My User Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
You & I	5	2.41	+2.59
News at 11	5	2.44	+2.56
Millennium	5	2.45	+2.55
A Live One	5	2.49	+2.51
Sing To God	5	2.53	+2.47
The Great Outdoors Jam	5	2.55	+2.45
Pop	5	2.56	+2.44
Afraid Of Sunlight	5	2.59	+2.41
Save Rock And Roll	5	2.59	+2.41
Choirs Of The Eye	5	2.62	+2.38

Album	You	Global	Diff
Weighing Souls With Sand	1	2.57	-1.57
Madvillainy	2	3.41	-1.41
King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown	2	3.25	-1.25
Souvlaki	2	3.24	-1.24
HELLYEAH	1	2.19	-1.19
Apostrophe(')	2	3.14	-1.14
Circles	2	3.07	-1.07
Inside	2	3	-1

Artist	Albums	Average
Daft Punk	3	5
Bon Iver	3	4.67
Sufjan Stevens	2	5
Fontaines D.C.	2	5
blink-182	2	5
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard	2	5
Pink Floyd	2	5
The 1975	2	5
Beyoncé	2	5
BABYMETAL	2	5
The Tragically Hip	3	4.33

Childish Gambino

5/5

Nice pick! I really enjoyed the music - very funky! I can list a lot of albums on the official list that this should replace. I hadn’t listened to Childish Gambino before. I think I had some reluctance because this is the alter-ego of an actor and even though I have nothing against Danny Glover something about that made me suspicious. Glad someone has finally forced me past that preconceived notion because I’ve been a bit funk-deficient lately.

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Neutral Milk Hotel

5/5

I’ve never heard of this but did read the Wikipedia snippet and was intrigued. This was really interesting and entertaining and I think I kind of love it. Definitely worthy and I love the album cover!

Control

Pedro The Lion

5/5

A friend told me I should listen to Pedro the Lion sometime around when this was released but I never did. I feel like a terrible Seattleite! But most importantly I have been missing out on an exceptional album! The music is downbeat perfectly suiting the mood, but it’s the lyrics and the devastating story told on this album that really hooked me. An exploration of love, lust, anger and revenge the songs lay out a tragic story. The first time through I just had a small idea of what it was all about, but I immediately listened a second and third time and the details only increased my love for this album. The opening track Options is such a realistic feeling of love - and doubt. Such an interesting sentiment. Rapture is such a clever description of cheating - “Gideon is in the drawer” letting us know we are in a motel. Complicated feelings abound… “just ten more minutes.” Wow. Then Penetration mixes metaphors or sex and getting fired from a job in a very interesting way. “Cause if it isn’t making dollars then it isn’t making sense… if you aren’t moving units then you’re not worth the expense… if it isn’t penetration then it isn’t worth a kiss.” Another standout was Priests and Paramedics… the lyrics exploring each’s encounters with death and the different ways each must approach and ultimately reacts to it. Haunting. Really I could list great things about every song on here… this album really connected with me. This is the third user-submitted album and so far y’all are batting 1000. This could easily displace dozens of albums that are on the official list. Terrific!

Version 2.0

Garbage

5/5

We listened to Garbage’s debut album on the official 1001 list… and I was really happy to see it there… but this is my all-time favorite from Garbage. Perhaps it was because I discovered Garbage when this album came out and spent more than a year with it glued into my CD player… feeling like the baddest badass around… Yes, I love their debut album, but I love this one even more! Thanks for adding it!

When Smoke Rises

Mustafa

4/5

Nice, mellow listen that I enjoyed immediately. I think it was well-served by its brevity as the songs were pretty similar in tone to me and if this had gone on for an hour might be too much. But as it is really nice!

Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides

SOPHIE

4/5

Wow… this certainly lived up to the uniqueness the cover might imply. The opening song It’s Okay To Cry was a red herring, as it transitioned into the next clangy two numbers, Ponyboy and Faceshopping. There’s a lot more noise, some near-pop music (Immaterial), then even a track that sounds like it’s out of an Alien film (Pretending). It’s a little all over the place after my first listen, but maybe with more listens (after the initial surprises wore off) this would cohere more. Definitely an interesting album that I’m happy to have been brought to my attention.

The Beautiful Letdown

Switchfoot

3/5

Haven’t heard this before that I know of, although it is possible some of these songs were on the radio or something at the time. Although I don’t feel any need to get this into my musical rotation or anything I didn’t mind listening to this. There were even a few catchier numbers to clap along to.

Savage Sinusoid

Igorrr

5/5

A wild ride! Starting off, I thought this would be rough (someone was yelling at me before they played a note) but it surprised me. I love the opera and the French touches. Very unique!

Ænima

TOOL

4/5

A close friend in the early 2000s was into Tool, so I heard quite a bit of their music then. It never really was my thing even though I did occasionally listen to one of their albums on my own. I can’t remember if this was one of those or not, but no doubt I’ve heard much of this before. Tool still isn’t a love connection for me, but I will say that I appreciate their music and was surprised they were not on the official 1001 list. That seems like an oversight so I’m glad someone out there put it on this list. The first half of this album felt a little as expected to me, but then the second half reeled me in. And I found the closing track Third Eye completely mesmerizing.

Sublime

3/5

I had this album in the 90s, but lost interest in the ska-ish music despite all the hits on it. A fun return to the era today listening to this even though it isn’t going to become a regular listen.

Ultra Blue

Hikaru Utada

4/5

I have very little familiarity with J-Pop or music from this part of the world. I was happy someone promoted this to the list and think a bonus star is in order for representing a whole unexplored part of the musical world. I don’t know if this is great, good or other J-Pop, but I can say that I enjoyed several songs quite a bit and the album stuck the landing ending on a high note for me.

The Black Parade

My Chemical Romance

5/5

Another group I swore was on the list. No turns out I must be thinking of The Chemical Brothers. I wasn’t excited to listen until the first song started. Wow that is good! I’m a sucker for a concept album and this is a great one! You’re right… I should listen to this death-themed album before I die! Terrific!

McDonald and Giles

Ian McDonald

4/5

An enjoyable journey - interesting to listen to and definitely feels of its era. Some great flute parts and in particular loved the epic opening and second half “Birdman.” Really lovely listen for this evening.

Misplaced Childhood

Marillion

4/5

I bought this on vinyl at a Woolworth’s going-out-of-business sale sometime around 1988 or so. I didn’t know the group or any of the songs. I enjoyed the album but somewhere in the following years lost track of it. It was great to revisit this, and I think I enjoyed it now more than then. I’m always up for a prog-rock concept album loosely based on an LSD trip!

Because the Internet

Childish Gambino

3/5

I loved “Awaken, My Love!” when it appeared on this list. This album I enjoyed less. That’s probably more a statement about my musical tastes than anything else, because it sounded like a decent quality album. It just never really got me too excited. Still, well produced and some interesting things going on here, and I enjoyed the last 1/3 more than the first part.

A Salty Dog

Procol Harum

4/5

I’m surprised that Procol Harum did not make an appearance on the original 1001. They feel influential enough to get a nod on the list. I was surprised that A Whiter Shade of Pale made no appearance on this. I really liked the orchestral opening track “A Salty Dog.” On the first listen, I was liking the album fine although a few tracks jumped out at me… it was nice to hear that organ in “Too Much Between Us” and “Pilgrim’s Progress”, and I liked “Wreck of the Hesperus.” I put this on again this afternoon and warmed up to it more. Glad to see this group on here.

People

The Burning Hell

5/5

Stick the lead singer of cake, the crash, test, dummies, and the Barenaked Ladies into a blender and pour over Ontario Then you might end up with The Burning Hell. Groups like this are often overlooked for no other reason than they weren’t “serious enough”. I guess it’s a bit like comedies rarely winning an Academy award. But I enjoyed this a lot. I do think a little wacky rhyming and crazy storytelling has a place on a list like this. Fun!

Re

Café Tacvba

5/5

This was a great listen! Lots of variety in the songs that kept things interesting. I can’t imagine ever having listened to this but for the knowledgable person who put this on the list - so thanks! Terrific!

Carrie & Lowell

Sufjan Stevens

5/5

I started this album in my car without any knowledge of what it was about and was blindsided. This has been a year of upheaval and loss for me and my family and immediately "Death and Dignity" hit me hard and had me a blubbering mess after 30 seconds. This is one of those times I marvel at how an artist can share something so deeply personal and painful with strangers through a work like this. Someone I have never known has reached out to share his deeply personal experience to help me move forward a little bit as I grapple with my own grief. Such a testament to the power of a great artist.

The Lion's Roar

First Aid Kit

5/5

I’ve never heard of this Swedish duo, and my expectations for such an album were nothing like what was delivered. Fortunately, the reality is also a really fantastic album that I’m glad to have in my library. Wow!

Go Farther In Lightness

Gang of Youths

5/5

This album started out like an Australian version of a band like The Killers or something. The first songs were bombastic but didn’t quite live up to my favorite artists of this genre. I braced myself for 80 minutes of slightly disappointing music. Then somewhere in the first third the songs turned much quieter - maybe some Chris Rea undertones were emerging - and I started to really like them more and more. Then about halfway through I was hearing string pieces… when “Le Symbolique” blended into “Let Me Down Easy” the Gang of Youths had fully won me over. I started off thinking this was headed for a 3 rating, but found myself enjoying the album more and more as it went on. If I had a nit to pick it might be that I could have trimmed the runtime down a bit, but the high points more than make up for that tiny critique.

Hammersmith Odeon, London '75

Bruce Springsteen

4/5

I was skeptical about the need for me to listen to a 2+ hour live album of Bruce Springsteen. As someone not always fond of live albums and someone not really into Bruce Springsteen this wasn't on my shortlist of listens. This performance from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band was good. I watched some of this on the video version of the album and these guys put on a great show, so I appreciate this intellectually. I’m not a big Bruce Springsteen fan but have to admit there were some pretty thrilling moments on this. Still, I’d have much preferred a single-album edit of this though.

Music For People In Trouble

Susanne Sundfør

4/5

This was very low key - a bit too much so maybe at times - but mostly lovely listen.

Home Sweet Home

Kano

2/5

Not really my thing… I believe this is too grimy - like that Dizzee Rascal album I didn’t enjoy. More than an hour of this became a slog for me.

Poesía Básica

Extrechinato y Tu

4/5

Not at all what I was expecting. I am not sure I entirely enjoyed this but it had some fun guitar rock and then some cinematically instrumental tracks that kept things interesting, so I think its work rounding up.

Lahai

Sampha

3/5

Ok, but there was a sameness to the songs that started to become a bit dull. Not terrible but not anything that stood out much either.

The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking

Roger Waters

3/5

This perplexed me a little bit - I listened to the first quarter of it without any idea what this was. Coupled with the cover, I was initially a bit turned off at the theme. While I couldn’t catch all the lyrics, the start of this felt decidedly creepy in a way that 40 year old albums themed around a naked hitchhiker might be expected to. Once I was where I could pull up Wikipedia article and was able to get a handle on the concept of the album it started making more sense and gave some excuses to feel a little less creepy about it I guess (“it’s just a dream”). There are some great moments on this album and it had a very obvious Pink Floyd feel. By the end I did warm up to this substantially. I am glad Pink Floyd chose to do The Wall instead of this though.

Racine carrée

Stromae

4/5

This was a fun listen! Some of the songs hit better than others, but great overall.

Gotcha! Gotcha! Gotcha!

Gotcha!

4/5

This was a fun rollercoaster of a ride with a mix of styles that kept providing moments of delight throughout. I heard influences of rock, Barry White, George Clinton and lots of other stuff in this interesting mélange.

Afraid Of Sunlight

Marillion

5/5

Another user put Marillion’s “Misplaced Childhood” on the list, an album I was familiar with from back in the day and I liked it. When this appeared I thought (based only on assumptions) that we didn’t need two Marillion albums on this list. And then I pressed play… The album opened up with the rockin’ Gazpacho which felt very much evolved from their album ten years prior. Cannibal Surf Babe then surprised me with its Beach Boys stylings. This album is off to a great start! I probably should pay more attention to Marillion now that I know they can do this. I liked “Misplaced Childhood” a lot, but I love “afraid of sunlight”.

Englabörn

Jóhann Jóhannsson

4/5

Nice and very different fare from the rest of the albums on this list. One should hear modern classical music before one dies, although I have little experience here so cannot say whether this is THE album or not. Regardless, I enjoyed the mood.

Whipped Cream & Other Delights

Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

5/5

I grew up with this in my family record collection and would play this very often. I loved inventing my own lyrics to these songs and performing them for my sister. This is still delightful to me. I love Herb Alpert’s arrangements, and there’s more complexity to them once you take some time to listen. I have had decades to ponder each note of this and the songs still delight me!

Piledriver

Status Quo

3/5

Some of this no-nonsense good old fashioned 70s rock hits the spot, and some of it less so. The muddiness of the recording bothered me occasionally.

Kick

INXS

3/5

This album was all around me back in the day, and of course I was familiar with the hits. While I like INXS, something always held me back a little and I think that’s still true today. But I can see why someone might put this on here.

Nail

Scraping Foetus off the Wheel

4/5

If you had told me I heard a song off this album sometime in the late 80s, I would have denied it before a friend proved it to me today. Not sure how I forgot this artist’s name… I thought this would be awful, but instead I found it surprising and kind of fun in a twisted way. Who knew I would meet the Manhattan Transfer on my Descent Into the Inferno?

Watch Out!

Alexisonfire

3/5

This isn’t really my jam, but I didn’t hate it since they only screamed at me half the time.

Dogrel

Fontaines D.C.

