My 1001 Albums Journey

Albums Rated

3.44

Average Rating

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1016 albums remaining

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1990s

Favorite Decade

Electronica

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Wordsmith

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5-Star Albums

1-Star Albums

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Albums

You Love More Than Most

Album	You	Global	Diff
La Revancha Del Tango Gotan Project	5	3.04	+1.96
Fragile Yes	5	3.31	+1.69
The Yes Album Yes	5	3.31	+1.69
The Fat Of The Land The Prodigy	5	3.41	+1.59
Odelay Beck	5	3.46	+1.54
Black Holes and Revelations Muse	5	3.59	+1.41
Superfly Curtis Mayfield	5	3.7	+1.3
Dummy Portishead	5	3.71	+1.29
Abraxas Santana	5	3.72	+1.28
Mask Bauhaus	4	2.85	+1.15

You Love Less Than Most

Album	You	Global	Diff
Your New Favourite Band The Hives	1	3.12	-2.12
Moondance Van Morrison	2	3.71	-1.71
Exile On Main Street The Rolling Stones	2	3.61	-1.61
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Kanye West	2	3.42	-1.42
Mr. Tambourine Man The Byrds	2	3.22	-1.22
Vivid Living Colour	2	3.2	-1.2
Miriam Makeba Miriam Makeba	2	3.19	-1.19
John Barleycorn Must Die Traffic	2	3.17	-1.17
Honky Tonk Heroes Waylon Jennings	2	3.14	-1.14
Sunshine Superman Donovan	2	3.09	-1.09

Artists

Favorites

Artist	Albums	Average
Yes	2	5

5-Star Albums (13)

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Popular Reviews

OK Computer

Radiohead

5/5

Classic after classic on this album, and enough b-sides and bonus tracks to make another great album. The albums themes are still incredibly relevant today, which is a shame, but works in its favour.

9 likes

Fragile

Yes

5/5

Still one of my all time favourite albums. There are sections that could probably be trimmed (South Side of the Sky could easily be 5 minutes), but I love the album. Prog rock is all about excess!

2 likes

The Yes Album

Yes

5/5

Kicking off the trilogy of albums where Yes were at their most powerful creatively, The Yes Album is a classic of prog rock. A perfect balance of bass, keyboards, guitar and drums, with insane hippie vocals and some fantastic harmonising bringing it all together. The mammoth opener Yours Is No Disgrace is a sign of things to come, with Yes laying the ground work for their future prog epics. A fantastic song in its own right, it lets all the members shine, especially Howe and Anderson. The ending section of Starship Trooper is one of my favourite pieces of music, with the whole band building towards musical ecstasy. The dueling guitar solos at the end are a highlight The fantastic harmonising I mentioned really shines through on I've Seen All Good People, with Anderson, Squire and Howe nailing the three-part harmony. My only real issue with the album is all but 2 of the tracks fading out instead of working out a "proper" ending, but it's not really much of a detraction.

1 likes

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West

2/5

I had never gone out of my way to listen to Kanye in the past so I was going in fairly blind. Some good production and great beats, but I just don't enjoy his rapping. I don't listen to much rap and hip hop, a few things like Run the Jewels, Jurassic 5 or older 80s stuff will catch my attention, but most of it just isn't for me.

1 likes

1-Star Albums (1)

All Ratings

Are You Experienced

Jimi Hendrix

5/5

What. An. Album. Amazing guitar work, awesome bluesy rhythms and vocals, but also sounding ahead of its time. It's a real shame that Hendrix died as young as he did. (I kinda cheated with listening to this one, using tracks form both the UK and US releases. It would've been wrong to miss out on Red House, Hey Joe or The Wind Cries Mary.)

Fragile

Yes

5/5

Still one of my all time favourite albums. There are sections that could probably be trimmed (South Side of the Sky could easily be 5 minutes), but I love the album. Prog rock is all about excess!

OK Computer

Radiohead

5/5

Classic after classic on this album, and enough b-sides and bonus tracks to make another great album. The albums themes are still incredibly relevant today, which is a shame, but works in its favour.

Madman Across The Water

Elton John

3/5

A few standout tracks, but I feel like most of the rest sound the same. I normally listen to Elton John via a Best Of playlist and I think I'll stick to that.

