it can get a little too -- not sure what the phrase is, maybe "Big Band ballad style" -- for me. 'Constant Craving' is great.

I enjoy folk and folk-influenced music -- "folk" in the sense of the term meaning music particular to or reflective of a culture or geographic region -- and this album has some good tracks on it. I've listened to a fair amount of Irish and Scottish folk music, so it's hard for this album to stand out very much for me (not the album's fault; just happens to be a style of music I've heard a lot).

Well, that was certainly unexpected. This group and album, and pretty much the whole genre they're in (not sure what to call it; "electronica," I think? but it has vocals, so not really sure), are all so new to me, and not what I usually listen to. There are some very interesting things going on here. Don't like all of it, but I really like 'Inner City Life.' The vocals are so soulful and soaring, with a really great bassline and beat under it. I don't usually like a lot of synthesizers but some of these tracks are really good. I think it's the rhythms they use, and, as mentioned, the vocals.

Neil Young. Unique voice, fantastic guitarist (good grief, am I ever so sick of decades of "he's not a great technical guitarist, blah blah blah" -- heaven forbid an artist play the instrument differently), and incredible writer who never stops creating and experimenting. One of a kind. Love him.

I have such a strange relationship with this band. Absolutely recognize and appreciate the talent they have and work they put in. Vocal harmonies are incredible. But most of their songs...sorry, I just don't get pulled in by them. Totally get why they are revered; just not by me.

I liked some of the songs when they first came out. Some really clever music and rhythms that were a lot of fun in some songs. Not as into them anymore, but still enjoyable to listen to again.

I happen to really like Prince; liked him when I heard him all the time in the 80s, and now as I re-listen to him, I'm blown away by the musicianship. Because there is so much to Prince that his guitar playing (he played more instruments than I can list, and he was a phenomenal guitarist) gets overlooked, but he belongs in the Pantheon of all-time great guitarists. Quite a bit of his music can be too dance-pop for me, but that's just a matter of taste. Prince rocked.

I know this band and this album are important in the timeline of "progressive rock," and there are a few bands in that subgenre I really like (e.g., ELP, Rush, Jethro Tull, Yes...and I know, I know, this is all loosely defined and highly subjective), but I just never clicked with Genesis. I gave this album a listen and, nah, just don't really like it.

Well, this is certainly interesting. What a mix of styles and sounds. Has some fun moments in there. Overall, a bit too cacophonic and jarring for my own personal listening choice, but it sure does seem original.

Great album -- great music that really pulls me in, and the lyrics are always worth a listen. Right album by the right group at the right time.

There's no way to remove our own biases, experiences, and subjectivity from, well, anything, really, and rendering an opinion on music is no exception. This is one of my favorite albums of all time. It surprised me when it was released and fell in love with it (its release year, 1985, was the year I graduated high school and entered college) because this was so popular and I fancied myself quite a bit of a hard rocker and wannabe punk rocker who was just way too cool for silly ol' popular music (I was then, as I am now, completely full of poop). Didn't matter though: this band, this album, these songs...they all gripped me. I know it's all associated with what was, for the most part, an extraordinarily memorable year for me, in many outstanding ways (had some really crappy moments, too, but that's how life does its life thing). I have a particular fondness for Roland Orzabal's voice and I believe he is an underrated guitarist. (Speaking of guitar, Neil Taylor's outro solo on "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" is excellent.) Curt Smith's voice is great, too, and his bass playing is also overlooked. They are actually fantastic musicians, composers, and writers. A good look into their abilities can be found YouTuber Rick Beato's 'What Makes This Song Great' episode on "Head Over Heels," one of my favorite of many favorite TFF songs. Check it out if you're interested. So glad this project gave me an excuse to listen to this masterpiece all the way through again. 5+ Stars from me.

VH. Dang, I love these guys. One of the most fun, energetic, innovative pop/rock/metal-esque (kind of sort of, at times) bands I've heard. It's hard to pen any praise of EVH because anything I have to say feels too, I don't know, pedestrian and trite. I'm a bumbling beginner guitarist who high-fives himself when I remember how to play a major scale properly or plays through a medium-tempo 4-chord song with only a few slips, then I put on any song with EVH on guitar and I feel like I've been transported to another semi-comprehensible dimension inhabited by some form of demigods and demigoddesses whose very beings are entangled completely with the Music of the Spheres. And, honestly, sure, there are countless amazing guitarists in all eras, but it's Eddie's genuine joy he shares when playing that is the most infectious aspect of his musicianship to me. Play on, Eddie -- I know you always will! This album has some of Van Halen's most memorable songs, among many memorable songs across quite a nice catalog of albums. Great one to have on this list.

This music pulled me in. Some of the tracks are great. A few are not to my own liking, but that's just a matter of taste. Really talented group.

Well, this is certainly interesting and different. I had heard their name for quite some time, just never listened to any of their music as far as I can recall. I rarely encounter this style of music ("House"? I think?), and I don't expect I'll make a habit of it, but this album has some really catchy tracks. After a while, though, it felt like I was in a fast-moving video game with lots of lights and colors flashing. Also, I don't really like dancing, so I am a terrible judge of what makes good dance music, but I can see the appeal of this album for people who like to dance.

I hadn't heard of the artist or album, but so glad I've been introduced to it. Great beats and super-catchy rhythms, and I plan to listen to it a few times again to really dive more deeply into the lyrics.

Glad to be introduced to this band and this album. Some really great stuff on this one. Musically interesting, good lyrics, nice mix of styles. I like that the influences seem to be eclectic (at least they are to my ear). And I LOVED reading this from the Wiki entry on the band: "The band's name comes from the character Travis Henderson (played by Harry Dean Stanton) from the film Paris, Texas (1984)." Great actor creating a great character in a great film. That is wicked cool.

Not my cup of tea.

Very much a reflection of their time, and a fun pop band with great vocal harmonies. To state the obvious, California Dreaming is an American icon. Listening to the whole album, I was quite bored. The overall sound is not to my liking but I get that it's produced in line with the popular music of the time.

Stevie Wonder is one of those widely and passionately loved musicians whose talent and work I can appreciate, and whose importance in, and influence on, music is absolutely huge, yet I just never really felt all that interested in what I was hearing. I don't dislike it, it just never clicked with me.

Very interesting music. Had not heard the musician or album before.

I like a lot of The Who’s music, and really love a handful of their tunes. I think Pete Townshend is one of the best guitarists and songwriters in rock history. Love his voice, too. Roger, John, and their drummers and keyboardists, are all excellent. That being said, this is not an album I've listened to a lot. I do get its importance in rock history, and it has some fun mid-60’s “mod rock” songs, but overall I like their later stuff a lot better.

Wow: the lyrics are incredibly poignant as I listen to them now as the U.S. has pressing issues of racial injustice and inequality that are in desperate need of real action, real remedy. The opening track "When Will They Shoot?" on its own is enough to add so much depth and thought-provocation to the conversation. I don't remember hearing this album back in the early 90s, but I do know that back then I would've missed the message entirely out of my own naivete and ignorance. This is one I want to come back to and spend more time with.

I liked some of the tracks. Others were just not clicking in so much for me. I can appreciate the quality of the musicians, but I find the main lead vocalist a little too screamy for me on some tracks. I really liked "Rebellion" though.

Very different from most of the music I've heard in my life, which is why I love this '1001 Albums' project so darn much. This is a wild album with wild energy and some really interesting stuff going on. Not sure if these musicians love horror movies, but it definitely won't surprise me if they do. All sorts of clashing noise, dissonance, frenetic rhythms and changes, hard-driving' industrial sound. Not at all what I normally listen to musically, and I honestly went in expecting to hate it (I know, I know: I do try to push away expectations but I don't always succeed) but it actually kind of drew me in at times (yet another excellent feature of this project).

So difficult to write anything about Miles Davis, at least for me, given who he was and what he did for music (jazz and beyond) in countless ways. I had heard tracks from this album before but had not listened to it all the way through. So interesting to listen to how he reinvented his music over the years, and, wow, there is a LOT going on in these tracks. Some of it a bit too much so for me, but I also have little exposure to this style of music so that could be due to conditioning. I'll need to spend more time with this one. All those layers and textures. What a lineup, too. Miles, man...just Miles.

I remember these songs. To me, they were kind of cheesy pop and I didn't pay much mind to them. Some of these songs still feel genuinely pop-cheesy to me and annoy me (I can take only so much synth dominating a song, and the vocalist can kind of "over-sing" to my ear), but a couple of them are kind of fun and catchy. As an amateur noob of a musician, I know that writing and performing songs people like and remember is a rare skill, and a few of these songs on this album achieve that. And this came out in '82, a bit ahead of the massive amount of synth-pop that permeated the 80s airwaves. Not one I'll come back to, but one or two of the tracks were a fun memory trip.

Loved it! Kenny Burrell is one of my favorite guitarists of all time, very much an inspiration to me, and this whole album is fantastic.

Just not much of a fan of her music.

I remember some of these tracks from when they came out. I kind of liked a couple of them, and now listening to the whole album for the first time (and re-listening to the couple of songs I had heard before for the first time in a long, long time), I can very much appreciate the musicianship in them much better than I did back then. Much as I admire how expertly this music is written and played, on a personal level, it's not really my thing. It's odd to say that because I still love listening to The Jam, and I think Paul Weller is amazing.

Wonderful and fun, with such interesting layers and texture. No surprise to learn how influential this group and its related group, Parliament, are in the world of funk music and music generally. All the musicians are incredible, and I always gravitate guitar because that's the instrument I play, and wow, Mike Hampton and Gary Shider are superb.

Glad this project introduced me to this band and this soundtrack (I read up on the film for which it was scored, which I had not heard of before, too). I like some of the work on this album, which is outside the norm of what I typically enjoy.

I had heard "Time Of The Season" quite a few times before, but none of the other songs. "Time Of The Season" is okay; not on my list of favorite songs from that era, though I've always liked the melody. I don't particularly care for any of them.

Here's what I wrote for the previous VH album that came up on this list: Dang, I love these guys. One of the most fun, energetic, innovative pop/rock/metal-esque (kind of sort of, at times) bands I've heard. It's hard to pen any praise of EVH because anything I have to say feels too, I don't know, pedestrian and trite. I'm a bumbling beginner guitarist who high-fives himself when I remember how to play a major scale properly or plays through a medium-tempo 4-chord song with only a few slips, then I put on any song with EVH on guitar and I feel like I've been transported to another semi-comprehensible dimension inhabited by some form of demigods and demigoddesses whose very beings are entangled completely with the Music of the Spheres. And, honestly, sure, there are countless amazing guitarists in all eras, but it's Eddie's genuine joy he shares when playing that is the most infectious aspect of his musicianship to me. Play on, Eddie -- I know you always will! This album was the second Van Halen record I owned. I was introduced to them via VH II. Such an unforgettable band.

I've heard her name many times but don't recall having listened to her music, so I had no idea what to expect. I like a lot of the tracks. Really infectious rhythms and love her use of voice. It was only my first listen so I didn't get to into the lyrics, so I'll need to come back for that. Totally enjoyable.

I sometimes like this style of music -- ambient, video-game background music (no, they didn't make this album for video games; just my description) -- and this has some nice tracks on it. I have a feeling when it came out 20 years ago, it was a bit more of a standout. These days, this kind of music is, I think, fairly widespread? Probably. Anyway, overall, I liked this album.

A friend introduced me to this band in my college years. I enjoyed it, but I haven't really listened to them since then. Still nice to listen to, and I notice the skill of the musicians more now than I did then. Looking back with the benefit of over 30 years' hindsight, I can hear how they (or at least them and similar bands of that time) influenced later bands.

