My 1001 Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
Rock Bottom Robert Wyatt	5	2.39	+2.61
All Hope Is Gone Slipknot	5	2.7	+2.3
Among The Living Anthrax	5	2.85	+2.15
Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy	5	2.88	+2.12
Fred Neil Fred Neil	5	2.92	+2.08
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted Ice Cube	5	2.93	+2.07
I Against I Bad Brains	5	2.93	+2.07
Gasoline Alley Rod Stewart	5	2.95	+2.05
For Your Pleasure Roxy Music	5	2.98	+2.02
Fire Of Love The Gun Club	5	2.99	+2.01

Album	You	Global	Diff
Loveless My Bloody Valentine	1	3.17	-2.17
Giant Steps The Boo Radleys	1	2.88	-1.88
Alien Lanes Guided By Voices	1	2.75	-1.75
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill	2	3.63	-1.63
Chelsea Girl Nico	1	2.63	-1.63
The Gershwin Songbook Ella Fitzgerald	2	3.53	-1.53
Penance Soiree The Icarus Line	1	2.49	-1.49
The Modern Dance Pere Ubu	1	2.48	-1.48
Cheap Thrills Big Brother & The Holding Company	2	3.43	-1.43
Home Is Where The Music Is Hugh Masekela	2	3.36	-1.36

Artist	Albums	Average
Led Zeppelin	5	5
David Bowie	5	4.8
Beatles	5	4.8
Bob Dylan	6	4.5
Pink Floyd	4	4.75
Steely Dan	3	5
The Who	3	5
The Smiths	3	5
Brian Eno	3	5
Nick Drake	3	5
Neil Young	3	4.67
Beastie Boys	3	4.67
Joni Mitchell	3	4.67
Paul Simon	3	4.67
Genesis	2	5
Jane's Addiction	2	5
Talking Heads	2	5
Stevie Wonder	2	5
Red Hot Chili Peppers	2	5
Rush	2	5
Yes	2	5
Deep Purple	2	5
King Crimson	2	5
The Police	2	5
Radiohead	5	4.2
Prince	3	4.33
Metallica	3	4.33

Artist	Albums	Average
My Bloody Valentine	2	1.5
Leonard Cohen	3	2

Screaming Trees

4/5

Except for the first track, Halo of Ashes, I found myself at first thinking "pretty standard grunge fare." Halo of Ashes was definitely unique with its Eastern-tinged grunge and made for a great opener. The following tracks at first seem to fall into that standard grunge fare category, but it's probably not fair to simply refer to Screaming Trees as Standard Grunge Fare. This band was an early part of the Seattle scene but never broke through like the other bands (but apparently the other bands were fans of Screaming Trees). Articles about the band say the problem was the band was seriously dysfunctional. In fact, this was their last album, released in 1996, followed by two years of touring, a hiatus, and a breakup in 2000. After listening a few times, it's hard not to wonder how they weren't superstars like their contemporaries. The album grew on me, particularly the later tracks. The songs are catchy and the production quality is first class. The singer has a great voice that is definitely part of the grunge sound but is still distinct. On first listen I was going to rate it a 3, which I define as "a good album that I don't mind hearing but wouldn't go out of my way to seek it out." For me a 4 is a great album that maybe has a few weak tracks or requires a particular mood. I'll call this a 3.5 and round up to a 4.

For Your Pleasure

Roxy Music

5/5

Really interesting album. I never listened to this album before even though I'm familiar with some Roxy Music songs (e.g., Virginia Plain). I found it amusing that the 1001 Albums book describes In Every Dream Home a Heartache as "plain ponderous." I really enjoyed that track! Other standouts were The Bogus Man and For Your Pleasure. The sounds used in the latter track make me think a lot of Eno's solo work. Do the Strand and Beauty Queen have that classic glam sound. Love Phil Manzanera's guitar solos in Editions of You and Grey Lagoons. Bryan Ferry is a great and unique singer and I see he's credited with writing all the songs. There isn't a weak track in the bunch.

The Marshall Mathers LP

Eminem

3/5

Sigh, tough one to rate. I'm not a big rap fan, but he has a unique style that I can appreciate. The issue becomes when you start to pay attention to the lyrics. It helps to know the underlying idea - there's "Slim Shady" who is everything that people criticize Eminem for - misogyny, homophobia, violence, etc. But then there's the suggestion that this is all an act. "Stan" is a good example of how people shouldn't take him so seriously (and a real catchy tune). The video is disturbing and really well done (and got me watching Dido's Thank You video, which is also a good video and a catchy tune). This Genesis fan liked the Phil Collins shout-out. But then there's a track like "Who Knew" where he's like who would ever think people would take me seriously and I'd get this big? And isn't the problem with the kids other people's fault, not mine? Still, does that make it any better? The rest of the album proceeds similarly - it's not my fault that y'all can't get the joke and it's only because of my upbringing and you're all terrible too. I'm giving it a 3 because I appreciate the style and wittiness, but I can't give it more because I can't rate an album I'd be embarrassed to be seen listening to anything higher than a 3.

Led Zeppelin

5/5

Is there any greater opening to a first song on a first album by a legendary band? The opening notes of Good Times Bad Times just ROCK. This is a band that kicked ass from their first moment. The Led Zep sound was there from that first album: Plant's stellar vocals, Page's amazing guitar, JPJ rounding out the sound on bass and keys, and Bonham's thunder. It's also interesting to listen to how they changed the songs they covered (often without attribution...this album includes at least two future lawsuits - Jake Holmes suing over Dazed and Confused and Willie Dixon suing over You Shook Me and I Can't Quit You Babe). Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is a great example of how they took an existing song and made it their own. It was written by Anne Bredon and previously performed by Joan Baez (listen to her 1962 live album). It's a completely different song when Baez sings it and a good example of how a cover that significantly reinterprets another song can practically be considered a new song. In contrast, take a listen to the evolution of Dazed and Confused. The original Jake Holmes version (1967) has different lyrics (except the key "dazed and confused" but even that's slightly different) and a mostly different tune except for the key chromatic bass descent. BUT, the tune Led Zep uses is identical to how the Yardbirds covered it in 1968. To be fair, that was with Jimmy Page...in fact, Led Zep was originally supposed to be "The New Yardbirds" so were they really "stealing" it from the Yardbirds? But anyway, the Led Zep version is nearly identical to the Yardbirds' version (right down to Jimmy doing the violin bow thing) but the Yardbirds used Holmes' lyrics. How did the Yardbirds come to start playing it? Holmes opened for them in 1967. According to Wikipedia, Holmes said, "That was the infamous moment of my life when 'Dazed and Confused' fell in to the loving arms and hands of Jimmy Page." It wasn't until 2012 that Holmes got writing credit from Led Zeppelin. So, were Led Zeppelin inveterate music thieves? Well, yeah. But their originals are amazing (standouts on this album: Communication Breakdown, Good Times Bad Times) and the covered songs are almost always taken to the next level - just a shame they didn't give credit where credit was due (until sued). Either way, over 50 years later their sound remains unique while setting the standard for every hard rock band to follow. And they did it right from their first album. 5 stars.

Ocean Rain

Echo And The Bunnymen

4/5

I had never heard this band before (heard of, but not heard). I enjoyed the album - seemed to be like U2 with lots of odd sounds added in (which I enjoyed). It wasn't sticking with me in terms of being memorable but I'd definitely listen again and check out their other albums. I'd say 3.5 rounded up to a 4.

Hypnotised

The Undertones

3/5

Eh, it was a fun album, but there wasn't much about it that sounded different than any other punk band (including contemporaries). I hear that later albums branched out a bit more, but I haven't gotten a chance to listen to those albums. I'd say 2.5 rounded up to a 3.

Blur

3/5

Here's another band I've heard of but (thought I) hadn't heard. Loved the first track Beetlebum. Then Song 2 started and I realized "of course I've heard this." I never knew this was the song name (and band) for the "whoo hoo" song. It's interesting how significantly the style changes between songs. Beetlebum is hugely different from Song 2 and both are different than Country Sad Ballad Man (although the Nirvana influence seems pretty evidence in both of the two latter songs). Then M.O.R. sounds like it could fit with Roxy Music (although this changes later in the song). These guys are all over the place, but I'm mostly enjoying this (Chinese Bombs is a bit of noise, but then I'm Just a Killer for Your Love sounds pretty cool). I'd rate it higher, but I'm having a problem because I have no idea what this band is supposed to be. They are seriously all over the place stylistically. Kudos for variety, but as the Who would sing..."Who are you?"

The La's

3/5

It was ok. My initial reaction was "I've never heard of this band" and then heard "There She Goes" and said, "Oh, I know this song." I enjoyed the album but don't think I'd go out of my way to listen again.

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1

George Michael

4/5

I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I'm not a big pop fan, but I felt the songwriting and production quality were excellent. I also understand why a lot of people wanted to see him as the new singer for Queen - there were so many moments he sounded like Freddie. Solid 4.

Cheap Thrills

Big Brother & The Holding Company

2/5

Not a big Janis Joplin fan. There are some things I can appreciate - Piece of My Heart is a classic and deservedly so, but in a lot of cases her voice grates on me. For example, her rendition of Summertime is supposed to be a classic but I couldn't stand her voice on it and even the fuzz guitar was annoying me. I liked a bit of the first track, "Combination of the Two" - it was half good sixties heavy rock and half hippy time. "I Need a Man to Love" had some good funk going on, but it also made me feel that this album is very much of its time. The best albums are timeless. I found Joplin's voice grating again on Ball and Chain, which is a shame because I really like Big Mama Thornton (her original version of Hound Dog blows away Elvis). Not sure if a link will work, but here's how Ball and Chain SHOULD sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbdUjHmCHA4 ...take it away Big Mama. Have to call this album a 2, unfortunately.

1984

Van Halen

4/5

EVH is called a guitar god for a reason. This album is a showcase for his amazing guitar playing. Listening closely I also have a new appreciation for AVH's drumming. The only thing that keeps me from calling this a 5 are the cheesy lyrics...I realize that's part of Van Halen's thing (mainly thanks to David Lee Roth). But lyrics like "dig that steam, giant butt"? Insert eye roll emoji. Then again, lyrics that could be just as cheesy work in Hot for Teacher: "I brought my pencil...gimme something to write on"..."I don't feel tardy." Now that's just funny. I'll give it a 4 for amazing musicianship and fun songwriting, but the cheesy lyrics on songs like Top Jimmy and Drop Dead Legs keep it from being a 5.

Home Is Where The Music Is

Hugh Masekela

2/5

This is a classic album by Hugh Mase...ZZZzzzzzzz. Sorry, not a jazz fan. I'm sure it's great.

Club Classics Vol. One

Soul II Soul

2/5

Ehhh, not really my thing. I liked "African Dance" and "Feel Free" (plus "Ambition" which was a bonus track) but the rest didn't do much for me. "Dance" which was basically "African Dance" with a spoken vocal sounded almost like a parody. I wanted some Flight of the Conchords type lyrics. Oh, well.

Everything Must Go

Manic Street Preachers

5/5

HOW HAVE I NEVER LISTENED TO THIS BAND?? I loved every minute of this album. Another band I had heard of but hadn't heard. This 1001 albums thing is so great for finding music that I haven't listened to but should have. As I listened to the songs and read the lyrics (including looking into the background of a lot of the lyrics) I kept coming back to the phrase "depressing lyrics/soaring songs." It's an unusual juxtaposition that really works. The album background is difficult - their first album after guitarist and songwriter Richey James disappeared without a trace (he was declared dead many years later but never found). I really liked the songwriting and in particular the guitar sound. I kept wondering if guitarist James Dean Bradfield was influenced by Alex Lifeson because he uses a lot of unusual chord voicings similar to Alex...later found an article where the Manics interviewed Rush. Apparently they're huge fans. Makes sense given the guitar sound (but not their songwriting - that's very different). Looking forward to digging into their catalog - I see The Holy Bible is also in the 1001 album list and I'm sure I'll be listening to that soon.

Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche

Koffi Olomide

2/5

It was the same song 9 times. Giving it a 2 rather than a 1 because at least it was nice background music.

Station To Station

David Bowie

5/5

Station to Station is an album I've listened to many times, but made the mistake of never listening closely. I've been missing out. It's an amazing album, particularly when appreciated in the context of Bowie's struggles with drugs at the time. Every track is fantastic...high points for me include the guitar work, particularly the outro for "Stay," Bowie's top-notch singing, and the heartbreaking lyrics. Lyrics that really hit: In "Station to Station": "It's not the side-effects of the cocaine/I'm thinking that it must be love." In "Stay": "Stay - that's what I meant to say or do something/But what I never say is stay this time/I really meant to so bad this time/'Cause you can never really tell when somebody/Wants something you want too." Brilliant album. Easy 5 rating.

The Köln Concert

Keith Jarrett

5/5

Now this is jazz I can get behind. The first track is absolutely gorgeous. I wasn't paying close attention at first (jazz is usually background music to me), but about 4 minutes in I found myself drawn in and captivated. I ended up transfixed the entire time. Beautiful track. The second track is outstanding also, and I love how there were so many unique motifs on this album. Too many jazz albums sound like "more of the same." This album was constantly evolving and flowing. Mind-boggling that this is mostly improvised. I spent the day playing this album on repeat and kept finding new moments that surprised me. This is what jazz should be. Outstanding.

Tracy Chapman

3/5

There's plenty to like about this album, but the biggest problem is the similarity of too many of the songs. That said, she has an outstanding voice and powerful lyrics. Fast Car is the most well-known song and it's definitely a great track. There are a few tracks that are "different" from the overall folk/adult contemporary sound (e.g., Mountain O' Things - I really enjoyed the vocal tune and the drums in that song - and She's Got Her Ticket - straight forward reggae but at least different than the rest). The a capella Behind the Wall is certainly powerful...it's sad that my thought was that the lyrics were predictable. They shouldn't be. So, good album, but too much same-same. I don't mind hearing it, but I wouldn't rush to hear it again and that's why I give it a 3.

The Undertones

3/5

Previously listened to the second Undertones album. This is their first album and my reaction is pretty much the same. Fun band, catchy tunes, nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to. Solid 3.

Swordfishtrombones

Tom Waits

4/5

My first impression was pretty negative. I really didn't like his growly voice. At about 3:30 into Shore Leave I was basically asking "wtf am I hearing?" I had a similar reaction to 16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six. His voice was more tolerable on later songs like Swordfishtrombone and Soldier's Things. I kept thinking "I'd probably like some of this music if it weren't for his voice." On my second listen I found myself getting past his voice and enjoying the music more. On the third listen (I'm persistent) I even started appreciating his voice more (3:30 into Shore Leave still made me say wtf, but I started to like his style on 16 Shells). As I write this, I'm on my fourth listen and this album is growing on me like a fungus. I'd say after one listen I was at a 2 because I liked the music and hated his voice. I wrote a note at the time: "If he wasn't singing like he just gargled battery acid, this might be a good album." By third listen I was at 2.5 and rounding to a 3. On my fourth listen, I'm at 3.5 almost 4. I'm going to keep it at a 4 to acknowledge that this was a difficult album to get into, but it's clearly an album that rewards attention and multiple listens.

Mothership Connection

Parliament

4/5

Fun, fun, fun (or should I say funk, funk, funk?). The only track I disliked was "Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples" because there was some weird deep warbling synthesizer sound that was making my stomach twist. Aside from that, this was just freakin' fun to listen to, particularly Mothership Connection (Star Child), which I've heard sampled a ton ("Swing down sweet chariot, stop, let me ride"), and of course Give Up the Funk which is an awesome classic. Favorite line of the album: "Can you imagine Doobie in your funk?"

Shaka Zulu

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

3/5

A little too much of all the same. I loved them on Graceland - Homeless and Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes are fantastic. But then this entire album is mostly more of the same. The one track that caught my ear as sounding different was "How Long?" which had a bit of doo wop going on which was fun. Nothing wrong with the album, it was enjoyable to listen to...it just lacked variety.

White Light / White Heat

The Velvet Underground

2/5

The album started off ok - "White Light / White Heat" sounded like proto-glam and was promising. "The Gift" had a fun riff and story, with a good punchline. However, underneath both these tracks were hints of the noise that was going to annoy the crap out of me later in the album. "Lady Godiva's Operation" sounded like some decent 60s psychedelia until the doctor part where it got weird. "Here She Comes Now" also had that 60s vibe and wasn't bad. But then the last two tracks brought the noise rock front and center. "I Heard Her Call My Name" had a horrendous almost all-feedback guitar solo that sounded like garbage to me. The jam in the middle of "Sister Ray" was just sloppy and all noise. I wanted to shut off the squealing organ and feedback. The end of "Sister Ray" was even more obnoxious than the middle. I tried to give the album a fair shake - even listened a second time, and that's when I noticed that the noise was present throughout, just not as noticeable on early tracks. I like some Lou Reed solo stuff, but I'm definitely not a fan of this album. Giving it a 2 rather than a 1 solely because there were some redeeming moments.

Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin

5/5

Another great album. Not a single weak track. Easy 5 stars.

Roots

Sepultura

3/5

The songs definitely have a cool metal groove. Some of it is the stuff nightmares are made of. I don't mind some growling, but this was a little much for me. Wish I could hear this with a singer who wasn't constantly screaming because the music is pretty awesome. Giving it a 3 but would have given it a 4 with less screaming.

The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground

3/5

I hated White Light/White Heat but I went into this ready to give it a chance. I'd call Side 1 (the first six tracks) a 4, maybe even a 5. Great song-writing. Venus in Furs is probably the nicest sounding song ever written about BDSM. I really liked the droning viola in this. All Tomorrow's Parties is an excellent song - I knew the cover version by Japan, but never heard the original. Good stuff. Side 2 has way too much annoying feedback and sloppy guitar, similar to White Light/White Heat, which makes me want to give Side 2 a 2 at best. In fact, after listening to these two albums, I think Lou Reed was just a lousy guitarist who covered it up by playing noise solos. Ever time Lou Reed plays a sloppy solo filled with feedback I want to punch him, which would be rude since he's dead. I'll give the whole thing a 3. I understand its influence, but I can't take the noise.

In It For The Money

Supergrass

4/5

Good power pop. I've been enjoying it on repeat, but none of it is really sticking (i.e., I don't find myself recalling the songs when I'm not playing it). I can definitely see listening to it again but it's strange that I can't seem to keep it in my head. Maybe I need to listen more closely. Giving it a 4 in anticipation of getting into it more over time.

Are You Experienced

Jimi Hendrix

5/5

A stone-cold classic. Those first notes of purple haze. The main riff - I still remember how awesome it felt to play that main riff on guitar the first time. So many great tracks. Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell are great, but Jimi soars above it all. He's one of the greatest guitarists of all time and he made it look effortless. I need extra stars for this one because 5 stars doesn't cut it.

Music From The Penguin Cafe

Penguin Cafe Orchestra

4/5

Cool avant garde album. The only track I disliked was "Milk" (annoying). Standout tracks include the first track, Surface Tension, and The Sound of Someone... Can't call the album a 5 because I need to be in the right mood to listen - 5's are always great to me.

Debut

Björk

3/5

I bought this when it came out based on liking the song Human Behaviour. My original reaction was that I didn't like the rest and even returned it (my local CD store allowed you to return an opened CD if you simply didn't like it. Needless to say, they had to watch out for people who abused this policy). My reaction re-listening to it now many years later is that I appreciate it a bit more, but still wouldn't buy it (if that were still a thing). I think the problem is that too many songs follow the same formula - a good beat that repeats over and over accompanied by Bjork's unusual singing. That's all well and good, but gets a little old. I give it a solid 3.

Here Are the Sonics

The Sonics

3/5

Fun album that exists somewhere in the space between classic 50s Rock n' Roll and early punk. Most of the songs are hard-edged covers of classic rock n' roll and the originals fit in pretty seamlessly (really liked "The Witch"). The recording quality is crap but the word that keeps coming to mind is fun. Solid 3.

The Chronic

Dr. Dre

4/5

Really cool music, really uncomfortable lyrics. I can't remotely pretend I can relate with gangsta rap, but I can appreciate it. "The Day the N*****z Took Over" and "Little Ghetto Boy" are particularly powerful. The beats and music on this album are amazing. This album just oozes cool. Glad we recently listened to Parliament's Mothership Connection since it's so prominently sampled here. Loved hearing the drums from "When the Levee Breaks" on "Lyrical Gangbang." Amazing grooves on "A N***a with a Gun" and "Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat" but, again, difficult lyrics. I feel like this album deserves a 5, but I reserve that for albums I can listen to any time...this is not that, but I can definitely appreciate why it's on this list. Solid, powerful 4.

The Atomic Mr Basie

Count Basie & His Orchestra

5/5

On first listen, I was a little dismissive - yeah, yeah, Big Band, whatever, stuff my 80-something dad likes. On Listen 2 I realized: this album is pretty amazing! It only got better as I listened to it over and over. The word "frenetic" kept coming to mind. I liked learning that the arranger Neal Hefti wrote the Batman TV series theme (Bat Maaaaaan! Bat Maaaaaan! nah-nah, nah-nah, nah-nah, nah-nah Bat MAAAANN!!). To show how these things are generational, I had never heard of Hefti, but when I mentioned his name to my 80-something Dad his response was "of course I know Hefti!" His Wikipedia entry is pretty interesting. They quote Miles Davis saying, "If it weren't for Neal Hefti, the Basie band wouldn't sound as good as it does." Respect. Back to the album, I loved pretty much all the tracks. Flight of the Foo Birds, Double-O (what a sax solo!), and Fantail (drums!!!) really caught my attention. I also really liked the mellow tracks. After Supper had a nice opening piano part, a great tune throughout and I loved the walking bass line. Midnite Blue is clearly a song about a dame, y'know, the broad who came into your life and left it in shambles. The final "Lil' Darling" wraps it up nicely at the end of a wild evening at the club. Maybe you're even finally slow dancing cheek to cheek with the dame from Midnite Blue and all is right in the world. In an earlier review I said I'm simply not a jazz fan. This album (along with Keith Jarrett's The Koln Concert) shows me that I can definitely be a fan of some jazz. I want to dig in a lot deeper now. 5 star wham-bam-POW!

If I Could Only Remember My Name

David Crosby

2/5

I've been making a point of giving albums more than one chance and there have been a bunch that really hit me on the second or third listen. On first listen, my reaction was this album was ok, but nothing special. Three listens later...no different. It's just not a very interesting album. I like CSNY but this album just didn't do much for me.

Halcyon Digest

Deerhunter

2/5

I listened to this album numerous times. While I liked the overall vibe of the album, it felt like it all blurred together to the point I couldn't tell you much about it, except the fact that it ends very abruptly. It took a lot of listens before I stopped checking to see if something went wrong.

Elvis Is Back

Elvis Presley

2/5

I'm not really an Elvis fan and this album didn't change that even after multiple listens. The band and Elvis sounded good, but the songs were kind of bland. The two tracks that stood out for me were It Feels So Right and The Girl Next Door Went a'Walking.

Boston

5/5

Total guilty pleasure - slick production, great songwriting, but definitely 70s power pop cheese. Regardless, More Than Feeling and Peace of Mind alone would make this album a 5. Plenty of great moments aside from that. There are better album I would rate a 5, but 5 seems like the right answer for this one.

Ctrl

SZA

2/5

Calming, pleasant grooves...about pussy and booty. Sigh.

Trans Europe Express

Kraftwerk

3/5

I can appreciate how ahead of its time it was, but it sounds a little cheesy today. Decent.

Orbital 2

Orbital

3/5

Good techno music. Accessible and interesting but nothing really stood out to me. 3.

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan

5/5

We just had a couple of electronica albums (Kraftwerk and Orbital) that were a bit out there so seeing Steely Dan come up as a random pick was a relief. Everything they do is sheer gold. Funny thing is I didn't truly appreciate them until I watched the "Yacht Rock" series on Channel 101 (go look it up on YouTube if you haven't seen it - hysterical). Donald Fagen and Walter Becker are outstanding songwriters and musicians. High points for me are Rikki Don't Lose That Number (a classic for a reason), Night by Night (great groove), and Pretzel Logic (one of my favorites -- great groove plus fantastic vocals). Any Major Dude Will Tell You is very 70s (I guess much of their music is), but still great. Heck, even East St. Louis Toodle-Oo, which is basically ragtime, benefits from that unique Steely Dan sound - love the talk box guitar. Easy decision for me - definite 5.

Exodus

Bob Marley & The Wailers

5/5

I was expecting this album to be one where I would be looking for more variety, like "ugh, not another reggae beat! Change it up!" I was pleasantly surprised how much variety the album had and I liked it much more than I expected I would. What a great ending - Three Little Birds and One Love/People Get Ready were both fantastic. I think I'm going to listen to Three Little Birds every morning to get in a good mood for the work day ("Don't worry...about a thing...cause every little thing...is gonna be alright"). It's interesting to note how positive and hopeful the last few tracks are considering how dark and political many of the earlier tracks are (like "Guiltiness" and "The Heathen." "So Much Things to Say" also has dark lyrics, but the music is so upbeat...guess that's reggae for you). Very clear why this album is on the list. I'm going to call it a 4.5 rounded up to a 5.

Yank Crime

Drive Like Jehu

3/5

I really liked the first track "Here Come the Rome Plows." My immediate thought was "this is prog punk!" Very dissonant and loved the opening bass line. "Do You Compute" made me think of Tool. I was liking everything until the first 30 seconds of "Super Unison" - thanks for hurting my ears. As the album went on, the word "relentless" came to mind. Too much feedback, too much dissonance, too much screaming. There were a lot of great moments, but I think I can only take this band in small doses. Rating it a three from sheer exhaustion.

Parallel Lines

Blondie

5/5

This is just a really good album. High points include the hits ("One Way or Another" and "Heart of Glass"), and tracks like "Hanging on the Telephone" and "Fade Away and Radiate" (I hear Fripp, I like). I've been listening to it repeatedly for several days now and I keep noticing all kinds of great touches and I'm not remotely getting tired of it. Most albums I rate as a 5 really have some aspect that blows me away and I can't say this album has that, but it's just good start to finish. That's worth a 5 also.

You've Come a Long Way Baby

Fatboy Slim

2/5

I generally liked the grooves/samples, but he has a tendency to throw in annoying sounds (like repeating the same sound rapidly over and over forever) or using really annoying effects (like in Kalifornia and Soul Surfing). I'll call it a 2 because I didn't mind hearing it and generally liked the grooves, but I don't have much of an urge to hear it again. But, not gonna lie, in Acid 8000 "If this don't make your booty move your booty must be dead" made me laugh and I was definitely bopping to that song. I'll leave it a mystery whether my booty moved.

Selling England By The Pound

Genesis

5/5

This is a tough one for me. Not the rating - that's a five, easy. It's tough because I'm trying to listen to this the same way I'm listening to the other 1001 albums, even though I'm a huge fan and I've listened to this album easily 100 times. But, when I think back to my original impressions, I found early Genesis difficult to get into, unlike other early prog bands like King Crimson and Yes. There always seemed to be something a little "off" about early Genesis. They'd mix a surprisingly hard edge with songs that referred to things like "unifauns" and "lily fair." Or, some of the sounds are dated: Hackett's guitar often sounds muffled to me and some of the synth sounds are dated. But their music is the proverbial onion...peel it back and you find layer upon layer (it doesn't make me cry, but there are moments like the middle of Steve Hackett's solo in Firth of Fifth that always give me chills. Their album Foxtrot is not in the 1001 albums or I'd be saying the same about the end of Supper's Ready. Heck, I'd be writing a book about Supper's Ready). What's more is this music is many times better live than recorded. I've seen latter day Genesis play the instrumental parts of Firth of Fifth and Cinema Show. I've seen Steve Hackett and his band play many of these songs. Both are amazing. For a more "historic" version, go see the cover band "The Musical Box" who play an amazing version of the early band that even the band members acknowledge is authentic. So, my listen of this album is colored by my knowledge of just how good it CAN sound. The fact is: this music is amazing. Firth of Fifth is a rock symphony with one of my favorite melodic guitar solos of all time. Dancing with the Moonlit Knight starts with Peter Gabriel a capella and turns into a musical tour de force around 2:25 (listen for Steve Hackett's tapping solo, something he was doing years before Eddie Van Halen made it famous). Listen to Phil Collins' drumming throughout the album - while most people know him from the 80s (with most thinking of the gated reverb fill from In the Air Tonight), this album showcases why he was one of the most in demand session drummers of the 70s and 80s. The man is doing 50 things at once and if you've ever seen video of him playing, you know he looks relaxed as can be. Mike Rutherford lays down backing guitars and excellent driving bass lines throughout much of the album. And then there's Tony Banks, the man who later sticks to "happy chords" and "sad chords" droning over simple hit songs. Listen to his keyboard playing on this album and other early Genesis albums. His solo at the end of The Cinema Show mixes the best of melody and speed and shows he belongs in the conversation of "who is the best prog keyboardist?" Other great examples - everything he plays on Firth of Fifth, the keyboards in Supper's Ready and Watcher of the Skies (sorry, annoyed that Foxtrot isn't in the 1001). For me, the main weak spot on this album is The Battle of Epping Forest. Even after all those listens it still doesn't do much for me, plus it's too long (I don't have a problem with long songs...again, I wish I could write about Supper's Ready!). Bottom line, this is an outstanding band at its best. After one more album, they lose Peter Gabriel. Two more albums after that, they lose Steve Hackett. Then the band starts to become the Genesis most people know. Don't get me wrong - I like that Genesis also. But this Genesis was a prog giant. To those listening to this for the first time, keep listening and unpeel this onion. It's worth it.

Dire Straits

4/5

This is a pretty good album. Always enjoyed Sultans of Swing and hadn't really listened to these other tracks. There's a bit of "sameness" to a lot of tracks, but the band is great and Mark Knopfler's guitar playing and singing was excellent from the start. "Setting Me Up" really stood out for some excellent playing. Solid 4.

The Cars

5/5

Great album start to finish. The Cars have a certain sound and a certain formula that can be heard across most of their songs, but it just WORKS. The beginning of Good Times Roll is such a great opening and the song is simply cool all the way through. In fact, the first three tracks (GTR, My Best Friend's Girl", and "Just What I Needed") are such classics I'd call this a 5 just on those tracks alone, but the rest keeps me interested and wanting to hear this album again and again (and of course "You're All I've Got Tonight" and "Bye Bye Love" are also classics). I'll also point out that this is a great pairing with Blondie's Parallel Lines which we randomly got a few days back. Perfect one-two punch of new wave.

Isn't Anything

My Bloody Valentine

2/5

This is the second MBV album I've heard and both times I had the same thought - I feel like I *should* like this, but I just don't. I tried to listen closer to this one to figure out why. There's a lot going on in these songs and some of the effects and riffs are cool, but the word that keeps coming to mind as I listen is BORING. Another word is LIFELESS. I think a large part of it is the singing - both singers are pretty dull - but there's also no energy to the music despite all the noise. Not to mention the presence of occasional feedback and noise which lately leads me to an automatic 1-point reduction. The last track added the obnoxiousness of being intentionally out of tune. I'd sum up this album as Whiny Suburban Kid Anthems. I'll give it a 2 rather than 1 solely because of the occasional interesting effects (like on the first track).

Emperor Tomato Ketchup

Stereolab

2/5

Ehhh....it wasn't terrible, but it didn't do much for me. Lazy review today. 2.

Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Wu-Tang Clan

3/5

Cool grooves, lyrics are pretty rough, but at least they keep the misogyny to a minimum. Enjoyed the unique styles of each rapper. Lots of great (and sometimes obscure) references. Bring da Ruckus and Shame on a N***a are both really cool, but I think if I ever tried to rap along with them where anyone could hear I'd get my ass kicked. Comparing it to contemporaries, I liked the grooves on Dr. Dre's The Chronic a lot more and I felt it had a lot more variety than this album.

Can't Buy A Thrill

Steely Dan

5/5

Steely Dan's debut and right from the first moment they have that signature sound. Some real classics on this album: Do It Again, Dirty Work, and Reelin' in the Years. Do It Again starts the album with a cool groove and how many songs have such a cool sitar solo? Yes, I said that. I really liked some of the less famous songs also, like “Change of the Guard” and “Fire in the Hole.” “Turn That Heartbeat Over Again” was probably the weakest track which is kind of a shame that an album that starts so strong ends kind of lame. That’s a real minor complaint though. This is a great album.

Done By The Forces Of Nature

Jungle Brothers

3/5

Rap without the dirty. Enjoyed it, but can't say it blew me away.

Foo Fighters

3/5

I don't know why - I always like Foo Fighters when I hear them, but they never grab me enough where I want to listen deeper or seek them out. That leaves me at a 3 - good album but nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to - but I feel like I should like it more.

On The Beach

Neil Young

5/5

I don't know what it is about Neil Young - his songs are not that complicated, the playing is not that flashy, his voice wavers and is almost whiny...but somehow it works. This album is captivating and every track is fantastic. I never heard any of these songs or this album before today, but every song pulled me in. Walk On was a good basic intro, but the Sky About to Rain was the first song to "hit me" - I really liked the Wurlitzer on that track. Revolution Blues had a good, driving theme. I even liked the banjo in For the Turnstiles. Vampire Blues was a very cool track and it was about this point that I said to myself "This is an excellent album"...then I got to On the Beach. It really amazes me how Neil Young can write such a straightforward song yet it carries such powerful emotion. Part of it is clearly his lyrics and vocal style, which is so raw, but it amazes me how much this song pulled me in. Motion Pictures (for Carrie) was another straightforward but captivating song. Finally, I found myself lost in Ambulance Blues. When it was over, I just felt the need to sit in silence. Wow, what a great album.

Inspiration Information

Shuggie Otis

2/5

The phrase "Casio concerto" kept coming to mind. Maybe the programmed drums were cutting edge in 1974, but this sounds like someone playing tunes on a Casio over some pre-programmed fake drum track. BORING. It's a shame because the album started strong - "Inspiration Information" is a smooth groovy song. I liked "Sparkle City," "Happy House" and "Rainy Day." Pretty sure the one constant across those tracks is real drums, confirming to me that the programmed drums just killed this album.

It's A Shame About Ray

The Lemonheads

2/5

It's a shame...this isn't better. Soulless slacker pop grunge. It's not bad...it's just not all that good.

My Aim Is True

Elvis Costello

5/5

Wow, I really enjoyed this album. I've heard of Elvis Costello, but can't say I ever listened to his music (at least if I did, I didn't know about it). This was just a fun, high quality album. It's like a more modern version of classic rock 'n roll (and songs like No Dancing and Less than Zero sound like pure old fashioned Rock n' roll). Favorite tracks were Miracle Man, Waiting for the End of the World, and Pay It Back (which really got stuck in my head). Least favorite were Alison and I'm Not Angry. Both were just a little cheesy, but still enjoyable (and the guitar on I'm Not Angry was pretty good). Looking forward to listening to more of his stuff.

The Modern Lovers

2/5

I got worried when I saw they were influenced by the Velvet Underground AND produced by John Cale. There were a few moments of VU-ishness (e.g., "Cracked") and that's not good because I'm not into VU. But, the rest was ok. I wavered between a 2 and 3. I really liked Roadrunner - good track. I kind of laughed at the British punk accent Jonathan Richman affected particularly in the beginning of Astral Plane. Dude, you're from Boston. I think the main reason I'm going with a 2 is that at the end of the day it was mostly the same song over and over, and I'm never a fan of that.

Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear

4/5

I really enjoyed this album, but I feel it will take a lot of listens to sink in (and I'm about a week behind, so I need to move on!). I'm giving this a 4 mainly because none of it is "sticking with me" but I really enjoyed everything I heard, from the first notes. Interesting to note that this is from the 2011 edition of the book. I have the 2018 edition and this is the first album generated that has been removed from the 1001 albums. Not sure if it's something I had to hear before I die, but I enjoyed it.

Slippery When Wet

Bon Jovi

3/5

NJ represent! It's 80s cheese, but it's got good 80s cheese moments. Songs like You Give Love a Bad Name and Livin' On a Prayer are rock anthems for a good reason. I admit I really like Wanted Dead or Alive. One thing I noticed about the album is the recording qualityis very 80s. It's got that 80s hair metal lack of bass. I've got really good headphones and it's pretty bad how little bass sound comes across on this album. I think the tracks can all be dropped into four categories: Classic 80s rock anthems: You Give Love a Bad Name, Livin' On a Prayer, Wanted Dead or Alive (my favorite track on the album) Not bad, but definitely 80s hair metal cliches: Let It Rock, Raise Your Hands, I'd Die for You, Wild In the Streets Cheesy 80s rock anthems: Without Love, Never Say Goodbye Just plain bad: Social Disease (even if you remove the first 15 second of porn).

The Blueprint

JAY Z

4/5

I could sum this album up as "Smoove 70s grooves with cool rapping." That theme goes across most of the album, right from the first track. Izzo is real catchy but I don't think I've ever needed Genius lyrics more. All the diss stuff in The Ruler's Back and Takeover was a little lame to me (but I liked the Bowie "Fame" callout in Takeover). Girls Girls Girls was amusing, and gotta like a song that name-drops Deuce Bigalow. It was at this point that the phrase "smoooove grooves" kept popping into my head and stayed there for pretty much the rest of the album. Basically from U Don't Know On I enjoyed every track. Calling it a 4 rather than a 5 because I think the bragging and dissing brings it down.

Casanova

The Divine Comedy

3/5

I wanted to like this one more since it's got a lot of quirks I enjoy, but it was just a little on the corny side to me. Sounded a bit like Roxy Music in a bizzarro lounge. I wasn't really seeing why this was in the 1001 albums and as of the 2018 edition it isn't anymore. Makes sense. My favorite part was the second half of "Through a Long & Sleepless Night." That's where it really showed potential. Giving it a 3 mainly because there were moments I liked. Maybe this would grow on me, but it's time to move on.

Songs For Swingin' Lovers!

Frank Sinatra

3/5

Makes you want to put on a zoot suit and swing, baby. Pretty repetitive style. Nothing wrong with it, just wouldn't seek it out again. Songs that caught my ear: Old Devil Moon, Love is Here to Stay, Anything Goes.

Bayou Country

Creedence Clearwater Revival

5/5

This album ROCKS. Sure, John Fogerty was born about as far from the Bayou as possible, but I'll listen to him sing about it any time. All the tracks rock, but my favorites are the stone-cold classics (Born on the Bayou and Proud Mary), plus Bootleg (sounds like he's singing Bouley-Bouley), their cover of Good Golly Miss Molly, and Penthouse Pauper ("If I were a politician I could prove that monkeys talk"). Graveyard Train and Keep on Chooglin' are both pretty good. Yeah, I just said every track is at least pretty good to great. Easy 5.

Rust In Peace

Megadeth

3/5

In general I enjoyed this album. I'm not a huge fan of thrash, but I can appreciate it, particularly the great tone and precision. I have to ding this album for two reasons. The first is probably not fair, but there were times I felt like I was listening to Tenacious D, particularly songs like Holy Wars...the Punishment Due, Take No Prisoners, and Lucretia. These songs made me think of songs like Car Chase City and the Metal. It's not fair to ding an album because of songs that parody the style, but I had a hard time taking it seriously as a result. The other ding is deserved: there's a lot of lyrical cheesiness: "Welcome to our fortress tall" in Hangar 18 (but, to be fair, the song rocks). "A snake you were when we met" in Poison was the Cure. "Thermal count is rising/in perpetual writhing/the primordial ooze/and the sanity they lose" in Dawn Patrol (but I like the bass line in the song). "Immense in my girth, erect I stand tall" (Rust in Peace...Polaris). Ugh.

Countdown To Ecstasy

Steely Dan

5/5

This is the third Steely Dan album we've had so far (their second chronologically) and I've definitely learned I really like Steely Dan. I liked them before this 1001 Albums thing, but I can't say I listened to their albums closely before - mostly just listened to best of. There's so much I like. Every time they break into an instrumental section, I know I'm going to enjoy it and the songs have such a great groove. Favorite songs on the album: "Bodhisattva" - love the guitar and keys interplay. "The Boston Rag" - the chorus is very CSNY. Great guitar solo. "Show Biz Kids" - Love the beat and the chorus. Of course, I love the repeated "Las Wages" line. Also, did they play a snippet of Reelin' in the Years after the line "They got the Steely Dan t-shirt"? "My Old School" - classic Steely Dan. Great stuff. Easy 5.

First Band On The Moon

The Cardigans

4/5

Very good album, with a nice amount of variety. Your New Cuckoo makes you think you're about to hear a disco-redux album (not in a bad way - it has some nice twists), but then Been It has a cool hard edge. Their chill cover of Iron Man somehow works. Losers also caught my attention every time I listened. And of course Lovefool is a great song and was rightly a hit. The album doesn't blow me away but I enjoyed it and would definitely listen again.

Rage Against The Machine

5/5

Rage Against the Machine is my go-to when I'm frustrated. No joke, I wrote my dissertation listening to Rage Against the Machine and Nine Inch Nails. I angry-write, I guess. Listened to this album and Renegades over and over (NIN contributed mostly with Year Zero). The music rocks and the lyrics are thought-provoking. I always find it amusing to watch live videos and see all the angry white frat boys moshing to this - wonder if they realize they're part of the machine the band is raging against (like Paul Ryan being a fan). Pretty sure I'm part of that machine too, but I still like to rock out to some Rage.

Low-Life

New Order

4/5

Really enjoyed this album. Favorite tracks: Love Vigilantes (I think I've heard another version of this song, but not sure who it was) and Elegia (very nice, simple instrumental). The album doesn't blow me away (so not a 5), but I definitely liked it a lot.

Slipknot

3/5

Early on my reactions were: Damn. Cool. Scary. Damn. Damn. Cool. Scary. Damn. Unfortunately the last two tracks killed this album for me. By the end of Scissors the word "relentless" came to mind. By the end of Eeyore, I was simply uncomfortable. On the second listen, I even turned Eeyore off because I couldn't listen anymore. Giving it a 3 because I liked a lot of the earlier tracks, but it just went off the rails by the end.

Sound Affects

The Jam

3/5

It's good, but this kind of album just doesn't stick with me. 3.

1999

Prince

4/5

There's a lot to like about this album. I only knew the hits and I definitely enjoyed most of the rest. It's a little longer than I think it needs to be and some of the lyrics are just awkward ("I wanna f*** the taste out of your mouth"?? Really?). Favorite tracks: 1999 (even though the synths are a little dated, it's still a classic. I really liked the extended outro that you don't get to hear in the single), Little Red Corvette, Delirious, D.M.S.R. (just makes you want to get up and dance...unfortunately, I'm too lazy and you don't want to see me dance anyway), and Lady Cab Driver (good funky song, but I could do without the sex moaning).

Live At The Regal

B.B. King

4/5

Love his voice and his playing and I enjoyed this, but I think I get a lot more out of seeing video of him play than listening to a recording. Hearing the recording is still really good, but not the same as seeing him. I can only imagine what it was like to actually be there when he played.

The Band

3/5

It's good stuff, but nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to. The classics are certainly good (The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and "Up On Cripple Creek").

Protection

Massive Attack

3/5

I like Massive Attack, but I like their later albums much better when they introduce a bit of an edge to the music (e.g., Mezzanine and 100th Window). Without that edge this is nice background music but has few moments that make me go "wow." Unfortunately, only this album and Blue Lines are included in the 1001 albums so it looks like we won't be getting any of the later albums. Oh, well. To each their own.

Grace

Jeff Buckley

5/5

I've loved this album for years. Jeff Buckley's songwriting, singing, and guitar playing are immaculate. There are so many great moments on this album. The song "Grace" is eerily prophetic, mixing uplifting music with lyrics such as "Well it's my time coming/I'm not afraid/afraid to die" "And the rain is falling and I believe my time has come/It reminds me of the pain I might leave/leave behind" and "And I feel them drown my name/So easy to know and forget with this kiss/I'm not afraid to go/but it goes so slow." Those last lines are incredibly tragic given how he died. I always loved the frantic, rocking "Eternal Life" followed by the mysterious sounding "Dream Brother" (love the guitar line). "Last Goodbye" is heartbreaking and beautiful. That song, along with "Lover, You Should Have Come Over" hit a bit too close to home...I listened to this album a lot during a tough period in my life. Buckley's lyrics really hit hard on that feeling of love lost. I don't listen to the album much these days mainly because it pulls me back to feelings I've long since moved on from, but nothing changes the fact that this is a gorgeous, powerful album from an incredibly talented musician who was lost too soon.

Ten

Pearl Jam

5/5

This is a perfect album, start to finish. It holds a special place for me, because most of my life I've been listening to decades-old music and this was probably one of the few times in my life I was listening to the most popular music of the day at the time it was popular. Everything about it is great. I remember Even Flow was the first song I heard off the album and was just blown away by the power and groove of the song. Alive is an anthem. Jeremy was overplayed but still holds up as a classic. The non-singles are all classics in their own right. The music and lyrics are powerful throughout and the band members are all outstanding. McCready and Gossard provide an amazing one-two guitar punch. Always loved Jeff Ament's bass style (especially the fretless aspect - I just learned that he was a fan of Japan's Mick Karn) and the drums drive the album along. Of course, a million people tried to sound like Eddie Vedder afterwards, but he remains an original. I find it interesting that the band members feel the album was over-produced - I still think it sounds great - just the right mix of polished and edgy. This will always remain my favorite album of the grunge explosion.

Time Out

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

3/5

There are some great moments on this album, but it often sounds a bit too much like elevator jazz for me. Favorite moments - Blue Rondo a la Turk has a very promising first half - a wild 9/8 time signature and very interesting, but then the song lost me when it devolved to a simply swing jazz tune. Take Five - deservedly a classic. Clever 5/4 beat plus nice and concise. Pick up sticks - enjoyed the staccato piano solo. Honorable mention - Three to get ready - although it's kind of elevator jazz also, I like how they riff off the initial classical theme. Have to rate the whole album a 3 mainly because it's mostly background elevator music to me.

