Journey Complete!
Finisher # to complete the list
673
Albums Rated
3.4
Average Rating
62%
Complete
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Jazz
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Curator
Rater Style ?
158
5-Star Albums
61
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Dub Housing
Pere Ubu
|
5 | 2.35 | +2.65 |
|
Opus Dei
Laibach
|
5 | 2.39 | +2.61 |
|
Live At The Witch Trials
The Fall
|
5 | 2.64 | +2.36 |
|
Duck Rock
Malcolm McLaren
|
5 | 2.65 | +2.35 |
|
New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
|
5 | 2.7 | +2.3 |
|
Movies
Holger Czukay
|
5 | 2.71 | +2.29 |
|
Medúlla
Björk
|
5 | 2.72 | +2.28 |
|
Phaedra
Tangerine Dream
|
5 | 2.73 | +2.27 |
|
Happy Trails
Quicksilver Messenger Service
|
5 | 2.8 | +2.2 |
|
Mask
Bauhaus
|
5 | 2.85 | +2.15 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Hot Fuss
The Killers
|
1 | 3.74 | -2.74 |
|
Brothers
The Black Keys
|
1 | 3.58 | -2.58 |
|
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
|
1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
|
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
|
1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
|
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
|
1 | 3.41 | -2.41 |
|
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
|
1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
|
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
|
1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
|
Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
Urban Hymns
The Verve
|
1 | 3.36 | -2.36 |
|
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
|
1 | 3.35 | -2.35 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Miles Davis | 4 | 5 |
| Brian Eno | 4 | 5 |
| The Kinks | 4 | 4.75 |
| Bob Dylan | 4 | 4.75 |
| U2 | 3 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 3 | 5 |
| David Bowie | 8 | 4.25 |
| Radiohead | 6 | 4.33 |
| Björk | 3 | 4.67 |
| PJ Harvey | 3 | 4.67 |
| Rush | 2 | 5 |
| Black Sabbath | 2 | 5 |
| Neil Young & Crazy Horse | 2 | 5 |
| Queen | 2 | 5 |
| Prince | 2 | 5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 2 | 5 |
| The Cure | 2 | 5 |
| The Clash | 2 | 5 |
| Pink Floyd | 4 | 4.25 |
| Tom Waits | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Velvet Underground | 3 | 4.33 |
| Neil Young | 3 | 4.33 |
| Peter Gabriel | 3 | 4.33 |
| Talking Heads | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Kings of Leon | 3 | 1.33 |
| Ryan Adams | 2 | 1 |
| Fatboy Slim | 2 | 1 |
| LCD Soundsystem | 2 | 1.5 |
| Bee Gees | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Beta Band | 2 | 1.5 |
| Blur | 3 | 2 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 4 | 2.25 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Grateful Dead | 5, 2 |
| Van Morrison | 5, 2 |
| Dinosaur Jr. | 4, 1 |
| The Fall | 2, 5, 5 |
| Pink Floyd | 5, 5, 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (158)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Ryan Adams
1/5
Lifeless and soulless, no clever turns of phrase or creative arrangements. Any band or local songwriter would have left this collection unrecorded. No business being on the list.
And obligatory slap from beyond the grave from Sylvia Plath for taking her name in vain on such a dull song.
12 likes
John Grant
1/5
Seeing the album come up on my list, I was surprised to find an offering that I'd never heard of before. The first track was god musically, but I was surprised by the casual vocals and vague story. And that was about as good as the record got. Each track seemed like Grant roughed out his lyrics as he wrote, but never got any further. Like Ryan Adams' Gold the other day, I couldn't believe this made the list. Attempts at wit fell flat or were just puerile - not everyone can be Sparks.
In the end I'm glad to have heard the album - often, we musicians overthink our writing and self-edit because it's not good enough. Apparently, some artists can just wing it and have their albums recommended as "must listen". I don't know anything about the rest of Grant's catalogue, but I'll pass.
4 likes
Prefab Sprout
5/5
This didn't make a huge splash in the US, but it was a vital piece of 1980's college radio. It's among the best Side A to be found, with solid tracks back-to-back. This re-listen gave me a reason to revisit why I never "flip over the record", and was reminded that the second side is considerably less consistent. However, the rush of Faron, Bonny, Appetite, When Love Breaks Down, and Goodbye Lucille #1 more than justifies a solid rating. I'd give it 9 our of ten, but will round up for sheer nostalgia value and Thomas Dolby's production.
