My 1001 Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
G. Love And Special Sauce G. Love & Special Sauce	5	2.71	+2.29
Alien Lanes Guided By Voices	5	2.76	+2.24
Gold Ryan Adams	5	2.83	+2.17
I Am a Bird Now Antony and the Johnsons	5	2.84	+2.16
Bone Machine Tom Waits	5	2.85	+2.15
Aha Shake Heartbreak Kings of Leon	5	2.94	+2.06
16 Lovers Lane The Go-Betweens	5	2.95	+2.05
16 Lovers Lane The Go-Betweens	5	2.95	+2.05
I See A Darkness Bonnie "Prince" Billy	5	2.98	+2.02
Let Love Rule Lenny Kravitz	5	2.99	+2.01

Album	You	Global	Diff
Live! Fela Kuti	1	3.44	-2.44
Siembra Willie Colón & Rubén Blades	1	3.33	-2.33
In The Wee Small Hours Frank Sinatra	1	3.27	-2.27
In The Wee Small Hours Frank Sinatra	1	3.27	-2.27
S&M Metallica	1	3.26	-2.26
Close To The Edge Yes	1	3.2	-2.2
Rhythm Nation 1814 Janet Jackson	1	3.01	-2.01
Os Mutantes Os Mutantes	1	2.98	-1.98
Led Zeppelin III Led Zeppelin	2	3.94	-1.94
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite Maxwell	1	2.91	-1.91

Artist	Albums	Average
Pixies	4	5
Radiohead	6	4.67
Beatles	7	4.43
R.E.M.	5	4.6
Ryan Adams	3	5
Arcade Fire	3	5
Kanye West	4	4.5
Neil Young	4	4.5
David Bowie	9	4.11
Nick Drake	3	4.67
Nirvana	3	4.67
The Rolling Stones	7	4.14
The Go-Betweens	2	5
Arctic Monkeys	2	5
The Smashing Pumpkins	2	5
Elliott Smith	2	5
Coldplay	2	5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds	5	4.2
Leonard Cohen	5	4.2
Tom Waits	5	4.2
Stevie Wonder	4	4.25
PJ Harvey	4	4.25
Elvis Costello & The Attractions	4	4.25
Van Morrison	3	4.33

Artist	Albums	Average
Frank Sinatra	4	1.75
Yes	3	1.67
Fela Kuti	2	1.5
Emerson, Lake & Palmer	2	1.5
Slipknot	2	1.5
The Mothers Of Invention	2	1.5
Happy Mondays	3	2

Artist	Ratings
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band	4, 1
The Velvet Underground	2, 5, 5

Inspiration Information by Shuggie Otis

Jul 21 2021

This is the 100th album I’ve been served by the wonderful 1001 project (big thank you!). To celebrate this, here is my first review. For sure it will make some people happy. Apart from a few songs, the Doors were actually unknown territory for me. I was prepared for some tedious stuff but this turned out to be a lovely collection of bluesy tunes. If I need to pick a favourite, it is 'Waiting for the Sun'. A quite enjoyable album for the Sunday afternoon indeed. Ok, it’s not anywhere near the level of ‘Siamese Dream’, but man what a relief after yesterday’s unlistenable ‘A Wizard/A True Star’!

200 albums into the project and I'm still enjoying it. Didn't know this band; turns out that Stephen Malkmus was part of it, though not on this record. It's a very nice album with strong melodies and interesting lyrics.

Several 5* songs - incl Hey Ya, one of the best ever - but too scattered and way too long overall.

Very consistent set of perfect pop songs, with a warm sound and comforting voice.

Rather pointless.

Long time ago that I listened to this album as a whole. And it turns out to be even much better than I remembered. Not just the singles but all songs are top class: golden melodies, passionate vocals. It's aggressive and moving, tender and strong. A landmark of the nineties.

My album #301, and it's a lovely one. Several of Brel's chansons are of course classics. His performance is compelling, the band does a good job too. I don't understand most of the French lyrics but the language sounds nice. (Brel also recorded some of his songs in Dutch but I prefer the French. Noteworthy by the way is a recording of Brel's work in Frisian by Douwe Heeringa in a 'lighter' style.) I listened to Enregistrement Public à l'Olympia 1964, containing 15 songs. Personal highlight is Le Plat Pays, while Amsterdam and Les Bourgeois stand out as well. One can argue about live albums in the list. Let's say that in this case the live aspect doesn't add much compared to studio versions.

What a band! This may not be their best but still 5 stars easily.

excellent title

FIRE

Very atmospheric album, beautiful voice. And then there is They won't go when I go - wow!

Songs of variable quality buried in (funny?) ads.

Nice surprise, potential 5-star check, almost made it.

Many unnecessary notes.

I listened to this album with low expectations. Ok, chien had 5 stars but there's not much predictive skill in that. But I listened, and once again, and once again. It's not incredibly long, that helps. The last song is of course a massive classic but it fits on the album as just one of the songs. Amazing record, very addictive. I had some associatian with Elliott Smith at some point. Google tells me he actually covered Care of cell 44. And the title is a typo. Only the greatest can afford that. All this leads inevitably to .. yes .. to 5 stars.

Very solid rock. Should be played as loud as possible, the chien would say.

Nice sound, some catchy tunes but also tedious at times

Overall far too busy for my taste.

I have the honor to give the 1000th group vote. Not the best timing though. I needed a few spins to find out what this is: a dj set cutting and pasting every sample they could lay their hands on. They probably had a lot of fun but there is no need to bother me with this stuff. Still two stars as some of the samples are really nice and groovy.

Funny and melodic raps!

Absolutely fantastic from start to finish

This is a collection of very good songs. It's just the sound that annoys me.

Steady country, easy listening, but without any remarkable moment.

Hadn't listened to this since a long time and was reminded what a great album it is. A warm bath!

Incredibly pleasant to listen to. The flow and consistency of the album is just perfect.

Bob Dylan live, acoustic & electric. Nice harmonica, voice as usual, rating as usual.

Nice raw sound

Catchy, bold, melodic, sharp, clean: an ultimate pop/rock album.

Very nice record, packed with hits,

Nice voice and sound; lost attention in the second half.

This has a certain beauty.

Promising onsets of songs but they keep losing themselves in pointless excursions.

Very accessible metal, not a punishment to listen to.

Get this live shit off the list pleazz.

I was overwhelmed by this when it came out and it may be the album I have listened to the most. Still great in every sense.

Very good album although it lacks a certain rawness compared to its predecessors. And seven nation army has been spun to pieces.

Very good album, a bit uneven though.

At times it gets a bit whiny but this is a respectable effort to mix Latin with a wide range of styles.

There are a few good songs but it's too dark for my taste.

Becomes better after a few spins, and could probably grow even more on me.

A bit too much shouting going on there.

Really quiet. Good finger picking, singing could be better.

Not bad

Superb house album, though too monotonous at times for 5 stars. Personal favourite: Rollin' ans Scratchin'.

Impressive debut album, not all tracks work equally well but still very enjoyable.

Nize 'n noizy

So inconsistent and lacking flow that one could easily oversee some good songs. I found them mainly in the second part: e.g., come alive, neon valley street, and 57821.