Moondance

Van Morrison

2/5

I enjoyed the title track, but that was mainly from having heard it growing up. The rest all melded together and nothing stands out. The music is somewhat overshadowed by the racism and anti-science COVID stance of Van Morrison in recent years.

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan

3/5

Some good vocal harmonising and guitar, but nothing really stood out to me. Doesn't recapture the magic of Can't Buy A Thrill

Axis: Bold As Love

Jimi Hendrix

3/5

I love Little Wing, Spanish Castle Magic and the title track, but not much else is as memorable. Great guitar and drumming as usual.

Heroes

David Bowie

4/5

While I only really enjoyed Beauty and the Beast and Heroes from the first half, all the instrumental, ambient stuff in the second half was great! I've never delved that deeply into Bowie's albums before so this was a nice surprise.

Savane

Ali Farka Touré

3/5

An interesting fusion of genres, but whilst enjoyable, not sure I would go out of my way to listen.

Live At The Star Club, Hamburg

Jerry Lee Lewis

4/5

Sign 'O' The Times

Prince

4/5

I love 80s pop, rock and prog, but have somehow never gone out of my way to listen to Prince. Turns out that was a mistake, because this album is fantastic. I'll probably end up listening to a LOT of Prince this month. The alter ego songs are fun, the instrumentation is great and the production is top notch.

Mask

Bauhaus

4/5

I had no idea what to expect, but thoroughly enjoyed the album.

Remain In Light

Talking Heads

3/5

A pretty cool genre mash up album with great production from Eno, but I only had a few tracks stick with me, mainly Once in a Lifetime

Sunshine Superman

Donovan

2/5

While there were some enjoyable songs and sections, I definitely enjoy the more established psychedelia that came about from 67 onwards.

Arc Of A Diver

Steve Winwood

2/5

The Yes Album

Yes

5/5

Abraxas

Santana

5/5

Santana could probably record his fart sounds played over guitar and drums and I would love it

John Barleycorn Must Die

Traffic

3/5

Every Mother's Son is fantastic, but the folkier stuff doesn't do anything for me.

Sound Affects

The Jam

3/5

Heartbreaker

Ryan Adams

2/5

I enjoyed To Be Young, but nothing else stood out

Exile On Main Street

The Rolling Stones

4/5

The Beach Boys Today!

The Beach Boys

4/5

Doolittle

Pixies

3/5

I enjoyed a couple of tracks, but most of it didn't do much for me

Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts

The Adverts

4/5

I really vibed with this album for whatever reason, awesome stuff. Just great punk rock. Crazy to contrast this to all the prog rock around at the time.

Black Holes and Revelations

Muse

5/5

I forgot how good this album was, really wish Muse could get back to this level one day. I have some minor issues with the 2nd half of the album, but the highs more than make up for it. Love the layers of guitar and synth that build up such a big sound.

Ace of Spades

Motörhead

4/5

I love the energy, the album just kicks off with the title track and then thunders along for a solid half hour of tracks. I don't think I've ever actually listened to a whole Motörhead album before, but if this one is any indication, I'll definitely be listening to more in the future.

Your New Favourite Band

The Hives

1/5

I thought I remembered liking The Hives, but it turned out I was thinking about The Vines. This album didn't do much for me, felt like very cookie cutter garage rock punkish music straight off the mega music label conveyer belt.

C'est Chic

CHIC

4/5

Great fun, with funky guitar and bass throughout. The lyrics are fairly forgettable (variations on "ooh baby" and "dance"), but it's disco so not really much of a surprise. I did find myself zoning out a bit after the 30 minute mark, so I think disco works best for me where there are a variety of artists and styles.

System Of A Down

3/5

Great frenetic energy and it was nice to thrash around to it, but I'm not sure I'll be returning any time soon. It very much feels of a time and that time was high school.

Superfly

Curtis Mayfield

5/5

What a fantastic album. The tracks strike a perfect balance between jam and focused song, so they feel nice and loose, but not too much so. The lyrics and vocals were a step up from the very repetitive Chic album. Even though they weren't hitting every note perfectly, it kinda fit the tone of the album. Definitely going to check out more Curtis Mayfield!

Exile On Main Street

The Rolling Stones

2/5

How is this album 1 hour and 7 minutes long? 18 tracks?! Definitely needed to be trimmed down. I still love a few tracks from this one, like Tumbling Dice an Soul Survivor, but a lot of the rest just melded together and I got pretty bored near the end. The Stones definitely work best for me in the form of Live album or Best Of listening.