4 likes
Black Sabbath
5/5
Simply incredible in all its drug-fueled excess. Sure, it drags around the middle of side 1 with Changes and FX, but kicks back with Supernaut and never lets go.
4 likes
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
Nothing new to see here.
Others are describing this as an homage to post-punk, but it just comes across as crass plagiarism. The influences are dragged out with too heavy a hand, so it sounds like your local band fired up the drum machine and deciding to "do" Suicide, Eno-Talking Heads, The Cure, Bowie, Sparks, etc. The lyrics attempt pithy with and clever observations but fall apart with bland aa-bb rhyming and obviousness. As with the LCD debut with the Talking Heads/ Being Boiled mashup of "Losing My Edge" a dozen years earlier, it just seems that Murphy must rely on borrowing another's voice instead of finding his own.
2 stars for the fleeting entertainment of playing "who am I this time"
4 likes
1-Star Albums (61)
All Ratings
Elton John
4/5
Great stand-out moments. Not as consistently enjoyable as Tumbleweed Connection, but the singles stand strong. A solid part of the collection during Elton John's brilliant string of early 70's albums.
Pixies
4/5
Heavy-rotation on college radio show, and with good reason. Was essential listening for me that year, but it has been ages since I've had it on start-to-finish. Holds up with amazing energy! Excellent production by Steve Albini, restraining the madness at times and then letting it all loose.
Sigur Rós
5/5
Quietly intense and beautiful.
Pixies
3/5
Two pixies albums in 3 days, hmmm. Heavy surf-rock vibe. More of a pop sensibility, but still with some of raucous energy of Surfer Rosa. Doesn't hit the high points as strongly as Doolittle.
Primal Scream
4/5
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
A classic!
The Strokes
4/5
Bringing the shades of Ramones and Velvets into the 21st century.
Björk
5/5
Deep and intimate. By turns breathy and dreamy then suddenly out-front and powerful, you hang on every note for an irresistable listen.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Elvis Presley
3/5
Grateful Dead
5/5
Tortoise
4/5
Rush
5/5
Absolute classic!
DJ Shadow
4/5
How have I never heard this album? Unique sonic collages within the language of hip-hip. Stands alongside Massive Attack!
Miles Davis
5/5
4/5
One of the staples of my early-80's listening. The hits punctuated every party and dance, enjoyed by all as we shared Martin's sense of drama.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
5/5
Miles Davis
5/5
My favorite Davis work - challenging and diverse, moody with amazing breakdown moments.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
Title track and Nasty are great. Rest of the album feels like filler.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Simply incredible in all its drug-fueled excess. Sure, it drags around the middle of side 1 with Changes and FX, but kicks back with Supernaut and never lets go.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
The Kinks
4/5
Jurassic 5
4/5
The Birthday Party
3/5
Slint
4/5
Jamiroquai
4/5
Roni Size
3/5
Air
3/5
A great album for chill, delightful to hear them channeling their inner Serge Gainsbourg.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Incredible theme song, there's no denying. Most of the rest of the score instrumentals lack the theme's punch and pizzazz. We finally wake up the pulse again with "No Name Bar" and "Do Your Thing" (supremely smooth but honestly long and repetitive at over 19 minutes). Curtis Mayfield did it better with "Superfly".
Sebadoh
3/5
U2
5/5
Effectively bouncing between styles and moods, this is a great album that stands among U2's best.
Al Green
4/5
David Bowie
4/5
Other than the brilliant title track, I found that the 3rd of the Berlin trilogy doesn't have the same punch as Low and Lodger. Similar mix of pop singles and ambient pieces.
Arrested Development
4/5
Alanis Morissette
3/5
Miles Davis
5/5
Bobby Womack
3/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
Scott Walker
2/5
I feel like I must be missing something. The production seems as over-the-top and campy as on his earlier records, and not nearly as arresting as his other contemporary singers were doing.
Brian Eno
5/5
Sheer brilliance from start to finish. It remains amazing to me how fresh the album sounds after 50 years (ask me again in another 50 years and I expect to say the same thing). Biting, humorous, and satirical, with a wondrous sense of experimentation in sound and composition.
If this 1001 list were put in order, I'd easily put this record in the top 10.