5/5

At first I was thinking this was going to be a meh listen of some modern post-punk… at least on the first song. By Too Real my interest piqued more - really started to dig this band. I liked Television Screens and Hurricane Laughter as much and my feelings for this band were warming up. Roy’s Tune took things in a very different direction - and when it ended I repeated the song right then. Really nice song and quite unexpected. The rest of the album was really great! Liberty Belle and Boys in a Better Land are fantastic. Then the very Irish-tinged closer Dublin City Sky brought this home in another unexpected but fantastic way. What a terrific album!

Contra

Vampire Weekend

5/5

Excellent! I like Vampire Weekend but never did take the time to listen to an album from them. Glad to have finally done that! The mix of styles and clever songs are terrific! A joyful way to spend an evening.

Korn

4/5

I have to admit the cover is darkly ingenious. I have had bits of Korn exposure here and there over the years and presumed this was that unfocused yelling and rage one often finds in this genre. This album surprised me. These songs are really, really personal which I did not at all expect. This isn’t an album of general rage, but some very specific issues that someone seems to be working through. It was heavy but very compelling and I found myself listening to it several times through today - often studying the lyrics. Not what I expected to be doing. Nu metal for the thinker.

Gemstones

Adam Green

4/5

This is some wacky fun with crazy songs bordering on lounge music. Like candy, not ever going to be my primary diet… but nice to have once in a while. The songs sometimes struck me as too much… maybe trying a little too hard… but I do appreciate the effort to see what the limits are.

A City Dressed In Dynamite

That Handsome Devil

5/5

The lead signing has a Dr. John kind of feel, the songs are kind of crazy and very interesting. Dark but catchy, I really thought these guys had to be from around New Orleans… surprisingly they are New Englanders… and the Narcotics: Pit of Despair excerpts were a great addition. Enjoyed this trip from Squaresville… blasting off to Kicksville!

Game of Fools

Koritni

5/5

This is the sort of hard rock I can really get into, and get into it I did. There are certainly lots of other more well-known options for this kind of music but this served me well to rock out this afternoon. Fun and a very enjoyable listen!

Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera

3/5

Turns out I’ve heard Elmer Gantry sing on a couple of Alan Parsons Project songs - although I didn’t know that when I started to listen to this. At first I sort of thought this was a 60s album that I wasn’t sure I needed to hear, but as it went on either I started to change or the music started to improve or both and I liked it more and more. The only thing is, I think I started to really like it after the end of the original album (which turns out was song 13). So make of that what you will. This was reasonably entertaining although I really started to enjoy it more during the additional tracks. There’s probably other 60s albums of this ilk I’d reach for first, but I very much appreciate how one might recommend it.

22, A Million

Bon Iver

4/5

Very interesting and at times I really liked it, although it was low key and I did tire of the auto tune at times. But still lovely and personal.

Before These Crowded Streets

Dave Matthews Band

5/5

For some reason the Dave Matthews Band upsets some people, but I quite enjoyed them in the 90s. While Under The Table and Dreaming is still my favorite, this one was a pretty interesting evolution of the band’s sound that I enjoyed at the time. I didn’t follow the band much after this, my musical tastes wandered in other directions, but it was great to come back to this. The original 1001 list is deficient for not having a single album from Dave Matthews Band so I’ll be rounding this score up!

Squeezing Out Sparks

Graham Parker

2/5

I definitely get Elvis Costello vibes from this, which isn’t great for me since 6 albums of Elvis Costello on the original list didn’t warm me up to the sound. Most of the songs were ok for me although a few started to wear. And I think that apostrophe in “UFO’s” needs to go.

Carolina Confessions

The Marcus King Band

4/5

Some nice rocky bluesy music that was easy to sit back and enjoy.

The Hazards of Love

The Decemberists

5/5

I love a good concept album, and this is really good! Having the different singers singing specific parts in the story works really well. I really enjoyed the ride. Nice to hear that in the world of streaming the concept album is alive and well. Terrific!

Eye

Robyn Hitchcock

3/5

This was interesting, if a bit sparse at times. Not bad…

Super Ape

The Upsetters

3/5

Not really my jam, although I liked the instrumentation on a lot of these and the cover is certainly interesting. It kept me more interested than reggae usually does when played for an hour, so rounding the score up.

El Circo

Maldita Vecindad Y Los Hijos Del 5to. Patio

5/5

This was awesome! Well named - as it sounded a bit like a circus - a little of this, a little of that - not afraid to be all over the place. I love it!

We Rock Hard

Freestylers

3/5

Wasn’t really thinking I needed to listen to more of this kind of thing, but I did really dig the grooves and it was fun to have on - great background music for doing other things. It was a little long and a little more of this than I need, and I’m probably not going to sit down and listen to it again, but there was some fun stuff to enjoy here.

Real Life

Joan As Police Woman

4/5

This was a pretty nice listen for a sleepy morning on a plane. I liked all of it and a few of the songs I thought were particularly good (Eternal Flame comes to mind).

Vedergällningen

Garmarna

4/5

Certainly a unique contribution, this album of Swedish folk songs felt surprisingly modern and interesting in its sort of darkly tinged way. I enjoyed it!

Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum

Tally Hall

5/5

Some silly fun here… kind of reminded me of the Barenaked Ladies or something along those lines. I really liked “Just Apathy” then “Spring and a Storm” had me full on in love. I’m sold on this album. A love song to Mary-Kate and Ashley? I’m in! “Ruler of Everything” is fantastic. The bonus tracks were well worth a listen. I loved the chicken song “Mucka Blucka”. Loads of fun! Catchy and terrific!

Dilate

Ani DiFranco

5/5

From the “ripped-this-from-a-CD-sometime-near-the-turn-of-the-century-and-have-no-recollection-of-ever-listening-to-it” files… (god I’m getting old and senile) I’m sure I enjoyed this back then and I really enjoyed it now. Starting an album with a big FUCK YOU is awesome. You’d think I’d have remembered that at least. And Shameless is so good - my favorite maybe on this album. Why’d I quit listening to this? Why’d I forget it? What the hell is wrong with me?! I love this album!

Moffou

Salif Keita

5/5

Really nice album! I enjoyed it. I may not know this kind of music, but i know what I like. I liked this a lot!

Pop

GAS

5/5

This was an interesting addition. Like Brian Eno’s Music for Airports, I can think of a lot of great situations where some ambient music like this would be just the ticket. I kind of loved this for the background, which is likely the point? Terrific!

Night Drive

Chromatics

5/5

This was definitely NOT what I was expecting from a band from Portland Oregon. I was a little perplexed at first, but fell into the groove quickly and really enjoyed this album! The cover of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” surprised me, both in that someone covered it, and that it was really my least favorite song on the album. It’s hard not to pale in Kate’s shadow… but that one ill-advised song choice aside, this is terrific!

Djarimirri

Gurrumul

5/5

Put this one on in the car without reading a thing about it and listened to the first three songs stunned. I had no idea what I was hearing but it was beautiful and arresting. Once I was home and continued the listen and read some background I was even more moved when I discovered this was Australian indigenous music mixed with modern orchestration. This is defintiely something that I cannot imagine would have entered my life but for this project and the user who put it here. What a wonderful gift!

Dead Man's Party

Oingo Boingo

5/5

This definitely seems like a worthy addition. Fantastic album that should have made the original list!

Live in San Francisco

Thee Oh Sees

2/5

Never encountered this band before, so this was new to me. I don't think a live album was the best introduction for me as the muddiness of the recording was a bit grating. I did get to the song "Web" and did like it, so I sought out the studio recording of the song. The experience was much improved for me and I really liked it. Maybe if I was already a fan this would have connected better with me. I suspect seeing this guys live is a great experience which may be why someone chose a live album from Thee Oh Sees. But a live recording may not have been the best starting point for my first introduction. I definitely would have rated this higher had I started with one of their studio albums. As it was this was just too muddy for me to really get into. It's a no on this album, but I think I will be checking out some of the recordings from this band after my good experience with the one studio recording I checked out.

Loss

Mull Historical Society

4/5

This was a nice album - some early-oughts indie pop that goes down easy. Maybe not earth shattering for me, but I did enjoy. I’m all for a song about Watching Xanadu, and I can relate to the plight of a shopkeeper threatened by supermarkets. So rounding up a bit for those.

A Deeper Understanding

The War On Drugs

5/5

Another very nice album from The War on Drugs. There’s a pleasant, laid back feel to this. His voice has tinges of Bryan Adams. I enjoyed this a lot! Perfect to relax to.

No.1 In Heaven

Sparks

5/5

I loved this from the jump, and there was something familiar about it… looking further I wasn’t surprised to discover Giorgio Morodor was the producer. When “Beat the Clock” came on I knew the song, but can’t remember from where. Great addition to the list. “Tryouts for the Human Race” and “The Number One Song in Heaven” were particular standouts!

Cleopatra

The Lumineers

5/5

I liked this album quite a lot. Nice songs loaded with surprising little delightful moments.

Relatives in Descent

Protomartyr

3/5

Hmmmm… didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it.

Don't Throw Stones

THE SPORTS

3/5

This was a pretty fun listen. Catchy and entertaining.

O

Damien Rice

3/5

This guy sounds a lot like a lot of Jason Mraz. Nice singer songwriter stuff.

Come And Get It

Rachel Stevens

5/5

Life has been way too depressing and serious. I needed something like this!

Hand. Cannot. Erase.

Steven Wilson

5/5

Halfway through 3 Years Older I perked up and started to really attend to this album even though not a lyric had yet been delivered. Something special was unfolding here. The music is layered and interesting. Dulcimers! Epic rock organ! Kate Bush-inspired boy choristers! This really engaged me. When I started investigating deeper it did not surprise me in the least that this drew comparisons to The Wall. The story behind this album is so compelling - there are a million ways that attempting to capture this story in a concept album should fail but I was enthralled for the duration. After one listen this album and its story haunts me - I’ll be listening to this a lot more and checking out more from Steven Wilson.

St. Jude

Courteeners

3/5

Reminded me of a few other English indie bands I’ve encountered before and perhaps not a critical addition to this list, but enjoyable and well done.

Alive Or Just Breathing

Killswitch Engage

2/5

This wasn’t the best choice for me today as I wasn’t really in the mood… so there’s that. Interesting that in the 90s/2000s we heard a lot of this sort of metal that mixes Grover-style screaming with borderline-Christian-rock pure vocals. I did appreciate that these songs seemed to be more positive than I expected. Overall, though, this was not working for me today.

Silent Alarm

Bloc Party

5/5

I’ve heard of this group but couldn’t tell you much about them except I had the impression it was one of those early-2000s groups with the guitars and unique drum patterns. Do we need another of these? The opening track was good. Good, but do I need this? But Positive Tension caught my attention. I realized that I was really liking the music - and Banquet sealed the deal. From then on I was all in on this album. I listened a second time and really enjoyed it. There are plenty of things I could imagine booting from the list the make room for this.

Pushin' Against a Stone

Valerie June

5/5

Wow… this was a unique album! Sounded absolutely wonderful with that bluegrass-tinted vocal delivery. Wonderful addition to the list.

Spilt Milk

Jellyfish

5/5

I was excited and a tad worried when this came up. A close friend submitted this… I’ve never listened to it before …nor anything else from Jellyfish. What if I hate it? The opening was wonderfully theatrical. I opened the user reviews while I listened on… I understand the comparisons to Queen, especially on Joining A Fan Club, which definitely did have the vocal theatrics, harmonies and rock that one might expect from Queen. But it is very misleading to summarize this album as that. Unmistakeable influences from the Beach Boys and Beatles influence also come through in the arrangements and wild collection of sounds and instruments (some seen in the background of the cover art). There are so many musical references peppered throughout that I heard, and no doubt much much more that I missed. I certainly don’t have the musical depth to unearth it all. I feel compelled to mention the cover art that instantly had me inventing backstories for the scene… absolutely loved it. What an interesting and delightful addition to the list. So much here for the intrepid listener. Terrific!

We Like It Here

Snarky Puppy

4/5

I ended up enjoying this more than I had expected near the outset… noodly jazz fusion is a lot more interesting and engaging than I would have thought. Seems like there should be room on the list for something like this. I’m not familiar enough with this genre to know if this is the best of the best, but it works for me.

King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown

King Tubby

2/5

Not my favorite genre, although the “Dub” subgenre I’ve only become aware of recently. While my cats seemed a little freaked out by them, the echo effects were psychedelic & groovy (they’d be perfect if someone slipped me a mickey). Still, this isn’t my thing at all.

You'd Prefer an Astronaut

Hum

4/5

Haven’t heard of this group before. It’s a bit surprising since I went through a 90s grunge phase. At the outset I wasn’t thrilled with the distortion even though I liked a lot of similar bands in the 90s. I started giving them a closer listen when they briefly turned off the distortion at the end of The Pod and noticed how much I liked that guitar part. The song Stars also deserves the attention it got… great song! I probably have heard it before. I ended up liking this although it took a little while before I could reactivate my grunge-appreciation-circuits and settle in to enjoy this. Even though the window on this genre closed for me years ago and I’m not sure I’m in the market for new grunge experiences, I do see the attraction here. Several songs appealed right away, and I suspect if I listened to this several more times I’d appreciate it more. I started to get into the mellow long ending provided by Songs of Farewell and Departure too. Rounding my rating up a little for the awesome cover art. That’s something I’d hang on the wall, and I was also glad to catch the zebra reference in Suicide Machine. Well played, Hum!

Blue Is The Colour

The Beautiful South

4/5

I owned “Welcome to the Beautiful South” and “Choke” in the 90s. Those were two of my favorite albums of my college years. Those albums have such a special connection - when this came up I started listening to them again before playing this and it has been too long. It’s exciting to experience a new-to-me album from this group that I really should have followed but for some reason never did after their second album. I like this album a lot, although I kept wanting to go back to those other two The Beautiful South albums because I like those more. Still, this album has its charms and I’m just so so happy someone put this group on this list. If you like this at all and haven’t listened to Choke (and Welcome To The Beautiful South) then I urge you to queue those up. And for my part I’ll be queuing up all their other albums that I for some reason never listened to.