The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady

Charles Mingus

5/5

I had a viscerally negative reaction to this album on first listen. Discord. Chaos. Any time I found myself enjoying it, these intruded. I started writing up a very negative review while listening for a second time, debating whether to give it 1 or 2 stars. At the same time, I started reading up about the background and intentions of the album. About Mingus' life, his anger, his experiences with racism, his illness and death. I found myself appreciating Side 2 (Modes D - F). It still had much of the discord and chaos that was making me uncomfortable, but I could at least appreciate the mastery and composition and the moods it was meant to evoke. I went back to the beginning of the album, closely listening with new ears and started to recognize why this is considered a jazz masterpiece. By the time I returned to Modes D - F, now truly focused on the music, I was blown away. This is a challenging album and clearly isn't background music like so much jazz - it demands attention. It demands struggle. It's worth it and I stand corrected.

A Girl Called Dusty

Dusty Springfield

4/5

I enjoyed this album. Nothing very groundbreaking about the music, but the arrangements are solid and her voice is fantastic. I can't help but wonder about cultural appropriation whenever I'm listening to "blue-eyed soul" so I feel like I should go back to some of the original versions. But she sounds like she belongs in this style (unlike, say, Janis Joplin, who I thought wrecked some good R&B songs). Stand out moments: "You Don't Own Me" sounded like it belongs in a Quentin Tarantino movie (then I saw that Son of a Preacher Man is in Pulp Fiction). "Do Re Mi" had a fun groove and a great piano break in the middle. I really liked "Anyone Who Had a Heart" - unusual voicings and progressions - kudos to Bacharach and David (I saw Dionne Warwick recorded it first so I went to check it out - that version sounds great, but this one has a distinct sound). Solid 4.

White Ladder

David Gray

2/5

This album is a bit of a snooze fest. While the songs were mildly pleasant, they were also nothing great. I found I was more bored with it on the second listen, which isn't a good sign. I liked My Oh My and Silver Lining. Please Forgive Me sounded like an attempt at being Bob Dylan. Babylon is overplayed, but not bad. Overall, it wasn't a terrible album, but I could easily go without ever hearing this album again. Zzzzz.

C'est Chic

CHIC

3/5

Good stuff. Love the clean funky guitar and the fat funky bass. It's definitely "of its time" but songs like Le Freak and I Want Your Love are certifiable classics. I wouldn't go out of my way to listen, but I definitely enjoyed it.

Surfer Rosa

Pixies

4/5

This album was at least three years ahead of its time. There were several points where I was thinking I was listening to Nirvana and other big alternative bands of the 90s. Favorite tracks - Bone Machine and Break My Body (both sounded a lot like Nirvana), Where Is My Mind (immediate thought - hey, I know this song!), Cactus (I knew the David Bowie version. For some reason I thought he was covering Neil Young. Very wrong about that one). Really enjoyed this album. I'd say 4 because there was a little too much feedback and a little too much incest.

Antichrist Superstar

Marilyn Manson

4/5

The music is intensely cool, the lyrics intensely disturbing. The album cover scared my 12 year old. Lots of clear NIN influence (or maybe literally just Trent Reznor adding NIN touches). Can't call it a 5 mainly because of the disturbing lyrics and the fact that Marilyn Manson is individually pretty disturbing. Favorite tracks: Dried Up, Tied and Dead to the World, Tourniquet, Cryptorchid (mellotron!), Deformography, Antichrist Superstar, The Reflecting God.

Live At The Star Club, Hamburg

Jerry Lee Lewis

3/5

Ok, yeah it's great rock and roll. But, seriously, a song called "High School Confidential" by a guy who married his 13 year old cousin? That's f'd up. Deducting 1 star for creepiness.

Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

The Pharcyde

4/5

Plenty of laughs and cool grooves on this album. Favorite tracks: Oh Shit (really catchy), Officer, Ya Mama, Passin' Me By, and Otha Fish (really cool groove). It was a fun album - definitely pretty inappropriate, but I've certainly heard worse.

Tubular Bells

Mike Oldfield

3/5

This isn't the first time I've listened to this album. I've tried to figure out why this is considered such a great album and I just don't see it. It's not bad, I just don't see why it's all that. I'm a big prog rock fan and this one just doesn't connect with me at all. I listened three times this time and still don't get it. Oh, well.

The Message

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

3/5

This is an album I can appreciate for what it is, but I don't know that I would go out of my way to listen again. I know these guys were rap pioneers and much of the album seems to bridge the gap between 70s funk/R&B and 80s rap. I enjoyed the bass on this album (Doug Wimbish, who later joined Living Colour), particularly on She's Fresh and It's a Shame (especially the last minute of the track). I also liked the Tom Tom Club backing track for It's Nasty. Favorite track was The Message. As soon as I heard the "ah-huh-huh-huh" and "it makes me wonder how I keep from going under" my immediate reaction was, "hey, they did that in Hamilton" (with the line "it makes me wonder why I even bring the thunder" and the laughing when they're singing "you don't have the votes"). I'm not a big rap fan, so I think I missed out on a lot of callbacks in Hamilton...I feel like I'm getting schooled in rap history during the 1001 albums journey and I'm enjoying it more than I expected I would. Calling it a 3 primarily because the album just didn't blow me away but I definitely enjoyed it.

Metallica

5/5

The hits are amazing, the rest of the album is really good. The biggest problem is NOT ENOUGH BASS. It's better than "...And Justice for All" which basically has no bass, but damn this album needs more bottom end. Even the bass drum is too treble-y. Is that a word? Favorite tracks - mostly the hits: Sad But True (extremely cool song then and now), Wherever I May Roam, Enter Sandman (so overplayed at Guitar Center), Nothing Else Matters (also overplayed at Guitar Center). I like The Unforgiven but it was sooo overplayed on MTV in the 90s. Favorite non-hits: Through the Never, The God That Failed. I'd call it a 4.5, but I'll round it to a 5.

Clube Da Esquina

Milton Nascimento

3/5

Eh...it was fine. Not sure why I had to hear this before I die. Probably would help if I knew what they were saying, so I suppose I have an appreciation for how the 1001 albums thing can be challenging for non-English speakers. The music was good but nothing unique or special to me. Giving it a 3 because there was nothing wrong with it, but no more because I'm fine with never listening to it again.

(What's The Story) Morning Glory

Oasis

3/5

I know this album was huge, but I could never stand Oasis and their shit attitudes and how they posed as the second coming of the Beatles, right down to the mop tops. I hated it in the 90s and it still annoys me now. Still, I gave the album several listens. The songs are all decent, but Liam's whiny voice bugs me and the album is too damn noisy (these kids with their loud rock n' roll!). Plus, too much of their music is derivative. I'll give it a 3 because it's not *bad*, it's just I can't separate the attitude from the music and the derivative nature of the music keeps me from giving it a higher score. Favorite track - Champagne Supernova. Enjoyed the guitar solo and anthemic ending.

Good Old Boys

Randy Newman

3/5

Nice, pleasant music...but it's a good thing I paid attention to the lyrics, because I definitely don't want to play "Rednecks" for the kids. Hey, kids, here's the guy who sang the theme from Toy Story! Oops. Powerful lyrics in that song, but oof. I heard Louisiana 1927 before - that was probably my favorite song, maybe since I was familiar with it. It's a good album, but not something I need to hear again.

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

Various Artists

3/5

My overall reaction is that I'm not sure I needed to hear this before I die, but it's a good album. I decided to dig deeper and learn more about Phil Spector, both his career and his personal life. Here's yet another example where we have to ask the question, can you separate the art from the artist? The guy was a complete piece of shit and died in jail, convicted of killing a woman the same night he met her (he claimed it was an accident, but he had a history of brandishing guns at people). Does that change the music? The production quality and the innovative "Wall of Sound"? No, but it gives you pause. One other note - Clever move by the site organizer to make sure everyone gets this pick on Christmas. Send the guy some beer money for the holidays.

Ramones

3/5

I love when they play that one song, and then they play it again, and again, and again. Sure, they're classic, but they're so repetitive. I'll stick to their greatest hits, one at a time.

Funeral

Arcade Fire

3/5

I tried to listen to this album many times, because it felt like I should like it more. It never really clicked for some reason. I notice a lot of songs tend to focus on a particular riff and never really change. Maybe that's the problem - the album just doesn't seem dynamic enough. It's not bad, I just don't know that I would seek it out again. Favorite tracks - Wake Up - anthemic and it's probably one of the more dynamic songs on the album. Une annee sans lumieri pulled me in but has the same issue of being essentially one riff all the way through, until the very last minute. Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) - another one that's basically one riff with subtle changes throughout, but it's a very cool riff. In the Backseat was a good closer.

Out Of The Blue

Electric Light Orchestra

5/5

Love me some ELO. I remember listening to this album as a kid (thanks to my older siblings who were ELO fans). Those opening notes of Turn to Stone bring back memories and it's still a great song. ELO is one of those bands where I enjoy everything I hear but have never dug deeply into their catalog. Jeff Lynne is awesome and I appreciate him more every time I hear anything he's involved in. Mr. Blue Sky has been played a million times in my house since my kids got into Guardians of the Galaxy, but it never gets old. Stuff like Sweet Talkin' Woman is very 70s, but still great. Favorite non-hits - Jungle (fun track), Believe Me Now, Sweet is the Night. Basically, there isn't a weak moment on the album, which is even more impressive since it's a double album. Great stuff, easy 5.

The Wildest!

Louis Prima

3/5

This was a fun album, but a little repetitive after a while. It was fun learning he was King Louie from the Jungle Book. I'm sure it was a blast to see him live at the Sahara. Favorite tracks: Just a Gigolo; Jump, Jive, An' Wail (an absolute classic, written by Prima); Night Train.

Hotel California

Eagles

4/5

I feel like I should give this a 5 - after all, it's a classic and includes worthy hits such as Hotel California (love the guitar solos at the end) and Life in the Fast Lane. But there's just something about the album that I find underwhelming. Maybe it's a little too perfect, a little too polished. It just doesn't make me say "I want to listen to this again." I even listened to it multiple times to see if I was missing something, but no. So, I'm giving it a 4. Great songs, including some stone cold classics (I also like Victim of Love), but it's just missing that je ne sais quoi.

Band On The Run

Paul McCartney and Wings

4/5

The grand question - were the Beatles ever as good solo as they were together? The answer for Paul McCartney is clear. He's got some great solo tracks, but I don't think he was ever as good solo as he was with the Beatles. But that's not really a fair way to judge his solo albums, is it? A-hem, you must be as good as the Beatles to get a 5. So, I'm trying to listen without thinking, "This dude wrote Let it Be and Hey Jude and so on and so on." Great - Band on the Run, Let Me Roll It, Mrs. Vandebilt, Jet (at first, I classified this as "good not great" but then it got stuck in my head). Good - Mamunia (I really like the African stylings), No Words (sounds like it would fit on ELO's Out of the Blue), Picasso's Last Words, Nineteen-Hundred and Eighty-Five. Bluebird is probably the weakest song on the album - meh 70s soft rock. So, 4/9 great, 4/9 good, 1 meh. Probably makes it a 4.5 and now I'm going to add my bias of "but it's not as good as the Beatles" and round it DOWN to a 4. It just doesn't feel like a 5. Sorry, Paul. You're still awesome to me.

Bat Out Of Hell

Meat Loaf

5/5

Can't believe we got this pick the same week he died. Great album. Totally 70s, but timelessly great. Inappropriate memory: they used to play Paradise by the Dashboard Lights at dances I went to in 8th grade. That's not right. But the girls loved singing the "Stop right there!" part. RIP Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf and thanks for rocking our faces off. Easy 5.

Screamadelica

Primal Scream

2/5

I listened to this album a few times and it's just not taking at all. It's not bad, it's just not clicking. One thought that kept hitting me is that the album is all over the place...I couldn't get a sense of what this album was supposed to be. Definitely didn't need to hear this before I die. Moving on.

Nothing's Shocking

Jane's Addiction

5/5

This is a seriously cool album. Like the Pixies, about three years ahead of their time. I never really listened to Jane's Addiction because all I heard before was Been Caught Stealing and Jane Says, both of which kind of annoyed me (mostly because of Perry Farrell's voice). It didn't help when I learned what a dick Farrell was to his bandmates about publishing rights. But none of that can change how cool this album is. The whole band is fantastic. I was a fan of Dave Navarro's work with RHCP and I'm embarrassed to say I didn't even know he was part of Jane's Addiction. A great album that I missed out on because I didn't like their popular songs. Great stuff. Favorite tracks: Up the Beach (yeah, I thought this was awesome right from the start), Ocean Size, Ted Just Admit It, Mountain Song, Pigs in Zen.

In A Silent Way

Miles Davis

5/5

Man, this 1001 albums thing is getting me to reconsider jazz. Maybe my mood was right today...on another day I might have complained that essentially they're noodling around a couple of themes for 20 minutes, but the word that kept coming to my mind was CAPTIVATING. Both pieces just evoked certain moods and I found myself transfixed throughout my first listen. Time went by faster than I expected - I was actually surprised each piece was over, even though both clock in at almost 20 minutes (can't believe they recorded this thing in a day). Again, maybe I just caught it on exactly the right day at exactly the right time, but it connected with me. Second listen (a little more background this time - I had work to do!) was just as enjoyable and I was again surprised when it was over. Gotta give it a 5 for that captivating feeling. Wow.

Talking Heads 77

Talking Heads

5/5

Talking Heads is another band I've listened to plenty but haven't listened closely. Great album. The band had their "sound" down from day one. All the tracks are fantastic. Favorites - Psycho Killer (of course), Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town, No Compassion ("they say compassion is a virtue, but I don't have the time"), Pulled Up. Just so good. Easy 5.

Arrival

ABBA

3/5

Very very 70s disco. The first track, "When I Kissed the Teacher" is 70s cheese of the highest magnitude. Knowing Me, Knowing You is not bad. Sounds like an early version of an 80s power ballad. I liked Dancing Queen (played a billion times, but good song), Why Did It Have to Be Me (decent rocker), and Arrival. The bonus edition has Fernando on it, which is a good track. I'll call it a solid 3. Not bad, good moments, not really my cup o' Swedish tea.

Daydream Nation

Sonic Youth

2/5

I liked the first track Teen Age Riot, but then a lot of the album sounded similar. I hate repetition. I also hate noise and feedback and there was way too much of that (like Silver Rocket, The Sprawl, Rain King, and Total Trash - an aptly named song). Oh, and this album is long with its repetition and noise. Giving this a 2 because at least there were moments I liked (Teen Age Riot, Candle), but by the last five songs I just wanted it to end.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Simon & Garfunkel

5/5

An absolute classic. This album is very much of its time, but the songs are SO good. Some of the songs sound better in subsequent live versions. I found myself watching The Concert in Central Park after listening to this - Garfunkel singing Bridge Over Troubled Water in that concert was possibly his crowning moment. Similarly, The Boxer is one of my favorite songs of all time (I love playing it on guitar), but I prefer subsequent live versions (check out the Concert in Hyde Park for a great version). Regardless of version, I get chills every time I hear "In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade/and he carries the reminders/ of every glove that laid him down or cut him till he cried out in his anger and his shame/ "I am leaving, I am leaving" but the fighter still remains." What a moment. Plenty of other great moments: El Condor Pasa takes you somewhere else. This is the first time I listened to the original version by Los Incas which sounds almost identical except the Los Incas version is an instrumental and has a bit of craziness in the last minute. Cecilia is a classic and Keep the Customer Satisfied is a fun little rockabilly song. Baby Driver is a fun classic-sounding rock n roll song (I even originally thought it was a cover, but it's not). The Only Living Boy in NY is a good track - I like the overlaid vocals in that one. The only tracks I find (relatively) weak are So Long Frank Lloyd Wright and Why Don't You Write Me. They could have ended with the live version of Bye Bye Love since it's a callback to their early days and the influence of the Everly Brothers. But Song for the Asking is a nice touch and perhaps it's poignant that the last Simon & Garfunkel album ends on a song that almost sounds like Simon is singing alone (I can barely hear Garfunkel in it). In fact, that's consistent with the cover - Paul Simon appears to be eclipsing Art Garfunkel. It makes sense...Paul Simon wrote pretty much all the music for Simon & Garfunkel and it was time for him to move on, leading to an amazing career. Great album.

Queens of the Stone Age

2/5

Basic 90s rock with way too many crappy sounding moments. I'm going to talk about songs that had moments I couldn't stand: You Would Know, Hispanic Impressions, You Can't Quit Me Baby, These Aren't the Droids You're Looking For, I Was a Teenage Hand Model. Annoying album. I'll give it a 2 because there were a few cool moments. I'm very sparing about giving an album a 1, but this one was up there. Or do I mean "down there"? Who cares. Next.

If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears

The Mamas & The Papas

4/5

First, no to the apostrophes in mamas and papas. Second, did I really need to see that scuzzy toilet on the cover? This is a crap cover, literally. Ok, that's out of the way. I like the album a lot. Monday Monday is a beautiful song with fantastic harmonies. Love the vocal line on the phrase "that Monday evening you would still be here with me" (and similar moments through the song). Nice twist. Deservedly a classic. I enjoyed Straight Shooter and Got a Feelin'. I also like their very different approach to the Beatles' I Call Your Name. California Dreamin' is a classic, but sounds very dated. That's probably the biggest issue with the album - the recording style is very dated. I had a problem with Spanish Harlem - I know they didn't write it, but the line "I'm going to pick that rose and watch her as she grows in my garden" is creepy (I also thought that wouldn't be possible, but it is - who knew that the 1001 albums would teach me something about basic horticulture?). I call it a 4 because the harmonies are out-of-this-world good but the album sounds dated.

Electric Warrior

T. Rex

5/5

This is a very cool album. Mambo Sun starts things off great - cool from the first moment. Cosmic Dancer sounds like Bowie (and so does Planet Queen) - I admit I'm not sure who influenced who (whom?). Reading various biographies suggests it was mutual (plus, they both worked with Tony Visconti - heck, Rick Wakeman played with both as well. I also see Ian McDonald was on the album. RIP Ian). Jeepster and Bang a Gong are both classics for good reason. Again, the word that comes to mind over and over is COOL. On my first few listens I thought it was overly repetitive, but on subsequent listens I started to catch the different nuances between songs. Most importantly, I enjoyed the entire album more on every listen. Sounds like a 5 to me.

(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)

Lynyrd Skynyrd

5/5

Free Bird! Ok, now that that's out of the way... Side 1 is PERFECT. Four amazing songs in a row. Tuesday's Gone, Gimme Three Steps, and Simple Man are all stone-cold classics. I didn't know "I Ain't the One" but it absolutely rocks. Love the guitar solo in the middle. The first three songs on Side 2 are not nearly as perfect. All of them are good (my favorite of the three is Poison Whiskey), but it's not at the level of the four songs on Side 1. BUT, then we have Free Bird, which really is one of the greatest rock songs ever (with one of the best guitar solos (plural) ever), so Side 2 averages out to amazing anyway. Between a perfect Side 1 and an amazing Side 2 (thanks to Free Bird), this album is a clear 5.

Moondance

Van Morrison

3/5

Van Morrison has a great voice (time to admit I thought "Van Morrison" was his last name (like Van Halen). I had no idea it was short for Ivan Morrison. I'm learning much on this 1001 albums journey). But the songs sound like a lot of other songs (including each other). For example, while I enjoyed the opening "And It Stoned Me" I found myself singing The Band's "The Weight" over it (and The Weight was released 2 years earlier, so I don't have causation backwards). Crazy Love is good, but it also starts with the same essential tune as And It Stoned Me (and therefore, the Weight). Glad Tidings is basically Brown Eyed Girl part 2, so he's derivative of himself. Moondance is definitely different from the other tracks - it's a classic and I always enjoy it, but it's pleasant, not amazing. Overall, I give the album a 3 because it's pleasant, but also far too often derivative and repetitive.

Here's Little Richard

Little Richard

4/5

It's all formulaic rock n' roll, but he was one of the primary "architects" of the formula and deserves a lot of credit. Super fun to listen to, but it's all basically the exact same song over and over. His voice and energy are definitely amazing. I'd give it a 3 for repetitiveness, but a 4 for being an original. Plus, I'm pretty sure Tutti Frutti is going to be stuck in my head for the next week.

Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder

5/5

Pastime Paradise --> Gangsta's Paradise --> Amish Paradise = evolution, fool. Just kidding. This album is longer than it needs to be but there are lots of great moments. Favorite tracks: Sir Duke and I Wish are a one-two punch of coolness. Ordinary Pain - I dig the "response" section. Isn't She Lovely? is a beautiful song but I could do without the crying baby (even if it's about his first daughter). "As" is one of my favorites on the album - no idea why he didn't just title it "Always." Least Favorite - Saturn - um, yeah, those lyrics are pretty bad. Technically this was on a "bonus" disk, so maybe it doesn't count. I'd call this album a 4.5 and I'll round it to a generous 5, because I've been listening to and enjoying it for days.

Led Zeppelin III

Led Zeppelin

5/5

This album is a master class in how to make an acoustic guitar rock. Pretty much love every track (although the last track is only "ok" in my book). Immigrant Song rocks, even if the lyrics are a little cheesy. Love the strings on Friends. Celebration Day is another cool track and I like how Friends segues into it - very cool slide guitar here (and elsewhere on the album). Since I've Been Loving You is a little on the long side, but is worth listening to closely - great guitar throughout with a fantastic solo in the middle. Out on the Tiles has a great groove. Gallows Pole is a classic - a classic with banjo, no less. Tangerine moves nicely from calm acoustic waves to rocking (with a bit of country twang at the end). That's the Way is very moving and Bron-Y-Aur Stomp is a fun acoustic track. Hats Off to (Roy) Harper is a bit of a meandering ending...really feels tacked on, but overall the album is just great. Easy 5.

Nebraska

Bruce Springsteen

4/5

I first listened to this as background music and my initial impression was, eh, it's ok. Give it a 3. Then I paid attention to the lyrics. Damn. What a dark album. Bleak. I went back and forth between a 4 and 5. The music isn't exactly groundbreaking (although certainly good), but the lyrics are like a gut punch about what life is like for the downtrodden and the criminal. Bruce has an almost disturbing affinity for people who feel forced into a life of crime. Is there something you want to tell us, Bruce? By the time I reached My Father's House, a truly devastating tale of estrangement, I decided I had to give this a 4 only because I think I'd be hugely depressed if I listened to this album often. (oh, and then, in case you haven't already been devastated by this album, Bruce quickly gives you 4 more depressing stories in Reason to Believe to end the album. Thanks, Bruce).

Blue Lines

Massive Attack

4/5

In my earlier review of Protection, I noted I prefer their later work, like Mezzanine and 100th Window...but I hadn't heard Blue Lines (their debut), so I think the real issue was Protection suffered from the sophomore slump. I liked all the tracks on this album, although it took a little while for me to appreciate it as more than just background music. It's missing a little something that would make me give it a 5, but it's definitely enjoyable and worth hearing again so I'll call it a 4. Favorite tracks: Safe from Harm (cool opening track), Be Thankful for What You've Got (I thought this sounded like a modernized version of a 70s soul song - turns out it is...the original by William DeVaughan is really good, but I also like Massive Attack's take on it), Unfinished Sympathy (love the strings), Hymn of the Big Wheel (this was the track that kept catching my attention the first few times when I was mostly listening to the album as background music).

Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)

Loretta Lynn

3/5

The music doesn't do much for me (not a country fan except for a few exceptions), but I like her voice and there are some good lyrics. Lazy review today.

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

Eurythmics

3/5

I hoped to like this more, given how good the title track is - a classic, deservedly so. I walked away feeling that the album is generally - I'm not a huge fan of 80s electronic pop so I guess it had to get past that first. Favorite tracks: I've Got an Angel, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), and This City Never Sleeps. Everything else was ok, it just didn't hook me, even after several listens.

Time (The Revelator)

Gillian Welch

3/5

Pleasant. Nice. Nothing bad. Nothing great. That's the definition of a 3 for me.

High Violet

The National

4/5

I kept listening to this album hoping it would eventually grab me. It's not bad, it just doesn't pull me in. I think the issue is, like other bands of this genre, every song is basically built around one riff that repeats over and over - maybe growing or fading, but still the same riff. The riffs are good and at least each song is somewhat unique, but individual songs don't seem to "go anywhere." It didn't help that they started with a lo-fi sound on Terrible Love and I'm not a fan of that style of recording. I liked the second track (Sorrow) much better. I like the singer's voice - reminds me of Mark Sandman from Morphine (particularly on Little Faith). Other songs I liked: Afraid of Everyone, Bloodbuzz Ohio, and England. I'll give it a 3 because I wouldn't mind hearing it again, but don't think I'll seek it out. EDIT: I said I wouldn't listen again, but after submitting it, I found myself revisiting the album and really enjoying it. Changed the score from a 3 to a 4!

Blackstar

David Bowie

5/5

The word "genius" is thrown around too easily in music, but there's no other word to describe Bowie. This is dying as performance art. Should we have expected anything less from him? Not only that, but how many musicians are still transforming themselves on their 26th (!) album? Every track is brilliant and all the more deeper for the fact that he knew he was dying (although a few of them predate his cancer diagnosis). The song "Blackstar" is haunting - the 10 minute video is worth watching - disturbing and cool at the same time. "'Tis a Pity She was a Whore" - frenetic jazz over a driving bass line (that makes me think of "The Talking Drum" by King Crimson every time). "Lazarus" - this was the first one I heard off the album, seeing the video just after he died. Watching/listening to him sing "Look up here, I'm in heaven" was eerie (and still is). Again, death as performance art. "Sue (Or In a Season of Crime)" - the lyrics are a fun (?) descent into darkness. Almost like Poe - it also reminds me of some of the music on his album Outside (one of my favorites). "Girl Loves Me" - love the lyrics using words from A Clockwork Orange. Just another incredibly cool track (like all of them - let's also take a moment to acknowledge how awesome his band is on this album - also, how powerful is his singing on this album??). "Dollar Days" - this one is really tough to listen to, knowing that he was dying - the line "I'm dying to..." meant to be heard as "I'm dying, too." Is it a wail of despair or a cry of effort to make his last statement? Plus, that ending is so majestic with the combination of the sax solo, guitar line, and Bowie repeating "I'm trying to, I'm dying to." Man. Finally, "I Can't Give Everything Away" is just a beautiful ending to an amazing album and life. RIP genius and thanks for this beautiful, dark coda.

Fun House

The Stooges

3/5

Proto-punk, which made me wonder what the first punk album was. The Kinks were clearly ahead of their time in the 60s. I noted in my review of Here Are The Sonics (1965) that they were proto-punk. Some articles suggest Louie Louie was the first punk song - don't know if I see that connection as clearly as the Kinks and the Sonics. Anyway, this is clearly one of the major punk precursors. I liked the first four tracks a lot (Side 1 on the original album). Cool stuff. Side two is a little tougher to deal with. 1970 is decent but gets a little crazy in the second half. Fun House is also good for about the first half before it starts to get out of control. L.A. Blues is pure crap. The first time I listened I even skipped over most of L.A. Blues, which is saying something since up until that point I listened to every album I've reviewed in its entirety (120 reviews to date). On my third listen, I managed to sit through the whole track because I want to be able to claim I've listened to 100% of the 1001 albums. But this was barely listenable and that's an automatic 1 point reduction for me. If the album was just the first 4 tracks I'd give it a 5. Add 1970 and Fun House and we're down to a 4. L.A. Blues brings it down to a 3. There's punk and there's crap. This album started punk and descended into crap.

Sheer Heart Attack

Queen

5/5

It's a stone cold classic and a ton of fun. So many great tracks, including classics like Killer Queen (Queen's breakthrough, with all the elements that make Queen great), Now I'm Here (Queen goes full glam, even mentioning Mott the Hoople in the song), and Stone Cold Crazy (proto-thrash). Songs I was less familiar with but enjoyed: Tenement Funster - in any other band Roger Taylor would be an impressive lead singer, but hard to beat Freddie! Flick of the Wrist - a cross between Queen and Black Sabbath. Lily of the Valley - sounds like it would fit well on A Night at the Opera. Bring Back that Leroy Brown - fun track. Weakest tracks: Misfire and She Makes Me. Misfire has seriously cheesy lyrics - literally a misfire. She Makes Me sounds like it was recorded in a large room with two small mics. Also, when you have singers like Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor in the band, maybe Brian May shouldn't sing. Not to insult Brian May - he's the very definition of a guitar god. The guitar solo on Brighton Rock proves it right from the start. In fact, Brian May is outstanding across the entire album. Finally (literally), In the Lap of the Gods...Revisited is a great album closer. Easy 5.

The Stranger

Billy Joel

5/5

It's like listening to a greatest hits album. There are 9 tracks on this album and at least 6 are greatest hits (Movin' Out, The Stranger, Just the Way You Are, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Only the Good Die Young, She's Always a Woman). Crazy. The remaining tracks are all good but simply not as great as the other six. Bottom line is Billy Joel is a great songwriter, so this album is an easy 5.

Automatic For The People

R.E.M.

4/5

I never got into R.E.M., but I tend to like everything I hear from them. They just don't make me go "I MUST HEAR THIS!" This album is a good example of what I mean. Everything on it is at least good, but I'm just never blown away. Can't explain why. Most of my favorite tracks are the overplayed ones like Drive, Everybody Hurts, and Man on the Moon, but I also really like Ignoreland, Nightswimming, and Find the River. I'm going to have to go with 4 even though there's really not a weak spot on the album. I'm glad to have listened to it, but I won't lose sleep if I don't hear it again.

Your New Favourite Band

The Hives

3/5

I enjoyed the album, but it's a lot of the same song over and over (that's garage rock/punk for you). I'd listen again but wouldn't seek it out, which makes it a 3 for me.

Led Zeppelin IV

Led Zeppelin

5/5

A perfect album. Black Dog and Rock and Roll start it off rocking with everyone in top form. Plant has a great duet with Sandy Denny on the Battle of Evermore, but it's probably my least favorite song on the album. Not that it's bad - as I said, it's a perfect album. Stairway to Heaven is a perfect song, start to finish. Any time I hear it, I have to listen all the way through. The opening riff (which sounds nothing like Spirit's Taurus), the verses as the song builds and builds, that guitar solo - one of the greatest ever - and the powerful ending. Yes, it's overplayed, but for good reason. Misty Mountain Hop - another great rocker, with awesome harmonies. Four Sticks has a great unusual riff and time signature, with amazing drumming. RIP Bonzo. Going to California calms things down...great guitar and mandolin parts and fantastic vocals from Robert Plant (like all of the album). Finally, When the Levee Breaks: possibly the greatest opening drum line of any song ever, followed by a massively cool riff and bass line, harmonica, slide guitar, and moaning wails. Bottom line - this is one of the greatest bands of all time at their peak. Can I score it higher than 5?

Elvis Presley

4/5

This review took me a while because I kept feeling like I was missing something. It could be generational, but I haven't been blown away by much of what I've heard. His version of Hound Dog is a sloppy non-sensical mess next to Big Mama Thornton's. I thought Elvis is Back! (our previous pick) was boring. At least I thought this debut album was better, but I still was having a hard time seeing what was GREAT. So, I did a real deep dive. I compared Elvis's versions of these songs to the previous versions (only 2 songs on the album are debuts, although Elvis didn't write anything - that wasn't a "thing" back then). I also watched some videos to compare. Here are my two main takeaways: 1) In almost all cases, Elvis's version is faster and wilder. In some cases that made the song more exciting, but it wasn't always a better thing. 2) You can't fully appreciate Elvis without the visual part. Elvis had moves and charisma and style. I watched various early performances, focusing on videos around the time this album came out. That's really what I think grabbed people. For example, Carl Perkins' original Blue Suede Shoes is a good track. Slower, but basically the same song. I watched a video of Carl Perkins and he was clearly the superior musician - great voice and really good guitar playing. But then I watched Elvis perform it and he was in a different league when it came to energy and charisma (and I guess sex appeal if that's your thing). So, I think to understand why Elvis was considered GREAT you can't just listen, you have to watch. I'm giving this album a 4 not a 5 because the album is just the music, not the entire package. It's really enjoyable but a lot of the individual tracks are done better by others (for example, Little Richard's original Tutti Frutti is so much better. Then again, Little Richard IS rock & roll). The only track on this debut album I didn't like was Blue Moon. I listened to the first recorded version of this Rodgers & Hart standard (recorded by Ted Fio Rito and His Orchestra) and that was much better than the Elvis version (incidentally, the definitive version of Blue Moon is the later doo wop version by the Marcels with the famous doo wop line that I won't even attempt to type - just go listen). Favorite Tracks: Blue Suede Shoes, I Got a Woman (but go listen to the Ray Charles version!), One-Sided Love Affair (Elvis's singing style on this song is very entertaining), I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You), I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin'), Money Honey.

Crocodiles

Echo And The Bunnymen

4/5

Basically they're a weirder version of U2. That's good, because I like weird and I like U2.

Strange Cargo III

William Orbit

3/5

I like his music, but it's fundamentally not much more than good background/mood music.

Billion Dollar Babies

Alice Cooper

4/5

I always figured Cooper was hard rock, so I was surprised to hear elements of glam (e.g., the opener Hello Hooray) and even prog (e.g., parts of Unfinished Sweet). It definitely had a somewhat dated sound, but it was pretty good overall. I'll give it a 4 because I have a tough time giving a 5 to an album that has an anthemic song about necrophilia. Oh, and the song "Raped and Freezin'" - um, Alice Cooper, are you ok? Favorite tracks: Elected, Billion Dollar Babies, No More Mr. Nice Guy.

Tommy

The Who

5/5

I've loved this album for years, so this an easy 5 for me. I love the whole rock-opera concept - I know a lot of people criticize this album as overblown. Yeah, the story is dense and weird (and the movie is even weirder!), but it holds together both musically and thematically. There's so much I love about this album. Favorite moments include all the instrumentals (Overture - love the acoustic guitar part; Sparks; Underture); the thundering bass at 3:25 of Amazing Journey particularly when performed live - John Entwistle was a BEAST; Pinball Wizard (great track); We're Not Gonna Take It including the anthemic ending (this is a week of anthemic endings - at least this one doesn't involve necrophilia like "I Love the Dead"); all the repeating motifs - "see me, feel me" "Tommy can you hear me" plus the repeating musical motifs; Keith Moon's drumming. I also love the line "You've been told many times before, Messiahs pointed to the door, but no one had the guts to leave the temple." I could go on and on. Oh, and TIL that Eyesight to the Blind was a cover. I had no idea. Go check out Sonny Boy Williamson's original. I've listened to this album more times than I can count, but it was fun to dig in again. I ended up watching clips from the movie and from the 1989 all-star performance including Billy Idol, Patti LaBelle, Phil Collins, and Elton John. I remember watching that when it came out. Definitely an album worth hearing many times before I die!

Gris Gris

Dr. John

3/5

Interesting album. Not something I feel I'll need to come back for, but it definitely sets a chill, funky mood. I liked the opening track, Mama Roux, and the closing track in particular.

I Should Coco

Supergrass

4/5

This is a fun, cool album. Great debut. I'm not a big fan of 90s britpop, but this is definitely some intelligent fun power pop I can get behind. We previously listened to their second album In It for the Money. I liked that one but none of the music was sticking in my head for some reason. This one seems a bit rawer and pulled me in more than their second album. I liked all the tracks except for "We're Not Supposed To" which was kind of annoying. I watched the video for Alright since that was the big hit - I liked the callbacks to "The Prisoner" (e.g., the Prisoner bicycle and "rover"). I'll call it a 4 - a really good album that I can see coming back to, but not at the same level as a 5 for me.

The Wall

Pink Floyd

5/5

Pink Floyd was the first band I was ever obsessive about. I collected all their albums (on vinyl). I obsessed over their lyrics. I had music books for piano and would play the Wall (poorly) all the way through. Nobody Home was my favorite to play on piano. The classical guitar part at the end of Is There Anybody Out There? was the first fingerstyle song I could play entirely through on guitar. I drew bricks all over my school notebooks. I would write "Pink Floyd The Wall" in Gerald Scarfe's writing style. I had patches for the Wall and Dark Side of the Moon on my band jacket. I watched the movie of The Wall more times than I can count. I watched Roger Waters perform the Wall Live in Berlin when it was broadcast live in 1990 and, in 2010 I saw Roger Waters perform the Wall in its entirety, a concert I still consider one of the best I've ever seen. So, needless to say, this is an obvious 5 for me. That said, my view of it has changed with age. For one thing, the recording quality leaves a lot to be desired. It's very dated, much more so than albums like Dark Side of the Moon or Animals. Waters later referred to the drums as sounding "boxy" and I would tend to agree. The album lacks a certain expansiveness in its sound. Also, it's a pretty dark album and not one that I casually listen to much anymore. Not that I don't listen to dark albums as an adult...perhaps I simply had my fill of The Wall as a teenager (although I've certainly listened to it plenty of times as an adult, also). But I still view it as an absolute masterpiece. So many favorite moments: Comfortably Numb remains one of my all time favorite songs, with of course one of the greatest guitar solos of all time. To me, Another Brick in the Wall Part II always has to include Part I and The Happiest Days of Our Lives. In my head I like to replace Empty Spaces with the movie version "What Shall We Do Now?" (speaking of tracks only in the movie - When the Tigers Broke Free is a very powerful track. I like that they later included it on reissues of the Final Cut, where it probably belongs). Hey You makes me stop and listen whenever I hear it. In the Flesh, Run Like Hell, and Waiting for the Worms may be fascism in musical form, but all three are amazing. The Trial brings the story to an over-the-top theatrical close followed by Outside the Wall which brings us full circle back to the beginning. On CD I'd often just let it loop right back to the start, creating a never ending album. I know The Wall isn't for everybody (although 30 million copies sold suggests it's for a lot of people), but it will always be an absolute classic to me.

Drunk

Thundercat

3/5

This strikes me as one of those albums that will get dropped in a future edition. Enjoyable, but nothing I needed to hear before I die. Tracks that caught my attention: A Fan's Mail, Friend Zone, and Them Changes.

Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)

Bob Dylan

4/5

I'm trying to understand this album in the context of its time - Bob Dylan, folk singer extraordinaire goes electric and his audience goes bonkers. Calls of "Judas!" and heckling fill the air. Ok, but I don't get this, because he had already released his electric Highway 61 Revisited nearly a year earlier to rave reviews. Classics on that album (performed here) include Like a Rolling Stone and Ballad of a Thin Man, both of which were originally recorded electric. So, I can't help but wonder if the audience theatrics are just a whole bunch of pretentiousness. Either way, I found the acoustic side a little dull - I kept thinking, "this is a 3." His singing sounds like a parody of himself. The guitar lines are just the same chords over and over, with an occasional break to blow on the harmonica. Plus, for all the raving about his lyrics, sometimes they're pure cheese: See the primitive wallflower freeze When the jelly-faced women all sneeze Hear the one with the mustache say, “Jeeze I can’t find my knees” [insert eye-roll emoji] Now, I knew some of these acoustic tracks were pretty well-known songs and noticed that many of them were hits for others, so I went listening to other versions. I found in most cases I preferred the covers, such as the hit versions of It's All Over Now, Baby Blue by Them (i.e., Van Morrison) and Mr. Tambourine Man by the Byrds. Both covers led me to conclude that Dylan is an awesome songwriter who should leave the performing to others. Then I hit the electric set. Immediate thought - Dylan can actually sing. Yeah, he still has that weird twangy inflection, but he was belting it out over the band (or I guess, technically, over The Band). But another thing was that these songs had much more character than Dylan with just a guitar. Tell Me, Momma comes across like a slap to the pretentious audience members who only want to hear folk Bob. I Don't Believe You is the first one where I thought Dylan really sang well. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues and Leopard-Skin Pill-Box are both rockers with great guitar work (Robbie Robertson, presumably?). Ballad of a Thin Man and Like a Rolling Stone are both classics and both sound great here. So, the electric side brought me to a 4. I'm looking forward to hearing more - particularly Highway 61 Revisited (which I've listened to before, but never closely). This live album is probably more important as a historical recording, but it made me want to dig a lot deeper. I'm sure digging deeper will make me better appreciate the "back-story" of this apparently legendary concert.

Bone Machine

Tom Waits

4/5

I feel like I shouldn't like Tom Waits as much as I do. Dude's weird. But I dig it. This is an all-around very cool album. Lots of dark references to death in the middle of some really catchy but odd music. Favorite tracks: Earth Died Screaming, Dirt in the Ground, Such a Scream, All Stripped Down, Who Are You, Going West, I Don't Wanna Grow Up (I also like the well known cover by the Ramones - also check out the cover by Priscilla Ahn - thanks YouTube for that suggestion!). Too weird to call a 5, but definitely a solid 4.

Highway 61 Revisited

Bob Dylan

5/5

I'm familiar with a lot of Bob Dylan's music and have listened to this album before, but never closely. This is an absolute classic for a reason. Every track is anywhere between really good (e.g., Tombstone Blues, It Takes a Lot to Laugh, From a Buick 6, Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues) to absolutely classic (Like a Rolling Stone, Ballad of a Thin Man, Queen Jane Approximately, Highway 61 Revisited, Desolation Row). Pretty much a perfect album. Probably my only negative comment is that Desolation Row could be shorter - I don't mind long songs, but it's the exact same tune for over 11 minutes. That said, the lyrics are great, so in many ways it's just a long poem. I'd also say the siren whistle on Highway 61 is kind of dumb, but it's such a good song with such great lyrics, so who cares. Also, while I've said that Dylan's voice sometimes sounds like a parody of itself, I really liked his singing on this album. Again, an absolute classic and an easy 5.

Licensed To Ill

Beastie Boys

4/5

Fun, classic album. I know the hits, but I'm not sure I ever listened to the entire album. The Run-DMC influence is very clear, and not just because of Paul Revere (co-written with them) or Slow and Low (Run-DMC cover). The combination of hard rock and rap is what makes the album. Run-DMC was also doing this at the same time, which could lead to questions of cultural appropriation, but it sounds like Run-DMC had mutual respect for the Beasties and they toured together, not to mention Rick Rubin was producing and co-writing for both acts. It's a great album, but I'm giving it a 4 rather than a 5 mainly for many moments of cheesiness and some homophobia and misogyny. Favorite tracks: Rhymin' and Stealin' (love the combination of When the Levee Breaks and Black Sabbath's Sweet Leaf), Fight for Your Right (classic - funny to read that it was meant to parody party songs and became the ultimate part song), No Sleep Till Brooklyn (cool track + Kerry King from Slayer), Paul Revere (love the backwards groove), and Slow and Low.

The White Album

Beatles

4/5

If I had to pick one word to describe The White Album, it would be UNEVEN. The White Album has some of the Beatles' best songs, a bunch of ok but generally uninspiring (and often derivative) songs, and then some songs they should have left on the cutting room floor (e.g., Wild Honey Pie, Piggies, and Revolution 9). Basically, if they were to take the best songs and a few of the ok songs they'd have a great single album. Maybe the Beatles were over-convinced of their greatness, but someone needed to tell them NO on making it a double album (sounds like George Martin tried unsuccessfully). If I were to pick which songs to turn into an amazing single album, this would be the track listing. I added Hey Jude and the single version of Revolution because they were recorded in the same sessions but only released as singles. I kept the order they used, except for adding Hey Jude. I'd probably find a different spot for Julia because it's just too mellow to have Blackbird followed by Julia. Similarly, Helter Skelter is a little stark following Mother Nature's Son: Back in the USSR Dear Prudence Glass Onion Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da (apparently a lot of people hate this, but I like it). While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Amazing song - of course, everyone should hear Prince's solo in the 2004 Rock Hall Tribute to George Harrison) Blackbird Julia (this is one of the ok ones I pulled in to fill up the single album) Birthday Mother Nature's Son (another ok one to fill the album) Helter Skelter Revolution (single version, but Revolution 1 is still good) Hey Jude (not on the album, but recorded during these sessions) Goodnight (always holds a special place for me because my son used to fall asleep listening to Jason Falkner's Bedtime with the Beatles and his version of Goodnight is magical). Total run time = slightly under 46 minutes. One great album, boys.

Illmatic

Nas

3/5

Lots of cool smooth grooves - generally one smooth groove per song repeated without much change - with Nas saying a LOT. His words are interesting but overwhelming. I know "historically" this is a key rap album, but it didn't click for me like a lot of the other seminal rap albums on the list. Not bad, but just didn't pull me in. Maybe I need more of an appreciation for how it changed rap or just need to listen more, but I'm moving on.

Cypress Hill

4/5

So much to like about this album. I like B Real's unique rapping style. Lots of cool grooves. This is another example of rappers taking samples and making it their own. This is probably the closest I've gotten to a 5 for a rap album - I just still have a hard time giving a 5 when the lyrics are so coarse (gang killings, sex - and, hey, just because it's in Spanish (Tres Equis) doesn't make it better). But this is one of my favorite rap albums so far. Favorite tracks: How I Could Just Kill a Man (look for the video on YouTube where Cypress Hill played this live with Rage Against the Machine - that version is amazing), Hand on the Pump, Hole in the Head (fun little ditty about getting a hole in your motherfuckin' head), Light Another (great example of taking a direct sample - in this case, Kool & the Gang's Good Times - and clearly making it a new song), The Phunky Feel One, Real Estate, Stoned is the Way of the Walk, Latin Lingo (great drum samples on this one).

Document

R.E.M.