Donovan
3/5
This is by no means a bad album, and Season of the Witch is solid, but it doesn't grab and hold your atttention like so many of the other greats of 1966 did. Donovan always strikes me as a chameleon, not an innovator: the guy in the 60's who was doing what everyone else was doing, but less well. The 'Airplane cover just makes you want to put on Surrealistic Pillow or Baxter's, and even Season of the Witch puts you in the mood for Them or Van Morrison.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Pleasant Street was a stand-out track, along with Morning Glory (which I knew from 1980's This Mortal Coil cover). Of the several Tim Buckley records on the list, this one seems most cohesive.
Cypress Hill
3/5
Talvin Singh
3/5
Abdullah Ibrahim
5/5
Great album - caught me by surprise. Has a timeless quality, many of the tracks harken back to roots in the 50s or 60s. Definitely a keeper!
The National
3/5
Decent album, but I found its interest fading after each listen.
ZZ Top
4/5
Spiritualized
3/5
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Can we give more than 5 stars? It's been quite some time since I listened to this album start-to-finish, and it transported me back to the excitement of the first time. Amazing record!!
Lorde
4/5
Songhoy Blues
3/5
Serge Gainsbourg
4/5
The Who
5/5
New Order
2/5
Lost their direction after Lowlife.
The Smiths
5/5
Cyndi Lauper
5/5
The top singles were huge, but even so they don't convey how huge this album was on release. The first 6 tracks got regular radio airplay and Ms. Lauper was all over MTV. A number of the tracks are inescapably stuck in the 80's (like the cover of "When You Were Mine") but the record seriously stands the test of time (after time . . .)
Sonic Youth
4/5
Tom Waits
3/5
I'm really surprised to see this one made the list. Tom Waits has long been one of my favorites, and I do appreciate his early material even though I don't love it as much as his albums from the 1980's and early 1990's. But Nighthawks at the Diner falls in a bit of a no-man's-land among his catalog. Clearly exploring new directions, but the material is emotionally detached in tone - none of the warmth of "Martha" or "Rosie". He hasn't become the chameleon that emerged on Small Change. The intro sections are amusing but feel they come from a different artist, and on the whole the songs feel kind of one-note (almost like someone heard "Step Right Up" and wanted it to be the basis for a whole album). It lacks the depth of heart and the variety of tone that make subsequent albums (event those as uneven as Heartattack and Vine) so compelling and worthy of repeated listens.
Paul Simon
4/5
Alice Cooper
4/5
Missy Elliott
3/5
Daft Punk
3/5
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
Suzanne Vega
4/5
I recall this album sounding revolutionary on its release, a very different take on the sound of a singer-songwriter. It got heavy airplay on my radio show, with standout tracks like Small Blue Thing, Undertow, Knight Moves, and the single Marlene on the Wall. This debut still stands atop her catalog, in my opinion.
That said, I think the emotional distance of the storytelling dims some of its appeal over the years. Solid tracks, but no longer one which stands up to full listens.
Van Morrison
5/5
I find something new in every listen. A brilliant and truly timeless album. Easily top-10 of the entire list.
Heaven 17
4/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Fantastic record start to finish. Solid tracks like Cinnamon Girl, Cowgirl, and River with lots of airplay, and don't sleep on the groovy title track.
Obligatory diss to JR for his bs that has Neil pulling his music from Spotify . . .
Janet Jackson
4/5
Eric Clapton
3/5
Great guitar but it feels he’s still trying to find wings as a songwriter. Blues motifs are strong but album feels uneven compared to contemporaries.
Tina Turner
4/5
Beatles
5/5
Elvis Costello
3/5
Faust
4/5
Ministry
4/5
Prefab Sprout
5/5
This didn't make a huge splash in the US, but it was a vital piece of 1980's college radio. It's among the best Side A to be found, with solid tracks back-to-back. This re-listen gave me a reason to revisit why I never "flip over the record", and was reminded that the second side is considerably less consistent. However, the rush of Faron, Bonny, Appetite, When Love Breaks Down, and Goodbye Lucille #1 more than justifies a solid rating. I'd give it 9 our of ten, but will round up for sheer nostalgia value and Thomas Dolby's production.
Cheap Trick
3/5
Stan Getz
5/5
Slipknot
3/5
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
The Kinks
5/5
Pixies
4/5
Rush
5/5
Absolutely classic!