I got into the groove a few times.

Not as overwhelming as This year's girl but still very attractive.

Always found this a bit (too) smooth but there are in fact quite a number of killer songs on this album.

Started to get into it after a few spins and the lyrics really pulled it to a 4.

Not bad but nothing remarkable either.

Adequately sung collection of top songs.

Yes, another pearl from the 1001 catalogue. Great songs performed by intense vocals and swinging brass instruments.

Niemendalletje

Hard to judge this album because it's so variable. But in the end the positive surprises are in majority.

Very pleasant, close to full marks actually

At half the lengte it would have been 3 stars.

Fast Car is a truly touching song and the record as a whole is convincing.

Decent blues album

Commendable from an educational point of view but here I'm judging my personal listening experience, and that was horrible.

Strong songs, splendid voice.

As good as it gets for a hard rock album: well done!

One of my favourite albums of all time.

Several songs on this album (bridge, condor, boxer, ..) are nailed in my head, frequently played on radio Fryslan when I was a kid. Combined with some more up tempo tracks they make a rich and diverse record.

Outstanding vocal performance.

Definitely good: Start the dance!

Too experimental for me.

Great aggressive raps, sparse beats, some guitar mixed in. I like it.

Huge hits, not all entirely to my satisfaction though.

Interesting combination of short song material with longer instrumental tracks.

I somehow like this stuff.

Excellent

Total crap, even duplicating the same crappy song three times.

Some catchy tunes here (e.g., Kerosine) but overall rather ugly; not to say that ugly can't be beautiful though.

Very pleasant surprise.

Interesting that there is a beta version of bohemian rhapsody on this album. But not my cup of tea.

Perhaps my #3 PJ, after To bring you my love and Is this desire. Excellent songs, raw and accessible at the same time.

This is likely a perfect album. Yet it's like a black hole, no light coming out. I'll leave it at 4.

Wonderful and cool, with several unexpected highlights, such as Master of Sparks.

A little blunt, I favour the Jilted Generation.

Good mix of wild funky stuff with slowed-down sensitive songs.

Loved this one, again a nice surprise from 1001.

A lot of irritating vocals but overall reasonable music.

Pretty amazing instrumental and vocal performance.

Reasonable hiphop but does not really grab me.

Not so easy to get through this, even if Red Alert is a catchy tune.

Very puntig.

Another beautiful Bowie. Great closing song.

A little too noisy.

Solid and energetic rock & roll album

A couple of excellent covers (e.g., Hurt and We'll meet again) combined with several that do not add much to the original.

Smooth and subtle, nice music in the background.

I can appreciate (but not more than that) this album because of its variety and skillful raps.

Consistent yet with a lot of variation.

Mixed feelings about this one. Probably heard some songs, in particular Paradise, far too often, and I don't like the bombastic approach. But at the same time there are some really strong tracks here. So 3 it is.

I like Sebadoh a lot and generally in the order Barlow > Loewenstein > Gaffney (although the mix is definitely an added value). For that reason later albums are preferred, yet this one is much more than ok.

Quite reasonable effort though too long.

I have problems with the contrived vocals, as actually holds for many singer songwriters. The songs themselves are of mixed quality.

Steady blues rock but I tend to fall asleep until the classics kick in.

Very decent punk rock, don't like the vocals very much.

The usual spun-out NY rock, nothing remarkable here.

Laid-back sound, excellent vocals.

Great riffs, a tad monotonous, too lengthy

Carefully and patiently arranged tracks. Over the top vocals. Desolate sound reminding of Joy Division.

Child in time is an amazing song. Otherwise this music and the pathetic screaming sound rather outdated.

Not sure what this is all about.

The shouty vocals, the jumpy rythms .. not my piece of cake.

This is indeed one of the best albums that was ever made. It was a great pleasure to revisit it at this occasion.

Mellow tunes, nice in the background but boring.

Wonderful triphop album.

Lots of strong songs and brilliant guitar playing. Unfortunately too much jamming for me to stay really tuned.

Compliments to these guys for making a synth pop album that I thoroughly enjoyed. Favourite track: Song With No Name.

I love the energy of this live performance.

Rather straightforward hard rock album, less heavy than I had expected.

The 500th album to rate and it's got a massive status. I can't help comparing it to Revolver, which we had just a week ago. Both records share an incredible richness but to me Sgt. Pepper is weaker in terms of song material, coherence and flow. I'll leave it at 4.

Collection of wonderful songs that remain intact under heavy experimentation. Just listen to Like Spinning Plates.

Stilled timeless beauty.

I know that voice ... it's Rod Stewart!

Pleasant rock 'n roll.

Apart from the story telling some fine soul music.

Sympathetic record. I remember Goldfinger well, still a great song. Rest of the album is of variable quality.

Perfect harmonies, it just misses an edge somehow.

Fahren fahren fahren auf der Autobahn .. usw .. usw

Very hard decision but let me go for full marks because of the unbelievable variety and yet consistency of this album.

Extraordinary vocal performance

My best known Sonic Youth album: great noise rock.

Apart from a few nicely progressing songs like Into the light and Sin in my heart, this record with somewhat off-putting vocals doesn't really appeal to me.

Not much to say against this, nice middle-of-the-road-stuff.

Listened to this album couple of times to conclude that it is flawless.

Jazz does grab me sometimes but not on this occasion.

Very accessible album: I enjoyed it!

Great musicians obviously but this style does not appeal to me.

Full marks secured by the first notes of Ready or not. The rest is an excellent bonus.

Very complex album, several sparkles of greatness, but it lacks the flow and melodic strength to keep me engaged.

I didn't know this later Portishead album. Different sound but still very intense and I love the thin vocals.

Even a concept album about English war history turns out fantastic in the hands of PJ.

Nice blues-rock album but I prefer Janis Joplin solo.

The raw sound reminds me of PJ Harvey.

Gentle songs combined with some experimental and at times whining material.

Well composed songs, great sound, a tad monotonous.

Highly atmospheric, I just lose attention somewhat toward the end.

The first part gets 5 stars, the second doesn't completely live up to that level, but overall this is a very good take on country with an edge.

I like the dreamy atmosphere on this record.

This was a pleasant listening experience, smooth and subtle. Really not much to say against it.

Not a very convincing effort, though there are several great songs (Dance Little Sister, Sign Your Name, ..) on this album.

At first it's a challenge to listen past the title song, but it turns out to be very respectable.

It's a hodgepodge of styles, it's bombastic, it's live, and I don't like it.

There's no denying that this is very well crafted pop music. Quite enjoyable.

A couple of higlights (Play for Today, A Forest of course, ..) and otherwise not much is happening here.

Enjoyable record but nowhere near their debut.

I don't hear that this is such a classic. It's definitely solid but nothing really grabs the attention.

Rock as it should be: bluesy and raspy.

Not so bad for a prog album.

Accessible jazzy pop songs, perhaps slightly missing the intensity to award full marks.

Yeah, this is cool and intense. Orange is better though.

Songs such as Speedy Marie approach Pixies quality but overall this album is far below that standard.

This is actually very elegant punk!

Starts reasonable but becomes more and more dull.

