Marillion never got a ton of airplay in the states, but I do remember "Kayleigh," probably from MTV. That said, this was a pleasant surprise. Expertly played and highly listenable. Definitely has the vibe of Gabriel-era Genesis. This fits in better with what was going on in 1985 than I would have expected, although the spoken word bit from "Bitter Suite" would have been better left in the 70s. I appreciate how well the songs seamlessly flow into each other and how for the most part none of them overstays its welcome. Thanks for recommending this. Fave Songs: Lavender, Kayleigh, Blind Curve, Pseudo Silk Kimono, Lords of the Backstage

This was really good. Swings deftly from quirky to contemplative, with a rich musical palette. Much better than the Eels album that made the list. Thanks for sharing. Fave Songs: Estate Sale, Daisies of the Galaxy, Flyswatter, Wooden Nickels, It's a Motherfucker, Mr. E's Beautiful Blues

This was a pretty fun listen and a welcome addition of a Mexican artist. Thanks for recommending. Interesting, diverse collection of songs. A little stylistically scattershot for my taste, and the vocals don't always land. But when they get it right, this is pretty great. Fave Songs: Madrugal, Esa Noche, Las Flores, El Baile y el Salón, El Puñal y el Corazón, 24 Horas

Great choice! I was excited to see this one, not because I think it's the greatest album ever, but because it belongs here. Don't Say No was wildly popular when it came out and its songs have become a staple of classic rock radio over the years. Whether you like him or not, Billy Squier is a huge part of the rock sound of the early 80s, a sound that the editors of the 1001 list have made a point of ignoring completely. Tight hook-laden production, with a strong pop sensibility that also rocks surprisingly hard at times. Billy Squier is a compelling, swaggering frontman who also knows his way around a guitar. Sort of a polished take on Led Zeppelin, but in the best ways. Fave Songs: The Stroke, My Kinda Lover, In the Dark, Lonely Is the Night, Whadda You Want from Me, Nobody Knows

Are we really doing box sets here now? I feel like if you can't single out a full album by an artist, they probably don't need to be a part of this discussion. To be clear, this was top notch as a collection of songs, but a great album needs to be more than just a collection of songs. I do appreciate your desire to fill a gap in the albums from the original list, which I think a lot of us have done with our personal choices. Musically this is pretty excellent, but after 4 hours I can't remember most of what I've heard. Fave Songs: Potato Head Blues, Chicago Breakdown, Wild Man Blues, Melancholy Blues, The King of the Zulus (A Chit'lin' Rag), St. James Infirmary, Weather Bird, Muskrat Ramble, Cornet Chop Suey

Wow. What a fine choice, and a perfect album to get as my first "extra" album after finishing the project. If this is any indication of the albums I'm going to hear from this point on, I am so ready. Minimalist, unsettling and hauntingly beautiful with a cinematic feel. This is a movie I would love to see.

Catchy and often foot stompingly fun, with a level of nuance and substance I don't typically expect in this type of music. I fully expected to tire of this quickly, but it gets more interesting as the album progresses. I feel like this album fills a couple of the many gaps on the original 1001 list, both for post-millennial dance pop and music from non-English speaking artists. I like how Stromae takes musical ideas that feel very traditionally "French" and flips them around, incorporating world music sounds to make them current and add depth. Fave Songs: Tous les mêmes, Ave Cesaria, Papaoutai, Carmen, Humain à l'eau, Quand c'est ?

Vibrant, funky and unabashedly earnest in a way few artists can get away with. If you're in need of a little positivity in your life, you really can't go wrong with a little Earth Wind & Fire. Slightly uneven in quality from song to song, but when the band gets it right this absolutely cooks. "After the Love Has Gone" is a soft soul ballad for the ages. Fave Songs: Boogie Wonderland, After the Love Has Gone, Let Your Feelings Show, You and I, Star

Interesting enough album, sounds like something that might have come out 25 years earlier. Make what you will of that. Vocals frequently fall flat. Fave Songs: Too Real, Television Screens, Sha Sha Sha, Hurricane Laughter

This is so cool. Thanks for sharing it. Whimsical and strange with an occasional undercurrent of menace. Minimalist, but rich with nuance. This is an underheard album in the Krautrock-verse, but it's a really excellent listen and highly influential. You can hear echoes of this music in pretty much every electronic band that followed it. Fave Songs: Fotschi Tong, Caramel, Marzipan, Hollywood, James

Musically this is fine, if a bit silly. Stylistically scattershot with dumb lyrics and comically bad vocals. "Kill All the White People" kind of rocks though. Fave Song: Set Me on Fire

Melodramatic and outrageous in a fun way, but a little goes a long way. The band's name was kind of extreme back in the day and suggests a different kind of listening experience, but the album itself is mostly a haphazard industrial sound with psychobilly leanings. The instrumental bits are very good, but they don't really fit in with the rest of it. Fave Songs: The Overture from Pigdom Come, Anything (Viva!), The Throne of Agony, Descent into the Inferno

Overall a very pleasant listen, but a bit slow moving. I was ready for it to be done well before it was over, but I enjoyed it. Fave Songs: Fugue en sol inconnu, Dis tout sans rien dire, Fous n'importe où, Te quitter, Dans un spoutnik, Chante encore

Not quite my thing, but I agree that this should have made the original list just based on how ubiquitous and popular John Mayer was at that point in time. Affable, easygoing and well-produced, with some highly listenable singles. The Hendrix cover was a valiant but bloodless effort, which would have been best left as an outtake. Fave Songs: Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, Belief, Waiting on the World to Change, Gravity, Stop This Train

Are we really doing box sets here now? I feel like if you can't single out a full album by an artist, they probably don't need to be a part of this discussion. To be clear, this was top notch as a collection of songs, but a great album needs to be more than just a collection of songs. I do appreciate your desire to fill a gap in the albums from the original list, which I think a lot of us have done with our personal choices. Musically this is pretty excellent, but after 4 hours I can't remember most of what I've heard. Fave Songs: Potato Head Blues, Chicago Breakdown, Wild Man Blues, Melancholy Blues, The King of the Zulus (A Chit'lin' Rag), St. James Infirmary, Weather Bird, Muskrat Ramble, Cornet Chop Suey

Great choice! I was excited to see this one, not because I think it's the greatest album ever, but because it belongs here. Don't Say No was wildly popular when it came out and its songs have become a staple of classic rock radio over the years. Whether you like him or not, Billy Squier is a huge part of the rock sound of the early 80s, a sound that the editors of the 1001 list have made a point of ignoring completely. Tight hook-laden production, with a strong pop sensibility that also rocks surprisingly hard at times. Billy Squier is a compelling, swaggering frontman who also knows his way around a guitar. Sort of a polished take on Led Zeppelin, but in the best ways. Fave Songs: The Stroke, My Kinda Lover, In the Dark, Lonely Is the Night, Whadda You Want from Me, Nobody Knows

Energetic, catchy and mildly trippy. Enjoyed this quite a bit. Fave Songs: Special, You Look So Fine, I Think I'm Paranoid, The Trick Is to Keep Breathing, Sleep Together, Temptation Waits