Had not heard of this artist or heard his music before. It's nicely done - kind of pop-reggae (I think that's how to describe it?), with some nice grooves. After most of the tracks, things kind of blending together, maybe a little to same-sounding, but it's not bad. Don't think I'll come back to it or seek out his other work, but glad I got to hear it.

Never been much of a fan of his, just doesn't do it for me.

I was rather devoted to this band in the 80s and into the early 90s. Always loved their style. Stipe is a heck of a lyricist and I like his voice. I'm still a huge Mike Mills fan. Bill Berry is so solid. I don't recall seeing or hearing Peter Buck's name in any discussions about great rock guitarists, and I think that's a shame. To me, one of the clearest hallmarks of a rare and special guitarist is I can tell who it is as soon as they start playing, and Peter Buck is in that small group of guitarists with a true signature sound. I am not interested in someone's shredding ability, hyperspeed, or whatever...I want to hear your unique voice, regardless of instrument. Love these guys and this is a strong album.

I had heard of him only recently thanks to a guitar teacher I follow on YouTube. So glad I've been introduced to his music. I remember really liking Alexi Murdoch when I first heard his music maybe 15 or so years ago, and now I hear the similarities. I'm sure there are many artists I like who were influenced by Nick Drake. In this album (curious: is 'Five Leaves Left' a reference to O. Henry's short story, 'The Last Leaf'?), I'm hearing a really interesting sense of melody (and harmony, too) that is a slight departure from most of the music I know from this era and style. He's a heck of a writer, composer, guitarist, and singer. Some beautiful string arrangements on some of these tracks, too. It all really draws me in quite nicely. Fantastic work.

Wow, brings back memories. I hadn't thought of Billy Bragg in a mighty long time. I remember hearing his music during college at parties, on college radio stations, etc. It was okay, but I remember back then it didn't take long for his songs to feel kind of the same to me and even bordering on parody (as in, is he mocking singer-songwriters with some of his songs? I honestly can't tell...and I am sure his fans would tell me I don't "get" Billy Bragg, and they wouldn't be wrong). Listening to this album now gives me a similar experience. It's not bad at all, just not very interesting to me.

For someone like me who used to groove heavy on the hippie side of things, this kind of music just doesn't groove for me. I'm sure at the time it stood out quite well, but listening to it today it almost sounds like it's from a music mockumentary, kind of like Spinal Tap when they were The Thamesmen singing "listen to what the flower people say." Just how I'm hearing it, folks.

I somehow missed Soundgarden when they were huge in the 90s -- honestly have no idea how I missed them, but there it is -- and listened to some of their songs much later. Chris Cornell is legend, to state the obvious, and I do like him as a musician, writer, guitarist, performer, etc. Listening to this album today straight through for the first time, it's some really good rock music and even though the "Seattle sound" or "grunge" or whatever it might be called has been done heavily (these guys were on the early end of it, I think, but, man, that sound was everywhere for a while), this is good stuff.

I'm vaguely familiar with Iggy Pop, so this is my first full album listen. Some really catchy tunes in here, nice rock with with edge, and great energy. I enjoyed it.

Nah. No thanks. I was bored.

There are some iconic songs on this album, and personally, much as I admire him as a guitarist, I'm generally not a big fan of Lindsey Buckingham's songwriting ('Never Going Back Again,' one of his tracks on this album, is good, though). I do like Christine McVie's and Stevie Nicks' songs; some I like quite a bit. Love both their voices and they are excellent lyricists, especially Nicks. I like the sadness mixed with hope I can hear in the songs on this album. They all have great senses of melody; super-hard for me not to hum or sing along with nearly all tracks on this album, even the songs I don't fully like.

I listened to her music during my college days in the late 80s and enjoyed it. I didn't keep up with her after that, and haven't listened to her in a very long time. Re-hearing this album now, I'm admittedly a little surprised to find myself still quite drawn in. Her voice is ethereal and her songwriting is exquisite. Some beautiful work here.

Had not heard of them or their music. Some of the tracks are interesting to me. Overall, I'm not wild about the sound, can't quite explain what it is about it -- I have a vague sense of my not liking both aspects of the music and aspects of the production, if that makes sense -- so much as I can hear their talent and ability, just doesn't quite do it for me.

I happen to love Steely Dan -- such incredible musicianship, craft, humor, and mind-blowing playing (man, the people they brought in...wow) -- so I also had a couple Donald Fagen albums in my collection at one time, including this one. I think it's great. I think he's a hell of a songwriter, love his dry humor, and even though I don't usually like too much organ playing in songs, it's fine here. Always loved the cover art on this one, too.

I'd heard his name before but I don't recall hearing his music before (maybe a song or two from his punk bank, Birthday Party? not sure). Anyway, I am very glad to be introduced to this album. Some real nice songwriting. I enjoy his style, musically, lyrically, and vocally.

Well, now, that was certainly interesting! At times, it gets a bit chaotic for my listening, but I have a feeling upon multiple listens it starts to make more "sense" (yeah, yeah, I know: music -- especially jazz -- never needs to make sense...I'm talking about making sense to me in my experience of it and relation to it). Regardless, it's a wild ride and there's a LOT going on. I'll need to hear more of his work.

I enjoyed the Black Crowes when I first heard them in the early '90s. Some of their songs are superb in my opinion, and I think most of my favorite Black Crowes songs are on this album (e.g., Hard To Handle, She Talks To Angels, Jealous Again, Sister Luck, and more). I love the guitar work on this album but I never know if it's Rich Robinson or Jeff Cease I'm hearing when I'm admiring what I hear (like that real sweet bluesy lead in 'Sister Luck'). I know Jeff Cease is named lead guitarist for this album, so I'll give this another couple listens to see what I pick up (no, that's not meant as a guitar pun). I hadn't listened to this album in a very long time - probably decades - and, dang, it really holds up well. Love the rootsy-bluesy-gritty-rock-meets-gospel sounds. Chris Robinson is a really great singer. I would've loved to have seen them in concert when they toured to support this album.

I remember seeing the album cover back in the 90's (definitely a memorable cover) but I never listened to this. Some wild stuff in here, lots of weird noises and fun (sometimes funny, though I can't tell if that's on purpose) singing and playing, and a lot of interesting things going on. Each track seems to stand on its own stylistically. I have heard other Tom Waits music (I love the album "Closing Time") and whenever I've seen him in a movie, if a scene includes him I always know it's going to be good. I don't know much about him, and I have a feeling I should. Glad I heard this.

Miles Davis' work is always intriguing to me, and I'm so glad I was introduced to this album. He was always evolving and experimenting, maintaining his artistry at each step. What a treasure.

Some real high-energy stuff. I was unfamiliar with the band and their music. Reminds me a little bit of Mighty Mighty Bosstones and similar bands -- hard-charging fast-paced rock with a horn section. Some of the tracks were fun.

I'd heard of this band but never listened to them. Musically, I find them very impressive -- not the power-chord-based, heavily distorted, oft-dissonant (sometimes seemingly for dissonance's sake) punk sound, even though from what I'm reading they were part of the NYC-CBGBs 70s scene. I must confess that even though the lead singer is a bit David Byrne-like (just a hunch: I wouldn't be surprised to learn that a bunch of CBGBs bands had a lot of similarities; not a knock, that stuff just happens via osmosis), and I love David Byrne, I'm not a fan of his vocals. That being said, a lot of the music on this album is very interesting to me. I sometimes want a bit more sustain underneath the songs, but that's a personal taste thing for me (and I don't need it in every song - I'm just hearing a few of the songs as a little "thin," at least to my ear, and that's probably exactly how the band wanted it). The guitar work is fantastic. The whole band plays great - bass & drums are superb. I bet they were a lot of fun to see play at CBGBs. (Side note: it's also fun to say "CBGBs".)

I've always had such mixed feelings about this band. I am drawn in by a lot of their hooks, they play super-tight, and some of the lyrics are solid...and yet, I can't quite put my finger on it, they don't fully click with me. I wish I could explain it -- I like when I can articulate what I do and don't like in art, not for any other reason than I'm interested in that process (and I really love hearing thoughtful analysis and criticism from others) -- so here's a stab: I think it's because to me it sounds like what a band would sound like if someone constructed a band in response to the grunge movement. Does that make sense? I don't know...when I find myself enjoying one of their songs, I feel exactly the same way I feel when I enjoy a Monkees song (and some of the Monkees songs are catchy and fun, too).

A band I somehow missed completely when they were around. Definitely heard the band's name a lot, and I knew Dave Mustaine's name as well, but had not listened to this album or any Megadeth before. I almost never listen to any thrash metal (very little metal of any kind, really -- nothing against it, just not super into it), but I am really enjoying this album. They play amazingly well, so wild and airtight at the same time. How can they stay in time so perfectly well at that speed? Wow. The guitar playing is fantastic. I'm indifferent about the vocals, although the style makes sense for what they are doing. Definitely have respect for what they created and recorded here.

I like The Cure. Saw them in concert back in 1985 (Head On The Door tour) and they were great. I had not heard this album before, though, and I can hear the band really developing their own sound. I think Robert Smith is a fantastic guitarist.

Had heard some of these songs before, and overall the album is fine, but honestly, most of it is just not my thing. A little weird for me to say this given how much I like so many bands who launched in the 60s, but I really don't like a lot of the late 60s studio music. I think it's the production techniques they were using to make so many things sound "psychedelic" because trippy effects were popular at the time. I have a feeling I'd like some of these songs more if I heard them played without too many effects and production items. Other than that, though, overall I was pretty much bored.

I listened to this album just now. Didn't really do it for me. I've had an on-again/off-again relationship with U2 since the early-to-mid-80s. I listened to them a lot in high school, a bit into college, then drifted away from them. In the 90s, the same thing; had a few moments of listening to them, then faded out. Never really came back to them in earnest, so I guess it's been mostly "off-again." I don't dislike them, but I must admit I get bored quickly. And I know U2 fans will tar and feather me for this, but Bono's singing can sometimes annoy me. I saw them live (might have been '85) and remember loving The Edge as a guitar player. Still do. I honestly think he's a vastly underrated guitarist, probably because he doesn't really do long solos and doesn't shred, or whatever. I find him quite innovative and interesting.

Well now, THAT was interesting! What a bass player. I mean, wow. Some beautiful homages to Motown and similar R&B greatness yet very much in his own voice and style. Some super-cool grooves, and some fascinating bass and melody lines. Really nice.

Second album by this group to show up on my list. I like this one a little better. Nice to listen to today while I worked. I found myself chuckling a bit because the opening bars of the first cut, "La femme d'argent," sound somewhat similar to the Grateful Dead's "Scarlet Begonias." [[Eventually, one way or another, everything connects :-) ]]

Sweet! John Lee Hooker on his own is always a great listen; throw in guest stars like Bonnie Raitt, George Thorogood, Robert Cray, etc....soooo good. Really nice album.

Love the eclectic mash-up of styles on this album. I'm hearing hip hop, rock, rap, jazz, R&B, blues, funk, and even a bit of punk. Had not heard of these guys or their music before. Glad I have now!

For me, Billy Joel is in that category of musicians for whom I have great respect but rarely listen to. There's nothing wrong with his songs to my ear, and they are well-written, performed nicely, and often memorable. It's really just a matter of personal taste and preference, I suppose. I get why so many people love him.