More subtle than some of his earlier work. I needed some time to appreciate it, and then it really fell into place.

Ok, you can shout and you got the groove, Iggy, but the songs were lost on the way.

Beautiful and intense

Authentic and relaxing sound, not for too long though.

Enjoyable laid-back music.

I love the massive stoner sound. Unfortunately the high level of the first part is not maintained throughout the whole album. QOTSA have made better albums, in particular Songs for the Deaf. I hope that is also on the list.

Loud and ugly for the most part.

This got me into (album) music. Must have played it hundreds of times. Now it feels somewhat too slow and elongated in places but it is still easily 5 stars.

Very well balanced Stones album, my one but most favourite (after Exile on Main St.).

I found myself getting into the groove a few times.

The typical Kraftwerk: it has a certain style but is quite repetitive and detached.

I think I can do without this.

Strangely desolate album, yet with a warm heart. It won't get much better than this.

Pleasant to listen to and suggesting great depths.

This is in fact listenable, with even a few quite acceptable grooves (e.g., Starship Trooper c).

The sort of electronic music that I can appreciate.

Somewhat uneven but four stars are secured by such wonderful songs as Jersey Girl and Ruby's Arms.

A couple of great songs, in particular (When you wake) You're still in a dream got me excited. Unfortunately too far drowned in sound elsewhere.

One of the major 1001 surprises: I love everything about it.

Irresistable tunes for the most part, performed with that typical cheekiness.

Very ugly music indeed.

Very strong songs, revealing themselves after a few spins.

It has some moments but overall I had a hard time to stay tuned.

Crappy album, too long, redundant covers, etc. although with a couple of super classic fragments.

Wonderful record, a little busy here and there but with many highlights, such as the very creative Pixies remake '20 dollar'.

Proper song material but I'm not fond of the dreary atmosphere.

My expectations were low since I could not really appreciate the previous Talking Heads albums from the list. However, for some reason Remain in Light did grab me. I played it various times and enjoyed it more and more. How can that be explained? Well, I'm really not sure. This one appears a little lighter and more joyous. Byrne's vocals, which I cannot stand for the most part, are less prominent; there are more harmonies instead. The album is overall very coherent. There are striking sounds, such as the guitar in The Great Curve and the horn in Houses in Motion. There is genuine beauty in Listening Wind. There is (by accident?) a catchy single with Once in a Lifetime (on which I even like Byrne's barking). What more could one wish?

One golden riff does not compensate for the overly long title song and unremarkable remainder.

Very entertaining album, a bit inconsistent perhaps but certainly the best Blur effort.

Very energetic, must have been fantastic to hear this live. On record I'm not so convinced.

Magical sounds in an otherwise boring piece of work.

Intriguing stuff, it got me captivated.

Interesting early post rock album.

Enjoyable album after a false start.

Reminds me of Bloc Party, but at a lower level.

This is really not bad, the songs are absolutely ok, but I hear nothing special. Makes me wonder why this is on the list while so few albums from the 2000s are included.

I value the attitude of these musicians: unconventional, positive and honest. However, I am not really grabbed by most of the songs, even big hits like Me, myself and I.

Solid rock 'n roll album.

So diverse, ruthless riffs alongside gentle gems, yet it seems to fit.

I liked a few of the instrumental parts but did not digest the album as a whole well.

Funky stuff, they know how to lay down a groove. Would be better if they kept a bit more focus, it sometimes feels like the sound track of a drug party that I did not want to be invited to.

The first song is still ok, then it descends into a pretty much unlistenable cacophony.

High-level folk.

Very pleasant mix of tropical styles. Enjoyed it except that I can't really appreciate the singing. And why does that cuckoo pop up everywhere?

Although this album would have benefited from a stricter song selection (to, say, 50-60 minutes), it contains many highlights, including one of the prettiest songs ever (Under the Bridge).

Very nice and consistent sound. I think I prefer their older work though. This was just too long and dense.

Truly enjoyable debut album.

This really is a great listen, one of my favourite Neil Young albums, even if the best tune is a borrowed one.

Beautiful voice rendering a bunch of classics at a quiet pace.

Entertaining album, very musical.

On this overall decent record nothing stood out that really caught my attention.

Quite good triphop album with great use of samples. What a coincidence (or not?) that both Portishead and Tricky made a song based on Isaac Hayes' Ike's Rap II.

And it lingers on ...

Could appreciate the vibe.

Fairly interchangeable rock album.

Refined songs with extraordinary vocals and just the right amount of edges.

It doesn't always work for me - I'm not too fond of the screaming here and there - but the more downplayed songs like Two Dancers are definitely worth listening.

Ok, let me settle on a four star, in the low end. It's very intriguing, rich and diverse; the thick noise can be hard to digest though. I think we've now had most of the Sonic Youth albums and I conclude Dirty is my favourite.

Time after time is brilliant and a total classic, and so is Girls. I was also positively surprised by the rest of the album.

Superb album, it's just that the vocals are (at times) not completely my thing.

I like the raw and subdued style of this album. The songs really grabbed me, and the first 5* for Neil Young is inevitable.

Absolutely fine punk album.

Gorgeous sound with nicely flowing raps.

This is wonderful, so very very melodic. It just flows completely.

I liked most of the songs, Why'd ya do it as favourite. Difficulties with the vocals though.

This is trusted Bowie quality, after a long pause. Very enjoyable album.

No matter how excellently performed and ground-breaking this music may be, the slick arrangements and over the top choirs get on my nerves pretty quickly.

Makes a very robust and classic impression.

Apart from a couple of nice songs (Starpower) the balance on this album leans over to unstructured noise.

Very convincing record, pleasant to listen to.

Sounds more like heaven than las vegas but not sure it's where I would like to be. Nice music, a bit boring though.

Admirable record from Bowie in his last days. Great supporting band too with some intense saxophone playing.

Reminded me of Blood red shoes: fresh and energetic.

Weird album, incoherent and with doubtful vocal performance, but somehow it works. Good pick by Kurt Cobain for his MTV show.

Couldn't get into this really.

I like the sound, the guitar playing, the keyboards. Nothing really stands out however.

Even more entertaining than I had expected.

Beautiful indeed: many things to enjoy on this album.

This sounds like a remake of Odelay, just less convincing in nearly every aspect. Having said that, it's still a good albums of course.

After three quite reasonable songs, this album turns into unexcitement. Exception: All I wanna do, but that somehow does not resonate with me.

Really not bad but obviously in a different league than Pet Sounds.

Disgusting raps. Ok let me give two stars for a few nice melodies and speech samples.

Pleasant listen, nothing spectacular.

I'm not a prog fan: really missing the point of it.

The songs are in order, seem rather standard country. The vocals are annoying.

Completely satisfying album: it's got the punk, it's got the tunes, it's got sophistication. And I don't mind is simply irresistable.

Another very nice Dexys album, slightly less convincing than their debut.

I like the flow and rapping style.

Dramatic and immersive, this totally grabs me.

Holding back the years is the only noteworthy thing on this record.

The melodies are beautiful, the arrangements refined, the vocals gentle. Yet, the songs also feels somewhat contrived, so I leave it at 4 stars.