This was fun. Clever, briskly paced and stylistically diverse in a way that feels really effortless. A lot of moving parts that shouldn't necessarily work together, but they do. Thanks for introducing me to this. Fave Songs: Waitin', Jerry, Face Behind Her Cigarette, Losers in the Tomb, Hangover Square, Loner Boogie

I love a good pub rock/power pop deep cut, so I really enjoyed this. Also a good example of an Aussie band, something the original list mostly ignores. Crisp and mildly punchy, with a strong pop sensibility. Solid choice. Fave Songs: Don't Throw Stones, Thru the Window, Who Listens to the Radio, Worst Kind, Step By Step, Suspicious Minds

This was really good. Swings deftly from quirky to contemplative, with a rich musical palette. Much better than the Eels album that made the list. Thanks for sharing. Fave Songs: Estate Sale, Daisies of the Galaxy, Flyswatter, Wooden Nickels, It's a Motherfucker, Mr. E's Beautiful Blues

This was a fun listen. Riffy and bluesy with occasional moments of loveliness. The unexpected diversions into other musical styles are what make this album work. Fave Songs: All the Reasons, Unspoken Words, Paper Plane, Big Fat Mama, A Year

Fizzy, blippy and charming in its best moments. But I find the manipulated vocals to be really annoying. Fave Songs: Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do, Lifelike, Wind Tempos, Dullscythe

In spite of my disinclination to like it, this album won me over like a crooked smile. It's well made and a genuinely fun listen, if not mind blowing. Great energy, strong hooks, and some surprisingly lovely sounds here. There's also way more musical depth than I might expect on this type of album. But I will never enjoy those vocals. Fave Songs: Stockholm Syndrome, Asthenia, Down, I Miss You, Always, The I'm Lost Without You, All of This

This was a pretty fun listen and a welcome addition of a Mexican artist. Thanks for recommending. Interesting, diverse collection of songs. A little stylistically scattershot for my taste, and the vocals don't always land. But when they get it right, this is pretty great. Fave Songs: Madrugal, Esa Noche, Las Flores, El Baile y el Salón, El Puñal y el Corazón, 24 Horas

I liked the darkly idiosyncratic vibe of this album. But while this has all the pieces of something that I would enjoy, they don't quite fit. Fave Songs: Treefood, Wintergreen, Squares, Damn Door, Cry

Happy to see another cool Mexican artist that completely got ignored on the original list. This was so much fun. Ha, I like how they start out with the classic Ranchera sound before going full ska on us. Engaging sound, with strong energy and drawing on a rich musical palette. Really enjoyable. Fave Songs: Kumbala, Querida, Un poco de sangre, Pachuco, Un gran circo, Mare

I love the slick, moody, atmospheric vibe of this album. There's something not quite right about Ruth Radelet's vocals though, which are overly soft and lacking in depth. This style of music is still right up my alley though, and I would listen again. Fave Songs: Let's Make This a Moment to Remember, Tomorrow Is So Far Away, Healer, Running Up That Hill, Tick of the Clock

This is so great. Rough-hewn but frequently gorgeous, with jangly arrangements and a hint of a burn. I'm really not a fan of Chuck Cleaver's vocals, but combined with Lisa Walker, the pair has an off kilter charm that's really engaging. Thanks so much for sharing. Fave Songs: Crooked, Funeral Dress, Humanbrained Horse, Don't Leave Just Now, Motorcycle, Soak It Up

Creative, stylistically far ranging and full of surprises. Also a little meandering and self-indulgent. Frequently brilliant. Fave Songs: Flight of the Ibis, Birdman, Is She Waiting?

So, I'm from Michigan (aka Segerland). I grew up during Bob Seger's peak years, when these songs were all over the place. He's probably still playing on one of my hometown radio stations as I write this. I also was a teenager during Seger's uncool years, when I wouldn't touch his music with a 10 foot pole. And, based on the sheer number of postpunk albums that landed on the official list, I get why Bob Seger and most his contemporaries were pretty much ignored. I grew up though, and it turns out I was wrong about him. Leaving this album off the official list was a dumb oversight. Not only is this a genre and era-defining album, but it's also exceptionally good. I agree that one of the live albums would also been more representative of Seger's work, but this one is a pleasure to hear. It's a tight, endlessly entertaining 39 minutes of music, packed with classics. This is windows down in the summertime music of the best kind, full of earnest emotion, spot-on musicianship, and hooks for days. There are a couple of soft spots on the back half, but when he gets it right, it's brilliant. Fave Songs: Still the Same, Feel Like a Number, Old Time Rock and Roll, Hollywood Nights, We've Got Tonite, The Famous Final Scene, Till It Shines

Musically this is fine, but the contrived tunelessness is heavy-handed and a chore to listen to. But Richard Dawson's vision is well-executed and the album is not without its charms. Thanks for suggesting something different, which I always appreciate. Fave Songs: Scientist, Shapeshifter, Herald, Weaver, Soldier

Great grungy-indie sound with a perfectly executed concept, if frequently dragging in pace. The lyrics read like bad poetry to me. A really good listen though; I would not have minded seeing this on the official list. Thanks for suggesting it. Fave Songs: Options, Magazine, Rehearsal, Second Best

Great choice. I listen to a lot of power pop, so I've long been peripherally aware of the Posies. But this is the first time I've really sat with this album. It's another one of those genres that was mostly left off the official list, and Frosting on the Beater is a good example of power pop from the 90s that should have been included. This album is full of many of the attributes of the best power pop - pleasant melodies, engaging vocal harmonies, and a bit of an edge to offset the prettiness. The weak spot is that it's lacking any truly memorable hooks, either musically or lyrically. Still a great album, and there are a few tracks here that I'd like to continue listening to. Thanks for sharing this. Fave Songs: Flavor of the Month, Burn & Shine, Coming Right Along, Love Letter Boxes, Earlier than Expected, Dream All Day

I've never particularly been a DMB fan, but they are one of those artists I absolutely expected to see on the original list because they deserve to be there. Thanks for sharing. I can't compare this to other albums in Dave Matthews' discography, but it was a really solid listen. Creative and well crafted, with rich instrumentation and thoughtful lyrics. Still not a fan of Matthews' vocal style, which is weirdly overwrought at times. Arrangements feel multilayered, loose and improvisational, sometimes to the point where it really just gets too busy. Enjoyed "Crush." Loved "Spoon" and "The Stone." Fave Songs: Spoon, The Stone, Crush, Stay (Wasting Time), Pig, The Dreaming Tree, Don't Drink the Water

So much fun. I've been a big B-52's fan since forever and this album got massive amounts of play in my house when I was a teenager. I agree that it will always play second fiddle to the band's debut, which was nothing short of lightning in a bottle. While the original feels vibrant and effortless, Wild Planet comes off as a little try-hard by comparison. They're better musicians at this point in time, but a bit of the spark is missing. That said, there is still so much to enjoy here. The album has the band's trademark oddball sensibility that draws from a lot of styles while at the same time sounding absolutely like nothing else. It's danceable and gleefully weird party music that's hard not to like. Sassy vocal performances by Fred, Kate and Cindy. Lyrics are unabashedly silly in the best way. Fave Songs: Private Idaho, Give Me Back My Man, Dirty Back Road, 53 Miles West of Venus, Runnin' Around, Strobe Light

