1001 Albums Summary

Tom Sawyer is always rockin. Camera Eye a rager that was new to me. Still, album seems a bit one-note at times, but maybe that's just Rush to me. Interesting that there's only ever a lead singer - no backup vocals, etc.

Love this album. Especially the songs from Good Will Hunting. So soft and mellow - but still a little haunting and depressing at times.

Enjoyable, but probably needs another listen to get full appreciation. Many songs seemed very similar. Really enjoyed “A Funky Space Reincarnstion”.

Fantastic. Really enjoyed the first track. The segments when he gets popping are the definition of nod-inducing. I’ll be coming back to this one a lot.

Solid album chock full of hooks. Album seemed to get a bit darker as it moved forward. Cool to hear some of the new age, Devi-ish undertones. The track I was most familiar with (We Got the Beat) ended up being my least favorite on the album. Really enjoyed Our Lips are Sealed.

I mean, it’s Van Halen. It’s not bad - just not my cup of tea. There will always be a time and place for Jump. Unfortunately, there’s just not much of those for the rest of the album for me.

More like 3.5. Really thought I’d be giving this a 5 when I started listening - but album doesn’t end as strongly as it begins for me. Still Parklife, Girls and Boys are absolute classics. Great listening to this again.

One of the best live albums I’ve listened to in a long time. The rock is pure and pleasant without swerving into metally thrashing. Can hear some of the bands they’ve inspired throughout the album - especially Ween on a few tracks. I can’t get enough of “Dancing in the Spotlight”.

Just an okay album. Enjoyed it well enough in background of a car ride - but doubt I’ll go back to it anytime soon.

3.8 - This is a “big” album full of rawness and soul. Not sure how often I’ll come back, but I appreciated.

3.8 - Somewhat sparse beats, but great delivery above them. Loved Rock Box. Can really hear the influence they had on later artists - especially in late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

2.8 - solid album. Can hear why it’s influential, but not something that really sticks out to me, especially for the time. Very vocal heavy. My favorite songs on the album were probably the ones I was most familiar with from other artists (e.g. I Got a Woman).

3.2 - solid blues album. Nice guitar licks from Clapton. Not something I’ll be coming back to a lot when I want to hear the genre.

3.7 - solid album that I really enjoyed. Nice guitar riffs and vocals from a n artist that screamed fun. Baby Boomerang and Spaceball Ricochet were two stand out tracks.

2.8 - a big blast of nostalgia here. Some great tunes like 33, Tonight Tonight and even a few others that didn’t make singles. Just a little too epic at times for my tastes. Enjoyed it more for the flashback than the music. It’s been years since I listened to this and likely will be a number more before I do again.

2.4 - album felt included more for its noteworthiness than its quality. Appreciated the eclectic and nature, could hear a lot of influence for The Pogues, Dropkick Murphy’s and a bit of Blur throughout.

2.1 - wanted to like it, but just not a style I enjoy. Appreciate the soulfulness, but even songs like Faith are too stilted and stop-n-go for my taste.

3.8 - excellent listen. Powerful blues, unique voice. Her cover of Me and Bobby McGee is one of the best songs of all-time.

2.1 - I had a really hard time with this album. At its best, it reminded me of overproduced movie montage/chase scenes from 70's cinema. At its worst, I felt like I was listening to an album of just "Space" by the Grateful Dead while stone cold sober. Every time it started to build up to a rhythm, it broke down into dissonance and chaos before it'd reached something actually satisfying. This album reminds me of the old Northern Charm/Southern Efficiency joke - it had all the form and structure of a concert, with the warmth and soul of a recording studio.

1.5 - I found this album neither particularly enjoyable nor remarkable. I’m not sure why it was included in a collection like this. It struck me as rather basic, if somewhat overproduced r&b.

2.1 - not a ton to speak of. Uninspiring covers that seemed like filler. Will likely not be returning to this anytime soon.

3.2 - some solid songs on here and enjoyed this more than unexpected. Definitely a moody feel to most of the album, but a decent background soundtrack to zone out to.

2.8 - decent Bowie album, but nothing seemed especially remarkable to me.

3.0 - It’s The Doors, playing The Doors songs.

Simple, straightforward but enjoyable punk with almost a 50s vibe of their lyrics.

3.7 - enjoyable psychedelic rock with solid guitar and vocals.

3.5 - chill beats and good vocals. Have always dig Massive Attack, so this was a good experience. Might come back to this, but not in a rush.

3.2 - not a good album, but a fun one. Overall, a remarkably digestible heavy metal album. The hits, if you can stand them, are all here - along with some solid songs I hadn’t heard before like “Wild in the Streets” (which I’m utterly astounded that Bon Jovi never once rhymed with “Wild between the streets”). Likely won’t be listening to the album as a whole again anytime soon, but won’t mind when some of its hits next pop up.