Dummy

Portishead

5/5

28 years later and this album still holds up. Fantastically atmospheric and moody, with an ever present throbbing running through the whole album. 90s electronica is such a fantastic treasure trove

Groovin'

The Young Rascals

2/5

This album seems... fine. It's doing a good job of making me nostalgic for the 60s music my parents had on when I was younger, but I'd much rather be listening to The Beatles, The Monkees, The Beach Boys, or any number of other bands.

La Revancha Del Tango

Gotan Project

5/5

I could listen to these chilled out tunes all day. The first thing I did upon finishing the album was start it straight back up again. A perfect blend of paired down electronica and instruments, with a great French feeling to the whole thing.

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan

3/5

Some good vocal harmonising and guitar, but nothing really stood out to me. Doesn't recapture the magic of Can't Buy A Thrill

Actually

Pet Shop Boys

4/5

Some incredibly solid synth pop tunes, outside of the first track. I've always enjoyed Tennant's unique vocals. Surprising depth for a pop album, a lot of political commentary, especially Thatcher and the conservatives who were in power for the entirety of the 80s. I think I actually prefer their first album Please, which incidentally isn't one of the 3 Pet Shop Boys albums on this 1001 list!

Mr. Tambourine Man

The Byrds

2/5

Didn't do much for me, very folksy and the 12 string is nice, but it's lacking something extra like clever lyrics or some good instrumental solos. Honestly listening back to a few songs again and most of them sound the same. That might change after a lot more listens, but that ain't happening.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West

2/5

Bookends

Simon & Garfunkel

3/5

I have a bit of nostalgia for this thanks to my father being a huge fan of Simon & Garfunkel, but they have better albums or compilations I'd rather listen to. Some good tracks, but just not enough.

Odelay

Beck

5/5

An incredibly solid album, though personally a few rungs down the ladder when I want to listen to some Beck. Just great to have so many genres and styles mashed together and come out sounding so good. I need to be listening to the other 1001 albums, but I just want to listen more Beck now...

Madman Across The Water

Elton John

3/5

An incredibly strong start with Tiny Dancer, but apart from the title track nothing else stood out that much. Still fantastic piano and singing, given it's Elton John, so that made it enjoyable.

At Budokan

Cheap Trick

3/5

A really decent live album, actually sounds live and great guitar and vocals. I've never really listened to Cheap Trick and I don't think I'll seek their albums out, but I did enjoy this one. Very weird to hear I Want You to Want Me after hearing the cover so many times watching 10 Things I Hate About You.

Africa Brasil

Jorge Ben Jor

3/5

I really enjoyed the 2nd half of this album, probably worth 4 stars, but the first half dragged it down to 3. I've never listened to much Brazilian music so this was a fun time. The fusion of genres had me bopping along.

Straight Outta Compton

N.W.A.

4/5

I won't pretend to know much about rap and hip hop, but this feels pretty incredible for a debut album. The 3 opening tracks (title track, Fuck tha Police and Gangsta Gangsta) are incredibly strong and other highlights include 8 Ball, Express Yourself, Dopeman and Quiet On that Set.

Nevermind

Nirvana

5/5

Unsurprisingly this is a phenomenal album, with a strong identity and instantly recognisable sound. The first 5 songs are an immensely strong opening and while it does dip a bit after that, it's only a very slight dip. Fantastic playing from all 3 members, with fantastic writing and vocals that integrate perfectly.

Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder

4/5

A lot of great tracks (shout out to Isn't She Lovely), but also just a LOT of tracks. Not sure this needed to be a double album, but still had a good time listening to it.

The Notorious Byrd Brothers

The Byrds

3/5

Some very nice psychedelic folk rock, not sure I'm enticed to listen to any more of their albums though.

At Newport 1960

Muddy Waters

4/5

Fantastic live energy on this one, you can hear the crowd reacting and dancing and it's no surprise. You can definitely hear a lot of later rock and metal sounds in their early stages on this record.

...And Justice For All

Metallica

3/5

Outside of a few big mainstream songs or hearing them at house parties, I've never sat down and listened to Metallica. There is a lot of awesome guitar and bass and some very nice passages and sections that I listened to a few times, but I just didn't enjoy much outside of that. The vocals don't do anything for me and often I was waiting for them to stop. I really didn't like the mixing of the drums, very sterile and thin, almost like a drum machine. I actually thought it was a drum machine, until reading up on the production of the album.