I wasn't particularly inclined to like this, but it was really good. This a well crafted, thematically compelling concept album/rock opera, with several songs that are strong enough to stand on their own. Manages to fit in neatly with the sound of the time in which it was made, while drawing as well on prog and folk rock influences that give it a hint of a vintage vibe. Yes, this could have been 2-3 songs shorter, but I enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing. Fave Songs: The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid, The Hazards of Love 4, Won't Want for Love, The Hazards of Love 2, The Queen's Rebuke/The Crossing

This was very good, if a bit lacking in stylistic cohesion. But there's enough of a fairly straightforward rock and blues sensibility underneath that keeps it from wandering completely into the weeds. Fave Songs: Talk of the Devil, Mary Jane, I Was Cool, What's the Point of Leaving, Flames

Really beautiful. Rich, yet minimalist sound. Thanks so much for sharing. Fave Songs: Sálfræðingur, Ég Sleppi Þér Aldrei, Jói & Karen, Englabörn, Odi Et Amo

Oh, very nice. Great sound, great energy. Language barrier notwithstanding, this was a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing! Fave Songs: Blitzregn baby, Jævel av en tango, Delikatessen, Dieter Meyers Inst., Señor Flamingos Adieu, KGB

Well-crafted and engaging, with an assertive but easygoing flow. Lyrics are vivid and grim, and a bit much for my taste.

Great summer listening. 70s country rock with an easygoing, likeable vibe that grows on you as the album progresses. Thanks for sharing. Fave Songs: Tin Cup Chalice, Stories We Could Tell, A Pirate Looks at Forty, Presents to Send You, Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season, Nautical Wheelers

This is such a striking work, one of the more interesting things I've heard from the past 20 years. Lovely and melodic one moment, aggressively unsettling the next. I find some of the vocal manipulation to be grating, but this album has a level of creativity you don't get to hear much nowadays. Thank you for sharing. Fave Songs: Is It Cold in the Water?, Faceshopping, Ponyboy, Infatuation

Wow, there's a lot going on here, but this is fun, creative stuff. Fave Songs: Flight of the Navigator, V. 3005, Earth: The Oldest Computer (The Last Night), Pink Toes, Telegraph Ave.

Yeeeah, this should have made the original list. Nuanced, adventurous and deeply dark. Thanks for sharing. Fave Songs: Stinkfist, Forty Six & 2, Eulogy, H.

Beautiful South is one of those bands I've always liked well enough when I heard them, but have never taken the time to explore. So this was a nice album to get. This is really charming, smartly made pop, that has aged quite well. I tend to prefer Paul Heaton's vocals to Jacqui Abbott's, but it's all good. Fave Songs: Blackbird on the Wire, Have Fun, Alone, Rotterdam (or Anywhere), Mirror, Artificial Flowers

So lovely. Rich, diverse sound that's pleasing on the ears. Thanks for sharing. Fave Songs: Camions Sauvages, Artistiya, M'Bifé Balafon, Djanfa, La Fête au Village, M'Bifé, M'Bifé Blues

Frequently quirky, occasionally catchy and pleasant. Attempts to be lyrically clever fall flat more often than not. This feels like a band who took all the wrong lessons from a bunch of artists who are more talented than they are. I struggled a bit between the 2 and 3 on this one. It has its moments, and I generally appreciate Tally Hall's oddball sensibility. But, more often than not, I also find these guys to be pretty insufferable. Fave Songs: Greener, The Bidding, Spring and a Storm, Be Born

I mean, this was great, musically on point, very enjoyable. I'm guessing THS kills it live. More than a little derivative, but it was a fun summer listen. Fave Songs: Stuck Between Stations, Hot Soft Light, Party Pit, Chips Ahoy!, Massive Nights

Oh, thank you for suggesting this one. Australia was done dirty on the official list with very little representation, and INXS was one of those bands I was just waiting for that never showed up. Although I find that the band's best songs are scattered over several albums, Kick is certainly the one that best belongs on the list because it was so hugely successful. It was everywhere in 1987 and many of these songs have deservedly become classic rock staples. These are great songs, catchy and confident and beat forward. The album also skillfully toes the line between straight rock and post punk in a way that made it massively appealing in its time. Michael Hutchence is a compelling front man who balances bravado and smoldering moodiness in a way that's rare this side of Jim Morrison. If you have the benefit of having experienced this album during its MTV heyday, you know of which I speak. Some of that is lost without the visuals, but Hutchence still has a way of reaching through your speakers with a charisma that few front men have. That little whisper at the beginning of "Need You Tonight" still gets me [*blushes*]. For all the heat of Kick's best songs, beyond the singles the album is filled out with bouncy rockers that were more than serviceable in 1987, but maybe aren't particularly notable all these years later. But where the band gets it right, they're pretty fantastic. Even in its least exciting moments, this is incredibly fun and one of the great guitar pop/rock albums of the late 80s. Fave Songs: Never Tear Us Apart, Need You Tonight/Mediate, Mystify, New Sensation, Devil Inside

Oh this was fun, groovy and energetic. The vocals are not quite strong enough to hold up against what's going on musically though. On the whole, this was an interesting listen. But if I'm going for funk at all, it's going to be old school, not these guys. Fave Songs: Bozack, Retrosexy, Day Job, Tug Boat

My goodness this is lovely, one of my favorite user submitted albums so far. Earthy and dreamy, with gorgeous harmonies and abundant charm. I didn't spend nearly enough time with this today, but I am definitely coming back to it. Thanks for recommending this. Fave Songs: Emmylou, In the Hearts of Men, The Lion's Roar, I Found a Way, King of the World, Dance to Another Tune

Great concept, and musically spot on, with thoughtful lyrics. The vocals land flat with me though. Fave Songs: Transatlanticism, Lightness, Title and Registration, The New Year, The Sound of Settling

Stylistically a bit scattershot and confusing. Vocals are pretty flat and the use of sampled/guest parts don't always feel organic to the music. Fave Songs: Astounded, Loop Me, Discosis, Predictable

Post-millennial dance pop that delivers, more than you might reasonably expect it to. Catchy, well-produced, easy on the ears. Rachel Stevens lacks a certain amount charisma compared to other singers in the genre, which makes all of this less than memorable, but it's still perfectly likeable stuff that I didn't mind hearing at all. Fave Songs: Crazy Boys, I Will Be There, Secret Garden, Funny How, All About Me

Well-made British Indie that is catchy, energetic, entertaining. Would listen again. Fave Songs: Bide Your Time, Cavorting, What Took You So Long?, Aftershow

Well-crafted and richly arranged. I would not have guessed Arctic Monkeys had this kind of album in them, so this is a pleasant surprise. The shtick wears a bit thin by the time all is said and done, but I enjoyed it. Fave Songs: Four Out of Five, Star Treatment, One Point Perspective, American Sports, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

No frills, hard rocking, strategically noisy. I'm not a huge fan of the whole "low in the mix" approach to the vocals, and it's probably for the best if you don't try to decipher the lyrics. But I still enjoyed this quite a bit, and would listen again. Thanks for recommending it. Fave Songs: Rodeo in Joliet, Mouth Breather, Nub, Then Comes Dudley, Seasick