3.2 - decent modern folk album with haunting feel. Good vocals. Enjoyed White Dress immensely. Solid album for background listening.

4.1 - heavy bass beats and engaging vocals. Great lyrics. The mix of heavy metal and rap creates a sum that is greater their individual parts.

3.1 - solid rock album. Enjoy “New York, New York”

3.2 - it’s a Christmas album, a genre I’m not too big on. But it’s a solid one that I’ll be returning to on a likely annual basis.

2.8 - Garbage never really stuck out to me when they were contemporary and they’re even less notable to me now. Maybe it’s the years that have gone by, but their sound doesn’t seem particularly innovative and the angsty vibes miss their note.

2.8 - I want to like Costello more, but it’s hard to pull off. Tracks like “Sulky Girl” and “Just About Glad” are enjoyable and the lyrical wordplay is fun, but overall his music sounds repetitive and overly focused on his (still unique and quality) vocals. It too often feels just a bit too stilted for me to lose myself in - it’s a very top of mind type of music.

4.8 - such an amazing album. Classic RHCP sound. A bevy of great songs and a heavy dose of nostalgia. It’s been too long since I listened to this - so glad this project had me pick it up again.

3.1 - decent selection of fun and danceable songs to singalong to, especially Come On Eileen and the. An Morrison cover, but another inclusion that seems to highlight the British-centric nature of this list.

3.4 - decent album with a distinctly non-Beach Boys sound. Enjoyed “Don’t Go Near the Water”, but not sure I’ll be revisiting any time soon.

4.1 - great guitar licks and rocking songs. “Hero” definitely a heavy track that grabs your attention.

3.1 - great voice and layered with some catchy beats and hooks, but becomes a little respective, and weirdly saccharine despite the rather muted/down mood for the album as a whole.

2.4 - challenging album to get through. “Crown of Storms” was a standout for me. That said, the album’s heavy, dissonant and lack of melodic sound made it a tough listen. I like bitterness in the right time and place - but I couldn’t eat a whole meal of it. Similarly, I could enjoy one or two of these songs to upend my palate, but I think less is more works best for me here.

3.2 - good listen. A couple hits here - “The One I Love” “it’s the end of the world”. Stripe’s voice is always a classic.

3.7 - solid Bowie album without a lot of fat. “Golden Years” is one of my favorite songs of his.

3.8 - great golden guitar god at his best. So innovative and beautiful lyrics that fit perfectly. I don’t think I’ll ever not be pumped up by Voodoo Chile Slight Return.

3.7 - honestly thought I’d like this one more, as I listen to a few of the tracks off of it pretty regularly. It’s got great beats, lyrics and fantastic samples. It’s influenced offspring runs far and deep. That said, falls a little short of classic status, for me and this listen made me realize I probably like Midnight Marauders more for an overall Tribe listen.

2.4 - Somewhat unremarkable - no song really stood out to me, despite my general affinity for the genre.

2.2 - enjoyed Parachutes significantly more than this album. Nothing really stood out or caught my attention. Unlikely to revisit anytime soon.

4.2 - fantastic album. Some real “song’s songs” on it. “Boxer”, “Cecilia”, “only living boy in New York”… the listening experience holds up 50+ years after the original release.

3.1 - A bit like Depeche Mode. Decent listening, but nothing stood out.

3.4 - solid punk/psychobilly album with short, fun tracks. Cover of “Fever” and “I was a teenage werewolf” stood out most to me.

2.1 - fun sound, but nothing in the entire album really stood out to me.

3.8 - this was a fun album. Eminem is a master lyricist and Dre’s beats pair perfectly with them. A strong bit of nostalgia here, too, even though I think this is the first time I’ve ever listened to the full album. Pretty violent record - but it’s so over the top that it’s more campy/funny than outright offensive. Still - there feels like a lot of filler to the album, especially the skits between the majority of songs.

3.5 - classic broody Cure vibes. Love the heavy bass and the soundscape that makes me feel like I’m in the middle of my own movie montage. “A Forest” was a classic - loved the bass licks in that one.

3.1 - dash of the pretenders mixed with some cure. Decent record, but nothing really stood out.

3.4

2.3 - Decent listen, but just not a genre I really enjoy.

2.3 - decent listen but not my favorite genre or Byrds album. The cover of “You Ain’t Goin Nowhere” sort of encapsulates my feelings toward this album - a foundation that typically resonates pretty strongly with me, just executed in a way that makes me feel a bit “meh”.

3.4 - fun and funky organ jazz

3.5 - decent listen of alternative epicness. Strong notes of Blur. Fun but won’t be returning soon.