I liked this better than the Wu-Tang Clan. Very accessible hip-hop album, great samples too. Only quite a bit too long.

How to evaluate this project of mythical proportions? Well, it has its moments - closer Good Vibrations is irresistable - but equally often the songs appear to have been composed in a complicated way just to show off.

Predominantly ugly.

This is really Parsons & Harris, their voices combine excellently with each other.

Some carefully selected covers and a lovely voice: can only lead to a great album.

I don't care about this shouting, although In the end is a top class song.

Starts with a couple of songs with an edge, then becomes rather uneventfull country.

Smooth, well produced, mostly nice songs, excellent voice.

Reminds me of Orange by Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. In comparison, a bit less raw, a bit more subtle, much more varied. I love it, though it misses a true flow and is too lengthy.

This sounds surprisingly fresh, a great debut.

Beautiful and subtle music unfortunately ruined by the vocals.

Strange mix between beautiful melodies and off-putting passages. So we end up in the middle, just like that other Flaming Lips album. 'Coyne has claimed that he was unaware of the songs' [Fight test] similarities until producer Dave Fridmann pointed them out.' Yeah, sure.

Interesting and accessible metal album. Not really my taste but nice to listen to.

The live jazz club atmosphere really comes across on this record. The Tom Waits qualities are obviously there, although I prefer some of his later albums (hopefully on the list as well).

Exciting roller coaster. A bit too intense and jumpy for me.

Not much here that is of interest. And Back to Life is unfortunately less appealing than the single version.

Some good stuff, like the opener, but too much ripples on.

It flows quite ok, with some ear catching tunes like PIMP.

What an energy, lovely!

Very clean album with great solo's. Just a bit too perfect in my opinion. Where are the raw edges?

Didn't think I would give four stars to ABBA. This sounds a bit more sophisticated than their greatest hits.

Not sure whether to take this seriously but it is overall not a bad listen.

The hits are true classics, some other parts (especially towards the end) are not really memorable.

Excellent record, I was entirely grabbed by the repetitive rhythms, only to lose some attention in the second half.

Lana del Rey is fantastic, this album just a bit too flat.

Epic is a great song and there are a few others. The vocals are not my taste.

Incredible album from the days that everything Ryan Adams touched turned into .. yes Gold. Take the epic Nobody girl and find out that this is soon followed by the heartbreaking duo Wild flowers and Harder now that it's over. And whether they are rock, country, gospel or whatever, weak songs are not remotely in sight.

Tried a few times but can't really get into it. Too inconsistent perhaps. Nevertheless, there are some high quality songs of course.

Laid-back with some great samples (Walk on the wild side!) but not something I would replay.

Largely interchangeable country music, nothing to get excited about.

Similar but overall a bit less exciting than Steely Dan.

I don't get excited by this. It feels mechanic and outdated. The tune #4 is of course classic but that's not enough to save it.

Not a punishment to hear this a couple of times. Behind blue eyes is the highlight.

It's not clearing to me what this really is, seems all over the place, but there are definitely some strong tunes.

I pretty much cannot stand this intrusive preaching, although there are nice musical moments.

Sounds fresh and energetic, nice surprise.

Very innovative and influential for sure, but it does not get me very excited, with the exception of a couple of songs, in particular the nicely grooving Regiment.

In the middle section I spotted some favourable melodies.

This is asking too much of me.

Moving and very well delivered songs. Just not 5 stars because there are a couple of mishits.

Occasionally I found myself moving a little with the rhythms but this was mostly quite flat.

Horribly slick, gets on my nerves completely.

The rhythms, the raps, they all fit nicely. The second half is somewhat less covincing than the first, although we find excellent tracks there as well, like Why you hurt me. In summary: very satisfactory album.

This is pop perfection: the catchiness, variety and conciseness of the songs, the extraordinary vocals, even the cover. (1978 was an exceptional year, as yet another perfect pop album was released: This year's model by Elvis Costello.)

Apart from some suggestions of melodies (e.g., Flower punk) this is completely unlistenable.

Jumpy and wild: a creative and convincing punk record

Excellent music though apart from Stairway I miss the wow feeling.

Very nice to hear Bjork in this rock/postpunk setting.

Man, this is ugly.

Just to float on that voice ..

We had Missy Elliott's debut just over a week ago, and the difference is striking. This one is so much worse: the songs are weaker and why all that talking?

Enjoyable reggae album, very nice for a summer evening.

I can listen to this but there's really no reason to do it.

Carefully built up, atmospheric songs, well executed. One has to be in the mood for this.

What a miracle: all these different styles and samples becoming a slow-paced unit here. Love it.

Very enjoyable punk.

Fine, high quality songs. I also liked the droning closer Space Odyssey.

Very good voice and - with a few exceptions - not so noteworthy songs.

Entertaining though rather busy album.

This does not completely appeal to me, except some attractive riffs here and there (e.g., in Luney Tune).

Strangely, I both like and disgust the singing on this album.

Nice and gentle jazz album.

Not something I would put up again but this was quite acceptable overall.

Interesting and captivating music with spoken words nicely draped over it. (Reading about the content of the story I guess this could not be produced in the 2020s anymore.)

The characteristic vocals, the saxophone, overall consistent and enjoyable song material: a nice surprise!

Too much chatting, too many whoohoos amidst some decent folk.

Atmospheric though somewhat too repetitive and dark.

Completely satisfying, covering an enormous dynamic range and emotional spectrum. In two hours not a weak moment: a true masterpiece.

Nothing special; not bad to listen to though.

Well, this is way to busy, and I have a hard time listening to it.

Not my thing really.

There are some classics and the album is solid but overall it is a bit too smooth.

If it's a joke, it's a bad one.

Relaxed music and gentle voice for in the background.

Brilliant and far-stretching: basically everything is great about this record but on this occasion I particularly valued the infinite jam on Another Star.

Strangely inconsistent album. Nice music here and there, and of course the gorgeous Solsbury Hill, but it doesn't get into one piece for me.

Seriously addictive pop music. It only slightly falls short of 5 stars.

Quite acceptable, occassionally compelling, dance music.

Well crafted but uneventful pop music.

Ok, let me be mild and award three stars for this album with a couple of hits (Promised you a miracle is a great song) which is otherwise mostly a dreadful listening experience.

There are a few really nice songs and some that can be skipped. Nothing exceptional here.

Not nearly as sparkling as The queen is dead but still very enjoyable.

Extremely well crafted jazz with a slight tendency to get on the nerves.

This is pure magic, what a melodic richness. The crappy production and the shortness of the songs only seem to add to the miracle.

Quite unbalanced album, containing some nice material.

A couple of ultimate classics; as a whole I cannot appreciate it enough to give full marks though.

The music is not bad but that nervous chicken spoils it.

These are mainly redundant covers of in some cases quite nice songs, and toward the end it becomes a struggle to keep listening.

I like the atmosphere on this record though it doesn't really stick.

More varied than its predecessor, and/but overall less convincing.

Thrilling music, full of interesting sounds.

I'm not too fond of the psychedelic elements; otherwise really ok.

In the 80s I played this over and over. Now I still love several songs but don't enjoy the album as a whole enough for full marks.