Found this little gem in the Wikipedia article linked to by this site: Though critical of the album in many respects, including Waits' vocal delivery and the "morbid pathos" of the ballads, Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone wrote that "Tom Waits finds more beauty in the gutter than most people would find in the Garden of Eden," and referred to him as a "unique and lovable minor talent." I'm not loving his vocals on this one, and I'm not clever enough to know if he's doing it as parody or something like that. I do like some of the tracks, and he is one heck of a writer. Man, the guitar work in "In Shades" is great.

I hadn't heard of this artist or any of his songs, and I didn't know what to expect when I clicked on the album to play it. Some interesting stuff here. Quite a variety of styles. Not interested enough to come back to for me, but it wasn't bad.

I could not help feeling the whole time like I was listening to the soundtrack to 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show.' (Frankly -- no pun intended re the character, Frank -- I prefer 'Rocky Horror' to this; it's more fun.)

I sometimes like this genre -- which I guess I'd call American folk-rock, or something like that, maybe almost "jam band" but not quite to my ear -- and this album isn't bad; it just didn't really bring me fully in. It has some moments I liked, such as the jams in "Beautiful" and "Trillium."

Somewhat interesting. Loved the video for 'Ready, Able.' Might give this one another listen sometime. I like the decisions they make - they take some cool turns along the way.

Artist/band and his/their music were heretofore unknown to me, and I'm glad this project introduced me to all this. Some cool stuff in here; a real interesting hodgepodge of styles.

Amazing. He improvised the entire thing...that's just...wow. I get why he's so revered, and this album is so celebrated. I realized as I listened to it again that it takes some effort and concentration to stay with it; then I remember they only thing my lazy-arsed-self is doing is listening. Playing this? Making it up as I go along? Whoa.

Had heard one or two songs before. Some are catchy, and the album is very much a reflection of its time. Not a group I really enjoyed before -- didn't actively dislike, just never felt that interested or engaged with their music.

Once again, I find myself struggling to find words worthy of Joni Mitchell. For me, she is and will always be one of the greatest treasures, one of the greatest gifts, to and from the world of art and creativity. When I focus on her music, as I did for this album for this listen, there is so much to discover and hear, even when I've heard the song countless times before. What a rare and incredible musician on every level. This is a beautiful and fascinating album.

Unexpectedly interesting. A lot of texture and color to these tracks. A cool mix of ambient and dark. I like Beth Gibbons' voice. Not a style of music I've ever spent any time with -- kind of hard to fit into a "genre," anyway, and I like that about this album; I'm glad this project introduced me to it.

Wow. Familiar with many of Sam Cooke's songs, but not with this album. Love the grittiness and power, plus it's easy to hear how incredible he was as a performer. I read the Wikipedia entry on the album and then the one on Sam Cooke. Fascinating and tragic personal story. Back to this album: can absolutely hear why this album is consistently high up on so many lists. Can absolutely hear how his sound influenced countless artists who followed.

I grew up on the music of many musicians who cite Patti Smith as one of their most important influences, but I never really listened to her music. This is great stuff, both in its cultural context (totally get how and why this was so groundbreaking when it was released in '75) and as music that stands the test of time. I have no idea if she's listened to by today's teens and twentysomethings, but I have a feeling if they were to hear this album, they'd like it (not in the fuddy-duddy "music was better back them" way -- I sincerely don't believe that -- but in terms of the music and lyrics connecting with them).

There are a handful of Aerosmith songs from their early days that I really do love. I'm not sure why, and not exactly sure when (maybe early 80s?), but for me, the albums they released later on never did it for me. I don't dislike this album, but I am just not that interested.

Love this album, and ZZ Top is always a fun listen. Billy Gibbons is fantastic as always, Dusty Hill is so solid, and Frank Beard lays it down nicely. Just three guys playing some groovin' bluesy rock. Still sounds great fifty-ish years later.

Listened to this album quite a bit in college, hadn't really listened since, and honestly prepared my middle-aged self to be annoyed by it after all this time, as can happen. Didn't happen. Still a fun (and sometimes funny) album. I think what saves it for me is they are really good musicians and still come across as original-sounding to me. Oftentimes, I lose interest fast in bands that go for irony or some other form of humor, even when I like it first time I hear it. Maybe it's like improv humor for me in that when it works in the moment, it's great for a laugh, but I don't want to go back to that moment. Anyway, whatever the thought-and-feeling-process might be, this is an album this fiftysomething square dude can still enjoy.

I had heard of the Velvet Underground but did not know Nico and her interconnectedness with them and their whole scene (thank you, Wikipedia article about the album!). I didn't really like her voice at first, but it kind of grew on my as the album played on. The music is not bad, but because I've heard a lot of music in that 60's folk-baroque-pop sound, it doesn't really stand out for me. I'm sure it was more noticeably distinct when it was first released.

Had heard a few tracks off this album in the past, but this was my first concentrated listen-through. This thing soars high in so many spots. The passion and intensity comes through, and the music is so strong. Although I do get they wanted a real orchestral sound to the album, just as personal preference I don't always want so much from the strings and horns. Isaac Hayes' talent comes through no matter what.

The band and their music are both new to me. Add this to the list of music I'm glad this project has introduced me to. I like this band's sound and style. Much as I appreciate punk as a musical and cultural movement, I don't listen to much punk, but these guys weave in some nice elements of rockabilly, surf rock (which is kind of punk ancestor, I think, right?), blues, etc. I can also hear in The Gun Club's music a lot of things that definitely show up in a whole lot of acts that followed. Overall, I found this album to be more interesting musically than most punk music. Great energy, too. I like it.

When "Lovefool" came on, I recognized it. Had not heard the other songs from this album. The sound and style reminds me of some fairly recent pop songs I've heard; no idea if this band in particular was the direct influence or if it's part of a broader movement, but it's fun. I like that it's pop with a bit more color and texture.

Very much reflective of the time -- early 80s rock/pop -- and I can see why it would popular. Didn't really do it for me, though. Not sure exactly why, but part of has to with the feeling I get when listening to most of their songs that there's just too much going on and not often in a way that brings it all together.

It's hard to separate the music from the image (and admittedly hard to get Joe Piscopo's and Phil Hartman's Frank Sinatra characitures out of my head whenever I hear Frank sing, as well as the Johnny Fontane character in the Godfather movies), so I really tried to clear my mind of all the cultural stuff and just listen. I still like the music -- that era's swing-jazz-pop music is a lot of fun -- although I found from listening to it again, really focusing on the music, without all the Sinatra image stuff in it, it's just okay. There are artists from that era I like better. It doesn't really matter because there's no satisfying answer to the artist v. art question, but I'm glad I pushed myself to listen to it that way. Given this album and artist's massive appeal and popularity, makes sense it's on this list.

I've been familiar with Alice Cooper as a music icon since my early teens, and knew a few of his bigger radio hits, but I'd never owned or listened to any of his (their? is "Alice Cooper" both the frontman's stage name and the band's name?) albums before. Some good rock/pop songs on this one, definitely some humor sprinkled in, and I can see why it was such a big hit in the early 70s, and I can hear in it elements that definitely show up in a lot of later bands in the decades that followed. Not one that I expect to come back to, but fun sound overall.

I was in high school and college during Michael Jackson's massive spotlight years in the 80s, and back then it was so hard to separate the image projected endlessly by all form of media at the time from the actual artist and his work. Because of that, I didn't listen to his music on purpose (it was everywhere anyway, but I didn't make an effort). I missed this album mostly at the time, except for the controversial original 'Bad' video that was unavoidable because it was so relentlessly covered. All that being said, over the decades since then I've come to enjoy some of his music. I saw the documentary 'This Is It' after his death, and it helped me see him in a different light (as an artist; not commenting on him as a person). Listening to this album all the way through now for what is the first time for me, I hear some good music. Some of the tracks aren't to my liking, a little too synth-poppy for me, but 'Bad,' 'Smooth Criminal,' 'The Way You Make Me Feel,' and 'Man In the Mirror' are really well done.

Such a great representation of so much about 70s pop-rock. I remember their hits playing on the radio in the 70s, then later as "classic rock" stations emerged. A lot of the songs are catchy, but the album grew quickly repetitive-sounding for me with my present-day ears. Mind-time-travelling back to when this album was released, I imagine it stood out. Really cool cover art on this album. (Dang, I really miss album cover art.)

In my late teens and twenties, I listened to Santana with some frequency, and saw them in concert a couple times. I can't quite explain why, but in the decades since I just kind of lost interest in them, while other bands I listened to from both that era and genre in music and time in my life are still interesting to me. I suppose that's a reflection of how personal tastes and interests wax and wane and evolve over time. Long windup for me to say that this is the first time in a long, long time I've listened to Santana. I enjoyed quite a few tracks on this one. Some truly great musicianship and performances. Glad I had the opportunity to listen to this all the way through.

Quite different, especially considering this album is 50 years old. Much as it's not something I will come back to again, it definitely captured my attention at times, and I would imagine when it was first released how unusual and intriguing it must have been.

Had not heard of this band or heard their music. I like it. I enjoy quite a bit of what is usually categorized as "Southern rock," but I don't spend a ton of time in that subgenre because, like country music can to my ears, it can sound too similar to itself. This has nice doses of edge and darkness at times, and, dang, some real fine musicians plying their craft (those guitarists, and that drummer, for example - wow!). I imagine I'll come back to this one for another listen.

Another in the long list of bands who were very well-known during certain parts of my adult life yet I somehow missed entirely. I do remember the album cover -- it would've been a CD back then -- and how much I loved the artwork. Still do. I started listening to the album with a bit of concern that I'd have too many biases against them to really hear the music (I might be wrong, but this seems to be a band a lot people love to hate). It didn't seem to matter. I enjoyed the album and some of the tracks are particularly good. I was familiar with a few songs, probably from hearing them in public places, but I really hadn't heard most of these. I like the seeming simplicity of their songs that have more going on musically than meets the ear. I expected this album to be more straight-up pop music (there are those biases again!), yet I heard a little more darkness and layers in it. Good album.

Holy Schneikies, that is some truly mind-melting guitar work!! I had been introduced to the guitar solo on the title track by a brilliant guitar teacher, and it still sends me on a journey every time I hear it. The whole album is a beautiful, jarring, dark journey into the abyss and somehow lets us escape. Barely. What a masterpiece.

Sometimes campy (teetering between funny at moments and at others sounding like countless rock/punk bands trying to be irreverently funny), but, dang, some incredible musicians in this band. Can hear how it bridges the gap nicely between hard rock and early punk, with some real strong surf rock/60s garage rock vibes. The lead guitarist is phenomenal, and they all play together so tightly and powerfully. Overall, not one I'd come back to, but given its release year I get why it's included on this list. Seems to be a harbinger of subgenres to come.

I have heard the band's name for a long, long time yet never heard any of their music. This is a rough album at times, but I don't say that as a criticism; I know that's the intention and it's highly effective. The vocals and music drew me in and they work. From reading about this album, I think most of the instrumental parts are samples? Somehow, it all works. Totally get how influential they were on a lot of acts that followed.

This is a solid album. It's wild that it's their only album. As a stand-alone album, separate from any story about why it's their only, it's just really solid edgy organic rock with a nice pop feel, and I don't mean "pop" in a negative way. They have a feel for songwriting and song performing, even though I've read they don't like how the album came out. "There She Goes," the one song of their with which I was familiar already, is still one of my favorite songs. Something about that song makes it stand the test of time for me; sounds like it could've been written in the 60s or today.

