One of the most underrated bands ever. This is a solid, rather than life changing entry in their canon, but still has all of the wit, fun and heartbreak you'd expect. A little too obsessed with a particular acoustic guitar sound, but still zips by and makes you smile with it's unexpected lines... "You don't name a boat Titanic 2"

So, I woke up with a stinking hangover and a long journey ahead of me this morning. Seeing this as my selection for the day, my heart sank. What in the easy listening is this? But then I put it on, and the soothing sounds of Tijuana Brass were like a salve to my aching head and soul. A lovely mix of jaunty and relaxed brass is sometimes exactly what you need, and this was very much the right album at the right time.

Yeah, this is great fun. I only knew the obvious track, but it turns out it was surrounded by a very solid soul album!

Oooh I'd been meaning to do Freddie Gibbs for a while, so cheers to whoever put this in. Great beats, stacked with guests, I really enjoyed it end to end.

Dan Auberbach is the master of spending a small fortune to make something sound like it was authentically recorded badly in 1964, isn't he? Beautiful voice, lovely melodies, but the production left me very cold. I'll definitely listen to more from the artist, but I want to hear how she sounds when not forced to perform through pretentiously vintage kit!

I'd always been put off by his guest appearances, where he's always gentle, maybe a bit mopey. But left to do his own thing, it's way more jittery and weird than I thought it'd be and really interesting.

It was nice. Felt like a more modern twist on old chanson stuff. Not an all timer, but very pleasant. Wish I could understand more of the lyrics to hear of it has the wit of a Brel or a Gainsbourg.

Oooh I'd been meaning to do Freddie Gibbs for a while, so cheers to whoever put this in. Great beats, stacked with guests, I really enjoyed it end to end.

Honestly, I thought this was probably getting three stars and I'd move on... But it actually slaps. I've got nostalgia for a couple of tracks, but the whole thing is great. I'm almost thinking grime moved backwards the second time round, cos this has so much more FUN.

Lovely, atmospheric and bleak. I mean it's also got East Hastings, which thanks to 28 Days Later we know is up there with Goblin as the perfect soundtrack to a zombie apocalypse!

I really enjoyed this. Kraftwerk and Neu but something bouncier. I reckon I’ll end up buying it.

I've always avoided this band because their name is so cloyingly annoying. I wasn't right to. But I wasn't necessarily wrong either. It's a sort of scuzzed out psych-garage rock, but performed by incredibly accomplished musicians. On a record it sounds... Very technically proficient but a little dry. But I can absolutely imagine that these would come alive if you saw them live. So I can't rate it highly, but I think I now see their appeal.

One of the most underrated bands ever. This is a solid, rather than life changing entry in their canon, but still has all of the wit, fun and heartbreak you'd expect. A little too obsessed with a particular acoustic guitar sound, but still zips by and makes you smile with it's unexpected lines... "You don't name a boat Titanic 2"

Dan Auberbach is the master of spending a small fortune to make something sound like it was authentically recorded badly in 1964, isn't he? Beautiful voice, lovely melodies, but the production left me very cold. I'll definitely listen to more from the artist, but I want to hear how she sounds when not forced to perform through pretentiously vintage kit!

So, I woke up with a stinking hangover and a long journey ahead of me this morning. Seeing this as my selection for the day, my heart sank. What in the easy listening is this? But then I put it on, and the soothing sounds of Tijuana Brass were like a salve to my aching head and soul. A lovely mix of jaunty and relaxed brass is sometimes exactly what you need, and this was very much the right album at the right time.

Well, it's not even the best Eels album but it's so laden with nostalgia and great songs that it was a joy to go back to!

It sounds like a great local 'scene' band, rather than a life changer. Solid stuff though.

Look, you can't argue with the genius/pretentiousness of an album of songs based on the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. Sadly, 2023 Eurovision geniuses Salena and TEYA outdid Alan Parsons with their absolute banger, "Who the Hell is Edgar?" Distractions aside, this is probably the best Alan Parsons album. Gleefully camp while incredibly performed.

I enjoyed this far more than I expected to. It goes from rocking hard, to incredibly horrible and bleak, to completely stupid at a whiplash pace. Their bassist is hugely underrated - that filthy funk underneath everything makes the songs more than a 7 string dirge. In short, it's ace.

It's a bit edgelordy, which leaves it feeling more than a little dated. But the clear Sabbath influence and a weird Isley Brothers cover means I didn't go away from this completely cold.

This was really quite enjoyable. A template for a less irritating RHCP, with more metal bite and more Rakim/Chuck D style rapping. Great fun!

How was this not on the actual 1001? I mean, that's about all I have to say on this. You could bin Kid Rock, The Waterboys or one of the ever present Elvis Costello albums and have some dubby perfection instead!

Yeah, this is great fun. I only knew the obvious track, but it turns out it was surrounded by a very solid soul album!

Not for me. This sort of bluesy rock always sounds the same to me and I've heard it enough for one lifetime already.

Of the 'imperial' phase of Vampire Weekend's first three albums, this is the least brilliant. That's about the worst you can say about it. You don't have the shock of the new (with apologies to Paul Simon) of the debut, or the Rostam led electronic swirl of Modern Vampires, this is a transition between the two. That said, it's still getting all the stars. A fantastic album by a fantastic band - I still love them now they're in their goofy dad era!

I really enjoyed this! It sounds like nothing else I've heard doing this and felt really interesting. Loads of variety and while my Norwegian is non existent it sounded interesting, and a Wikipedia search shows it was!!!

It's a bit derivative - old psych repackaged. It's done well though, and one track sounded like if Nine Inch Nails had formed in San Francisco in 1967, which was a fun experiment. A mixed bag.