Unfortunately the vocals keep this otherwise quite attractive album from a higher score.

Maybe this could be nice music for a movie.

I'm not used to this 'qawwali' sound; it's fascinating and compelling (e.g., Ali Maula Ali Maula Ali Dam Dam) although the intense vocals do get on the nerves after some time.

The voice is annoying, beneath it a gentle, repetitive sound.

Overall I could appreciate this but it's telling that I liked the interlude 'Show 'em whatcha got' best.

This is an enjoyable hard rock show, including the classics I want you to want me and Surrender.

Beatles-like, with a few songs that can match that level plus some less noteworthy stuff.

This feels like an endless jam in which all band members are allowed to display their skills. I guess they had a good time but I don't care.

Hard to stay tuned to this country music.

There are a number of fine compositions, such as Satellite. In between it ripples too often.

I quite like this medieval stuff.

Always thought I didn't like ELO - too sweet, too orchestral - but I enjoyed this album quite a bit.

Typical great Bjork style, but becoming too abstract for me. Where has the directness of Debut gone?

These are some elaborated - or even epic - songs, which I find relatively boring compared to the more compact stuff on Dookie.

Not very remarkable, especially compared to several other Boss albums.

Solid blues album, some nice guitar playing.

Very nice, elegant, meaningful, but I do not get the 'best record ever' vibe.

Melodic and edgy: I like this kind of stuff.

Overall nice flow, although I'm losing attention here and there.

Thoroughly enjoyable album from the early years of this brother-band.

Musically I like this, it's just very intense and at some point the shouting gets on the nerves.

This is a largely solid collection of songs and I quite like Nelson's vocals.

Very enjoyable album by an iconic singer.

It doesn't suck completely.

Some interesting music here albeit rather slooow. And the vocals don't appeal to me.

Starts quite nicely (beautiful day is a top song) but doesn't keep up that level.

Excellent punk/glam rock record: edgy, melodic and raw. The songs do last a bit too long here and there (esp. Frankenstein).

This is a great record containing a very solid set of songs. It's a bit restrained though and therefore not completely convincing.

There are several hints to proper songs alongside too long drug-inspired jams.

Nothing wrong with this, it's just very unspecial.

There are some good songs but they are seriously trying yo hide that.

Despite a high score for the cult factor and two appreciable covers of a great song, I cannot justify more than two stars for this bombastic pastiche.

I quite liked this music and rapping style.

A relatively weaker Fall album I guess but still enjoyable.

Great album with several excellent songs, in particular 'Don't give up', although I don't get that superb exxperience over the full record.

Nice folky songs, Marlene stands out, the rest is adequate.

Truly entertaining and uplifting: I only knew 'Oh Marie' and 'Buona Sera' and the other tracks fit in there just as well.

Well, this was rather disappointing: rather flat, only a few reasonable songs.

Wonderful record; favourite track: 'The light pours out of me'.

It's not repulsive but there are few moments that stick. Overall it's a rather tedious and way too long listen.

Excellent guitar work and a few great tracks (Jump of course) but I don't get very excited about this.

I can't help but to compare this with Moondance, both very nice records. While AW is arguably more consistent, I favour M because it has a warmer sound and some better melodies. Also the vocals on AW occasionally reach the point of irritation.

Disgusting.

The music is mediocre; Winehouse's vocals pull it to 3 stars.

The point of this record is not entirely clear to me, but ok there are some appealing melodies.

This album combines the finest songs (Jesus, Etc. as highlight) with carefully dosed raw edges. Absolutely fantastic.

Rich and diverse music with excellent vocals

Volume at max .. and go!

I love the first two songs; the remainder is just too flat and long.

It feels a bit outdated but I did enjoy several tracks on this album.

Not easily digestible, may need more time than available.

The first two songs are still nice to hear; I don't care about the rest.

Very intriguing album, I love the weird sounds, the cracky voice, the gentle ballads. Falls only slightly short of full marks.

Positively surprised by this one: good combination of compact songs and elongated psychedelica.

Musically excellent album with a couple of great songs. It stays at the level of appreciation more than excitement though.

Much ado with little content.

This doesn't reach the threshold, what a bloody crap.

Though occassionally crumbling down, this is a quite consistent and overall very satisfying record.

This feels like a punk record. I can appreciate it and even the growling seems to make sense.

Neither repulsive nor very attractive.

Solid country rock, gets a bit whiny at times.

Apart from the live aspect in the context of this list: an entertaining album.

For the most part rather ugly music with moaning vocals.

Adequate punk album, I'm not too fond of the vocals.

Very nice in the background, not catchy and compact enough as a standalone album.

It took a couple of times listening to re-appreciate this album (at first it was somewhat ponderous). Finally, I can give a solid 4 stars and if cut by 20-30 minutes it might even have received full marks.

This is a little treasure, soft and beautiful. Loses momentum at a few places, otherwise excellent.

What a burst of energy!

Such delicate songs so tenderly performed: an absolute masterpiece.

Respectable grunge album, though nowhere near Ten and Nevermind, released in the same year.

Reasonable album but it doesn't keep up with much of Costello's earlier work.

Mediocre country music, not a pleasure to listen to.

It keeps going on in a rather dreadful way without hooks to hold on to.

At first it's easy listening but after a while it becomes annoying.

It is subtle and atmospheric, it is boring too.

Sounds fresh, versatile and entertaining.

Brought back to the essence there are some good songs in here, but the delivery is way too pompous and tedious to reveal that.

I liked this: great repetitive sound.

After a strong opening the album deteriorates, only to revive in the second half.

Nice and easy listening, nothing wrong, nothing standing out.

I can't deny this is pretty and well executed.

It's nice but somehow doesn't keep me engaged.

Very nice album, only four songs, each with their own atmosphere, all delivered with a unique voice.

Not a bad album, but why pick this one for the 1001 list?

Very entertaining hip hop.

Very entertaining album topped off with the climactic Free Bird.

Raw, edgy, and melodic; only a bit on the short side.

Collaboration with Kanye done him good. I love it.

I perceived this as whiny.

Starts off really well but the second half doesn't deliver much excitement.

Quite rewarding once you get into it.

Rather tedious matter.

Catchy guitar patterns in repeat and overlayed with murmling vocals. Very entertaining.

Smooth operators indeed, but in a good way. Very relaxed music.

Very pleasant to listen to these well crafted, well performed songs.

Musically it's really quite nice; the vocals prevent a higher rating than 3 stars.

Rather experimental and apart from a few nice passages I'm missing the hooks to get into it.

A stylish album that doesn't really stick.

It must have been awesome to witniss such a concert in jail; listening to it as a record is nice but not more than that.

Not a top album for Cave perhaps but still a very respectable one in general.

This is an epic album (with a perfect title) combining fragile melodies with lengthy noisy jams. Very close to full marks indeed.

The sound is terrific, especially in the faster songs. In the second half they slow down, and that also works.

I can appreciate the liveliness of this record.

Pathetic whining kills the somehow interesting staccato rhythms.

I appreciate Bjork's work, even this record, but I did not have much fun listening to it and nearly developed a headache.