Roxy Music
4/5
Bill Evans Trio
5/5
The Beach Boys
4/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Brian Eno
5/5
Quietly beautiful. The more I learn about the experimentation behind its creation, the more amazing it becomes.
JAY Z
3/5
The Flaming Lips
5/5
Arcade Fire
3/5
The Kinks
5/5
Fiona Apple
3/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
Hüsker Dü
3/5
Lambchop
4/5
Dolly Parton
3/5
A great sign of things to come for Dolly Parton. Most of the songs felt more like sketches, presenting a lyrical idea of situation but leaving me waiting for more on the theme. And perhaps it's the sound of country twang: it feels from an older age than 1971 (unlike many other albums of the same year like Tapestry or Blue).
Spiritualized
3/5
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
The Damned
5/5
AC/DC
5/5
Portishead
5/5
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Sam Cooke
4/5
Mike Ladd
3/5
Mike Oldfield
4/5
Todd Rundgren
4/5
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
AC/DC
4/5
Le Tigre
2/5
Duran Duran
2/5
Femi Kuti
4/5
Gary Numan
5/5
George Michael
3/5
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
A very pleasant listen, fades easily into the background but also impresses with nice riffs. Surprised to see the roots of this kind of "world new age" on a record from the late '60s.
Peter Frampton
4/5
Amazing energy as a guitarist and performer. The demonstration he needed to show the strength of the songs in longer and less inhibited format.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Everything But The Girl
4/5
This album most successfully showcased Tracy Thorn's rich vocals in moody yet engaging tracks. One of the defining albums of 90's British electronica.
Eels
3/5
Blur
3/5
Ute Lemper
4/5
The Who
3/5
Lana Del Rey
3/5
An enjoyable listen, but rather one-note in its tone, sound, themes, and production. Reminds me of the result if an artist listened to Tori Amos and decided to make an entire album based on the slow songs from "Boys for Pele".
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
For all the reviewers' lofty talk of the album's themes and strengths, this album is underwhelming for any group, especially for a return of the E Street Band. The opener Lonesome Day would have been a strong opener for a band with lesser expectations; other than the intriguing Worlds Apart few other tracks really stood out or made an impression. With weak lyrics and repetitive and predictable song structures, the album struck me as a collection of filler from Seeger or Mellencamp sessions. Springsteen deservedly has at least a half-dozen entries on this 1001 list - The Rising should not be among them.
Jefferson Airplane
5/5
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Throbbing Gristle
3/5
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Willie Nelson
3/5
David Gray
2/5
Unworthy of the list. The single "babylon" belongs in the Hall of OK songs. The rest of the album sounds like something from down the road's open-mike night: overly long songs, bland lyrics, uninspired melodies, average voice. I can forgive an inoffensive and unremarkable album, just don't put it on the list and have us listen to its entirety.
Special place in hell for its producer. About half of the tracks included forward-mixed additions well out of place. Most notable in opening track and Babylon, with terrible clicky drum track.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Air
3/5
Indistinct and forgettable, a step down from Moon Safari. The final track using the film dialogue was distracting, dimming the album's appeal as even ambient listening. Unclear why this would be on the list.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Huge when it came out, the staple of everyone's college party deep listening in 1988. It sounds a lot less unique today, in the wake of the singer-songwriter revival that was to come. Several of the songs (especially "Baby Can I Hold You?") I'd forgotten were Tracy Chapman and not Joan Armatrading. "Fast Car" hit hard on release but has strained under a million repeats. Most incisive track to me remains "Behind the Wall".
Queen
5/5
Radiohead
4/5
CHIC
3/5
Many songs dragged too long. Solid singles, but it felt that 2/3 of the album was filler.
Paul Weller
3/5
Deep Purple
4/5
The Velvet Underground
5/5
Dire Straits
5/5
Solid album start to finish. I'd forgotten how strong side A was - just about all of it it got decent airplay when this was released. Side B slows down some but finishes with the gem of a title track.
a-ha
3/5
The Monkees
3/5
Shack
2/5
I used to have this album and gave it away in a pile of seldom-listened to CD's. Now I remember why. Utterly uninteresting and undistinguished, with nothing to separate it from hordes of other mid-90's offerings. If there are indeed only 1001 albums on this list, HMS Fable does not belong on it.