Excellent. Funky, spacey, creative and deeply nuanced. A little soft on the back half, but I really enjoyed it. Fave Songs: Baby Boy, Me and Your Mama, Have Some Love, Stand Tall, Redbone, The Night Me and Your Mama Met

Soulful, well-made blues rock. Rich with influences, to the point where it almost sounds like something out of another time. Runs out of steam a bit before all is said and done, but I still enjoyed this a lot. Thanks for recommending it. Fave Songs: Where I'm Heading, Goodbye Carolina, How Long, Homesick

Ohhhh, Nightbirds. You know, I'm sure everyone here had a similar experience while working our way through the official 1001+ albums list. You probably had a mental list of albums you just expected to be there, and as the days ticked away on the project, many if not most of those albums eventually showed up. Then there were the ones that didn't make it… that's why we're still here, right? Nightbirds is one of those albums for me. It was kind of an affront to my heart that it was excluded. It's not a perfect album, no. But it's a rare album that can move me emotionally and also make me want to move my body. I love it more each time I hear it. 70s albums in the soul-funk-disco realm are a real mixed bag, especially those made by women artists, to the point where there aren't many great ones that you want to hear all the way through. There's a reason why so much of this music is experienced by way of compilations. This album is different. It comes in like gangbusters with one of the most unique and memorable songs of its era and doesn't let go until the last note. "Lady Marmalade" is a blazing comet of a song that stands out from the rest of the album, but the deep tracks offer their own kind of musical journey, leading into some fascinating places. The intertwining vocals of Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash alone are insanely powerful, a kind of a whirlwind of sound that takes my breath a bit every time I hear them. Nightbirds defied genre somewhat in the time that it was made, drawing from gospel, pop and R&B, with a foundation of New Orleans funk and a glam rock shimmer. Cited as a foundational album for disco in particular, the album still has far more substance than much of what came after it, combining fierce, female-centered joy with sizzling sensuality and gorgeous moments of emotional vulnerability, laced with a social conscience. The charisma and rich vocal prowess of LaBelle, Hendryx and Dash is elevated further by the serious musical talent backing them up, including Allen Toussaint, Art Neville, and other members of the Meters. That kind of lightning in a bottle is hard to replicate, something LaBelle themselves were never quite able to achieve. But this is a total package of an album that delivers on every level. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Lady Marmalade, You Turn Me On, Are You Lonely?, It Took a Long Time, Somebody Somewhere, What Can I Do for You?, Space Children, Don't Bring Me Down, Nightbird, All Girl Band

Musically this was quite nice, with an emotional earnestness to the lyrics that's appealing if sometimes heavy. I find the pace to be somewhat plodding, but this improves by the back half of the album. "Achilles Come Down" was really lovely, reminding me of something you might hear by Rufus Wainwright. Thanks for sharing. Fave Songs: Achilles Come Down, Atlas Drowned, Let Me Down Easy, What Can I Do If the Fire Goes Out?, Le réel, Le symbolique

A little goes a long way with those vocals, but this was really lovely. A dreamy, melancholy, fall day kind of a listen. Thank you for sharing. Fave Songs: You Needed Love, I Needed You; Time; Bird Has Flown; A Good Man's Light; All Your Life

The choice of a live album was the correct one here. Pure, incandescent punk energy of the best kind. I would not have minded if it were shorter, but that's a minor critique. Thanks for sharing this. Fave Songs: The Dream, I Come from the Mountain, Tidal Wave, Toe Cutter Thumb Buster, Web

Musically, this captures many of the proper notes of old school post-punk, but the vocals don't really do it for me. I don't know if it bring anything new to the table, but it was pretty good. Fave Songs: A Private Understanding, Here Is the Thing, The Chuckler, Don't Go to Anacita, Half Sister

Raucous contemporary psychedelic-prog that is musically on point and never loses an ounce of energy from start to finish. But I lost interest somewhere in the middle. Fave Songs: Robot Stop, Big Fig Wasp, Gamma Knife

Playfully irreverent, frequently inappropriate, musically brilliant. It gets a little silly for my taste at some points, but when this is good, it sizzles. Not Zappa's best, but still a lot of fun. Fave Songs: Uncle Remus, Apostrophe', Cosmik Debris, Don't Eat the Yellow Snow

Perfectly pleasant, melodic, quirky, well-made Indie pop that's easy on the ears. I don't know how much of this I'll remember, but this was a solid listen. Fave Songs: Instead, This Is Not Who We Were, Watching Xanadu, Barcode Bypass

This was a great album to get on a late August day. It's like the music is melting. Lovely sound, with strategically placed moments of distortion that keep it from getting too sweet. This is also way too long for what it is. I lost interest well before it was over, but there's a lot to like here. Fave Songs: Found Me, Pines, You Deserve This, Norton Commander, All Night

This is actually the first album I tried to submit, but you beat me to it and I had to pick another album. I guess great minds think alike! I was a junior in college when this album came out. It fit in perfectly with the time in which it was made, yet also stood out starkly against the mood of everything else that was going on. It's melodic, but noisy; casually cool, but deeply nerdy; ironic, but big-hearted; seemingly straightforward, but slyly complex. This is music that's catchy and charming and incredibly relatable on a basic level, but with an approach to songcraft that's so much smarter than it pretends to be. It's a nearly perfect album, one that still sounds as crisp and compelling as it did the day it was made. Its omission from the official list has me side-eyeing this whole project. I mean, how? Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Buddy Holly, Only in Dreams, Say It Ain't So, Undone - The Sweater Song, The World Has Turned and Left Me Here, My Name Is Jonas, Holiday, In the Garage, Surf Wax America, No One Else

This was fantastic, thanks for sharing it. Deep, sonorous, chill to the point of being almost trancelike. Fave Songs: Dread Lion, Zion's Blood, Three in One, Patience, Black Vest

Musically this is pretty tight, but I can do without the "unclean vocals." IMO, that style of vocal would work better if they went harder musically. Fave Songs: Side Walk When She Walks, Accidents, Control, No Transitory

Musically this was fine, and lyrically too clever by half. Vocals didn't do a thing for me. Fave Songs: Sentimentalists, Grown Ups, Wallflowers, Travel Writers

Alex Cameron is one of those artists that Spotify is always trying to make me listen to. I've never felt much either way for his music that I've heard, but this album was pretty good. Musically, it's highly listenable and Cameron's vocals are fine, if unremarkable. I get what he's doing with the scuzziness of the lyrics in contrast to the general pleasant sound of the album; I just don't particularly care for it. Fave Songs: Runnin' Outta Luck, Candy May

Lovely and melodic with a vaguely rootsy sound, but this could have used a stronger vocal. Starts off well but meanders stylistically, and ultimately just hangs around for too long. Fave Songs: January Wedding, I and Love and You, Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise, Tin Man

Musically spare but elegant, with a contemplation of memory, mortality and grief that's almost too hard to take as a listener. This is really beautiful, thanks for sharing it. Fave Songs: Death with Dignity, Should Have Known Better, Eugene, No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross, The Only Thing, Fourth of July

I have always enjoyed this album. It's a standout in an era full of standout music, and there's nothing else like it on the planet. Funky and metallic, mildly crass and gleefully weird, with true technical mastery and off the rails creativity. I also think it's an incredibly well balanced album. The songs are perfectly placed so that the hard rocking parts complement the more virtuosic parts, punctuated just enough with the silly bits, each element flowing effortlessly into the next. It's been a good 30 years since the last time I listened to this all the way through, but I'm happy to report it has aged really well. Thanks for sharing it! Fave Songs : Jerry Was a Race Car Driver, Tommy the Cat, Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers, American Life, Fish On (Fisherman Chronicles, Chapter II), Here Come the Bastards, Sgt. Baker, Is It Luck?