Extremely intense and truly beautiful. Also a (too) long ride in slow motion.

Nice songs but somewhat drawling and missing punch.

This was hard to listen to until the end.

Far too pretentious and bombastic.

Nice songs tending to pointlessness.

Elegant and musically excellent, not entirely grabbing the attention though.

Probably the best LC album: very consistent set of songs with great lyrics and subtle musical variations.

Well underway for a perfect score but losing that in the second half.

Apart from a good sound there is not much to enjoy about this album.

Ok, not particularly entertaining but it's friendly and upbeat.

The kind of electronic albums I can appreciate. It's too long for me to stay focused but still a very nice listening experience.

Some good riffs, too theatrical overall.

Quite decent middle-of-the-road rock with a huge classic at the start.

The singing is not easy to digest, but after some listening some pearls reveal themselves. I loved in particular Sy Sawande.

Another very enjoyable Kinks album.

Maybe this suffers from being the third Morrissey solo album on the list. I'm done with it.

Both pleasant and annoying.

At first I thought this was rubbish but after further listening I got intrigued and played it several times in a row (it's quite short, that helps). Conclusion: very interesting album, best track at the end.

While 'Two' got its wanted number of stars, 'One' has actually better songs and receives one more. The vocals are problematic on both.

Atmospheric record with nice guitar playing and vocal harmonies.

Very impressive live album: massive band and charismatic performer.

Rather unremarkable jazzy tunes.

The songs are not so special but the chiming guitar sound more than makes up for that.

Typical weird Waits combination of hotseknots and ballads that somehow works perfectly well.

This had great impact at the time and I still love it.

Strange album, with a handful of short songs and a very long jam. Still an interesting listening experience.

It goes on and on with a fat and fast sound, a great pleasure to listen to.

Intense and very satisfying punk-rock album.

Fine music, a few absolute classics, just missing full marks at the end.

Both entertaining, with a mix of styles, and irritating (I don't get much of the humour), so I end up at 3 stars.

I'm not too fond of this typical way of singing but the music is overall quite entertaining.

Excellent album, the sound is just great (may also have to do with co-producer Inflo) and the songs are strong.

Entertaining though by no means sensational as the band name promises.

According to wikipedia the genre is sophisti-pop. It is a bit too sophisticated perhaps and not very consistent, yet it is not bad at all.

Lovely and timeless folk music.

This is an intriguing album: more experimental than previous work, with an anguished atmosphere and off-tone vocals at times. The songs are equally great for the most part.

I can appreciate the somewhat hesitant approach with unstable vocals, especially in the first part, while toward the attention gets lost.

Gorgeous songs, massive sound, just a fabulous album by Lanegan & co.

After a couple of spins this albums starts blossoming. It is a collection of wonderful melodies, without a single weak point.

This didn't make a significant impression after two spins.

There are some beautiful songs, including of course Nothing Compares 2 U, but as a whole I am not grabbed by this album.

Best Beastie Boys album with the banger Sabotage, fine opener Sure shot, and an overall good mix between heavy and more laid back tunes.

Gentle, relatively uneventful country album.

Entertaining, interesting, and not straightforward punk album.

A couple of nice melodies drowned in an incoherent swamp.

Interesting cabaret style music, although hard to digest. Vocal-wise I prefer the handful of German songs, since the English is horrible (by the way, there appears to be a full-German version of the album as well)

It's monstrous, just one additional star for the tribal elements.

I can appreciate the raw bluesy energy of this record. Title is fake Latin.

Top notch country/bluegrass, although it is way too long and the talking should have been omitted.

It's not unlistenable and I might have awarded two stars if the album had been restricted to 40 minutes and the horrible outro had been skipped.

Lots of excellent stuff on this record, great riffs, favourite track Ain't talking 'bout love.

I don't really get into it, e.g. the first track is hookless and long, but there are some nice moments later on.

Proper songs in many cases and I like the overall style.

Excellent collection of songs, only some of them slightly too long and Nico's vocals are not entirely satisfying. I had a strong association with Belle & Sebastian (e.g., These Days) and perhaps not surprisingly Spotify switched to B&S when the album was finished.

Mixed feelings about this one: there are some weaker parts between fine songs.

High-quality punk album, catchy songs, rapid delivery, good flow.

Attractive hiphop, lovin' the outro.

Very impressive, creative instrumentation and use of vocals while maintaining melodic quality.

The opening is classic, the rest largely unremarkable.

Why don't we get the early WS albums? This is still more than ok (narrow 4 stars) but the raw edge is lost a bit.

Good song material, somewhat 'pushy' execution.

Perfect combination of edgy songs, a raw sound and charismatic vocals.

The songs are in order; I'm less attracted by the performance, which is somewhat 'swollen'.

It is the singing that drives these recordings and I'm not a fan of that, especially at the high notes.

Not something I would revisit but it was fun to listen to.

Some good grooves but lacking focus and with too much talking.

Well, I ploughed through this album; sluggish with rare sparks is a fitting description.

There are some good songs reminding me of Queens of the Stone Age and others, but there is also weaker material and ugly shouting.

Very nice repetitive compositions.

Endless and pointless, yet with some proper songs hidden, e.g., at the beginning of Moon in June.

Heavy stuff with care for melodies: I like it.

Nice and bluesy with a perfect opener, probably my favourite LZ album.

Cheerful album with interesting rhythms.

It's probably very innovative with the samples and all. To listen to it is another story, the songs linger on. Well, not entirely my cup of tea, even if the music is attractive at times.

There is definitely a groove that one can hang on to. But I don't.

One of the many fine R.E.M. albums.

There is so much power in that voice. And emotional expression: just listen to Someone like you.

Generally positive feelings about this one, although a song like Gypsy Woman is too far-fetched. And I'm not exactly fond of Buckley's singing.

Very coherent hip hop album with an extremely gloomy atmosphere. I appreciate it but would not listen to it again.

The dramatic vocals ruin most of this record.

I didn't know about these early Nick Cave escapades. Hard to listen to.

Very energetic & raw. Just short of full marks in my current judgement.

Ranging from horrible to acceptable when the singer shuts his mouth.

Uplifting desert blues

Captivating song material of comparable quality to the White Stripes.

I only knew a couple of singles from this band. The singing is instantly recognizable; the music lovely most of the time. Attention is not completely maintained over the full record, so I leave it at 4 stars.

Excellent Stones record (I listened to the US version with Paint it Black by the way, always takes me straight to Vietnam). Not all songs are equally convincing and Goin' home is a bit too much.

High quality songs delivered with a lot of (sometimes a bit too much) passion.

This is all rather weak, about two leagues below the Beatles.

There's a lot to like about this album: catchy songs (though without absolute earwurms), shiploads of energy and shouty dual vocals. Close to full marks indeed.

A fine collection of covers. What is the rationale for including this in the list?

After listening a couple of times the careful arrangements become apparent but the overall impression remains rather dull.

Excellent album both in the quiet, gentle mode (Guinevere) and in the more rocking mode (Season of the Witch).

Nice in the background, and especially the title song left some impression.

I have mixed feelings about this one. It's excessive, over the top, and every (black) hole is filled with whatever sound. It doesn"t feel genuine. At the same several songs are truly entertaining, so I end up with a score just in the middle.