Piñata

Freddie Gibbs

4/5

This is not my genre so when this 1 hour album showed up last night on my to-do list I was not excited. I started this up on a slow Sunday morning and was immediately interested by the opening. It had a strong, 70s cinematic flair that would end up being often explicit throughout the album. Hmmmmm… I’m liking it. As the album went on these songs played around with timing and delivered great rapping with 70s-inspired grooviness that I fell in love with. I had the opportunity to follow along with some of the songs’ lyrics and was impressed when I did. It’s a little tough for this genre to win me over but this one did so at the jump and kept me engaged for the full hour. I don’t often feel like listening to a rap album, but when I do this one will be on the list.

Dimanche à Bamako

Amadou & Mariam

5/5

Adding another album from those underrepresented continents to the 1001 list will always set me off with a sympathetic ear, and fortunately this album delivers! I loved the music… the African beats with a twist that I can only assume is at least partially thanks to Manu Chao, this is a groovy good time! Terrific!

Young Team

Mogwai

4/5

I enjoyed this music, although during “Like Herod”, a rather loud and aggressive song, the brining bag on my turkey sprung a leak as I was lifting it and brine sprayed all over my kitchen while I frantically ran around searching for a means to stop the fountain of raw turkey liquid. “Like Herod” was playing loudly as I kept screaming at Siri to stop the music. Other than that, great!

Come On Come On

Mary Chapin Carpenter

5/5

Hooray! An album I have routinely revisited for 32 years... I still can’t listen to “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her” enough, and “Passionate Kisses” is playing in my mind hours after listening to it. But I haven’t thought about those quieter songs in a while and it was so good to reconnect with them! Accompanied by a solo piano, “Only a Dream” is devastating and beautiful. “I Take My Chances” and “Walking Through Fire” gives a nice dose of inspiration. Definitely a welcome addition to the list… terrific!

Transatlanticism

Death Cab for Cutie

5/5

Death Cab for Cutie was one group I fully expected to make the 1001 list and surprisingly did not. Glad someone suggested them for the list. Great!

Give Up

The Postal Service

5/5

When I was writing my note for last night’s album selection (Death Cab for Cutie’s “Transatlanticism”) a big part of my review said that while that album was quite good, if I were to pick a Benjamin Gibbard contribution I’d have put The Postal Service’s Give Up album on the list first. I love its quirky, beepy boopy introspectiveness. It was one of the albums I considered contributing when I completed the project. I deleted the part of the Transatlanticism review that talked about this - it didn’t seem necessary to bring up after a day’s reflection - and submitted. Then look what pops up next! This is an album that helped me weather some challenging times back in the day. I guess the universe (and the person who picked this to add) gave me a little treat tonight. Thank you!

Enema Of The State

blink-182

5/5

When I think of poppy punk skater music, several songs from this album comes to mind. Blink-182 sort of defined the genre and not having this on the 1001 list is an oversight considering the influence this had on music. All The Small Things and Whats My Age Again? Were monster hits. More reason why leaving this off was an oversight I would think. Not to mention, it’s catchy as all get-out. Fun!

I And Love And You

The Avett Brothers

4/5

I remember hearing about these guys around this time… heard a couple of music nerds on NPR talking about them. Meant to listen but never did. Now I have. Great!

The Universe Smiles Upon You

Khruangbin

5/5

This has an interesting mix of 60s beach music with a dash of retro tiki-lounge - maybe the Ventures meets Martin Denny? A relaxing and enjoyable listen that I really love! Who knew people were making this sort of thing in this century? Terrific!

Recipe for Hate

Bad Religion

5/5

I've heard of Bad Religion, and heard songs from them over the years, but hadn't really listened to them. Just from the name I'm surprised they didn't make the 1001 list, and listening to them I'm even more surprised. They seem like pretty influential artists from the 90s. I really enjoyed their harmonic punk rock sound! Some of the reviews were saying this isn't their best album. I don't know, but I liked it a lot. Great!

All Hail West Texas

The Mountain Goats

5/5

The Mountain Goats should have had something on the original list. I’ve listened to quite a bit of their music over the years and they have a unique contribution to music that I would think merits a place. What I didn’t realize is that there is a whole lo-fi career for The Mountain Goats in the 90s that culminated in this album. The low-level hum, the sparse and simple recording made on a boom box. It isn’t something that sounds like a winner to me. And yet this album had me enthralled. I thought it would become annoying, but quite the contrary the songs were interesting and that questionable recording quality became part of the atmosphere of the songs in a way that I never expected. What an incredible album. I am very glad The Mountain Goats continued after this with studio-quality equipment and additional instruments, but I think that this phase of their career merits attention and am really glad someone promoted it here. Fantastic addition to the list!

Somewhere In The Between

Streetlight Manifesto

4/5

Wasn’t looking forward to a ska punk album, but once I had this playing I enjoyed it a lot. Still not my preferred genre… and not experienced to know if this is the best-of-the-best of ska punk… but it was pretty fun!

I Need to Start a Garden

Haley Heynderickx

4/5

Pretty album. Good songs, nice voice. A little low key but I liked it.

Apostrophe(')

Frank Zappa

2/5

Frank Zappa is interesting to me, but this started off rough. I’m not sure a lot of the early songs have aged well, and the potty humor detracted from my enjoyment. There was a lot to like instrumentally, but I didn’t love it as a whole.

La cagaste... Burt Lancaster

Hombres G

3/5

Hmmm… I liked some of this but wasn’t blown away by it.

Bleed American

Jimmy Eat World

5/5

I got into this in 2001 as I was resisting the thought of being in my 30s. I love Jimmy Eat World’s poppy punky fun sound. The songs are great, and I very much enjoyed listening to this again. I love it!

After Hours

The Weeknd

3/5

Well, I hate the cover. But I love the song “Blinding Lights.” So who knows where this leads… This was a bit mellower than expected… maybe a bit too much so. I was hoping for more like Blinding Lights. My attention drifted quite a bit during most of the rest of the album. It wasn’t unpleasant, it just didn’t hold my attention and I really lost interest. Bonus star for Blinding Lights.

Sailing The Seas Of Cheese

Primus

4/5

I guess I didn’t now what Primus was, because I was not expecting this. As a fan of Seas of Cheese, this was a natural fit for me. Strange, interesting and surprisingly enjoyable.

Chet

Chet Baker

5/5

I’ve heard of Chet Baker. Some nice jazz trumpet here! I loved it!

Nonagon Infinity

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

5/5

I first heard of this band when I saw they were playing in Seattle and considered getting a ticket. I kind of wish I had, because they have to be interesting to see. At that time I loved the name and previewed several different songs but didn’t listen to a whole album. Glad they came up here, because they are pretty darn unique and I love the manic rock quality of it all. This project has revealed my attraction to psychedelic music as exemplified here, and this album selection has me kicking myself for not going to see this live. Next time… With a name like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard I expect some weird-ass fun - and they deliver! Some great instruments with unique sounds - and I’m always up for some great organ! All fueled by that manic beat… This album being continuously playable without breaks (for eternity, if desired) is not something my partner is looking for me to play but I think it’s great! Just kept listening around the bend, so to speak, and it kept the energy level up for my activities. It’s kind of cool when Road Train blends back into Robot Stop! I’m going to be trying this one out at the gym to see if it extends my workouts towards infinity… and I can’t wait to play this on my next long drive somewhere… ROAD TRAIN! Terrific! Thank you for selecting this!

Fuzz

Chucklehead

5/5

It’s been a while since I heard any funk on this project, so this was very welcome! It’s great!!

Stranger In Town

Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band

5/5

Seeing this classic of classic rock ignored by the original list seems like a musical felony when you consider Bob Seger’s influence over musical culture. Kid Rock? SIX Elvis Costello albums? FIVE Sonic Youth albums? Deerhunter who? One really should hear all those before they die over this… an album packed to the gills with exceptional rock songs that I still regularly hear out in the world 46 years later?! No way to make some room on that list for this?! Sorry, I had to get that out of my system… I realize that any list of 1001 albums will have some decisions that seem arbitrarily wrong and kind of stupid… and will be subject to the biases of the list makers… but STILL… Stranger in Town is an exceptional example of its genre. Hollywood Nights launches the album like a rocket and Seger keeps it burning bright all the way to the Famous Final Scene. I am a big fan of backup singers, and the backup singers here are truly extraordinary - the definition of perfection with their beautiful harmonies contrasting marvelously with Bob Seger’s rough-hewn, wonderful voice. Hearing this makes me long for the glory days of the backup singer. It might be a bit too easy to take this album for granted today. But what a special moment to have put a needle down on this for the first time and get lost in these instantly timeless songs back in 1978. Stranger In Town is an incredible album -only a Scrooge would deny this at least a 4. Even denying it a 5 seems stingy to me. I’m glad someone had the common sense to suggest this for the list.

Nuyorican Soul

5/5

Wow! Another really great addition from one of those brilliant folks - this was jazzy at times, covered a variety of styles, and hit me in so many good places! I wanted to DANCE DANCE DANCE!

Out of the Blue

Debbie Gibson

4/5

Some brave soul put this out there… I expected the reaction to be more negative. In college my roommate Don was the world’s biggest Debbie Gibson fan, and I didn’t take to that very well. I’ve become less judgy in my old age, and now better appreciate a young artist who does her own thing - even refusing to cover her focus-pulling knee and starting a face-knee trend. A bit on the sweet side, but hey… there’s room here for sweet.

Human Racing

Nik Kershaw

4/5

A girl I met on the debate tournament circuit in high school got me into Nick Kershaw via a mix tape, and Wouldn’t It Be Good? became an immediate favorite of mine. The rest of the album I liked a lot then. I’m not sure this would have bubbled up to the top if I was new to this today, but Wouldn’t It Be Good? is so catchy and Drum Talk is really different. What fun to revisit this old favorite!

Yeti

Amon Düül II

3/5

Well this was certainly a psychedelic trip down the harder side… groovy!

Rêver mieux

Daniel Bélanger

5/5

I’m all for some musique Quebeçois en Français - so I was predisposed to like this. It started off really good, but by the end (with the meditative Intouchable et Immortel then Fugue en Sol Inconnu) I was really digging the groovy electronic music, the flute, and meditative feel of it all. Great stuff!

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

Big Thief

4/5

A very enjoyable if a bit long album of good folk-ish music that had some modern twists. Some of this stood out quite a lot for me!

Nightbirds

LaBelle

5/5

Such a fantastic groove - another criminal omission from the original list.

Hadestown

Anaïs Mitchell

5/5

Always up for a musical concept album. Liked this quite a bit, now I want to see the musical!

Currents

Tame Impala

4/5

This sort of reminded me of MGMT with a little Empire of the Sun… which is a good thing for me, although I think I would reach for those two first. Still, I really loved the opening song. The bulk of the rest of the album felt kind of mellow, but I enjoyed lolling along with it. Good album!

Tomb

Angelo De Augustine

4/5

Got a very strong Elliott Smith vibe from this… low-key, dreamy, a nice rainy day album.

I Am

Earth, Wind & Fire

5/5

Does the list need another Earth, Wind and Fire album? When that album is home to one of the best dance floor classics ever, “Boogie Wonderland” - YES! Not to mention that perfect slow-dance number “After the Love Is Gone”. I hadn’t listened to this before and it would have been worthwhile with only those two tracks, but the rest of the album is a lot of fun. Nothing but upturned thumbs from me… there’s always room for more Earth, Wind and Fire!

Frosting On The Beater

The Posies

3/5

The Posies were popular with some cool friends in college. I recall not being drawn in despite hearing it around me quite a bit. This time felt a lot the same. Some of it was pretty good, but nothing really got me excited and I felt a little bit like I was missing something, which I obviously am.

Boys And Girls in America

The Hold Steady

4/5

I fell for the song “You Can Make Him Like You” not long after this was released based on a recommendation on NPR’s Sound Opinions radio show. I liked the album a lot - still the first song I heard from them remains my favorite.

Forced Witness

Alex Cameron

5/5

Well, this was quite interesting. I felt a lot of Jim Steinman/Meatloaf quality to this… only a bit less bombast. I did an audio double take several times while listening in my car and went back and realized the icky kind of bro this album satirizes. Kind of a strange juxtaposition with the arrangements but I loved it!

Set Yourself On Fire

Stars

4/5

This is an agreeable album with a vibe that started off reminding me of The Beautiful South, but then transitioned into a more experimental sound that was very interesting. While I didn’t have enough time to listen closely to all the lyrics I did give the album a second listen and found more to like. There’s a lot going on here that would benefit from repeated listens - hopefully I remember to get back to this.

World Of Echo

Arthur Russell

3/5

This listen felt like work to me. I appreciated it in some way, and there were parts that I think I liked, but the bulk of this took effort to stay with. Not that that is a terrible thing and this album certainly has a strong case for being on a list like this. I wasn’t enthralled. But that’s ok, not all the albums that I should listen to before I die has to enthrall me.

Wild Planet

The B-52's

5/5

We had one B-52s album on the list already… Well, this one I like a little better so I’m happy to listen! Plus, there are plenty of duplicates from artists on that list that aren’t as good or as fun as this. Still, I think maybe some later-era B-52s would be my choice if I were to have two B-52 albums on this list (“Cosmic Thing” comes to mind). That’s all kind of academic because the truth is I love this album regardless!

Mm..Food

MF DOOM

3/5

This was interesting for sure - and as a fan of Jonny Quest I appreciated the large number of samples from that cartoon. Some of the songs got a little tedious with the same repetitive samples, although that might be less the case if I were to become more familiar with the lyrics I suppose. Not totally my thing, but it was interesting.

Animals

Pink Floyd

5/5

Terrific album!

Phantom Power

The Tragically Hip

5/5

I really enjoyed this album. It seems like something that I could get hooked on after several listens. Go Canada!