4/5

The “big” songs off this album are fantastic: Finest Worksong, It’s the End of the World as We Know It, and The One I Love are classics for a reason. The non-hit songs on side one sound formulaic - similar guitar sound, bass line, drum beat, vocal style. It’s a good formula, don’t get me wrong, but very repetitive. The exception is Strange, but that makes sense since it’s a cover (originally by Wire). Side two gets a little less formulaic, but I don't find it all that memorable (except The One I Love, of course). Giving it a 4 because the greats are great, but not a 5 due to the fact that the others just aren't sticking with me as well.

Heartattack And Vine

Tom Waits

4/5

Oh, Tom Waits. Every time I've listened to one of his albums, I need to get past the shock of his voice before I can appreciate the album. That first listen is always rough. But then I listen again and his voice starts to fit his music and his lyrics. With respect to his lyrics - always pay attention to his lyrics. That's where the power is - and then his voice fits. The first time I heard "On the Nickel" I noted "pretty song, weird voice." Then I listened again paying attention to the lyrics, learning that he's talking about being homeless on Skid Row ("on the nickel"). Then you hear his voice singing, "What becomes of all the little boys, who never comb their hair? They're lined up all around the block on the nickel over there." As someone with a teenage son who often seems aimless and sometimes leaves me worried about his future, that line is devastating. And Waits' voice just FITS with these portraits of the downtrodden and the seedy underbelly of life. Other great lines: "Don't you know there ain't no devil? There's just God when he's drunk" and "I'll probably get arrested when I'm in my grave." Also, I personally appreciate the line, "Nothin' else matters in this whole wide world, when you're in love with a Jersey girl." Can confirm.🙂 Overall, my advice is get past the shock of his voice (it's better than you think), pay attention to the lyrics, and enjoy the musical ride. Oh, crap. Am I becoming a Tom Waits fan??

Red Headed Stranger

Willie Nelson

2/5

Eh, it's country. Don't get me wrong, if I have to listen to country, Willie's a good choice. But it's country.

Eli And The Thirteenth Confession

Laura Nyro

3/5

Highly influential but not widely known and died of cancer at 49. Very sad. She's got a great voice but I'm not all that into her music, even after multiple listens. Pleasant to hear, but don't need to hear it again, which is the definition of a 3 for me.

Revolver

Beatles

5/5

Easy 5 - a perfect album. Although it's commonly viewed these days as one of the best albums of all time, it's not my favorite Beatles album (behind Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road for me). But it's still perfect start to finish. Favorite tracks: Eleanor Rigby, Taxman, Tomorrow Never Knows.

Miriam Makeba

3/5

Pleasant album, but not sure I needed to hear it before I die. Most fun part was hearing "Mbube" and saying, "hey! That's The Lion Sleeps Tonight!" Turns out "Mbube" means "lion" and the original song was written in 1939 by Solomon Linda (a capella song - check it out on YouTube). And, of course, typical for the music industry, American record companies ripped it off and barely paid him a cent (check out the Wikipedia entry - Pete Seeger tried to share his royalties with Solomon Linda but the publisher never sent the payments). I also learned that "wimoweh" is a mispronunciation of "uyimbube" which means "you are a lion." You learn something new every day. Back to Miriam Makeba, pleasant album, don't need to hear it again. That's a 3.

Infected

The The

4/5

The music is very 80s, yet unique at the same time. Very harsh lyrics - Infected is apparently about STDs or AIDS more specifically, Heartland is about the decline of England, Sweet Bird of Truth about Western military action in the Middle East, The Mercy Beat sounds like it's about alcoholism. So, under the 80s pop sound, a dark subcurrent. Calling it a 4 - very good, worth hearing again, but the dated sound is the main thing keeping it from a 5.

1977

Ash

3/5

Good power pop with some songs I could do without. I enjoyed it overall but kind of got tired of it after a while. In particular, I disliked Kung Fu and Innocent Smile (way too much feedback!). I was going to give the album a 4 until I encountered those tracks and after realizing I was getting tired of the album after the third listen. So, it's a 3. Favorite tracks: Lose Control, I'd Give You Anything (this one caught my attention every time I listened - very cool track).

Bluesbreakers

John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers

3/5

Good musicianship all around, but I find straight blues kind of boring. I don't dislike hearing tracks like these here or there, but a whole album of them is a little much for me.

Live And Dangerous

Thin Lizzy

3/5

Pretty straight-forward 70s rock with some great guitar solos. Before listening to this, I couldn't have even told you who played "The Boys are Back in Town." Fun listen, but I was definitely ready to move on by the end. Favorite tracks: Jailbreak, Southbound (really nice guitar solo), Still in Love With You, The Boys are Back in Town.

Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury

The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy

5/5

Damn this is good. Powerful. Smooth grooves over deep lyrics. It's like Rage Against the Machine if the rage was expressed over smooth grooves with a relaxed rap flow. Seriously impressive album and the first rap album I'm rating a 5 (aside from Rage, which I consider to be more rock/metal anyway). Favorite tracks: pretty much all of them, but standouts are Satanic Reverses, Famous and Dandy (particularly the "flavor of the month" section), Television the drug of the nation, Financial Leprosy, and Water Pistol Man.

The Queen Is Dead

The Smiths

5/5

"And if a double-decker bus crashes into us To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die And if a ten-tonne truck kills the both of us To die by your side, well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine" Such emo glory - The Smiths make emo fun and romantic. I've never listened to the Smiths before the 1001 albums and I know there are some polarizing views about them. My overall impression: this album is a lot simpler in style than their previous album Meat is Murder - I liked the music on Meat is Murder better - but, it's still a great album, with depressing yet amusing lyrics and good songwriting. The title song is a straightforward driving rocker. Good stuff. Frankly Mr Shankly is an amusing ditty aimed at the guy who ran their label. I Know It's Over sounds like an old timey rock and roll ballad about heartbreak and wanting to die. Loved the part where he repeatedly asks "Then why are you on your own tonight?" Then we get even more emo with Never Had No One Ever which moves to the jarringly upbeat emo song Cemetry Gates (really liked this one - good chorus). Bigmouth Strikes Again is a good track (and pretty prophetic as Morrissey became more of an asshole bigmouth as the years went on). Vicar in a Tutu is an amusing song that again sounds like old timey rock and roll. There is a Light That Never Goes Out is pretty straightforward and is the big classic from the album. Good simple tune that gets stuck in your head. The album ends on Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others which feels like a throwaway song with kind of stupid lyrics. It's a shame that they didn't just end with There is Light, but maybe too many listeners would jump off a bridge if they ended there. Instead, it ends on a song that makes you go "huh?" and maybe even laugh a little. Absurd, like life. Excellent album.

Smile

Brian Wilson

3/5

This is what it would sound like if you were having a nightmare and someone put a Beach Boys album on in the background (particularly Mrs. O'Leary's Cow - that's some dark stuff for a Beach Boy). Overall, this album is...interesting. Probably more relevant as a musical curiosity (long unfinished album finally gets finished) than as a great album. I also listened to Smiley Smile (the sort-of Smile album the Beach Boys released in 1967) - it's interesting to compare the same tracks on each (where available). Heroes and Villains is a pretty cool track and compares pretty closely to the version on Smiley Smile. Good Vibrations is a classic, of course - interesting that this version has different lyrics from the original. I'm interested enough to want to keep digging into this album, which is usually at least a 4 for me, but it's also seriously weird. I don't necessarily mind weird, but I'm going to have to go with a 3 because it's just a little too weird.

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Arctic Monkeys

4/5

First listen it was kinda, yeah britpop, whatever. Second listen - this album RAWKS. Fun, good stuff. I don't find a whole album on clubbing all that deep, but I'd listen again - hence the 4.

Power In Numbers

Jurassic 5

4/5

Good grooves and relatively clean lyrics (but not always). The album grew on me with each listen. In fact, I definitely want to keep listening, so that alone kicks it above a 3. I'm finding I enjoy rap a lot more when it's not full of misogyny and violence (and in fact, they call out the latter in "Not that Kind"). Overall, it's a fun ride with a good mix of different rap styles. It's not a 5 for me, but definitely a solid 4. Favorite tracks: Freedom, If You Only Knew, Break, What's Golden (this one caught my attention every time I listened), Sum of Us.

Music From Big Pink

The Band

5/5

I wasn't a big fan of their second album, so I was pleasantly surprised by this album. Much more variety and just one good track after another. Outstanding musicianship and writing. It's very clear why this album is considered a classic. Favorite tracks: Tears of Rage, To Kingdom Come, Caledonia Mission, The Weight (absolute classic), Chest Fever (I wasn't sure about this one at first, but it really grew on me), We Can Talk. Really no weak songs.

Court And Spark

Joni Mitchell

5/5

What a voice - such precision, range, and beauty. The music takes you on a calm, beautiful ride and includes some brilliant lyrics. Some examples that stood out: "We love our lovin' but not like we love our freedom" (Help Me), "laughing and crying, you know it's the same release" (People's Parties), "Everything comes and goes/pleasure moves on too early and trouble leaves too slow" (Down to You), "Dreaming of the pleasure I'm going to have/Watching your hairline recede, my vain darling" [I laughed at that one] (Just Like This Train). Favorite tracks - Court and Spark (really sets the mood for the album), Help Me (one other observation - the musicians on this album are so good - not flashy, but just perfect for the music), Down to You, Raised on Robbery (fun track), Troubled Child.

Doolittle

Pixies

4/5

On their second album the Pixies continued to be ahead of their time - so much of grunge can be traced back to their songs. I personally preferred their debut Surfer Rosa - I felt it had stronger individual songs and also a harder edge. This album is definitely a 4 though - a really good album that I'd like to keep listening to. I haven't rated the Pixies a 5 mainly because there's always a little too much screaming and feedback, but not so much for me to dislike it. I will definitely keep listening to both these albums and plan to dig into more of their discography. Favorite tracks - Wave of Mutilation, I Bleed, Monkey Gone to Heaven, Mr. Grieves, No. 13 Baby, and Gouge Away.

Forever Changes

Love

5/5

I'll start with my only (slight) complaint: it sounds pretty dated. I even thought about dropping the album down to a 4 because of the dated sound, but the songs and musicianship are just too good. Bottom line - once you get past the dated sound, every track is good in its own way. The album has great bookends: Alone Again Or and You Set the Scene are both fantastic songs. Alone Again Or has great guitar playing and you gotta love the Spanish guitar style and mariachi horns. "You Set the Scene" is an epic with some great lyrics. I love the line: "This is the only thing that I am sure of/and that's all that lives is gonna die/And there'll always be some people here to wonder why/and for every happy hello there will be good-bye." Other great moments: A House Is Not a Motel (great guitar work), The Daily Planet, The Red Telephone (super dated, but very psychedelic and again I love the guitar work), Maybe the People... (great rhythm), Live and Let Live (particularly the chorus - "and so the story ended..."), Bummer in the Summer (Arthur Lee does his best Bob Dylan impression...also shades of Hendrix' singing style). Even some of the tracks that pushed my "holy 60s baby" buttons are good. For example, Andmoreagain is a little too "Listen to the Flower People" for me, but it has good moments. The Good Humor Man... also sounded incredibly dated but could easily have been a Burt Bacharach classic. Finally, love the singing throughout and the album gets better with each listen. Definitely a classic and I'll stick to the 5.

Shaft

Isaac Hayes

4/5

Hello there children! Right from the first song you know you're in for a fun ride. Favorite tracks: Theme from Shaft (shut your mouth!), Be Yourself (this one really caught my attention every time), No Name Bar (really like the horns), and Do Your Thing (ahhh, yeah...smooth singing from the man himself, followed by an awesome extended jam).

Talking Book

Stevie Wonder

5/5

It's crazy that this is his 15th (!) album, but he's only at the start of his "classic period" albums. Well, that period is aptly named. I only previously heard Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life and loved them both. This one is right up there with them. What a great album and what an amazing talent - even more amazing when you consider that except for some guitars and some backing vocals everything on the album is him. My favorite track is I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever). I first heard it on the High Fidelity soundtrack and later included it on my wedding celebration playlist. Such a beautiful song (and all him - I had no idea there were no other musicians on that track). I love how it builds until the song is just soaring, and then ends with a great funk jam (does it count as a jam when it's only one person? Maybe it does if it's Stevie Wonder). Superstition is a solid gold classic - the quintessential funky Clavinet track. If you don't at least bop your head when you hear it, you may be dead. You Are the Sunshine of My Life is a classic. Easy listening, sure, but beautiful. All the other tracks are good to great. Maybe Your Baby brings da funk. You and I is schmaltzy but still good (nice use of synths - You've Got it Bad Girl is another good synth track). I also enjoyed Tuesday Heartbreak, Big Brother, Blame It on the Sun, and Lookin' for Another Pure Love (nice guitars, courtesy of Jeff Beck). It's just a great album, and clearly a 5.

Closer

Joy Division

5/5

The music is intensely cool, the lyrics dark. I read a lot about singer Ian Curtis and his suicide just before this album was released. The album hits a lot harder when you know what was going on at the time. I felt the album started only ok. I didn't like the noisy guitar in the background for Atrocity Exhibition and felt it went on too long without change. I felt Isolation had a good sound but was kind of the same thing over and over, a criticism that could be aimed at most of the songs on this album. However, starting with Passover through The Eternal the album was just one incredibly cool sounding song after another. You could also hear the influence they had on so many bands in the 80s (and even beyond). It ended just ok on Decades - a good track but not as good as the previous - it would have been better if they ended with The Eternal. So, basically 2/3 of the album is absolutely perfect and 1/3 is good. Favorite tracks: While I really like all the songs from Passover to The Eternal, my favorites were Colony (cool, hard edge), Heart and Soul (dark, brooding, and mysterious), Twenty Four Hours (cool bass line throughout), and The Eternal (like a beautiful funeral dirge. Really like the piano in this song).

Vivid

Living Colour

4/5

Lots of great music, but the production on the album is very 80s, with treble in overdrive. Gets a little grating, despite the great songwriting and musicianship. Favorite songs: Cult of Personality, of course - it's a great song and never gets old. Funny Vibe - the lyrics hit hard - make sure to check out the Funky Vibe Mix on the extended version of the album. Memories Can't Wait - great Talking Heads cover. Glamour Boys - For some reason I always thought this was a cover - it's a great example of the wide range on this album. Not a bad song on the album (although I think the beginning of Open Letter (to a Landlord) sounds like Corey Glover doing his best Michael Bolton). I'd give it a 5 but the production style unfortunately takes it down a notch for me.

Bummed

Happy Mondays

3/5

I like the music, but the lyrics are generally awful. For example, Bring a Friend really caught my ear and I was prepared to list it as a favorite track, until I saw the crass lyrics. Tons of stoner lyrics in other songs. Wrote for Luck is a good song and the lyrics aren't terrible. They occasionally reminded me of the band James who are not on the 1001 albums list but should be (damn, I even just saw that Happy Mondays opened for James. That makes the omission even worse). I'll give it a 3 because the songs sounded good, but no higher because of the lyrics.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Beatles

5/5

It's considered one of the greatest albums of all time for a reason. It was groundbreaking in a ton of different ways. Every song is amazing - when I was a kid I used to skip over Within You Without You because it bored me. I learned to appreciate it much later...I think it was after I heard Dead Can Dance's Indus and learned about its roots in WYWY. There's so much I could say about every song, from the great opening riff right to the final thundering piano chord at the end of A Day in the Life. I've been listening to this album my entire life yet still notice something new every time. Sheer brilliance and an obvious 5. Favorite Tracks - the first three together are perfect (Sgt. Pepper, Little Help, Lucy), She's Leaving Home (which I hear differently as a parent than I did when I was younger), Mr. Kite (along with Lucy, a perfect psychedelic song), When I'm 64 (what can I say, I'm sentimental), A Day in the Life (an absolute masterpiece - the verses, the middle bridge, the "fell into a dream" sequence, the orchestra - that 24 bar build-up, that final E major chord! The song gives me chills every. single. time). Simply amazing.

The Healer

John Lee Hooker

3/5

Wasn't this the big thing around that time, to take a well-known but maybe not as popular as they used to be artist and pair them with current artists? But for all the bells and whistles, my favorite tracks were the last three that were mostly just John Lee Hooker alone. My Dream was the one that most hooked me when I first listened. Of the tracks with guests, I'm in the Mood with Bonnie Raitt was probably my favorite. Cuttin' Out (w/ Canned Heat) was also pretty good. I thought The Healer (with Santana) sounded like they pulled from every 80s soft rock cliche. Enjoyable enough listen, but I don't see myself returning to it.

Kick Out The Jams (Live)

MC5

3/5

Punk makes some people want to kick things. Feedback makes me want to kick things. I know they're groundbreaking and this is considered a classic. I'd probably go up to a 4 based on the energy and the fact that they were ahead of their time, but too much feedback is an automatic 1-point deduction (minimum). Favorite tracks: Kick Out the Jams (obviously), Ramblin' Rose (even with the weird high singing), Borderline (rockin' track), Motor City is Burning (good blues). Least favorite - anything with too much feedback, particularly Come Together and Starship.

Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water

Limp Bizkit

2/5

A few years ago, I listened to ALL the top rock, pop, and alternative song playlists on Apple Music for every year from 1955 to 2018. It was interesting to listen to the ebb and flow of styles and genres at the top of the charts. I recall thinking that the early 2000s were a wasteland of angry frat boy rock at the top of the rock charts. This is a perfect example. It's an aural assault with coarse lyrics. I like a good heavy groove, but I just find the constant cursing and coarse lyrics tiring. I like some of the music, but the lyrics clearly bring it down to a 2. Thankfully this isn't in the 1001 albums anymore. Oh, and the outro made me regret my commitment to listen to every album on the 1001 albums entirely twice - stfu with your stupid looped laugh.

Vespertine

Björk

3/5

This album is definitely a mood (sometimes a sexually-explicit mood - Bjork was apparently very horny when she wrote this album - see the video for Pagan Poetry). I'm not always a fan of some of the lo-fi sounds she goes with, but this album is ethereal and takes you away somewhere else. Favorite tracks: Hidden Place (haunting and sultry at the same time), It's Not Up To You/Undo (I'm putting these together because they share an important message about letting go of anxiety - both are beautiful entrancing tracks), and Heirloom. Probably my main problem with the album (outside the lo-fi stuff I don't like) is that it's a lot of similar sounding music throughout. I enjoyed the album, but have to go with a 3 - good to hear but I don't think I'll be seeking it out.

Physical Graffiti

Led Zeppelin

5/5

This album would get a 5 just for including Kashmir - another candidate for the best song of all time. But then add the fact that there's not a weak song on this double album, not to mention it includes many other amazing songs (e.g., Custard Pie, In My Time of Dying (slide-guitar extraordinaire!), Houses of the Holy, Trampled Under Foot, Bron-Yr-Aur, Ten Years Gone, The Wanton Song). Probably the only questionable part is the lyrics of Sick Again. Yeah, um, no. In the Light has some great moments, but drags on a little. I find it funny that we had the five Led Zep albums in the 1001 Albums randomly appear in order (not one after the other of course). So, this one completes the Zep albums on the list for our group and each was a perfect 5. That's more than half their 9 studio albums and it's 5 out of their first 6 (and frankly Houses of the Holy would have gotten a 5 also - they probably couldn't include it in the 1001 albums because they needed room for another Tom Waits album). It's all been a great reminder of why they're one of the greatest bands of all time.

Music for the Masses

Depeche Mode

3/5

I always like Depeche Mode's sound but I rarely find myself drawn in enough to want to explore more. Favorite tracks: Never Let Me Down Again, Strangelove, To Have and To Hold. Could do without the annoying breathing in I Want You Now.

Suede

4/5

I've listened to this album a couple of times in the past but never listened closely. On first listen, my reaction was, "Ok, glam" and I was prepared to move on with a 3. The good news is that the album grew on me more and more with each listen. I haven't listened as deeply as I'd like, but definitely want to listen more, which is a 4 in my book. Favorite tracks - Animal Nitrate, Pantomime Horse, The Drowners. Didn't dislike anything, although the guitars got a little "noisy" in So Young which tends to annoy me. EDIT: I said it was a 4, but scored it a 3! Corrected.

Step In The Arena

Gang Starr

3/5

I have a really good sense of how rock music developed - so when I hear something that sounds like a lot of other things, I can often recognize who the trailblazers of that sound were. I don't have that same sense when it comes to the history of rap. So when I hear an album like this, I feel like I've heard a lot like it already. What I don't know is whether Gang Starr was a leader or follower. I enjoyed it, but it didn't stand out as much as other rap albums I've heard. Nice grooves, interesting lyrics, but doesn't make me want to dig in more. Favorite Tracks: Step in the Arena, Check the Technique, Here Today Gone Tomorrow.

The Fat Of The Land

The Prodigy

3/5

What can you say about an album that starts with a song called "Smack My Bitch Up"? Insert eye roll emoji. Still, it's definitely a fun listen. I don't know that I'd go out of my way to seek it out, but I'd definitely listen again. Favorite tracks: SMBU (minus the lyrics - cool groove), Breathe (very cool dark sound), Mindfields, Firestarter (total earworm). Least favorite track: Serial Thrilla - the beginning and ending sound effects made me think something was wrong with my computer. Not cool. I docked a point just for that.

American IV: The Man Comes Around

Johnny Cash

5/5

Wow, I can't believe they removed this from the 1001 albums. Such a poignant album - Johnny died less than a year after its release. While you can hear the pain and age in his voice, he still sounds amazing. In fact, that's one of the reasons I love "Sam Hall" - despite his age and illness he's still got some fun energy to share. The most well known track is his amazing cover of NIN's Hurt. Trent Reznor famously said it was no longer his song after Johnny Cash covered it. The video is painful to watch - June Carter Cash looks on at Johnny in his pain and illness, yet she predeceased him - they both died within the next year. The track is powerful enough without that fact - it becomes devastating with it. Every track is fantastic, but the standouts for me are The Man Comes Around, Hurt, Bridge Over Troubled Water (Johnny's voice makes this and In My Life sound so much more powerful than the originals, both of which I love), I Hung My Head (better than Sting's original - notice a trend here?), First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, In My Life (hearing John Lennon sing it with the Beatles is nice, but he was a young man - it means much more coming from an old man near the end of his life), Sam Hall, Danny Boy (beautiful rendition), Desperado (again, better than the original), I'm So Lonely I Could Cry (I thought it was Bonnie Prince Billy singing with him - listen to "I See a Darkness" on American III - but it turned out to be Nick Cave), We'll Meet Again (what a great song to end the last album released during his lifetime. Great touch that the last song is an optimistic song that sounds free of pain). Did I just name almost all the tracks on the album? Yes, yes I did. Absolute 5.

Faith

George Michael

3/5

I wasn't a fan of George Michael when he was all over MTV. I Want Your Sex was soooo overplayed in the 80s and the lyrics are cheesy. But I was really surprised by how much I liked Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, so I was looking forward to listening to Faith with more open ears. Well, this is a good album, but didn't hit me like Listen Without Prejudice, which seemed like a much deeper album. Favorite tracks: Faith (great song, and the bass and guitar lines are really good), Hard Day (great groove), and Look at Your Hands (catchy track - Rolling Stones vibe). I liked the instrumentation on Sex pt. 2. Similarly, I like the music for Father Figure but lyrics like "I'll be your daddy" are just creepy to me. Monkey has cool music but really weird lyrics (I know it's about a monkey on your back like drugs or something, but the screaming monkeys makes it seem a little too literal). I'll have to go with a 3 on this one. Worth listening to, but wouldn't seek it out again.

No Other

Gene Clark

4/5

Having your personal masterpiece only recognized as a masterpiece posthumously sucks. I had never heard of Gene Clark, so I spent time looking him up. Had no idea he was a founding member of the Byrds and was originally their primary writer (incidentally, I had no idea David Crosby got his start with the Byrds. I need to learn more about them). Probably the most famous song he wrote for the Byrds was "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better." He considered "No Other" to be his masterpiece but it was panned when it was released and mostly forgotten. The album only garnered critical recognition after he died in 1991 at age 46. Personally, I really enjoyed the album, but it sounded similar to a lot of other acts (e.g., CSNY). Favorite track was the title track - really cool grooves and fuzz guitars. It got stuck in my head after listening. Other high points were "Life's Greatest Fool" (enjoyed the slide guitar solo) and Silver Raven. I noticed the bass in Silver Raven and looked it up - Leland Sklar. Guy's been on everything. According to his Wikipedia entry he's played on over 2000 albums. His discography is so long they have an alphabetical index for the acts he's played with and it's only missing Q, U, and X. C'mon Queen, U2, and XTC! Help a brother out! Oh, back to Gene Clark. I also really liked Some Misunderstanding. Beautiful song. My favorite line (and tough since Clark abused drugs and alcohol, which contributed to his early death): "We all need a fix at a time like this/ But doesn't it feel good to be alive?" I definitely want to dig into his music more. Not a 5 because it's too similar to other music that came before, but definitely a really good album.

Imagine

John Lennon

4/5

I recently read an article that said Lennon talked shit about McCartney's "Let It Be." Listening to the song "Imagine" closely (even though I've heard it a million times) I realized it's fundamentally Lennon's "Let It Be." Some of the musical patterns (e.g., the piano) are very similar to Let It Be. But I'll give Lennon props for consistency - he apparently talked shit about the music for the song Imagine also. In fact, talking shit seems to be how Lennon spent most of the 70s - trashing the Beatles in general and McCartney in particular. How Do You Sleep is pretty over the top - it's a shame that so many people disrespect McCartney's output because Lennon talked trash about it. And he really is just talking trash - McCartney didn't have a good song after Yesterday? What a ridiculous statement. It's hard not to wonder if Lennon would have eventually outgrown his petulance towards McCartney. McCartney claims they put it behind them before Lennon's death, but everything I read right up until 1980 seems to be Lennon pissing all over the Beatles. Maybe he was trying to assert his independence or maybe the interviewers were just trying to get statements that would sell magazines, but what I see in his statements and this album in particular is a guy who was miserable despite all his success. Complaining about the world and life seems to be the overwhelming theme of this album. After Imagine, which sounds almost hopeful, we get Crippled Inside (Lennon says "I'm broken"), Jealous Guy ("I suck"), It's So Hard ("I can barely get up in the morning"), I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier ("I don't want to be anything, actually"), Gimme Some Truth ("Everyone sucks" as he plays his best Holden Caulfield), How Do You Sleep ("Paul sucks"), and How ("I still suck"). The only exceptions are Oh My Love and Oh Yoko, where Lennon says "I love Yoko, she's great. But did I mention in Jealous Guy that I suck?" All that said, I enjoy the music on this album. Some of it is pretty basic (e.g., Crippled Inside, It's So Hard, Oh Yoko), some underdeveloped (I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier, Gimme Some Truth), but some classic Lennon writing (Imagine, Jealous Guy, How Do You Sleep). I'm going to give it a 4 - yes, I know it's an absolute classic, and Imagine is up there in the list of "greatest songs ever," but I'm deducting a point for being one of the most respected musicians in the world but still being a miserable bastard. Hey, I get depression, I really do, but Lennon could afford therapy.

Paul Simon

4/5

I'm a big Paul Simon fan, but I've never found this album all that exciting. There are some really great songs on here, like Mother and Child Reunion, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, and Peace Like a River, but overall the album doesn't have the pull of a lot of his other work. Nothing bad, just nothing all that exciting - most of the other tunes are nice, but they just don't stick with me. Maybe one more exception is Duncan, but it always feels like a song that has potential but doesn't really go anywhere. Overall, I'm not sure why they included this particular solo album in the 1001 albums. The 1001 also has Hearts and Bones and Graceland, which are both amazing albums start to finish. I guess this album is pretty representative of his 70s output: each album has a few amazing songs and then a bunch of decent filler. Personally, if I had to pick one of his 70s solo albums I'd go for the next one, "There Goes Rhymin' Simon" which includes great tracks like Kodachrome, American Tune (one of my favorite Paul Simon songs), and Loves Me Like a Rock. I'd also put "Still Crazy After All These Years" in the running (heck, just for drum part of 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover...such a great beat. Kudos to Steve Gadd). I'll give this album a 4 mainly because I enjoy the album (which I can say for every album he ever put out, either solo or with Garfunkel), but it's just not a 5 for me.

This Year's Model

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

4/5

Really digging Elvis Costello. I enjoyed this album a lot but I'm giving it a 4 rather than a 5 because most of the songs aren't sticking with me (except for Pump It Up, which is a major ear worm). But I definitely want to listen more and dig deeper into his catalog. Good stuff. Favorite tracks - Pump It Up (I knew this song previously but didn't know it was Elvis Costello. Excellent song - really fun), No Action (great start to the album), This Year's Girl (Love the start of the song - I notice a lot of similarity to the Cars, who were contemporaries), Little Triggers (nice laid back tune - I really like his singing style), I Don't Want to Go to Chelsea (this one caught my attention every time I listened even when not paying close attention. Cool track).

Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen

5/5

What a great album. I don't think I've listened to it closely before, but the one thing that stood out is I knew almost all the songs on the album. That's how good it is - nearly all the songs are classics. Favorite tracks (but they're all good to great): Thunder Road ("You ain't a beauty but hey you're alright" - great line), Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out (funny, I didn't know that was the title of this song that I've heard a ton of times because I didn't know what they were saying over and over throughout the song - I thought it was something like "Red devil in the free ride" which makes no sense. Oh, it's "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out"? Oh, ok. Not sure what that means either, but great song either way), Born To Run (stone-cold classic that never, ever gets old), She's the One (another that I recognized but didn't know by its title), and Meeting Across the River (nice track, one I didn't previously know, but really enjoyed the mellow mood, particularly in contrast to all the rocking on the album), Jungleland (Bruce's epic - good stuff). Perfect album - easy 5.

Private Dancer

Tina Turner

2/5

This album may be the 80s-ist album to ever 80s. At first, I thought I Might Have Been Queen was possibly the most 80s song I had ever heard, but then Show Some Respect came on to challenge it. Then I Can't Stand the Rain came on, and then Private Dancer...who will win the 80s crown? If you're a fan of every 80s music cliche, then YOU are the winner. Then again, with those covers of Help! and 1984 we all lose. The only saving grace is that at least Tina Turner has a great voice (but even she managed to sound bad on Help!).

OK Computer

Radiohead

5/5

On the one hand, this is the album where Radiohead started to get "weird." Their first two albums were excellent and relatively accessible. Albums after this become much more dense, electronic, and difficult to listen to. On the other hand, it's still a fantastic album and deserves all the accolades. I've listened to this album many times but never once read the lyrics until now. They really add to the overall experience and I think that's the word to describe this album - an experience. The lush instrumentation, creative riffs and hooks, often dark, Yorke's plaintive voice, and the poetic (if dense) lyrics. Clear 5, but best when listened to with intention rather than as background.

Savane

Ali Farka Touré

2/5

It made for some nice background music, but in many ways it just sounded like the same song over and over. It probably didn't help that I also had no idea what he was saying. I'm sure it's really good, but I didn't need to hear it before I die.

Green Onions

Booker T. & The MG's

3/5

I love when I put on an album here thinking I don't know anything about it, and then a song like Green Onions plays and I go, oh, yeah! I know that! Just didn't know the band or the name. The album is enjoyable. I can appreciate it for its historical significance, especially since the band became the "house band" for a ton of great artists. I'd listen again, mainly as background music, but I don't think it's anything I need to hear again.

Ill Communication

Beastie Boys

5/5

This album oozes cool. Great tracks throughout including Sabotage - one of the coolest songs ever. Also enjoyed all the musical interludes. Easy 5.

Tidal

Fiona Apple

5/5

Gotta admit, I never gave Fiona Apple the time of day because I thought she was a whiny poser (the full title of When the Pawn... didn't help). From the moment the album started, though, it was clear this is a pretty amazing album that I should have given a chance long ago. More importantly, reading about her life (on the most authoritative source: Wikipedia), I never realized the struggles she's gone through (I won't summarize them here). She also has done a lot of great charity work. It's all a good reminder not to pre-judge anyone. The 1001 albums continue to help break through my biases and preconceptions. Now that I'm listening to her with fresh and open ears, it's clear why this was such a breakthrough album. So, how to describe the album? Jazzy, sultry, edgy, deep. Her voice is captivating - as in it holds you captive and doesn't let go. There's anger in her voice and knowledge. How the hell was she 17 when she wrote most of this? Also, the instrumentation and production is outstanding (looks like credit to Jon Brion, who has worked with a ton of great acts). I'm regretting dismissing her and will definitely dig in to her catalog. Best tracks: Sleep to Dream, Criminal (what a song, and those lyrics pack a punch - I also noted that it sounded like there was a mellotron on Criminal, but turns out it's a "Chamberlin" which was a precursor to the Mellotron - look it up, it's pretty interesting), Sullen Girl (powerful song and lyrics), The First Taste (nice groove), and Carrion (really like the outro).

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

4/5

Tom Petty was a hit making machine. The rest of his stuff is all good, but not always groundbreaking and this album is a good example. The hits (Breakdown and American Girl) are fantastic, but much of the rest is pretty standard fare (e.g., Rockin' Around (With You) and Anthing That's Rock n Roll). This is probably why in most cases I'd rather listen to a greatest hits album by Tom Petty (or a live collection) than his individual albums. More importantly, I'm surprised THIS is the one Tom Petty album they chose for the 1001 albums. Sure, it has a lot of his signature sound early on, but there are better picks (and I'm including his solo stuff, because he's the primary songwriter and lead either way). Seriously, Full Moon Fever wasn't picked?? It had 7 charting singles on it (incl. 3 #1's and 3 more in the Top 10 of the rock charts) and was great start to finish. If I had to pick one album with the Heartbreakers it would be Damn the Torpedoes (with Refugee, Here Comes My Girl, Even the Losers, and Don't Do Me Like That). This is a good album, but they could have picked better. I would have given Full Moon Fever and easy 5. Calling this one a 4.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Red Hot Chili Peppers

5/5

Like a lot of teens/twentysomethings in the 90s, my entrance to funk-rock-rap was through RHCP and this album in particular. I thought this album was incredibly cool back then, although Sir Psycho Sexy made me cringe ("There's a devil in my dick and some demons in my semen"??? Made me go ugh then, makes me go ugh now). Some of the tracks continue to blow me away - The Power of Equality, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Under the Bridge (yes, overplayed and all). Other top tracks include Funky Monks, I Could Have Lied, Breaking the Girl, The Righteous & The Wicked, and Give It Away (another overplayed track, but still love the bass line). The one common trend through pretty much the entire album is outstanding musicianship and very cool writing. Even the lyrics are good for most of the album. I'll move past the lyrics on Sir Psycho Sexy and past the fact that I overplayed it when I was younger and give it the 5 it deserves. It's their breakthrough album for a reason.

White Blood Cells

The White Stripes

4/5

I like the White Stripes and I like pretty much every track on this album, but after a while the garage riffs and drums get a little repetitive. Don't get me wrong, the album is a rocker, is highly creative, and deserves the accolades, I just can't give it a 5 because of the repetitiveness, even if it's good repetitiveness. It could also be that Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground starts with a ton of feedback, which I can't stand. Sets the wrong mood for me personally. These kids and their loud rock and roll!! [shakes fist at ceiling]. That said, lots of good stuff on this album. Favorite tracks: Hotel Yorba, I'm Finding it Harder to be a Gentleman, Fell In Love With a Girl (absolutely impossible to understand without the lyrics, but super-cool song), We're Going to Be Friends (I like the mood of this song), Offend in Every Way, Now Mary.

Fever To Tell

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

4/5

Weird, but cool. I dig it. Favorite tracks: Man, Maps, Y Control. Liked the music to Cold Light, but the lyrics are a little ugh.

Graceland

Paul Simon

5/5

Cultural appropriation or beautiful mix of cultures? Far be it from me to decide. I know what I know, as the song goes, and I know this is an absolutely perfect album. We had Ladysmith Black Mambazo as a pick in the 1001 albums and I rated it pretty low because an album of just their singing was kind of meh. Combine them with Paul Simon's voice and writing as well as a wealth of other styles, and suddenly you have a classic. It's all about the synergy of styles that makes it wonderful. It's good to see Paul Simon treated the artists very well - he paid his band far above scale and made sure all the South African acts received writing credits. He received a ton of criticism for violating a cultural boycott of South Africa over apartheid, but it's questionable how it was a good thing to have a cultural boycott of the very people oppressed by apartheid. Regardless, I've loved the album since it came out and never get tired of it. Easy 5. Favorite tracks: The Boy in the Bubble, Graceland, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al (even if the video was all kinds of overplayed), Under African Skies (I had no idea that was Linda Rondstadt or that it was so controversial), Homeless.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill

2/5

Ehh...not my thing. I'm not a fan of her style of singing. I liked "Forgive Them Father" - that was a good track that caught my ear, but in general I found the album boring. I'm sure it's great for many people, just not me.

BEYONCÉ

Beyoncé

4/5

I enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would. The lyrics of much of the first half were the main issue I had with the album - I'm all for female sexual empowerment, but from Drunk in Love to Rocket I just wanted to tell Bey and Jay to get a room (Jay-Z: "Your breasteses is my breakfast." Sigh). That said, the music and production are excellent and she has an amazing voice. Don't know if I'd go out of my way to listen to it again, but I wouldn't mind listening more, so I'll call it a 4. Tracks that caught my ear: Haunted (very cool track - also a good spot to acknowledge the visually stunning videos she made for every song on the album), Partition (more sexy-time lyrics, but I like the music), Mine (really like the drum track), XO (anthemic), Flawless, and Heaven (what a great line "Heaven couldn't wait for you. So go on, go on home." I saw some people say it's about a miscarriage, which hits hard, but she says it's about her mother's friend. If it is about a miscarriage, damn that hits you in the feels). Nice ending with Blue - it made me want to go hug my kids, even though they're not so little anymore.

Moving Pictures

Rush

5/5

Full disclosure: I'm a huge Rush fan. Moving Pictures is the obvious pick for the 1001 Albums (2112 is in the list also) and deservingly so. Side one is absolutely perfect - every song a masterpiece. Tom Sawyer with its iconic opening chord and, well, iconic moments throughout. Red Barchetta - a great song for an afternoon drive with the windows down. YYZ - Want to pump up any Rush fan? Tap out morse code for Y-Y-Z. This is stupidly one of the first songs I tried to play on bass guitar. Thought I sucked because I couldn't play like Geddy Lee. Duh. Even more stupid, the Grammys chose the Police's lame Behind My Camel as best rock instrumental over YYZ. Seriously?? YYZ is a perfect instrumental and a showcase for the band's amazing musicianship. Limelight - the greatest song ever written about not wanting to talk with fans. Neil Peart turns misanthropy into a hit! Seriously, I love the guitar parts in Limelight. The second side is very good, but not as great as Side 1 (nobody's perfect, I guess). It's also not nearly as accessible to non-Rush fans. The Camera Eye was never one of my favorites - it's good, but to this day doesn't draw me in and always feels too long. Always liked Witch Hunt and its lyrics are as relevant as ever. Finally, Vital Signs is a fun track and a good hint of what was going to come on the next album. If someone were to ask me which Rush album they should start with I'd give a different answer depending on what they like, but you generally can't go wrong with recommending Side 1 of Moving Pictures. I've never gotten tired of this album and never will. Easy 5.

The Man Machine

Kraftwerk

3/5

Interesting album, but the main question I had while listening was WHY ON EARTH ARE THERE 3 KRAFTWERK ALBUMS IN THE 1001 ALBUMS?? I get that they were groundbreaking, but we could hear the groundbreaking-ness from one album and that's enough. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed listening to this, but there are an awful lot of albums I enjoy that didn't make the 1001 albums. Anyway, I liked this one more than the previous Trans-Europe Express. The tracks that most caught my ear were Spacelab and Metropolis (shades of Daft Punk and the Stranger Things soundtrack on the latter - both clearly owe a debt to Kraftwerk), but all the tracks were good. Moving on...

Yeezus

Kanye West

3/5

Ugh, here we go. Time to separate the art from the piece of shit artist. The presence of autotune makes it even harder. I HATE autotune. That said, after a few listens I started to get his appeal. The music/samples are fantastic. The lyrics, well, what an asshole. But his rapping style is impressive. Going to call it a 3 - autotune is an automatic -1 for me. Being an asshole is at least an additional -1. Standout tracks: On Sight, Black Skinhead, I am a God (except for the obnoxious screaming), New Slaves (until the autotune started - that's a common thread here: song starts cool and then there's some strange twist at the end), I'm In It, Send It Up.

...And Justice For All

Metallica

3/5

It's amazing to me how this album never seems to draw me in. So much happening, but it never clicks. Could be because many of the songs sound similar to me. Could be the COMPLETE LACK OF BASS. Whatever it is, I've never been big on this album. "One" is a really cool song (particularly the end part), but most of the rest just sounds like the same song over and over. Giving it a 3 because I don't mind hearing it, but never feel an urge to seek it out. Maybe I'd consider a 4, but have to remove at least a star since they removed the bass.

The Yes Album

Yes

5/5

This is the album where Yes became Yes. Sure, it wasn't until the next album that Rick Wakeman cemented the "Classic Yes" lineup, but this album is absolute prog rock perfection. The two previous albums suggested what Yes was going to become, but this album found the missing ingredient with the addition of Steve Howe. Not a weak track on the album. The first four tracks are simply amazing: Yours is No Disgrace rocks. It's about the Vietnam war, but you would probably never guess only by listening to the typical Yes-obtuse lyrics. The fantastic opening riff punches so much harder live, but sounds great here also. The song takes you on a journey of different styles, all fantastic. Then we hear Steve Howe's excellent imitation of Chet Atkins in Clap (as he says, "not THE Clap, thank you very much"). Then one of the absolute Yes greats: Starship Trooper. Man, those guitars - Steve Howe just tears through this song. The last part (Wurm) absolutely takes you into space - every member of the band is on the top of their game in this song (and let's take a moment to acknowledge Tony Kaye - kicked to the curb after this album but did an admirable job here). Of all the songs on the album, this one most shows where Yes was heading from here. I've Seen All Good People is a classic rock radio staple and has so many great moments: The first section has some of the best harmonies in a rock song and then you have to give tons of respect to the jam section at the end. A Venture is the weakest track IMO - not bad, but it has a lot to measure up to on this album. Finally, Perpetual Change is a solid track. It probably took me longer to get into this one than others, but nothing can compare to the first four tracks on this album. Absolutely perfect album and an easy 5.

Tonight's The Night

Neil Young

4/5

I generally dig Neil Young - prior to the 1001 albums I hadn't listened closely to much beyond his greatest hits but I was really blown away by On the Beach. This album is good, but not blow me away good. Many of the songs are pretty basic and he seemed to put even less effort into singing quality than usual (and that's saying something). There were some tracks I liked a lot - Borrowed Tune is a beautiful, captivating track...just Neil on piano and harmonica. I liked Tonight's the Night (both versions). Speakin' Out had some great instrumental breaks (great Nils Lofgren guitar solo). I also liked Lookout Joe (particularly the chord progression during the verses). New Mama had a nice a capella ending. So, plenty of good moments, but not 5-worthy.

Modern Kosmology

Jane Weaver

3/5

Eh, it was ok. I suspect this will be dropped from the 1001 albums in future editions. Lazy review today.

A Date With The Everly Brothers

The Everly Brothers

4/5

Love their harmonies. It's all pretty basic rock and roll, but they sound fantastic. I'm not clear on why the authors chose this album for the 1001 albums and not the Everly Brothers debut album, which includes classics "Bye Bye Love" and "Wake Up Little Susie." Still, this is definitely a good album. Favorite tracks: Love Hurts (I didn't know they debuted Love Hurts - they didn't write it though), Lucille (Little Richard cover), Cathy's Clown (great harmonies again). Some tracks were cheesy: Made to Love ("girls, girls, girls were made to love." Motley Crue has nothing on the Everly Brothers), "Sigh, Cry, Almost Die" just made me think, "gee, it's tough to be a teenager." And I'm sure lots of teenyboppers screamed when they sang "So How Come No One Loves Me." Anyway, calling it a 4 for their fantastic harmonies.

Low

David Bowie

5/5

Bowie starts to emerge from the darkness of drug use and rewards us with a fantastic work of art rock. Every track is great, but my favorites of the vocal tracks are Breaking Glass, Sound and Vision, and Always Crashing in the Same Car. The instrumentals may not be for everyone, but I could listen to them for hours - favorites are A New Career in a New Town (I love how the music evokes both optimism and darkness. Also love the plaintive harmonica which later is heard on Bowie's final album Blackstar), Warszawa, Art Decade, and Subterraneans (love the moody ambience). That said, every song on this album is a work of art. Easy 5.

Before And After Science

Brian Eno

5/5

While Eno was involved with so many acts I enjoy (Bowie, Talking Heads, U2, Fripp, so many more), it took me a while to appreciate his solo work. This is definitely one of his best, although I know he's an acquired taste. Favorite tracks - King's Lead Hat (anagram for Talking Heads - nice how Eno even sings like David Byrne on this track. The lyrics are absurd but sound great, like "All I know and all I have is time and time and tide is on my side." Great track), No One Receiving (sounds like it would be right at home on a David Bowie album - great bass and drums on this track, Percy Jones on bass (Brand X and a great session player) and Phil Collins on drums - the guy who wrote the review for this in the 1001 albums book was like "Phil Collins?" This song is a great reminder of how good a drummer Phil Collins was, especially in the 70s), and the trio of Here He Comes, Julie With..., and By This River (these tracks just take you floating away). I don't know if I would have said this 25 years ago, but these days Eno's song-based solo albums are all an easy 5 for me.

