1001 Albums Summary

July 13, 2021 I am at home working in the heat. I am drifting a little and wonder if the combination of structure and expansion will help me. I am processing. I haven't slept well and the trumpet feels like it is tickling my spine and putting my brain to sleep. I want to like this but I'm not sure I do.

July 14, 2021 Today is pretty much the same as yesterday and I am creeped out by this album cover. There is smoke from all the fires and outside is vaguely brown. I liked some of these songs but really disliked others. (Track 5 - sounds greasy???) A little too R&B for me, maybe.

July 15, 2021 All the light is topaz. Someone came to look at the house next door and I stopped it so they wouldn't hear me playing ABBA with the window open at 9:30am. Sorry ABBA for doing you like that. Cheesy, but I love it. There are a few classics on here. Also, somewhat surprisingly learning I'm kind of into ABBA's album cover aesthetic?

July 16, 2021 This is good stuff. The juxtaposition of orchestral arrangement, choral vocals, and more acoustic tracks is a little jarring, but in an eclectic way I am really enjoying. Love the last track.

July 19, 2021 I think reggae is just not for me - there are some songs on here that I can tell would be classics but I just can't get into it. Very repetitive to me and since I'm more of a music than a lyrics person I don't think I'm getting the messaging as well as would be intended. Also, I'm pretty sure we used to play this album when I worked at Starbucks and anything to do with that hellscape is ruined for me now.

July 20, 2021 Her voice is beautiful, and there are songs I like on here. An easy listen, although not my preferred genre(s). Great ambiance.

July 21, 2021 I haven't listened to this in forever and forgot how much I like it. First three tracks are amazing. This album rocks.

July 22, 2021 I liked one or two tracks on here (Karmacoma) but wasn't really into the rest. OK background music but not sure I'd just listen to it for its own sake. I think I'd prefer a little more upbeat. I really, really dislike the last track. Why did they include that?

July 23, 2021 Enjoyed this, although I have to admit it kind of turned into background music and I didn't notice when the album ended and autoplayed something else. But it's funky!

July 26, 2021 Love this! Energetic and there are some good cuts on here other than "Take Me Out".

July 27, 2021 This lowkey sounds like elevator music but I'm into it??? Kind of a great listen for July.

July 28, 2021 I really like the gravelly texture of old Dylan voice, which feels like it fits better with some of his songwriting than young Dylan voice. He sounds jaded and cynical and wise - exactly the right person to be meditating on mortality.

July 29, 2021 (actually July 30, 2021) I really didn't hate this as much as I thought I would. Great background for working. Actually kind of... good? Not what I usually like at all but I'm into it. Especially enjoyed "Building Steam with a Grain of Salt".

July 30, 2021 I did not particularly enjoy this. Some of the backing tracks are alright but can't get on board with the vocals.

August 2, 2021 This is really cool! I had no idea this band existed but this album combines some of my favourite musical influences (punk & blues, apparently?)

August 3, 2021 I really enjoyed this! Again this one fuses two different styles of music I already enjoy. Looking forward to more of this.

August 4, 2021 (but I listened to most of this Aug 11) This was OK but a little too sad/slow for my taste.

August 5, 2021 (Aug 11-12) I enjoyed the back half of this album much more than the front half. It's all pretty good but the drums are just distracting to start with.

August 6, 2021 (Aug 16) Love some Bowie!

August 9, 2021 (Aug 18) This was pretty good but I'm not a fan of the vocals.

August 10, 2021 (Aug 19) I have to admit the singing is not quite what I'd want it to be (mostly from an enunciation perspective, I like the tone), but I just learned Tom Waits actually wrote two of my favourite songs and this album shows why. Definitely a certain mood but I'm into it!

August 11, 2021 (Aug 20) Not bad but I personally found it a little bland.

August 24, 2021 The album cover is off-putting. I wanted to like this, and I can see how it influenced a lot of the later music I like, but I was just uncomfortable and a lot of this was pretty dumb.

August 25, 2021 This album just does not stop. So good.

August 26, 2021 This was good! Some tracks are catchier than others but I liked the changes in tone and structure. A solid listen.

August 27, 2021 This was not bad? A bit depressing.

August 30, 2021 This is pretty meh? Nothing to write home about but it's fine. Also too long. Didn't love the Stones cover.

August 31, 2021 I really did not enjoy this - it was very long and while the production was good this is not my style of music at all. It just felt like over an hour of either aggressive posturing or misogyny.

September 1, 2021 Not sure how I managed to get two Bob Marley albums in the first 30 days but I am not that into it. I think reggae is just not for me. I really only enjoyed "No Woman No Cry".