Okay, then. So, this was fine, not a bad album per se. It's well executed as live albums go and the musicianship is solid. It's one of the better live albums I have heard, production-wise. And I get it that Phish is one of those bands that's better experienced through their live music. But you know what, for all the apparent talent the band has, only a true believer would want to sit through 2+ hours of them. If you're not already a fan, this album will absolutely not win you over. Much of it ended up being a blur in the end. Fave Songs: Bouncing Around the Room, Gumbo, Montana

One positive thing about doing the 1001+ project is that I got to a point of real clarity about my own tastes in music. I decided that certain artists just aren't for me. Korn is one of those artists. To each their own, right? I'm not going to rip on this album though, like I did with Follow the Leader. I actually think this is the much better album of the two and it probably should have been the one to make the original list. While FTL struck me as gimmicky and excessive in all the wrong ways, this album shows some thoughtfulness that is missing from the band's other work. Musically the band is tight and as a cohesive group of songs, this album is a pretty listenable. Jonathan Davis' vocals are on point, and far less annoying than I expected. I'm not coming back to this, but I'm glad I had a chance to consider the band in a different light. Thanks for recommending this.

This album was fine, if maybe a bit dated for when it came out. The lyrics are more thoughtful than you might expect in this type of music, but frequently more repetitive than I generally like to hear. Fave Songs: Meant to Live, This Is Your Life, More Than Fine, Dare You to Move

Sublime was never really my thing, but I will hand it to them. They had a particular gift for building various influences into a sound and vibe that is very much their own. Add to that Bradley Nowell's (RIP) natural charisma, and you have something really interesting. That stylistic diversity can be a double edged sword though, which sometimes can come off as being a bit scattershot and unfocused. But overall, this was a really well made album that absolutely should have made the original list. Fave Songs: Santeria, What I Got, Garden Grove, Wrong Way, April 29, 1992 (Miami), Pawn Shop

A really rich, resonant sound that I enjoyed quite a bit. I think the album needed more vocal effects though just to break things up a bit. For a relatively short album, it sometimes feels like long stretches of sameness. Fave songs: King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown, Stop Them Jah, Skanking Dub, Keep On Dubbing, Each One Dub

This was really solid latter day post-punk that is well executed and highly listenable, especially if you're not getting enough Siouxsie Sioux in your life. Maybe a little too on the nose in their embrace of the genre, but it's nice to see an all-woman band working in this vein. Fave Songs: Husbands, Shut Up, I Am Here, City's Full, No Face

On paper this reads like something I might like, but this album didn't do much for me. A pleasing listen for a fall day, but ultimately not very memorable. But you know what, I somehow managed to make it to 2024 without ever listening to the Lumineers, so I appreciate the chance to check them out. Thanks for sharing. Fave Songs: In the Light, Cleopatra, Ophelia, Sleep on the Floor

This was really lovely. Well played, stylistically diverse, mildly proggy, pleasing on the ears. Thanks for recommending! Fave Songs: Abrazado a la tristeza, A la sombra de mi sombra, Viento (déjame ir contigo), Eterno viajero, Juguete de amor

Funky, musically diverse, great energy. Thanks for sharing! Fave Songs: Sleeper, Shofukan, Lingus, Jambone

This was a nice, entire deep cut of an album. A lot of musical ideas floating around here, but most of them landed well. Really engaging stuff that never wanders too far afield. Thanks for sharing this. Fave Songs: A Salty Dog, The Milk of Human Kindness, Juicy John Pink, Pilgrim's Progress, Wreck of the Hesperus

Perfectly pleasant, hooky bubblegum that doesn't really do much for me. I was about a year younger than Gibson when this album came out and I didn't care for it then either. I will say this for her: She has a nice singing voice and her best songs show a real talent for songcraft. I don't hate it, but now I need to go listen to something else. Fave Song: Only in My Dreams

This was really nice. Lovely arrangements, with elegant but plain-spoken lyrics. A little slow moving on the back half, but overall a really well done album. Fave Songs: Wolves, Monster Ballads, Thin Blue Flame, In the Dark, Girl in the War

This album was fine for the most part, well-played with some pleasant moments to be found. But it mostly doesn't do too much for me. Its best songs are quite lovely; its worst moments are just silly. Honestly, I think the bonus disc has a couple of songs on it that are better than anything on the original album. Fave Songs: Out of This World, Afraid of Sunlight, King

Musically this is pretty great, a high watermark of the indie folk genre, which was embryonic at best in 1998. For what was going on musically at the time, this album sounded like something that fell down straight from Mars, but it ended up being one of the most influential albums of the last 30 years. It could easily replace any number of lesser Indie albums that made the original list. If it has a weakness, I would point to the lyrics, which can be willfully obscure to the point of being a distraction. Ultimately this is a more rewarding listening experience if you don't try to spend a lot of time trying to unpack the lyrics. Fave Songs: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea; Two-Headed Boy; Holland, 1945; Communist Daughter

A perfectly pleasant album that fits in with a lot of what was going on musically with pop-rock in the mid-80s. I would have enjoyed this better with another vocalist. Fave Songs: Te quiero, El ataque de las chicas cocodrilo, Un par de palabras, En la playa, Visite nuestro bar

A solid listen, if a fairly forgettable one. I really dig the energy of this band and the drum-forward sound, but I wasn't a fan of the vocals. Fave Songs: So Here We Are, This Modern Love, Helicopter, Luno, Blue Light

Really lovely. I'm not fond of the vocals, but this definitely should have made the original list. Fave Songs: Such Great Heights, We Will Become Silhouettes, The District Sleeps Alone Tonight

Marillion never got a ton of airplay in the states, but I do remember "Kayleigh," probably from MTV. That said, this was a pleasant surprise. Expertly played and highly listenable. Definitely has the vibe of Gabriel-era Genesis. This fits in better with what was going on in 1985 than I would have expected, although the spoken word bit from "Bitter Suite" would have been better left in the 70s. I appreciate how well the songs seamlessly flow into each other and how for the most part none of them overstays its welcome. Thanks for recommending this. Fave Songs: Lavender, Kayleigh, Blind Curve, Pseudo Silk Kimono, Lords of the Backstage