This is actually a masterpiece. It's made me respect some artists who came out afterwards less, because this may actually be the best version of the thing. And I'd never heard it before. I'm gutted that this is the end of this band... I'd have devoured more of this.

It's really nice but also kind of so nice it just washes over you. I liked it but didn't love it.

Better than I expected, but I have an instinctive aversion to 80s production!

Not for me. I like some ambient/EDM type stuff, but in it's attempts at beauty it strived for, it ended up closer to budget videogame music, or classy hold music for a firm swinging and missing at youth.

It was quirky, but the good sort of quirks, not the oh god jam knitting needles in my ears quirky. Left field, folky but without being annoying, heartfelt. This was a lovely new one on me.

Do I save myself time and just give this five stars straight away? I didn't. It's half an hour and six songs long. And three of them are all time greats. The rest are merely good songs, but you can't argue with an album this charming.

It contains two all time great songs. And while it's not my culture, it feels so culturally important I'm shocked realising this wasn't on the original list.

I feel like this is one of those musicians where I'd love the person, but the music comes out a bit plain despite the interesting ideas and great influences. Similar to Shack or (British) Sea Power. I didn't dislike anything, but didn't get beyond "Hmm, that was quite good".

It's absolutely not a genre I go for (music that sounds like it was made in a small hut miles away from the nearest town) but this album is so much wonkier and more abrasive than records of this type that it held my attention far better than I'd have expected.

I'm here for more B-52s. Glad someone corrected the fact we didn't have both great albums on the list.

I'm not a fan of a live album at the best of times... And here it sounds like the soundman actively hates them. The vocal and drum mixes are an actual hatecrime, and the guitar is more overbearing than some of the parents on my school run. A crying shame, as it sounds like some of the songs will be atmospheric and cool, done properly. I'm giving a low score, but will listen to more of their stuff!

It's another transitory album. While a dead man couldn't argue with the 1-2 of Sweatpants and 3005, for some of the rest the album tries bold swings which don't always connect - Chance and Donald on the same track should've soared! This sounds critical, but honestly, this is why it's merely great and not all time.

It's absolutely not a genre for me. Very technically competent, well produced, tuneful Americana.

Love albums remain meh for me... But Bruce Springsteen is one of the greatest live artists of all time. It's still not the studio albums, but I can appreciate that it would've been great to be at. Just, I wasn't, so it's never going to be a thing I come back to (I saw him a year ago. It is as amazing as you'd hope.)

Like the other one. If Bruce Springsteen got deeply into Prozac and numbness it'd sound like this. So a deflated Boss, in short. I see the appeal, in today's awful world, but it's not for me.

It's very chilled and atmospheric. A bit too ambient for me, but definitely beautiful.

Good enough weirdo psych rock. Not my thing, but well executed.

This was a wonderful surprise of an album. Gentle, atmospheric and really beautiful. Will be listening again!

Yep, another "how was this not on the main list?" type of album. Punchy, political punk that because of my age, immediately makes me think of playing Tony Hawk on Playstation...

I knew this album already. Gorgeously off kilter oddness, nobody else sounds like this, and some of the best bass playing ever.

It's so far outside what I personally like, but I do remember a lot of people loving them in my youth. With an objective eye, I totally get it now. Not for me, but clearly great.

Wow! This is way more varied than I expected, and really good fun. Punky at points, ballady chill at others. Another lovely surprise I'll definitely come back to.

It's not without merit, as 'edgy' hard rock goes, but it feels a bit like Laibach bought from Temu? The none more 80s production doesn't help ..

Okay, it starts disappointingly. I thought it was going to be one of those very dry "quiet, nice" albums from the early nights, to be filed with Turin Brakes, Starsailor and other such bland and forgettable pap. But as it goes on, it gradually gets more and more interesting, deep and experimental and becomes really quite brilliant!

It's got all the elements I should like. It's spiky, difficult, female fronted and raw. But I feel like it just happened to me rather than giving me anything to hold on to.

I really enjoyed this one! Very late 20th, just as everyone was working out which genres hadn't met others, but done well, and electroteutonicfolk was a good blend.

If this albums thing has taught me anything, it's that Americana does nothing for.me, I'm afraid.

Anyone who had to live through the noughties can still have their PTSD triggered by this sort of bland landfill indie. There's a road in China paved with the remaindered CDs of this dreck, and even then, the road feels bland and predictable.

It's about the fourth best Mogwai album. But it'd get five stars for Like Herod alone. Can't believe this is the first time Mogwai has come up. Feel like spending the next few years redoing all 1001 plus albums to add a few more!

Nice. Not a life changer for me, but a very pleasant listen.

So many of these songs start hard, like these songs rule... But then run two minutes too long. Can't be too mad, it's got three classics on there.

I tried the crane wife years ago and just didn't get it. I think this is successfully my 'in'. I found it more muscular and compelling and I really enjoyed it's slightly OTT pleasures. Sprawling concept album yes please!

Coming in with an open mind. I only know Jimmy Buffett as a punchline in Yank comedy... I can see why. But it has a degree of charm and invention that elevates it... He's a good lyricist.

I mean five for the nostalgia alone. But I can't believe it was missing from the list anyway?

They have one song and they do it a lot. Thankfully they have the charm to carry it off, within limits.

On the one hand, the 80s synths combined with the outre subject matter is quite fun. On the other, after 40 minutes it feels like 6th form post modern edgelord silliness.

Hmm. There were bits I loved, especially when it went full 70s overblown fun. It was wildly varied as well. For ambition I'd give it five stars. However, none of the songs stuck in my brain or hit me emotionally, so it doesn't quite hit it. It's still glorious, but for me it's just got those final few inches to be five stars.

Very nice. Like the first Bon Iver a bit.

It's not my favourite CG album, but it's a great experiment in making a whole wonky soul album. And some of them are tunes.