Stylistically interesting for 1977; not what I would expect from an American rock band around that time. Can hear punk-esque aspects to this album, but the synths and electronic stuff adds texture to it all. Sometimes a little on harsh and screaming side of things, which I don't usually like, but overall this is interesting stuff.

In general, I'm just not all that fond of "psychedelic rock." This album is no exception for me, but it did serve an important purpose: it helped me figure out why I've never really liked that subgenre. It didn't make sense to me for the longest time; after all, as an aging wanna-be hippie, I fit the bill. Listening to this album and really not liking it as it played, it finally occurred to me that one of the things I don't like about psychedlic rock is it's designed to be trippy and weird, but it comes across as too self-conscious and self-referential for me. I like discovering on my own the weirdness and the unusual in art, music, and life; I don't like things that self-proclaim their own weirdness. Anyway, even removing this album from all that, I'm still not interested. Moving on.

Well, this is a nice surprise. I had not heard of the band and I don't recall ever hearing any of their music, and now I'm glad to be introduced to them. What an interesting blend of styles, and it all comes together so well. I plan to listen to their other work, too. Good stuff.

Wow, she's fantastic! This is a solid album. Had not heard of her or heard any of her music before. I like her style, her writing, and her voice. Great songwriting, too. She shows some real range of expression on this album. Very cool.

Dylan is one of those rare artists who I don't like to write or say too much about because whatever I have to say feels so, I don't know, unoriginal. It's not even based upon how much I like his music; it's more about how and what he wrote, recorded, performed, etc., and the immeasurable impact he had upon such a massive amount of music that followed. Regarding this particular album, although I did own it at one point, I didn't know it was his seventh studio album, and it was still only 1966. Makes me realize there is so much to his catalog (preceding and following this record) that I really don't know at all, so it will be great to explore it all deeper. This album has a lot of great stuff in it. Man, what a freaking writer.

I had heard some of Leonard Cohen's music before, but always as stand-alone songs, and even though I was always so drawn in and intrigued by his music, I don't know why but I never really listened to whole albums or watched concert videos or anything like that. Now, after having listened to this album all the way through, I most certainly will. What a fascinating artist. A wonderful dark yet somehow quite light meandering, layers and textures, lyrically poetic, so many things evoked. LOVE his voice; reminds me of espresso. Wish I had seen him perform live. I need to learn more. PS -- not sure if the nod to The Police's 'Every Breath You Take' in 'Ain't No Cure For Love' via the arpeggiating guitar underneath the verses (my ear isn't good enough to tell you if the chord progression is the same, but it sounds similar) is intentional, but it's cool (not being snarky...so many songs sound like each other that I don't too hung up on requiring artists to be "original" -- heck, no doubt if we really want to we could probably find a bunch of older songs that sound like 'Every Breath You Take' and then a bunch of even older songs that sound like those, etc.

What an interesting album. I had not heard of her or heard any of her music, and this style is a departure from music I typically enjoy. Although at times some of the tracks get too frenetic for me, overall I liked listening to this and will come back to it. I also want to explore her other work. (Re-listening to the track "Valley." It's beautiful.)

I remember listening to them back in the mid/late 80's during a relatively brief period of time during which I was interested in punk and similar styles. The genre was so different from what I had been listening to, and to a sheltered suburbanite in his late teens, it sounded dangerous and exciting. Totally get the "rebelliousness" cliche I was part of. (I don't feel bad about it at all; just part of the growing up process. Still doing it in my mid-50s. Life. It goes on.) Listening to punk music for me these days usually leaves me mostly uninterested, so I was curious to see my reaction to this one. I expected to shrug my shoulders at it as part of a fading broader memory, and I was suprised to find myself appreciating what they were doing. Really great playing by the musicians, the singing and lyrics are catchy and fun, and it isn't to my ears as cacophonous as a lot of the genre is to me (it's okay, kids, go ahead and make fun of my middle-aged sensibilities ;-). Overall, really solid album.

I'd not heard of the artist or heard any of the music before, and when it started and as I read the Wikipedia on it, I thought I'd probably like it because it has a lot of elements of music I tend to enjoy; however, I did not like this album. Some moments are interesting musically, but most of the time I could not shake the feeling I was listening to parody, and it felt like parody I didn't get. I tried to be open-minded and listen to as parody, I liked it even less. Cool album cover art, though.

I listened to Billy Bragg a little in college, but not very much. And for some reason, I completely missed Wilco, even though I heart about them quite often and several friends like them whose taste in music tends to overlap with mine. (Side note: this reminds me to listen to their own albums...seems like a band I might enjoy.) Anyway, this album specifically: I like it. The musicianship is fantastic; really great playing. Billy Bragg's voice when he goes full Billy Bragg can grate on me quickly; comes across as too shouty for me. On this album, however, he dials it down and that really helps. I still prefer the tracks on this album when he's not singing lead. And the couple tracks with Natalie Merchant stand out. Her voice is always rich, memorable, and mesmerizing. (I'm now imagining this whole album with her as lead vocalist, and that would've been amazing.) Overall, good stuff. Enjoyed it.

Nah, the whole 60s psychedelic rock thing just doesn't do it for me, and most of these groups remind me of Spinal Tap's '(Listen to the) Flower People,' as this album does. I get the irony of an aging wanna-be hippie like me not liking 60s psychedelic rock at all, but I really don't. On we go.

This is a lot more fun to listen to than I expected. I don't listen very often to country and Western music (I don't know what the difference is between those two categories, but I always see them listed as two discrete names, so I'll do the same), but I was somewhat familiar with one or two of these songs because I've heard covers. I like the sound of these tracks. Reminds of music we'll hear playing in the background of a film in which bad things eventually happen; e.g., music like this plays quietly over speakers in a roadside diner as two characters meet late at night to talk about some nefarious thing or we can tell one of them is going to kill the other later, stuff like that, or maybe it's playing on the soundtrack as an aural juxtaposition to someone getting their teeth kicked in. I also enjoy how wonderfully anachronistic yet deeply familiar this all sounded to me. Almost kind of steampunk-ish, you know? There's really nothing out there like this these days, or at least not that I've heard or encountered. I can hear, too, the roots of all sorts of music that followed in a wide variety of styles; that, of course, means this music reflects other earlier influences, and that's cool. I honestly thought this album would either bore or annoy me to know end, but it didn't. Nice. Oh, and is it okay to admit I kind of get a little misty-eyed at the end of "El Paso"? Of course it is.

I saw a documentary about Serge Gainsbourg maybe a dozen years ago, and that made me a fan. Fascinating person and artist. This album is great. It's very, well, Serge Gainsboug. Weirdly accessible, even in the 2020's, and even though I don't understand any of the lyrics because I know maybe a dozen words in French (nearly all food, my fellow fromage-heads). The musical arrangements are fantastic, and, wow, that guitarist can play! Somehow, with the music playing underneath the spoke French dialogue, it just works. This is one I'll listen to again.

I did not know about the "visual album" concept, with some short films accompanying some (all?) songs. Cool idea. The songs are a bit darker and more intimate than I expected, and it mostly kept my attention. I had to put in a little work to push out my biases as best I could -- not easy, given she's, well, she's Beyoncé, for crying out loud -- to focus on the music. It stood up. Some of the tracks are a bit too "dance club" sounding to me, but that's quite possibly a product of my own conditioning. Overally, though, this album has a lot of good stuff going on.

David Bowie is fascinating and wonderful in so many ways, which of course includes his music. I love it when a musician or band continues to evolve and experiment throughout their life, and in very rare cases that musician still somehow sounds very much like, well, that musician. Bowie is one of those rare treasures. Regarding this album in particular, I had heard some but not all tracks before, and I enjoyed listening to them. Some of the songs made my brain go, "hey, I know that tune," then realize I don't recognize a song but rather as style or sound. For example, 'The Secret Life Of Arabia' reminds me of Talking Heads, a little bit of Blondie, and I'm sure countless other bands with which I am not familiar. This is not a knock on anyone; I don't get hung up on who did it first. I just think it's cool. Transports me to late 70s music and art and culture, or at least my fantasy of it. I don't care how far off I am in my imagining what it was like, I just enjoy it -- and I really have no idea as I was a suburban kid in elementary school when this music was made. Some of the tracks also sound like they could've been made this year. Almost futuristic, maybe? Like it could be a score for a Kubrick film. A few are a little too dissonant for me, but I can sometimes feel like that upon first listen of music that is a bit outside the "norm" or expectation I had.

Some real nice tracks here. Love the groove. Nice soul without as much "thump." Nothing against some big and heavy thump in music; I sometimes love that, just not always in the mood for it. A few elements and styles woven together nicely here. That kind of approach doesn't always work for my ear -- the risk with such mixing together can be it sounds like parts don't gel -- but it does here. That's impressive. I really like her voice. She's got a great ear for matching music to her voice and vice versa. Glad this project introduced me to her.

Both the band and their music are new to me. I don't recall even hearing their name before this album came up on the Generator. When the first track started, I was a little worried it would be too dance-floor-y for my liking, but not so. Some of the tracks kept me engaged nicely, like 'Skeletons.' Others didn't really click for me, sometimes gets a little screechy for me, but I like the band's overall sound and style so I can appreciate the work here. (Side Note: the playlist of the album that came up for me included some acoustic versions of the songs on this album -- I don't think they were included in the original album when it was released -- and some of those versions are interesting.)

This album is such a wonderful trip for me on two levels. First, on the nostalgia front, it brings me back to summers of my youth when these songs played on the radio and the energy was fantastic. Next, for me as a present-day listener, I hear and appreciate the music in a whole new way. The songs are a lot fun, they hold up well in the harsh light of time's passing, and I am blown away by the musicians, all of them. Bob Mayo's keys are on another level. I could listen to his keyboard solo on 'Do You Feel Like We Do' go on for hours. And Frampton's guitar playing...wow. Growing up, I somehow missed his being on the level of the other rock guitar gods I adored. I know now. Related Note: I recently discovered an album he recorded just a couple years ago, 'All Blues,' which is outstanding. He's still a true artist on the guitar. Back to this album: Yes, definitely one of the all-time greats. If the only song on it were 'Do You Feel Like We Do,' I'd still believe it's worthy of this list. Final Note: fans of Peter Frampton should see Rick Beato's "What Makes This Song Great?" episode on 'Do You Feel Like We Do' as well as the few other Peter Frampton-focused videos on Rick Beato's YouTube channel. Absolute worth watching.

There is no way for me to hold back when talking about Steely Dan. To me, each album they released seems to inch higher into rarefied air ('Aja' is the apex for me). This is their third album and, for the most part, their final one revolving around their original quintet, but we can hear their evolving style and approach with the extra musicians they brought in. This album stands superbly on its own and points to the refined excellence that would follow from Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. I have friends whose musical aesthetic and knowledge I admire greatly who do not like this band. I understand that to some listeners the music is too much like "smooth jazz" and "elevator music," and that they lyrics can range from inside-jokey to enigmatic to obtuse and impenetrable. That's not how I hear or experience this band, their work, or this album. I think their dark humor and irony, not just in the lyrics but also very much in their music, too, doesn't come through for everyone. I've loved their music for a long time, but now as a music student I hear them in a new light and I am absolutely gobsmacked by their writing, their arranging, their playing -- not just the all-star musicians they brought into the studio, but Becker (a wildly underrated guitarist) and Fagen (amazing on the keys and I genuinley love his voice; just perfect for their music) -- and the mind-blowing level of engineering prowess. Their notorious perfectionism and absurd attention to every detail pays off. Their writing is outstanding. I like the detached irony of their lyrics and as a lover of jazz I really dig their ability to weave jazz elements into pop and rock songs without letting it get to cluttered or disjointed. I honestly don't know how they do it. I love jazz, I love rock, but generally I do not like fusion. These guys avoided whatever it is about fusion that doesn't click with me, and that's mighty impressive. I do not mean to suggest that their approach should be a universal standard; not at all. Some of my all-time favorite music was recorded hastily with lots of "mistakes" and imperfections that are essential to the whole experience. This album has some incredible tracks on it, and incredible moments within the tracks. One example of many: I am crazy about Walter Becker's guitar solo in 'Pretzel Logic.' And I love his wah-infused lead guitar on their cover of Duke Ellington's 'East St. Louis Toodle-Oo.' Love the album cover, by the way. Final note for fellow Steely Dan fans: I am nearly finished reading "Major Dudes: A Steely Dan Companion," a collection of decades of interviews, reviews, and other writings on them and their music. The appear chronologically in the book and it's a fascinating journey. I highly recommend it.