All Mod Cons

The Jam

3/5

I enjoyed the album, but nothing is sticking with me after multiple listens. Somewhere between punk and new wave but after a while everything blended together. Moving on...

To Pimp A Butterfly

Kendrick Lamar

3/5

This was a pretty challenging album for me. Some of it was simply uncomfortable to listen to (way too much n-word for me - I realize this album wasn't made for me; also, lines like "this dick ain't free" - needless to say I'm not playing this album where anyone else can hear). But the last section, starting with "How Much a Dollar Cost" really blew me away. If the whole album was like the last 6 tracks I'd be calling it a 5. But the earlier stuff often doesn't do it to me. Sometimes really odd (even though I like odd music) or just lyrics I didn't like. So, I was down to a 4 or a 3 and chose 3, mainly because I'm not sure that I want to continue digging into it (which is part of my definition of a 4). But, like I said, I thought the last section was outstanding - powerful lyrics, great music. Maybe I'd feel that way about the earlier tracks if I gave them more time, but I'm kind of done for now. Favorite Tracks: King Kunta, How Much a Dollar Cost, Complexion, The Blacker the Berry, i, Mortal Man.

Violent Femmes

4/5

Fun album. Blister in the Sun is one of those songs where I didn't know the name and then immediately said, "I know this!" Good song. I enjoyed pretty much every track. Not groundbreaking (unless there had never been punk folk before?), but a fun listen. Favorite tracks: Blister in the Sun, Kiss Off, Please Do Not Go (great bass break in the middle), Add It Up. Good stuff - I'd definitely listen again.

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

Genesis

5/5

Disclaimer: Huge Genesis fan here. I was listening to this in the car with my teenage son recently, as one does, right? Right?? I was surprised that he's been digging early Genesis so we went through this one. It was interesting to listen to it with him and think about how this album sounds to new ears. Album 1 is amazing and my son absolutely loved it. The opening trio of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Fly on a Windshield, and Broadway Melody of 1974 is just stunningly good. Chills every freakin' time. Back in NYC, In the Cage, and Carpet Crawlers are all great songs. Album 1 is a clear 5. Album 2...well, it has some great moments: Lilywhite Lilith. the keyboard solo in Riding the Scree...plus "It" is a great closer (both to the album and to Peter Gabriel's time with Genesis). But Album 2 also has a lot of weird moments - I was cringing a few times at how it might be coming across to him and I can imagine that a lot of people end up saying "wtf" many times during Album 2 (and maybe even occasionally on Album 1). Plus, I worried that Album 2 was dragging out too much and the story is, um, awkward to say the least (google Peter Gabriel's slipperman costume. On second thought, don't). But, as we neared the end and I told my son that we were on the second to last song, he was actually disappointing that the album was almost over. Poor kid is going to be a prog fan I guess. I want to make it crystal clear I didn't push him to listen! Anyway (as the song goes)...to give it a 4 or 5? Here's where I'm going to have to let my Genesis freak-flag fly: It's a 5 (it's also chicken, eggs, and in between your legs). Every time I hit the end of the album, I want to listen again. If that isn't a 5, I don't know what is.

Rust Never Sleeps

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

4/5

Solid outing for Neil Young (and Co.). My My, Hey Hey and Hey Hey, My My are by far the best tracks - both are great, but the acoustic version is more poignant. Neil's singing on this album is solid (for him), a nice improvement from Tonight's the Night. Except for MMHH/HHMM, the lyrics are meh. No clue what's happening with the lyrics for Welfare Mothers ("Welfare mothers make better lovers"??). Sedan Delivery is a cool song and the electric tracks in general are a good reminder of why Neil Young is called the godfather of grunge. Also liked Thrasher and Powderfinger. Overall I enjoyed the album - can't call it a 5, but I'd definitely listen again.

Machine Head

Deep Purple

5/5

Duhn-Duhn-DUUUHN, Duhn-Duhn-DuUUhn, Duhn-Duhn-DUUUHN, Duhn-Duuuhn. This. Album. Rawks!! A true hard rock classic. Crazy to think this is from 1972. Every song is great, but the standouts for me are Highway Star (Metal-precursor with an awesome organ solo. You heard that right), Maybe I'm a Leo (cool track), Never Before (lots of hard rock/metal cliches both lyrically and musically, but they were one of the first so they get a pass. Also worth noting how good all of the band members are throughout this album), Never Before (cool groove), Smoke on the Water (a classic for a reason. Great song that just gets stuck in your head. Before this listen I never paid attention to the lyrics or knew what they were about it. It's funny how literal they are about their experience of the Montreaux Casino burning down), Space Truckin' (another song that RAWKS and gets stuck in your head). Hmm, yes, I did just call almost every song a standout. Easy, easy 5.

If I Should Fall From Grace With God

The Pogues

3/5

Pleasant enough listen, but too much of same-same throughout. Nothing bad, just not an album I needed to hear before I die. Tracks that caught my ear: If I Should Fall from Grace with God, Turkish Song of the Damned, Battle of Smoke, Metropolis, Streets of Sorrow. Moving on.

Ragged Glory

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

2/5

Another Neil Young album? And we just recently had Rust Never Sleeps. Here's my problem with this - there are only so many albums you can select for the 1001 albums. If you're going to have multiple from a single artist, there should be a REASON, like every album picked is highly influential or amazing (e.g., The Beatles, Led Zep) or the albums change a lot and it's worth hearing how the artist evolved (Bowie, Bowie, Bowie). But when you have something like Neil Young where many of his albums sound similar, pick a representative one (or two) and let's move on. Rust Never Sleeps was much better than Ragged Glory, so Rust Never Sleeps would have been enough. On the Beach is a very different style, so I support having that, but we didn't need Tonight's the Night. And I haven't reviewed Harvest yet, which I know is a pure classic. So, I really think this album (and Tonight's the Night) were completely unnecessary. Sure, this is all my opinion, but there are so many great artists and albums not included in the 1001 albums and I think they should have been a little more discriminating about what to exclude. Rant over. I like Neil Young, but this album sounds sloppy and I'm not a fan of the guitar tone. Pretty grating. Neil's singing on "Over and Over" is absolutely awful. I liked F*!*!n' Up, but was annoyed at the feedback at the end (which they also did at the end of Farmer John). Many of the songs sound derivative of his earlier songs (e.g., Love to Burn includes similar progressions to the verses in Rockin in the Free World, which came out a year earlier, Mansion on the Hill sounds like earlier stuff, with CSNY harmonies to boot). Just don't know why this album was picked. A 2 seems harsh, but I'm going there.

Armed Forces

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

3/5

I generally liked this album, but definitely liked "This Year's Model" much more. Some of the tracks and singing made me think of XTC (not a bad thing). I don't know how much I'd seek this album out again, though, and that makes it a 3 in my book. Tracks that caught my ear: Accidents Will Happen (really like the outro), Busy Bodies, Moods for Moderns, and What's So Funny Bout Peace Love and Understanding.

Dry

PJ Harvey

4/5

Wow, very cool album. Heard of her, but never heard her music before. I see there are three more albums here, so looking forward to those. I'll call it a 4 because I don't know if it's an essential album, but I definitely want to listen more. Great voice, cool music. Favorite Tracks - O Stella (awesome bass line), Victory, Happy and Bleeding, Sheela-Na-Gig, Plants and Rags (like the unusual stylings - great use of violin).

Bryter Layter

Nick Drake

5/5

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. What an album. What a mood it sets. Of its time and timeless. Bookended by two gorgeous instrumentals, the album is simply a beautiful journey. That word, "beautiful" kept coming to mind constantly through the album. Spent time reading about Nick Drake - I wonder if he's the only artist to have every studio album in the 1001 albums? Sad life, but amazing music. Favorite tracks: Hazey Jane I (Hazey Jane II seems out of place, but nice to hear an upbeat song in the midst of this album), Fly, Poor Boy (this song got stuck in my head - extra love for the great piano solo and background singers), Northern Sky (captivating song).

Appetite For Destruction

Guns N' Roses

4/5

Let's start with the obvious - Axl Rose is a trainwreck. The lyrics are disturbing and no one should ever try to imitate the lifestyle they model. But man this album kicks ass. It was a kick in the teeth when it came out and is still a pretty strong album. Welcome to the Jungle is an awesome song right from those iconic first notes. Slash is on fire throughout the album. Paradise City and Sweet Child O' Mine were overplayed ad nauseum but are both great songs. I have to give it a 4 for two reasons: One, I just can't give a 5 to their lyrics (even though let's face it that's part of what gives GNR their edge) and two, the non-hits are pretty cliche 80s hard rock songs (e.g., It's So Easy, Night Train), even if they rock harder than most.

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd

5/5

Generally if an album requires a particular mood I don't give it a 5, but this is truly a perfect album. Shine On You Crazy Diamond is just stunningly good. The opening keyboard solo, followed by David Gilmour's tasteful guitar solo, followed by the iconic four notes (B flat, F, G, E - playing the G and E on the open strings. So good). Then some of the best lyrics Roger Waters ever wrote. The whole song is just a wonderful journey. Welcome to the Machine is dark and industrial, again with great lyrics. Have a Cigar is a nice interlude, the only rocking tune on the album (with yet another fantastic Gilmour solo). Then you have Wish You Were Here, another candidate for best song of all time and a must for every guitarist to learn on acoustic guitar. Wish You Were Here swirls back to Shine On You Crazy Diamond and the album ends with an incredibly poignant keyboard solo (as it began) - I always loved the final notes - almost wistful, despite the sad subject (Syd Barrett). Absolute perfection and an easy 5.

American Beauty

Grateful Dead

4/5

I don't really get the whole Deadhead thing, but I really enjoyed this album. While relatively straightforward, the songwriting is great, excellent musicianship and harmony, and good lyrics. Favorite tracks: Box of Rain (nice opener, sad topic - loved the line "Such a long time to be gone and a short time to be there"), Friend of the Devil, Ripple, Attics of My Life (nice vibe - caught my attention every time I listened to the album), Truckin' (classic, and I find it impossible not to bop while it's playing). Giving it a 4 because it's not blow-me-away great, but I will definitely listen again.

En-Tact

The Shamen

3/5

Another one I'm not sure I needed to hear before I die. The first half of the album had a lot of good moments - plenty of cool sounding tracks that made me bop (e.g., Move Any Mountain, Omega Amigo, Evil is Even (cool track - properly dark sounding), Hyperreal Orbit, Lightspan, Make It Mine, and Oxygen Restriction). After that, though, it was just a bunch of meh remix-y type stuff. Got pretty boring. So, solid 3, but not planning to revisit.

Dig Your Own Hole

The Chemical Brothers

2/5

Wow, came close to making this my first 1 star rating. To me, a 1 is absolutely no redeeming value, and there were a couple of tracks I could tolerate: Block Rockin' Beats (ok track - thought I might be giving this album a 3, but was subsequently proven wrong), Lost in the K-Hole (decent groove), Where Do I Begin (disliked the effects at the end, but liked the beginning), and The Private Psychedelic Reel (but this one had the same damn drum track as every. other. song. Also, the same thing over and over for too damn long). However, I disliked pretty much all the other tracks. Annoying sound effects, pretty much the same beat throughout. Particularly disliked Dig Your Own Hole, It Doesn't Matter, and Get Up On It Like This. Giving it a 2 because it wasn't ENTIRELY crap.

We Are Family

Sister Sledge

4/5

This was a nice palate cleanser after some AWFUL electronica albums. While definitely OF ITS TIME (holy disco, Batman!), it sounds great. Great singing, GREAT bass and guitar (Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, respectively, who also wrote all the songs - this is basically a Chic album with the Sisters Sledge singing). Probably my only complaint is that the guitar part is pretty repetitive - the same scratching style on every song - I know that's his thing and he's great at it, but after a while it started to sound pretty repetitive. I'd definitely listen again, but not sure I'd go out of my way to seek it out, which would make it a 3 not a 4. But, since I kept listening a lot, I guess it deserves a 4. Favorite tracks - He's the Greatest Dancer (This is what GOOD disco sounds like!), Lost in Music (got stuck in my head), Thinking of You (great guitar groove), We Are Family (truly classic and worth being played a billion times. What a great bass line).

Cloud Nine

The Temptations

3/5

I wasn't expecting the cool 70s funk opening of Cloud Nine (particularly since it came out in 1969!). Very cool unusual track, but then the album settled down to more straightforward tunes. I liked most of it, but there were a few moments I didn't like, such as the "I WANT MY MAMA!!" part of Runaway Child Running Wild. Wut? Also didn't like the high singing in Love is a Hurtin' Thing (when he sang in his regularly range it sounded good). Generally a pleasant album, but nothing I plan to seek out again. Even I Heard It Through the Grapevine wasn't all that memorable (the quintessential Marvin Gaye version came out a year earlier, so it's not even part of the evolution of the song). Clear 3 to me. Tracks that I liked best: Cloud Nine, Why Did She Have to Leave Me, I Need Your Loving, I Gotta Find a Way, Gonna Keep On Tryin' Til I Win Your Love.

21

Adele

3/5

Gotta admit, this album grew on me after multiple listens. I don't think I'd seek it out again (which makes it a 3 for me), but it wasn't bad. I liked the first three tracks immediately on first listen (Rolling in the Deep, Rumor Has It - very catchy tune, and Turning Tables). Most of the other songs had to grow on me. I was surprised at the country-ish sound of songs like Don't You Remember and I'll be Waiting. The latter caught my attention after repeated listens - had to admit it's pretty catchy, but I never ended up liking Don't You Remember. One and Only is another one that grew on me, but Take It All and Someone Like You never grew on me. In particular, I didn't like the scratchiness of her singing on Someone Like You. She reminded me at times of Janis Joplin and I'm finding I'm not a Janis Joplin fan. Anyway, overall not bad, but not something I'd seek out again.

Roxy Music

4/5

Good stuff. I was familiar with several of these songs because I'm a fan of the Velvet Goldmine soundtrack (with Thom Yorke singing them instead, channeling his best Brian Ferry). That made me a little more drawn to those tracks (Ladytron, Virginia Plain, 2 H.B. and Bitters End. 2 H.B. is probably my favorite of those). Of the ones I didn't previously know, I really liked Re-Make/Re-Model (great guitar) and If There is Something (the warbly singing was a little much, but it's a good song and that ending is great). The album didn't blow me away, even after many listens, but I'd definitely listen again which makes it a 4.

Definitely Maybe

Oasis

3/5

On the plus side, this album RAWKS. On the minus side, Liam Gallagher's voice and his behavior annoy the crap out of me. Not to mention all the "second coming of the Beatles" over-hype crap makes me automatically want to knock this down a point or two. Funny thing is I wrote almost the same thing for their second album. At least they're consistent. 3.

Let Love Rule

Lenny Kravitz

4/5

I've always liked Lenny but never dug deep into his albums (with the exception of "5", which I've listened to a lot). Great groove, funk, rock, psychedelic. Lots of great moments - I particularly like the transition from Let Love Rule to Freedom Train. Every song is good, but the main strike against the album is a lot of it is pretty derivative. That said, I'd listen again any day, which makes it at least a 4 for me.

Rain Dogs

Tom Waits

4/5

This is the fourth Tom Waits album I'm reviewing. For every other one, my first few listens had me deciding whether it should be a 1 or 2 and my last few listens had me deciding between a 4 and 5. This time I decided to skip those first couple of listens and go right to the ones where I like it. Right from the start my reaction was, "Here we go!" "Singapore" sounded like it would make a good Primus song. Really liked "Clap Hands." Very cool song. "Jockey Full of Bourbon" sounds like it belongs in a Quentin Tarantino movie. Tango Till They're Sore got me thinking "He's so weird, but I dig it." Love "Time" - it's an absolutely beautiful song. "Rain Dogs" sounds like it belongs in a Tim Burton movie. Really liked "Blind Love" - it's a case where his voice suits the music (same with "Walking Spanish"). "Downtown Train" was a surprise - I had no idea he wrote it and performed it before Rod Stewart. Don't know what it says about me that I like Tom Waits' version better. The last track "Anywhere I Lay My Head" was definitely pushing how far I can handle his voice, though. I'm giving it a 4 for the same reason as the others - weird stuff, but I continue to dig it.

The Suburbs

Arcade Fire

4/5

This is a grower. My first impression was "I didn't need to hear this before I die" and I wasn't surprised to see it was removed from the book. By the third listen, I was really enjoying it and by the fourth listen I was liking every track. I definitely want to keep listening. Tracks I really liked (usually by the third listen): Ready Start, Modern Man, Rococo, City with No Children, Half Light (I and II), Suburban War, We Used to Wait, and Sprawl II (sounds like Daft Punk meets 70s disco - I like).

The Age Of The Understatement

The Last Shadow Puppets

2/5

Absolutely didn't need to hear this before I died, which is probably why it's no longer in the book. Very derivative. Had a few good tracks (Separate and Deadly and The Chamber), but generally completely forgettable. Did my two listens and done.

Hejira

Joni Mitchell

4/5

On my first few listens, I felt this album makes for pleasant background music. I missed out by not listening closely. When I finally focused on it, I found depth and layers worth exploring. Jaco's bass playing certainly impressed right up front, but I appreciated the interplay of his bass and Joni's guitar much better when I focused (e.g., Coyote, Hejira, Refuge of the Roads). Her lyrics are always worth paying attention to. A couple of lines that hit me regarded life and death: "the granite markers / those tribute to finality to eternity / and then I looked at myself here / chicken scratching for my immortality" (Hejira); "It seems we all live so close to that line and so far from satisfaction" (Song for Sharon - after singing about a suicide). Refuge of the Roads made me want to drop everything and go drive aimlessly, even though there's a negative side to travel in this album. Overall, there's lots to like about this album, but I'm giving it a 4 mainly because the music itself was a bit repetitive in style. That said, I definitely will return to this album. Favorite tracks: Coyote (great bass!), Furry Sings the Blues (the background was interesting - seems she ticked off blues musician Furry Lewis by writing about their encounter without his ok), Hejira (this was one well worth focusing on), Song for Sharon, Refuge of the Roads.

Meat Is Murder

The Smiths

5/5

I had never listened to the Smiths before, but my daughter is a fan and she's been making me listen to their albums. Who knew emo can be fun! Count me as a big Johnny Marr fan - the guitar playing and songwriting are both outstanding. Lots of variety - fun rockabilly (Rusholme Ruffians), rockers (What She Said), jangle pop (The Headmaster Ritual, Nowhere Fast), funk (Well I Wonder - love the bass at the end), and some songs that just soar (That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore). Lots of powerful lyrics on the album. I Want the One I Can't Have: "A double bed and a stalwart lover, for sure / These are the riches of the poor." Well I Wonder: "Gasping, but somehow still alive / This is the fierce last stand of all I am." Barbarianism Begins at Home: "A crack on the head is what you get for not asking / and a crack on the head is what you get for asking"). The song Meat is Murder is really powerful, but not enough for me to think steak isn't delicious, sorry. Loved every song. This is just a great album that I will definitely return to many times.

MTV Unplugged In New York

Nirvana

4/5

Definitely a classic, but I can't call it a 5. I appreciate Nirvana for the way they changed music at the time, but I was never a huge fan of Kurt Cobain's whiney singing (and way too much feedback/sloppiness on their recorded albums - a non-issue here). It has a lot of great moments and I can appreciate it for its historical significance. Certainly worth hearing. Favorite tracks - Come As You Are (great version), The Man Who Sold the World (fantastic Bowie cover), Plateau, Lake of Fire. Least favorite: Pennyroyal Tea - can't stand his voice on this. But RIP. Respect.

Calenture

The Triffids

3/5

Moderately enjoyable album by the Thompson Twins. No? Simple Minds? No? A Flock of Seagulls? Huh? Who? The Triffids? Never heard of them.

The Bends

Radiohead

5/5

By far my favorite Radiohead album, before they went off the electronica deep end (OK Computer is also great, but is more consistent with the direction they were headed). So many great songs: The Bends, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees (one of my favorites - love how it builds), Nice Dream, Street Spirit (Fade Out). Not a bad track on the album. Easy 5.

Who's Next

The Who

5/5

Pretty sure that the Who invented the rock anthem. This album is practically one rock anthem after another. Baba O'Riley is a stone cold classic - the opening is iconic, the "teenage wasteland" section is iconic, the whole song is iconic. Bargain is a fantastic rocker. The Song is Over and Getting in Tune are both also anthemic rockers. Then the album ends with two absolute classics: Behind Blue Eyes and Won't Get Fooled Again. The latter is arguably one of the greatest rock songs ever. Even the "weaker" songs are good. Pretty much a perfect album. Super-easy 5 rating.

Fred Neil

5/5

Now this is great example of why listening to the 1001 Albums is so worth it. I never heard of Fred Neil and I had no idea what to expect given the album cover, but I'm really glad this is on the list. Here's a guy who invited a young Bob Dylan on stage with him and who influenced Steven Stills, David Crosby, and Joni Mitchell. Wow. Really nice vibe on this album and his voice is outstanding. Great album from start to finish. Everybody's Talkin' became a hit when covered by Harry Nillson in 1969 for the movie Midnight Cowboy. I think the original version on this album is better. His voice is fantastic. Really liked the vibe on songs like I've Got a Secret, Faretheewell, and Green Rocky Road. The Dolphins was a nice chill opener. Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raja has a pretentious name, but it's a cool vibe to end an excellent album.

Too Rye Ay

Dexys Midnight Runners

4/5

This is just a fun album. Standout tracks: The Celtic Soul Brothers (More, Please, Thank You) - great opening track, Jackie Wilson Said - fun version of the Van Morrison song, Come On Eileen - a worthy hit. Would definitely revisit.

Very

Pet Shop Boys

3/5

Mostly harmless. Tracks that caught my ear: Liberation, A Different Point of View, The Theatre. Moving on...

Bringing It All Back Home

Bob Dylan

5/5

I think that to fully appreciate Dylan, you have to consider context. If you just listen to his music, you might like it, but you might think the music is kinda basic and you might ask "what's the big deal?" You particularly might not like his voice or you might find the whole thing pretentious. But even if you aren't a fan of his voice or music, this is an album you should hear before you die if you truly want to understand how rock evolved. I'm often annoyed by all the "Bob Dylan alienated his fans by going electric on this album" comments. Like, get over yourselves people! But then I watched a video of Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964 versus 1965. In 1964, he's a folk troubadour. Acoustic guitar, harmonica holder around his neck. But just one year later he's up there with a full band and he's playing a Strat. I suppose it was a jarring change at the time, as if Taylor Swift suddenly switched to death metal (don't knock it - I'm sure it would be catchy). Most importantly, this evolution was an important part of music history and he influenced countless others - the Rolling Stones and The Beatles among them. I like a lot of the tracks, particularly the classics - Subterranean Homesick Blues, Maggie's Farm, Mr. Tambourine Man (I like this version better than the Byrds' version, which is surprisingly toned down compared to Dylan's original, even though Dylan's original is acoustic and the Byrds had a full electric band), and It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, although in that case I marginally prefer the cover by Them (also, check out Marianne Faithfull's cover). Great lyrics on Baby Blue ("Strike another match, go start anew / And it's all over now, Baby Blue"). Of the less famous tracks, I particularly liked Bob Dylan's 115th dream (great lyrics - same with Outlaw Blues). I also don't mind his voice - he later became a parody of himself, but on songs like Love Minus Zero, I think he sounds great. Also liked Gates of Eden. I found a couple of tracks less interesting, including On the Road Again (pretty basic progression and absurd lyrics) and It's Alright Ma (I like the guitar in that song, but it's just too long and repetitive). Personally, I would rate this a 4 to a 4.5 on its own merits. Add its historic significance, and it's a clear 5.

Autobahn

Kraftwerk

3/5

Now is zee time on Sprockets ven ve dance! Why, oh, why did I need to hear 3 Kraftwerk albums before I die? I would have been fine with just The Man Machine, my favorite of the three. I just don't need more Kraftwerk in my life. On this one, the title track was ok, but went for too long. Then a few noodling tracks. I know this album is groundbreaking, but it's just too much.

Sail Away

Randy Newman

3/5

This album is very similar to the other Randy Newman album we got, Good Old Boys. Neither are bad albums, but I'm unclear why I needed to hear both (and I'd give the edge to Good Old Boys). With limited space in the 1001 albums, there should only be multiple albums by the same artists if either they are essential (e.g., Led Zeppelin) or if each album demonstrates very different sides of the same artist (e.g., Tom Waits...yes, I said it). Some artists tick both boxes (e.g., the Beatles and David Bowie). I just feel it was unnecessary to have two Randy Newman albums on the list (I'm also very sensitive to this issue right now since we just heard our THIRD Kraftwerk album). That said, there were certainly some good songs on the album. God's Song hits hard (and ironic given that this album also has "He Gives Us All His Love"). Political Science is amusing and Sail Away is thought provoking. Most notable song: Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear, but only because I remember the Muppets version: https://youtu.be/SK1HVj3qM-k :D Giving it a 3 because it's not a bad album, but definitely not essential.

Abbey Road

Beatles

5/5

Simply one of the best albums of all time, and my personal favorite Beatles album, hands down. Absolutely timeless. Favorite tracks: Come Together (perfect in every way - Ringo's great tom line, the bass-line, everything), Something (love the simple understated guitar solo - Frank Sinatra famously called Something the "greatest love song ever written" and said it was his favorite Lennon-McCartney song - sigh), I Want You (such great guitar lines and composition - the ending repeated motif gets more ominous as it goes, which makes for a great segue into...), Here Comes the Sun (another masterpiece by George Harrison), Golden Slumbers (loved seeing Paul play this live a few years ago), Carry that Weight (really the whole ending medley). It's a little irritating to hear all the shit Lennon said about the album and McCartney's contributions. The more I learn about John Lennon, the more I think he was a sad little man who tragically never got a chance to show maturity and growth. But enough of that - this is a perfect album start to finish. Definition of a 5-star album.

Rumours

Fleetwood Mac

4/5

I'm a big classic rock fan, but even though Fleetwood Mac is pretty central in classic rock, they never "did it" for me. At least part of it was Stevie Nicks' warble. Never been a fan of that. However, as always, I'm trying to listen with fresh ears. It's certainly a very good album, with plenty of classic songs. My overall impression is that they have great vocal interplay (with even a bit more appreciation for Stevie Nicks, despite the warble), excellent guitar playing, and very nice composition. The big ding I'll give the album is it's very OF ITS TIME. There are plenty of classic rock albums that still sound fresh...this sounds like peak 70s, and that's what keeps it from a 5 for me. 5's are timeless, and this ain't. Favorite tracks: Dreams (really good lyrics and I like the vocal line), Go Your Own Way (never knew this and Dreams were a pair - Nicks (Dreams) and Buckingham's (Own Way) takes on their breakup - interesting, and must have made for some awkward days at the office), The Chain (dark and brooding with some great musicianship), You Make Loving Fun (very 70s, but nice song), Gold Dust Woman (really like the guitar line and the outro).

Tanto Tempo

Bebel Gilberto

3/5

This album didn't do much for me on the first listen - decent background music - but I found myself enjoying it on subsequent listens. Nice voice, enjoyable music, and excellent musicianship. Not anything I think I'd go out of my way to hear again, but certainly not bad. Songs that caught my attention: August Day Song, Mais Feliz, Alguem, Lonely (real nice mysterious vibe), Bananeira.

Idlewild

Everything But The Girl

2/5

The good: Tracey Thorne has a nice voice. The bad: Elevator Music. Zzzzz. Didn't need to hear this. The only track I really liked was the first one, the Crazy Horse cover "I Don't Want to Talk About It." It had a real nice vibe. The rest was boring adult contemporary music/cheesy 80s pop. Next.

Want Two

Rufus Wainwright

2/5

I notice that when there's a "recent" artist that the 1001 editor wants included in the book, they tend to put the most recent album in and replace whatever was in the previous edition. This is an example of that - "Want One" was in the 1001 and the editor replaced it with "Want Two." I think that was a mistake. I definitely prefer Want One. I gave Want One a 4 and my only criticism was that it started to drag towards the end. Unfortunately, it feels like Rufus leaned into the dragging aspect of Want One and made a whole album of mellow songs that don't really go anywhere (with only a couple of exceptions). It starts off promising: Agnus Dei is interesting (although I don't like the scratching sound in the beginning) and The One You Love is a good poppy track. But then it becomes an absolute slog starting with Peach Trees. Then you have the lyrics of Gay Messiah..."No I won't be the one, baptized in cum"...um, just, wow, no thanks. Waiting for a Dream is the first track that got me interested again. I really like the piano line (although it reminds me of something else I can't place right now), but even that song eventually drags, and it ends so abruptly that I think something's wrong with my phone. The album picks up slightly on Crumb by Crumb and the latter half of Old Whore's Diet, but at this point it's far too late. After enjoying Want One, Want Two is a disappointing 2. Wrong choice, 1001 editor.

Madman Across The Water

Elton John

4/5

This album grew on me. I've never been huge into Elton John - his hits are good enough, but I never felt I needed to hear anything else. First few listens to this album didn't click either, but eventually I found it growing on me. Definitely a good album, but I don't know that it's one I will go out of my way to listen to again. That usually makes something a 3 in my book, but that doesn't feel right so I'll go with 4. Favorite tracks: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Madman Across the Water, All the Nasties.

Back In Black

AC/DC

4/5

On the one hand, this album rawks and it includes stone cold hard rock classics like Hells Bells, Back in Black (one of the coolest, hardest rocking songs EVER), and You Shook Me All Night Long. I also really like Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution. On the other hand, there are a LOT of cringy moments - Let Me Put My Love Into You ("don't you struggle, don't you fight, don't you worry 'cause it's your turn tonight. Ugh), Shoot to Thrill, What Do You Do for Money Honey, Givin' the Dog a Bone...notice a theme here? If I didn't pay attention to the lyrics, I'd give it a 5 for rocking your f'ing socks off. Taking a point off for the lyrics.

Survivor

Destiny's Child

2/5

I was surprised by how much I liked Beyonce's album on the 1001 albums, so I tried to give this album a fair listen, even though I'm generally not an R&B fan. This album is ok, just not my style. Independent Women Pt 1 and Survivor were catchy and Fancy and Happy Face were ok. The rest I could take or leave. I will say I definitely didn't like Bootylicious, even though it's a hit off the album. Using the guitar riff from Edge of Seventeen (Just Like the White Winged Dove) should have been good, but it was annoying that they never changed from the one note! Bottom line re: this album: Not terrible, just not my thing.

Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine

Cee Lo Green

4/5

Overall fun album, although a little on the long side. That said, it's got plenty of fun grooves and his rapping style is pretty awesome (Childz Play stands out for some crazy rapping. Also I Am Selling Soul). Same problem I have with a lot of rap albums - too much n**** this and n**** that and a bit too much cursing - it's not made for me, that's for sure. But I can appreciate and enjoy it. Favorite songs were the first few (Soul Machine, The Art of Noise, and Living Again). Liked the grooves on The One, All Day Love Affair (nice singing), and When We Were Friends.

Killing Joke

4/5

Heard of them, but never heard before. I really like their sound. Perfect balance of industrial, hard rock, post-punk, you name it. Apparently they are pioneers in the industrial sound. Whatever they are, they have a great sound and I'd definitely like to check out more. All the tracks are very cool (although Wardance is a little out there), but my favorite tracks were Requiem, Tomorrow's World, Bloodsport, and Primitive.

Sunshine Superman

Donovan

4/5

So I can appreciate how this was groundbreaking at the time - one of the first psychedelic albums, early use of sitar on a rock album, etc. But man does it sound dated. Legend of a Girl Child Linda sounds like something that would cause John Belushi to grab Donovan's guitar and smash it ("I will bring you gold apples, and grapes made of rubies, that have shone in the eyes of a prince of the breeze - SMASH!! BANG!! TWANG!!!). Three King Fishers sounds like a parody - even though it was probably pretty unique at the time, it just sounds corny to today's ears. That said, there were plenty of great songs. Sunshine Superman has that dated sound, but is a pretty cool song anyway. I can totally see girls dancing in mini-skirts on Top of the Pops to this song (couldn't actually find a video of this - it just has that vibe). Ferris Wheel is a nice mellow song and Bert's Blues is a nice bluesy track, but both have cheesy lyrics. Season of the Witch is rightly a classic. Very cool song. The Trip is a good song to bop to - nice guitar riff - sounds like it could have been a good song by Bob Dylan. Even Guinevere had a nice vibe (the name made me cringe - I expected another cheesy song and the lyrics didn't disappoint from that perspective, but the music is not bad at all). The Fat Angel and Celeste both bring the album to a pleasant ending. Giving it a 4 as appreciation for its place in musical history, but can't go to a 5 given how poorly the lyrics and sound have aged.

Surf's Up

The Beach Boys

3/5

I listened several times and it just isn't clicking. Disney Girls is the only one that caught my attention each time I listened. A lot of these songs sound like less-weird outtakes from Smile. It's not bad, I just don't think I'll be revisiting. Feel Flows and Lookin' At Tomorrow were both decent. Moving on.

Among The Living

Anthrax

5/5

Damn, what a great album. I only listened to a little Anthrax back in the day - I remember hearing "I'm the Man" a ton of times. This album features a tight band with massive riffs, catchy hooks, great singing, and slightly cheesy lyrics (although songs like Indians, One World, and ADI/Horror of it all certainly take on serious topics). The reliance on pop culture (Judge Dredd, Stephen King books) is probably where it gets cheesiest, but it just ROCKS. Joey Belladonna skirts the line of cheesy metal singer but he's so good it works. This also took me down the rabbit hole watching videos of I'm the Man, I am the Law, Caught in a Mosh, and multiple videos of them playing Bring the Noise with Public Enemy. Awesome. I'll forgive the cheese, because it's part of what makes the album fun, and give it a 5.

The Dark Side Of The Moon

Pink Floyd

5/5

Any time an album I know inside and out comes up on the 1001 albums I still give it my minimum two listens. In this case, I listened to the 50th anniversary remaster in Dolby Atmos. It sounds amazing. As to reviewing the album, it's one of those where so much has been said, but I'll throw in my thoughts anyway: It's an absolutely perfect album, start to finish. Sure, the instrumentals can get a little out there, but they work too. We start with Speak to Me: the iconic heartbeat, "I've been mad...", the money sounds, the laughter, the building machine noise, the screaming...and then we begin. Breathe is a beautiful mood with outstanding lyrics ("For long you live and high you fly, but only if you ride the tide / and balanced on the biggest wave, you race toward an early grave"). On the Run is certainly the strangest track, but it maintains the mood that makes this album a journey (and the sound was pretty groundbreaking). Time is absolutely amazing, with one of my favorite Gilmour solos. Again, Waters' lyrics are excellent ("And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking / racing around to come up behind you again" - such imagery), and then we return to initial mood with Breathe (Reprise). The Great Gig in the Sky is breathtaking - Wright's beautiful piano composition coupled with Clare Torrey's amazing vocals. Her singing evokes such imagery...I heard it once described as the five stages of grief in vocal form. Money is a classic rock staple - gotta love a hit song in 7. Us and Them is beautiful with incredibly powerful lyrics (and a great sax solo). Any Colour You Like is a groove that takes us into Brain Damage and Eclipse (which MUST be played together). Brain Damage gives us vivid imagery of madness, followed by Eclipse - a song that gives me chills EVERY. FREAKING. TIME: "And all that is now / and all that is gone / and all that's to come / and everything under the sun is in tune / but the sun is eclipsed by the moon." So amazing. Then of course, the final line: "There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact, it's all dark" and the fading heartbeat. Absolute perfect classic.

Only By The Night

Kings of Leon

3/5

Started out promising - the first two tracks (Closer and Crawl) had a pretty cool sound. But then the rest of the album (including the "hits" that I'd never heard) got pretty generic 2000s-rock. Not bad or anything, just nothing I'd seek out again. It's removed from the 1001 albums books now, which was a good choice.

Songs Of Love And Hate

Leonard Cohen

2/5

Eh, I found this album pretty boring. The lyrics sounded like someone trying really hard to be deep (with a couple of songs that too clearly invoke slitting wrists - man, don't listen to this album if you're depressed). His voice is monotonous and the songs drag out without a lot of change. At least most of the songs are based on a nice riff, especially Avalanche, Love Calls You By Your Name, Joan of Arc, and Famous Blue Raincoat (which had the nicest vocal tune - less monotonous). Not terrible as background sound, I suppose, so I'll go with a 2.

Quiet Life

Japan

4/5

I am a HUGE David Sylvian fan...I've seen him live twice (he rarely tours): 1st with Robert Fripp touring for their album "The First Day" and then 2nd on his Everything and Nothing tour (which to this day I still consider the best vibe I've ever felt at a concert, both the performers and the audience). His solo work is much more atmospheric and mature compared to his work with Japan, but there's a lot of good stuff with Japan. The knock against them on this album is there's still a lot of similarity to some other acts like Roxy Music and Bowie. Plus, Sylvian still had shades of the more "punky/glam" singing style he used on their two earlier albums before embracing his deeper voice. But there's lots to like here - Mick Karn's amazing fretless bass (particularly on In Vogue), Richard Barbieri's atmospheric keys (it's easy to recognize his sound if you're a fan of Porcupine Tree, a band that should be so much better known), Steve Jansen's subtle drumming, and of course Sylvian's voice. The band just gets better and better from here and then David Sylvian went off on his own and created some amazing, varied music. If you want to hear the best of David Sylvian, listen to songs like "Wave", "Orpheus", "God's Monkey" (with Fripp), and "Forbidden Colours" (w/ Ryuichi Sakamoto).

Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

The Kinks

4/5

This album has been compared to The Who's Tommy (which came out earlier in the year). I hear it, but it definitely lacks something in comparison. Part of it could just be that there's an element of goofiness to the Kinks' music. The Who are hard hitting, the Kinks are goofy. That said, this is a fun album. The Kinks are a pre-cursor to punk and even though the album doesn't sound all that much like punk (it has a pretty dated 60s sound), it has the punk spirit (a good example is "Yes Sir, No Sir"). Overall, this is a fun album that I might revisit, but definitely not a 5, mainly because I think it lacks depth. Favorite tracks: Victoria (catchy), Australia (the lyrical section is tongue-in-cheek, but it's the instrumental second half that I think is great - awesome, funky, rocking section), Mr. Churchill Says (good rocker), Drivin' (fun music, somewhat dark lyrics - speaking of dark lyrics, Some Mother's Son was pretty powerful, but the song itself was kinda meh), and Brainwashed (another "fun" sounding song with somewhat dark lyrics). I had mixed feelings about Shangri-La. I liked the acoustic guitar part at the beginning, but by the end the song seemed all over the place (and at one point sounded like a rip-off of Tales of Brave Ulysses).

Rock Bottom

Robert Wyatt

5/5

This shouldn't work - Wyatt's voice is warbly, the music is crazed, and the weird Scottish poet is...well, weird. But somehow I find this album captivating. Sea Song is simply beautiful (I heard Tears for Fears' cover version before I heard the original). A Last Straw sounds like a lost early Pink Floyd song. The first Little Red Riding Hood track is insane (those trumpets, the drum beat, fantastic bass line, bizarre backwards singing). Alifib is transfixing and Alifie has an air of mystery (and man that crazy sax solo). Then the second Little Red Riding Hood - the guitars are amazing, the "can't you see them" part just blows me away - the music is so intense - and I even find the weird Ivor Cutler recitation sounds fascinating with the droning underneath. This album shouldn't work, but it does.

The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest

3/5

Cool grooves, but a little repetitious. I like the chill rapping style. Favorite tracks: Show Business, Jazz (We've Got), Scenario.

Djam Leelii

Baaba Maal

3/5

Sounds nice, no idea what they're saying. I like the guitars and the singing's fine, I just doubt I will ever go out of my way to listen again. Tracks that caught my attention: Djam Leeli, Sehalam, Daana Lenol.

Fuzzy

Grant Lee Buffalo

3/5

Hey! It's the troubadour from Gilmore Girls! Or, um, so I've heard. Very, very 90s. Not bad, but nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to again.

Dirty

Sonic Youth

2/5

I. Hate. Noise. Rock. It's a shame, because there are a few tracks that might have sounded ok without the horrible sounding guitars (e.g., 100%, Theresa's Sound World, Wish Fulfillment, Sugar Kane, Youth Against Fascism, Stalker). Songs that weren't awful: Drunken Butterfly, Chapel Hill. Songs that made me want to tear my ears off: Swimsuit Issue, Drunken Butterfly, Shoot (Kim Gordon sounded horrendous on this one), Orange Rolls Angel's Spit, Nic Fit, On the Strip, JC, Creme Brulee. Giving it a 2 because for me a 1 means there's zero redeeming value - but it was a close thing. In fact, it had the rare distinction of sounding worse on 2nd listen. Not looking forward to hearing more Sonic Youth albums.

Tago Mago

Can

2/5

If I was only rating the first album, I'd go with a 3...maybe even a 4. It's dated, but has some good grooves. I liked Paperhouse and Halleluhwah a lot. Mushroom sounded like they were on shrooms, but wasn't terrible. Oh Yeah sounded like the shrooms were kicking in, but had a decent groove. But then the second album...absolute pure complete crap. Here are my notes: Aumgn: More shrooms...definitely out there and too long. Somewhat disturbing. Peking O - Pure crap...about halfway in is horrendous. And so on. What a shame. I'd like to give it a 3 as an average, but the second album is so bad I can't go that high. 2 it is.

Cafe Bleu

The Style Council

2/5

Alex, I'll take cheesy 80s albums for $800. Answer: "Thank you for holding...your call is important to us..." "Attention K-Mart Shoppers" "This rap is horrendous." "Cheesy 80s production." "Now for more smooth hits on CD101.9" What is "thoughts that shouldn't go together on a single album?" Right you are! (Tracks I thought were ok - My Ever Changing Mood, Dropping Bombs on the Whitehouse, Here's One That Got Away)

The Last Of The True Believers

Nanci Griffith

3/5

Pleasant enough country music. I'm not a big country fan, but I didn't mind listening. Liked the last track in particular (The Wing and the Wheel). Love at the Five and Dime wasn't bad either.

Blunderbuss

Jack White

5/5

He's a bit pretentious, but Jack rocks. Love the variety of styles and instrumentation. This is pretty much a perfect album. Easy 5.

Punishing Kiss

Ute Lemper

4/5

Wow, I liked this much more than I expected. I figured this was going to be a 3 after reading description. Instead, I found the album captivating from start to finish. She has a very dramatic singing style that just works. I've been listening to the album for days and want to keep on listening. I'll call that a 5. Favorite tracks: Little Water Song (great start to the album - pulled me right in), The Case Continues, You Were Meant for Me (particularly the ending), and Scope J (mysterious, somewhat bizarre, but I really liked it). EDIT: In retrospect, I think I scored this too high. I enjoyed it, but definitely shouldn't be a 5. Rescored to a 4.

The Colour Of Spring

Talk Talk

5/5

Talk Talk is an underrated band. "It's My Life" is probably their best-known song (from their previous album and later famously covered by No Doubt), but it's such 80s cheese. This album is at a different level and shows the direction they take with their last couple of albums. Their next album, Spirit of Eden, is my favorite by them. I can see why the 1001 picked this album instead - it's a good cross section of their sound, both where they were and where they were going. Production is still very 80s on some songs (especially the "hits" - Life's What You Make It and Living in Another World. It's probably the drums that make it most 80s), but the songwriting and the vibe are outstanding. It's worth a close listen to really appreciate the composition, the musicianship, and Mark Hollis' fantastic voice (RIP). Favorite tracks: Happiness is Easy (the acoustic bass on this track is amazing. This song really sets the vibe for the album), I Don't Believe In You (really like the understated guitar "solo"...also wild that Steve Winwood plays organ on three songs, including this one. You get Steve Winwood to guest just to play organ??), Life's What You Make It (again, 80s drums, but really good song, and love the David Rhodes guitar part - Peter Gabriel's long-time guitarist), April 5th (beautiful track - definitely moving towards their Spirit of Eden sound), and Time It's Time (excellent closer). Every time I listen to Talk Talk, I want to listen more.

Eternally Yours

The Saints

4/5

Fun album, but has the same problem all punk albums have - after a while it's clear you're hearing the exact same song. But it's a fun song. Favorite tracks: Know Your Product, Memories are Made of This, Private Affair, A Minor Aversion.

Like A Prayer

Madonna

4/5

Ok, I went in prepared to seriously dislike this album, but not only was it not terrible, it's actually pretty good. VERY 80s but had a lot of good moments, with excellent production (hat tip to Patrick Leonard, who I know from his work with Kevin Gilbert in Toy Matinee). Definitely enjoyed the Prince connection. I don't know that I'd go out of my way to listen to it again, but I can appreciate why it was huge and that's why I have to tip it to a 4. Favorite tracks: Like a Prayer (I rewatched the video - man people are whiners. It isn't nearly that controversial - regardless, it's a really good song), Express Yourself (very 80s, very Madonna, but a pretty good song), Love Song (hey, it's Prince), Till Death Do Us Part (again, a little 80s, but decent), Oh Father (very dramatic. And 80s. But grew on me), Keep It Together (nice funk, still very 80s). The rest are either too 80s, cheesy, or schmaltzy (and Act of Contrition was just weird, even if it had Prince shredding). Gotta admit it grew on me with several listens. Oh, well, I'm not going to say I like Madonna now, but this one deserves to be on the list.