It's been a while that I listened to it, and I'm equally impressed and moved as before. Not enough stars can be given to this album.

Consistently built up atmosphere with a slight tendency to become boring.

Good songwriting and nice performance, although I do not care much about a theatrical song like 'Every Man a King'.

Entertaining and easily digestible synth pop.

Impressive artrock collection with many things to discover. Highlight is DLZ.

Again a respectable WTC solo project. I like the overall atmosphere, losing it a bit toward the end.

The CCR sound is great, the songs are very decent and partly classic.

The more conventional songs, like Stand!, are nice; the jams are less appealing.

Not a bad listening experience at all, just not really appealing.

Lovely songs, among which a couple of classics, delivered with a pleasant voice.

The title song plus a couple more are nice, the rest is quite unremarkable.

I have a hard time to enjoy the sound of this album, whether it deals with (redundant) covers or original material.

Adequate blues-rock, not enough to get me excited.

Good live energy, not great song material.

Some great and classic songs, the singing remains problematic.

A swing here and there, otherwise unremarkable.

Quite acceptable thrash.

Lovely jazz album, smooth and light.

Not a punishment to listen to though overall rather flat.

It all takes too long with too few hoogste to hold on to.

Reasonably accessible gothic with some catchy phrases, so I could appreciate it.

A pure gem, so tender and intimate. I just love it.

It starts off very nicely, then becomes somewhat monotonous, although there are still a couple of energizers, such as Flutes.

Ultra smooth, ranging between meaningless and repulsive.

This is the ultimate euphoria.

Crazy mix of electronic tunes. Quite catchy at times, and I sort of like the vocal contribution by Mark E. Smith.

Wonderful poetry put to music. The singing could be better but otherwise this is just great.

Well, I expected to be awarding a straight 1 but apart from being too long and wildly inconsistent this record was actually enjoyable.

Hard to get into this somewhat jangly sound.

Impressive and innovative piece of work, slightly missing the punch for full marks.

Very enjoyable techno music.

Some good rapping & beats, though I'm not really getting into it.

Musically and lyrically well thought-out album that I can appreciate as such but that does not grab me.

This elegant and relaxed kind of music has a certain appeal.

High quality songs performed with nice harmonies and guitar playing.

Catchy tunes with the right amount of weirdness.

Interesting spun-out songs: very well done.

I'm ultimately not a fan of Bush's vocals, but this album is overall very rich and entertaining.

In principle this is a nice collection of drum 'n bass but after an hour it becomes monotonous (and then there's still 1.5 hours to go). Besides, a compilation album from many different artists doesn't make sense in this list.

This record is all over the place, with lots of different styles. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn"t.

There is a certain beauty, however the music trudges along and the vocals are unpleasant.

Very nice music to listen to in the background.

I don't get excited about this, in particular the spoken intermezzo's are annoying.

In the beginning there are some decent songs, e.g., I like Sometimes. For the langer part the music leaves me either indifferent or irritated.

Very entertaining and great fun to listen to.

Country with a twist - very tasteful.

There are some glimpses of something interesting between a lot of nonsense.

Extraordinarily strong rock album, probably my favourite Radiohead.

Lovely album packed with gorgeous tracks that are very diverse but kept together by an overall African spirit.

I had strong associations with In an aeroplane over the sea by Neutral milk hotel. However, that is a fantastic album whereas this is ... well ... nearly unlistenable, especially toward the end. A very cellular song is ok so 2 stars.

Wonderful melodies and hooks. Dense sound. Close to full marks indeed.

There are some nice hooks but not enough to keep me tied over the full record.

Thoroughly entertaining album, harmoniously combining vocal tracks with instrumental pieces. I kept playing it over and over.

Still sounds as great as ever: sublime album by one of my favourite bands.

Sympathetic album by sympathetic band.

Several nice songs, but a couple, e.g., the opener, bring it down.

This is impressive for an a capella record.

Although I (music) prefer their debut, this is still a nice and very recognizable xx album.

I could appreciate these up-tempo songs a lot more than the slow-paced ones on the wee small hours.

It's hard not to move along with these addictive disco tracks.

A couple of monster songs and I'm quite content with the rest as well.

I just totally love this, it's so musical. Saw G. Love perform the whole album last year, still accompanied by the Special Sauce. It was amazing.

Yeah, this is it! Overwhelming, confident, and intense.

Very strong solo debut, with big Bowie influence it seems. Really not much to criticize but just not convincing enough for full marks.

The Pixies have this unique combination of disturbance and harmony, melodies and hooks. This is one of their superb records.

It will never be my favourite genre, but I can listen to this and appreciate it.

It must have been a very special concert, with the women screaming and all. Listening to it 60 years later is nice but not much more than that.

I find this not easy to listen to. It's too theatrical for my taste. It does have its moments though.

I enjoyed this album quite a bit, it's a nice take on reggae and the overall atmosphere is very pleasant.

Horrible

Intriguing music that does however not quite grab me; the mediocre singing doesn't help.

Very solid rock album: energetic stuff, beautiful ballad at the end, nothing over the top.

It's ok. I liked the title song, some others tend to tedious.

I truly enjoyed this, it sounds fresh and energetic, right from the start to the excellent closer.

I like the sound and catchy phrases but the tracks are too long and predictable overall.

It misses the sparkling energy of Different Class but is still a very strong record.

From The Killing Moon onward it started to grow on me, and after the second spin I can say that this is actually a very acceptable E&B album.

On this occasion the music struck me as quite monotonous, although there is a good energy. The Born to be wild version doesn't add anything.

Very good vibe for a summer day.

Nice country music without much variation though. I recognized In the pines from the Nirvana Unplugged session. The delivery is flatter here, but ok, it's the fifties and it's hard to top Cobain in that respect.

A raging album with Violet as a complete killer opener.

Tried a couple of times, but I can't get into this and appreciate it.

Lovely album, this is the pleasure of pop music.

These are some beatiful and gentle arrangements, a wonderful record for the most part.

Morrissey's solo debut and probably one of his better albums, although the songs do not really stick.

I like the jumpiness and cheerfulness, the occasional melancholy as well, and this is a overall a very coherent album.

Not that bad overall, just very exhaustive.

Very pleasant record, close to full marks.

Wow, this is intriguing music, it definitely grabs me although the vocals are at times a bit hard to digest.

Fun album, superb sax, a bit shouty.

I liked parts of this but it is overall too inhoherent.

No

Apparently considered to be the best Beatle solo album, and I can't disagree: the songs are excellent for the most part; leaving out the jams and a couple other tracks there might even be a 5-star record in here.

Partly great and partly dreadful, so yes, the band name is adequate.

Wonderful psychedelic blues album with great riffs.

Nothing exciting here.

I like the grooving parts best, while a track like Sentimental Journey is not my cup of tea.

Atmospheric music with nice vocal guest contributions. Could be great for a movie but is a bit harder to appreciate as stand-alone.

Enchanting repetitive melodies, a pleasure to listen to.

Well executed but I don't get any joy from this.

Relaxed sound but rather flat and some tracks (e.g., Parade) are toe curling.