The piano on the title track is wild! Really cool. Overall very solid album, some interesting rock that definitely has the David Bowie vibe and flair. Very theatric at times; some moments so much so that I could've been told I'm listening to the soundtrack from an edgy Broadway musical and I would believe it. Some tracks get a little frenetic and busy for me, but I think that's quite intentional. Bowie is still very cool.

I listened to a little hardcore punk back in the 80s when it was more prevalent, so I wouldn't be surprised if I've heard these guys or this album before, I just have no memory of it. They are a good example of the sound of that time and genre. They play real tight. It's a bit same-sounding and too thrashy at times for me, but it's performed and recorded really well. Not the kind of music I listen to anymore, so I doubt I'll revisit this one.

Still not really there for me. This is a band I've long wanted to really get into. On paper, as it were, they seem like the kind of artists I'd love. Hasn't happened yet. This album clicked with me a little better than the other one that came up on my rotation in this album generator, but I honestly can't remember much, if anything, about that other one. There are some really interesting moments on this album. I actually might come back to it -- might come back to their other works, too -- and give some more concentrated listening time to them.

He's a very interesting guy who has been involved in a lot of music I like, so I looked forward to listening to this when it popped up in my rotation today. I listened to it, and it's a mixed bag for me, but overall I liked it. Some tracks just didn't do anything for me (the more frenetic ones, some of which sounded like mockery at times, which might be the point but I didn't like them), and others drew me in (e.g., 'Energy Fools The Magician' caught my interest, as did 'Through Hollow Lands'). Totally get the connection to his future work with the Talking Heads, though, and that's very cool. For the most part, I think I might have liked this album more if there were little or no vocals. I did like 'By This River,' though, and that has clear vocals. The keys on that track are great. And 'Spider And I' is really cool.

Whoa, these guys come right at us, don't they. I like it. It totally works for what they're doing. Powerful lyrics and the music is fantastic they create to support them. Very cool rhythms and instrumentals; quite a departure from most hip hop/rap I've heard (which, admittedly, is not a significant sample size). My only real criticism is the lyrics sometimes seem to me to be a bit heavy-handed, but that's forgivable in this context. "Music And Politics" is so cool; reminds me of Beatnik stuff but sounds much more contemporary. I really want to check out their other album (looks like they made only two...too bad; I would LOVE to hear their artistic take on current times).

I remember clearly how fashionable it was to hate on Courtney Love when she was in the spotlight in the 90s. I hate it when that happens; always seems to bring out the nastiness in society. That being said, I didn't listen to Hole back then because my interest in "grunge" was somewhat fleeting. There was some music in that broad category that I enjoyed, but after a few years I lost interest. I did my best, as I generally try to do with this interesting album-generator experiment, to clear my mind of the heavy biases and prejudices I knew I'd bring to my listening. It's pretty much impossible to fully erase expectations, at least for this flawed listener, so I admit I still expected on some level to dislike it. It's better than I thought it would be. I found the songs to be more melodic and layered than I expected (reading the Wikipedia article on it, that seems to have been quite intentional), the composition and performances are good, and my only main criticisms are (1) I don't always like Courtney Love's voice as the main vocalist. I'm not sure why because she can sing quite well. Just how I hear it, I guess, but I always have to allow for the possibility that my brain cannot separate the voice from the image of the person. (2) Many of the tracks sound too similar to each other. The album is not so compelling that I intend listening to it regularly, but for the most part it was enjoyable.

Another in the long list of well-known bands I managed to miss entirely when they were popular. I heard their name a lot in the 90s, but somehow just never heard their music. Anyway, I've listened to them a little bit in the past year or so because I stumbled upon a recent video of Tom Morello playing guitar and it was really interesting. Listening to this album fully for the first time (I've heard two or three of the tracks before, but not the whole album), I can hear why it appeals to so many, especially when I drop it in the early 90s and play it back in my mind that way. Musically, I think these guys play incredibly well. I know as an amateur musician that why I'm hearing is not easy to do. Much as I appreciate this band in a few ways -- e.g., music (as mentioned), hard-hitting political messages (most of which resonate with my views), no sampling or heavy production, etc. -- I still haven't turned into a major fan. I don't dislike the album or the band, not at all, and there are moments and tracks on this album I like. It's fun and compelling in some spots. I think I might find it a bit "much" at times, mostly due to the music getting pretty frenetic and the lead vocalist screaming (I know that's intentional for effect, but it's usually not something I like to hear) so I don't think I'd listen to them for a great length of time, but there's some real good stuff going on here.

This was a great listen. I've been aware of this album for a long time and it's place in legend and lore. What little I know about Johnny Cash (nope, haven't seen the well-known documentaries or the super-famous biopic, but I would like to one day), I really like him as a person. As a musician, his appeal is easy to see. He makes it seem all so familiar and casual, but with his own signature sound, style, and of course, voice. I have heard his music in various settings over the years and I like it. It's not something I gravitate strongly towards on a regular basis. I have a feeling if I had ever seen him play live, I'd have been a lifelong huge fan. Seems like that kind of performer and person.

Really nice music, quite enjoyable to listen to, and often puts a smile of my face from the energy coming through.

Overall, I liked this album more than I thought I would. That being said, I don't love it. It's a bit too saccharine for me. It didn't keep my attention all the way through, and quite a few of the tracks sound like the kind of songs one hears on 'American Idol'-type contest shows. On the plus side, some of the songs are very nicely written and performed. She's definitely a talented songwriter, musician, and singer. I have a feeling if she add a little more realness/rawness to her songs (I heard hints of it in some of these tracks), I'd be drawn in more. PS -- I'm also glad to see an album made just a few years ago make this list.

On the plus side, it's always good for me to listen to music and genres I rarely hear. This one is pretty far away from the kind of music I usually play. I listened to it all the way through, hoped it would grab me, but it just didn't. Mostly felt indifferent to it, and at times a little annoyed by it.

Had not heard of this band or heard their music (not that I recall, but as they had a hit or two in the late 80s, I probably heard those on the radio and just don't recall). The lead vocalist's voice is strong and clear, and they play well. The sound is very familiar to me as a lot of pop bands in the mid to late 80s sounded like this. It's a good representation of that sound. Nothing wrong with the album, just didn't engage me. Everything kind of blurred together as one long song with different sections rather than distinct tracks.

Given the year this was released, this band seem in some ways very much steeped in the times (lots of psychedlia; cacophony of sounds, instruments, effects; melodies and vocals that sound like the times, etc.) and also a little out there on their own. It mostly doesn't work for me, and frankly I found a lot it annoying, but I appreciate what they were trying to do.

As I've mentioned with the other U2 albums, I run hot-and-cold with this band. I do remember this album pretty well because it got a lot air play and coverage at the time. I enjoyed listenting to it today quite a bit more than I expected. This album has a great sound to it (I don't know enough about music production, sound engineering, etc., to comment intelligently on it, so I'm not sure how much that work has to do with the "sound" I'm talking about) and the songwriting is overall excellent. Hard to separate Bono from the "Bono-ness" of his gargantuan image, so I really tried to just listen to the music and let that be it. It did help. His voice can be quite compelling and he's got killer range, and it fits this music perfectly. I still love The Edge as a guitar player and repeat what I've said before about he deserves to be mentioned in the same list of whoever gets put on the "great rock guitarists" list. He's a lot more innovative and interesting than people give him credit for. I can barely understand what the few pedals I have do, and he plays effects and alternate tunings like they are instruments of their own.

This sure brings me back. Wow. Listening to it all the way through makes me realize how much air play this album got for years and years. I didn't know I knew these songs so well -- hadn't heard them in a mighty long time -- and as the album played through it all came back. It was fun to hear these songs again. All so very catchy. It's not likely I'd come back to listen to it, but it's good stuff.

Been a while since I've listened to Supertramp, and it's really nice to hear them again. I was familiar with a couple tracks on this album -- "Bloody Well Right" has such great keys (and it all comes together great) and "Dreamer" is fun -- and it's nice to hear the whole thing. Somtimes feels like Moody Blues and other bands to me that get a little too into the synth/organ extended groovy 70s play, and it has a lot of moments of feeling every bit the 70s prog rock/pop effort it is, can be dreamy/drippy at times, but it's overall really well done and this band has a lot of talent.

I've been waiting for this one. I remember vividly when this album was released during my college years, and I listened to it constantly, saw her in concert, and still love it to this day. She brought such a great new voice and sound during a time when a lot of airplay was given over to 80s hair metal and synth-pop. This album was released in the early years of Bush I's presidency and we needed a voice like this. Setting aside the important political and cultural context in which this album emerged, musically it is fantastic on its own. She's an incredible writer, lyrically and musically, and her voice can do so much. She's a heck of a guitar player, too. I remember experiencing that in concert when I saw her. So wonderful to hear this again. Thank you.

When the Beastie Boys first were popular and hit the scene, the only song I knew was their hit about fighting for the right to party, and I found it a little funny but mostly obnoxious so I avoided their music. I have never heard this album, hadn't even heard of it, and it's actually pretty good. Catchy and clever, some great hooks, and it's interesting that it's all cobbled together with samples. I remember listening to some of the albums that followed, the ones in which they play instruments, and I like a handful of those tracks. Overall, this album is likeable.

It was as interesting to read about this album's background as it was to listen to it. I had heard of the group before, probably heard a song or two in passing, but never spent any time listening to them. I expected more chaos and screaming, and there is some of that, but not as random-sounding as I thought it would be. Yet another reminder that I have a lot of work to do on removing biases, prejudices, and expectations. Let the music play, as it were. I found the tracks full of well-crafted melody and harmony, they all play fantastically well, and in most songs, I was drawn in quite nicely. Definitely has some punk elements and influences, but there are layers and textures beyond those normally heard in that area. The Wikipedia article says they were known for their improvisations in live performances, and Henry Rollins encouraged them to reflect that in their studio work. Good suggestion. They've got the chops to pull it off really well. Love some of the extended jams they include in some of the tracks. I need to spend more time on this one. I want to get into the lyrics more. Lots of sci-fi and other references, and they even have a song that pays homage both to the tune "Hey Joe" and Joni Mitchell. Hecks, YES. Great album, and I love that it's outside what I normally listen to. It's more...maybe "intense" is the right word? Something like that. Good healthy process here in this project. Love it.

Very interesting. Had zero knowledge of this band before now. At times, this album veers towards what sounds to me like parody, but I'm not always great at being able to spot that, so forgive me if I missed the point. Musically odd and disjointed, so it had my attention at various points. The vocal melodies and performances are quite unusual, especially for the time. All in all, a little "out there" for me, but I can see how they were influenced by 60s avante garde and experimental art of all kinds, and how ahead of the musical curve they were in some ways -- a lot of the elements I hear in these tracks are familiar to me from later music.