Fetch The Bolt Cutters

Fiona Apple

4/5

I don't know why, but Fiona Apple keeps making me think of Tom Waits on this album. Probably because like Bone Machine, this album is built around drums, and she's a little weird (but clearly a much better singer than Tom). This album is growing on me with every listen. I like her singing style and the lyrics are compelling. Great music, just a few weird points (like the endings of I Want You to Love Me and Relay - but both are really good songs overall). Giving it a 4 because I want to keep listening, but the occasional weirdness keeps it from a 5. That said, I have a feeling that, like Tom Waits, after a while I won't even notice the weird moments. Favorite tracks: I Want You to Love Me (except the weird ending), Shameika (great story too: https://pitchfork.com/features/article/fiona-apple-shameika-fetch-the-bolt-cutters-interview/ ), Relay (awesome song - great vocal line/lyrics, love the acoustic bass and the drums - little weird toward the end, but still a great song), Newspaper (man, that built up to something amazing), Heavy Balloon (great groove and singing).

OK

Talvin Singh

3/5

Eh, nice background music with a few good moments (Traveller, Mombasstic, O.K., Light) and a few weird moments (end of Surtrix, Decca, Eclipse). Harmless enough, nothing I need to check out again.

Channel Orange

Frank Ocean

2/5

This album did pretty much nothing for me. His singing and songs have no energy. The songwriting is formulaic. The word that sums it up is meh. Songs that were ok: Sweet Life (sounds like Stevie Wonder), Crack Rock, Pyramids (I actually liked this one), Pink Matter (liked Andre 3000 on it, but the lyrics are cringe).

Let It Be

The Replacements

4/5

This album really grew on me the more I listened. To some extent, they sound like a lot of other bands, but they do it really well (and there were a lot of moments where Paul Westerberg reminded me of Kurt Cobain, who came later and claimed he never really listened to the Replacements). There were some moments that initially bugged me (e.g., noise at the end of We're Coming Out, scream-ish singing in Unsatisfied (kind of like when Kurt Cobain sings Pennyroyal Tea - but like most of the album, it started to grow on me, despite this), ridiculous lyrics in Gary's Got a Boner, annoying repeated "If you need help" in Answering Machine). But lots of good moments right from the offset and even the stuff I didn't like at first stopped bugging me on subsequent listens. I can definitely see revisiting this album and exploring more of their albums. Favorite tracks: I Will Dare, Favorite Thing, Black Diamond, Androgynous, Unsatisfied (even though I initially disliked it!), Sixteen Blue.

Picture Book

Simply Red

3/5

Smooth white jazz, 80s style.

Gasoline Alley

Rod Stewart

5/5

Never heard this before - in fact, I never listened to Rod Stewart outside his hits - damn, what an album. Lots of great rockers (It's All Over Now, My Way of Giving, Cut Across Shorty, You're My Girl) and some nice chill tracks (Gasoline Alley, Only a Hobo, Lady Day, Jo's Lament). Six of the nine tracks are covers and I think each sounds better than the original. Plus, the musicians are top notch and Rod Stewart sounds great. Easy 5.

Run-D.M.C.

4/5

I was a big fan of Run-DMC's Raising Hell growing up - listened to it a ton and will absolutely be giving that a 5 when it comes up on the 1001. This one shows they were moving in that direction early, but it's more sparse and undeveloped in comparison. Lots of rap history in the making on this album, but I feel it's a step below Raising Hell, fair or not. Favorite tracks: Hard Times, Rock Box (holy 80s guitar batman! But, again, it shows where they're going), It's Like That.

After The Gold Rush

Neil Young

5/5

Another great Neil Young album on the 1001. Tons of great songs here, some of which sound like they were probably meant for CSNY, but that's ok (mostly due to CSNY-type harmonies, e.g., Tell Me Why, When You Dance I Can Really Love, I Believe in You). Southern Man is an absolute classic, deservedly so (take that Lynyrd Skynyrd!). If I had to pick one song to play for someone asking, "What does Neil Young sound like?" this is the one I'd pick. Only Love Can Break Your Heart and Birds are both beautiful songs (I'm a big fan of Only Love Can You Break Your Heart - the chorus is perfect). Don't Let It Bring You Down has a great chord progression and When You Dance I Can Really Love is built on great riffs. I could go on and on. Just a great album start to finish and an easy 5.

The White Room

The KLF

3/5

Eh, wasn't bad, wasn't great. I'm sure it was great in a club, but was mostly background music to me. Rather than "favorite tracks" I'll just say tracks that caught my attention: What Time Is Love, 3am Eternal, Last Train to Trancentral, The White Room.

Ritual De Lo Habitual

Jane's Addiction

5/5

Back in the day I wasn't a fan of Jane's Addiction because I thought their hits had kind of a grating sound - mostly because Perry Farrell's vocals are slightly off key. So I was shocked (pun intended) by the fact that Nothing's Shocking sounded so good. Well, this album shows there are two Jane's Addictions. The first half of the album has that grating sound, and I realized it's not just Perry's vocals, but even Dave Navarro's guitar sound has this metallic edge that bothers me a little (which is a shame, because he is an awesome guitarist). But then the second half of the album (starting with Three Days) is the band that blew me away on Nothing's Shocking (and boy can you hear the Led Zep influence on this album). Still, I'll give them their due - even the grating sound of the first half doesn't take away from the fact that every song is a banger and again shows Jane's Addiction was ahead of the curve - grunge before grunge broke through in 1991. The second half is an easy 5. I'd go with a 4 for the first half, mainly to take a point away for the grating sound. But since the songs are so good, I'm going to round the 4.5 average up to a 5.

Endtroducing.....

DJ Shadow

4/5

Some very cool grooves and incredibly smooth samples - a great example of someone taking samples and making them sound like completely new songs. Favorite tracks: Building Steam With a Grain of Salt, The Number Song, Midnight in a Perfect World, Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain (Medley). Not rating it a 5 because it's basically high quality background music - plus there are a few samples I dislike (like the weird bullfrog vocal thing in What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt 4), but it's a very good album that I can see revisiting.

Maggot Brain

Funkadelic

4/5

Begins and ends weird (first moments of Maggot Brain and most of Wars of Armaggedon, respectively), but most everything in between is awesome. The guitar solo in Maggot Brain is amazing. Apparently, George Clinton told the guitarist to play like his mother just died - I believe it. Can You Get to That is cool chill funk and then they turn up the dial...Hit It and Quit It is awesome funk, You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks is a very cool track, and then Super Stupid just plain rocks (my favorite on the album). Back in Our Minds sounds like drunk funk, but it's super catchy. But then Wars of Armageddon is seriously out there (screaming baby and what sounds like Cartman screaming "goddammit!", random mooing and screaming, and what sounds like a pretty terrible case of diarrhea), plus it goes on about twice as long as it should. That said, it still has some catchy funk and the band is on fire (particularly the drums). Unfortunately, I think Wars of Armageddon brings the album down to a 4. I was tempted to round up to a 5 because the rest of the album is awesome, but that final track is just way too out there and way too long.

Ray Of Light

Madonna

4/5

Continuing my "damnit, Madonna's not actually bad??" tour - this is a pretty good album. Not a five - far too repetitive, but definitely sounds very good. Favorite tracks: Drowned World/Substitute for Love (very cool chill opener), Swim (caught my attention every time I listened), Sky Fits Heaven, The Power of Good-Bye. Wish the album ended on Little Star, a nice song for her newborn daughter, because the lyrics on Mer Girl definitely bring things down ("And I smelled her burning flesh / her rotting bones / her decay" ...eww).

Straight Outta Compton

N.W.A.

4/5

Ok, things I knew about this album: It's a seminal album in gangsta rap. It was controversial, especially for F**k the Police. It launched Ice Cube into superstardom. Things I didn't know about the album: It's freakin' hysterical. Seriously, I laughed out loud several times. Also, the grooves are smooth af. Downsides: Pretty harsh lyrics (but not as much as other albums we've heard). Misogynistic. Also, F*** the Police has a powerful message, but if they actually shoot and "jack" as many people as they claim, then they really, really, really should be in jail for a long time (I'm sure it's exaggerated for artistic reasons...I hope). If I ignored these downsides I'd call this a 5, but those downsides are pretty significant. Favorite tracks - the opening three tracks are unbeatable (Straight Outta Compton, F the Police, Gangsta Gangsta), but lots of good moments throughout.

War

U2

5/5

Perfect album start to finish. The opening of Sunday Bloody Sunday is iconic. New Year's Day is an absolute classic. Every other song is great, including The Refugee, Two Hearts Beat as One, and "40". Easy 5.

Vulnicura

Björk

3/5

Bjork is just plain weird. The strings sound great, but her singing sounds like the vocal equivalent of interpretative dance.

Guitar Town

Steve Earle

3/5

I recently reviewed N.W.A. If I were to describe the exact opposite of N.W.A., this would be it. Probably didn't need to hear this before I die, but it was ok as far as country goes, I guess. Favorite tracks (I guess): My Old Friend the Blues, Someday, Little Rock 'n' Roller (what can I say, I'm a sappy dad).

Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts

The Adverts

4/5

Catchy album - a combination of punk/glam with a bit of a 60s proto-punk sound (which would make it a throwback?). Sounds like they'd be fun to see live. Reminds me a bit of early Midnight Oil (except clearly not taking themselves as seriously as the Oils). A decent amount of variety for a punk album. Favorite tracks: One Chord Wonders, Bored Teenagers, Gary Gilmore's Eyes (I typed Gary Glitter's Eyes, which could also be problematic), No Time to be 21, Safety in Numbers, On Wheels.

Made In Japan

Deep Purple

5/5

RAWK!!! What an album. The entire band is on fire and all of heavy metal owes Deep Purple a debt. The recording quality is outstanding and supposedly there are no overdubs, which is just amazing (if true). It's no wonder this is considered one of the best live albums ever. Absolutely Incredible and easy 5.

LP1

FKA twigs

2/5

Somehow or another this was Time's Album of the Year in 2014. Don't know what that says about 2014. Not a big fan. Lots of weirdness, plus lyrics that are a bit ugh. Sorry, I like my sexual innuendos to actually have innuendo. Moments that I liked: Lights On (weird moments, but I liked the acoustic bass and the vibe in the chorus), Closer (generally a good track but still has weirdness), and Give Up (had to get pretty far through the album to find songs I liked).

The Modern Dance

Pere Ubu

1/5

I had a tough time choosing between a 1 and a 2 for this album. For me, a 1 is "absolutely no redeeming value, I hope to never hear this album again." A 2 is "I dislike a lot of it, but there's some redeeming value." Pere Ubu managed to kill almost every song with awful sounds - piercing shrieking noises, bizarre instruments, etc. Sadly, without that crap I think I would have liked this album. Most of the underlying songs sound good. David Thomas's singing is interesting and both he and the band are clearly a pre-cursor of the Pixies, 10 years in advance. But the sounds are such a killer that I'm not sure I can give it a 2. Is it enough that some songs are potentially good, and maybe a couple are actually good? Is it worth rounding up to a 2 because they influenced other acts I like (e.g., Pixies, Joy Division)? I'm going to go with no, and give it my first 1 rating. It only took 297 reviews for me to get here, so I guess that's a good thing. LEAST FAVORITE TRACKS: Non-Alignment Pact, Laughing, Life Stinks (a great example of an underlying song that could have been cool, but then has absurd noise - what the heck is happening in the middle of this song??), Sentimental Journey (absolutely horrendous). Songs that I could see myself liking, if I could get past the noise: Street Waves (a pretty good song, but with just a horrible grating synth noise under much of it), Chinese Radiation (first half was good, and then it gets insane, then ends nicely. Go figure), Real World (Talking Heads-ish, with weird grating sounds), Over My Head, Humor Me. Song I actually liked, but not enough to overcome my dislike of the other tracks: Modern Dance (very Pixies-ish, again 10 years before the Pixies).

Kimono My House

Sparks

5/5

Had no idea what to expect and ended up blown away. Did I just hear a glam rock opera? This was awesome. Considered taking off one point for Ron Mael's Hitler mustache, but this album's just too good. You can hear how this band influenced subsequent bands like Queen and Cheap Trick (re: Queen, I think Freddie Mercury even stole some of Russell Mael's moves). Edgar Wright made a movie about the Mael brothers with the tag-line "your favorite band's favorite band." Unlike the Velvet Underground who also influenced a ton of bands, I can actually say I dig this one. Clever music, clever lyrics, outstanding musicianship. Favorite tracks - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us ("As 20 cannibals have hold of you, they need their protein just like you" - lol), Amateur Hour (award for best use of "Yehudi Menuhin" in a lyric), Here in Heaven (love the dark humor of a suicide pact between Romeo and Juliet where only Romeo follows through), Thank God It's Not Christmas (a song with this title has no right being so cool)...ah, just put the name of every single song here (and add the lyric "Gonna hang myself from my family tree"). Great album!

We're Only In It For The Money

The Mothers Of Invention

4/5

Warning: don't listen to this as background music. I did that the first two times and my reaction was "this is just weird" and occasional moments where the lyrics caught my attention and made me laugh. When I paid attention to the music and lyrics, it became clear why this album is on the list. Subversive (some of the lyrics might as well have been an early version of F%^& the Police), skewering hippy culture, and mocking the music of the day. Also really enjoy how each song flows into the next, and you gotta applaud the album cover. Favorite tracks: Who Needs the Peace Corps (love the "I will..." section), What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body (I laughed), Absolutely Free, Flower Punk (enjoyed this hippy-skewering fast version of Hey Joe: "Hey Punk, where you goin' with those beads around your neck? I'm goin' to the shrink so he can help me be a nervous wreck" - also like the Wild Thing reference followed by deranged overlapping speeches, including what sounds an awful lot like Minions). Weird stuff, but fascinating. Can't give it a 5 because it's just too weird, but I can definitely appreciate it and would listen again.

Traffic

3/5

Good enough album, but there are lots of better albums from the 60s. Honestly, it doesn't feel like that much of a standout, but for including the classic Feelin' Alright. Nice enough to hear, but I doubt I'll go out of my way to listen again. Standout tracks: Pearly Queen, Feelin' Alright.

Sign 'O' The Times

Prince

4/5

I'll get the negative out of the way first: a lot of it sounds like peak 80s (in a bad way) and all the songs where he indulges the "Camille" persona sound cheesy beyond belief, particularly If I Was Your Girlfriend - not a fan, even if it was a hit. Now the positive: there are plenty of great moments. The album starts incredibly strong with "Sign O' the Times" which is an amazing song, musically and lyrically (and, letting my prog-freak flag show, I first heard this song when Steven Wilson performed a very cool cover - look it up on YouTube). Then we go into Play in the Sunshine - fun bop, again very 80s, but the instrumental breaks are fantastic. Housequake is a cool groove with cheesy vocals (the first "Camille" track). It feels like most of the tracks are like this - cool moments, but then cheesy 80s sounds or corny Camille vocals (and sometimes both). But overall, lots of great songwriting and a surprising amount of variety for a double album. Definitely belongs on this list, and I like a lot of the tracks, but the cheese keeps it from being a 5. Favorite tracks: Sign O' the Times (hands down best on the album), It (ignoring the cheesy 80s sound and lyrics about doing it all the time - one thing I notice about Prince's songs is they often have the "bones" of great songs, but then have something about the sound that's pretty dated), Starfish and Coffee (nice chill groove), Slow Love (nice ballad), Hot Thing (Prince (musically) does his best Depeche Mode), U Got the Look (TOTALLY 80s, but definitely a good song - Prince does his best Robert Palmer, reminds me of "Addicted to Love"), Strange Relationship (very 80s, but good song), The Cross (Prince rocks out! I like it, especially how it builds through the song), It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night (fun funky live track - he should have stopped here, because Adore is cheesy as hell). Overall, good stuff and I would definitely revisit.

Seventh Tree

Goldfrapp

4/5

Nice vibe throughout and I love her voice. Really enjoyed this album. Wouldn't call it a 5, but would definitely revisit. Favorite tracks: The first three tracks (Clowns, Little Bird, Happiness) create a great mood and I like how the energy builds across all three songs (but note - I had no idea what she was singing on Clowns until I looked up the lyrics - such a calming song about fake tits - insert eye roll emoji here), Eat Yourself, A&E, Caravan Girl, Monster Love (the others are all good, they just didn't catch my attention as much - really not a bad track in the bunch, it's just not at a 5 level for me).

Gorillaz

4/5

Never listened to a Gorillaz album before, but have had plenty of times where I heard a cool track and thought, "hey, what's this?" and it turned out to be Gorillaz. Definitely enjoyed this album - it's just very cool. I like the vibe. I don't know much about the virtual band concept, but I dig the music. Not the most amazing thing in the world, but I would definitely revisit. Favorite tracks: Re-Hash, Clint Eastwood, Rock the House, M1 A1.

Dear Science

TV On The Radio

4/5

I dug their debut and I dig this album too. This one definitely leans more into the funk than the art rock of their debut (Golden Age sounds like Prince, for crying out loud). One of my complaints about their debut was each song was a single riff, with no A/B sections - even the choruses were just the same riff a little more intense. This album has a lot of that, too, but they managed to occasionally change things up, suggesting they learned how to write songs and not just cool riffs. Not a 5, but I'd definitely listen again and will check out more of their catalogue. Favorite tracks: Halfway Home, Dancing Choose, Golden Age, Family Tree, DLZ.

Strangeways, Here We Come

The Smiths

5/5

Like the other two albums by The Smiths on the 1001, this one is definitely a 5. Couldn't tell you which is my "favorite" given that this one is too new to me, but this one seemed the most immediately accessible. I'm not sure if the three albums differ that significantly from each other: The Smiths have a certain sound, it works well, and they definitely milk it across their albums. IMO Meat is Murder had the best Johnny Marr guitar lines and The Queen is Dead had the best emo lyrics (I Know It's Over, Cemetry Gates, There Is a Light and it Never Goes Out). Strangeways seems like they've mastered what makes The Smiths great - clever emo lyrics over rocking and/or jangly indie rock music. Side One starts the album off with a cool vibe on A Rush and A Push and the Land Is Ours. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish is a great swinging rocker. Death of a Disco Dancer has a perfect slow build. Girlfriend in a Coma is a perfect example of Morrissey's dark sense of humor. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before is another good rocker, with another overly long name. Side Two gets darker (which is always saying something for The Smiths). Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me is a great song that continues the long song title trend and the depressing lyrics trend (not really a trend - it's apparently part of The Smiths' DNA). Unhappy Birthday is an upbeat song where it's clear that Morrissey is very very very bitter, followed by Paint a Vulgar Picture which is an upbeat song where it's clear that Morrissey is very very very bitter about the music industry. This brings us to the rockabilly (and of course depressing) Death at One's Elbow. Finally, we end with I Won't Share You, in which The Smiths float peacefully and depressingly into the sunset.

1989

Taylor Swift

5/5

All hail the mighty queen of the earworm!! I'm not a huge pop fan, but there's no denying she's a clever songwriter and has a great voice. I initially listened to Taylor's Version for fear that my wife and daughter would disown me if I listened to the original release, but then I got their permission to listen to my wife's CD of the original, appropriately preventing Big Machine from earning additional streaming royalties (bow down to the Church of Taylor). The new version has a much fuller sound which I prefer. Anyway, even though I'm not a pop fan, there's no denying this is pretty much a perfect album and an easy 5. Favorite tracks: This may be lame, but the biggest hits are my favorites - Blank Space, Style, and Shake It Off.

Californication

Red Hot Chili Peppers

5/5

The cynical view is that the Chilis said "Hey! We had a huge hit with Under the Bridge! Let's do more songs like that!" resulting in Scar Tissue, Otherside, Californication, Savior, Road Tripping, and The Velvet Glove (less so this last one). The less cynical view is that the Chilis were growing up with this album. Whichever view you take, these are all good songs, even if light on the funk that made the RHCP great. Plenty of great rockers on the album too: Around the World (great opening), Parallel Universe, Get on Top, Easily, Emit Remmus, Purple Stain (love the dirty bass line in this track, but the lyrics are a little ugh). Overall, it's a really good album and the lyrics are a lot more mature than their earlier albums (or at least more subtle?). The only "strike" against the album might be they've gotten too mellow, but even songs like Porcelain (as mellow as it gets) are good. It probably helps that I don't hate Anthony Kiedis's singing voice like many others. I'd call it a 4.5, but I'll round it up because there's really not a weak song on the album (maybe I Like Dirt is the closest to a pure throwaway, but it's not bad).

If You're Feeling Sinister

Belle & Sebastian

2/5

Jack Black refers to B&S as "old sad bastard music" in High Fidelity. Sounds about right. The singing is meh and the songs mostly aren't interesting (or in cases like the last two tracks are literally bad). Most definitely did not need to hear this before I die. I'm guessing this is something Millennial hipsters like. Not my cup o' Scottish tea.

Fire Of Love

The Gun Club

5/5

This is one of those "how on earth have I never heard of this band before" revelations. This album is so good and apparently hugely influential on subsequent punk and garage rock bands. The music is a great combo of punk, rock, and hard edged delta blues. I found it interesting to learn that lead Jeffrey Pierce was influenced by acts as diverse as Sparks, Genesis, Roxy Music, Blondie (with Debbie Harry singing on The Gun Club's second album), and Bob Marley. Unusual influences yield unique music, I suppose. You'd also think Pierce came from somewhere on the Mississippi Delta, but he's from California. This their debut album and it sounds great from start to finish. Hard to pick favorite tracks, but I'll go with the two blues covers (Preaching the Blues and Cool Drink of Water), Promise Me (love the unusual beat), She's Like Heroin to Me (great straightforward punk), and Ghost on the Highway (great rocker). Oh, and Fire Spirit, Jack on Fire (harsh lyrics, though), and Goodbye Johnny. The only moment I sort of didn't like was the end of For the Love of Ivy where Pierce got a little weird. Plus the lyrics on that track are concerning - maybe he's mocking a redneck hick with his "I was hunting for n****rs in the dark" line, but I watched a live video and the drummer had a confederate flag wadded up in his bass drum. Um, yeah. Black Train also had similarly concerning lyrics. Hopefully they're just playing a part/being ironic. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, particularly with the musical debt they owe to delta blues. Overall, this is one seriously awesome album.

All Hope Is Gone

Slipknot

5/5

Damn, cool album. Great musicianship, cool track after cool track. I might have damaged my hearing, but that's ok. Favorite tracks: Gematria (great lyrics), Sulfur, Psychosocial, Vendetta (I bet this one is fun to hear live), Butcher's Hook, Gehenna, This Cold Black.

The Number Of The Beast

Iron Maiden

4/5

The guitar playing is great, but the lyrics and singing are just too cheesy for me. Right from the start: "Many Nordic fighting men / Their swords and shields gleam in the sun." Ugh. It's a shame, because a lot of the music is really good. If I ignore the lyrics, I can almost enjoy the somewhat over-the-top singing. I'm going to go with a four mainly out of respect for its place in metal history, but for some reason Maiden just never worked for me. Favorite tracks: Children of the Damned, The Prisoner (probably more for nostalgia for an awesome show...which had cheesy effects, so I guess there are parallels here), Run to the Hills (very cool song - lyrics have good meaning, but I think part of the problem is they never learned how to write lyrics with any subtlety), Hallowed Be They Name.

Apple Venus Volume 1

XTC

4/5

This album is definitely a mood. Atmospheric and interesting. There are a couple of head-scratching moments. For example, Easter Theatre's lyrics - "Chocolate nipple brown"? "Like the ground, your breast swell"? "Flowers climb erect"? Someone's horny, huh?? Also, the lyrics for Your Dictionary - such a pretty song for such bitter lyrics about divorce. I'm going with a 4 for the occasional weirdness, but it's a really good album that I would definitely revisit. Favorite tracks: River of Orchids (great opening. Very unusual styling - I like it. Makes me think a little of Sting), Frivolous Tonight (am I hearing a Beatles song? I like it), Greenman (caught my attention every time when I wasn't listening closely. Weird lyrics, but great music), Fruit Nut (very catchy, Beach Boys-esque), I Can't Own Her, Harvest Festival, The Last Balloon (great ending - love the transition from voice to trumpet at the end. Perfect).

Rubber Soul

Beatles

5/5

Such a great album and it's the clear bridge between the Beatles initial pop output and the more sophisticated music of their later albums. Absolute classics across the whole thing: Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man, Michelle, and In My Life (great song, but major props to the Johnny Cash cover version). Of the less "popular" songs, I really like You Won't See Me, The Word (great groove), and If I Needed Someone (love the atmospheric sound to it). Probably the only negative thing on the album is the lyrics of Run for Your Life - particularly given John Lennon's reputation for being abusive to women. Take that song away and this is an absolutely perfect album. Regardless, Easy 5.

Crime Of The Century

Supertramp

4/5

I don't normally do this, but I'm going to complain about the 1001 Albums book picking the wrong album. Breakfast in America is THE quintessential Supertramp album and is so much better than Crime of the Century. I buy that Crime of the Century was the band's breakthrough, but Breakfast in America is their best album, with the Logical Song, Goodbye Stranger, Breakfast in America, and Take the Long Way Home. Plus, it just sounds better. Crime of the Century sounds like a band that still hasn't entirely figured out who they are. There are plenty of good moments, especially Bloody Well Right, but this is a case where the 1001 missed the mark. Giving it a 4 more because I like Supertramp and would listen again, but it's more like a 3.5.

At Mister Kelly's

Sarah Vaughan

5/5

Wow, does this album take you away to a different time. Her voice is amazing, the band is excellent, and it sounds like it was a Cool evening (with a capital C, and like a classic jazz star would say it, not like how a run of the mill hippie would say it). At first I felt it was a little bit too heavy on the "standard" jazz set list that I've heard a million times, but then reminded myself that's probably not fair since she's a part of what made the setlist "standard." Anyway, the more I listened, the more I enjoyed it. I'm going with a 5 as an acknowledgment of the significance of her work and the jazz mastery on this album.

Peter Gabriel 3

Peter Gabriel

5/5

Such a great album. This album is where PG finally met the promise of his first two solo albums. Those albums are both good, but they are very uneven while this album is pretty much brilliant start to finish. The album after this (Security) is absolutely brilliant in its own right and it bridges the gap between Gabriel the art rocker and Gabriel the 80s megastar (with So, which is also on the 1001), so I'd call this one the pinnacle of Gabriel the art rocker - not that he ever stops being an art rocker, he's just more accessible after this. So many great moments, although some of the lyrics make me want to ask, "Pete, are you ok??" (e.g., Intruder, No Self Control, and Family Snapshot - all of those songs are brilliant takes on paranoia). If anyone ever asks you, "hey, what's a Chapman Stick sound like?" (hey, it could happen) then point them to I Don't Remember. Super cool song built entirely on the Stick - Tony Levin is awesome. And, of course, there's also Games Without Frontiers, with Kate Bush incomprehensibly singing Jeux sans frontieres ("Games without Frontiers" in French). Great song, with a serious message. Not One of Us is also a good rocker (love the line "How can we be in, if there is no outside?"). Finally, Biko is absolutely iconic (and tragic). Peter Gabriel often ends his concerts on this song (at least the main set, that is) and it's spine tingling to sing along with the whole audience as the band walks off one by one. This is pretty much a perfect album to me, made more so by the latest remastered version which seriously improved the sound quality. Easy 5.

Master Of Puppets

Metallica

5/5

By far the best Metallica album and probably the best metal album period. Kicks ass from start to finish. Easy 5.

D

White Denim

4/5

Never heard of this band, had no idea what to expect, and really enjoyed it. Great musicianship, wide range of styles (while still having a relatively cohesive sound). Enjoyed the somewhat throwback sound - probably the only strike against this band is that a lot of the songs "remind" me of something else. Can't always place my finger on what they sound like, but that suggests they're somewhat derivative (singing somewhat sounds like Radiohead, especially on Anvil Everything. River to Consider is like a tropical Jethro Tull). Regardless, I definitely enjoyed the album and will probably check out more by this band. Favorite tracks: Back at the Farm (awesome instrumental), Street Joy (nice chill track), Drug (nice bass line), Is and Is and Is (love the "hit" in the middle of the song).

Blonde On Blonde

Bob Dylan

4/5

Oh, Bob Dylan. Nobel prize winning poet, really weird singer. Sure this is a classic, but it's hard not to roll your eyes at the way he sings. Plenty of good songs and lyrics, but I'm dinging a point for his singing. Favorite tracks: Rainy Day Women (Everybody must get stoned! Classic), Visions of Johanna, One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later), Stuck Inside of Mobile..., Just Like a Woman, 4th Time Around.

Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

Terence Trent D'Arby

4/5

My first thought was "I liked this better when it was called PRINCE." That said, it's a pretty good album. Enjoyed listening to it more than I expected. Favorite tracks: If You All Get to Heaven, Wishing Well, Let's Go Forward, Sign Your Name.

The Nightfly

Donald Fagen

5/5

I remember hearing this album often when I was younger - it's like a walk down memory lane, and sounds as good as I remember. Much as it's Donald Fagen's first solo album, it absolutely sounds like Steely Dan, which is fine by me. The album just puts me in a good mood and I could listen to it on repeat for hours. Pretty much a perfect album to me. Favorite tracks: I.G.Y (one of those tracks where I see the name and go, "what's that?" and then press play and immediately go, "duh, of course I know this one"), New Frontier, The Nightly, Walk Between Raindrops (again, how can you listen to this album and not smile?).

Want One

Rufus Wainwright

4/5

Clever songwriting and excellent studio craft, although after a while it starts to drag on. That said I enjoyed listening and would definitely listen again. Favorite tracks: Oh What a World (whimsical track that gets stuck in my head), I Don't Know What It Is, Movies of Myself, Go or Go Ahead (definitely my favorite song on the album - love the hit at about 2:30), 14th Street.

In The Court Of The Crimson King

King Crimson

5/5

The Big Bang of Progressive Rock. 21st Century Schizoid Man is a tour de force - the main riff and verses are pure metal - in 1969, no less. The middle instrumental is jazz/rock greatness. All the band members are on fire and it's no surprise that Jimi Hendrix said to Robert Fripp: "Shake my left hand, man. It's closer to my heart." Simply put, it's one of the greatest songs ever written. That's right. I Talk to the Wind gives us a calm moment to recover from the chaos. Epitaph is a post-apocalyptic funeral dirge. "Confusion will be my epitaph" - such a great lyric, and Greg Lake's singing is outstanding. Moonchild is the only weak track for me. The verses are nice enough, but then it's mostly noodling. But that's ok, because then it brings us to The Court of the Crimson King, the quintessential mellotron track. Seriously, if I was told I could only play one album to explain progressive rock, this is the album, start to finish. An absolute classic.

Songs The Lord Taught Us

The Cramps

3/5

Fun album that sounds like the soundtrack from a 50's horror movie retrospective. Most of the album sounds like the same thing over and over, but it's a good same thing (except for some noisy sloppy guitar solos). Solid 3 - I enjoyed listening, wouldn't seek it out again. Favorite tracks - Garbageman, Zombie Dance, Fever (good cover). Favorite lyrics: "My daddy's unidentified / my mom says I just appeared inside / Looks like a case of hit and run / but off the record it's no fun" (from Mystery Plane), "I'm cramped / I'm cramped / I'm cramped/ I'm cramped / I'm cramped / I'm cramped / I'm cramped / I'm cramped / I'm cramped" (from I'm Cramped).

Tea for the Tillerman

Cat Stevens

4/5

There's a certain level of cheesiness to Cat Stevens' music - when he gets intense in his singing I often think of Jack Black singing instead, which is definitely not a good thing for a serious musician. But, under the cheesiness is some really good songwriting. I'd listen again. Favorite tracks: Wild World (great song and a classic), Sad Lisa, Into White (somewhat cheesy lyrics, but I really like the guitar part), Father and Son (very poignant - I've loved this track for years. Check out the re-recording in 2020 when he sang the father part now as a 72 year old. The video hits the heartstrings pretty hard).

The Rolling Stones

4/5

What's that sound? Why it's the sound of cultural appropriation! I ended up spending some time reading up on the history of The Rolling Stones and basically they ripped off R&B to become one of the biggest bands in the world (although at least they credited their sources, unlike some British acts [cough! Led Zeppelin! cough!]). Let's acknowledge that they end up writing some pretty amazing songs in their own right later on, but this album is mostly covers that don't measure up to the originals (I listened to all the originals, plus a couple of additional versions - for example, their Route 66 is based on the Chuck Berry version (with the Stones speeding it up) and not the original Nat King Cole version). So, what made them so much bigger than the acts they covered? Hmm, I wonder. Very little of this album hints at the Stones' later originality. The only exception is the original "Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" which sounds like The Rolling Stones, even if it's still pretty grounded in 50s rock n' roll stylings. I get that this album is a big deal because it's the Stones' debut, but if this was all they did I'm not sure it would have been on the list - the album is clearly in the list for historical significance, not because of its own quality and originality. I'll give it a 4 to acknowledge its importance, and certainly every track is good, but none of it makes me say that I should be listening to this band instead of the artists they were covering.

Odessey And Oracle

The Zombies

4/5

I knew this was a classic, but I never gave it a listen before now. My overall impression is that it's really dated. Everything on it screams 60s. That's not necessarily a bad thing - I like music from the 60s, but I suppose I prefer the stuff that's a little more timeless. A few songs caught my attention when I was only half listening, but just felt so dated when I listened closely (e.g., Hung Up On a Dream and Changes). The only ones that seemed to hold up on close listen were This Will Be Our Year (nice, clever pop) and the classic Time of the Season which is certainly VERY 60s, but a true classic track. In fact, I'd say Time of the Season and She's Not There (from their debut) are not just "quintessential Zombies" but also perfect representations of cool 60s music. I'm going with a 4 for cultural significance - it's good, but very much OF ITS TIME.

Beauty And The Beat

The Go-Go's

4/5

Pretty much bubble-gum pop, but it's all good. Our Lips are Sealed and We Got the Beat are classics, deservedly so (especially Our Lips are Sealed - great song). Other standouts include How Much More, Automatic (my favorite of the more "dramatic" songs), Can't Stop the World. Worst named song AND lyrics with the most dragged-out metaphor - Skidmarks on my Heart.

The Genius Of Ray Charles

Ray Charles

5/5

What an amazing, amazing voice. Crazy to think he was just 29 when this was released. He already sounded like an old jazz and blues legend. Plus, his piano playing is as smooth as his voice. Every track is good, but I particularly loved the mellow mood of side two. I thought about pulling a point away for repetition - every song on side one has high trumpet shakes and every song on side two has schmaltzy strings (and sometimes cheesy backing vocals). But I'm giving that point back, because Brother Ray is a joy to listen to, and this is his only album on the 1001. Favorite tracks: Let the Good Times Roll (no, not the Cars song, but this one's great too!), It Had to Be You (sure it's a standard, but he owns it), Just for a Thrill, Tell Me You'll Wait for Me, Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'.

Superfuzz Bigmuff

Mudhoney

4/5

These guys were grunge too early. They were Nirvana before Nirvana. Great debut EP from 1988. Right from the start with "Need" you can hear Nirvana - they were contemporaries, but Kurt Cobain stated that he was influenced by Mudhoney and Nirvana's debut EP Bleach came out the following year. So, why did Nirvana become a household name but not Mudhoney? I read some comments online that say Mudhoney were a little too uncompromising for the big time, but you can hear all the hallmarks of various grunge superstars in this album. If all I listened to was the EP, I'd be completely scratching my head. The EP is a 5 and these guys should have been huge. However, I listened to the Deluxe version which has demos and a whole live disc which I think tell the whole story. Tons of feedback, screaming, and sloppy playing - and the 14+ minute version of Dead Love highlights all of the above for waaay too long - by the end I wanted to bring this down to a 2, that's how bad that track was. It's a shame, because the six songs from the EP are all excellent - the only one I came close to disliking was In n' Out of Grace because it has a little more feedback than I like. I should probably just call the EP a 5 but I'm going to bring it down to a 4 because the deluxe version reveals why these guys didn't make it as big as other Seattle grunge bands.

Back to Basics

Christina Aguilera

3/5

oo-ee-oo-ee-ah wo-oh-oh-ooh-ah ye-ah-yeah-ee-yeah-uh. Yeah, her singing is a little much, but I'll give her credit - she has a powerful voice for a 5' 2" frame. The album wasn't terrible, but it was a little long. I liked the first disc better - more modern. I get that the second disc is supposed to be a throwback to the past, but in that case I'll just go listen to the classics. This album is the definition of a 3 for me. Didn't mind hearing it, don't need to hear it again. Favorite tracks: Makes Me Wanna Pray, Back in the Day, Slow Down Baby, Here to Stay, Save Me From Myself.

Hms Fable

Shack

3/5

Pretty derivative, but enjoyable enough (except I hate the end of Streets of Kenny. It ends so abruptly that every time I check my phone to see if my music was interrupted for a call. That alone is worth losing a point). Favorite tracks: Natalie's Party (really liked the chorus and the outro), Lend's Some Dough (catchy), Captain's Table.

Devotional Songs

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

4/5

I was familiar with his singing from listening to Peter Gabriel and I remember him singing with Eddie Vedder. His vocals on Peter Gabriel's "Signal to Noise" are absolutely chilling. He's got a cool style and impressive voice. Plus, the drums are hypnotic and I liked the guitar parts (or whatever the plucked instruments were). Like most anglo-centric music listeners, I have no idea what he's singing and have a hard time telling the songs apart, but I enjoy the vibe.

The Bones Of What You Believe

CHVRCHES

4/5

Pretty straight forward synth-pop, but gotta admit I enjoyed it. I hear a lot of echoes of Taylor Swift's 1989 sound, which came out a year later (not making any accusations - it's not THAT original). I just found myself liking the vibe and Lauren Mayberry's voice. I'd probably go with a 3.5 if that were an option, but since it's not I'll round up simply because I liked listening to it. Favorite tracks: The Mother We Share, We Sink (I like how the odd off beat rhythm in the opening settled into a straightforward beat in the chorus), Lies, Under the Tide, Science/Visions (sounded like it belonged on the Tron Legacy soundtrack, which I guess means it reminds me of Daft Punk), You Caught the Light (nice dreamy vibe to close out the album).

Country Life

Roxy Music

3/5

I like art rock. I like glam. But for some reason, Roxy Music doesn't draw me in, even though I think I should like them. I liked the other two albums on the 1001 more than this one (maybe because those albums had Eno? Hard to say, but possible), but even those took "work" to appreciate. Regardless of the album, Bryan Ferry has a great and unique voice and I really enjoy Phil Manzanera's guitar work, but I felt there aren't a lot of standout moments on this album and even most of the good songs are uneven. For example, The Thrill of It All is a good rocker, but it felt like it went on and on without much change. Three and Nine, All I Want Is You, and If It Takes All Night didn't do much for me. Out of the Blue had some great moments - I liked the intro, but then the initial vocal part was underwhelming (the recording quality may be an issue?). That said, it's got a wild violin solo I really liked (no surprise - Eddie Jobson is pretty amazing). On the second side, Bitter-Sweet is fantastic - the only track on the album that I felt was unequivocally great. The rest were only ok. I feel like this is a 3.5, but I'm going to round down because it was underwhelming compared to their earlier albums and because it took a real close listen just to get to a 3.5 rather than a 3.

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

Dexys Midnight Runners

4/5

Let's get this out of the way first. There don't need to be THREE Dexys albums on the 1001. Their albums are simply too similar. This album doesn't bring the fun as much as Too Rye Ay (although they start to turn it on with songs like Seven Days Too Long and Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply). That said, they definitely have a great sound. I'd call it glam punk soul. Favorite moment learning about the album - I was curious what "Geno" was about, so I looked it up and saw it's about soul singer Geno Washington. I then checked out his Wikipedia page and saw this excerpt: "[Geno Washington] was encouraged to make a comeback in 1980 due to the rekindled interest in him resulting from the Dexys Midnight Runners hit single "Geno", but he initially declined, as he was completing his degree in hypnotism." You can't make this shit up. Favorite Tracks: Burn It Down, Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply, There, There My Dear.

Urban Hymns

The Verve

4/5

I'm not really a fan of most Britpop, but this album was much better than I expected. Three things keep it from being a five: 1) Whiny Britpop vocals. 2) After a while it gets repetitive. It's a pretty long album - if they dropped 4 - 5 songs it probably would be nearly perfect. 3) Hidden tracks are seriously annoying. Glad this doesn't seem to be a thing anymore in the streaming era. Favorite tracks: Bitter Sweet Symphony (what a rollercoaster story about songwriting credits and royalties), The Rolling People, Sonnet, The Drugs Don't Work, Catching the Butterfly, Weeping Willow.

Floodland

Sisters Of Mercy

3/5

This would make a good soundtrack for The Lost Boys. So very 80s. Favorite tracks: Most of them sound identical, but This Corrosion caught my attention, even though it's also SO VERY 80s. First thought at the beginning of Never Land: "Wait? Is this When the Levee Breaks? Nope." Moving on...

Face to Face

The Kinks

4/5

I like the Kinks, but I'm wondering why we needed four albums by the Kinks in the 1001 - not enough sound variety between the albums to justify it. This album is so very 60s, but filled with plenty of catchy hooks. Favorite tracks: Party Line, Too Much on My Mind, A House in the Country, Little Miss Queen of Darkness, You're Looking Fine (really catchy), Sunny Afternoon (apparently the biggest hit on the album - it sounded vaguely familiar, mainly the "in the summertime" part).

Kid A

Radiohead

3/5

I sometimes think after Ok Computer that Radiohead just said "How weird can we get and everyone will still think we're brilliant?" Mission accomplished. Tracks I like: The National Anthem, How to Disappear Completely, Optimistic. Everything else is just weird.

Teen Dream

Beach House

3/5

I found this album pretty boring, so I decided to check out some YouTube videos to find out what the fuss was. Saw live videos of Space Song and Myth and was so much more impressed with the band. Unfortunately, this album didn't draw me in. All the songs have the same exact dreamy pop-light sound. Pleasant but boring (and I really didn't like the detuning effects in Norway). Liked Used to Be and Lover of Mine. Anyway, moving on.

Fear Of Music

Talking Heads

5/5

As a King Crimson fan, I love hearing Robert Fripp's pointillist guitar work in I Zimbra. Two years before King Crimson's Discipline we get hints of what's to come (it's criminal that Discipline is not in the 1001). The classics alone on this album make it a 5 - Life During Wartime, Memories Can't Wait, and Heaven are all fantastic (and I love the line in Life During Wartime, "I changed my hairstyle so many times now I don't know what I look like"). On top of that, all the other tracks are excellent and the recording quality is outstanding. Easy 5.

Apocalypse Dudes

Turbonegro

4/5

This album definitely RAWKS. Not super original, music-wise, but it's fun. Definitely some cringey lyrics ("Sperminator of the asshole"???) but I'd listen again. Favorite Tracks: The Age of Pamparius (I love that this rocker is about a pizzeria: "Gonna bake a motherfucking pizza tonight"), Get It On, Zillion Dollar Sadist, Prince of the Rodeo. Award for best song title of the 1001 albums so far: Don't Say Motherfucker, Motherfucker, closely followed by Rendezvous with Anus.

Electric

The Cult

2/5

Wow, this is super generic hard rock with nearly every hard rock cliche present and accounted for. Love Removal Machine sounds like a ripoff of Start Me Up. And how did they manage to make a boring version of Born to be Wild? A few tracks had moments I liked but then also had moments of pure cheese, so take my "favorite tracks" with a grain of salt. Favorite tracks: Peace Dog, King Contrary Man, Memphis Hip Shake.

At Folsom Prison

Johnny Cash

4/5

This belongs on the list for its historical significance alone. I'm not a country fan, but I always appreciate Johnny. He sounds great on this album and the band is on point. There's also a surprising amount of humor in the songs and Johnny's comments. Well worth hearing. Removing one point solely for the fact that country music is so formulaic, but I'd definitely listen again. Favorite tracks: Folsom Prison Blues, 25 Minutes to Go, Orange Blossom Special, Jackson (liked the duet with his wife).

Lust For Life

Iggy Pop

4/5

Classic opening drum beat (see also Are You Gonna Be My Girl and You Can't Hurry Love), followed by solid songs throughout. Impressive that this was written, recorded, and mixed in only eight days. Favorite tracks: Lust for Life (upbeat song about drug use), Sixteen (rocking song about paedophilia), Tonight (nice song about drug overdose), Success (wait, this song isn't about drugs or paedophilia? Loved hearing Bowie's "Oh, shit!" at the end), Fall in Love With Me (good groove, no obvious drug references, but refers to the subject of the song as looking "young" a few too many times for comfort).

Arular

M.I.A.

4/5

Liked this more than I expected I would. Lots of good grooves and I like her singing/rapping style. Very creative and unique, with challenging lyrics. Favorite tracks: Bucky Done Gun, Fire Fire, Amazon, Bingo, 10 Dollar (difficult lyrics about prostitution though). Definitely interested in hearing more of her stuff.

Kala

M.I.A.

4/5

Once again, the 1001 Editors removed an album by a modern artist in lieu of a more recent album. In this case, they removed her debut, Arular, and replaced it with this second album, Kala. I liked Arular more - it resonated with me more than this album and had a much harder edge, which I suppose is consistent with M.I.A.'s view that Arular was a more masculine album and Kala was more feminine (Arular named after her father and Kala named after her mother). On the plus side, I preferred the more organic drums on this album. And of course Paper Planes is super catchy (when I heard Arular I had no idea this was her song even though I'd heard it before). I'd probably give this album a 3.5. Since I went with a 4 for Arular, I feel like I should go with a 3 for this one (particularly for having auto-tune in 20 Dollar - auto-tune is almost always an automatic one point reduction for me - but the lyrics are powerful and MAYBE including lyrics from Where Is My Mind gets the point back?). I'll go with the 4 because I continue to dig her style. Favorite Tracks - Bird Flu (love the drums), Boyz, Mango Pickle Down River (fun song with a cool groove), Come Around (I could do without the Timbaland spot, but the rest is very cool).