The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess

Chappell Roan

5/5

I have been meaning to listen to more from Chappell Roan as up until today I have only heard portions of her music in clips in the media. I’m very glad this came up here and got me moving on that intention. This is a fantastically crafted album that I instantly loved (I LOVE the opening song - creating and then working the word Femininomenon into the music is pretty impressive!). This is a lot of fun to listen to! Really terrific!

Come On Over

Shania Twain

5/5

There is no good reason for Shania not getting some attention on the list! Not only creator of this - one of my favorite country rock albums - Shania became one of my favorite performers after I watched her Canadian Football League Grey Cup performance in 2017 where she arrived resplendent in red fur and glitter on a husky-drawn sled to flawlessly perform a few of her greatest hits in the middle of a snowstorm. Even the drums are covered in a dusting of snow. Look it up if you haven't seen it... and GO CANADA! This album is perfect country/rock that makes me want to get some boots and take a line dancing class. I've loved it since the first time I heard it in 1997 and I think I love it even more today. Taylor and a lot of other huge stars stand on the shoulders of this musical giant! Come On Over is packed with so many great songs and brought me so much joy today! THANK YOU SHANIA, and the person who added this making me aware of yet another musical high crime of omission committed by the original list's creators.

Nurture

Porter Robinson

4/5

This felt like pastoral electronic music, all the way to its cover photograph in a flowery field. Reading a bit about the background, it does seem to be a response to a depressed and complicated world… it feels very light, aicy and redemptive. Just the light one might need in some dark places. I hope I remember to listen to this again!

Puzzle

Biffy Clyro

4/5

This is some really good early 2000s rock with some interesting twists. Like the choir and the orchestral instrumentation supporting the tracks “Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies” and “9/15ths”. I really dig that… and the “bonus hidden track” interludes that make little sense today as such but were nice transitions. Very catchy and I’m sure this would grow on me even more with time. Real-time follow-up - since I wrote this I had the chance to listen again and liked it even more...

Funeral Dress

Wussy

3/5

This would be just the thing to be listening to in a bar somewhere enjoying the evening with some friends.

Maestro

Kaizers Orchestra

3/5

This was my ok. Interesting though that I didn’t realize I had the infinite play turned on and I kept thinking the album was getting really good… but found out they were songs by other Norwegian groups Apple served me.

Stage Four

Touché Amoré

3/5

Started playing this and immediately had a bad feeling - not sure I’m up for getting screamed at for 35 minutes. But there was something a little melodious and interesting going on with the vocals, and I was catching some interesting lyrics in the first two songs. Looking at them it was clear there is a lot of pain in those lyrics. Intrigued I pulled up the Wikipedia article and learned more about what was behind those lyrics. This isn’t my genre, screaming vocals aren’t my cup of tea, but the music was good and the lyrics were a real surprise. The occasional moments of regular singing vastly appealed to me. So while I can’t say that I will listen again, it was more interesting than I thought it might be initially.

Zuckerzeit

Cluster

5/5

I think I’m quite happy having this added to the list… it’s a different kind of thing than the contemporaneous Autobahn by Kraftwerk. It’s more atmospheric, not afraid to loll around a bit. By the end I was quite mesmerized! I’m sort of predisposed to enjoy some Moog shenanigans, and enjoy this I did!

Things We Lost In The Fire

Low

4/5

I was familiar with Low from their 1999 Christmas album. I love the song “Just Like Christmas.” This album was much more down - had a very depressing tone. Still, I did like it overall. Just not the best music for playing at the gym.

Choirs Of The Eye

Kayo Dot

5/5

The description “avant garde metal band” made me cringe and I was not looking forward to this listen. But when I put it on in the car it surprised me with how beautiful it was. As I was going through the car wash the crazy metal ending of The Manifold Curiosity created quite the atmosphere! I love this album!

Ruin

The Amazing Devil

5/5

I wasn’t excited at another indie folk band… oh how misguided my brain was. The opening track, Secret Worlds, had me hooked immediately. Quick aside: After listening to over 1200 albums for this project my brain reacts negatively to almost every new thing that pops up here - and yet I end up loving the majority of the selections. Where else would I have discovered a group like The Amazing Devil? Weird though that my brain thinks it’s fatigued every time I get a something new to me here… even after all these great discoveries! As this album progressed I got goosebumps numerous times! Fantastically theatrical and completely riveting. What a great addition to my library!

Pony Express Record

Shudder To Think

2/5

This was shambolic in a way that made it difficult to connect to. Not for me.

Goat

The Jesus Lizard

2/5

I can’t say I enjoyed this much - not really my thing - although I did kind of like the song “Sunday You Need love.”

1, 2, Kung Fu!

Boy Azooga

4/5

This ended up being much better than expected from the description. Listened to it twice and I was liking it more after the second.

Stories

Avicii

4/5

I enjoyed listening to this… a bit of variety with even some country and reggae tinges. Good stuff!

Don't Say No

Billy Squier

4/5

Grew up familiar with Billy Squier. I like this!

Grace And Danger

John Martyn

4/5

There were already two other John Martyn albums on the list. I wouldn’t swap this one out with Solid Air - that is definitely my favorite of the three, sounding more diverse and interesting. Still, I like this laid back sound and I don’t mind sampling some more of his oeuvre.

Get Fucked

The Chats

4/5

A catchy, concise punk album that takes me back a few decade despite its relative new-ness. To my surprise I liked it!

Tales Of Mystery And Imagination

The Alan Parsons Project

5/5

This was my pick, so obviously it gets a 5. Instead of a review I’ll explain some of the reasons why I put it here: I picked this primarily because of its huge influence on me. My parents purchased it shortly after its release (I still have NO idea how that happened or why - it wasn’t really like anything else they listened to). My six-year-old self was fascinated at the artwork and elaborate booklet in the album with its mummy and tape imagery. This album started a lifelong appreciation of Edgar Allan Poe. I was just a little surprised when others in their reviews said this didn’t seem like Poe to them… to me this is the soundtrack when I read or think about him. I guess that first learning of Poe from this album gives me a different perspective. I find it moody and glorious. This album also ignited my love of rock/orchestra musical combinations. Not long after discovering this I discovered Jeff Lynne and ELO, who remain one of my all-time favorite artists. The Fall of the House of Usher orchestral segment sparked my interest in Classical music. I hadn’t really listened to anything like it before that piece. Later in life I would learn of Alan Parsons legendary contributions to audio mixing and producing. I’m glad to see he finally won a Grammy on his 13th nomination, not to mention it marks the first appearance of the vocoder on a rock song at the start of The Raven. Over the years I’ve discovered lots of interesting connections between Tales of Mystery and Imagination and other artists I would love (Pilot, Ambrosia, Arthur Brown, The Hollies). Next year will mark 50 years of listening to this album regularly and I’ve never tired of it. I have a lifelong bond to this album which makes it a no brainer for me to add to this list.

Live At Madison Square Garden

Vulfpeck

3/5

These guys sound like a lot of fun… although everyone in the audience seemed to be more in the know than me.

Weezer

4/5

I love the song Buddy Holly and remembered the Sweater song. Likeable album from a likeable band.

Act IV: Rebirth In Reprise

The Dear Hunter

5/5

Theatrical and exciting! I loved this! I haven’t had enough time to spend with this to really get what is going on, but whatever it is I’m glad because the sound is terrific!

F♯ A♯ ∞

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

4/5

I am not sure I know what to make of this... why, I can make a hat... or a broach... or a pterodactyl... This was actually quite interesting and I'm pretty sure I liked it.

Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones)

Jai Paul

2/5

Well as advertised this felt unfinished. Not sure that’s the best introduction to this artist. Pieces of it did resonate with me though.

Join Us

They Might Be Giants

4/5

A pink monster truck hearse and some good songs… I listened to TMBG back in the day but hadn’t followed them. I’m still partial to Flood but this was enjoyable!

A Live One

Phish

5/5

Phish has been on my “I should probably listen to this” list for a long time, but I’ve never got around to it. And I mostly didn’t want to. The window for getting high and jamming out is largely behind me. I have had some exposure to The Grateful Dead and it didn’t take, so I kind of wondered if jam bands could be my jam. I also feel a bit intimidated trying to figure out where to jump in on a band who has been around a long time - especially since everything I heard was the live performances were where it was at with Phish. I put this on and Phish was an instant hit with me! Bouncing Around The Room immediately drew me in being interesting and accessible, and as the album played on I was constantly wowed by what was going on. A real crazy moment for me was the sudden and incredible a cappella jam at the end of You Enjoy Myself. Then they launch into Chalkdust Torture and tear it up on the instruments… absolutely fantastic! These guys rock! I love hearing them really playing with music in interesting and fun ways. I am surprised at how much I love this album… I really thought a 2+ hour listen to a jam band would be too much. I think now I’ll venture into the Phish recordings further and find a lot more to love. What a miss that Phish didn’t make the original list!

Daisies Of The Galaxy

Eels

4/5

I enjoy hearing more from the Eels. Very listenable!

Continuum

John Mayer

5/5

I didn’t think I had room for John Mayer in my ears. I was mistaken…

Emotional Mugger

Ty Segall

3/5

Hmmm… this looked creepy. The music was less so and ended up being better and more interesting than I expected. It was unique, although I can’t say I’m fully taken with it.

Blink-182

blink-182

5/5

I didn't think we needed another blink-182 album on the list, but they did some interesting and unique things on this album that really appealed to me! All of This, the collaboration with the lead singer of The Cure, really appealed to me. I think I like this even more than Enema of the State! Terrific!

MOMENTUM

Calibro 35

4/5

This was a unique thing… who’d have thought a band would start by redoing Italian movie soundtracks. My parents were Ennio Morricone fans back in the day so I was around some of his soundtracks as a kid. I like this!

Madvillainy

Madvillain

2/5

I can get why someone would like this and put this on the list… but it isn’t for me. It wore me out.

Sing To God

Cardiacs

5/5

What a long, strange journey this is! I started off annoyed at the manic nature of this. TWO HOURS?! Good god no! Then I put on the headphones and started to do some work while I listened. A lot of weird things went on. Somehow I fell into a groove and I was at some twisted fun fair teetering from one crazy ride to the next, never quite sure how the experience would go down. This crazy carnival at times had me nauseated, thrilled, scared, and annoyed. But no matter how I felt at the end of one ride I couldn’t wait to jump on the next one. Just like I did at the fair.

Angel Dust

Faith No More

5/5

I think I’m loving Faith No More… not expected. Lots of interesting things to rock out to… “BE AGGRESSIVE… BE BE AGGRESSIVE.” The album is packed with great songs that never left me bored or wanting and lots of clever touches that kept me engaged throughout, with an accordion leading a cover of the theme from Midnight Cowboy and a lovely cover of Easy to boot. Terrific!

WORRY

Jeff Rosenstock

4/5

I saw yet another relatively new punk album someone added to this list and kind of was unenthused, but this turned out to be much better than expected. Got a kind of unique style and some interesting song construction and surprising lyrics that deal with some pretty relevant topics (a song about data mining and targeted marketing, for instance). I also was just coming off 4 days in subzero Montana weather and connected with the short but great June 21st. Great album!

Silence Yourself

Savages

3/5

Hmmmm… I kind of liked parts of this, but I was wishing that there was more variation in tone for a lot of it. For this kind of thing I think I’d go for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs first.

Discosis

Bran Van 3000

5/5

More great music from Quebec! I was immediately… Astounded?… by the opening track featuring Curtis Mayfield. Funky, disco-y and oh so perfect driving music. Then the album sort of wandered about in some interesting directions. Unlike a lot of critics who thought there wasn’t enough coherence, I felt Bran Van 3000 in each song and completely loved the variety… especially their very very cool handling of easy listening (Love Cliché is SO GOOD!). Thanks for bringing this fabulous album to my attention!

The Great Outdoors Jam

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong

5/5

I have never appreciated or been into much in the way of jam bands… and I had expected the original list to give me the opportunity to experience a lot more of that. It mostly didn’t though. Finally heard Phish for the first time on this project, and now this. I wasn’t sure I could listen to a lot of jam banding. Turns out, I kind of love it! Thank you user suggestions!

Boxer

The National

4/5

I like the mellow feel. Nice!

God Shuffled His Feet

Crash Test Dummies

5/5

I bought this album shortly after I heard “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” back in the early 90s. It has remained in my personal rotation for over 30 years. That kind of staying power and ability to remain interesting and relevant for so long says a lot. This is such an under-appreciated album from these under-appreciated Winnipeggers! When I saw someone added this to the list I slapped my head. What a perfect selection that had completely slipped my mind when considering my addition to the list. “God Shuffled His Feet” is a wonderful opening track… personifying God as people ask him uncomfortable questions and get less-than-clear answers resulting in uncomfortable silence. “Afternoons and Coffee Spoons” somehow makes aging less intimidating as it explores the subject in a catchily disarming way. “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” is a lovely example of Crash Test Dummies’ technique of making songs that observe life in small vignettes. In their usual style they send my mind happily on journeys into the uncomfortable. I could go on and on about each song on this album that explores topics like our primal natures, life’s fragility, breakups, loss, arrogance, inadequacy and revenge. Instead just give it another listen and muse amusedly about life’s scarier topics.

Brat

Charli xcx

4/5

I guess a lot of younger people are listening to this list… as there seems to be an awful lot of suggestions for this list from the last several years. I guess that’s not a terrible thing. Charli xcx is one of those names I keep hearing but have no idea who they are or what they are about. If I have heard any songs from them I didn’t know it. Probably a good idea to give it a listen, so here goes… Well, I honestly got a little bored in the middle, but there were enough good songs to keep me going for the most part. Not for me, but I appreciate it. It’s easy to see why it’s great for a lot of someones.