I like it when music that falls generally somewhere in the very broad "punk" category has some groove to it, and this band brings it nicely. I appreciate punk mostly for its cultural significance and influence on other genres of music, but I don't listen to a lot of it because it's often just too harsh for me. (Related to the same part of my DNA that likes spicy food on the medium, not hot, scale? I have no idea.) Some songs are little screechy for me, but overall, I like this album. I had not heard of the band or heard any of their music, but, wow, I can absolutely hear how their sound influenced a lot bands to follow. For example, I read in the Wikipedia entry (the one on the band itself, not this album) that The Feelies, one of my favorite bands (man, I just love 'The Good Earth' and still listen to it), regularly cover one of their songs in live shows. I hear the similarities. So cool. So, Yes, I like this album and some of the tracks really stuck out for me, like "Reuters," "Ex Lion Tamer," and "Mannequin." "Fragile" might be my favorite. And the brief track, "The Commercial," is really fun.

Some of the tracks were interesting to me and kept my attention. This album is at times hypnotic, e.g., 'Tomorrow Is Already Here,' 'Monster Sacre,' and 'Anonymous Collective.' And although I can speak only a dozen words or so, if that, I do love the sound of the French language, so as pure aural pleasure I loved it when she sang or spoke in French. If someone described this album to me, I don't think I would listen to it. Kudos again to this project.

I don't listen to CCR these days like I did when I was young, but hearing this album again reminds me why I liked them in the first place. Super-catchy riffs and melodies, good steady rhythms, and evokes long stretches of highway in that road-tripping American imagery (might be just me, but that's how I've always heard their music). Other than listening to their music and knowing John Fogerty's name from his later work, I knew very little about the band, so I'm glad I clicked on the Wikipedia entry. This tidbit it particularly interesting to me: ***The band's single-mindedness and work ethic drew the ire of some other San Francisco-based bands, with drummer Doug Clifford recalling to Jeb Wright of Goldmine in 2013, "We went to see the local bands and they were so stoned they weren’t even in tune and they were really terrible...We made a pact on the floor of the Fillmore, right then, where we would do no drugs or alcohol. We decided to get high on the music, or get out of the business." Going against the grain at the times, Creedence eschewed the acid-inspired free-form jams favored by many rock bands, for tightly-structured roots music with an unmistakable rockabilly edge. "I didn't like the idea of those acid-rock, 45-minute guitar solos," Fogerty explained to Uncut's David Cavanagh in 2012. "I thought music should get to the point a little more quickly than that." *** Much as I personally make no judgment on bands who decided to go deep into the very route these guys veered away from, I like the band's contrarian ethos. I imagine it was particularly bold for a Bay Area band in the late 60s/early 70s to make that choice -- even amongst peace-loving hippies, there is still peer pressure (speaking from experience here). Really solid album here. Very tight, well-written, well-performed, catchy, and enjoyable.

I've heard a couple of their songs in the past, but never really paid attention, so this is my first real listen to their music. Energetic, fun, and super-tight. Somewhat similarity to the Meat Puppets, a band I really like, but with more edge and thrashiness. I like their sense of melody in some of the tracks. Overall, I like this album. Almost a danceable, or at least foot-tapping, version of punk-influenced rock. Some real catchy guitar licks, too. To me, they sound kind of like the garage bands I heard in the mid and late 80s, but at a much higher level of ability, craft, and discipline (in a great way). Fun stuff.

New to me, the band, this album, and their music, so I had no idea what to expect (always a great way to experience any art). The overall sound is very familiar to me, so they could be a mix of a real reflection of late 70s punk/new wave/pop and their influence on other bands at the time and later. I find these songs quite catchy and they keep my attention most of the time. They play very well ('Choosey Susie,' for example, has some excellent guitar work), sticking together solidly through some staccato and fast-moving harmonies, and I like that I can usually hear what the singer is singing because the lyrics are often intelligent and witty. I bet this band was fun to see live in a small club at the time. Good music to move around to (I'm not much of dancer, but I could totally see myself bopping around to 'London Lady,' for example) and even though it has some real layers and textures, it's not inaccessible and it's not a downer. Real good stuff here, and I will listen to more of their music.

Absolutely get how much of an influence they had on their contemporaries and many bands to follow, and many of the tunes are quite catchy, but overall I think I must have heard these songs too often growing up. I also find them a bit tinny, kind of thin in their sound, and honestly just wasn't very interested as it played.

Pretty sure this was my first Clash album. I really enjoyed them as a teen and saw them in concert (maybe '84?). I haven't listened to them in quite a while but it still holds up nicely for me. I like their blend of styles on this album and others. They didn't stay in one lane, and while that can sometimes backfire for other bands it works well for The Clash.

I've heard of Steve Earle thanks to Lyle Lovett's excellent cover of Earle's song 'Lungs,' but didn't really know Steve Earle's music beyond that. This album is a lot more country-style than the music I usually listen to or tend be drawn to, but I like it. I find the songs to be well-written and performed nicely, too. Kind of music that reminds me of road trips, or playing pool at a bar. Romanticizing this all in my mind, I know, but that's what music often does. I'll take it.

I tried. I like a small number of Kinks' songs, but listening to this album all the way through, in all honesty I didn't hear any tracks I liked. Some bored me, others annoyed me.

I had heard a few of the songs from this album back when it was popular, but I'd never listened to the whole album. Overall, it's...okay. I don't actively dislike it but don't love it, either. I surprised myself by liking "Hand In My Pocket" after all these years. Maybe it's a bit of nostalgia for those years and the general sentiment of that song -- I remember liking it when it was released because irony and cyncism had permeated, well, pretty much everything by the mid-90s, and it was refreshing to hear something with some semblance of hope in it. I get that to some (many? I really have no idea; can hardly fathom my own loose grasp on existence, what the hell do I know of others' experience) listeners that song might be hokey or corny or whatever, but I dig it. She has a great voice, which can come through at times but it can be a bit much, too. And, hey, she played God in Kevin Smith's 1999 comedy "Dogma," so there's that, too.

Pink Floyd is one of my most favorite bands of all time. That being said, I am less of a fan of the music they recorded in the Syd Barrett years. On the positive side, I can hear even in this debut album the vision and talents of the band, which became more and more apparent as they progressed away from the heavy psychedelic sound with which they began their performing and recording careers. Although most music in the psychedelic genre generally annoys me, Pink Floyd's take on it contains more art, melody, fun, and originality. Compared with most psychedelic rock, this album is a lot better. This album suffers a little through my listening ears for two main reasons: (1) my overall dislike of the psychedelic sound [so much of it sounds like people tripping playing music they think sounds cool while tripping but doesn't translate to sober ears, or worse, sober people making music they think tripping people would like] and (2) Pink Floyd's later music is just so darn amazing to me that these earlier efforts don't measure up by comparison (this is 100% forgivable, of course). The Syd Barrett story is fascinating, beautiful, and of course as we all know, ultimately heartbreaking and tragic. I cannot hear one of my most beloved Pink Floyd songs, "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," from Wish You Were Here, and not get a little choked up from the sheer beauty of the music, the poetic artistry of the lyrics, and the story behind the song. Back to this album, which has more good tracks on it than I've given it credit for -- picking up a lot more as I re-listen to it all the way through. For example, Pow R. Toc. H has some great keyboard work (descends a bit too much into trippy sound effects later on, though). Interstellar Overdrive is pretty wild. I can imagine how weird and disorientating it all would be live.

Definitely caught and kept my attention. There's a darkness to many of the track's rhythm and harmony that I like. It's not so dark as to be overly dissonant or grating to my ear, and it's not a downer; it's really a texture or layering that I'm feeling. Melodically, it's a bit more interesting to my ear than other rap and hip-hop I've heard. I could almost see the notes climbing up and down the staff as a song progressed, and I don't normally get that kind of visual imagery. Very cool. I'll need to go back to listen again and read the lyrics, too. As someone who loves poetry, I'm hearing some intriguing uses of meter and lyricism. 'Memory Lane' and 'Represent,' among others...I need to dig in. Great album. (Follow-Up: I just scrolled the Wikipedia article; dang, that's a long one! I'll definitely have to read it.)

I had heard 'This Is The Day' before because it got a fair amount of airplay in my college years, but I was mostly unfamiliar with the other songs on this album. I listened to it all the way through whilst I worked (which, frankly, is how I've been able to continue this project) and it's nice to have on. Most of the songs have catchy rhythms, there are some solid bass lines, a few moments of really sweet keys (like 'Uncertain Smile'), and some decent tracks on this album. The lead vocalist's voice can be a bit much for me at times, just a personal preference thing - no doubt he can sing well. The general sound and feel of the album brings me back to the mid-80s pop/rock/alt sound, and I have some happy memories from those years, so the album might be getting a little heart-boost from me because of that. Hard to separate out one's individual subjective experience from listening to music (or, really, anything else for that matter) and that's something I just have to roll with.

Chicago Blues at its rockin' and stompin' finest. I know the blues is a vast and deep ocean from which nearly all Western tonal music comes, and I totally get how easily music in the boundless "blues" genre can disappear into that unfathomably huge ocean, but when it's done like this, it's all good. I often caught myself tapping my foot and bobbing my head as the tracks grooved on. The whole album moves, and all the players are superb -- and whoa, man, Pinetop Perkins on the piano, holy smokes! Reminds us that the blues didn't emerge as a musical style so very long ago as a means to bring others down, but as a process to sing and play it out to feel better.

This is one on which I happily clicked "Play" to listen all the way through even though I already know the whole thing. I could write far too much here because I'm a fan of the band and this album, so I'll try to rein it in here. In a genre (hard rock/heavy metal) in which bands can too easily devolve into unintended self-parody, AC/DC always managed to avoid that and play what I always hear as just really fun rock. And this album is absolutely super-fun! They somehow play hard-driving rock that's danceable and upbeat without being syrupy or saccharine. Not sure many bands can pull that off. Plus, from the interviews I've seen and the stories I've heard, this band is full of truly nice people. Angus Young's genuine humility and decency always seem apparent to me whenever I hear him chatting. It's great. It's really cool to see my son in his early teens, and a few of his peers, discover and love this band and this album too.

Dolly. Love her in so many ways. I hadn't heard most of these songs, and they are very much Dolly, which is a high compliment. At a time when women songwriters and performers had it so tough, she pushed hard. This was genuinely enjoyable to listen to this morning.

I've always loved Bruce Springsteen's take on 'Like A Rolling Stone,' of which he said "the snare drum that opens this song feels like someone kicked open the door to your mind." Yep. I can't really think of or write anything all that interesting about Bob Dylan or this album. I'll go with simple terms and state plainly that I view him as a literary treasure and this album is firmly established as one of the key works of art in my humble inner Pantheon. Now, back to the headphones to listen to this again with my eyes closed. I want to get the door to my mind kicked open.

Meh. I really expected to like this a lot more -- oddly, despite growing up listening constantly to what we now call "classic rock" (back then, it was just the stuff all the rock radio stations played), I hadn't heard very much Deep Purple -- and I don't like much here. I can hear some very talented musicians, no doubt about it, but I don't like the vocalist, and the songs themselves just don't really grab me. I love the sound of guitars in any genre, especially rock, but incredible as these guitarists are in terms of their ability, I was surprised to find myself bored during solos. I think, too, that this album suffers a bit because of so many bands that came after this era sounding a lot like this.