Okay, this was kind of great. If I had to explain this to someone outside of this group, I would not even know where to begin, but it was riveting to listen to. Starts out like a heart attack and then becomes this freewheeling exercise in batshittery which is just so much fun. Just shy of a 4 as it becomes a bit of a blur on the back half. But I enjoyed it. Incredibly creative and weird with a rogue sense of humor. There's also clear musicality in this, which Igorrr takes great pleasure in thrashing to bits every time you relax for a second. It's like the avant garde electronic metal album Zappa never got to make. Fave Songs: Problème d'émotion, Opus Brain, Spaghetti Forever, Robert, Au Revoir

Surprisingly catchy and expressive with a compelling concept. This has a big sound that I don't hate, but the vocals are hard to like, running the gambit from soaring and theatrical to snotty and annoying. But even if it's not my thing, I can see that it's really a high water mark for its genre and a significant work for its time. Totally should have made the original list. Fave Songs: This Is How I Disappear, Cancer, Famous Last Words

Slick production and a shimmery vibe that I enjoyed. This album certainly has its moments and is a strong touchstone for what's been going on music recently. Still, I have limited patience for this style of vocal and The Weeknd definitely could have edited this down by a few songs. Fave Songs: Blinding Lights, After Hours, In Your Eyes, Save Your Tears

A well written, well played album of the college rock variety. Leans a little too much into REM's well-worn musical territory. Still some decent songs to be found here, worth revisiting later. Fave Songs: Bobcaygeon, Fireworks, Thompson Girl, Something On, Vapour Trails

I don't know that I needed to hear this album before I shuffle off, and it's probably way too soon to really consider it in that light. That said, this a soulful and smart album, and I enjoyed it. Thanks for recommending it. My main critique is that I wish sometimes that Sampha had been more restrained with the use of the vocals. There are moments when something really cool and nuanced is going on musically, and his vocals get in the way. Fave Songs: Dancing Circles, Jonathan L. Seagull, Spirit 2.0

This was really lovely. This album starts with a fairly minimalist sound, with well placed upbeat moments on the back half that keep it from dragging or feeling too precious. The lyrics you could read on their own as poetry. Thanks for sharing this. High 3, bumped to a 4. Fave Songs: The Bug Collector, No Face, Untitled God Song, Drinking Song, Oom Sha La La

This was an interesting album, with a darkly elegant sound. A little bit of a Sinead O'Connor vibe in there, particularly on the back half. Thanks for sharing it. Fave Songs: Herr Holkin, Bläck, Polska, Nio år, Brun

Okay, I'm "an old," but I'm not getting much out of this at all.

Oh my heart, it's Sparks. This was such a delight after Bon Iver's lifeless attempt at an electronic album from yesterday. Now *this* is how you do electronic music, thank you very much. Of course Giorgio Moroder's fingerprints are all over this collaboration, with some truly gorgeous arrangements. This album is a seminal work for electronic music, deftly straddling the line between disco and new wave/electro-pop in all the best ways. It's fresh and fizzy and built for the dance floor. But it's also charmingly quirky and artful as all Mael brothers albums are. The lyrics are clever and campy, both embracing and slyly satirizing the shallowness and silliness of dance music. I mean, who else could get away with a dance anthem devoted to the life cycle of sperm? Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): The Number One Song in Heaven, Beat the Clock, La Dolce Vita, Tryouts for the Human Race, My Other Voice, Academy Award Performance

I had a little dread going in, but this was pretty cool. Thanks for recommending it. Proggy, adventurous, occasionally silly. Starts out surprisingly cohesive, considering the wide musical ground covered. But then it kind wanders off into the weeds somewhere near the end of disc 1 and never comes back. Still a great listen. Fave Songs: Cerberus, Halluzination Guillotine, The Return of Rübezahl, Burning Sister, She Came Through the Chimney, Flesh-Coloured Anti-Aircraft Alarm

This was a perfectly serviceable, well-played hard rock album, although it seems late to the game without adding anything new to the genre.

Catchy, energetic and fun, with a strong pop sensibility. A bit lyrically juvenile for my tastes and I'm not a fan of the vocals, but "All the Small Things" is a classic.

Come on. No.

This is a lighter flavor of jazz that is very much of its time, but still was incredibly popular and deserves a spot on the list. Not too deep, but well played and a pretty fun listen. Fave Songs: Ladyfingers, A Taste of Honey, Lemon Tree, Bittersweet Samba, Green Peppers

Hmm, I have mixed feelings about this one, but it's quite good overall. Jellyfish has a genuine pop sensibility that I like a lot, and there's a level of creativity here that I miss hearing in music. But the band's attempts to be more ambitious or artful don't always work. It gets a little show tuney at times and there's sometimes too much going on at any given moment to the point of distraction. But the vocals are frequently lovely and there are some nice hooks to be found. Thanks for recommending it. Fave Songs: New Mistake; Too Much, Too Little, Too Late; Glutton of Sympathy; The Ghost at Number One

I really liked this. Sweet, shimmery, easy on the ears. They needed to drop 2 or 3 songs, but overall this was pretty great. Fave Songs: Yes I'm Changing, Eventually, Cause I'm a Man, The Less I Know the Better, Past Life

This album had its moments, but I mostly wasn't feeling it. Fave Songs: P's and Q's, Home Sweet Home

This was so lovely, thanks for sharing it. Slyly minimalist at the outset, with surprising depth that develops as the album progresses. Susanne Sundfør's vocal isn't the best, but it suits the mood perfectly. Fave Songs: Undercover, Reincarnation, The Golden Age, The Sound of War, No One Believes in Love Anymore, Mountaineers

Great sound that is sometimes unnecessarily drawn out in places. I would not have minded this on the original list. Fave Songs: Pain, Holding On, Strangest Thing, Thinking of a Place

Musically, this was pretty fantastic. Quirky and twisted in the best way, with some really creative uses of sampling. Fave Songs: Meat Grinder, Accordion, Eye, Raid, America's Most Blunted, Supervillain Theme, Shadows of Tomorrow

Excellent concept, with solid musicianship. I've crossed paths with this album here and there over the years, but never bothered to engage with it until today, which was my mistake because it's quite well done. The album was probably a little too smart for the time it came out, and it obviously feels very much like a lesser Pink Floyd album. I can't fault it for too much except that it drags needlessly on the back half. Also, for all of Roger Waters' attempts at expressing emotion, the album lacks much in the way of real emotional depth to make me want to return to it. Fave Songs: 4:41AM (Sexual Revolution), 4:39AM (For the First Time Today, Part 2), 5:06AM (Every Stranger's Eyes)

This was pretty fun, if of a very specific era in time. Enjoyed this more than I expected to, although it really could have been shorter. Runs a bit far afield stylistically, but the beats pull it all together nicely. Fave Songs: Don't Stop, Drop the Boom, We Rock Hard, The Darkside, Breaker Beats

Nice to see another non-English album suggestion, particularly by an Asian artist. A really pleasant sound, with lovely vocals and elegant electronic arrangements. On the surface, this doesn't feel substantially different from Western pop (Madonna comes to mind, but gentler). But the vocal delivery does feel distinct in a good way. Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Fave Songs: Blue, Colors, Keep Tryin', This Is Love, One Night Magic, Kairo

Gorgeously arranged, with expressive vocals. This was really lovely, thanks for sharing it. Fave Songs: Waak (Crow), Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow), Ngarrpiya (Octopus)