Scissor Sisters

3/5

Ok, Elton John is not dead, but was he reincarnated as Jake Shears? (e.g., Take Your Mama). It wasn't bad, but wasn't really a standout. And who thought to make a disco version of Comfortably Numb? Can't say I'm a fan, but hey. Tracks I liked: Take Your Mama (go Elton!), Lovers in the Backseat, Return to Oz.

Dirt

Alice In Chains

5/5

Heroin addiction in musical form. Always been a fan of this album (and their self-titled album, which isn't on the 1001 but is fantastic - much of it is darker than Dirt, which is saying something). AiC has such a unique, dark, ass-kicking sound...Jerry Cantrell's multi-layered guitars (the word sludge always comes to mind, but in a good way), Layne Staley's cutting vocals (RIP) and their haunting harmonies. Combined with the dark lyrics about pain, drug abuse - well, it definitely requires the right mood to listen, but it always blows me away. Hard to pick favorites on this album. I'll go with Dem Bones (hard hitting from the get go), Rain When I Die, Down in a Hole, Rooster (such powerful lyrics - didn't know it was about Jerry's dad's experience in Vietnam. Jerry said that before then his dad never talked about Vietnam, but his dad raised his hat and cried the first time he saw the band perform it - powerful story and a powerful video, too), Dirt (dark and sludgy), Hate to Feel, Angry Chair (these last two are both by Staley and have awesome, unusual vocal lines - and so freakin' dark), Would (love the bass line). Yeah, I just named more than half the songs. And the rest are great too. Easy 5.

New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)

Simple Minds

4/5

I like Don't You Forget About Me as much as the next kid who grew up in the 80s, but TIL it wasn't even written by Simple Minds - it was written specifically for The Breakfast Club and Simple Minds reluctantly agreed to record it after Bryan Ferry and Billy Idol each declined (apparently Simple Minds have Chrissie Hynde to thank for pushing then husband Jim Kerr to record it - it ended up being their biggest hit). That said, they made it their own, because it has a similar sound to the songs on this album (probably at bare minimum due to Kerr's very distinctive voice). I liked this album, particularly the bass playing. The recording quality is excellent (turn it up - the sonic quality really comes through when played loud), but the music is definitely VERY 80s. Regardless, solid album worth listening to. Favorite Tracks: Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel, Big Sleep, New Gold Dream, King is White and in the Crowd.

90

808 State

3/5

"A pioneer of the acid house sound." I'm sure this is great to hear in a club, and I'll give them credit for not having any sounds I dislike (which I can't say for a lot of these types of albums), but it's nothing more than a background bop to me. Cobra Bora caught my attention, so I'll call that a favorite track. Moving on.

Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Lucinda Williams

3/5

The song title "2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten" reminds me of the Weird Al line from Word Crimes: "You should never write words using numbers, unless you're seven, or your name is Prince." I'd describe the overall album as slacker country/blues. Not bad, but nothing I'd seek out again. Favorite tracks: Drunken Angel (reminds me of Tom Petty), Can't Let Go (fun track).

Future Days

Can

4/5

Their 1971 double album Tago Mago was so disappointing to me - the first album had some excellent spacey krautrock, but the second album was abysmal, so much so that I gave the whole thing a 2. At the time, a friend told me I was much more likely to enjoy Future Days. He was definitely right. Spacey, improvisatory, but very compelling. Can't go with a 5 due to a bit too much weirdness - in particular, Damo Suzuki's vocals seem almost completely unnecessary - buried in the mix and a little rambling. But definitely a 4 - I can see coming back to this again (great both for focused listening and background music). Each track is great for different reasons - Future days is both spacey and chill. Spray has a groovy opening instrumental and has a good vibe throughout. Moonshake has a great funky vibe. Bel Air is a tour de force - love the bass, lots of great moments, never gets boring, even though it's 20 minutes long. Good stuff.

Stephen Stills

4/5

A good album, but kind of uneven. Side 1 is excellent and starts with the classic "Love the One You're With" (TIL the famous lyric came from something Billy Preston liked to say). Do For the Others is a nice chill song with a great interplay of acoustic guitar and an interesting vocal line. This is followed by the gospel-y Church (Part of Someone) which sounds like it should have been sung by Ray Charles. Old Times Good Times has Jimi Hendrix on guitar in one of his last recordings. Has a great jam at the end that ends too quickly, unlike the next song, Go Back Home w/ Eric Clapton which drags a little prior to the ok jam at the end. Side 2 is a lot weaker than Side 1. Sit Yourself Down and To a Flame are both basic easy listening. Black Queen is a great acoustic blues track, but it's a little awkward to hear a white guy singing "Black queen, where's your black man?" Cherokee sounds like it should be the theme for a 70s TV show. Very dated, and has a strangely abrupt ending that segues immediately into We Are Not Helpless, which starts off as an easy listening anthem, transitions into a motown section a little over 2 minutes in, and then has kind of a gospely anthemic ending. The album is decent, but stylistically all over the place. I think I'd give it a 3.5 given the chance, but I'll round it up to a 4 on the strength of Side 1.

Hot Buttered Soul

Isaac Hayes

4/5

Trivia of the day - I didn't know Isaac Hayes wrote "Soul Man" (with writing partner David Porter - the two were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005). Originally recorded by Sam Moore and Dave Prater (Sam & Dave), with Booker T. and the M.G.'s as the house band (and Isaac Hayes on organ). That was fun to learn. Ok, re: Hot Buttered Soul - Hayes has an amazing distinctive voice. Latter day music listeners mostly know him as Chef from South Park, but he had an amazing musical career (look it up). Side 1 of this album is outstanding. Love the groove on Walk on By (which has been sampled a gazillion times for good reason). Hyperbolicsyll...um, not going to type that out...is very cool, with a great jam. Side 2 brings things down a little for me. You still get Hayes' amazing singing, but One Woman is a pretty basic track and By the Time I Get to Phoenix goes on forever. Unfortunately, Side 2 brings my overall score for the album down, but there's no denying Isaac Hayes was the essence of cool and an amazing singer. RIP.

Black Holes and Revelations

Muse

4/5

I liked this album, but it gave me a lot of "this sounds like something else" vibes. I heard echoes of Radiohead (singing in Take a Bow and Soldier's Poem) and Elbow (at 3:15 of Take a Bow). Starlight absolutely sounds like The Killers. Hoodoo gave off Queen vibes, even if it didn't exactly sound like Queen. The opening arpeggios in Soldier's Poem made me think of Everybody Hurts by R.E.M. Sure, it changed away from that quickly, but there were a lot of points where I said "they sound like X." But the vibe that hit me a lot was Imagine Dragons. Sure, I know Imagine Dragons came later (and say they were influenced by Muse), but I was having a hard time putting my finger on why they made me think of them. My teenage daughter helped me figure it out - she agreed that they have an Imagine Dragons vibe and then said, "they're both rock music for people who don't like rock." I don't know if that's entirely fair, but I laughed. She went on to firmly state that Muse is much better than Imagine Dragons, but I still got a kick out of that explanation. Anyway, I enjoyed the music despite the nagging feeling that they often sounded like someone else. Lots of really cool moments. I'd listen again, and I do like rock, thank you very much. Favorite tracks: Starlight, Supermassive Black Hole, Invincible, Assassin, Exo-Politics.

Murmur

R.E.M.

3/5

Boat transistor on the combine Free washer on the sign Left on might go fly Wheat mango gone bye Yes, that makes as much sense as the lyrics on the album. Also, almost every song follows the exact same pattern - a jangly guitar line, driving bass line, straighforward drums, Michael Stipe singing nonsense, verse chorus verse chorus. It's also interesting and a little lame that you hear all elements of R.E.M. on this debut album. In other words, they don't evolve much (although their sound does get richer on Automatic for the People). I generally like their sound, but their albums are almost interchangeable to me. Favorite tracks: Radio Free Europe, Talk About the Passion, Moral Kiosk, West of the Fields.

Phaedra

Tangerine Dream

3/5

I can appreciate that they were pioneers (and influenced Steven Wilson, one of my favorite artists), but it's honestly pure background music that doesn't go anywhere.

Catch A Fire

Bob Marley & The Wailers

4/5

I like that one song, where they play that reggae beat? Ok, so I really liked Exodus and was pleasantly surprised at the variety in the music, after expecting an album of the same reggae beat throughout. Well, this album unfortunately met my expectations of every song sounding similar. It's not a bad sound - these songs are all really good and the band sounds great (especially the guitars). But a full album of similar sounding songs is always a minimum of one star off for me. Concrete Jungle was probably the most unique, particularly the first 30 seconds, but then went into basic reggae (with some really good guitar soloing). No More Trouble teased a non-reggae beat for almost one whole minute! Favorite Tracks: Concrete Jungle, Slave Driver, 400 Years.

Hard Again

Muddy Waters

5/5

I thought I was going to be bored with a basic blues album, but this album kicks ass! It's like the best night at a bar you've ever had. The whole band is on fire (and James Cotton blows the top off the room every time he does a harmonica solo) and the whole thing has a surprisingly hard edge. That said, there's also a surprising amount of joy in the music. Couldn't help but bop along and smile the whole time. Great stuff. Favorite tracks - Mannish Boy, I Want to Be Loved, I Can't Be Satisfied, The Blues Had a Baby.

Coat Of Many Colors

Dolly Parton

4/5

I'm not a country fan, but I can appreciate how good this album is. I never listened closely to her singing in the past - really just knew the hits like 9 to 5 - she has so much more emotion in her singing than I realized. In the past, I probably would have characterized her voice as cheesy but on this album her singing is beautiful. Beyond that, the band is on point, and the music and lyrics are stirring. I can't give it a 5 because it's still mostly straightforward country (with a few exceptions - Early Morning Breeze is more folk than country. The Way I See You is kind of schmaltzy). That said, it's clearly a great album. Favorite tracks: Coat of Many Colors (by far my favorite), My Blue Tears, If I Lose My Mind, She Never Met a Man (She Didn't Like), Early Morning Breeze.

Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

TV On The Radio

4/5

Millennial hipster music but I kinda dig it. One of the two singers is a little whiney (particularly prominent right out of the gate on The Wrong Way), but overall there's a cool vibe through most of the songs. Main criticism is it suffers from the same thing as a lot of the genre - each song is a really cool riff or beat that they just extend into song length. Yeah, the riffs are cool and they build and sometimes ebb, but learn how to write a bridge or a chorus or something - just have the song go somewhere new once in a while! I liked the a capella approach in Ambulance, although it went a little long. Relatedly, the album has a demo of Staring at the Sun that's also a capella. I wonder if that's their writing approach and on Ambulance they just decided to keep it that way? Interesting approach if that's true. Favorite tracks: Staring at the Sun, Don't Love You, Wear You Out.

...Baby One More Time

Britney Spears

2/5

I've tried to be open-minded in this whole 1001 thing. That was rewarded with discovering that pop artists like Madonna and Christina Aguilera weren't as bad as I thought. But this one - yeah, it's as bad as I thought. Her singing style makes me cringe - she sounds like she's trying to be sexy, but just...no. The music is cheesy formulaic pop. Absolutely soulless. Yeah, this is awful. So why a 2 rather than a 1? To me, a 1 is absolutely unlistenable. I don't like this, but I could tolerate it (and even had to admit some of the simple, formulaic songs are earworms). So, a 2 feels more appropriate. But barely. Tracks that had some redeeming value: Soda Pop, Born to Make You Happy.

The Gilded Palace Of Sin

The Flying Burrito Brothers

3/5

You can call it "country rock" all you want - it's country. Not bad, just not my thing. Maybe the two Hot Burrito songs were more rock than country, but still not my thing. Favorite tracks: Christine's Tune, Dark End of the Street, My Uncle.

Juju

Siouxsie And The Banshees

5/5

I knew Peekaboo, but never heard anything else by them. I definitely missed out - this album rocks and you can hear how it influenced a lot of 1980s (and later) alternative rock. The only track I could have done without was Voodoo Dolly - a very weird way to end such a cool album, but didn't detract enough for me to deduct a point. The rest of the album is just plain awesome - layers of dark coolness overlaid with Siouxsie's unique, powerful voice. Favorite tracks: Spellbound, Arabian Knights, Monitor, Night Shift.

Shleep

Robert Wyatt

4/5

I dig Robert Wyatt, even though he's a little weird. I think they would have been fine only including Rock Bottom in the 1001, but I definitely enjoyed this album. A lot of it has a haunting ethereal sound, with occasional bops. Excellent musicianship throughout. I'll call it a 4 - a little too weird to be a 5. Favorite tracks: Heaps of Sheeps (a surprisingly good bop with amusing lyrics), Maryan, Free Will and Testament, Alien, A Sunday in Madrid, Blues in Bob Minor.

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

5/5

Bob's Big Breakthrough. Blowin' in the Wind and A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall are absolute classics, deservedly so. Easily two of his best ever. Other songs I really liked included Girl from the North Country and Masters of War. A lot of the songs sound repetitive, but Bob's lyrics usually save the day. In fact, Masters of War is 100% just a repetitive riff, but the lyrics are so stirring it's easy to ignore the repetitive nature of the song. Some of the lyrics are also surprisingly humorous - I always thought he was way too serious, but songs like Talkin' World War III Blues and I Shall Be Free show he's got a sense of humor. Of course, that's more than balanced by powerful lyrics like all the previous mentioned songs (plus Oxford Town). I also liked Corrina, Corrina, possibly just for the fact that it sounded different. I'd call the album a 4.5, dinging it a little for the repetitive sound, but I'll round up for the historical significance.

A Walk Across The Rooftops

The Blue Nile

4/5

I like the overall vibe - the album is probably perfect for a rainy afternoon, but I'm going to stop at a 4 because I think it needs the right mood to enjoy fully.

Take Me Apart

Kelela

2/5

Super generic. Autotune is an automatic -1 for me. Outside of autotune, the album is not bad, but not memorable. Tracks that caught my ear in a good way: Frontline (had me hoping for a good album, but then it turned pretty generic), Better, LMK (decent, but again pretty generic). Track that caught my ear in a bad way: Blue Light - autotune must die. Next.

Chelsea Girl

Nico

1/5

Holy crap, she's a horrible singer. Note to Andy Warhol, Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, and Jackson Browne: you can't hear good looks. I might have given this a 2 because the underlying music was often pleasant enough but then I had to sit through "It Was a Pleasure Then" which reminds me why I dislike the Velvet Underground so vehemently. Feedback, awful guitar playing...yup, it's the Velvet Underground. This is one of the few albums that made me regret my commitment to listening to every album at least two times. Awful.

London Calling

The Clash

5/5

This is one of those albums that's always in the list of top albums of all time and I admit I never listened to it before. I knew some individual tracks, like London Calling, Spanish Bombs, and Train in Vain. I didn't even realize the last one was by the Clash, let alone on this album. My first reaction to seeing that this was a double album was - ooh, a double album from a punk band? That's going to be a little much. But, man, did it grow on me. This really is a great album, and is definitely more than simple punk. Definitely deserving of all the accolades. Favorite tracks - Pretty much all of them are great, so I'll just list the ones that really stood out when I listened: London Calling, Brand New Cadillac, Rudie Can't Fail, Spanish Bombs, Lost in the Supermarket, The Guns of Brixton, Wrong 'Em Boyo, Revolution Rock, Train in Vain. Yeah, that's pretty much a full album worth of songs. I've been listening to this album over and over for days, and don't want to move on yet. Sounds like a 5 to me.

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

OutKast

3/5

Way too long, but I decided to consider this as two separate albums, which is really what it is. Big Boi's Speakerboxxx is a funky groove but like a lot of rap the lyrics are definitely not for me. I'd probably give it a 4. Andre 3000's The Love Below was ok but didn't draw me in as much. I got pretty bored with it after a while. I'll give it a generous 3. So, 3.5 average, which I'm going to pull down to a 3 for just being too damn long. Favorite tracks: GhettoMusick, The Rooster, My Favorite Things (high point on the second album for me).

I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

Sinead O'Connor

5/5

Really enjoyed this album. She had an amazing voice and the songs are excellent. Nothing Compares 2 U is completely worthy of all the accolades. When it first came out, I felt it was ridiculously overplayed on MTV, but many years later (and many years wiser) I gave it a closer listen and realized how powerful and emotional it is. Still think so today. Probably the only misstep of the album is the cheesy fake gunshot sound and revved-up beat that starts off Jump in the River immediately after the amazing mood of NC2U. It's like getting ice water dumped on you. Beyond that, though, it's a great album. Easy 5.

...The Dandy Warhols Come Down

The Dandy Warhols

4/5

A bit derivative, but fun to listen to. Cool to see that they opened for Bowie on his Reality tour. Favorite tracks: Be-In, Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth, Every Day Should Be a Holiday.

The Seldom Seen Kid

Elbow

5/5

I was already a big fan of this album. I know some listeners get tired of all the UK band bias on the list, but this one is worth it. To me Elbow is what Radiohead would be if they didn't get weird and what Coldplay would be if they were actually good (yeah, I said it). And this is my favorite Elbow album, so good pick. Favorite tracks: Starlings, Mirrorball ("We kissed like we invented it" - great line), Grounds for Divorce, An Audience with the Pope, One Day Like This (the anthemic ending always puts me in a good mood). Easy 5 for me.

Playing With Fire

Spacemen 3

2/5

Suicide was 10+ minutes of f'ing aural torture. The only reason this album doesn't get a 1 based on that track alone was because I liked the vibe of the other songs (particularly Come Down Softly to My Soul and Let Me Down Gently), even if each song was basically one riff repeated over and over. Next.

Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches

Happy Mondays

4/5

Need to start by complaining about the fact that there are two Happy Mondays albums on this list (at the same time - this isn't a case of removing one and replacing it). When I got "Bummed" I complained that they reminded me of James who don't have an album on the list (even though Happy Mondays opened for them!). Also, the lyrics on Bummed were so crass I took a point away from my rating. The good news is that this album is much better, sounds more unique, and the lyrics aren't so crass (except Bob's Yer Uncle <insert eye roll emoji>). I still question why this band needed two albums on the list, but this album was a fun listen and the lyrics didn't detract this time. If the editors ever revise the 1001 going back further than the last 10 - 20 years they should remove Bummed and keep this album. I'd listen again, so that's a 4 for me. Favorite tracks: Kinky Afro (reminded me a bit of The The), Donovan (do I hear an 80s King Crimson-type guitar line? Noice), Loose Fit, Step On (cover of "He's Gonna Step On You Again" by John Kongos - 1971 - the original is pretty cool. Check it out).

Blue

Joni Mitchell

5/5

It sometimes takes me a moment to get past the way she jumps up and down the scale in her singing, but once I get past that it's clear as day what a beautiful voice she has and how outstanding her songwriting is. There are so many albums in the 1001 that reward a close listen. I was a little dismissive in my first listen, but when I focused on listen two, following the lyrics, I was blown away by this album and understood all the accolades. Great musicianship (guitars, piano, singing), great songwriting, powerful lyrics, beautiful voice. Favorite tracks: Little Green (about the baby she gave up for adoption and didn't see again until 1997 - crushing lyrics), Blue, California (fun fact - Going to California by Led Zeppelin references Joni Mitchell: "To find a queen without a king / They say she plays guitar and cries and sings"), This Flight Tonight (really like the guitar on this song), River (the nicest song to ever feature Jingle Bells), The Last Time I Saw Richard ("All romantics meet the same fate someday" - great line). Definite 5.

Mott

Mott The Hoople

4/5

I like their style, but admittedly they sound pretty dated and repetitive. I'll give them an extra star for simply having a style I like, which means I'd listen again, but don't know if I needed a full album to get a sense of that style. Favorite tracks: All the Way from Memphis (minus the racial slur that they would later remove live), Whizz Kid, Violence, I Wish I Was Your Mother.

Pieces Of The Sky

Emmylou Harris

3/5

Country. Favorite tracks: Too Far Gone, Boulder to Birmingham.

Liege And Lief

Fairport Convention

4/5

They sound a bit like a band you'd hear playing at a county fair, but this is where I guess you need to know that they were groundbreaking at the time. Either way, I really enjoyed this album. Sandy Denny has a great voice, the band is on point, and the songs were very engaging (and often surprisingly dark). Plus kudos to the recording quality for the late 60s. Would definitely revisit. Favorite tracks: Reynardine (captivating), Farewell, Farewell, Tam Lin, Crazy Man Michael.

Giant Steps

The Boo Radleys

1/5

Shoegaze slacker singer, noisy guitars - these are some of my least favorite things. Singer doesn't put an ounce of effort into singing. Every time I started to think I liked a song, they ruined it with feedback and noisy, often sloppy guitar playing. Big no from me on this one. Least annoying tracks: Best Lose the Fear, Lazarus.

Midnight Ride

Paul Revere & The Raiders

3/5

This feels like an album you need to hear mainly because they were big in the 60s - but I don't think they've achieved the timeless status of other bands from that era. You can hear the proto-punk sound here, but the Kinks did it better. There were definitely some good tracks, but it seems a bit like they were a "you had to be there" kind of band. Favorite tracks: Kicks, There's Always Tomorrow, I'm Not Your Stepping Stone, Get It On.

Lazer Guided Melodies

Spiritualized

4/5

I got worried when I looked into this band and saw it was most of the members of Spacemen 3 who I really disliked. Looks like the problem in Spacemen 3 wasn't Jason Pierce (the main guy here in Spiritualized). I'd still like to see the songs develop more, instead of often just one theme ebbing and flowing, and would like a little more energy behind the vocals, but otherwise I enjoyed this album. The first couple of tracks got me worried I was going to dislike the shoegaze lack of energy, but If I Were With Her Now started pretty cool. I was very surprised by I Want You - almost sounded like U2. Run picked things up even more. Then they get pretty ambient starting with Step Into the Breeze, but it was enjoyable. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised.

Space Ritual

Hawkwind

4/5

On the one hand, "you had to be there" and "you had to be on drugs." Lots of truly weird moments and waaay too long. On the other hand, this album rocks. Surprisingly heavy, driving tracks throughout. Can't help but bang your head along to the beat. Not an album I'd focus on for two hours again, but would probably put on just to get a good heavy groove going. Favorite tracks: Born to Go, Lord of Light (particularly the part with the bass groove and sax interplay), Upside Down, Time We Left this World Today.

My Generation

The Who

5/5

Great debut album. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised at the couple of straightforward R&B tracks (including covers of James Brown and Bo Diddley) considering they were billed as "MAXIMUM R&B" but when The Good's Gone started my thought was "Ok, THIS is the Who!" Certainly a much more original debut than the Rolling Stones, who covered a bunch of rock & roll standards on their debut that weren't better than the originals, just faster (and whiter, unfortunately). But The Who were The Who from their debut, even if they evolved and became even better on later albums. Entwistle's thundering bass, Moon's frenetic drumming, Townshend's fantastic guitar work (and writing), and Daltrey's powerful vocals (often with Townshend's harmonies). Let's give credit also to Nicky Hopkins on piano. A legendary band right out of the gate. Favorite tracks: My Generation (The Who ANTHEM and a stone cold classic, with every element of The Who - Entwistle's bass solo is awesome), The Good's Gone, The Kids are Alright, The Ox (did anyone else rock this hard in 1965??). Easy 5.

Pink Moon

Nick Drake

5/5

Such tragedy. The final of his three albums, with all three on the 1001. With the exception of a piano overdub in the track Pink Moon, entirely consists of his outstanding acoustic guitar playing and his plaintive voice. The production quality makes you feel like you're sitting right next to him as he recorded on those two late nights (crazy that this masterpiece was recorded in two late-night sessions). An absolutely captivating album. Favorite tracks: Pink Moon (beautiful iconic track), Road (love the guitar line), Which Will (made me pull out my acoustic guitar and look up the tab), Horn (simple yet beautiful instrumental interlude), Things Behind the Sun (again, the guitar part is fantastic - listen to the clarity of his playing...absolutely beautiful), Parasite (love the chord progression), From the Morning (surprisingly upbeat and hopeful final song of his final album). Perfect melancholic masterpiece.

The Rise & Fall

Madness

3/5

My reaction to each song - "this is ok." That pretty much sums up the album. A lot of tracks sounded almost like a soundtrack for Halloween (e.g., Tomorrow's Just Another Day and Mr. Speaker Gets the Word. Favorite tracks: Our House (mainly because I know it), Tomorrow's Just Another Day, Blue Skinned Beast.

The Downward Spiral

Nine Inch Nails

5/5

Dark, industrial, powerful, disturbing, groundbreaking. A shame this is the only NIN album in the 1001. While this is NIN's breakthrough album, The Fragile is their (his, really) masterpiece. I'm also a big fan of Year Zero - I wouldn't say it needs to be on the 1001, but it's a great album. Guess the authors needed more room for additional Leonard Cohen albums (insert eye roll emoji). The production style was so new and unique and often imitated afterwards. A great album, but certainly not an easy listen with all of its disturbing imagery. Easy 5. Favorite tracks: Mr. Self Destruct (massive aggression right from track 1), Piggy (love the live version on And All That Could Have Been), Heresy, March of the Pigs, Closer (amazing track - amazing even moreso that it was a huge hit), Ruiner (hmm, I seem to be naming all the songs), The Becoming, Big Man with a Gun, A Warm Place (shades of the instrumentals on David Bowie's Low), Eraser (very dark), Reptile (dark and sludgy), Hurt (supplanted in greatness by Johnny Cash's version, but this one is still amazing, particularly how quiet it is compared to much of the album).

Either Or

Elliott Smith

3/5

Over the years, several people have tried to get me to like Elliott Smith, most recently my teenage daughter. Lately I've taken to saying to her, "Stop trying to make Elliott Smith a thing!" Well, I tried to give this album a fair chance and what it primarily did was cement my prior perceptions. First, let's start with his whispery singing style. I think that's one of the big barriers to me enjoying it - I think his singing is just not that engaging. Then there's the somewhat amateurish recording style. Some view it as immediacy - we just had Nick Drake's Pink Moon, which sounded like you were sitting right next to him, but Drake's songwriting (and singing) were just so much more engaging than Smith. The drums have a very acoustic, non-processed sound, which could be good, but adds to the amateurish sound of the album. It would also be nice if he'd vary the tempo once in a while. I swear almost every song has the exact same tempo. Basically left me very bored. Positives: Decent lyrics through most of the tracks and I appreciate his guitar playing. Favorite Tracks: Alameda, Pictures of Me (Beatles-ish - genius.com says more Zombies-ish. Either way, 60s Brit sound), No Name No. 5 (dragged a little in the beginning, but I really like the open tuning chords, and picks up energy at around 2 minutes), Rose Parade (the first song that didn't have whispery singing), Cupid's Trick (pretty much the only rocking song on the album). After I told my daughter I was going to give this album a 3, she first called me an "opp" and then said "you would probably like XO better." I decided I should give it a chance - the girl has been very open minded re: music I like, so much so that she's apparently now a Rush fan and was blown away by seeing BEAT (King Crimson) in concert. So, I figured I should give it a chance since she recommended it (and it's not in the 1001). The recording quality and the songwriting are so much better than Either/Or. More varied styles (and instrumentation), better vocal quality (less whispery, although certainly similar). Favorite tracks: Sweet Adeline (opening track and my reaction was this song is better than pretty much anything on Either/Or), Waltz #2 (excellent song with powerful lyrics and a driving rhythm), Baby Britain (fun sounding song w/ shades of Penny Lane and good lyrics), Waltz #1 (I like the vibe), Amity, A Question Mark, Everybody Cares Everybody Understands (particularly the powerful ending). I'd give XO a 4, so too bad it's not in the 1001.

Another Music In A Different Kitchen

Buzzcocks

4/5

Punk with some inventive guitar riffs/chord progressions. Strong rhythm section, too. The singer is pretty typical punk, but I probably have causality reversed - looks like Pete Shelley influenced a lot of punk bands with his style. Overall, it's a rocking album. Favorite tracks: Fast Cars (good rocking opener, although somewhat silly lyrics), I Don't Mind (sounds a little glam), Fiction Romance (liked the driving beat on this one), Autonomy (almost New Wave?).

Songs From A Room

Leonard Cohen

2/5

I'm trying to decide if Leonard Cohen is the most ridiculous example of an artist with multiple albums (5!!!) that shouldn't have multiple albums in the 1001. If you're David Bowie or the Beatles, both of whom evolve significantly from album to album, you get multiple albums. Pink Floyd deserves multiple albums because they are so varied. Led Zeppelin and Stevie Wonder get multiple because they have multiple iconic albums. Leonard Cohen is none of the above. Probably one of the biggest mistakes of the book. Anyway, rant over. To review the album - the only other one I've reviewed so far was Songs of Love and Hate, where I definitely felt more hate than love. This album has a fair amount of the same problem - rambling, drawn out songs, with pretentious lyrics. One big difference is that he doesn't have quite the depth and weight to his voice that he had on Songs of Love and Hate only two years later, except for a couple of tracks (e.g., The Partisan, You Know Who I Am). Occasionally he made me think of a less weird sounding Bob Dylan (e.g., The Old Revolution), but Bob's lyrics connect with me more than Leonard's. I gave Songs of Love and Hate a 2...I'd say this one is a 2.5 because it had a little more energy and variety, but I can't bring myself to round up. Songs I liked: A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes, The Partisan (about the French Resistance during WWII - I particularly liked this track and the French part is very stirring), Seems So Long Ago Nancy (typically long and rambling, but powerful lyrics). Songs where Leonard needs to settle down: You Know Who I Am (although I do like the vibe of this song), Tonight Will be Fine (which would sound better if it was Johnny Cash singing).

It's Blitz!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

4/5

Fun album. Music has a very cool vibe and Karen O has a great voice and style...reminds me a bit of Siouxsie. Would definitely revisit. One weird moment was how quiet Heads Will Roll was compared to Zero. Very strange choice, or maybe something's wrong with Apple Music... Favorite tracks: Zero (great driving beat), Dull Life, Shame and Fortune, Runaway, Dragon Queen.

Five Leaves Left

Nick Drake

5/5

All three studio albums released during his lifetime are on the 1001, all three are 5's for me. Pink Moon is definitely my favorite by far, but I could listen to all three albums over and over. This is his debut album and it's amazing how fully realized his sound is right from the start. While I love the sparseness of Pink Moon, the additional musicians on this album give it a unique character. River Man is the outstanding track here - the strings are just plain gorgeous. But, above all is Nick Drake's plaintive voice and interesting guitar patterns. He's the archetype for depressed singer-songwriters for decades to come, but words like beautiful and gorgeous describe his music in ways many other songwriters never achieve. Other favorites include Three Hours, Day Is Done, 'Cello Song (love this song - excellent fingerpicking guitar, awesome cello, upright bass, and congas, great lyrics - "And if one day you should see me in the crowd / Lend a hand and lift me to your place in the cloud"), Man in a Shed (nice jazzy track).

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Ice Cube

5/5

Amazing flow, awesome beats, rough lyrics. There were points I laughed out loud where I felt really bad for laughing (esp. You Can't Fade Me). But that's also one of the things that makes this album great - Ice Cube is genuinely funny when rapping about serious topics (police brutality, white supremacy, jail, gun violence - "Outside the South Central area...Few cared about the violence because... it didn't affect them." - teenage pregnancy, etc.). Plus, the album just rocks - it was a great listen in my headphones while rocking out cleaning my office. As I say with a lot of rap - THIS IS NOT WRITTEN FOR ME - so I'd never listen to it out loud where anyone else could hear. But I can't deny this is probably one of the best rap albums I've listened to on the 1001 so far and that's why I'm going with the 5.

Rattus Norvegicus

The Stranglers

3/5

Really dated, but not bad. I'd almost call it prog punk. Probably didn't need to hear it before I die and doubt I'll revisit. Moving on. Favorite Tracks: Hanging Around, Down in the Sewer (this was the one that made me think "prog punk").

Aqualung

Jethro Tull

5/5

The album starts with a one-two punch of classics. First the title song - that opening riff is iconic and the song is so powerful. Then Cross-Eyed Mary is also a classic, but the lyrics are seriously messed up. In fact, Ian Anderson is entirely too comfortable with singing about "school girls" (see also Mother Goose). Regardless, he was a cool riff writing machine on this album (Aqualung, Cross-Eyed Mary, Up To Me, My God, Hymn 43, Locomotive Breath) and is one of the few people on earth who truly rocks on flute (check out the solo in My God. So good). The acoustic tracks are nice as well. Probably the only "miss" on the album is the final track, Wind-Up, which just sounds kind of cliche (both music and lyrics). But, overall a great album, with some outstanding musicianship (Martin Barre kills it on guitar, and John Evan's piano intro to Locomotive Breath is fantastic). Favorite tracks: Aqualung, Cross-Eyed Mary (despite the lyrics), Up to Me, My God, Hymn 43, Locomotive Breath (in other words, all the songs with awesome riffs).

Purple Rain

Prince

5/5

I'm going to use this review as an opportunity to flex...I was at Super Bowl XLI when Prince performed Purple Rain in the pouring rain. It was an amazing experience and absolutely colors how I review this album. Core memory unlocked, so just hearing the title track makes me want to give this album a 5. Trying to look at it objectively, this album is the epitome of 80s production. It would be great to hear these songs re-recorded with more modern production, but the bones of the songs are all outstanding so let's put that aside. Prince's talent shines through on every track, including singing, songwriting, and of course guitar playing. I want to ding the rating slightly for the oh-so-80s sound, but that just feels wrong. 5 it is. Favorite tracks: Let's Go Crazy (great sound, 80s or not), Take Me With U (very 80s, but good driving track), When Doves Cry (classic), I Would Die 4 U, and, of course, Purple Rain, Purple Rain (gotta say it twice). RIP Prince.

Cupid & Psyche 85

Scritti Politti

3/5

Super 80s cheesy synth pop. I admit it grew on me after a couple of listens, but I don't think I will revisit. Favorite tracks: Small Talk, Absolute. Liked the end of A Little Knowledge. Wood Beez kind of grew on me.

Hearts And Bones

Paul Simon

5/5

Long-time fan of this underrated album. It's interesting that you can hear the transition from his 70s style (e.g., heavy use of the Fender Rhodes on songs like Train in the Distance) to his 80s world music style (e.g., use of marimba on Think Too Much (b). Even though version "a" is Paul Simon with Chic it also has more of that Graceland sound. Even the outro to Train in the Distance has vocals that make me think of his 80s world music style. Cars are Cars also). Then there are songs that are just beautiful and uniquely timeless like Hearts and Bones (about his relationship with Carrie Fisher), Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War (a surrealistic song written about a photograph of surrealist Magritte and his wife), and The Late Great Johnny Ace (about John Lennon's murder). Let's talk about that last one - I remember when Paul Simon debuted it during the Concert in Central Park and a crazy person ran on stage yelling "I need to talk to you!" just after Simon sang "A stranger came up and asked me if I'd heard John Lennon had died." That was an eerie moment. It's a captivating sad song, which ends with a gorgeous coda by Philip Glass. I've always loved this album and always will.

Toys In The Attic

Aerosmith

5/5

Rocking album. Even though some of it comes close to formulaic hard rock, they were ahead of the curve and also have a very unique sound - you hear a song and you know it's Aerosmith (and not just because of Steven Tyler's voice). So, gotta give them their due. Also, the guitar playing is outstanding, so kudos to Joe Perry (and Brad Whitford where applicable). "You See Me Crying" is a little cheesy - never really been a fan of Aerosmith's over the top ballads - but the instrumental outro is pretty good so I can say it's pretty much a great album start to finish. And, yeah, the word "sleazy" does come to mind for a lot of the lyrics, but it just rocks. If I could give Ice Cube a 5 despite the misogyny, surely I can do the same here despite the sleaze. Favorite tracks: Uncle Salty (especially the "it's a sunny day" part - cool sound), Walk This Way (which I first became familiar with through the Run-DMC version!), Sweet Emotion (classic, with those unique Aerosmith stylings), Round and Round.

British Steel

Judas Priest

4/5

RAWK. Verges towards metal cheese (including the lyrics), but manages not to go too far over that edge. Great musicianship, Halford has pipes, and every track just rocks. Good stuff. Favorite tracks: Rapid Fire, Metal Gods, Living After Midnight.

Songs From The Big Chair

Tears For Fears

5/5

Love this album! Long time fan. It was fun to put it on and listen closely again as part of the 1001. The songs are so varied yet all share great composition and production quality. Shout is an anthemic opening. Play it on 11. The Working Hour is a nice track - I hear Peter Gabriel influence, but maybe that's just me. Love the sax solo and TIL it's Mel Collins from King Crimson! Nice. Jerry Marotta was also involved in the track, so maybe that's part of the Gabriel perception I'm getting (Jerry was Gabriel's drummer on his first set of solo albums). Everybody Wants to Rule the World - classic track. Simple, yet brilliantly composed and arranged. Mothers Talk - great rocking track. I Believe - Mellow track apparently influenced by Robert Wyatt, but without Wyatt's weirdness (they also covered Wyatt's Sea Song around this time). Broken - fun track, but for me it's just a segue into my favorite track on the album: Head Over Heels. Man, that opening piano line. So good. The song is like riding a wave. Love the flanged drums on the transition to the "four-leaf clover" section. Love the la la section - so easy to get swept away singing along. For a good laugh, look up the "Head Over Heels Literal Video" on YouTube. I admit that the Literal Video lyrics live rent free in my head when I hear this song, but I still love it. Such a great song. Listen brings us to a nice mellow close. Brilliant, perfect album.

Let's Get Killed

David Holmes

4/5

I'm not a big electronica fan, but I definitely enjoyed this album. Great grooves throughout and it kept my interest. I particularly appreciated the quality of the drum programming. Would revisit. Favorite tracks: My Mate Paul (pulled me in immediately), Let's Get Killed (really liked how the rapid bass drum beat started as the voice-over said "my legs start going like this", like his legs are shaking on the bass drum. Also liked how the dark music fit the narrative), Freaknik, Caddell Returns, Don't Die Just Yet.

Queen Of Denmark

John Grant

3/5

The album is a little overly heavy on the repetitive ballad side, but I enjoyed it. I'd probably call it a 3.5, but I'll round down because I don't know if I would seek it out again. Favorite tracks: Marz, Where Dreams Go to Die ("I regret the day your lovely carcass caught my eye"??), Sigourney Weaver (shades of Freebird), Chicken Bones, Jesus Hates F**** (tough lyrics, but clever).

Foxbase Alpha

Saint Etienne

2/5

Wow, what a lame album. The only reason I'm not giving it a 1 is because it was inoffensive - there was nothing bad about listening in the background, but damn this is some soulless dance music. How can you take a song as great as "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" and make it boring?? Tracks that were ok: Spring, Stoned to Say the Least, Like the Swallow.

The United States Of America

4/5

Super dated 60s pretentious psychedelia with a fair share of cool moments to offset the 60s cliches. Was interesting to hear primarily as a historical capsule. I went back and forth between a 3 and a 4, but settled on a 4 because I kind of dig the weirdness. Favorite tracks: Cloud Song, I Won't Leave My Wooden Wife for You, Sugar (amusing track), Coming Down, Stranded in Time, The American Way of Love (except for the shrill electric violin solo - but there were some rocking moments, especially the heavy part at the start of Part III: Love is All).

Copper Blue

Sugar

4/5

Somewhat generic 90s alt rock, but I enjoyed it. Favorite tracks: A Good Idea, Hoover Dam, The Slim, Slick, Man on the Moon.

Legalize It

Peter Tosh

4/5

I don't smoke pot. This album made me want to smoke pot. Decent variety of songs, even if it's all based on the same reggae beat. At least each song has its own character and every song oozes cool. Good stuff. [lights one up]. Favorite tracks: What'cha Gonna Do, Igziabeher.

Technique

New Order

3/5

This album has a split personality. About half the tracks are dance/electronica (Fine Time, Round & Round, Mr. Disco, Vanishing Point), while the other half are typical 80s UK pop-rock band. The latter sound is a logical evolution from Joy Division to New Order, although the songs are a bit generic (and certainly not as dark as Joy Division). I think I'd give the "regular" 80s UK pop-rock band songs a 3. I find I don't like electronica/dance music so I think I'd give the dance tracks a 2 (with the exception of Vanishing Point, which is kind of in between the two genres on this album). I'll go with the 3 because I enjoyed most of the album, but don't see myself seeking it out again. Favorite tracks: All the Way, Love Less, Guilty Partner.

Elephant Mountain

The Youngbloods

3/5

While I definitely didn't need to hear this before I die, it did grow on me over multiple listens. My initial reaction was "relatively boring country-rock." Relistens revealed some good soul elements in the songs. Won't seek it out again, but it was ok. Favorite tracks: Beautiful (sort of Black Crowes-ish - yes, I know this was decades before The Black Crowes), Rain Song, Sham. Didn't like Ride the Wind, which felt like I was going to hear "Attention K-Mart shoppers" over the bland elevator music style. A real letdown because Sham was a rollicking track.

Frank

Amy Winehouse

3/5

She has a great voice, but the music and the singing style are completely derivative. The lyrics are certainly edgier than the originals the music emulates. I enjoyed most of the first half but it really lost me in the second half (after In My Bed, which I liked). Favorite Tracks: Moody's Mood for Love (very derivative, but it caught my attention), In My Bed (cool sounding track), Amy Amy Amy (catchy track, but I wonder if the teacher constantly got "Don't Stand So Close to Me" stuck in his head...).

Guero

Beck

4/5

This album is basically cool track after cool track. A lot of contemporaneous reviews compared it to Odelay, but I think this album has its own style. Probably the only "dig" on it is that Beck's slacker vocals get a little repetitive sounding. But I enjoyed the album and would definitely bop to it again. Favorite tracks: E-Pro, Hell Yes, Go It Alone, Farewell Ride, Emergency Exit.

Walking Wounded

Everything But The Girl

2/5

Boring and repetitive. Fine for background music, but even then boring. Next. Tracks that sort of caught my attention: Single (I'd almost call this a "favorite track"), Walking Wounded, Flipside.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

First, are we not going to talk about the shirt Paul Simon is wearing on the album cover? I think it was the model for Seinfeld's puffy shirt. Meanwhile Art is just sitting there in an everyday shirt. Paul just came from the Renaissance Faire and Art just got back from a stroll in Central Park. Moving on, I'm a HUGE Paul Simon fan, but even I have to admit this is an uneven album. It's got some absolute classics on it: Scarborough Fair (the guitar part and vocal harmonies are iconic, a true classic), Homeward Bound (such a great song), and The 59th Street Bridge Song (sure, it's a little cheesy, but again great guitar lines and a great vibe). A lot of the other tracks, though, are cheesy and/or seriously dated. Patterns sounds like it needs an old Western whip crack (wih-CHEW!). Almost the entire second side is dated (especially the Bob Dylan parody). I do like the 7 O'Clock News / Silent Night combo. The album is certainly a milestone album for Simon & Garfunkel, and a classic worth listening to (and I will definitely listen again), but it's a dated classic. Despite my love for Paul Simon's music, I gotta go with the 4 on this one.

Lam Toro

Baaba Maal

3/5

I enjoyed this album, even if I had no clue what he was singing. Decent variety of styles, although it was a little long. The end of Sy Sawande seemed like a perfect ending to the album...and then there were three more songs. Hamady Boiro caught my attention each time I listened so I'll call that a favorite track. I'd call the album a 3.5 but, even though I wouldn't mind listening again, I don't think I can bump it to a 4. Ready to move on.

The Coral

3/5

a·nach·ro·nism [əˈnakrəˌnizəm] noun A thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned. (I would give this a higher score if it was released in 1968 instead of 2002. Didn't dislike it - in fact, it grew on me - but the fact that it was a complete rip-off of 60s psychedelia was a little much for me).

Architecture And Morality

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

4/5

This is one of the reasons I love the 1001. It's not just "best" albums (even though this one is good), but also "important" albums if you want to understand the progress of popular music since the 1950s. If I heard this album without reading about it (or noticing that it came out in 1981), my immediate thought would be that this sounds like an imitation of a lot of more popular 80s synth pop acts. But OMD was one of the progenitors of the genre, and tons of acts cite OMD as an influence - the "Legacy and Influence" section of the band's Wikipedia page is impressive, including Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Tears for Fears, Duran Duran, and many more. OMD cited Kraftwerk as a major influence, although having listened to two of the three Kraftwerk albums on the 1001, it's clear OMD charted their own course. So, from an impact perspective alone, this album deserves respect. More importantly, it's a good album that really grew on me over multiple listens. Can't quite go with the 5, but it's a solid 4. Favorite tracks: Loved the first side (The New Stone Age through Sealand. Sealand struck me as a little weird at first, but I ended up really enjoying the atmospheric sound). The second side took longer to grow on me. Strangely, the "hits" Joan of Arc and Maid of Orleans were the last tracks to "hit" me. Really enjoyed the final track, The Beginning and the End. Would definitely revisit and dig deeper into their catalog.

The ArchAndroid

Janelle Monáe

4/5

Interesting album - it's progressive R&B! I'm not a big R&B fan, but I can appreciate the creativity on this album. Plus, there are a lot of tracks with just the kind of weirdness I like (e.g., Make the Bus, Wondaland, Mushrooms & Roses). Really liked Come Alive (especially the crazed singing towards the end). Some nice guitar solos on the album also (e.g., Neon Valley Street). BabopbyeYa provides a dramatic over the top ending. I enjoyed the album more and more each time I listened, which is always a good sign. I'll give it a 4 and would definitely revisit.