3.4 - seemingly straightforward jazz, with a bit of a big band feel. Timing is right and improvisation is obviously limited, but definitely a nice album to have in the background on a slow Sunday afternoon.

4.2 - listened to this a bit when it was originally released and feels like it still holds up well. Solid soulful blues with an amazing set of pipes on her. “Shadow boxer” remains a solid listen.

3.2 - funky and soulful with impressive vocals, but nothing that will keep bringing me back for another listen.

4.3 - garage rocking album full of raw energy that felt years ahead of its time. Loved walking the dog. Will be revisiting.

3.7 - solid album, if a bit repetitive at times. Nice synth throughout. M.E. and Cars are two standouts.

2.8 - solid rhythms and baselines, but the psychedelia combined with the Portuguese lyrics was still a little out there.

2.4 - decent listen, just not really my style.

3.2

3.7 - great album, with doings like the title track and “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” you can’t and don’t want to get out of your head, along with epics like “Jungleland”. It’s big, bold, soulful rock ‘n roll - bordering on a gluttony of it, which is the biggest thing that keeps me from resting it higher.

3.4 - solid and epic instrumental album, but my favorite track was probably the only one with vocals - Willie the Pimp

4.8 - just an amazing album. Such a mixture of nostalgia for me and amazing music. What it would give to have been at this concert.

3.4 - solid soulful Beatles tunes, with some early classics - “You Really Hot a Hold on Me” is my favorite of the bunch.

2.4 - not really impressed by this album, but Gypsy Woman was a standout for me.

3.3 - Nice new wave listen - enjoyed Shopping and the Cat Steven’s apeing on It’s a Sin.

3. Mins

3.8 - very accessible Radiohead album. Lacks the nostalgia factor of some of their earlier releases for me, but very enjoyable and listenable.

3.4 - solid rock album with a harder Aerosmith edge than their 70s rock and later 90s hits. Goin Down, Janie’s Got a Gun and Goin’ Down are all solid listens.

3.4 - great jazz album with amazing brass and some rocking, if sometimes discordant and settling drums

4.4 - great album full of classic licks. What an amazing band.

2.7 - decent listen, but not something I’d go back to. Didn’t enjoy the electronic vibe as much as some of her earlier work, but probably like Frozen the most of all the tracks.

3.7

4.6 - what an epic opus of an album. It’s hard to put out nearly two hours of music without filler, but Wonder did it here. Was filled with songs I know themselves, songs I knew through later samples and songs I was unfamiliar with, but utterly amazed by. “Black Man” was my favorite new discovery off the album. Will be coming back.

4.4 - fantastic album with some absolute classics and strong dose of nostalgia. Forgot how much I enjoy a lot of the instrumentals like Sambrosa, too.

3.3 - solid rock album, but won't be returning anytime soon. Came in knowing and liking Mountain Song and Jane Says, left pretty much with the same.

1.7 - Nothing past the first track was really worth my time.

2.8 - starts out strong and somewhat melodic, but devolves into a bad acid trip about halfway through. Just not really my cup of tea.

3.7 - raw and less bluesy than most White Stripes I'd heard, but a nice listen nonetheless. Really enjoy the stripped down nature of "We're Going to Be Friends"

4.4 - love this album. Still remember getting it the first week it came out. It probably lost a step or two since I first listened to it, but the nostalgia keeps it in my top tier.

3.3 - Folksy 60s classics, but a little lame at times. Great vocals on "California Dreaming". Easy listen.

3.8 - classic soul tracks with a set of pipes that does the empowerment undertones complete justice.

1.3 - just awful. I wish I could get that hour of my life back. All of the musical excellence of shitty 90s rock, with none of the nostalgia of actually listening to it before.

3.8 - excellent mix of harder tacks like “Immigrant Song” and more melodic tunes like “Tangerine”. Solid listen for a great band.

4.6 - fantastic album with iconic songs throughout that work so well together. “Come Together”, “Octopuses Garden”, “Something” and many others make for a great listen.

3.9

4.3 - great listen that brings me back to undergrad. A hip hop classic.

4.1 - Fantastic mixture of hip hop, blues and soul. Hauntingly chill tracks that are a perfect listen for so many times.

2.4 - decent album, but just not a huge fan of this sort of heavy glam rock.

4.7 - fantastic album full of rock and roll excitement. Great nostalgia and bass licks that always bring smile to my face.

3.2

3.2 - good blues, but didn’t really standout in the genre to me (although not my deepest/biggest affinity for this type of music)

4.1 - Solid album, amazing experimentation and lyrics, but a bit dense for regular listening.

3.8 - classic album with some rockers and singalong.