Oh, this was excellent. Good old fashioned oddball garage rock that splits the difference between grit and glam with ease. The comparison to Bolan is on point, but Ty Segall manages to embody Bolan's sensibility without getting lost in it. That's a hard thing to do, and I'm liking it. Fave Songs: Emotional Mugger/Leopard Priestess, Squealer, Californian Hills, Baby Big Man, Mandy Cream

Robyn Hitchcock is definitely an artist who deserved a spot on the original list. Yeah I know, Soft Boys, but his solo stuff is something distinct and special. There's really nothing else out there quite like him, and I enjoyed spending time with this album today. Eye is interesting because without a supporting band it's simply Hitchcock distilled to his finest qualities. Musically, he has a minimalist pop sensibility. But Hitchcock's eccentric approach to songwriting is straight out of the 60s. The lyrics are the star here - whimsical, sardonic, surreal, encircling the occasional nugget of pathos or truth. The overall effect is highly listenable but thought provoking and strange in the best ways. Fave Songs: Queen Elvis, Raining Twilight Coast, Chinese Water Python, Glass Hotel, Aquarium, Beautiful Girl

I started off thinking that the vocals here were not strong enough to hold up to the lyrics or to what's going on musically. But as the album progressed, I found that it all works well together. There's a melodicism here that I didn't expect but really liked. This was a solid listen, thanks for recommending it. Fave Songs: American Jesus, Man with a Mission, Lookin' In, Recipe for Hate, All Good Soldiers

I had a lot of fun with this one. I was delighted but surprised when I saw it come up, probably because I really didn't expect that anyone would think to submit it. But for all of Bruce Springsteen's studio albums that you rightfully could have submitted, this was the better choice. It's a window into the passion and the joy of Bruce's live shows, which are central to who he is as an artist. The album is an excellent representation of the early "classic" E Street lineup, featuring songs from Bruce's first three albums. It's a must-listen for fans, and is probably also regarded as one of the better live albums ever made. Production is clean and crisp with every nuance on full display. You can practically feel the warmth of the crowd in the room. For those of you who struggle with the length of the album, I recommend taking a break before starting disk 2. Several of the best songs on the album happen to reside on disk 2, so it's worth hanging in there. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Born to Run; Jungleland; She's the One; Rosalita (Come Out Tonight); Backstreets; Lost in the Flood; Thunder Road; Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out; Quarter to Three; 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy); It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City; Spirit in the Night; For You; The E Street Shuffle/Havin' a Party; Kitty's Back; Detroit Medley

Ah, this was a nice addition. Graham Parker is one of those artists I was waiting to see on the original list who didn't make it, so I'm glad to see him here. This album has a smart, mildly cantankerous vibe with a strong pop sensibility, and more than a bit of a bite. Love it. Fave Songs: Saturday Nite Is Dead, Love Gets You Twisted, Protection, You Can't Be Too Strong, Local Girls, Passion Is No Ordinary Word

I think maybe my brother had this album when it came out, but that I didn't particularly connect with it. That hasn't really changed as I come back to it today. It's an odd little album, a bit of a hodgepodge of quirky synth-forward songs that are very much of their time. The singles are solid enough, but it's nothing I care to revisit. Fave Songs: Wouldn't It Be Good, Bogart, I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, Human Racing

This album certainly has some nice, melodic moments, but I found it to be overly cutesy for my taste. The modification/tuning of the vocal was straight up irritating. It's very much a defining album of its time though, and it absolutely belongs on the list. Fave Songs: White Sky, Giving Up the Gun, Run, Taxi Cab

There's a guy like this playing in a coffee shop in a college town near you. He's not as clever as he thinks he is either.

I'll echo what others have said, that I was unable to find the full original album and that it seems much of what I could find was in remixes. What I did hear of Keita sounded very nice, but this is a 2 for lack of an album.

This was an enjoyable surprise. It has an almost timeless quality due to all of the genres Valerie June plays in. Her vocal style grated on me a little bit, both too much and not enough for what she was trying to do with it. Fave Songs: Pushin' Against a Stone; Trials, Troubles, Tribulations; Workin' Woman Blues; Tennessee Time

What a great listen for an autumn afternoon. Fave Songs: Alone Together, September Song, Time on My Hands (You in My Arms), It Never Entered My Mind, Tis Autumn

I enjoyed this. Really creative stuff and, apparently, Arthur Russell was quite ahead of his time. This has a certain fragmented and unfinished quality, and it's really longer than it needs to be, but it somehow still works. Thanks for recommending this. Fave Songs: Being It, See-Through, Tree House, Tone Bone Kone, Place I Know / Kid Like You, Lucky Cloud

This was quite good, with a stripped down sound and surprisingly contemplative lyrics. The vocals seem a little off to me though. Fave Songs: Stay Alive, Air Forces, Separate

Ah, a solid choice. And fittingly, I happened to get this album the day before Halloween. I think Oingo Boingo absolutely should have made the original list. I always enjoyed them, and this is an album that got a lot of play in my house when it came out. It has Danny Elfman's trademark oddball sensibility, while at the same time being really accessible and fun to listen to. This is about as 80s as you can get in an album, but in the best ways. Vibrant, brassy and funky, but not at all overbearing. The underlying themes that run through some of the songs of death, ghosts and embracing life were really clever and unusual for the time, without ever getting overly creepy or dour. The most famous song on the album ("Weird Science") kind of doesn't fit with the other stuff, but is still pretty catchy, nearly 40 years later. Fave Songs: Dead Man's Party, Just Another Day, Stay, Weird Science, No One Lives Forever, Heard Somebody Cry

This was pleasant enough to listen to, solid as background listening. Everything kind of blurs together here, so there really weren't any standout tracks. I didn't dislike this and I appreciate a submission in this genre, but this one was fairly unmemorable for me.

Quirky, creative and fun. I liked this, thanks for sharing. Fave Songs: Beef Rapp, Deep Fried Frenz, One Beer, Guinnessez, Fillet-O-Rapper

Somehow I managed to miss this when it came out, but I enjoyed it a lot today. Great sound. Seemingly murky on the surface, but with some nice nuanced guitar work and strategic uses of noise. Will definitely be spending more time with this one. Fave Songs: Stars, Songs of Farewell and Departure, Why I Like the Robins, I Hate It Too, Suicide Machine, Little Dipper

Musically, I found this to be fairly unremarkable, but for its genre and the time in which it was released, this is a well-made, well-written album. It's the little, intimate lyrical touches that give this album its spark. Fave Songs: Done Wrong, Untouchable Face, Superhero, Adam and Eve, Going Down

I appreciated hearing an example of Dutch rock/funk music, so thank you for sharing this. Although Gotcha! has some strong musical chops, I didn’t connect with much of this. An interesting listen though. Fave Song: Stronger Than Ajax/Save Da Day

I appreciate the thought behind this concept. The lyricism is pretty terrific. I'm really not a fan of the Lo-fi sound of this album though. It could have been so much better. Fave Songs: Fault Lines, The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton, Balance, Color in Your Cheeks