I do like Neil Young and I love that he is constantly experimenting and trying new sounds. Definitely one of those artists who has stayed true to himself throughout his career. This album is not one my favorites of his, though. Just a personal preference on my part. Can't quite reduce it to words, but something about the sound of the album and style in the playing -- just not my thing.

I know I am biased here because I really do love Miles Davis and a lot of his "cool jazz" contemporaries and artists that followed their lead, and I am also influenced by the music reviews of the time that likened this album and similar works to impressionist-style visual arts, but, what the heck, I'll embrace it all. This album is gorgeous. The layers, textures, colors...man. I love to imagine what it would be like to find a little time-space portal to loop back to NYC in the late 40s through early 60s when so much amazing jazz was happening. I love this album. Such art.

Although not my usual go-to stylistically, I hear some really great playing and creativity. I think I'd heard of this band before, not really sure, but definitely had not listened to anything by them in the past. Hard-driving gritty stuff but not too messy and not so overdriven and distorted that it crumbles into static, as can happen (at least to my ear) in metal. The screamed vocals are at times too much for me, but it makes sense for what I think they're going for here. As always, kudos to this project for making sure I open up my listening ears to music I don't usually hear.

The band's name was familiar to me already but for the life of me, I can't remember why. Maybe a friend liked them, not sure. Anyway, I don't recall having heard their music or even knowing what kind of music they make, so this is all very new to me. And I'm really glad I am now introduced to this band. Fascinating stuff, especially when I consider when they recorded this album. What sounds to our ears in the 2020s like music anyone with a MIDI instrument and a DAW could make in a matter of minutes, they produced with early 70s tech. This is, to state the obvious, no small feat. I will definitely listen to more of their work and read up on how they did it. So cool!

I had no idea what to expect given this artist and his music are all new to me, and it has some pretty fun moments. Some great grooves here and there, very bluesy-folksy-funky, and very much early-70s rootsy rock. I don't love it, but it's not bad. I got curious so down the Wikipedia rabbit hole I went, and I learned Tim Buckley is Jeff Buckley's father, and Tim and Jeff both died super-young, Tim at 28 (OD) and Jeff at 30 (swimming accident, no drugs or alcohol in his system). That made me sad. I see that Chuck Rainey plays bass on this album so I read up on him, too. He's still around at age 81 and the list of amazing artists and bands with whom he's played is staggering. Chuck Rainey is incredible. Back to this album: the sound overall is a little too early 70s late-stage hippie for me (sorry, folks, I just don't like the sound of congas in rock all that much...if they had been sparingly used back then, I'm sure I would barely have noticed, but, dang, they invaded so many genres of music and, at least for me, it's a "No, thank you").

I remember this album from when I was a kid, but only a couple tracks, like the title track and Jet. Despite our family having this LP in our home in the 70s, I'm not sure I ever listened to it all the way through, at least not attentively. It's okay. It's not horrible, and I still like the title track and Jet, although truth be told that might be due to nostalgia. Overall, I just wasn't very interested as I listened to it. Too saccharine for me. I did read the Wikipedia entry on this album and the story of the album's making is definitely worth a read.

Aretha Franklin is in that small number of iconic artists about whom whatever I might say or write feels redundant. In her case, it's for very good reason. What else can I say about the Queen of Soul? This is brilliant, beautiful, and I love it. That's plenty.

Another major band from my youth that somehow I missed at the time. Honestly have no idea how I missed them given that I was into similar-sounding bands in my teens, and I remember seeing Iron Maiden t-shirts (especially the variety very much in favor back then, the 3/4-length baseball style) everywhere for years. So, long windup to say this is my first listen, or at least the first listen of which I am consciously aware. I was surprised to find relatively approachable. By that I mean I always associated them with the speedy hard-driving version of heavy metal, but because I've heard decades of that music in the years that followed this album, this album sounded less angry and dissonant than I expected. I have a feeling that had I listened to this when it debuted, I would definitely have had a different reaction. Although I don't listen to very much metal, I know there are some really great bands in that genre, and these guys write and play very well. It's not something I imagine I'll come back to, but that's just personal taste. The album art is hilarious.

I could gush for pages (no pun intended) about this band and this album. So much love for both Led Zeppelin and this amazing work. For example, it doesn't matter that I've heard 'Ten Years Gone' hundreds of times; as soon as the very opening chords are strummed, I'm moved. It should get old, right? But it never does. My son, currently in his early teens, is a drummer, loves this band, and thinks John Henry Bonham is one of the greatest of all time. I do not disagree. I'm not even a drummer and I know I could listen to the isolated drum tracks from this album (and all his work) and be blown away. Jimmy Page is one of my all-time favorite guitarists. What a writer, player, and performer (and producer, too, while we're at it). John Paul Jones is to me one of the most underrated and overlooked artists in rock history. He's worth getting to know. I get that Robert Plant's voice isn't for everyone, but I like it. Goes well with their style. To be honest, though, other than letting the melody soak in when he's singing, he's the member of the band I pay the least attention to when I listen to Zeppelin. Just persona preference. I've even imagined an instrumental trio comprised of Bonham, Jones, and Page -- okay, whilst we are in fantasy mode, let's have two John Paul Jones so we can have one on bass and the other on keys -- and I love traveling to the play where they play together and let their talents just soar.

Nice representation of early soul-influenced rock and roll. It's not something I'll listen to regularly, but when the mood is right, it's nice. It's from an era before my time but probably due to movies and TV shows I grew up watching, I get feelings of nostalgia from it.

First time listening to this album that I can recall, and, wow, is it ever good. Truly. As I cycled through the tracks, I was glad I was aware of the fact that this album was recorded in '72 and released in '73, because as my listening mind kept recognizing the countless bands who sound like various elements of this album, I realize they are all bands who recorded much later, sometimes decades later. When I read about how influential this album is considered to be, I darn well believe it. Musically, there's so much to love here. Holy Schneikies, the guitarist, James Williamson, who also co-wrote a bunch of these songs, is AMAZING. Plus, what an interesting career in tech that followed. Read the Wikipedia entry on him if you're interested. Great album. So innovative, energetic, and engaging.

As I've experienced it, this band (really, Billy Corgan) certainly generates strong opinions in all directions amongst those familiar with them. I happen to like a lot of their music. Sometimes the songs aren't at all to my liking, but a lot are. This album has quite a few tracks I genuinely love, like the title track, 'Tonight, Tonight,' '1979,' 'Stumbleine,' and a handful of others. I don't like it when I hear people criticize Corgan as a person because I admire how open he has been about his mental health challenges, and he's done a lot to support that community and causes. I do understand how he can sometimes stoke negative opinions, and I've wondered whether he might enjoy courting that because he's comfortable airing a lot publicly, but overall, I have compassion for him and what he's lived through and with. As a musician and writer, I think Billy Corgan is incredible. He is prolific, plays a number of instruments superbly well (one of the best guitar players of my generation -- he and I are only a few weeks apart in age), produces well, and although I understand his singing voice is not to everyone's liking, I happen to like his vocals and think they fit his songwriting spot on. The artwork on this double LP is great. This is a truly great album. Glad it came up on my rotation.

The handful of Björk songs I've heard over the past few decades have always stood out because of her signature voice and always interesting and unusual melody writing. I really cannot explain why I never owned an album of hers or made the effort to listen to more of her music; my best guess is that for most of my listening life, I never leaned into much "electronica" (using the term very broadly here) so I probably had lumped her work into that category. This is my first-ever listen-through of a Björk album, and in keeping with my intention to listen openly to each album as it comes up in my rotation, I've done that with this album. It's fantastic. I am still a novice music theorist and amateur early-stage musician, but I think my studies have truly influenced (in a very positive way) how I hear music at this point in my life. It makes what she's done on this album all the more intriguing to me. Such gutsy use of melody, personal delivery of the vocals, and a powerful voice. The underlying harmonies, beats, and rhythms from the electronic music in each song work superbly with what she's doing. My only criticism is that listening to the album straight through, the music started to sound too similar to itself and kind of melded together. I will listen to her music more often now that I know I like it, but I know I'll prefer her songs to come up in a shuffle or playlist mixed with songs from other artists. Her songs really stand out a lot more noticeably in that context. An insanely talented writer, performer, producer, and artist.

Definitely knew the band's name before, but that's about it. Don't recall hearing their music. Some cool stuff here. Interesting rhythms, punk-ish melodies and vocals, and tight playing. When I'm in the mood for something with more drive and grit, I could see myself listening to this one again.

I like some of Allman Brothers' work -- 'Blue Sky' is a great song - but overall, I don't ever listen to them. I get how strange it is for someone like me who listens to a ton of live recordings from Dead shows not to be into the Allmans, but I'm just not. I get bored.

Quite a bit of funky and strong energy here, especially in the first handful of tracks. A bit frenetic and noisy for my personal taste, but some solid rhythms in the delivery of the lyrics kept my attention on some of the songs. Got a little repetitive sound-wise for me, though.

I've written before about how much I admire and love Steely Dan. This album, only their second studio album, contains some outstanding songs with the typical elite-level musicianship, obtuse and ironic (and often funny) lyrics, and great energy. Portends the string of albums to follow that I listen to frequently. [Yes, I know: Becker & Fagen, the songs they write, the musicians they bring in, and Fagen's voice aren't for everybody; I'm simply reporting my experience of their music, which I find in a league of its own.]

Okay, first of all: what a cool cover! Damn, how I miss album art. I remember most of these songs from when they were popular in the 80s. They are harmless but don't do much for me. I can hear how talented Steve Winwood is, no doubt, but stylistically and aesthetically these songs are just not my thing.

Overall, a fun sound and enjoyable album, but less enjoyable listening to the whole album straight through. Some of the songs began to feel quite alike-sounding for me as I listened through this, so to my ear these songs would sound best showing up in a longer playlist mixed in with a variety of artists and songs. It's good stuff, just kind of pounds on my ears when it's all at once.

I might need to come back to this one because as I listened to it just now it pretty much did nothing for me, and it might be mood-based. Talented artist, I can hear that, and I'll give it another chance some time because in the right frame of mind there are probably some things I'd like in there. For now, though, not really.

I was in my early 30s when this album was released, and it was everywhere. I did like it when I first heard it, and, sure, it was played so often on the airwaves and elsewhere that I grew tired of it, but giving it another listen all the way through for the first time in probably 15 or more years, and well past the context now of that time when it got played too often so it was all-too-easily mocked, I think it's great. She's a solid songwriter, assembled some fantastic musicians, and it all coalesces nicely around her gorgeous voice. I would love to hear her take on some real bluesy, dark jazz (she very well might have; I haven't looked into it).

Okay, first of all: great album art! Next, I enjoyed this one. Wasn't sure what to expect and I liked hearing the different tracks. Some of the songs are fantastic. There's some really good stuff here.

Good solid stuff all around. Papa Was A Rolling Stone is iconic; always glad to hear that one again.

This might be the third or fourth Tom Waits album that's appeared in my rotation in this project. He is such an intriguing artist and always creates music that interests me. As with any art, my subjective experience varies regarding which of his songs and albums I like, but I always find myself paying attention. That's quite an accomplishment. This album has some great stuff. Not sure who plays lead guitar in some of the tracks like 'Clap Hands,' but it's really cool stuff. I read the Wikipedia entry on this album and that's got some cool stuff, too.

Had not heard of Richard Hawley before and I don't recall ever hearing any of these songs in the past. I'm not always great at picking up when a musician is performing something ironically, but to me, he is not, and I like that. There is so much familiarity in what he's doing, but it also doesn't sound just like someone imitating or covering music from the past. That's really hard to do. Impressive.

