1001 Albums Summary

"This could be interesting." I thought. No, it just sounds like terrible pop music but with the (presumably) vapid lyrics in a different language.

I walked through the woods on a sunny winter day, with a thick layer of fallen leaves all around, a dog charging off a head and only a vague sense of direction. It was an ideal listening environment this positive folk stuff.

Someone added this to a playlist with an image from Scott Pilgrim comic, which I thought encapsulated that DIY indie grunge aesthetic. Lyrics were often inaudible due to the reverb, guitars were fuzzy as fuck, but that was kind of charming. 3.5 stars

I got a bit melancholy listening to this one, which chimes with the record label boss not wanting to release it as it was about his friends' divorce. I didn't think I enjoyed it that much, but then happily listened to another couple of hours of John Martyn and Martyn-adjacent music, so I think not enjoying it was very much the label in this section of the record shop (file under dour).

A little slice of disco magic. Like a cute friend (who is obsessed with Dr Who and won't shut up).

So middle of the road; I snoozed through the whole thing, safely buffered by that central reservation.

I don't know why I despise Dave Matthews, but I do.

A lot of fun. The Distance was always a firm favourite and the rest of the album is good (but not as good).

Slightly painful to listen to, but I also admire them for the work they have put into this mess of commercial adjacent work, which shouldn't sell any records. It is a bit too art school, but has a good sense of humour. Noisy blaring pop

Whiny and annoying.

I really enjoyed this. It snuck up on me as gentle background music, but then I found myself really enjoying bits and relistened. Very chilled out, very skilled musically. A lovely find.

Nothing good about this: Goodbye

I've never really sat and listened to Vampire Weekend. They are a nice little american indie band, aren't they?

Incredibly average dirge based guitar band from the eighties.

Surprisingly lovely. This band should have had a better name, as I keep thinking they are going to be The Partridge Family. I liked the classical bits and the chilled out vibe. I liked the arty bits.

I mean ... Once I complete listening to the 1089 out of the 1001 albums to listen before you die, I too was angry and twisted, tempted to inflict pain on other listeners just out of a sense of anger. Unlike the wanker who nominated this piece of pop, unfit for a pub quiz trivia question I learned that the anger was because a deep seated insecurity that I can no longer blame on others and instead I must learn to accept and nurture myself instead of never quite getting the sense of justice I aspired for by tearing aural holes in the minds of others. Remove this from your Guantanamo playlist and place a daisy in the barrel of a rifle.

Good old Nik Kershaw. A nice face of eighties pop.

Proper anarcho punk, I expect. I didn't listen to any of the lyrics though because I was too busy being tied to my desk for The Man, enslaved in the corporate mechanism or something.

I was tired and dreamy when I started listening to this, yet it still annoyed me. I have to give it a listen on another day, but I'm fairly sure I don't like it. On the tin it ticks my boxes: modern chilled stuff, pastoral and charming, but it was too MOR.

Mumblecore indie folk. Kind of beatific, kinda depressed.

A nice Christmas album if jazz fun.

Stadium synth rock/pop. I'm kind of enjoying the auto-generated stuff that's coming after the album finished playing It was alright. 3.5 stars

Marilyn Manson joins The Backstreet Boys in 1998 Ibiza.

Werewolves of London is kinda fun. The rest is a recommended skip.

I see why people like this, but I personally find this kind of country folk rock to be dull.

Indie meets prog. The tunes are quite catchy and the musicianship is strong, but the long improvised bits are a bit too much. It has the feel of a band looking for a break which never came.

*** Another album of long sets of improvised guitar and drums. As usual, the musicians are good and the tunes were nice. It was kind of jazz funk. ***

Fine. Nice. Good. Charming. Special? No, not really.

** It all sounds a bit same-y to me. One track of guitar noise blends into the next. Not too angry, but not my thing. **

Like a quite good version of the Foo Fighters or something. I may be just in a rock mood today though, as I'm now enjoying Witchcraft. 3 stars as I'm not a massive fan of The Foo Fighters, plus a nod of respect.

Nice stuff.

Pleasant jangly background music.

Some guy and a guitar singing well, but not mind-blowing.

Very interesting and quite cool. I checked out the documentary about him on BBC Sounds and I might find his disco album next.

Good observation lyrics and a pleasant relaxed sound. I probably won't seek them out though. ***

Surprisingly decent album of blues covers.