A Northern Soul

The Verve

2/5

You know what the 1001 needs? More Britpop! No, not really. I liked Urban Hymns a lot more than I expected, but this one didn't measure up (and I don't see why we needed two albums by The Verve). My main issue with this album was how lousy the guitars sounded - there's an undertone of feedback/noise in almost every song. I read that they were looking for a "raw" sound on this album but it just ends up sounding crappy. It's a shame, because the bones of the songs are good, even if a lot of the music is pretty generic 90s heavy whiny Britpop (with a lot of ballads apparently). This album just didn't do it for me and was getting more on my nerves the more I listened. Oh, well. Ok-ish tracks: This is Music, History. Liked parts of Life's an Ocean and Stormy Clouds (liked the riff on the chorus), but both tracks dragged on and the end of Stormy Clouds had more of the noises I can't stand. The final "(reprise)" track is a perfect example of what I mean in terms of noise/feedback. So done with this album. One other note - the Wikipedia entry for this album is absurdly long. I've committed to listening to every album on the 1001 at least twice. Glad I didn't commit to reading every Wiki article...

Marcus Garvey

Burning Spear

3/5

I find it funny that reggae is listed as one of my favorite genres on the 1001 right now. It's definitely not, but the whopping THREE reggae albums I've reviewed I liked (two Bob Marley + one Peter Tosh). The one thing that surprised me about Bob Marley (and less so Peter Tosh) was the surprising variety of styles, even if everything was based on the same reggae beat (particularly Marley's Exodus, which blew me away). I like this one, but it suffers from the problem I expected from reggae albums - same same throughout. I like the same same - it's nice and chill, and the musicianship is excellent. But I think if I'm going to want a reggae fix I'm going to stick to Bob Marley.

Birth Of The Cool

Miles Davis

3/5

Except for when they shift to slower songs, almost everything on this album sounds the same to me and pretty basic jazz. I get that the style may have been unique when it came out, but the uniqueness is subtle and still doesn't change the fact that the style is too same-same throughout. Fine as background music, but didn't draw me in.

Ghosteen

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

Good lord, what a depressing album...understandable, given it was written after Nick Cave's 15 year old son died after falling from a cliff. It's beautiful, but absolutely heart-rending. I give 4's to albums I want to hear again - this album is worthy musically, but not sure I'd want to hear again because it's making me think of what it would be like to lose my own children and that's far too painful to think about. But I'll give it the 4 it deserves. Favorite tracks: Bright Horses, Sun Forest, Leviathan (the ending is majestic and sorrowful), Hollywood (especially the dark turn the song takes after the line, "The kid drops his bucket and spade and climbs into the sun").

2112

Rush

5/5

RUUUUUUUUUSH!!!!! Love this album, particularly Side 1 of course. Yeah, it's got some cheese, but it's such a part of my musical journey I can easily overlook the cheese and just love it for what it is: awesome hard rock, technical skill, drama, etc. The label told them they needed a hit album after Caress of Steel, which included their first real attempt at a prog epic. So, instead of going back to basic rockers, they doubled down and created an uncompromising prog classic. It was their breakthrough album and let them chart their own course for the rest of their career. For me, I remember playing the 2112 Overture and The Temples of Syrinx with a band in high school. I remember yelling "HEY!!" with the audience at a dozen Rush concerts. I remember that 2112 was the first album I heard on CD and was blown away by the clarity (which is why I roll my eyes at all people who say vinyl is superior). And now, as a parent, I get to enjoy listening to it with my teens - once again, I swear I didn't force prog on them. Yeah, I know Geddy Lee's voice isn't for everyone, and he's full banshee on this album, but I'm forever a Rush fan. Super easy 5 for me.

There's A Riot Goin' On

Sly & The Family Stone

3/5

Everything I read about this album says it represents the shift from the optimistic 60s to the malaise of the 70s. I definitely hear that in the music, and as a result it's sometimes uncomfortable to listen to. There's nothing wrong with challenging music, but you can almost hear the dysfunction overtaking the band (as a result of Sly Stone's drug use and isolation from the rest of the band - apparently they all recorded separately). There were definitely tracks I liked (Just Like a Baby, Poet, Time, and Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa), but overall I don't think I want to revisit.

Blood, Sweat & Tears

2/5

So...many...cheesy 60s cliches. The word cheesy kept coming to mind with almost every song. Particularly cheesy: Sometimes in Winter (cheesy music, cheesy lyrics), And When I Die (sounds like a cheesy Broadway track), You've Made Me So Very Happy (oh, so cheesy), and the cheesy horns in Blues Part II during Sunshine of Your Love. Rare exceptions: Spinning Wheel (except for the cheesy last minute, but the verses have a cool funky groove), God Bless the Child (good because the song is good, but there are much better versions out there). More and More was borderline...it has potential, but I think I was just too cheesed out. I hoped the album would get better as I listened a few times, but nope.

#1 Record

Big Star

4/5

Another band I had never heard that influenced acts that eclipsed them. Really cool album - combination of early power pop/glam and nice chill ballad-y tracks. Would definitely revisit and will check out other albums (including their other album on the 1001, which I haven't heard yet). Favorite tracks: Feel (great opening track. Glam vibes, right in the T-Rex, Bowie space), The Ballad of El Goodo (stupid title, but good track), In the Street (That 70s show! and MOAR COWBELL), Thirteen (beautiful ballad - my daughter knew this one because it was in the Disney movie "Stargirl"), Don't Lie to Me (Paul Stanley from Kiss said he was influenced by Big Star - you can hear it on this song), When My Baby's Beside Me (reminds me of Matthew Sweet, also influenced by Big Star), Watch the Sunrise (another nice ballad). Overall conclusion: good stuff.

Konnichiwa

Skepta

3/5

Never heard of the "UK grime scene." I guess that's what this is. Cool, dark sounding grooves, harsh lyrics, rap with a british accent, pretty repetitious. Next.

Younger Than Yesterday

The Byrds

3/5

Some decent songs - nothing truly bad (although CTA-102 and the backwards guitar in Thoughts and Words come close). The Wikipedia entry talks a lot about bassist Chris Hillman contributing his first songs to the band, giving them a country turn. Unfortunately, I considered that a big negative for the album (and the band)! The Byrds also continued to dip into the Dylan well, turning My Back Pages from 3/4 to 4/4. While I'll say this version is marginally better than Dylan's original, I checked out some later Bob Dylan live versions and Bob does it better live than either the Byrds' version or his own original. Here's a great example: https://youtu.be/JWNaIXeHHzQ?si=02bGcukafuoCu5Z- Don't know if I'd revisit this album, but it wasn't bad to hear and I can see why it's on the list, at least from an historical perspective. Favorite tracks: So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star (classic track), Have You Seen Her Face (that classic Byrds sound), Everybody's Been Burned (I like the guitar line - it's the 007 progression!), My Back Pages.

The Village Green Preservation Society

The Kinks

4/5

The Kinks always have a bit too much goofiness, but I like their music. I enjoyed the first side more than the second, but there were good moments on side two as well. I like the theme of memories of days and people gone by and, overall, the album is filled with catchy tracks. Would definitely revisit. Favorite tracks: The Village Green Preservation Society (fun catchy opener), Picture Book (which I knew from The Umbrella Academy), Last of the Steam-Powered Trains (great bop), Wicked Annabella (kinda spooky-cool. Sounds like it would make a good metal song). Finally, good line in the album's last track: "People take pictures of the summer / Just in case someone thought they had missed it / And to prove that it really existed." Pretty timely when everyone has to take pictures with their phones at every event and every dinner (don't get me started on all the assholes with their phone cameras raised in your line of sight at every concert these days...). "People take pictures of each other / Just to prove that they really existed." Yup. Good stuff.

Life's Too Good

The Sugarcubes

4/5

I enjoyed this album more than I enjoy most Bjork solo albums. A lot of very cool tracks and definitely a lot of weirdness - in fact, there were times I described it as "Bizarro World B-52s" (e.g., Delicious Demon, Blue Eyed Pop, Sick for Toys). Considering that the B-52s have their own share of weirdness, that's saying something. Favorite tracks: Motorcrash, Delicious Demon, Mama (occasionally weird lyrics, but cool music), Coldsweat (very cool heavy groove), Blue Eyed Pop, Deus, F'ing in Rhythm & Sorrow (funny rockabilly song). Let's also be sure to give props to Bjork's range - from sweet to growl and back again in the same line. A very unique band and I would definitely revisit.

Dare!

The Human League

3/5

Ok album, although I'd argue you could hear Don't You Want Me and you've heard everything you need to hear "before you die." A little bit too much of the exact same electronic bass-snare-bass-snare beat. This is early in the 80s curve, so they get some credit there. Favorite songs: The Things That Dreams Are Made Of, Don't You Want Me (but those are some creepy-ex lyrics). Ok songs: Open Your Heart, Darkness, Love Action.

Fuzzy Logic

Super Furry Animals

2/5

Not an album I needed to hear before I die. My immediate reaction was "ENOUGH Britpop albums! ENOUGH!!!" Unfortunately, the album did nothing to change that view. There were a couple of tracks that caught my attention in a good way, but overall I thought the album was noisy and a bit goofy. Moving on. Favorite-ish tracks: God! Show Me Magic, Hometown Unicorn.

Marquee Moon

Television

5/5

NOW we're talking. This is the kind of discovery I got into the 1001 for - I've heard of them and this album, but never listened to them. GREAT album. Love the song-writing, the guitar interplay, and the proto-new wave sound. And this is a rare case where I agree with Robert Christgau (asshole critic for the Village Voice who seems to hate almost every album that made the 1001) - he picked it as his favorite album of 1977. I wouldn't go that far - a lot of great albums came out that year, including Animals, Low, and Heroes - but it definitely deserves to be ranked toward the top of a great year of music. Outstanding. Favorite tracks: See No Evil (great guitar lines), Friction (awesome rocker), Marquee Moon (what a song - favorite line: "I spoke to a man down at the tracks / and I ask him how he don't go mad / He said 'Look here, junior / Don't you be so happy / and for heaven's sake don't you be so sad'"), Elevation (love the guitars again), Torn Curtain (strong, dramatic ending - what a great album!).

Behaviour

Pet Shop Boys

2/5

The 1001 did not need three Pet Shop Boys albums. Insert eye-roll emoji here. Frankly, the two words that came to mind repeatedly while listening was "boring" and "cheesy." The music is inoffensive, so it's not necessarily a problem as background music, but every time I paid attention my reaction was "wow, this is cheesy." Here are some of my track notes: "Being Boring - Aptly named." "This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave - Aptly named." "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously - Aptly named." If I had to pick a couple of tracks that caught my attention: The End of the World. That's it. Just the one. Time to move on...

Moss Side Story

Barry Adamson

2/5

With all the albums that could have been included in the 1001, they picked this one? There are REAL soundtracks worth hearing before you die that they didn't include. Plus, it made virtually no impact outside the UK, showing again the UK bias in the 1001. Its inclusion is just plain ridiculous. That said, it wasn't BAD, per se. It made for good background music and had a few tracks that caught my attention (Under Wraps, Sounds from the Big House, Intensive Care). I'm just flat out annoyed it was included and that absolutely colored my view of it.

Tuesday Night Music Club

Sheryl Crow

4/5

I'm a fan of the late prog musician Kevin Gilbert, who was a member of the Tuesday Night Music Club, and an excellent musician and songwriter in his own right (check out his solo album Thud, released in 1995, the year before he died). KG was dating Crow while a member of the TNMC and he's the one who invited her to join that collective of incredibly talented musicians. Every article I've read says the same: she over-claimed credit for these songs and fell out with pretty much every member of the TNMC after the album was released. So, knowing this background colors how I view this album. However, if you ignore that backstory, it's an excellent album, deserving of all its success. Outstanding songs and excellent recording quality. Her voice perfectly matches the mood of the songs. I would give it the 5 it deserves, but I'm deducting 1 star for the way she treated her co-writers. Take that, Sheryl Crow! Favorite tracks: Pretty much all the tracks are great, not just the hits.

Music For The Jilted Generation

The Prodigy

4/5

My initial reaction was shock that there are two Prodigy albums in the 1001. The first few tracks had me even more irritated - here's that same Prodigy beat in every song. I started thinking maybe they're great when you're at a rave stoned out of your mind but listening on a Sunday morning? Not so much. Well, then I found myself listening over the course of much of the day and it grew on me every time I listened. I was listening while working, and before I knew it I was grooving with the whole album. And THIS is why I think it's so essential to give albums on the 1001 more than one or two listens. Who would think this one was a grower? Favorite tracks: Their Law, Voodoo People, Poison (really great groove), The Narcotic Suite: 3 Kilos & Skylined.

Raising Hell

Run-D.M.C.

5/5

In 8th grade, I did a lip sync performance to It's Tricky with another kid in class. Two super-white kids, but we thought we were freaking awesome. So, I still have a soft spot for this album. Relistening to it MAAAANY years later, it holds up really well. Rocking tracks, awesome rapping - it's no wonder it's considered a seminal breakthrough rap album. The rock-rap combination works really well, and of course it brough Aerosmith back to life. Easy 5 for me. Favorite tracks - I like the rock-rap tracks best, but the straight rap songs are fun, too: It's Tricky (love the My Sharona sample), Walk This Way (great combination of the two groups), Raising Hell (great heavy track), You Be Illin' (I laugh every time), Proud to Be Black (my favorite pure rap song on the album - I'm raising my white fist in solidarity).

Truth

Jeff Beck

4/5

Headline: British guitarist puts together outstanding cover band. Even though Let Me Love You, Rock my Plimsoul, and Blues De Luxe are all credited to Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart, each are fundamentally basic blues turned up to 11, which is even more evident on the Willie Dixon covers. They also play some non-basic blues covers (e.g., Shapes of Things, Morning Dew, and Greensleeves), which I tend to appreciate more because they lead to a more original sound. You can hear how this is an essential album in the history of hard rock. In fact, it's clear Jimmy Page was "inspired" by Jeff Beck (Page is legendary for ripping off others), so that would make this a stepping stone to Led Zeppelin (you can even hear similarities between Rod Stewart and Robert Plant). It lacks that certain something that makes an album a true classic, but it's definitely a good listen and there's no question Jeff Beck was a great guitarist and highly influential (RIP). Favorite tracks: Shapes of Things (unique approach to a great song - Beck was the guitarist on the original Yardbirds version), Morning Dew, Beck's Bolero (read about the backstory - fascinating), I Ain't Superstitious (my favorite of the straightforward blues tracks on the album - fantastic guitar work).

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

PJ Harvey

4/5

It's a bit derivative (90s alt-rock), but it's my kind of derivative. A little repetitive, too, but I like the sound. 3 feels too low, because I wouldn't mind hearing it again. I'd call it a 3.5 that I'm rounding up because I enjoyed it and could keep listening, but I'm sure that doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement. Favorite tracks: The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore, Horses in My Dreams, We Float (by far my favorite song on the album).

Talk Talk Talk

The Psychedelic Furs

5/5

Very cool album. Another band I had heard of but never listened to an album (of course, I knew Pretty in Pink. Turned out I had also heard Dumb Waiters - I recognized it as soon as it started). Every song rocks and always has a cool twist to the sound. Really love the guitar sounds on this album, and I like Richard Butler's punk style singing over the more post-punk/new wave sound of the album. Occasional moments reminded me of Bowie (particularly when the sax plays), but they have a very unique sound. Definitely a new fan. Favorite tracks: All of This and Nothing (my favorite track on the album - love the cool instrumental section at the end, but the whole thing is awesome), Dumb Waiters, Pretty in Pink (classic - one thing I really like about the songs on this album is that there are always unexpected stylings/notes in the songs. This is an 80s classic, but has some unusual notes in it, particularly in the outro section. Very cool), No Tears, Into You Like a Train, It Goes On. Really, every track - these were just the ones I liked the most.

Fragile

Yes

5/5

My absolute favorite Yes album - in fact, this is a desert-isle disk for me. Roundabout is such an iconic tune - that first reversed piano chord followed by Steve Howe's iconic harmonics is just perfect. I first listened to this on vinyl and there was a little crackling sound in the background that always made this sound like it was being played on a rainy day. Probably one of the few experiences I preferred on vinyl. The classical guitar intro leads into a rocking tune, driven by Chris Squire's awesome bass line. Particularly love the interlude (the section singing about an eagle). The whole song is outstanding, especially live. Cans and Brahms is the first of the five individual showcase tracks. It's fine - Rick Wakeman could have contributed something better, but it's ok because he took Yes to a new level in joining the band for the first time on this album. We Have Heaven is the second showcase and it lets you know what an army of Jon Andersons singing would sound like - y'know, if you ever wanted to know that. South Side of the Sky is awesome - a hard-edged song (especially live) - you can almost feel the struggle of an expedition in the snowy mountains or south pole, whatever it was supposed to be. After Five per cent for Nothing, a throwaway showcase track (apologies to Bill Bruford), we hit the classic jazzy Long Distance Runaround followed by The Fish, showcasing Chris Squire - he used to ham it up live and solo really dramatically...I remember how he would hold his bass straight up and would slowly pluck this super-deep bass note and let it ring out, vibrating the entire arena. In fact, I need to take a moment to point out Squire's incredible bass sound and style on this entire album. He was so unique - RIP, bass god. Next, the final individual showcase - Mood for a Day, a beautiful Spanish guitar piece by Steve Howe that I've played more times on guitar than I can count (or at least tried to). Finally, Heart of the Sunrise - one of my favorite songs. Not favorite Yes songs - favorite songs period. I read recently that Steve Howe felt the opening riff had a very King Crimson sound. I don't know if I hear it, but it's an amazing song (and, again, even more so live - these guys were an amazing live band). The frenetic beginning followed by the mysterious sounding section with Wakeman's keys building over Squire's awesome bass line - Billy B. building the drum line from simple to more complex as it proceeds, and Steve Howe joining in with a quiet yet building version of the opening motif until they all come together with that frenetic opening riff again. Then we reach the verse, which feels like floating down a river, complete with ebbs and flows, followed by side trips down musical tributaries, all building to a final majestic finale. Ok, I'll settle down now. I don't know how this album sounds to non-prog fan ears - I imagine it's a tough listen for some - but to this prog fan Fragile is as good as it gets. One of the easiest 5s I'll give.

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye

5/5

Smooth grooves over hard lyrics. Musically outstanding, both the writing and the playing, and I love how most of the tracks flow into each other. Plus, Marvin Gaye may have had the smoothest voice in history. If you didn't pay attention to the lyrics, you'd think it was just some smooth let's get it on type music. But then the lyrics create such a jarring contrast. Protests, war, drugs, pollution, poverty. Yet there are also moments of hope on the album. There are a lot of albums on the 1001 that make me question their inclusion. There's no doubt that this is an essential album and demands a close listen. Outstanding - and sad that a lot of it is still relevant. Favorite tracks: What's Going On (I liked a comment on Genius - notice that it's not a question. He's not asking, he's telling us what's going on), Mercy Mercy Me (so smooth while talking about the destruction of the environment - but, hey, that sax solo is awesome!), then the entire second side - Right On, Wholy Holy (love how this track is almost like a relaxing breath after the tension of Right On), and Inner City Blues.

Brutal Youth

Elvis Costello

3/5

Ah, the age old question - is Elvis Costello the most ridiculously over-represented artist on the 1001 or Leonard Cohen? At least I don't mind Costello's music, so I'll give the edge to Cohen for most over-represented artist. My formula remains: no artist should have multiple albums unless they evolve significantly between albums (e.g., Bowie, Floyd) or their albums are simply iconic (Led Zep) or both (Beatles). This doesn't sound much different than his other albums on the 1001. It's not bad, but it's not so great to warrant its inclusion with so many other Elvis Costello albums. Favorite tracks: Pony St., Kinder Murder, 20% Amnesia. Next.

Alien Lanes

Guided By Voices

1/5

I've heard better bands play in a garage. In fact, it sounds like I'm listening to a lousy band play in a garage. A band that can't be bothered to write complete songs or play/sing in tune. Absolutely awful (especially Ex-Supermodel. What the hell is happening? Is someone moaning into the microphone? Snoring? Horrible. Also, Chicken Blows blows).

Mask

Bauhaus

4/5

Interesting sound. I really like the dark sounding guitars and bass, along with unusual stylings throughout (Of Lillies and Remains has very 80s King Crimson-esque guitar sounds - the high-pitched warbling sounds hovering behind much of the track). I also like the unusual vocals. A little out there, but that alone isn't a negative for me. Probably the biggest issue is that the second side gets a little repetitive - driving tracks with cool bass lines, but not quite as unique as the first side. Of course, the final track, Mask, breaks that mold. It sounds like something I should add to my Halloween playlist. Cool ending. Finally, they seem to have influenced a ton of subsequent acts, which puts this as one of those "you have to hear it to understand the development of indie/alternative music." Favorite tracks: Hair of the Dog, The Passion of Lovers, Dancing, Kick in the Eye (I hear Bowie and Fripp stylings in this one).

Throwing Muses

4/5

Mostly good stuff. Kristen Hersh's singing is a little too warbly sometimes (especially on the last two tracks), but the music is cool. She sometimes sounds like Siouxsie (especially on the first track), but that's not a bad thing. She often sings with an unusual meter - an unpredictable style that I liked. Overall, I'd listen more (and I'll note here that it would have been good for the 1001 to include Star by co-founder Tanya Donelly's later band Belly. But I get it, they needed space for more Elvis Costello albums). Favorite Tracks: Green, Hate My Way, Stand Up.

Justified

Justin Timberlake

2/5

What's that I hear? Why, yes, that's the sound of cultural appropriation! It was fun reading various articles debating whether this is the case. A lot of articles say yes, a few say hate the game not the playa. R&B isn't really my thing, but I get why this was popular. Happy it was removed from the 1001, though. Nothing really resonated with me. Kinda liked the Pusha T rap in Like I Love You. Moving on.

Tank Battles

Dagmar Krause

2/5

What insane person decided this should be in the 1001???? Wow, just wow. Sounded like a parody of a bad one-woman musical. I saw the brilliant review that referenced Lily Von Schtuppe and couldn't unhear it (this is one of the rare cases where I read the reviews before posting my own - some of them had me in tears laughing). There were a few ok tracks, or maybe ok moments - Song of a German Mother, Mother's Hands, Und Endlich Stirbt, and The Trenches were ok. I also enjoyed hearing "To a Little Radio" since I know that tune from Sting's The Secret Marriage (which is credited to Hanns Eisler, so this is apparently the original tune). But overall there were too many moments where my reaction was pure bafflement (especially Mother Beimleim - wtaf??). Giving it a 2 rather than a 1 mainly because it wasn't unlistenable, it just doesn't remotely belong on this list.

The Contino Sessions

Death In Vegas

2/5

Yup, didn't need to hear this one before I die. Most songs are just a repeating motif that builds but never changes. Sure, some of those motifs are cool (e.g., Death Threat, Aisha (w/ Iggy Pop), Neptune City), but some are annoying (e.g., Dirge - out of tune guitar, Soul Auctioneer - annoying warbling tone, Broken Little Sister - really freakin' noisy and way too long). Next.

3/5

Interesting trivia from Wikipedia: On May 20, 1960, Alex Harvey and his Big Beat Band opened for a band called Johnny Gentle and His Group. Johnny's "group" included some Liverpudlian lads named John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison. nbd. Anyway, to this album. It's ok. A little cheesy and pretty dated, but ok. Swampsnake was a good bop. "Ain't nothing like a gang bang" - I cringed and laughed a little. The Faith Healer dragged on (I knew the cover by Fish). Giddy Up a Ding Dong was a decent bop, but not very original. Then there's Next - sounds like a song from a very demented musical and the lyrics are just...wow. Vambo is super dated 70s hard rock, but it's another good bop. The Last of the Teenage Idols lurched from style to style - starting with a dragging ballad-ish beginning, followed by a fast hard rock section...then a section where everything suddenly was only in my left ear, then switched to my right ear before coming back to stereo - I had to figure out if my headphones were breaking - not cool. Then it ended with a 50s style doo-wop. I'm sure they were going for something clever, but to quote Spinal Tap: "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever." Unfortunately, this album wavered over that line a few too many times.

All That You Can't Leave Behind

U2

3/5

It's funny, all the reviews of this album talk about how it was a return to form after U2's apparently misguided (according to critics) foray into electronica in the 90s. Problem is, I really like those 90's albums - Zooropa is one of my favorites and I always enjoyed Pop. So, to me, this album is not a recovery, but almost a retreat. Problem is, most of these songs don't draw me in as much as songs on, say, Achtung Baby or The Joshua Tree (or War or, yes, Zooropa). It's not bad - I like U2 - it's just not (for me) the second coming of U2 and I would not have included it in the 1001. Favorite tracks: Beautiful Day, Stuck in a Moment..., Kite, Peace on Earth.

Fly Or Die

N.E.R.D

3/5

No longer in the 1001, rightly so. It wasn't bad, but it just wasn't all that special. On the plus side, we just had Justin Timberlake's awful album, which was mostly written by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo (2/3's of N.E.R.D.), and this was better than that, at least, particularly when it rocked out more. A lot of it is just a bit of dumb fun (the lyrics particularly add the "dumb" part). Favorite tracks: Don't Worry About It, Drill Sergeant/Preservation (a little cheesy and long, but kept catching my attention), Thrasher, Maybe.

McCartney

Paul McCartney

2/5

Paul McCartney releases an album full of half-baked demos and one excellent song (Maybe I'm Amazed). This must be in the book mainly for its "historic" significance since it's Paul McCartney's first solo album, but from a standpoint of quality, it's not there. In particular, the drums sound very amateur, both playing-wise and recording quality. What's a little sad is that, for all the comments about how this was one of the first lo-fi/indie sounding albums, had anyone other than Paul McCartney tried to get a record label to release this album they'd be sent packing. Favorite tracks: Every Night (one of the few songs on the album that sounds like a song with potential, but still sounds like a demo), Singalong Junk (ironically, this instrumental version of "Junk" sounds nicer than the full song on Side 1), Maybe I'm Amazed (a classic that seems completely out of place on this album, although I admit I admit I never realized it has some of the lo-fi elements of the other tracks).

Duck Stab/Buster & Glen

The Residents

3/5

I like weird, but this one's weird with a capital WEIRD. But it wasn't bad - there are some weird ones on this list that are painful to listen to - this one didn't hurt to hear. The most interesting thing to me was how much you could hear the influence on Primus. In fact, there were lots of times the singer sounded exactly like Les Claypool (well, the other way around, since Les would have been 15 when this album came out). I probably wouldn't seek this out again, but it was definitely interesting. Favorite tracks: Sinister Exaggerator (this was the first time I thought of Les Claypool. Wasn't surprised to see Primus covered this song), Laughing Song, Bach is Dead, Krafty Cheese.

Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos

5/5

Long time fan of this album and of the rest of Tori's first four albums (she got a little too straightforward and repetitive on later albums for my taste). I've also seen her live a couple of times - her voice is as amazing in person as on the recording, as is her piano playing. I know a lot of people compare her to Kate Bush, but Tori has a much harder edge. Overall, this album is an absolute roller coaster of emotions, lyrically and musically. Relistening to it from the vantage point of 33 years since its release (I became a fan the year it came out), it still hits me in the gut and gives me chills. Some of it hits me in different ways than back then - for example, Winter brought tears to my eyes now that I have a daughter (it's written for her father and sung from the vantage point of a daughter reaching different phases of her life). Then there's all the heartache and pain Tori pours into the album. There's almost no point in giving specific examples - the album is filled with it. And of course, there are no words that can do justice for Me and a Gun. An amazing album, start to finish. Favorite tracks: Crucify, Silent All These Years, Precious Things, Winter, China (yeah, schmaltz and all), Tear in Your Hand, Little Earthquakes.

Pretenders

4/5

I'm definitely a New Wave fan, but I never really connected with the Pretenders. Listening to this mostly in the background I thought that might change - lots of cool moments made me think I needed to re-assess. On close listen I still liked it (particularly the guitars), but still felt that lack of connection. I'm not sure what it is - I think Chrissie Hynde's singing is an acquired taste. Sometimes I like it, sometimes not so much, and I can't find a consistent reason. On the one hand I like it better when she's not singing with punk affectations, but that feels kind of wrong, like I'm telling some woman that she should smile more. I'm going with the 4 even though I suspect the album deserves a 5. Favorite tracks: Tattooed Love Boys, Stop Your Sobbing, Private Life (great guitar parts, although sounds a little too close to the Police), Brass in Pocket (classic).

Signing Off

UB40

2/5

Blue-eyed reggae that's mostly dull as dishwater (yes, I know the band was diverse, but the lead singer was white and I'm sure that played no small part in their immense popularity). THIS is one of the top selling reggae bands in history? Sigh. Found the album really boring and I'm really glad my first reggae album in the 1001 was Bob Marley's amazing Exodus. Tracks that caught my attention: Tyler, Burden of Shame (first because of the Moondance ripoff, but I liked the instrumental section at the end), Signing Off.

I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

2/5

My reaction on seeing yet another Leonard Cohen album: https://youtu.be/KCqQknk42sk Overall, the songs aren't bad per se, but my goodness they drag, and the lyrics are not nearly as clever as the critics seem to think. Plus, there are more than a few dated 80s moments. Moving on. Favorite track: Tower of Song.

The Sounds Of India

Ravi Shankar

3/5

I can appreciate how talented Ravi Shankar is, the historical significance of this album, and I even enjoy this music style, but ultimately this is just background music to me. I don't even disagree with its inclusion in the 1001, I just can't rate it higher than a 3 - something that was fine but I wouldn't seek it out again.

New York Dolls

4/5

This album rocks. The songs themselves are pretty formulaic, but they take everything up to 11. I can only imagine how insane their live shows must have been. Favorite tracks: Personality Crisis, Lonely Planet Boy (yeah, even the slow(er) songs are good - great sax, and I like how the backing vocal at the end was sung into a guitar pickup), Trash, Pills. EDIT: Originally said 5 but in retrospect, it's more of a 4, mainly because it's a little repetitive and formulaic (but still awesome).

Nilsson Schmilsson

Harry Nilsson

4/5

Really enjoyed this album start to finish. It's a little dated but it's really good. The only time I had listened to him so far on the 1001 was when I checked out his cover of Fred Neil's Everybody's Talking and I wasn't a huge fan of how he sang it. Fortunately, I think he sounds great on this album. Plus, as soon as I heard Without You and even Coconut I realized I've heard him before and just didn't know it was him. Don't think I can call it a 5, but I would definitely listen again and might dig into his catalog. Favorite tracks: Gotta Get Up (love the vocal line in the chorus - listening to this song it's unsurprising that the Beatles were fans - and apparently Ringo and John joined him for some drunken debauchery in the early 70s), The Moonbeam Song (nice chill track, with Beatles-esque harmonies), Down (kind of basic blues, but man he can sing), Without You (schmaltzy, but a classic), Jump Into the Fire (great groove - it goes a little long, but just in time switches to a fun drum break, joined by funky bass. The whole song is a bop), I'll Never Leave You (super peaceful final track - just left me thinking "I like this album." RIP Harry - I think I just joined the Beatles as a fan).

The Slider

T. Rex

4/5

My immediate thought on seeing this in the 1001 was "Does T. Rex really need two albums in the 1001?" That's not a ding on T. Rex - it's just their sound doesn't change enough between the two albums - one album would have been representative enough. After listening, I still felt the same, but I also really enjoyed listening. This album rocks and has a ton of great moments. So, I can get the editors saying "well, both albums are cool, so which do we drop? Neither? Ok!" Favorite tracks: Metal Guru (what a weird way to sing those words, but ok), Buick MacKane, Telegram Sam (has elements of a few other songs - the vocal line sounds like 20th C. Boy, which came out later, while the guitar line sounds like Get It On, which came out earlier - but it's cool), Chariot Choogle (the main heavy riff caught my attention every time I listened).

In Rainbows

Radiohead

3/5

This is the #3 album of all time according to rateyourmusic.com. I've tried in the past. I've really tried to figure out what I was missing. This time around I listened over and over to see if it would hit me with time...nope. I've mentioned before that I only really liked Radiohead through Ok Computer (#2 all time on RYM), then they just got too weird. This album confirmed how I feel about them. Here's a particularly bad sign - I liked it better on my car stereo obscured by road noise compared to my high-quality noise canceling headphones. In other words, I liked the album less when I could hear it clearly. This means to me the bones of the songs are decent, but the effects they used are irritating (15 step is a prime example, but also much of the album simply sounds muddy, examples include Faust Arp and House of Cards). There are also many things I dislike about Thom Yorke's singing on this album, whether it's the frequent use of falsetto or when he goes full mumble (as I've noted before, he can definitely sing "normally" and very well when he wants to). Tracks I liked most (or at least, liked the bones the most): Bodysnatchers, All I Need (I outright liked this one - very cool sound), Faust Arp, Jigsaw Falling into Place (lots of good bass lines here and throughout the album), Videotape (for the overall atmosphere of the song).

Ananda Shankar

4/5

Groovy, baby! Yeah! Very 60s. It was actually a fun (if cheesy and dated) listen. Still, I'm a sucker for crossover music and I wouldn't mind listening again. Favorite tracks: Jumping Jack Flash, Snow Flower, Sagar (The Ocean) - particularly the end - the intro was way too long but at least sounded cool, Dance Indra (I thought it was pretty weird at first - it was, but a cool weird), Raghupati (especially the end, like an Indian Hey Jude).

Tarkus

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

4/5

I'm a prog fan, but when people complain about prog's excesses, ELP is almost always the first band that comes to mind. They were so over-the-top, and their albums are primarily a showcase for Emerson's insane keyboard playing. However, I'll give credit here, Tarkus is a powerful album and the title track is seriously impressive, both from a compositional angle and the musicianship. And, credit where credit's due, ELP rawk a lot more than most prog bands. It's understandable how they could sell out arenas in the 70s (no way could a band like this become huge today. Take of that what you will). Taking away one star for excess. Favorite tracks: Tarkus, Bitches Crystal, A Time and a Place.

Pacific Ocean Blue

Dennis Wilson

4/5

Didn't know what to expect based on a) the cover showing a sad and very 70s looking guy and b) learning that he was the founding drummer of the Beach Boys and brother of Brian and Carl Wilson, and he drowned in 1983. Ok, figuring I'm going to hear some variation of the Beach Boys, who I'm not really a huge fan of (I appreciate them, but never really got into them). Well, I ended up really liking this album. VERY different from the Beach Boys. A lot of the songs have a dark edge, no Beach Boys harmonies (although the chorus singing in River Song is outstanding). Many songs sounded like they were going to be Yacht Rock and then opened up into genuinely rocking tunes. The lyrics are so-so, but the underlying sadness comes through. Wilson's singing is so-so, but authentic. A very good album, and a nice discovery on the 1001. Favorite tracks: I liked pretty much all of them (and also enjoyed the tracks from the unreleased follow-up, Bambu). If I had to pick standouts, I'll go with River Song, Dreamer, Thoughts of You, Time (particularly the end), Farewell My Friend, End of the Show.

Permission to Land

The Darkness

2/5

Incredibly derivative - sounds like an 80s hair metal band, with a cheesy lead singer. The band itself plays well and generally rocks, but I really dislike the singer's voice. Rightly removed from the 1001. Songs I almost liked: Love is Only a Feeling, Love on the Rocks with no Ice. Moving on.

Locust Abortion Technician

Butthole Surfers

4/5

Crazy, crazy album. Ordinarily I hate noise rock, but they manage to make noise without injury - it's actually noise that fits the music. Sludgy and weird - I know this is currently the 20th worst rated album on this site, but I actually like this kind of weirdness. Underneath the weird are very cool sludgy riffs. I wouldn't listen to this anywhere that anyone else could hear...but I liked it (a little concerned about the fact that I liked it, but hey). Favorite tracks: Sweet Loaf, Graveyard (totally weird, but I like the underlying bass and drums), Pgh to Lebanon (sludgy blues), The O-Men, 22 Going on 23 (dark and oppressive, matching the subject matter). Oh, and it's hysterical that all the "heys" in HAY are the sound of cows mooing, played in reverse double speed.

Reggatta De Blanc

The Police

5/5

Starting with full disclosure: I'm a long-time fan of the Police and Sting's solo work. Despite that, TIL that the album title means White Reggae. That made me think about my recent review of UB40's debut, where I griped about cultural appropriation - UB40 are a complete rip-off of Jamaican reggae and so one could argue that there's only one reason they made it bigger than Jamaican reggae acts. I'm not going to do the same with the Police though, for a simple reason: they had reggae stylings but they made it something different, something new. If you're going to sound exactly like a band from Jamaica, then I might as well listen to a band from Jamaica (in fact, ethically, we SHOULD listen to that band from Jamaica instead). The Police are reggae, punk, new wave - they're unique. They were influenced by and incorporated certain styles but then made it their own (I said a similar thing about Led Zeppelin's evolution of delta blues to hard rock, while fully acknowledging that they failed to credit a lot of the original writers of the songs they ripped off). No one is truly 100% original, but the Police deserve credit for a very original (and very cool) sound. That sound isn't just the writing, which is excellent, but also the players. Sting's outstanding voice and solid bass, Andy Summers' under-rated guitar playing, and Stewart Copeland's distinctive drumming. Sting is definitely the key - he wrote pretty much every hit and was the face and voice of the band - but each member put their unique mark on the sound. All the elements that made the Police great are evident on this album, making it a super easy 5 for me. Favorite tracks: Obv. the hits - Message in a Bottle (great guitar line) and Walking on the Moon (classic) - Reggatta de Blanc (a fun moment live), It's Alright for You, Bring on the Night, The Bed's Too Big Without You, Does Everyone Stare.

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

4/5

Neil Young's first album with Crazy Horse - it sounds a lot like other Neil Young albums, but fortunately I like Neil Young. He's another one who is way too over-represented in the 1001, but I definitely enjoyed this album, particularly the first side. Cinnamon Girl is a classic and opens with an iconic riff, the title track is a good song, Round & Round is a nice chill track, and I enjoyed Down by the River, although it could have been shorter. The second side didn't hit me as much, but Cowgirl in the Sand was good (although another one that was too long). Great guitar playing to close out the album. Overall, the album sounds like being at a great live show - raw, but it pulls you in.

Pictures At An Exhibition

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

2/5

First, ELP didn't need two albums on the 1001. Tarkus was enough. Second, this album demonstrates all the excesses of ELP (usually held up to represent the excesses of prog - which is a shame because I'm a prog fan and even I think ELP is too over the top). It may have been groundbreaking (and popular) at the time, but it hasn't aged well. In general, I wasn't a big fan of Side 1. Mostly Emerson showing off (as per usual). Lake's original The Sage wasn't bad, even if he lifted part of the acoustic guitar line from King Crimson's Epitaph (which he co-wrote, so I guess there's that). I liked the first section of Side 2 a lot - the full band Promenade followed by the three Baba Yaga tracks. Those tracks rocked and show that Mussorgsky was metal 100 years before metal (at least his composition style was). This sent me down the rabbit hole, learning about the original Mussorgsky composition (originally composed for piano) and Ravel's famous orchestral arrangement. I then spent time listening to recordings of both versions. Definitely had a preference for the orchestral version. The Apple Classical app recommended an amazing version by the Berlin Philharmonic (conducted by Sir Simon Rattle in 2007). Absolutely amazing - go listen to it, especially The Gnome, The Catacombs (you want metal? The second part of the Catacombs is titled in latin, "Cum mortuis in lingua mortua" - "With the dead in a dead language" - raise your metal horns!), The Hut of Baba Yaga, and the Great Gates of Kiev. Why am I talking about all this in my review of ELP's album? Because you're wasting your time listening to ELP's version. It pales next to the original. As an example, I got chills listening to the symphony version of The Great Gates of Kiev but was underwhelmed listening to the ELP version (yes, despite all the explosions). It probably didn't help that Lake's singing was particularly weak on this track and the lyrics were cheesy ("Death is Life"? Whoa, deep, dude). I can appreciate the skill it took for ELP to play this, and the audience sounds like they went wild for it, but this is one case where I can see why people crap on prog rock.

The Gershwin Songbook

Ella Fitzgerald

2/5

Who on earth thought a 4 disk collection of songs that mostly sound the same was a good idea to include in the 1001? I've never been a huge fan of box sets to begin with, even for bands I love. Now take a genre that I appreciate but don't love and have it go on...and on...and on... Sure, she sounds great. The band is excellent (if schmaltzy). The music is all high quality, but it's fundamentally the same style throughout. I'm sure I would rate a single album of this music much higher, but I just didn't need four albums of the same thing. I was particularly irritated when I hit the fourth disk and was hearing the same songs again. Enough. Favorite tracks: I'm not even bothering to focus enough to pick out specific tracks. Sad that this made me regret my commitment to listening to every album on the 1001 at least two times before rating.

Histoire De Melody Nelson

Serge Gainsbourg

2/5

I don't speak French - if I were to just judge based on the music, I would say it sounds like what would happen if Leonard Cohen turned French and funky. The music alone would probably bring the album to at least a 3, if not a 4. However, the album cover provides cause for caution: Jane Birkin as a young, topless girl clutching a doll over her chest. She was 25 when the album was released, so the pedophilia is suggested, not actual...until you read the translation of the lyrics. In a nutshell, while driving one night, the narrator hits a young girl who is riding a bicycle: Melody Nelson, who we learn is not quite 15. He becomes obsessed with her (and whether she's a virgin - saying "Oh! Melody / You don't know what love is / You told me that yourself / But is everything that you say true?" and then "Oh! Melody / If you lied to me I'd do / Some crazy things / I don't know what I'll do to you"). He takes her to what sounds like a pretty seedy hotel and, well, "Slowly, I embraced Melody." Ugh. Spoiler alert: she dies in a plane crash and he is left poetically pining for her. Maybe this album is shades of Lolita - you're supposed to recognize that the narrator is a horrible person. At least I hope so, because if he meant it...ugh. Double ugh. Reading up on Serge Gainsbourg, it sounds like he was a provocateur - and hopefully provocation was his aim - but it's just too hard not to think of this album as a paean to pedophilia. The seductive musical style makes it even worse. The ick is too strong, and I move on.

Penance Soiree

The Icarus Line

1/5

Another one that made me regret my commitment to listening to every album on the 1001 twice. The noise was brutal and sometimes it seemed like they went out of the way to make it sound miserable (ugh to the last two minutes of Seasick). A fair number of tracks could have been good if they didn't drench them in noise (e.g., On the Lash, Caviar, Spike Island, Kiss Like Lizards, White Devil), but most of it was just obnoxiously noisy. Also, didn't like the whiny sounding singer. Not much redeeming value to this album, and glad they removed it from the 1001. LEAST favorite tracks: Spit on It (apt lyric: "This sucks"), Getting Bright at Night (had some good moments, but the noise outweighed the good), Meatmaker, Virgin Velcro, Seasick.

The World is a Ghetto

War

5/5

Very cool, chill album. The high point for me was the sax solo in the song The World is a Ghetto. Outstanding. Pretty much enjoyed the whole album - the only weakness would be City, Country, City was too long, but still sounded cool. Right now I'd call it a 4.5, but I'll round up to 5 since every time I listened I enjoyed it more.

Double Nickels On The Dime

Minutemen

3/5

Long double album with some cool moments, but after just listening to the 3 and a 1/2 hour Ella Fitzgerald box set, I'm kind of anti-giving-super-long-albums-where-there's-not-a-lot-of-variety-a-chance. Moving on.

Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby

Girls Against Boys

4/5

The good - cool 90s alternative sludgy grooves. The bad - a bit too much noise in the guitar sounds and the singer is too far back in the mix most of the time. Grooved to it, but it was a little much sometimes. I'd call it a 3.5 and I'll round it up because it definitely had me bopping. Favorite tracks: Go Be Delighted, Rockets are Red, Bulletproof Cupid.

Trio

Dolly Parton

2/5

They all have great voices and the musicians are excellent, but that doesn't change the fact that it's straightforward country. Not my thing.

Slayed?

Slade

4/5

My spell checker is going haywire with this track listing. My initial reaction was "this is pretty typical glam rock." This is where doing a little research matters - Slade was at the forefront of the movement and directly influenced a ton of later acts, including punk bands, the glam metal acts of the 80s, and a lot of future Britpop (even if I'm not a huge fan of Britpop). So, they deserve respect for that - tons of other bands sound like them, but they were originals with this sound. As for this album, it rocks and has a great sound throughout, apparently often imitated. I wouldn't call it a 5, but I definitely enjoyed rocking out to it. Favorite tracks: Look at Last Nite, I Won't Let It 'Appen Again, Move Over, Gudbuy Gudbuy (ugh with these spellings).

Youth And Young Manhood

Kings of Leon

2/5

They sure loved garage rock in the "aughts." This one is pretty basic, the music is interchangeable with a bunch of other bands, and the singer sings kind of weird. This has been removed from the 1001, along with its replacement album, "Only the Night." I agree on both counts. Tracks I liked: Wasted Time, Talihina Sky.

Jagged Little Pill

Alanis Morissette

4/5

Like plenty of people my age, this was in heavy rotation in my car CD player back in the day. You could easily spot this CD in someone's collection because so many people owned it and it had a very distinct pattern on the CD case spine. Listening to it now, it still sounds good, but it's very much Of Its Time. Maybe that's just because it was a very different time in my life, but there it is. The music rocks (although the guitar sounds are a little tinny), the lyrics are powerful, and she sings...angry? Powerful? Just ok? She always had an unusual voice, that's for sure, but it worked here. The lyrics really resonated with 20-something me, but not as much anymore with 50-something me. I feel almost wrong giving it a 4 rather than a 5 given how much I used to like it, but (right or wrong) it didn't grow with me. Favorite tracks: You Oughta Know (the angry break up song to end all angry break up songs - I always knew it was Flea on bass but didn't notice until today it was Dave Navarro on guitar), Perfect, Hand in My Pocket (GenX ultimate feel good song?), Right Through You, Mary Jane, Wake Up. Oh, and I agree that nothing in "Ironic" is actually ironic. But I loved the MTV taxi driver who sang "It's like raaain, on a rainy day."