Mad Dogs & Englishmen

Joe Cocker

5/5

Joe Cocker and Leon Russell were two of my dad’s favorite artists… so anything involving them has the inside track on my rating scale. I also had the pleasure of seeing Joe Cocker perform live when he opened for Tina Turner 24 years ago. Incredible even all those years later. I may not have selected a live concert album if I was to suggest an album for this list, but it was a real pleasure to listen to and I’m very happy someone else did! Having a little Rita Coolidge was also very very welcome. Just wish I was able to listen to this with my dad.

Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

Arctic Monkeys

4/5

Put this on for a long walk and so it looped around and I listened to it twice. Then I had to go back and listen to selections from Whatever People Say, That’s What I Am Not because this did not sound anything like I was expecting. Turns out this is a very different sounding iteration of Arctic Monkeys. I loved the strange, spacey, easy sound. It grew on me more and more as I got further along. I can see why someone might suggest this in addition to the album from the original list.

The Evil One

Roky Erickson

5/5

I have heard one of the songs off this (Night of the Vampire) on a Halloween compilation. I didn’t realize that there is a whole album of spooky tunes behind that song. I really enjoyed this and definitely see why someone would suggest it. The rest of the album is now on my Halloween playlist. This appears to be one of the building blocks of this darker genre of psychedelic rock and as the album progressed I really grew to love it!

Symbolic

Death

2/5

I can’t say that I love death metal as a genre, so there’s that. This being “approachable” according to sources cited in the wikipedia article, I thought maybe… ? Well, turns out this wasn’t great for me. Some talent on display but some of it seemed to go on and on.

From The Lions Mouth

The Sound

4/5

I liked this at the start, and it grew on me more and more. The final track "New Dark Age" really had me - I love that track. Happy to have heard it.

Grand Prix

Teenage Fanclub

3/5

Kind of a Rembrandts-y feel to this, which is I guess appropriate for its release date. Nothing earth shattering or revelatory for me, but it went down easy.

Operation Ivy

3/5

This is something I definitely would have liked a lot more in college. Still I appreciated it more than I expected today. Solid!

Bloody Kisses

Type O Negative

3/5

I really thought I was going to hate this as it started. I wasn’t in a good mood and this seemed like the last thing I’d want to listen to. Then some of the music were obvious and great additions to my Halloween playlist (Black No. 1 was the first that compelled me to add it). Then there was the surprise of realizing I was listening to a cover of Seals & Croft’s Summer Breeze (very cool!). Then there was We Hate Everyone. Yes, I was feeling this album now… OK, so goth metal isn’t going to be my genre, and this album was maybe a tad too long for me, but somehow I ended up enjoying a lot of it.

Peasant

Richard Dawson

2/5

I started listening to this and wasn’t sure what to think exactly, but I didn’t hate it… at least not at first. By the end I was pretty tired of the vocal style and ready for the album to be over, but I can say that I am not mad to have listened to this. It isn’t going to be something I’ll likely revisit but it is an interesting and unique entry onto this list.

The Animal Years

Josh Ritter

5/5

I love the album cover, love the music, I love it all. Really great addition and a really nice way to spend the afternoon. Really terrific!

A1A

Jimmy Buffett

5/5

Jimmy Buffett should be on this list, so I’m glad to see someone adding him. He definitely had a lot of influence on music. I was surprised that this was the album, as I only knew of one song on it. But as I listened I was really surprised that it added more dimension to Jimmy Buffett. It was unmistakably Buffett but had an exuberance that made it feel kind of fresh! I loved it!

Songs Of A Lost World

The Cure

3/5

This was interesting and not unenjoyable. As someone not really into the other the Cure albums, this was likely not going to be a complete hit with me. Fortunately it’s not a complete miss either.

Rose Mountain

Screaming Females

4/5

This was some solid punk veering into rock and roll with some great guitar work. Nice to have a female lead. I enjoyed it!

L'Heptade

Harmonium

5/5

Nice to know that after more than 1200 days of new daily album something can come along and give me goosebumps. I loved this album from beginning to end. Absolutely a beautiful and stunning work more than deserving of a place on this list. It evokes a real journey - and even the long runtime didn’t put me off. In fact, I was a little emotional when the journey ended both from the fantastic ending and knowing it will never be the first time I listen to this again. What a terrific addition to this list!

Oncle Jazz

Men I Trust

5/5

It appears to me that Montreal got short shrift on the original 1001 list, as users have suggested several interesting selections that I think provide something interesting. This is another one of those. The music is like easy listening for the 21st century. To you that might be a negative, to me that’s a compliment! It’s really enjoyable and at first I thought I’d tire of the style but I listened to this twice today without batting an eye!

Diary

Sunny Day Real Estate

2/5

While I liked a lot of grunge things back in the 90s, this was not really appealing to me then. I can’t say time has made it much more palatable. It was mostly ok though.

10,000 gecs

100 gecs

3/5

Hmmmm… I think I might be too old for this. There were moments I liked and splashes of fun, and it is unique, so points for that. But it also had moments of irritation too. Not a complete hit or miss for me.

Pop Art

Transvision Vamp

5/5

Wow! This was amazingly good! Totally unexpected but I loved it all. Definitely one I’m glad to have caught before meeting my maker! Totally terrific!

The Best of The Hot 5 & Hot 7 Recordings

Louis Armstrong

3/5

Some very old music here… interesting in a historical way, and obviously influential and impressive musicianship. Just not really that enjoyable to my ear to be honest. Still, I can see why something like this belongs on the list.

Homogenic

Björk

4/5

I can't listen to a lot of Bjork in one sitting - maybe it's too intense or something - but this is an excellent album that should have displaced one of the other Bjork albums on the 1001 list.

Not Animal

Margot & The Nuclear So And So's

4/5

I started off a bit underwhelmed, then became more whelmed by the end. I really enjoyed the back half of the album. Not sure if it grew on me or was genuinely the better half… but I’ll check this out again I think.

Lateralus

TOOL

4/5

As I mentioned in my notes for the other Tool album on the user submitted list, I have made this band’s acquaintance a while ago but didn’t stick with it outside the bounds of the friend who was a fan. I kind of enjoyed this although it did rock a little harder than I might have felt like rocking. The musicianship was great, and there were songs I really liked even if I might not listen to this again.

Sound Awake

Karnivool

4/5

I started off thinking this was very much like yesterday’s Tool album. And maybe it is, but I think I enjoyed it a bit more. While it isn’t yet a five for me, I think it could get there. I really like the long, epic final two songs which enticed me to listen to it a second time which increased my appreciation.

HELLYEAH

1/5

Didn’t enjoy Pantera on the main list, and didn’t enjoy this Pantara derivative.

The Monitor

Titus Andronicus

3/5

I wanted to like this more than I did, but it still had some strong highlights for me. The concept is interesting to me, and some of the more involved and epic songs I really liked. I did tire a bit of it somewhere in the middle, but those opening and closing tracks started things with a bang and left me overall pretty happy with this listen.

Bob Mould

3/5

I’ve heard of Bob Mould and Husker Du but never explored the music. This was decent music that I didn’t mind listening to.

Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

4/5

I didn’t really expect another album from this group, but two users chose to put these guys forward. I was a bit perplexed by F# A# ∞, the first album I heard from them, but I was a bit mesmerized. This one felt similar. I suspect that with more exposure my appreciation of either of these would increase.

Look Sharp!

Joe Jackson

4/5

I love “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” and “Steppin’ Out” by Joe Jackson but really didn’t know much else of him. I’m glad to have listened to this album, and I liked it, but none of the songs quite reached the pinnacle of those two classics.

Metallic K.O.

The Stooges

2/5

This is an example of a live album I’m just not able to get into. Not punk rock enough for audio this muddy.

All Hour Cymbals

Yeasayer

3/5

I added this album to my library some time ago but I don’t remember listening to this. I liked the exotic beats well enough, but nothing really jumped out and seized my attention. Not bad though.

Les deux doigts dans la prise

Les sheriff

3/5

This sounded better than a lot of live albums… so that was a plus… the songs seemed were decent. The musicians seem talented. It all sounded pretty good. It did go on way too long though… even the best punk rock I can’t do for too long and this was at least twice as much as I would ever want in one serving. Still I kind of liked hearing some French punk.

Under The Pink

Tori Amos

5/5

I love Tori Amos’ albums and this one was an interesting follow up to Little Earthquakes. While that albums still slightly supersedes this in my mind, it is a close second for me. Great addition!

Weighing Souls With Sand

The Angelic Process

1/5

This was definitely different… too different for me to enjoy at all. But quite emotional! Just painful which maybe is the point but I can’t do it.

Cor-Crane Secret

Polvo

2/5

Never heard of this before, and while they seemed ok nothing jumped out and made me want to revisit it. A little on the noisy side for me.

Once

Nightwish

5/5

Having come down with a 104 degree fever last night and trying to fight that off today made me think this sort of thing had not a chance of being tolerable. I started the album and the heavy metal guitars had me immediately thinking there was no way I was listening to this today… and then in came the orchestra and choir and I was transfixed. This is so epic and beautiful, a perfect melding of styles that left me in awe. I’m astonished by how much this moved me. What a perfect suggestion for this list!

The Lonesome Crowded West

Modest Mouse

3/5

Didn’t we have a Modest Mouse album on this list before? To my surprise, no. So good to add one. I’m more familiar with Modest Mouse’s later albums. At first when this started I thought the shambolic style and noisy guitars would grate - but as the first song played out there was something kind of sweet in the harmonic singing and Modest Mouse’s clever songwriting came through taking the edge of a style that I wasn’t sure I could enjoy for 74 minutes. While it still was too long for my taste and a bit less polished than their later works, I did mostly enjoy this early, experimental, and very young-feeling song creations. Just isn’t going to be the album I go back to.

Souvlaki

Slowdive

2/5

This hits smack dab in the middle of one of my least favorite genres - judging from the statistics served up by this site. While I don’t loathe shoegaze, I find it too dull to usually sustain an album and mostly want to sleep until it ends. Still there were some very nice tracks on here - the space Souvlaki Space Station was pretty nice. I wouldn’t object to hearing it somewhere in the background, but I don’t see myself requesting it.

Clarity

Jimmy Eat World

3/5

I was surprised to have a second Jimmy Eat World album suggested for this list. It was expectedly good and I did enjoy it. I wouldn’t take a second Jimmy Eat World slot for this on a list of 1001 albums - Bleed American fits the spot nicely - but I liked listening to this. Until Goodbye Sky Harbor overstayed its welcome by about 9 minutes. It was a bit much and really started to annoy me. Won’t be finishing out that song again any time soon.

Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit

Courtney Barnett

5/5

Back in the mid 2010s I was looking for ways to expand my musical horizons in a world of singles and unlimited streaming and started listening to public radio’s Sound Opinions music radio show. This gave me exposure to bands I had not heard of as well as genres I had not thought to take interest in. At least one (and I think both) hosts were raving about this great album from Australia from Courtney Barnett, and so this was one of the first additions to my library from that effort. I found her to be really enjoyable in a genre that can easily turn on me in sort of the way Liz Phair is. For some reason I forgot about listening to it for the last 8 or so years but I had a little rush of happiness when this popped up here today. I put this on again and “where have you been for the last 8 years?!” Such energy and clever songs about life filled with delightful detail, Courtney has fun with the lyrics that make this a joy to listen to. Comparing the view from the top of a building to playing SimCity, this is so so satisfying to listen to. There’s a raw passion feel, it’s got elements of many genres that can easily annoy, but this is handled so perfectly even the noisy buts are so satisfying and enjoyable. Thank you for putting Courtney Barnett back in the active playlist and I’ll definitely be exploring more from this artist very soon.

City Of Evil

Avenged Sevenfold

3/5

I was not looking forward to this at all… but I persevered and it was better than I had thought it was going to be. I’m not totally sold on the vocals, but they were better than the gruff screaming I expected. I also thought there was some fun and retro-feeling guitar antics. Still not my thing really but I didn’t hate it.

In Between Dreams

Jack Johnson

4/5

I’ve listened to this album in the past - it’s very soothing and nice. I enjoyed it again today. Maybe not something that held my attention for a long time, but I got no problem with something nice being on this list.

Comfort To Me

Amyl and The Sniffers

5/5

I was pretty sure I was not going to enjoy a group called “Amyl and The Sniffers” when this rolled out… and I was proven wrong. Fantastic, fun punk music with a kick ass female lead singer. Didn’t see this coming!

An Empty Bliss Beyond This World

The Caretaker

5/5

This is wild… not something I ever imagined even existed. I am completely fascinated by this. I started listening to this before I knew what it was and after a couple of songs I started to feel eerily like I was sitting in the bar in The Shining. So it was a real surprise when I had a chance to look at the Wikipedia entry and read that The Caretaker Project took inspiration from a number of sources including The Shining. As for the album, what an incredible concept! I loved listening to this. Sure, it isn’t the normal thing one would listen to by any stretch, and I have no idea if it is something I’ll revisit, but I love that this exists.

Fashion Nugget

CAKE

5/5

I had this album back when it came out and really loved it. Turns out I still love it now. Great album!

Up

Great Big Sea

5/5

This was a whole lot of fun! Now that I think about it - quite what I might expect from a group from Canada’s Maritime Provinces. I’m in for the shanties!

Emotion

Carly Rae Jepsen

5/5

A Carly Rae Jepsen album without “Call Me Maybe”? Is that allowed? Turns out Carly knows her way around a lot more pop songs. At first I was thinking it was nice to have a sweet confection thrown in this list. But as the album progressed I was fully pulled into pop perfection! Really fantastic songs that gave me a real boost. Terrific addition to the list!

L'autre...

Mylène Farmer

5/5

High school French class kindled my love of French pop music, and a friend of mine who spent some time in France kept that love kindled by sending cassettes with French pop hits after high school. I believe that is how I was already familiar with Désenchantée - a fantastic song that I was thrilled to listen to after all these years. The rest of the album is great. Love this blast of great French 90’s pop!