Lost In The Dream

The War On Drugs

4/5

Enjoyed this one a lot, a great sense of energy and forward momentum, which works well to balance out the at-times bleak and depressing writing. Most songs just ooze atmosphere (Under The Pressure, Red Eyes, The Haunting Idle) and there is fantastic playing throughout the whole album.

Deja Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

4/5

I love the music and the vocals and harmonies are wonderful. My dad listened to a lot of CSNY when I was growing up so the nostalgia is pretty strong for this one.

John Barleycorn Must Die

Traffic

2/5

I can't quite put my finger on it, but so much of this album just sounds slightly off. Glad sounds like a jam that was never fully developed to a satisfactory level. The chord progression, vocals and flute all sound completely at odds on Freedom Rider. Empty Pages is easily the best song on the album for mine. Why is the piano so loud on Stranger to Himself?! The title track is pretty good, the vocals fit the music and the flute actually works well. Every Mother's Son is ok, but a bit too slow and plodding.

World Clique

Deee-Lite

3/5

Groove Is in the Heart is a fantastic song, but unfortunately nothing else on the album is anywhere near the same level. I enjoy late 80s and early 90s dance music so it was a fun listen, but I'm not sure I'll return to anything aside from Groove Is in the Heart, Power of Love and E.S.P.

Honky Tonk Heroes

Waylon Jennings

2/5

Most country continues to do nothing for me, and this album is definitely in that category.

Tusk

Fleetwood Mac

4/5

Love this album, although I do admit you could probably trim it down to make a really tight single disc. I do enjoy the random oddities though, and you can't go wrong with the classics on this one.

Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs

Marty Robbins

4/5

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought

Rapture

Anita Baker

3/5

Always have and always will love the 80s. Just something about that gated drum sound and the atmosphere. Nothing too special on this, but I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected.

Scream, Dracula, Scream

Rocket From The Crypt

2/5

Very 90s sounding alt rock, nothing special

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Derek & The Dominos

3/5

I love Layla and there are some good covers, but the rest of the album is very samey and a bit lacking. I was enjoying the Duane Allman guitar playing so I turned this off and put Eat a Peach on instead.

The Queen Is Dead

The Smiths

3/5

I enjoyed parts of this album, but a lot of it just melded together in my brain.

Fun House

The Stooges

4/5

Loved the frenetic energy on this, really cool to hear this sort of proto punk rock music from as far back as 1970.

The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest

4/5

Awesome mix of hip hop and jazz with some killer tracks. Ends incredibly strongly with Scenario.

The Fat Of The Land

The Prodigy

5/5

An absolute classic, fantastic energy and drive, catchy lyrics and beats and not a bad track on the album.

With The Beatles

Beatles

4/5

Not quite as good as their first album, and I prefer their later work, but still a great time.

Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin

5/5

Not a bad song on this album, in fact it's wall to wall classics. 4 fantastic musicians during their peak (69-72) working in perfect harmony

Miriam Makeba

2/5

Some beautiful singing, but just not really my thing.

Hot Buttered Soul

Isaac Hayes

4/5

I was on the fence about this one, probably an easy 3 star, but the final track easily pushed it up to a 4. Amazing extended jam with a great opening story.

Rip It Up

Orange Juice

4/5

This one surprised me, a great mix of post punk and new wave, some of it sounding very 80s and some surprisingly more modern. Definitely going to listen again, and explore their other albums.

Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Aphex Twin

4/5

Late 80s and early 90s electronic music is incredibly my jam, especially the more experimental works when people were just throwing stuff at the wall to see what stuck. They're not all winners, but there are some incredibly good tracks and moods on this album.

Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear

3/5

I liked a few tracks (Two Weeks esp), but the rest was just aggressively average.

Vivid

Living Colour

2/5

I enjoyed the opening track, but not much outside of that

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

Soft Cell

2/5

Tainted Love is an amazing cover, but the rest of this album feels like someone messing around with synths and keyboard presets and then singing awful lyrics over the top.

Oedipus Schmoedipus

Barry Adamson

2/5

I get what they were going for with this album, but a lot of didn't work for me. A bit too disjointed and erratic at times.