Stripped

Christina Aguilera

3/5

This was her "dirrty" phase. I still remember SNL mocking this when they had Xtina (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar) saying the video wasn't "dirrrty enough" and a production assistant shouted "Can we get more urine in the fog machine, please?" re: the album - I'm not a pop fan, although there have been albums I've appreciated on the 1001. This isn't bad per se - she has a powerful voice, with a lot of impressive control jumping across notes (although I'd prefer a little less "ooh-ooOOh aaaAAAhh") - but the album is stylistically all over the place and way too long. Again, I can't say I disliked it, but I can't say I'd seek it out again either. Tracks I liked: Fighter, Infatuation, Beautiful, Get Mine, Get Yours.

Haunted Dancehall

The Sabres Of Paradise

3/5

This grew on me and it generally made for good background music with some tracks that I really liked (Duke of Earlsfield, Tow Truck, Theme). There were a few moments I disliked, such as the tracks that had a "liquid" sound (e.g., Bubble and Slide, Theme 4, Ballad of Nicky McGuire) and when they kept rapidly switching between speakers in a couple of the later tracks (an effect which really sucks on headphones). Overall, I really didn't need to hear this before I die, but I didn't mind hearing it either.

Heroes

David Bowie

5/5

Great album, with one of the best songs ever written (Heroes, of course - absolutely legendary - outstanding vocal performance from Bowie, especially when he starts screaming the vocals, and Fripp's droning guitar is iconic - everything on this track is amazing). This album is similar to Low, which immediately preceded it - rocking side one, more artsy side 2. I can see how some might not like the unhinged nature of a lot of his singing on side one and the ambient nature of the second side, but I'm a big fan of all things Bowie so that makes this an easy 5 for me. Favorite tracks: Beauty and the Beast, Joe the Lion, Heroes, The Secret Life of Arabia. Two additional thoughts: 1) My "TIL" is that Bowie plays sax on this album, and he's really good, too. Never knew that. 2) This is the last of his classic age albums on the 1001, so I'm going to use it as an opportunity to put in a plug for Scary Monsters (1980), one of my favorite Bowie albums. Side one of Scary Monsters is a murderer's row of amazing songs (including Scary Monsters (with more amazing guitar work by Fripp), Ashes to Ashes, and Fashion). I suppose 8 albums in the 1001 is enough, and I generally don't disagree with the choices but, if you like what you've heard there are plenty more great Bowie albums to hear!

Who Killed...... The Zutons?

The Zutons

4/5

When I saw this was a Liverpudlian band from 2004 that's been removed from the 1001, I immediately figured it was going to be another boring Britpop band - instead I was pleasantly surprised: this was a fun album! I can't say any of it is super-original, but I found myself smiling and bopping along throughout. Would definitely revisit. Favorite tracks: Zuton Fever (I like the 60s horror campy style), Pressure Point (very-Black Keys-ish, who were contemporaries), You Will You Won't (very cool track), Long Time Coming, Dirty Dancehall.

I Against I

Bad Brains

5/5

Where has this album been all my life?? One of the most fun things about the 1001 is hearing bands that influenced a ton of other great acts. The list of bands that Bad Brains influenced is crazy - according to Wikipedia, this includes the Beastie Boys, Guns 'n Roses, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane's Addiction, Rage Against the Machine, Green Day, and, of course, Living Colour - I say "of course" on the last, because if you didn't know any better you might think this is a Living Colour album, even though it came out three years before LC's debut album. I enjoyed the hell out of this album. It rocked and the musicianship was outstanding, especially Dr. Know on guitar - talented playing, fantastic sounds - occasionally sounds like he's channeling EVH, but plenty of originality - but also outstanding, funky, rocking bass and drums. Add in some occasionally insanity in H.R.'s singing (especially in Return to Heaven and I Against I) and it all adds up to an awesome album. Favorite tracks: I Against I (crazed but cool), Re-Ignition, She's Calling You, Sacred Love, Hired Gun. Heck, even the intro rocks!

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West

4/5

It's time again for everyone's favorite game: Separate the art from the piece of shit artist! This an outstanding album from a horrible person. It even helps get under the veneer of his horrible personality, but unfortunately it wasn't redemption - he only doubles down (and then some) over the ensuing years. Still, let's review only the music. Mostly excellent. I'd basically call Dark Fantasy through Monster a nearly perfect stretch (Gorgeous goes a little long, but the lyrics are powerful). First of all, Ye is a prog fan? Mike Oldfield and Jon Anderson on Dark Fantasy? Power based on 21st Century Schizoid Man? I enjoyed watching a video of Greg Lake starting a concert with Power and segueing to him singing and playing 21st CSM. Power was the first song to really hit me - very powerful (pun not quite intended?). All of the Lights was a super-catchy track and Rihanna sounds great. Monster was a fun, cool track and Nicki Minaj's section made me laugh. The rest of the album has a lot of good moments, but the lyrics got to be a little too much (Devil in a New Dress, settle down Kanye, plus the end of Hell of a Life. Ugh). Blame Game was crude as hell (although Chris Rock is never not funny). Lost in the World was catchy, but I HATE AUTOTUNE. Who Will Survive in America was a powerful closer with some disturbing imagery (all from Gil Scott-Heron's spoken word poem Comment #1 from 1970). I recognize that in the world of rap albums, this should be a clear 5. However, I was less of a fan of the second half (except perhaps Runaway, but it went a little too long), hate autotune, and feel I can't give Kanye a 5 since he's such a piece of shit. Guess I can't fully separate the art from the artist. Favorite tracks: Power, All of the Lights, Monster.

Sweet Baby James

James Taylor

3/5

Mostly harmless. Nothing bad, but very little that makes me want to rate it above a 3 (Fire and Rain is a beautiful song, and rightly a classic, though). Light folk interspersed with country and blues sounds. To the latter, he veers into the cultural misappropriation zone, particularly in Oh Baby, Don't You Loose Your Lip on Me and the end of Suite for 20 G. Seriously: "Good God / Looky here, looky here!"?? Stay in your lane, James. Favorite tracks: Lo and Behold, Fire and Rain.

Loveless

My Bloody Valentine

1/5

I listened to this album years ago and remember hating it, but I couldn't recall why. As I'm doing with all of the 1001, I decided to listen to it with fresh ears, in the hope of seeing why this is the #10 album of all time on rateyourmusic.com (as of the time I'm writing this). As the opening track (Only Shallow) was playing, I started to think that maybe I had been overly harsh in my previous assessment. I was thinking, "hey, this is kind of cool. I must be misremembering or it must have just been a bad day when I originally listened." NOPE. After Only Shallow, the album becomes HORRENDOUS. But at least now I can articulate why I hate this album. Let's start with Kevin Shields' "glide guitar" that critics and fans rave about. He takes the tremolo bar and intentionally detunes the guitar - so basically the guitars are constantly going in and out of tune, giving a sense of seasickness. To Here Knows When is a good (bad?) example of what I'm talking about. I hated this track with a burning passion. Also, unlike Only Shallow, they do the typical shoegaze thing of putting the vocals deep in the mix so you can barely hear them. The sad part is that many tracks have the bones of a good song - take away the detuning, put some energy into the singing and make it more present in the mix, and songs like When You Sleep, I Only Said, Come in Alone, and others would actually be good. The only song I outright liked aside from Only Shallow was Sometimes, which didn't suffer from detuning, but it still had the vocals too deep in the mix (and the guitars were pushing the edge of my noise tolerance). The last track (Soon) was also sort of ok. But, overall, the detuning and general noisiness made this album a miserable experience (especially since I'm committed to listening to every single album on the 1001 at least twice, preferably with at least one close listen). I know this album is critically acclaimed, and I'm pretty open-minded with respect to music, but to me this is absolutely horrendous.

Astral Weeks

Van Morrison

3/5

Ok vibe over relatively simple repetitive songs. Makes for decent background music, but on close listen two things become evident: 1) the songs really drag on since they're so repetitive and 2) he's a really strange singer. Honestly no track stood out enough to make a list of favorite tracks. I'd call it a 2.5 and I'll round up for no good reason.

Roger the Engineer

The Yardbirds

4/5

It's crazy that the Yardbirds launched Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, AND Jimmy Page. Beck is of course outstanding on this album (the only one of the three to appear here). A lot of the songs take basic rock and roll sounds and pump them up to 11 and then they add new twists and turns. There were a lot of instances on this album where I could hear how The Yardbirds influenced future sounds (did anyone else think the first half of Ever Since the World Began sounds like Black Sabbath?). Admittedly the album sounds pretty dated, but is definitely a good listen (and grew on me with each subsequent listen). Favorite tracks: Over Under Sideways Down, The Nazz are Blue, Jeff's Boogie, What Do You Want (sounds like it could be a Who song).

Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo

MC Solaar

4/5

Very cool album - great grooves, impressive smooth rapping (and occasionally crazy fast, e.g., Ragga Jam). No clue what he's saying but it was simply really fun to listen to. Favorite tracks (these are tracks that caught my attention every time - again, no clue what they mean): Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo, Victime de la mode, Armand est mort.

Time Out Of Mind

Bob Dylan

4/5

Strong album from Dylan, apparently reviving his career in the late 90s. Most of the time I even liked his singing (unlike a lot of songs where he sounds like a parody of himself). A few exceptions - drop the twang in Tryin' to Get to Heaven, Bob (fun fact - David Bowie recorded a nice version of this song, released posthumously - listening to Bowie growling "Tryin' to get to heaven, before they close the door" is much more powerful than Dylan's twang). A lot of the album is basic blues, but he takes it to the next level through his lyrics and, yes, even his singing. The band is top notch and Daniel Lanois' production is outstanding. Every article I read says that Dylan didn't feel comfortable with the production style and self-produced from then on out. I wonder what happened behind the scenes. Maybe it's as simple as Dylan prefers to be his own boss. No idea. Probably the biggest disappointment is the most covered song on the album: Make You Feel My Love (made huge by Adele - and according to secondhandsongs.com it's his most covered song, period). It ends up being another one of those "Dylan wrote it but others did it better" songs. He doesn't even sound as good on this song compared to other tracks on the album, yet his singing on a lot of other tracks suggests it could have been great on its own (compare to a song like Most of the Time from 1989 - another powerful emotional song, but Dylan sounds great on it). There's just no explaining why sometimes Dylan sounds good versus bad. Finally, Highlands is stupid long, but at least it's a good vibe. I would definitely revisit this album. Favorite tracks: Love Sick, Standing in the Doorway (great vibe, poignant lyrics), Million Miles (a great example of how he makes a basic blues track sound amazing), Not Dark Yet (very powerful, beautiful track), Cold Irons Bound (catchy groove).

Better Living Through Chemistry

Fatboy Slim

2/5

DOOO...DOOO...DOOO...DOOO DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D This is my second Fatboy Slim album. It's boring and repetitive. It's also repetitive and boring. Especially that one drum beat that he uses in almost EVERY. SINGLE. SONG. Plus, he occasionally throws in sounds I can't stand. Not a 1 because it was somewhat tolerable, but it was pretty close. Song I sort of liked: Santa Cruz (still tons of repetition and that same drum beat he uses throughout most of the album, but it had a nice vibe).

The Holy Bible

Manic Street Preachers

4/5

I loved Everything Must Go, so I was excited to see this one come up. But, man, this one hits hard. The music is great, but the lyrics are DARK. Like, uncomfortably so. It's almost relieving that most of the time I couldn't tell what James Dean Bradfield was singing (he has very unusual cadences and pronunciations, but he sounds cool). Especially 4st 7lb - that one was really tough (about anorexia, which lyricist Richey Edwards suffered from, among the many things he suffered from before vanishing, presumably from suicide). Add in songs about despots, genocide, serial killers, and more and it's just an incredibly difficult album. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate dark music, but the lyrics started to feel oppressive (which might be what they were going for). I definitely loved the music - great songs and playing - I just don't think I could listen to this album too many times without falling into a serious hole of despair.

Back At The Chicken Shack

Jimmy Smith

3/5

I'm happy to hear this as a historical piece - Jimmy Smith apparently popularized the Hammond B3 organ, which eventually becomes a big part of later funk, hard rock, and even progressive rock. But musically, it's kind of basic and dated. Can't really distinguish it from music you'd hear in the background during a reception. Probably not fair given it was supposedly groundbreaking, but that's how I hear it today. Textbook 3 for me - had no problem hearing it, don't need to hear it again.

The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn

Pink Floyd

4/5

I'm a HUGE Pink Floyd fan...starting with Meddle. I can appreciate that this Floyd was necessary to get to the Floyd that I love, and I can appreciate how this is a landmark in psychedelic rock, but I've never been a huge fan of Syd Barrett era Floyd (and cringe any time I see someone say "Pink Floyd were never as good after Syd Barrett left." And, yes, occasionally some hipster will say that online). It's a shame that the two best Syd-era tracks are single only tracks: Arnold Layne and See Emily Play (my favorite Syd-era song). Overall, the album sounds like an LSD trip through fairy tales and down Alice's rabbit hole. I agree it belongs on the list for its historical significance, but it's no more than a 3.5 for me (I'll round up because without this album, we don't eventually get Dark Side of the Moon). Favorite tracks: Astronomy Domine, Bike. I'd add Interstellar Overdrive if it was shorter.

3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...

Arrested Development

2/5

Eh, I remember trying to get into this album when it came out - everyone was raving about it and it didn't do much for me. Still doesn't, even now that I'm trying to be a lot more open minded. The songs all feel like they drag and the aspirational lyrics just don't connect with me (which might be a function of not living a disadvantaged life - does it say something that I find optimistic rap boring? Then again, I often find gangsta rap uncomfortable - maybe there's a middle ground, but this ain't it). Tracks I liked most: Mr. Wendal, Fishin' 4 Religion, Washed Away. Most awkward track: Natural - settle down, Speech. I'm uncomfortable on behalf of the girl he's singing to.

All Things Must Pass

George Harrison

5/5

Absolute masterpiece. George Harrison, released from the limitations put on him by Lennon & McCartney, creates arguably the best solo album by a former Beatle. With songs like Something, Here Comes the Sun, and While My Guitar Gently Weeps, George had already proven he was a great songwriter, but this album proved that those were not rare exceptions - the Beatles were actually holding him back. I'm ignoring the Apple Jam album - that was just a "bonus" and not really a part of the main album (but I like the Out of the Blue jam). The first album is just mind-blowingly good. The second album isn't quite as strong, but still very good (with some great tracks). RIP George and thanks for the amazing tunes. Favorite tracks: My Sweet Lord, Wah-Wah, Isn't It a Pity, What Is Life?, Let It Down, Beware of Darkness, All Things Must Pass.

Eliminator

ZZ Top

3/5

The good: Some serious classic tracks on this album - Gimme All Your Loving, Got Me Under Pressure (questionable lyrics, though - "She likes cocaine / and flipping out with Great Danes"? I don't want to know), Sharp Dressed Man (great song with a fantastic slide guitar solo), and Legs. The bad: Despite those classic tracks, the album doesn't hold up, primarily because it's ridiculously repetitive. Almost every song has the same driving beat, similar vocal lines (usually with cheesy lyrics), and a guitar solo (but, credit where credit's due, we're talking great guitar solos). Now don't get me wrong, the album rocks, but the repetition and cheesy lyrics (particularly bad examples: I Got the Six, TV Dinners, Dirty Dog) leave me with no interest to hear it again, and that's a 3.

World Clique

Deee-Lite

2/5

Dance music doesn't do a lot for me - if you ever saw me dance, you'd know why. Generally, I found most of the songs repetitive and boring. There were a few that drew my attention, typically the ones with the most "real" instruments (i.e., minimal drum sequences or synth sounds). After I finished my first listen, I really didn't want to listen again, but I did (since I'm committed to two listens each) and was pretty bored, hence the 2. Favorite tracks: Deee-Lite Theme (really made me think I was going to dig this album...unfortunately not much was like it), Smile On, Groove is in the Heart (Bootsy!), Who Was That?

Boy In Da Corner

Dizzee Rascal

2/5

Not my thing. Mostly uninteresting computer-based grooves. Each track is highly repetitive. Thank goodness for genius.com because I couldn't understand a single thing he's saying - lyrics are occasionally interesting, occasionally ugh. Not a 1 because it was tolerable, if repetitive, and there were a few tracks I liked: Fix Up Look Sharp, Hold Ya Mouf, Seems 2 Be (very cool track - goes hard and has a very catchy chorus).

The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

The 13th Floor Elevators

3/5

One of the earliest psychedelic rock albums with a minor hit in "You're Gonna Miss Me" (I knew that song thanks to the High Fidelity soundtrack). The Electric Jug is a...choice. After a while it got irritating to hear. The whole album is very dated, but deserves accolades for being on the leading edge of psychedelic rock which ultimately influences many acts and other genres for decades to come. I'm glad to have heard it, but I don't think I'd revisit it. I'd call it a 2.5 (docking half a point for how irritating the electric jug got), but I'll round up in recognition of their influence. Favorite tracks: You're Gonna Miss Me, Splash 1 (Now I'm Home), Reverberation.

Ellington at Newport

Duke Ellington

4/5

Robert Fripp said (approximately): “A studio recording is a love letter, a live performance is a hot date." So then what do we call it when they take a frenetic, mind-blowing live performance and replace some of it with a studio version, complete with canned applause? I'll leave that to others to define, but I'm glad I listened to the 90's rerelease with the actual live recording. It includes the studio excerpts at the end of the album and the energy level between studio versus live is night and day. Half of what made the actual live show great was the craziness of the audience and the band. Case in point: yeah, Paul Gonsalves' sax solo in Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue is pretty great, but what makes it amazing is listening to the band egg him on. It's also crazy how wild the audience got. You crazy 50's hipsters you! Overall, it's a great historical time capsule. Favorite tracks: Blues to be There, Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue, Skin Deep (great drum solo).

Post Orgasmic Chill

Skunk Anansie

3/5

No longer in the 1001 - 90s hard rock alternative vibe, primarily made unique by Skin's vocals, which are outstanding. The major problem is too many of the songs are generic sounding - the first three or four tracks were pretty unique and made me think I was going to rate this album highly, but then the rest of the album (except And This is Nothing That I Thought I Had) is all basic/generic alt rock. I'd call the album a 3.5 but I'm rounding down because it was less interesting on a close listen than in the background, and that's never a good sign. Favorite tracks: Charlie Big Potato, We Don't Need Who You Are, And This is Nothing That I Thought I Had.

The Good, The Bad & The Queen

3/5

While I liked this album, I feel like nothing on it is sticking with me. I enjoyed listening to it, but I suspect I will forget about it as soon as I move on to the next album. Rightly removed from the 1001. Favorite tracks: Herculean, Green Fields, title track.

Larks' Tongues In Aspic

King Crimson

5/5

Big King Crimson fan here, so definitely biased. Personally, if I wanted to represent KC's Wetton-era, I would have chosen Red. Much more accessible yet still just as groundbreaking (and Starless is one of my favorite songs of all time - and I'm not alone as it's currently ranked as the #2 song of all time on rateyourmusic.com). But let's talk about this album. I try to imagine what this sounds like to the uninitiated and I can only think it would sound disjointed and aimless with a few cool moments here and there. The trick, though, is to recognize that this album has more in common with Stravinsky and Bartok than with Chuck Berry. If you listen to it like a symphony, you hear layers upon layers. And that's really what a song like LTIA Part I is - it's a modern symphony, played with rock instruments (well, and a violin and random percussion). However, unlike a symphony that might be written by a single composer, much of it is based on improv, which makes it have more in common with jazz. Take these elements together - classical, jazz, metal - and you've got King Crimson (at least 70s KC - 80s and beyond, which aren't included in the 1001, are a completely different animal. Check out Discipline for the perfect example). You're not going to dance to it, or bop to it, but perhaps you can appreciate it more (turn it up, too, because the volume differences are similar to a symphony as well). Continuing through the album, next we have Book of Saturday, a beautiful ballad - love the guitar line throughout the song and the backwards guitar solo into the violin solo is so good. Exiles is a song I didn't truly appreciate until David Cross did a re-make years later. Excellent song. Easy Money is a great track - a bit more "groovy" than the rest of the album, although it's a slow groove. Then, The Talking Drum gives us a cool jam with a slow build to LTIA Part II. I've seen them play this live and it gets incredibly intense, building up to LTIA Part II, which is a heavy metal instrumental unlike anything recorded to that point (again, had they picked Red, this style would have been well represented by that album's title track). Then the end is just pure majesty - it's my favorite track on the album. I realize this album isn't for everyone, but for me it's a masterpiece. Easy 5.

John Barleycorn Must Die

Traffic

4/5

I'd say the first side hit me right away while the second side was a grower - I wasn't as thrilled with it on first listen, but got into it more on subsequent listens (it's a short album and lends itself easily to repeat listens). In particular, the opening track is a great jam - I only knew Steve Winwood from his 80s hits and I had no idea he was such an outstanding musician. The jam at the end of Every Mother's Son also sounded great. Probably the only negative was that John Barleycorn got a little boring on a close listen, but made for good background vibes. Overall, I don't hear a lot of groundbreaking music here, but it was a good listen and I would revisit. Favorite tracks: Glad, Empty Pages, Every Mother's Son.

Peter Gabriel

4/5

Despite being a long-time Peter Gabriel fan, I never really got into his first solo album, so I enjoyed spending some time listening closely. There's a lot to like, but it's an uneven affair - like he's trying out different sounds and can't decide what he wants to be (my favorite tracks - Solsbury Hill, Humdrum, and Here Comes the Flood - all point in the direction he eventually went). Moribund the Burgermeister sounds like classic prog Genesis - an odd choice to start the album if he's trying to show his independence - but since I like classic prog Genesis I like this track too. Then we have Solsbury Hill, an outstanding and timeless track that could have been written today - one of his best. Modern Love sounds like Peter Gabriel trying to write a Bruce Springsteen song. Then the completely odd style of Excuse Me - did we need a barbershop quartet on this album? No, no we didn't. With Robert Fripp on banjo and Tony Levin on tuba?? Ok, I'll allow it. Humdrum is a great example of the direction he's going to take in his upcoming albums and, man, when the synth kicks in at 1:53 leading to the "out of woman comes the man" section - chills every time. Absolutely majestic end to Side 1. Side 2 starts with Slowburn, kind of a glam rocker? Very 70s sounding. Waiting for the Big One is straightforward blues, singing like Randy Newman? It's not a bad song (none of the songs on the album are bad, even Excuse Me) but it's another example of how this album is all over the place. Down the Dolce Vita is a bombastic 70s rocker, complete with an overly dramatic orchestra. Finally, Here Comes the Flood - I absolutely love this song, but moreso when it's stripped down (which he did live and also on his 1990 compilation album Shaking the Tree). I've always felt that this album's version with the full on rock band chorus is a bit much. Check out the version on Fripp's album Exposure, released a little over two years later, which just features PG on piano and vocals, Brian Eno adding subtle synth, and Fripp playing his "Frippertronics" looped guitar. So much better than the original version here. Go check it out (and stay for the next track on the album, Water Music II). Bottom line, this is a 4 for me - lots of good songs, but a little disjointed. As a PG fan I can really appreciate its place as the first step in his move from Genesis frontman to solo superstar, but it's not an album I would recommend to someone new to Peter Gabriel's solo discography.

Celebrity Skin

Hole

3/5

Slick and poppy. Starts super strong (and awesome) with the song Celebrity Skin, but then is mostly slick, polished pop rock, which is honestly shocking after the hard edge of Live Through This (which itself was apparently toned down from their first album, which admittedly I haven't heard). Heaven knows Courtney Love went through a lot between these two albums, but this album just isn't as strong without that edge. One big difference is that the lyrics, even though they're often about drowning and loss, aren't as cutting as the lyrics on Live Through This. Those lyrics made me truly appreciate Hole after being dismissive of Courtney Love for a long time. This album doesn't make me want to go back to being dismissive, but it definitely lost something (which could easily be due to her personal loss, which I wouldn't wish on anyone). I'd call is a 3.5 but I'm rounding down to differentiate the score from the 4 I gave Live Through This. Favorite tracks: Celebrity Skin (rocking song - and the bass sounds fantastic), Use Once & Destroy, Boys on the Radio, Playing Your Song.

Tom Tom Club

4/5

Any album that I think is just a good background bop but then sounds better on close listen is a good album in my book. Just a fun, clever album. Plus, I automatically add a star for anything with Adrian Belew (although interestingly, he wasn't as present on this album as you'd expect, except for the obvious guitar/elephant sound...well, obvious to any King Crimson fan! I love that the blurb in the 1001 book referred to him as "stunt guitarist" Adrian Belew. EDIT: Wow, per Wikipedia, "recording engineer Steven Stanley erased the majority of Belew's solos during the mixing sessions" - so it wasn't my imagination!). Really enjoyed this album - can't call it a five, but I would definitely revisit. Favorite tracks: Wordy Rappinghood, Genius of Love (one of those "Hey, I know this one!" the moment it started), Lorelei (really liked this track - creates a cool mood).

Supa Dupa Fly

Missy Elliott

3/5

Pretty chill album that ran a little long for me and had me wanting to skip ahead during my close listen. She sounds great both singing and rapping, with an interesting meter most of the time, it was just a little too chill and lacked enough variety to really pull me in for the whole thing. Favorite tracks: Sock It To Me, The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly), Beep Me 911, Pass da Blunt, Don't Be Commin' (In My Face) (awful name, but very catchy track), Izzy Izzy Ahh.

Third

Portishead

3/5

Emo and often weird. Not a bad weird and there are some good moments, but generally too much of the same tone throughout. By the end when she was singing "I'm worn out, thinking of why" I was kind of agreeing. Favorite tracks: Silence (although the end was a little abrupt), The Rip (very cool middle break), Machine Gun.

Live Through This

Hole

4/5

Like many albums in the 1001, I had preconceived notions about this one, but I'm trying to listen to everything with an open mind. I start by listening primarily as background music and it fit all my preconceptions: Courtney Love sounds like either she can't sing or she doesn't want to be bothered. When she puts more anger into it, it sounds like she's trying to barf out the words. The music is just typical grunge and there are better bands to listen to. I was drafting a review and figured it would be a 2. On close listen, though, paying attention to the lyrics, I found it's a much more powerful album than I thought. Couple the lyrics with her singing style and suddenly it works. She also becomes a lot more sympathetic - you realize maybe, just maybe, you're focused on the press version of her, and maybe not the real her, and damn she's been through a lot. I have no idea if any of that is accurate, but the singing style and music work much better when you realize what she's singing. The album grew on me with each listen and I definitely appreciate Hole and Courtney Love more than I did before. Favorite tracks: Violet, Asking for it, Jennifer's Body, Doll Parts, She Walks on Me, Rock Star (Olympia).

Goodbye And Hello

Tim Buckley

2/5

Interesting as an historical artifact, but incredibly dated and often cheesy, both musically and lyrically. As a Jeff Buckley fan, what I found most interesting is the echoes of Jeff's voice. I suppose it's the other way around, but to me Jeff was leaps and bounds superior to Tim, both from a vocal perspective and a songwriting perspective. I Never Asked to Be Your Mountain is a decent sounding song, but basically he's declaring what a POS he was for abandoning his newborn son. F this guy. Songs I sort of liked: Once I Was, Phantasmagoria in Two, Morning Glory. Most irritating song: Goodbye and Hello - cheesy AND long.

Hail To the Thief

Radiohead

5/5

I've mentioned before that OK Computer was the last Radiohead album I really liked before they got fully Weird with a capital W. As I listened to the first couple of tracks, I thought, "Here we go again." How wrong I was. At first, I just appreciated a lot of the songs that were based in regular instruments rather than electronica (e.g., Sail to the Moon, Go to Sleep, A Punchup at a Wedding), but it was on repeat listens that I started to get pulled into more and more tracks (incl. Myxomatosis and A Wolf at the Door). I was busy this week and it took a while to get to a close listen, but I was already clearly at a 4 for the album by then. Then, I did my close listen and frankly was blown away by how much better the album was when paying close attention. The lyrics are sheer poetry and horror - the sense of foreboding throughout the album is palpable. It's a shame Thom Yorke doesn't enunciate well when he sings (and I know he's capable - that always irks me) because the lyrics are outstanding. Every single song hit me on close listen, so much that I'm not even going to list "favorite tracks" (but a few that really hit me for the first time during the close listen included Where I End and You Begin, We Suck Young Blood, and The Gloaming and if I had to pick one track to call a favorite it would be A Wolf at the Door). Simply put, this is an amazing album - can't believe they pulled this from the book - I slept on this one and I'm glad the 1001 got me to give it another chance.

A Little Deeper

Ms. Dynamite

2/5

Super generic and way too long. When I saw it was some British artist I never heard of from 2002 who won the Mercury Prize, I immediately assumed it's since been removed from the 1001. Yup. Tracks that I thought were catchy: Dy-Na-Mi-Tee, Put Him Out, Sick 'n' Tired.

Synchronicity

The Police

5/5

The Police demonstrate how to go out on top with an ALMOST perfect album (looking at you, "Mother"). Seriously, pretty much all the songs range from really good to great. If I had to classify them: Really good: Walking in Your Footsteps, O My God (sounds like it belongs on Sting's 1st solo album, which I love - couldn't confirm, but Genius says Sting played the sax solo?? Impressive), Miss Gradenko, Tea in the Sahara. Great: Synchronicity I, Synchronicity II (used to play this in a band - lots of fun), King of Pain, Wrapped Around Your Finger. Stone Cold Classic: Every Breath You Take - it may be over-played, but it's an amazing song (and I guess technically one of the greatest songs ever made about stalking?). Super-easy 5.

Crooked Rain Crooked Rain

Pavement

3/5

If someone were to ask me to provide an example of 90s slacker rock - THIS. They're ok. A little noisy sometimes (e.g., the end of Unfair) and Stephen Malkmus' slacker lazy vocal style works sometimes and not others (e.g., the first couple of songs). It was ok, but I'm not a big fan. Tracks I liked: Stop Breathing (especially the guitar line in the latter part of the song), Cut Your Hair, Newark Wilder (nice vibe).

Oedipus Schmoedipus

Barry Adamson

2/5

wtf? Why does this dude have two albums in the 1001?? Like *really* two albums, not "one of these was removed and the other is a replacement." Is he friends with Robert Dimery? I just don't get it. There were a few good moments, but also some really weird moments. It wasn't awful, but I absolutely did not need to hear this (or his other album on the 1001) before I died. Tracks that I liked: Set the Controls for the Heart of the Pelvis (awful name, good bop, a little weird),The Vibes Ain't Nothing but the Vibes, The Big Bamboozle, The Sweetest Embrace (Nick Cave makes it good).

Leftism

Leftfield

3/5

Expected not to like this based on the seriously over-the-top gushing review in the book. The reviewer made it sound like the most important album ever in the UK dance scene, a genre I'm not all that keen on in the first place. It didn't help that the first two tracks, while generally catchy, had some moments that I really disliked. Once past those first two tracks, though, I found myself pleasantly surprised. Dark synth grooves, interesting mashups of African and reggae styles, and then throw in the singers from Curve and the Sex Pistols and you've got a cool-sounding album. Works best as background music, but I'd put it on in the background again. Favorite tracks: Melt, Song of Life, Space Shanty, Open Up (w/ John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten).

All Hail the Queen

Queen Latifah

4/5

Cool grooves, great flow. I feel like I should give an extra star just for the fact that she was pioneering. On the flip side, I want to take back a star for Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children. What the heck was that?? Some repetitiveness across the tracks, but it's definitely an excellent rap album. I also like the positivity in the lyrics and she's one of the best female rappers of all time, so I'll go with the 4. Favorite tracks: Dance for Me, Come Into My House, Latifah's Law, Ladies First, Evil That Men Do.

Steve McQueen

Prefab Sprout

2/5

The Wikipedia page on Prefab Sprout has a lot of superlatives - "some of the most beautiful and intelligent records of their era", "most beloved pop music of the 1980s and 1990s" and that Paddy McAloon is "one of the great songwriters of his time." That's a little much. This was pretty much boring soft listening and I enjoyed it better as background music (never a good sign) - I got pretty bored on a close listen. I like the Thomas Dolby connection, and I'm sad that Dolby's The Golden Age of Wireless is not in the 1001 since it's so much better than this. Tracks I liked: Faron Young, Bonny.

The Next Day

David Bowie

4/5

I think this was included in an earlier edition of the 1001 because they were excited that Bowie finally had a new album after almost 10 years, but it was wisely replaced by his swan song, Blackstar (which I view as an absolute masterpiece and is a very unique entry in Bowie's extensive catalog). This is a good album, but even though I'm a Bowie fan I can acknowledge it didn't need to be in the 1001. That said, it's a really good album. I admit I never gave it a big chance since it came out, but on repeated listens it's growing on me. I'll call it a 4 - not a masterpiece, but definitely worth revisiting. Favorite tracks: The Next Day, Love is Lost, If You Can See Me (crazy track - sounds like it would fit on Blackstar, or even Outside (another favorite Bowie album)), Boss of Me (great bass line from Tony Levin - it's not credited, but it sure sounds like his "funk fingers"!).

Actually

Pet Shop Boys

4/5

I'm generally not into dance music, but this album really won me over. At first I was a little resistant to giving it a chance, but the words "catchy" and "cool" kept coming to mind over and over, and the album grew on me with each listen. By the time I was writing this review, I was seriously impressed. I even came to appreciate What Have I Done to Deserve This, which I thought of as a cheesy 80s hit until I listened closely. I don't think I can go with the 5 for the album - still not my thing - but lots of respect for making me like an album in a genre that I'm not really into. Favorites tracks: One More Chance, What Have I Done to Deserve This, Shopping, Hit Music, I Want to Wake Up, King's Cross (powerful ending track).

Myths Of The Near Future

Klaxons

4/5

Catchy tunes with good driving beats throughout, but doesn't hold up on close listen. They get a cool riff or chorus and then just repeat them over and over. So, it works best as background music, which isn't really a good thing to say about an album. That said, the only song I didn't like was Atlantis to Interzone - it was a bit much, particularly in the chorus. I'd call it a 3.5 and round up to a 4 because I dug it as something to bop along to while doing other stuff and wouldn't mind revisiting. Favorite tracks: Two Receivers (cool start), Totem on the Timeline, Gravity's Rainbow, Four Horsemen of 2012 (cool end).

The Only Ones

4/5

Ok, here's one I never heard of before but really enjoyed. A little stylistically uneven, but I liked pretty much all the tracks, so no big deal. I didn't know what to expect and was surprised when it opened with the mellow Roxy Music-ish "The Whole of the Law" and then we're on the pop-punk track "Another Girl, Another Planet." The album continues to shift gears throughout, but never goes wrong (although I found the 1st side more engaging than the 2nd). Would definitely revisit. Favorite tracks: Breaking Down, City of Fun (rocking track!), The Beast, The Immortal Story (good closer).

Here Come The Warm Jets

Brian Eno

5/5

Great solo debut album from Eno. I know he's not for everyone, but I'm a big fan of his song-based solo work and this album is no exception. So many good tracks. Of course, Fripp's guitar solo on Baby's on Fire is out of this world and Needle in the Camel's Eye is a great opener. Side two is really strong start to finish. Easy 5. Favorite tracks: Needle in the Camel's Eye, Baby's on Fire, On Some Faraway Beach, Blank Frank, Some of Them Are Old.

Something/Anything?

Todd Rundgren

3/5

Too long, too uneven. Side 3 ("The Kid Gets Heavy") was my favorite side. Side 1 is mostly 70s soft rock with occasional harder edges. Side 2 had too many "dumb" moments trying to be clever (to quote Spinal Tap "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever"). Side 4 was moderately fun, but I was just bored of the album by this point. I'd say a 2.5, but I'll round up because it wasn't BAD, it just wasn't all that interesting to me. Favorite tracks: I Saw the Light, Wolfman Jack, Black Maria, Couldn't I Just Tell You.

Arise

Sepultura

3/5

I liked the other Sepultura album on the list (Roots) except for the growling singing - it had a unique sound that warranted inclusion on the list, even if I didn't personally like the style. This one didn't really grab me, although I could handle the growl more for some reason. Every time I tried listening closely I found I wasn't all that interested. Except for a few interesting moments here and there, every song followed the same structure (with almost always the same thrash drum beat). Oddly, it worked as rocking background music for me, strange as that is to say. I'd say it's a 2.5, but I'll call it a 3 and move on. Tracks that caught my attention: Arise, Desperate Cry, Under Siege (Regnum Irae).

Street Signs

Ozomatli

3/5

Wasn't sure what to make of this album. One moment it sounds Middle Eastern, then it's rap, then it's salsa/Latino jazz, then it's Latin Rock, then it's Santana, then it's jazz fusion...it's not bad, it's just all over the place. The band is clearly really good and the recording quality is excellent, I'm just not sure why it made this list (and it has since been removed). Nothing bad, just nothing I'd revisit. Favorite tracks: Believe, Saturday Night, Ya Viene el Sol (great drums). By the way, when they were playing more Latino Rock style, I kept thinking of the Austin-based band Vallejo. Check them out - Alternative Tejano hard rock, much cooler than this album. I recommend either Into the New or Stereo.

The Sun Rises In The East

Jeru The Damaja

3/5

Interesting/cool samples, particularly the dissonant piano chords on D. Original. And, wow, that's some smooth jazz to rap about Da Bichez. But a lot of the songs got dull after a while, even when the samples they were based on were cool (e.g., Brooklyn Took It, My Mind Spray, Come Clean). I'll go with the 3 because there was nothing I disliked, but I probably wouldn't revisit. Favorite tracks: D. Original, Ain't the Devil Happy, Jungle Music.

Sound of Silver

LCD Soundsystem

5/5

Fun, catchy album. I was really busy the last couple of weeks and could only listen to it in the background and noticed it was seriously growing on me and got better with every listen. Lots of different styles on the album - I hear Brian Eno in Get Innocuous and Someone Great, Prince in Time to Get Away, the White Stripes in North American Scum, and the Killers in All My Friends (loved the lyrics in this track - makes you really feel how life changes too fast). Normally I'd call being all over the place a negative, but each track is excellent, so I'm ok with it. Bottom line - I was still enjoying it after putting it on repeat for nearly two weeks. When I finally got to a close listen it was even better. Sounds like a 5. I'm normally not into dance/electronica, but this is in a class by itself. Favorite tracks: liked all of them (weakest track was Sound of Silver - good groove but a little too repetitive). I'll put Time to Get Away, North American Scum, and All My Friends as my favorites.

Music

Madonna

3/5

Despite never previously liking Madonna, I've tried to be open minded. Imagine my surprise when I really enjoyed Like a Prayer and Ray of Light, leading to 4 stars for each. But I knew I was in trouble when my wife (a Madonna fan) told me that Music was the last Madonna album she bought because she didn't like all the autotune. Since autotune is an automatic one star reduction (at best) for me, I knew this one was going to be tough. Overall, I'd say there's enough good on the album to (mostly) override my distaste for autotune and, dare I say it, the autotune in the title track was subtle and even worked as a good effect for a change. After I got through the first half, I figured easy 3, maybe even a shot at a 4. Then I got to Nobody's Perfect. HOLY CRAP WHAT A HORRIBLE SONG. Awful autotune, nauseating key sound. Like I literally will remove a star JUST FOR THIS AWFUL TRACK. Wait, then Don't Tell Me - wtf, they purposely made it sound like the track was glitching?? I had to listen on another service just to make sure there wasn't something wrong with the Apple Music track. Who on earth thought that was a good idea?? The rest of the album was ok - nothing groundbreaking, but catchy enough (although Paradise had more autotune/electronic effects on the vocals than I'd like, which was a shame, because I liked the atmosphere of the song). I don't know if those two awful tracks are enough to bring me down to a 2 on the album. I'll go with the 3 because in general the album was growing on me with each listen, and got better on close listen. Feels wrong to give it a 2 in that case - but those two tracks alone make it no more than a 3. Favorite tracks: Music, Amazing, What It Feels Like for a Girl, Gone.

Paul's Boutique

Beastie Boys

5/5

Cool album start to finish - very interesting how dense the samples are. When I went to whosampled.com I was surprised just how many samples were present in every song. Then I learned about the Grand Upright Music Ltd v. Warner Bros Records case that basically killed wholesale sampling in rap. In other words, this album couldn't exist just a couple years later. Although the samples are a little more in your face obvious than later hip hop, the Dust Brothers and Beastie Boys still make it their own. I may not be a big rap fan, but I really enjoyed this album...I'll give it the 5 it clearly deserves. Favorite tracks: Shake Your Rump, Johnny Ryall, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun (by far my favorite track on the album), Car Thief, and two parts of B-Boy Bouillabaisse: Stop That Train and A Year and a Day.

Vincebus Eruptum

Blue Cheer

3/5

Ok, a lot of sources say this is the first heavy metal album. I hear the Who, Cream, and Jimi in this (all of which came first). What makes this heavy metal then? Louder? More distorted? Honestly, it sounds to me just like sloppy playing and amateurish recording quality (even for the 60s). I can acknowledge their influence - heck, about 4 minutes into Doctor Please there's a riff that Rush clearly ripped off (I mean, adapted!) in the instrumental break in Working Man. Plus, I really hear Deep Purple in this album. I feel like I should give them an extra star for historical significance, but honestly I have no urge to ever hear this again, making it a 3 at best. Tracks I liked best: Summertime Blues, Parchment Farm (cool groove).

Another Green World

Brian Eno

5/5

Eno transitions more fully towards making ambient masterpieces (with a few "traditional" songs, at least by Eno's standards). It's certainly not something you rock out to, but it sounds amazing. I like pretty much every track, but standouts are St. Elmo's Fire (that Fripp solo is amazing - Eno told him to sound like a Wimshurst machine, which generates high voltage with an arc of electricity that jumps between poles. I hear it. I also like his clean solo on Golden Hours), Over Fire Island (love the bass on this and Sky Saw), In Dark Trees (a cool dark ambient instrumental), Everything Merges with the Night (love the cascading piano line - it takes you away on a gentle ride), and Spirits Drifting (cool ambient closing track with a nice little bit of dissonance). Outstanding album.

A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse

Faces

4/5

Good heavy blues rocker - before the 1001, I never really listened to anything Rod Stewart did before his 80s big hair days, and I can't say I was a fan but I'm really appreciating his early work, both here and with Jeff Beck. Every song is good, but they sound like a lot of other bands (even contemporaries - I try to be sensitive to appreciating who were the trendsetters). The lack of originality keeps them from getting a 5, but they get the 4 because I'd happily queue this one up again. Favorite tracks: Miss Judy's Farm, Love Lives Here, Stay With Me (one of those "hey I know this one!" moments), Debris (with Ronnie Lane singing lead with Stewart on backing vocals - nice chill song), Memphis Tennessee (fun Chuck Berry cover), That's All You Need (love the slide guitar - Ronnie Wood, soon to join the Rolling Stones). Yeah, that's 2/3 of the album. Good stuff.

Bandwagonesque

Teenage Fanclub

3/5

Starting with a wall of feedback is an automatic 1 star deduction for me. The Concept was a decent song, but they already put my back up with that opening. The next track Satan didn't help (although the last 15 seconds were good?). Eventually, most of the songs were decent jangle pop songs pulled down by the slacker singing style. A lot of the time the songs made me think of Matthew Sweet, who I prefer (he was releasing albums at the same time, so it's not a who was first kinda question). I think what makes Matthew Sweet better is that he has more energy in his singing - there are a lot of songs on this album with great music but boring singing (e.g., I Don't Know and Star Sign) and the album got more boring on close listen - never a good sign. Can't believe Spin Magazine picked this for Album of the Year 1991. That's insane, and shows that music critics generally have their heads inserted in certain orifices - I don't think the band should be punished for that, though. I'll give it a 3 despite the noise in the first two tracks and the lazy vocal style that detracts from far too many songs. Didn't mind listening, wouldn't seek it out again. Favorite tracks: What You Do to Me, Is This Music? (nice closing instrumental).

Germfree Adolescents

X-Ray Spex

4/5

Catchy punk tunes with slightly off-key (but energetic) singing and somewhat amateurish sax playing - I want to say the sax sounds "flat" - not in an out-of-tune way, but just lacking energy, despite the speed of the playing. Supporting this impression, when I heard Identity I thought, "Hey, the sax sounds a lot better now!"...and then saw it was a different sax player. Still, the sax is a nice touch and the whole album has a ton of energy. Poly Styrene's singing style grew on me, even the occasional off-key moments, and she was clearly influential so credit where credit's due. Finally, I've got to imagine the live shows were a lot of fun. Favorite tracks: Warrior in the Woolworths, Let's Submerge, Germ Free Adolescents, The Day the World Turned Day-Glo.

Imperial Bedroom

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

4/5

Absolutely hysterical that our final pick is an Elvis Costello album. Sure, I know statistically it was more likely, but hysterical nonetheless. He's way over-represented in the 1001, but at least I like his music (unlike freakin' Leonard Cohen, the other criminally over-represented artist in the 1001). One of my biggest complaints of his over-representation is that the albums sound too similar to each other, but this album at least has the distinction of being a little different and it grew on me with each listen. Good songs, well-arranged and played, excellent recording quality. I can't give EC a 5 - he's a little too goofy for that, but I would definitely revisit. Favorite tracks: Beyond Belief, Tears Before Bedtime, Shabby Doll, The Long Honeymoon (the first four tracks are just really strong - overall Side 1 is better than Side 2), The Loved Ones.

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