Discovery

Daft Punk

5/5

A few months ago I went to the theater to see a showing of Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem. I got to hear this album with the animated visuals which was a fantastic way to listen. I listened again to just the audio when this came up, and visuals or not, its a tremendously great album. Certainly earns its place on a list like this.

For Emma, Forever Ago

Bon Iver

5/5

I’ve heard some Bon Iver and liked him, and when I pulled this up in Apple Music saw a VERY long write up for this album. I read that before listening, and it recommended putting on some headphones… which I did. I loved this album. Really impressive and hard to believe someone in such a state holed up in a cabin in the north woods came up with this… then again it makes sense too. Really wonderful.

Fully Completely

The Tragically Hip

4/5

I’ve heard of this band but can’t recall ever hearing any songs. Anyway this album was pretty entertaining rock.

Spanish Train And Other Stories

Chris de Burgh

4/5

I’m a big fan of “Don’t Pay The Ferryman” and its storytelling style. This album takes us back to near the beginning of his career. I knew the song “A Spaceman Came Traveling” from various Christmas playlists over the years, but the rest was new. Certainly can see that Chris DeBurgh’s storytelling is core to his style - these songs all have that going for them. I liked this album quite a bit and enjoyed hearing some early DeBurgh.

Romance

Fontaines D.C.

5/5

This was not like I expected from Ireland, and I loved it.

The Shape Of Jazz To Come

Ornette Coleman

5/5

I listened to this with my 11 year old nephew-in-law who thought it was “pretty good” which surprised me… I don’t think he’s been exposed to much jazz in his life. I guess that you don’t need a lot of exposure to appreciate some pretty wild jazz. This project has lead me to really enjoy jazz as well. I enjoyed having this playing today quite a lot. A few times it got so wild I thought maybe a horse was in distress, but even that I found interesting and enjoyable. Excellent selection!

Argus

Wishbone Ash

5/5

This sure seems like it should be on an albums to listen to before you die list… some amazing guitar work on here and a lot of sounds that I hear echoed in many artists that followed. I liked this quite a lot and it is definitely up there with the best of its era. The live from Memphis EP bonus tracks tacked on the end were also very very good. That the cover may have been the inspiration for Darth Vader is icing on a terrific cake!

10,000 Days

TOOL

4/5

Not entirely sure I needed a third Tool album on the user suggested list, but this held up to the others. While I haven’t and likely won’t listen to these three albums enough to discern which is “best” or what exactly each uniquely brings to the party, it was a good listen that I don’t regret.

Please Don't Take Me Back

Martha

3/5

Very listenable leaning heavier on the pop side of pop punk. I enjoyed it although I don’t think I’d put it on my 1001 list. But I wouldn’t mind being at one of their shows at all!

Millennium

Backstreet Boys

5/5

Should everyone try a Hostess snack cake before they die? You bet! I’d suggest a sample of some high-production boy band music too. Too much may be too damn sweet, but it sure makes a tasty treat now and again.

Ungodly Hour

Chloe x Halle

5/5

R&B isn’t squarely my thing but this album really resonated with me. Lots of appealing things going on in these songs. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this!

Geogaddi

Boards of Canada

3/5

I thought I knew the genre of Boards of Canada, but I was wrong and this wasn’t what I thought it would be. I liked it well enough although it kept fading into the background and I would lose interest. Somewhat unsettling and dark, it didn’t catch fire with me but I didn’t dislike it.

Stretch 2

Arca

3/5

Interesting. At first thought I’d be annoyed, but mostly wasn’t. Worth the listen.

Being Funny In A Foreign Language

The 1975

5/5

I thought I’d like this group, and I really did! I have been saying I wanted to hear the sax come back into popular music and here it is, along with some great tunes! I loved it!

Alive 2007

Daft Punk

5/5

I wondered why I would want to listen to a Daft Punk live album instead of the studio albums. Then I started the album and the opening minute of Robot Rock / Oh Yeah had me schooled and I was a believer. Absolutely incredible to hear Daft Punk perform live. The mixes of songs are phenomenal. Absolutely loved this ride, maybe even more than the studio albums. Damn I wish I could have seen this show!

What Did You Expect from The Vaccines?

The Vaccines

5/5

I have not heard of The Vaccines and was skeptical. This hit just right and I was surprised to really love it! Listened to it several times today.

Alexisonfire

2/5

I did not like their album Watch Out! Not looking forward to this one… and my hesitation was merited. Not for me.

Frengers: Not Quite Friends But Not Quite Strangers

Mew

5/5

Really liked this! Some great songs from Denmark that I’m glad to have here.

The Lioness

Songs: Ohia

5/5

I really liked this - I was surprised to never have heard of this before. Started off after the first listen thinking this was a 4 but after listening a second time on my headphones it moved to a 5.

Stop Making Sense

Talking Heads

5/5

Hmmm reading about this it sounds like there's a good case to be made to add this to the list. I’d agree with that. Terrific!

Deep Down Happy

Sports Team

5/5

Wow wasn’t sure what a group called “Sports Team” might be, but I loved this! Something really interesting and cool in the way they construct a song really catches my ear. Terrific!

Toxicity

System Of A Down

3/5

Not my favorite genre and I think I liked the other System of A Down album a little more but bonus points for that including a song with Shimmy - there isn’t enough shimmying today and I’m encouraged by its unlikely appearance here.

Triage

David Baerwald

3/5

Hmmmm… this had some good moments but never really caught fire with me… still decent music that might get better with more listens.

Rip It Off

Times New Viking

2/5

Wow… couldn’t understand much of the lyrics and didn’t appreciate the music. Unfortunately it isn’t something I can get into.

GUTS

Olivia Rodrigo

5/5

I wasn’t too excited to listen to the kids’ music - my connection to this album initially being only awareness of the artist’s name. I pressed play and expected the kind of sort of annoying vocal shenanigans that I hear in a lot of music. Well, it does sound like modern music, but those first three songs floored me with their clever catchy designs. Someone did a good job writing music for her… What?! SHE cowrote all of this? Before her 21st year?! This is so much fun. Maybe the kids will be able to keep things going after all…

My Brain Hurts

Screeching Weasel

3/5

I like my punk music a little more on the poppy side and this had those leanings - a pretty early version of this too. It wasn’t a complete hit for me… still, half a bonus star for the cover of I Can See Clearly Now.

A Beginner's Mind

Sufjan Stevens

5/5

Another really great album from Sufjan Stevens. Really enjoyed it!

The Shape Of Punk To Come

Refused

4/5

I loved the variety of the instrumentation - didn't love the screaming. But after a while the music was so engaging that I didn't care as much that I was being screamed at...

Crystal Castles

4/5

I listened to this some time ago because the group shared the name with an odd Atari game from the 80s that I liked. The 8-bit sounds seemed very appropriate. Not sure it is a daily listen but I enjoyed it.

Spirit of Eden

Talk Talk

5/5

I LOVE “It’s My Life” and “Life’s What You Make It”, and we already had the album with “Life’s What You Make It”, so I assumed I’d be hearing “It’s My Life” on this. This was not the 80s confection my palette was expecting. Instead Talk Talk has served up a moody, low-key sort of album that has more in common with experimental jazz than those 80s songs I love. As this was totally out of left field it took a few minutes to adjust, but once I did I really got into this. It was pretty cool to lie back and loll around to this. Really interesting and at the same time quite soothing to me. What a terrific suggestion for the list!

AmarElo

Emicida

5/5

Brazilian rap from an artist with a portmanteau “Emcee” and “Homicide” name? Seemed like a hard pass. Instead I listened to it twice. This may very well be my favorite rap album!

A Black Mile To The Surface

Manchester Orchestra

4/5

A concept album around Lead, South Dakota? Hmmmm... I liked it quite a lot. The Lead, SD track really drew me in. I love the laid back sound. Very good listen!

Telefone

Noname

4/5

Kind of nice smooth backgrounds. Not totally something I am into but I appreciated it.

Old No. 1

Guy Clark

5/5

Excellent… this list has plenty of room for some of the classic greats of country and Guy Clark seems to qualify. Seemed vaguely familiar at times and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn I’ve listened to this somewhere in my past. Terrific!

Portishead

4/5

I was new to Portishead on this project, so I don’t have a lot of context or ability to distinguish this a lot from the other albums. A lot of that dramatic cinematic music and haunting lyrics. Great!

Repetition

Unwound

4/5

Alternative alternative music from the 90s! Never heard this before, but I enjoyed it.

John Dawson Winter III

Johnny Winter

4/5

Didn’t realize Edgar Winter had an older brother… not sure I’ve ever heard Johnny Winter play before. Several songs seemed familiar to me but not familiar enough that I can tell whether I’ve heard these particular versions before or not. For some reason this project has made me into a person who loves guitar solos and the solos on this were excellent! “Lay Down Your Sorrows” was probably my favorite song on here, but I enjoyed the whole listen.

Fear Inoculum

TOOL

3/5

OK… there are a lot of Tool fans who finished the list. Too many for me to love, but I’m sure one of these Tool albums should be acknowledged. I think maybe this one suffers because I still struggle to love Tool.

Year of the Cat

Al Stewart

5/5

Well Al Stewart certainly deserves a spot on a list like this. I love the songs “Year of the Cat” and “The Border” - fantastic songs - but had never listened to this. There’s a lot more great stuff on here! In particular, “Flying Sorcery” and “One Stage Before” are already in my musical rotation giving me something “new” to listen to from Al Stewart. There’s a lot of great gold left to mine yesterday’s LPs!

Bon Iver

5/5

More Bon Iver… and it’s good Bon Iver. Dramatic, interesting, and lovely.

Last Splash

The Breeders

5/5

I received this album on CD from my Columbia House subscription, I think as an almost random pick. I loved it then. I love it still. How nice to get reacquainted! I forgot how much I love “Divine Hammer”. And “Drivin’ On 9” is such a nice and catchy little ditty. Thanks for bringing this back to my attention!

Latin Mass

Os Mundi

4/5

Nothing like a little krautrock to liven up church! Very interesting indeed!

Get Rich Or Die Ryan

Spose

3/5

90+ minutes? I guess it better be good... Got around to listening to this today. Some of it was pretty good. But man it went on for far too long. I feel like a strong editorial hand might help here. Not a fan but I don’t hate it.

Take to the Skies

Enter Shikari

4/5

As this album started I wasn’t sure I was up for the screaming… and wasn’t sure I could listen to this… and I was all ready to dislike this. But it grew and grew on me and parts of this kept drawing me in. Jonny Sniper seemed particularly good, then the unexpectedly nice Adieu followed and I realized I was enjoying the album. Good stuff!

A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships

The 1975

5/5

I keep thinking I need to check out more of The 1975 after enjoying the other selection on this list. This was different in many ways, but still beautifully crafted pop. There are some unique songs (one recited by Siri!). No doubt I’m stating what so many others have when I declare that “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)” is probably the catchiest song to address heroin addiction imaginable. Terrific song! I can’t stop listening to it!

How to Operate With a Blown Mind

Lo Fidelity Allstars

3/5

It was pretty good. Maybe not quite what I’m in the market for but ok.

Out Of Time

R.E.M.

5/5

I got into the older stuff from REM and even though a lot of the guys who turned me on to that in college thought this inferior I loved it from the start. Fantastic album!

People Watching

Sam Fender

5/5

Really enjoyed the opening song People Watching. Real Killers vibe! The rest of the album was very good with his Brandon Flowersy voice!

Chocolate & Cheese

Ween

4/5

You had me at circus music.

Young, Loud And Snotty

Dead Boys

4/5

Some 70s east coast punk rock that had some good musical skills on display. I liked it well enough and it seemed to be a good representative of the time, place and genre.

Thunder And Consolation

New Model Army

5/5

I really liked this! Great album!

Script Of The Bridge

The Chameleons

5/5

Dramatic and moody in all the right ways… I loved it! Goth with a beat I can dance to… I’m in!

Foxes in the Snow

Jason Isbell

5/5

Wow there is a lot of passion in this album. Amazing what a guy and a guitar can do. Bravo!

Norther

Ex-Easter Island Head

5/5

Wow this was fantastic! Catchy, experimental in a very accessible way… I loved it.

Suzuki

Tosca

4/5

Smooth, pretty groovy. Sounds like the lobby of the Cosmpolitan hotel I frequented in the early 2010s. Nice background listening.

Lemonade

Beyoncé

5/5

There is a reason why I heard so much about this - and I really should have listened to this sooner. Talk about an artist at the height of her power. Intense, interesting, engaging… thank you for prompting me to listen to this!

I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One

Yo La Tengo

5/5

This was a long listen, but I really enjoyed it. There were a few tracks that wore out their welcome a bit, but there were plenty of delights like Center of Gravity or the surprising cover of Little Honda that more than made up for the album’s nadir.

John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman

John Coltrane

5/5

Lovely lovely… I enjoyed the music, the singing, everything. Terrific!

Mouth Sounds

Neil Cicierega

2/5

Interesting choice, although I can’t quite get behind having this on the list. When I hear Daft Punk and think back to their live album this is a pale shadow. Not terrible, but not really before you die worthy in my book.

Shack-man

Medeski, Martin & Wood

5/5

Quirky as all get out - I think I love this!

The Fame

Lady Gaga

5/5

Quite a debut! A few songs that I didn’t need to hear again but the highs are high enough to more than make up for those.

The Midnight Organ Fight

Frightened Rabbit

4/5

I liked this quite a bit… some songs (like Fast Blood) stood out as 5s on the first listen. I suspect this could grow on me over time…

Blade Runner

Vangelis

3/5

If we are going to crack open the motion picture soundtrack genre (which maybe we did with Air’s The Virgin Suicides already?) I think there are choices ahead of this one to put on such a list. Maybe a different list of 101 motion picture soundtracks to listen to before you die might be an interesting endeavor. As it stands, I don’t dislike this but it just isn’t something I’d add to this list.