3.7 - solid album, great lyrics. Really enjoyed this, despite not always being so hot on the country/folk genre

4.1 - Solid rock. A few absolute classics. No real fat anywhere on the album - really good listen.

4.3 - Great album for a lazy morning or soothing evening. Really solid dream pop/synth type stuff that just works.

4.2 - solid album. “I Believe” is a great album closer and “Superstition” is one of the best songs of all time.

2.3 - Reasonably catchy music, but still too noisy for my wheelhouse. No individual songs really stand out, and the album ends on a lower note than it begins.

4.1 - this was one of the first albums I ever purchased and has a strong bit of nostalgia for me. Still holds up today - “Where it’s At”, “Novacane” and “Readymade” are all top notch.

3.4 - never listened to this before. Solid album of harder ramp, enjoyed the singles I’d heard elsewhere more than anything I discovered on this listen, but it was a worthwhile listen. The rhythm guitar on “In da club” will never not bring a smile to my face.

2.7 - Dark, very 80s album. Post punk style without the Cure-like rhythm of some of their other stuff. Will likely not be revisiting soon.

4.1 - This album always feels ahead of it’s time. The minimalism comes off as clean and modern. No fat punk. Fragile and Lowdown are great, and Strange was a bit of a discovery for me on this listen.

3.4 - decent album. Good melodies and interesting transition from the beginning to the end. Really enjoyed the final track, “Dear God”.

3.3 - good album filled with raw energy, but listened to it 3 times and it never really pulled me all the way in.

3.6 - Solid, if a bit sophomoric album - but that just makes it all the more fun. Great mix of rock and rap. Girls, Fight for Your Right, Brass Monkey, etc.

1.4 - pretty awful drivel. Gave it multiple chances and then an extra listen just for the singles. Score got lower each time. I doubt I’ll ever listen to this album again willingly.

3.4 - not a huge U2 fan, but thought this was a solid album. Some classics on here - especially the first 3 tracks. Album tapers off a bit toward the end, but easy to see why this band and album were so big at the time.

3.3 - Relaxing, mellow soul with solid vocals.

3.8 - solid grooves and beats, like a more aggressive massive attack. Enjoyed the first and last tracks in particular.

3.9 - reggae classic with great mix of political and spiritual lyrics. First three tracks are Marley at his best.

3.4 - “alone again” and “Bummer in the Summer” were the highlights for me.

2.4 - decent listen. Suspicious Minds is a solid track. Won’t be revisiting soon.

2.8 - didn’t enjoy this much as I anticipated I would.

3.7 - It’s REM - hard to get more alternative than this. Has its ups and downs, and definitely more of the former.

3.2 - love Janis’s voice, but psychedelic rock just feels a bit stale these days.

2.4 - I really like garage rock, but this album was pretty unremarkable. I can see some of the wordplay as being a bit edgy or novel at the time it came out, but strikes me as a bit insipid today. The singles were solid enough, but not enough to get me to come back.

4.8 - an absolute masterpiece that has stood the test of time. So many great songs that could be listened to on their own, but the sum of their parts is so much better when played together. One of my favorite albums of all time.

3.8 - a solid, melodic and atmospheric journey that starts stronger than it finishes, but is still excellent throughout. Modern music that still evokes the past. A great example of electronic music made better by restraint.

3.4 - solid prog rock. A little too epic and grandiose for my taste at times, but balanced nicely by its precision on complexity.

3.4 - decent. Enjoyed Dum Dum Boys, in particular. But prefer a little more raw than this polished set of tracks.

2.7 - atmospheric and interesting, especially with the use of the orchestra - but not something I’ll come back to often. Killing Moon is a classic and I enjoyed Silver, too.

3.7 - a bit more update of an approach for Smith, which detracts a bit. But still a solid album with great lyrics, calm vocals and good rhythm.

3.4 - fun and hook filled album of 80’s dance music that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Rio is a jam.

4.1 - really enjoyed this album. Great bluesy, guitar-led coolness. The Six Blade Knife>Southbound Again>Sultans of Swing run in the middle of the album is absolutely fantastic.

3.9 - enjoyed this a lot. The messiness and rawness of Stones really comes through.

4.2 - solid album. Raw rock and roll. Loved “Stray Cat Blues”.

4.6 - fantastic album. One hit after another. Great classic rock.

2.3 - decent but won’t be returning soon.

2.4 - a little too low tempo for my tastes.

3.4 - solid album. Always liked Oh Yoko and Imagine. Jealous Guy is solid, but recent covers show the potential missed in the original. Others like Gimme Some Truth just missed the mark.

2.8 - Decent for what it is, but still kind of overproduced 80s, vocal heavy house music. “Wrote for Luck” want half bad.