September 2, 2021 Actually pretty good for working/studying. Don't think I'd listen otherwise.

September 3, 2021 I had no idea so many songs I'd heard before were on this album - a classic pop record for sure!

September 6, 2021 Never heard of him before but this is solid! I like the mixture of softer and more aggressive tracks. Nice production. Some standout tracks ("Wouldn't Mama Be Proud", "I Better Be Quiet Now")

September 7, 2021 OK but mostly too progressive and slow. "Gypsy Woman" is the best track on here. A lot of vibraphone use, which is.. a choice.

September 8, 2021 I usually find John Fogerty's voice grating but it seems to be growing on me. I liked a couple of these ("Born on the Bayou" and "Proud Mary" of course) and found the rest of the album pretty good, except the last track which was just kinda weird.

September 9, 2021 Not bad, but nothing too special. Jumps back and forth between some tracks I liked and some I liked less. Good instrumentation.

September 10, 2021 "Wild World" is obviously a classic. The rest of this album is pretty good, with one or two standouts ("Sad Lisa", "Father and Son")

September 13, 2021 I've rated several other albums five stars but this is one of my all-time favourites. So. Fucking. Good. I honestly would have a really hard time picking a favourite track because there are so many good ones. This time "Jungleland" did it for me.

September 14, 2021 I listened to this on bad headphones, but I wanted to like it more than I did. Maybe worth another try later since I usually like this kind of stuff more.

September 15, 2021 Another one of my favourites. Soooo good.

September 16, 2021 Surprisingly fun! It's longer than I normally like and a different genre, but I danced a little.

September 17, 2021 Love them.

September 20, 2021 Feels like generic 60s rock. Not super into it. Vaguely like the Beatles but worse and with more blues. The stereo album was included too but I just couldn't take listening to more of this.

September 21, 2021 This was ok at first to have in the background while I worked, but dear god do all the songs sound the same and I just wanted it to end.

September 22, 2021 This was a fun energetic album and a classic for sure!

September 23, 2021 Love this stuff for working!

September 24, 2021 Awesome! Except for the last track ("Bring It On Home") which I didn't really enjoy.

September 27, 2021 This is fun - I enjoyed "Housequake", "Strange Relationship", "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man". Not as epic as I expected given what everyone says about Prince.

September 28, 2021 This sucks. Repetitive and tries too hard to be edgy. The only redeeming quality is "Luther's Funk" which is the only thing that saved this from one star.

September 29, 2021 God why is there so much fucking reggae on here?! Just not my thing.

September 30, 2021 This was fine but kind of long and rambly. Not bad, just not for me.

October 1, 2021 Angry, but not bad.

October 4, 2021 Not bad - a little forgettable. I enjoyed "Snowblind".

October 5, 2021 Didn't mind this - might have enjoyed it better with good speakers. A nice bluesy feel.

October 6, 2021 Not what I was expecting. Meh.

October 7, 2021 Not bad!

October 8, 2021 What I would imagine a Joni Mitchell album is like. I want to like her but I feel ambivalent.

October 11, 2021 I liked the first song but it kind of went downhill from there. OK but I didn't get very into it.

October 12, 2021 God I hate reggae

October 13, 2021 Just a lot of grungy background noise. The vocals are too quiet. I get this would be influential but I just think what came after is less fucking boring.

October 14, 2021 It was fine but I didn't enjoy it that much with the exception of "Without You".

October 15, 2021 This was good (unsurprisingly)! Energetic and an appropriate length.

October 18, 2021 Actually pretty good despite not being a typical listen for me!

October 19, 2021 Not bad. Relatively pleasant background noise, except "Ain't No Right" which was weird.

October 20, 2021 Pretty good! I liked "Alive".

October 21, 2021 I generally don't like live albums and this one was terrible. Over an hour of just noise.

October 22, 2021 A fun listen!

October 25, 2021 Eh. "Strychnine" is the best song on here.

October 26, 2021 Most of this isn't on Spotify so I only listened to the title track. Honestly not upset that I don't have to hear more of this.

October 27, 2021 This broadened my horizons and was an enjoyable listen!

October 28, 2021 A good listen and a tragic one.

October 29, 2021 Obviously a great songwriter and I really wanted to like a monster album by a female artist, but just a little too chill for me and don't love her voice. But some great songs on here.

November 1, 2021 Maybe I'm just in the right mood for this, but I guess I like Frank Sinatra. And/or bossa nova? Particular standouts were "How Insensitive" and "I Concentrate On You"