Had heard only 'Come On Eileen' from this group in my life until now, so it was good to give this a listen. Interesting mix of styles in their tunes, and they play really well. The lead singer's voice kind of grates on me a bit. I hear he's got some true pipes but I often want him to dial it down a notch, Sure, I get that it goes with the almost -- not sure what to call it: "ska-like"? -- style of upbeat, fast-moving music they play, but it's just not nice to my ears personally. I don't imagine I'd ever just listen to this on my own for my listening pleasure, but I can definitely imagine this album being played at a lot of dance parties and such.

Another in the very long list of bands I'd heard of repeatedly throughout the years yet have no recollection of having heard their music. I like this album. A lot of tips o' the style pen to some cool garage rock/pre-punk indie stuff, yet they seem to have their own voice, which is good. Catchy but not in an annoying way. The lead singer's voice can sometimes get whiny and the screaming can be a bit much, but overall it suits what they're doing.

I remember them from the 80s when they were on the airwaves and MTV quite a bit. I didn't pay them much attention then as most synth-pop bored me, so I gave this a new listen. Still bored. I don't blame them -- I think they are good at it -- but I just don't find synth-pop overall to be very interesting.

I remember this band from the 80s. I wasn't interested in them too much -- I think they had one or two songs I can remember -- and listening to this album now, well, it's still not my thing. Some decent sounds here and there, mostly when I can hear a non-digital instrument someone is playing, but just too dance-club sounding for me.

I remember this album -- I might have owned it, or maybe friends did -- and for a time I liked some of it because when I was an early teen I was really into guitar-centric "classic rock" (as it's called these days). Cream, though, did not hold my interest for too long back then, and I never returned to it. Super-talented musicians, definitely, but the style is too psychedelic for me. I just don't really like that kind of rock.

First of all, the typeface (or font, which is a subset of typeface) they used for the album cover teleported me right back to childhood when most space-related stuff used it. Love it. Musically, this is certainly some interesting stuff to my ears. It quickly gets spacey and trippy at most points, and I do understand that's what they are going for. They can play and orchestrate superbly; mostly, however, the songs are not all that enjoyable for me. It can get really jarring to my ear.

Some of their later stuff is a bit more interesting to me, but this album, not so much. I get the schtick: party boys gone wild and all that, kind of mocking themselves, or whatnot. I found it either innocuous or boring most of the way through. Maybe if I had listened to them when this debuted, which was during my early college years (heaviest partying time of my life), I'd enjoy the nostalgia, but I missed them when they first emerged -- only song I ever heard back then was Fight For Your Right To Party, and that annoyed me back then -- so there's not the same connection I might have with other music of the mid-80s.

Zoinks! Well, this one certainly has a lot of energy. I'm not always tuned into when an artist is taking the piss out of something or going for something else, but it mostly doesn't matter. All that matters is one's own experience with the art. The playing is super-tight, and it surprisingly drew me in at times. There are elements of heavy metal I've heard, thrashy driving punk, and they have their own sort of screaming shrieking hyper-speed style. Even though it's stressful to listen to, and a lot of the songs sound pretty much identical to my untrained ear, I liked this more than I thought I would. Bully for this project for opening me up to such an incredible variety of music!

Sure, fun memories from when they were so prevalent, and this music brings me back to my youth with a smile. I also get the big nostalgia kick boosted by 'Mamma Mia,' although I've never seen it. Musically, other than the enjoyable time warp, it's just not really my thing. Great for what it is, but too fluffy for my liking.

Thank you, 1001 Albums project, for continuing to introduce me either to so much music, most of which I just plain missed for my entire listening life. I also almost always read the linked Wikipedia entry for each album because I find it interesting to get the story behind the album. This is yet another album I just somehow never heard and knew nothing about. It's almost as old as I am, yet if someone told me it was from any one of several stops along the way, mostly in the punk, garage rock, indie rock, etc., world, I'd easily believe it. It's straightforward and fun, and although I don't have the knowledge to map out how many bands after sound a little or a lot like this, I'm sure it's a big number. Good raw and sometimes trippy rock. Gets a bit chaotic and noisy for me at times, but what they're doing in those moments fits with the album.

I really liked this album when it came out and I saw David Gray perform in Boston when he toured in the U.S. right after the album was released here. It was a good concert. Likable fellow and performs well. I haven't really listened to it straight through in a long time. I never got sick of it per se, but I think the long break is good because today listening to the whole album again shows me the songs still click nicely for me. It's a really strong group of songs. I have to admit I don't think I've heard much of his catalog since then and looking at the Wikipedia entry about him, he's done a ton of stuff over the years. I'll have to check it out.

I have to admit I wasn't in the mood to listen to this during an already stressful and hectic Monday work morning, but surprisingly it fits very well with the chaos of the morning. Separate from my listening circumstances, I found myself drawn in by these tracks. Really cool layering of rhythms and harmonies from the drum loops on up through the vocal mix. Heard some nice influences, samples, etc., from R&B and funk, including some great guitar and bass lines. I definitely want to give a few re-listens along with the lyrics in front of me. I heard some good strong commentary in there and want to dive deeper. Strong, strong album.

When disco was huge, I missed most of it because I was really into rock as a kid. I do recall a couple of these hits, but this was definitely my first full listen to this album. It's great! I'm not a dancer at all, but even this awkward listener was bopping his head to this album. The four sisters' vocals are fantastic -- wow, the harmonies. And when one of them takes a lead, it's just gorgeous. Nile Rodgers' guitar work is stunning. Bernard Edwards on bass and Tony Thompson on drums...Holy Schneikies, some serious chops there. Too easy to dismiss music when it's in a genre I don't listen to, and I admit that. This has some real fun and interesting songs on it.

Had not heard of this band and had not heard any songs by them, so this is all brand-new to me. I like their sound. Kind of droning but not in a boring monotonous way. They play with precision, which creates a cool contrast for me with the semi-morose feel of the melody and vocals. Reminds me of several bands I liked in the 80s. Good album overall. Would listen to it again and would like to hear some of their other work.

I hadn't heard his solo work before. Like a lot of people my age, I'd heard plenty of CSN/CSNY stuff over my life, and though I liked it a lot in my college years, my interest in them faded fairly quickly. I can hear how talented he is on guitar and vocally, but similarly to how I feel these days about CSN, it doesn't really do much for me. Hard to say why; might be that general 70s folksy-vocal harmonies-rock that was so crowded it was hard to stand out after a while. (I tend to like their stuff a little better when Neil Young was involved because he added a touch of grit and edge.) This is one of those albums about which I don't feel there is anything "wrong" with it, it's just not my thing.

I remember when this album was in the spotlight in the late 80s. I was aware of it but had not actively listened to it. It's fantastic. My ears are drawn in by so much, and the layers here are really cool. A lot of R&B and funk sampling here, more textural blending with the vocals than one might expect, and the lyrics are compelling. When I think about the years during which this was recorded and released...wow, that was nearly 35 years ago. Wild how relevant the lyrics still are.

This is great stuff! I was drawn in from the beginning and stayed there. Strength and impact, and superb dynamics, syncopation, and performance on the vocals. Underlying rhythms and beats and harmonies work well with what she's creating. I need to hear more of her work.

I can't explain why this doesn't click with me, but it doesn't. On paper, I would've thought this would be squarely in my wheelhouse. I love rock guitar, blues guitar, and I know Jeff Beck played with, influenced, and was influenced by some of my favorite musicians from that era. But...I don't know, maybe it suffered from decades of rock guitarists that followed and sound an awful lot like that. And, frankly, as I'm listening to more of the earlier blues and jazz guitarists -- mostly the black Americans who influenced the white Brits and then white Americans in the whole 60s & 70s rock explosion -- the more I'd rather hear those artists.

Springsteen is yet another in the long list of artists I mostly missed when they were huge in the 70s and 80s. I didn't miss him entirely, though, so I'm somewhat familiar with some of these tracks. I had never listened to this album all the way through before, not by a long shot, and I really like it. It's a bit more raw and gritty rock sounding than I expected. I like the lyrics a lot. I have noted before in my mind that I've liked the lyrics on the handful of Springsteen songs with which I'm familiar. He's an excellent writer. I had worried his voice might annoy me, and sometimes when he's screaming it comes close, but it fits so well with what's going on in the song that it's not too much. And, dang, this whole band plays fantastically well. I never saw them perform live in concert and I have a feeling I would've really enjoyed the shows they did in support of this album.

Some real catchy stuff at times in there. Other parts were less engaging -- kind of sounded to me like too many other things -- but overall, this album took me in with some really nice beats, and I do like her voice and the way she uses it.

Has some okay moments, but overall it didn't really do much for me. I felt like the singer was just mocking the whole thing, then after listening for a while I read the Wikipedia entry on this album and this group, and I guess that was the point (maybe?). I don't know. Didn't change my experience of the music, though. Some decent hooks and interesting moments, but not enough to make me want to come back to this.

I remember the band's name because I always thought it was unusual and interesting (reading the Wikipedia entry on the band, turns out it's a mondegreen, which for some reason makes it more fun for me). I had not listened to any of their songs before, at least none that I remember, so I gave this album a full listen. Although I don't love their music, I do hear it as decent pop music, and I'm not saying that facetiously or ironically. The songs are somewhat catchy, they play well, and their vocal harmonies are strong. I found the songs to be a bit too similar to each other and musically predictable, so it doesn't compel me to want to listen to them again, but I can see why they were big in the 80s. Very much an 80s pop sound.

Some real good tracks here. Love the nods to a whole lot of legendary sounds and artists, yet he's strong enough to make it his own -- very hard balance to strike, and it's impressive. Love his sense of melody and storytelling, too. I'll give this one more listens. Solid, solid album.

Some of the tracks were okay, but overall it just didn't grab me in any meaningful way. It was too disjointed and jarring at times for me.

Ridiculously easy one for me to review as it's one of my favorites. Still listen to it quite frequently. In the midst of an era of music history, they recorded and released this beauty which should've been a total flop based upon what was popular at the time -- and even based on what was considered unconventional or rebellious at the time -- yet it endures as one of the finest works in the broad rock genre. All that aside, I just love listening to it. Mark Knopfler's melodic and intricate guitar playing never fails to fill me up, and it's important to acknowledge just how darn excellent the rest of the band is, too. Genius stuff. Love it.

I like that this album doesn't sound like what I've normally heard as dance electronica or whatever the correct category might be called. Has some interesting elements from other genres like rock, metal, rap, and so on. The music is entirely sampled, so it's interesting for me to think about how to relate to the creative aspects of this kind of music. Instead of my usual approach of listening for each instrument and the vocals at times all as one musical expression and at other times layer-by-layer for each element. It's good for me to do this exercise. Back to the album: well-produced and mixed, and has some catchy moments.

I like some reggae but don't really love it. It's nice mood music for that summer laid-back vibe, but I think it might have gotten ruined for me in my early 20s when I heard just way too much of it because so many of my peers would listen to it all the time (mostly college classmates). I have to remove the negative association I have with it because of that and really listen to the music. And I don't want to lump all reggae together, of course. I'm re-listening to this as its own work. It's nice. It's good. I really do like the vibe. I have to admit I do feel good when I hear it. Nice groove, catchy melody lines.

Although I don't really find this music all that enjoyable -- just a bit too noisy and crashy for me -- it is impressive when I think how long ago they made this album. Not something I want to listen to again, but that's just a matter of personal taste.