Easy listening tango adaptations, just on the good side of boring.

Fine music with superb sax contributions but man, all these oohs and aahs and baby's.

I'm not fond of all tracks on this album (e.g., pretty face) but there is just about enough raw power for four stars.

Extensive live album, feels like a long spacy trip, I guess you had to be there.

Inventive, radical, pioneering, influential. Excellent band name as well. Fully justified that this is on the list.

Intense music with dark themes, great songwriting and instantly recognizable vocals.

So many qualities in one band, and they all come together here: near perfect record.

Gorgeous album: a handful of classics and the rest is also rewarding.

Lots of styles are mixed here, and somehow rhe result is still coherent. It was an etertaining listening experience.

Unique JM signature style, which is ok but slightly monotonous.

This just continues with catchy songs and high energy from start to finish: I love it.

I guess you gotta get deeper into these n**gga stories to fully appreciate it. Beats and samples and raps add up to 3 stars for me.

Could not entirely get into it, nevertheless an interesting album.

Not all songs land equally well and the vocals are excellent but not completely my taste.

It starts off reasonably but turns out to be an uneventful affair.

Respectable punk album, a little too intense for me.

Some good grooves are present, the sound is somewhat dull.

This was reasonably entertaining, not more than that.

A mixed bag, but not an unpleasant one.

A couple of sweet and notable tracks (the singles mainly) completed with stuff that need not be remembered.

Plenty of nice songs, such as the starter. Unfortunately, there is a lot of unremarkable stuff and nonsense as well, making the album way too long.

This is less accessible than some of his earlier albums and it required a few spins to acknowledge its greatness.

When this album came out, it immediately grabbed me. It's beautiful, accessible, variable, fragmentary, yet very coherent. The production is excellent and it is stuffed with nice and subtle sounds. A couple of years later I'm still deeply impressed.

Great album with addictive elements.

Paul sure knows how to write appealing pop songs, and he is accompanied by a solid band here.

Not sure how to rate this one. There are nice moments (e.g., I like the closer) but regularly I get lost.

Melodic, unpolished music, just lovely.

Great take on country and folk.

I recognize two classics among several uninteresting parts.

Songs with the right hooks, tasteful instrumentation and very appealing vocals: a personal favourite indeed.

Very impressive album, both instrumentally and lyrically.I don't dig the harsh vocals but otherwise an excellent record.

The songs are not always convincing and the vocals are not my thing but still a quite reasonable album.

I can't fully get into this. Not sure why.

Extremely tiring

Sovereign grunge-rock-metal, even if slightly ponderous.

Let's leave this where it belongs: at the industrial estate.

Very lite stuff and I recognize a big hit.

The kind of synth-pop that I can appreciate.

Solid work, a nice combination of quiet tunes in the first half and steady rockers in the second.

Very nice surprise to see this album on the list: it's gorgeous.

80% is really nice - favourite part for me is Every Door and Eight Miles. The Hey Joe version could have been skipped and I don't care about the 2-4-2 Fox Trot either. End result: just about 4 stars.

Very entertaining folk: great song material and the vocals work really well.

I don't get excited about this but it's smooth jazz for in the background.

Entertaining and versatile record from a very talented singer.

Very well made, but I'm not that excited about it.

There are a few glimpses of songs, the rest is over the top self-indulgence.

Starts of very nice; later I lose attention although it is still ok in the background.

Full appreciation probably requires digging into the story, which I didn't do. As far as the music is concerned: not that bad actually.

The first part, with the lovely Freedom!'90, is fun to listen. In the last part, the momentum gets lost.

The first half is more than acceptable but with Aumgn and Peking O I'm losing it.

Strong blues album, quite monotonous though.

Satisfying album from start to finish, with a unique, dreamy sound.

Good sound, well played, versatile, but I'm missing the songs to keep the attention.

Wonderful band, and a lot to enjoy here, with the title track as highlight. Close to 5 stars, which probably would have been secured by the follow-up Mighty Joe Moon.

I had expected Dear Science. The debut is less convincing although definitely worth listening.

Classic record, very powerful.

About 2.5 good, nearly classic, songs, but the rest is not compelling.

I think I only knew the title song, and it took a couple of spins to get into the rest. Conclusion: very solid album.

A collection of mostly beautiful songs with an occasional outburst. I like it like that.

This is a quite unique live performance, I assume, so I can see why it is on the list. Some thorough jamming going on.

The first half is entertaining jazz with recognizable motifs, then there is an unfitting live recording, and what follows is not of much interest anymore.

LC in his late days: beautiful as ever.

Lovely country pop.

Terrific bluesy sound, great songs.

Most of the songs are brilliant. Yet somehow the album does not feel like 5 stars for me, perhaps because it's not entirely coherent and it's too long.

Quite experimental with the gated reverb and all. Well, there are several nice moments, e.g. Games without frontiers, but overall it's not enough.

Didn't know about this early-career Stills & Young band: it's great.

Similar development as with Coldplay. After the first couple of 'smaller' records, they go full stadium rock and I lose attention.

A combination of big band and ballads, both very convincing. What a singer and musician!

Switches between compelling and boring.

Classic Sabbath.

Sounds a lot like Oasis, well ok it's Britpop, but operating in a lower league. With the sympathy factor I get to 4 stars.

The album contains some absolutely great tracks - of course the title song - but also less satisfying material, and the long ambient excursions in the second half make it overall too incoherent.

Some reasonable tunes but they don't resonate with me.

Strong folk album - with a twist - from start to finish, only a few weaker moments.

Unique combination of roughness and beauty: a deeply satisfying album.

Beautiful songs and harmonies, fantastic closer.

The title song is outstanding, otherwise these long-spun-out jams are not entertaining enough to keep me engaged.

I did not know that Dave Grohl made this album on his own. The band came later. Anyway, it is superb (post-) grunge: dynamic, intense and melodic.

Excellent songs performed with just the right attitude.

Solid, nice in the background, nothing really to praise, nor to complain.

Very strong but not yet fully accomplished debut

It starts with a catchy hit song, the rest is not noteworthy and sounds dated.

I don't get the wow feeling but there is certainly a lot to enjoy on this album.

Take five is iconic, the album as a whole a bit too flat.

Musically not very interesting and way too long.

The beauty is definitely there, e.g. Lost Cause, but - I hate to say it - the album as a whole tends to boredom.

Not too fond of this vocal acrobatics.

Thoroughly entertaining album with a very relaxed and diverse sound.

The live atmosphere doesn't come across really, and I don't care about drum solo's.

An energetic mess, very entertaining.

The first two tracks set a very promising template. What follows, fulfills this promise at times but is more often tedious and inconsistent.

The songs are largely of high quality but I don't like the cheesy story-telling in the second half.

Thoroughly entertaining dance album.

I know there exists a 5-star Auteurs compilation - I got it from my friend back in the nineties. This particular record is strong as well but does not keep the high level throughout.

Apparently, I have a preference for NY's country/folk-rock side compared to his hard-rock side. This preference is not without exceptions but it does explain why After The Gold Rush ends up receiving full marks.

Nice big-band music, after some time it gets on the nerves.

Journey Complete!

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