Has A Good Home

Final Fantasy

3/5

Interesting… I’m not sure it grabbed me but it was atmospheric and interesting.

Is Ellipsis

Psyche Origami

4/5

This was an enjoyable listen - Hip Hop isn't always my jam but this was a lot of fun, and when I caught the lyrics I was impressed. Good stuff!

Imaginal Disk

Magdalena Bay

4/5

Very ethereal, and pretty interesting. I liked the epic swells and the vocal style.

Autobiografia

Duncan Dhu

5/5

Wow, I really love this! Really great late-80s Spanish pop - these songs are so catchy and wonderful. Terrific!

TEKKNO

Electric Callboy

3/5

When the screaming started I thought I might be out, but it wasn’t as rough as I often find that sort of singing. In fact a lot of the songs were pretty good. Fuckboi was great, and there are several others that I really liked. While still not my cup of tea it was tight and the runtime worked to its advantage.

WE ARE

Jon Batiste

5/5

I listened to this again and it really connected with me. So good!

Deltron 3030

5/5

I was not looking forward to this but I loved it from the start! Great rap album, smart with lots of interesting references when I caught them. Would need to listen several more times to get more out of the lyrics but the beats were terrific!

You & I

Rita Ora

5/5

This artist keeps coming up in my New York Times crossword puzzle, so I guess its about time I figured out what she is about. Beautiful singer - great dance songs. What's not to like? Great remake of "Praise You". "That Girl" - while I thought Eddie Murray's "Party All The Time" was pretty atrocious back in the day, using the chorus in this made me smile and I kind of love it! I thought this was a pleasure to listen to. Terrific!

People Who Eat People Are The Luckiest People In The World

AJJ

4/5

I really enjoyed this - had a very strong early-days Modest Mouse feel to me that clicked. And I’m a sucker for a glockenspiel. Good choice!

Oceanic

ISIS

3/5

I started into this and didn't think I was going to be able to make it through. It's harder than my usual fare and I am not always into such things. But about midway through some of this really stood out to me and I found that I wasn't minding the ponderosity of it all. "Weight" was a particularly good track to me, very meditative and something I'd like to hear again I think.

Thank Christ for the Bomb

The Groundhogs

3/5

Kind of interesting with bits of psychedelia from a group I’ve never heard of before. Interesting!

Quadrophenia

The Who

5/5

Haven’t listened to this before but being The Who is right up there. I’d pick Tommy over this if I was finding something to listen to, but that may just reflect a lifetime of familiarity.

Vs.

Pearl Jam

5/5

Fantastic album from the kings of 90s rock!

News at 11

Cat System Corp.

5/5

At first glance you’d be excused for thinking this was a thrown together bit of clips from old television - but after listening and reading a bit more I realized the effort and artistry behind this is easy to miss. Even given that, this was a choice that seems almost made for someone like me. I have always had a fascination with instrumental music from stores, elevators, and as background for things like The Weather Channel. Indeed I would listen to the music on The Weather Channel and wonder who created it, what was their inspiration, and the subtle differences in the smooth jazz that made each song evoke a slightly different kind of vanilla emotion. Weird I know. It wasn’t until after my first listen to this that I was able to read the background material and better understand what it was about. My emotions were swayed by this knowledge and I cant stop thinking about this album. While not something that would even be my favorite to listen to, it is something that I think is well-qualified as listen-to-before-you-die-worthy.

Ocean Avenue

Yellowcard

4/5

Catchy poppy punk that I enjoyed. The fiddling in some of the songs made them a bit different in a way that I really liked!

Y Ahora Qué?

Reincidentes

4/5

Had fun listening to this. Not sure if this is the best Spain has to offer, but it was entertaining.

No Balance Palace

Kashmir

5/5

Really nice sound on this... I enjoyed it tremendously. I can say I liked the whole album but I really took notice from the jump with Kalifornia - and She's Made of Chalk took me to another place. Terrific album!

The Impossible Kid

Aesop Rock

3/5

Not an album that is in my sweet spot genre-wise, but I loved the energy of the opening tracks! As it progressed though my interest started to wane and it went on longer than optimal for maximal enjoyment.

BABYMETAL

5/5

I've always said that there is probably something in any genre that I would like. Death Metal was a contender for being the exception tot his rule, but I really loved Babymetal! It's wackadoo stuff that really made me happy!

Images and Words

Dream Theater

5/5

Wow these guys are impressive! Progressive metal feel to this that I really loved. I've heard the song "Another Day" in the past somewhere and it was great hearing it again! Terrific!

Blizzard Of Ozz

Ozzy Osbourne

5/5

Well, clearly this is the right time for me to FINALLY listen to the album that I grew up amidst but never listened to. I grew to love Crazy Train thanks to a remake decades ago by Pat Boone, which lead me to the Ozzy song... now finally I am listening to the rest of the album and am so surprised at how much I love it! Fantastic and deserving of being on all the T-shirts!

Yellow & Green

Baroness

5/5

When I saw another Heavy Metal album I kind of thought I was done with this before it started… but this surprised me with how great it is! Bombastic in all the right ways!

Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?

of Montreal

5/5

Interesting Franz Ferdinand vibe here that was quite entertaining. I’ve started wondering about all the 5 ratings I’ve been giving, then wondered why I’d question that all the music aficionados here would come up with a killer list of recommendations.

The Mantle

Agalloch

5/5

It’s not every day you listen to an album featuring a deer skull as an instrument. I dreaded the “extreme metal” moniker. Never fear, this was a moody, interesting album - great recommendation!

Promises

Floating Points

5/5

When the review said dreamlike they weren’t kidding. Lovely and interesting.

Fly

Yoko Ono

3/5

When I think of Yoko Ono and her craziness, I think of something like the 16+ minute Mindtrain. This album walks that definitional line I must consider in deciding how to rate - SHOULD one listen to this before they die? Quite possibly - given Yoko Ono’s influence over The Beatles and this being a big part of John Lennon’s journey. Will you enjoy this? Well, I actually found some of this a bit more enjoyable than I would have expected in some parts, mixed with liberal amounts of annoyance that I will never want to hear again. Guess I won’t argue that this might be something to consider for a list like this, like it or not. I just didn’t like a lot of it.

"Weird Al" Yankovic

5/5

15 year old me picked up this cassette and became an instant fan. Even my dad would laugh when I played the songs - he was an especially big fan of “Gotta Boogie” and would sing that often… While the parodies brought me into the album, it was the original tracks like “Gotta Boogie,” “I’ll Be Mellow when I’m Dead,” “The Check’s In The Mail,” “Mr. Frump In The Iron Lung” and his other great accordion originals that gave this even more staying power. “Weird Al” deserves a place on this list and this was the album that hit me at a perfect moment to begin a lifelong love of his music. There’s nothing like him… thanks for getting him on this list!

The art of Amalia Rodrigues

Amália Rodrigues

5/5

This was really lovely! Great choice for this list. I think the biggest Portuguese musical artist in all of recorded music is worth the listen. A wonderful soundtrack to make a day back from a long weekend off tolerable!

METAL FORTH

BABYMETAL

5/5

I’m not sure I need both of the Babymetal albums on the list, but not a bad idea to at least hear something from this group before they die. Not sure if this is better or worse than the other pick, but it was fun and entertaining!

Sunbather

Deafheaven

3/5

A bit screamier than I usually like, parts of this were still interesting to me. Not my cup of tea but I didn’t loathe it.

Polygondwanaland

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

5/5

This is a group I’ve kept meaning to listen to. Very entertaining! I seem to be more into psychedelic music more as I have aged. I did no expect to have my tastes expand over time but they seem to have. Terrific!

Time's Up

Living Colour

4/5

Not quite as connected to this as their first album, but still enjoyed it. Really loved the song Type!

Chocolate Synthesizer

Boredoms

2/5

Not easy to find this, I managed to listen to the bulk of this album on YouTube. Not exactly my cup of tea and definitely a bit crazy, I’m not sure how much of this genre I need to hear before I die.

Up To Here

The Tragically Hip

4/5

Yeah I like this. Good rock - I really enjoyed the opening track Blow at High Dough. While I don’t think I’d put three albums on this list from The Tragically Hip, I’m happy to have become acquainted with the group.

No Talking Just Head

The Heads

3/5

This hovered mostly around a 3 occasionally tempting me to rate it a 4… I’m not sure how cohesive this felt but I tended to like the moodier bits. I guess I can see why David Byrne was a little miffed at this…

Diamonds & Gasoline

Turnpike Troubadours

3/5

A decent country album. There are quite a few country artists who are much more influential who should be on this list before this I think, but I enjoyed the listen.

Harbor Lights

Bruce Hornsby

4/5

This was a nice album - sort of noodly long songs with that Hornsby piano. Guess Bruce does ok even without the range.

Save Rock And Roll

Fall Out Boy

5/5

The Phoenix was a nearly over the top opening to an album I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy. But I really loved it! Courtney Love was an interesting addition. And the Elton John ending was a great finish.

Piano Bar

Charly García

4/5

Smooth and enjoyable.

Fine Line

Harry Styles

5/5

Listened to this twice and really enjoyed it. Nice positive vibes!

The General Electric

Shihad

5/5

This is some really good rock that surprised me as I listened to it without knowing anything about it except the cover and name. I loved lots of this and am glad to see that we're getting a little something from New Zealand!

Only Death is Real

Stray From The Path

2/5

Really not my thing, although it seemed well performed…

Gordon

Barenaked Ladies

5/5

Do I think you should listen to Barenaked Ladies before you die? You better believe it. I’ve loved this album since it came out. The songs are offbeat and often whimsical with serious undertones scattered throughout that makes these guys so much more than a novelty song act. They have a lot of fun while exploring a lot of serious subtexts (and in a surprising number of songs… texts)… breakups, bad relationships, the meaning of life, depression… so many things to think about when you listen to one of their albums in full lying in those jaunty sounding songs. And then there is the occasional moving song without any jauntiness like What a Good Boy or Brian Wilson. I’m glad someone put this on the list - these guys are underrated and unique and really belong on a list like this.

The Hypnogogue

The Church

5/5

This album instantly connected with me, at first evoking an 80s vibe and then maybe MGMT or something else psychedelic and modern? The title track The Hypnogogue was mesmerizing! What a terrific way to drift along…

Cold Fact

Rodríguez

4/5

Interesting. I liked it and it seems like something g I should have encountered before now.

Speak & Spell

Depeche Mode

5/5

Wow I knew Vince Bell was involved with the founding of Depeche Mode, but hadn’t really investigated the group much when he was involved. This gave me a whole new perspective on the group… how interesting to go back to the origins of both later Depeche Mode and Erasure… not two groups you’d normally consider in the same moment.

The Grass Is Blue

Dolly Parton

5/5

I’m glad someone suggested another Dolly Parton album. She’s a national treasure with such a long career it’s good to hear some of her “newer” stuff. Just wonderful!

Singles

Future Islands

5/5

Another great addition of a band I had no idea of before this… I really liked the songs and the lead singer’s somewhat unusual voice. The more I listen the more I really like!

Witness

Modern Life Is War

2/5

Lots of passion, but not something I enjoy much.

St. Louis To Liverpool

Chuck Berry

5/5

A great listen and a great idea to suggest a legend like this for the list.

Penguin Eggs

Nic Jones

3/5

Interesting folk album, if not exactly my favorite thing to listen to.

Milo Goes to College

Descendents

3/5

Enjoyable punk music that was short and sweet enough for me to appreciate.

Only God Was Above Us

Vampire Weekend

3/5

Interesting listen and I kind of liked the stringed instruments… Not sure this is a total hit with me but I can see why someone might nominate it.

Hall of the Mountain King

Savatage

4/5

OK, first time through I wasn’t entirely sold on this… but I was driving around and album repeat was apparently on and the second time through I enjoyed it more… kind of what you might look for if you are looking for some good 80s heavy metal.

Brand New Eyes

Paramore

5/5

A former roommate liked this group and went to one of their concerts - I hadn’t heard of them at the time. Now I have and I see what he liked! This is a great rock album - love the lead singer, she’s great!

Odyssey Number Five

Powderfinger

5/5

Really solid rock album. I just sat back and chilled to this and it made for a really nice evening.

Ram

Paul McCartney

4/5

This project has made me realize I’m not a huge Paul McCartney fan (I’d have guessed it would have been the opposite before the project). I love the big hit (Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey) - and appreciated the rest although I find the shenanigans a bit tiresome at times.

Nia

Blackalicious

4/5

Not my usual genre but I enjoyed this. It was a little long for me but there was a good variety and a nice groove to it. “You Didn’t Know That Though” stood out to me as particularly enjoyable.

The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me

Brand New

5/5

I started off not too moved, but this turned out to be a bit of darker rock that really appealed to me! Jesus Christ really got my attention and I found myself loving this album from then on.

Are You Shpongled?

Shpongle

5/5

Never heard of this before and put this on with no clue what it was… and was completely taken in by the journey. Impressive and really engaging album! I guess I’m Shpongled now.

I Had a Dream That You Were Mine

Hamilton Leithauser

3/5

I liked this well enough.

Modal Soul

Nujabes

5/5

Did not hear this one coming… it’s smooth as all get-out, veering into cul-de-sacs of hip hop, easy listening, jazz and even a bit of disco. What an interesting selection.

Jaco Pastorius

4/5

This was some nice 70s jazz with good variety to keep it interesting. The usual sax, steel drum song Opus Pocus… a lot to like here.

Que c'est triste Venise

Charles Aznavour

5/5

Terrific! Never heard of this gentleman but this was très magnifique!