This should be Flood. I will say, I'm pleased to see that TMGB has maintained the quality of their work as long as they have. I will even go so far as to say that in some ways the Johns have improved as musicians since the days of those early, classic albums. That said, this feels like a rudderless assortment of songs, not an album. A few great songs, and a lot I probably won't remember. Fave Songs: Can't Keep Johnny Down, You Probably Get That a Lot, Old Pine Box, Canajoharie

So I love the idea of a whole Poe-inspired album, but I can't help but think that the Alan Parsons Project was the wrong band to attempt it. While the band has excellent musical chops, the album itself really could have been about anything. Knowing what I know of some of the Poe works, I found the corresponding songs to be tonally off for the most part, as well as lacking in a certain tension and darkness. The instrumental "The Fall of the House of Usher" is probably the one piece where the mood fits the story. A+ concept with a B in execution. Fave Songs: The Fall of the House of Usher: Arrival, The Fall of the House of Usher: Pavane, The Cask of Amontillado, A Dream Within a Dream

Enjoyed this. Strategic uses of tension, noise and quiet, all to brilliant effect. I did find myself wishing for a good vocal on some of the songs, but that's a minor critique. Fave Songs: Summer (Priority Version), Yes! I Am a Long Way from Home, Tracy, Like Herod, A Cheery Wave from Stranded Youngsters

Really lovely, melancholy music with expressive vocals. It loses me a little on the back half, and that extended final track was wholly unnecessary. Still, I enjoyed this quite a bit. Fave Songs: Cannonball, Volcano, The Blower's Daughter, Delicate, Older Chests

This was well written and very well played, but I didn't connect much with the proggier songs. And yeah, it was overly long. Pleased to see music of this quality being produced so recently. Fave Songs: Perfect Life, Hand Cannot Erase, Routine

I wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but it's pretty great. This has a really rich sound that grooves, which makes sense given the deep bench of talent working together here. Some of the stylistic wanderings were a little off the wall, but in the end it all works. Fave Songs: It's Alright, I Feel It!; Runaway; You Can Do It (Baby); I Am the Black Gold of the Sun; Shoshana; Habriendo el Dominante

When this album works, it's golden - Earthy, quietly elegant, mildly quirky. Where it doesn't work, it drags or wanders off into the weeds stylistically. On the whole a very nice listen, but also entirely too long. Fave Songs: Certainty, Blue Lightning, Spud Infinity, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You, Dried Roses, Red Moon, Wake Me Up to Drive

Yeah, this was a bit overwrought in places. I didn't particularly connect with it, but I appreciate the creativity. Fave Songs: The Calling, Ruin, Chords

I thought this was fine. It's very listenable as post-hardcore or Emo goes, if not super memorable. The vocals don't do a thing for me. Fave Songs: In Circles, Seven, Song About an Angel, Round

Bubbly and quirky and pretty fun to listen to in its best moments. The fragmented aspect of these songs wore thin with me though, as did the start/stop effects and fluctuating volume. At times I felt like I was listening to an old chewed up cassette. Fave Songs: Genevieve, Str8 Outta Mumbai, Jasmine, Crush, Zion Wolf Theme

Musically this is quite good, but I can't deal with that style of vocal. It's actually distracting from the rest of the music. Thanks for submitting it though. Many of these user submitted albums are just so one note, and this really stands out by comparison.

This album occasionally drags in pace, although there are some really lovely songs to be found here. Some of the upbeat country rock tunes sound a bit dated now, although Carpenter's cover of "Passionate Kisses" is easily the best song of the bunch. Thanks for sharing. I don't think I've ever spent time with much of Carpenter's music. Fave Songs: Passionate Kisses, Not Too Much to Ask, I Take My Chances, He Thinks He'll Keep Her, Come On Come On

Very nice, highly listenable stuff. I would definitely like to spend more time with this. It has a bit of a diffuse vintage vibe, while still sounding quite fresh. The lyrics and vocals, such as they are, are shallow and don't add much value to the music. But the quality of this is strong enough that I'm willing to overlook it. Fave Songs: The Man Who Took My Sunglasses, Balls and Pins, August Twelve, Zionsville, People Everywhere (Still Alive), White Gloves

This was an interesting listen, if a bit of a stylistic hodgepodge. I am not a fan of the dual vocals, but I also think the vocals in general are the weakest part of the album. Fave Songs: Reunion, Your Ex-Lover Is Dead, Set Yourself on Fire, Ageless Beauty

Something's up with this one, as I already reviewed it about 3 months ago. Gave it a 3. As I said back then... musically on point, highly listenable, a bit derivative. Fave Songs: Stuck Between Stations, Hot Soft Light, Party Pit, Chips Ahoy!, Massive Nights

This was charming in its way, and it's plenty listenable as background music. I don't know that it's memorable enough for me to want to return to it though. Fave Songs: Feed the Light, The Ride, Real Life

It's hard not to like this. Catchy, melodic and full of energy, musically smarter than I expected it to be. A little weak on the back half, but overall a fun listen. Fave Songs: The Middle, A Praise Chorus, Bleed American, Sweetness, My Sundown

Brassy, energetic and well-played ska punk. The quality of the vocals is a bit irritating to me, but the lyrics are surprisingly thoughtful. Fave Songs: We Will Fall Together, Forty Days, Watch It Crash

Musically, I thought this was pretty solid, but Brad Roberts' vocal style wore thin with me pretty quickly. Fave Song: Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm, When I Go Out with Artists

Oh boy, this was visceral and so hard to listen to at times, but such a lovely, honest expression of pain and grief. Musically, it was nuanced and creative in ways that both complemented and struggled against the lyrics in interesting ways. Thanks for sharing this. Fave Songs: Flowers and You, Displacement, Rapture, Benediction, New Halloween

One thing I will say for this album is that it's thematically ambitious in a way I wish I heard more in music. Musically it was fine, if with a rather strained, oddball vintage sensibility. I imagine this plays better if you are familiar with the musical it inspired, or even with Greek mythology. I struggled with Anaïs Mitchell's voice and mostly preferred the tracks that featured other vocalists. "Flowers (Eurydice's Song)" was a notable exception. Fave Songs: Hey, Little Songbird; Flowers (Eurydice's Song); If It's True; Wait for Me

I'm struck by the sheer number of singles that came off this album. This album was a massive hit in its day and a really catchy, well-crafted collection of songs. Definitely an oversight leaving it off the original list. I was never particularly into Shania in her heyday, but it's hard not to respect her talent. She has a killer pop sensibility and a natural charisma as a performer that is incredibly engaging. The songs are assertive but big-hearted and highly listenable, with little in the way of filler. Fave Songs: You're Still the One; Man! I Feel Like a Woman!; Whatever You Do! Don't!; When; That Don't Impress Me Much; I Won't Leave You Lonely; You've Got a Way

This was really excellent. Haunting and elegant, if a bit slow moving at times. Fave Songs: Like a Forest, In Metal, Sunflower, Dinosaur Act, Whitetail, Laser Beam

Excellent choice. Not one that immediately comes to mind when I think of Pink Floyd, but highly listenable and with a well-executed concept. A somewhat self-indulgent use of spacey keyboards and studio effects wears thin at points, but there's a lot to enjoy here. Uneasy and cynical, but fascinating stuff. Fave Songs: Pigs (Three Different Ones), Dogs