Quebec

Ween

4/5

I used to listen to this a bit back in the day so it was fun to revisit. It’s eclectic and you never quite know what could be coming next. Surely no one predicted “Hey There Fancypants” before the first listen. And I still really love “Tried and True.” Great album!

Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

M83

5/5

This was some nice 70s jazz with good variety to keep it interesting. The usual sax, steel drum song Opus Pocus… a lot to like here.

First Utterance

Comus

5/5

Fascinating album - perfect feel for the Halloween season!

Tomorrow Belongs To Me

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

4/5

Love the cover art, and the album was offbeat and interesting.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Various Artists

5/5

Fantastic! I hadn’t thought of this being a candidate for the list but an amazing soundtrack for an amazing movie that is such a giant of the cult movie scene. I watch this multiple times a year - it is a Halloween tradition in my household - so I am intimately familiar with the music but any chance to spend an hour in this world is a treat! 50 YEARS! There ain’t no way I’m not giving this cultural masterpiece a 5! TERRIFIC!

Psychic

DARKSIDE

4/5

Nice groove to this largely instrumental electronic album. Nice for sitting alone in the dark.

California

Mr. Bungle

5/5

I’m surprised to read that this album will alienate some listeners of other Mr. Bungle works… I would think the risk of alienation would be coming from the more mainstream listener. Regardless, I am quite comfortable in this land and really enjoyed this odd journey! Interesting with a real bizarro-California sound.

Fantasies

Metric

4/5

I have heard of Metric, but don’t recall ever listening to them. I had friends who liked them and somewhere intended to check them out sometime, so thanks for the suggestion and opportunity. Really terrific listen - solid!

Exile On Coldharbour Lane

Alabama 3

5/5

I bought this album back when it came out sound-unheard through my Columbia Record Club account. Yes, back in the day I would routinely buy CDs based solely on the description. I can’t remember how this was described or why I went for it, but I loved it then and still love it now. It was good to reconnect with this bluesy-country-acid-house group.

Excitable Boy

Warren Zevon

4/5

Love the song “Werewolves of London” - and have already been listening to that track with it being the Halloween season. Found the wikipedia entry on its history quite interesting, what with it being a “novelty” dance song! I enjoyed the rest of this album. I might have leaned more toward Jackson Browne when looking for something like this to listen to but this was still quite good!

Geography

Tom Misch

5/5

Very entertaining… I had a terrific time listening to this. Interesting styles, sort of jazzy but then some dance-infused songs that made it more interesting (“Disco Yes” for example!). Loved it!

Wildflowers

Tom Petty

5/5

This album came out during my stint as an announcer on an Adult Contemporary radio station, so I had a copy of it and liked it quite a lot. "You Don't Know How It Feels" became a staple on the station and I heard it several times a day for years. I had fallen away from and not listened to this for decades. It's always interesting to go back to something like that and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it today. Terrific!

Alopecia

WHY?

3/5

Not bad… sort of reminds me of They Might Be Giants meets Beck.

I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning

Bright Eyes

5/5

Very relaxing and soothing like a lot of the albums I listened to in the early part of the century. I’m sure I must’ve heard this back then but didn’t recall any of it. A soothing soundtrack for the day.

TRON: Legacy

Daft Punk

5/5

I knew this soundtrack and liked it back when it was new. It’s very interesting, though, listening to it now. Several months ago I saw Daft Punk’s Interstella 5555 movie release in the theatre and was enthralled at the colorful animation and music. TRON: Legacy is a very different thing. Daft Punk shows incredible versatility creating an orchestral, dramatic, and suprisingly dark soundtrack. I happened to have the opportunity to listen to this on a night-time drive and it was perfect for the occasion. So many great moments that gave me goosebumps - and other moments that felt almost out of a horror movie soundtrack. Such a contrast to their other work. Great selection… a surprise because I would never have thought to nominate this.

Circles

Mac Miller

2/5

I felt like I wanted to enjoy this more than I actually could.

Black Devil Disco Club

4/5

Interesting… and mostly enjoyable although I kept thinking maybe I should be spending this time with Giorgio Morodor.

II

Espers

3/5

Pretty interesting, laid back album. Sort of wavered a bit on this there were a few four moments but mostly a three.

Once Upon a Rhyme

David Allan Coe

5/5

My dad was a big fan of David Allan Coe and when I was around him would occasionally hear one of his songs. But unlike some of his other favorites like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson, I never delved into David Allan Coe’s catalog. Coe does some pretty great things on this album. Classic 70s country sound with some really interesting songwork. The second track “Jody Like A Melody” has a really interesting ending that transitions into “Loneliness in Ruby’s Eyes” - really got my attention. The finale “You Never Even Called Me By My Name” is the song I definitely remember - as I kid I really loved the added verse about mama getting runned over by a damned ol’ train. How great to hear that again! I’ll add that I’m a sucker for classic country backup harmonies and they are exquisite on this album. Glad to find myself at a place in life where I can really appreciate this. I’m already digging into the catalog to find some more David Allan Coe to listen to. Thanks for this suggestion, you’ve opened a door for me that I should have a long time ago.

Pinkerton

Weezer

3/5

I don’t think I like this as much as the self-titled Weezer album, and only one really needs to be on a list like this, but I didn’t mind the listen.

10 Days Out: Blues from the Backroads

Kenny Wayne Shepherd

4/5

The Blues isn’t something I seek out and I approached this like I would a book assignment in high school English class. I looked around a bit for the associated movie, but couldn’t find it anywhere without paying so I started up the audio. I have to say that like a lot of those high school book assignments, once I got into this I really enjoyed it. A great way to hear a lot of blues with great audio quality. That hour+ runtime flew by and I’m glad to have listened to this.

Wet Leg

5/5

To my surprise this was already in my music library when I went to search for it. I didn’t remember listening to it at all until “Chaise Longue”. Yeah, I listened to this a while ago. “Wet Dream” was very familiar. As I read some background I realized that I had heard this duo on a Tiny Desk (Home) Concert on NPR during the lockdown. It’s quite catchy and I love the lead singers. Probably my favorite group from The Isle of Wight. Fun! Great stuff!

Neon Golden

The Notwist

3/5

Interesting and decently good.

Joy as an Act of Resistance

IDLES

4/5

Wow… this is really impressive modern punk rock - angry, smart, compassionate, insightful… didn’t see this coming. The album cover with a wedding brawl from the year of my birth added to the whole experience as well.

Highway Prayers

Billy Strings

5/5

Bluegrass definitely has a place on this list, and while I’m not expert I have been raised around a lot of classical bluegrass and this was up there as far as I could tell. Bonus star because I’m pretty sure my dad would be thrilled with Billy Strings!

Pulse

Pink Floyd

5/5

I didn't really get on board any of the Pink Floyd albums until 1987's "A Momentary Lapse of Reason", an album I bought on CD and fell in love with. For whatever reason, it took another few decades to really listen to more Pink Floyd. While live albums aren't always my favorite, I did very much enjoy spending the better part of my day listening to this. I really do need to dig more into their studio releases though.

Uncovered

Zamilska

4/5

I've found another perfect soundtrack for a haunted house (and indeed did add this album to my Halloween playlist). It's dark and brooding and atmospheric and would be perfect for a spooky gathering. As for just hanging out and listening... it was interesting enough for working to but I don't see myself just throwing it on for a regular listen.

Get To Heaven

Everything Everything

4/5

I get the comparisons to Radiohead I read a lot of, and I could hear what people were talking about in a lot of the songs’ unusual timing and key. Definitely can hear that influence. But this has a very different feel than Radiohead. I found it quite interesting to hear how some similar technique can yield such different results. The lead singer often reminded me of Peter Gabriel. I really noticed that during Zero Pharoah. I wasn’t sure partway through but I ultimately did really like this. I think I will like it more with additional listens.

Spinvis

3/5

I like this well enough although I think I would’ve probably liked it more had I understood the lyrics.

Keep It like a Secret

Built To Spill

3/5

This was ok for me. I had another later album from them in my library so must’ve listened to them 24 years ago or so. Not earth shattering and probably wouldn’t make my version of this list but a solid listen.

Body Talk

Robyn

5/5

I’m very familiar with this album. Fantastic!

Inside

Bo Burnham

2/5

This album is definitely of a specific time (the pandemic of the early 2020s). I’m not sure if being outside of that time changes the way I hear this, or that it was originally part of videos that I have not seen, but I didn’t connect well with this. I really enjoyed writer/director Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade, so I had high hopes for this. It wasn’t completely without merit but for me there are other parody song artists that should be on this list well before this. There were of course clever moments, and for a guy making music alone in his house it isn’t bad. But the reasons to listen to this don’t really match with the reasons to be on a list like this for me.

The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads

Lift To Experience

4/5

This definitely had some epic moments and it is clear the artists were definitely reaching - impressive first album. I didn’t love all of it on the first listen and it was long enough to preclude further listens, but I definitely appreciated the effort.

Tragic Kingdom

No Doubt

5/5

I listened to this a ton in the late 90’s. I love this album! I’m not usually big into the ska sound but this album showed me that I can love it. Favorite songs include Spiderwebs, Just a Girl, Sunday Morning, Don’t Speak. Oh and how great is that disco You Can Do It?! Such a fun song! Tragic Kingdom is the perfect closer. Great choice!

Slip

Quicksand

4/5

I hadn’t heard of Quicksand before. I really liked this - definitely some good rock that definitely felt of the grunge era…

Nearer My God

Foxing

4/5

Some pretty good rock, it leaned toward the great side of good for me.

One Time for All Time

65daysofstatic

4/5

Moody, interesting… seems like these guys would make some pretty good soundtracks.

Melt My Eyez See Your Future

Denzel Curry

3/5

Not my go-to genre, and it got a little repetitive to my ears and dragged a bit, but seemed good and did have some nice touches like the piano on “The Ills.”

Ruby Vroom

Soul Coughing

5/5

This reminded me a bit of Cake, who I also liked a great deal from this era. Lots of interesting sounds had me several times thinking there was an odd noise in my house - but it was part of the song. I enjoyed this quite a bit!

This Is the Day...This Is the Hour...This Is This!

Pop Will Eat Itself

5/5

I liked this quite a bit. I think if I had listened to this back in ‘89 it might have altered my musical course a bit - young me would have listened to a lot of this!

Sunset Mission

Bohren & Der Club Of Gore

5/5

Interesting... I started listening to this not having any idea what it was at the gym and decided it was a kind of dark jazz, then when I looked at the Wikipedia later saw it was indeed dark jazz... which I didn't know was a thing. Reminds me of something Duke Silver would play. I liked it!

RENAISSANCE

Beyoncé

5/5

OK Beyoncé on the back of a crystal horse has my interest piqued. Listening to this album has me realizing why she is such a goddess of music. I can imagine she has the resources at her disposal to do nearly any thing she wants… and what she apparently wants is to make incredibly cool music. This album had me feeling like I was in the coolest dance club in town… with nods to history while making something that felt totally fresh. Terrific!

Smell No Evil

Ookla The Mok

3/5

Entertaining with a sort of Barenaked Ladies/Weird Al Yankovic vibe. I can imagine these guys would be popular on the convention circuit. Lots of fun callbacks throughout.

How To Be A Human Being

Glass Animals

4/5

Entertaining album - I recall listening to Glass Animals years ago but didn’t recall hearing any of this album. I’d happily listen again to this and would not have regretted purchasing the CD back in the day.

All the Pretty Little Horses

Current 93

4/5

Is it bad that this album made me laugh as I imagined it as the output of the experimental phase of one of the groups in the movie A Mighty Wind? This album’s weirdness certainly merits possible inclusion on a “listen to before you die” list… which is something I try to keep in mind as I listen to things that I might not choose for my music collection. The opening recitation of All The Pretty Little Horses in a dystopian whisper recalibrated my ear and I ended up really enjoying this listen. I’m glad this exists and glad I listened to it. I lost track of the lyrics - my brain is way too ADHD to stay on track as they meandered and rambled - but they certainly evoke a mood. Even if I only listen to this once in my life I find it a worthy recommendation. Throwing in a bonus star for whoever ventured out on this limb.

One Life

Malibu

5/5

Really lovely ambient music. I loved all the cello. If I ran a planetarium this would be a perfect soundtrack to my shows.

Afrociberdelia

Chico Science

4/5

Lively and interesting... worthy of listening to before you die.

Moa Anbessa

Getatchew Mekurya

4/5

Ethiopian Sax meets Dutch Post Punk?! Sign me up for interesting musical collaborations! Crazy sax playing, strangely exotic and jazzy.

Magnolia Electric Co.

Songs: Ohia

4/5

I liked The Lioness, the Songs: Ohia album on the original list. I didn’t get to spend as much time with this one but I liked it. Reminded me a bit of Neil Young.

Stella

Yello

5/5

I guess it is thanks to John Hughes that most of us know this group. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this listen today! Even found two great additions to my Halloween playlist (“Stalakdrama” and “Angel No”). I was surprised at the “the moon… the sun” lyrics in Oh Yeah… somehow I’d never noticed the other lyrics beyond “Oh Yeah” before. Terrific!

The Feeding of the 5000

Crass

4/5

Crazy little punk album filled with diatribes just like it should be.

Take It From The Man

The Brian Jonestown Massacre

5/5

This was a surprise. While the write ups had me expecting it to sound very Rolling Stones - and it did - I didn’t expect to like it as much as I do! Monkey Puzzle was a real cowbell jam… terrific!

Katamari Damacy

Various Artists

4/5

I enjoyed playing the videogame back in the day. Fun hearing that great music again! Eclectic for sure. Interesting selection!

O Monstro Precisa De Amigos

Ornatos Violeta

3/5

I started off enjoying the dramatic opening numbers, but as the album went on the vocals started to wear on me.

Revolution

Q65

3/5

This album sounded very much like some of the great rock albums of the 70s. It didn’t blow me away - maybe I would connect more with it with more listens - but the quality good.

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