Prince
5/5
Jane's Addiction
4/5
ABBA
3/5
The Pogues
4/5
Thelonious Monk
5/5
Taylor Swift
2/5
Dull and predictable. Too many songs start off slow and moody but go right back to the same radio-ready anthem beat. Production was childish - everyone's drums in 1989 sounded less fake. Despite the supposed influence of synth-pop, the album just goes through the motions, lacking the heart of that genre. Gonna go put on some Soft Cell, Yazoo, and Erasure to get this noise out of my ears.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Gotta give it 5 stars for the sellar long tracks. But I’d forgotten just how much unfinished filler was on this record.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
Soundgarden
4/5
Michael Jackson
3/5
Blondie
5/5
Blondie - it's 11:59 and I'm running out of time. Among the greatest capture of the CBGB energy, grabbing early 60's rock'n'roll energy and giving it the punk treatment. Phenomenal!
fIREHOSE
3/5
I don't get it. Strong bass lines and decent hooks - good. But punctuated by inexplicable breaks for stoned muttering bad drunken brother-in-law musings posing as deep thoughts - bad.
Merle Haggard
4/5
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
The daring work of expert musicians. I admire just how difficult this record must have been to write and record. So I admire Trout Mask Replica and it was fun in a quirky mayhem sort of way for a few songs. But once again I have had difficult making it all the way through the album - started to feel like a chore. It does bring a new appreciation for how Tom Waits and others inspired by the record have been able to capture its wit and spirit and tone down the sense of assault. File this one away with Throbbing Gristle "Second Annual Report": very glad it was made, respect the hell out of the musicians, but for the sake of my sanity it will not often see my (figurative) turntable.
Radiohead
4/5
The Auteurs
2/5
Paul Simon
4/5
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
The Allman Brothers Band
5/5
Small Faces
3/5
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
Nothing new to see here.
Others are describing this as an homage to post-punk, but it just comes across as crass plagiarism. The influences are dragged out with too heavy a hand, so it sounds like your local band fired up the drum machine and deciding to "do" Suicide, Eno-Talking Heads, The Cure, Bowie, Sparks, etc. The lyrics attempt pithy with and clever observations but fall apart with bland aa-bb rhyming and obviousness. As with the LCD debut with the Talking Heads/ Being Boiled mashup of "Losing My Edge" a dozen years earlier, it just seems that Murphy must rely on borrowing another's voice instead of finding his own.
2 stars for the fleeting entertainment of playing "who am I this time"
The Dictators
3/5
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
Beautiful arrangements by Nelson Riddle, and Ella's vice is superb. However, an abridged version is recommended for listeners of this 1001 exercise - after the second hour I was seriously thinking of what else I could be listening to.
Judas Priest
4/5
Love love love Judas Priest but remember this as never being my favorite. Several strong rocking tracks but punctuated by United, RWB, and some others that just got feeling same-y. Really hoping to see Sad Wings of Destiny / Screaming for Vengeance make the list . . .
7/10, will round up just for the strength of Halford's voice.
Milton Nascimento
3/5
Cocteau Twins
4/5
Everyone should know Cocteau Twins! So thrilled to see them on the list, however this album was a disappointment by comparison. Their 1980's releases were otherworldly, carrying us away to dreamy heights on Elizabeth Fraser's angelic voice. The needle comes down on the first track of Vegas to a "Twins lite" - still unmistakably her unique voice but tethering the sound to earth. Vocal and guitar arrangements are less complex and interesting here than on previous albums and EPs, I suppose in the interest of broadening their appeal - this received greater attention on American radio. To me, only Iceblink Luck retains lasting appeal, as it follows in the bright vein of (then) recent tracks like Caroline's Fingers or Orange Appled. Other tracks have a tendency to fade into the background, struggling to capture our imagination.
4 stars for being a decent album, but treat yourself to their earlier catalogue for a truer sense of this band's influence on dreampop.
Kate Bush
4/5
Yes I said yes I will yes! Some solid tracks, especially the brilliant closer "This Woman's Work", but uneven compared to her stunning previous album Hounds of Love.
The White Stripes
3/5
The Cardigans
3/5
Tom Waits
5/5
Radiohead
5/5
Richard Thompson
4/5
Fugees
3/5
Yes
5/5
This is a tough one. The album includes three of the best songs of the 1970's in Roundabout, Long Distance, and Heart of the Sunrise. However, the album's other tracks don't do a good job of propelling the momentum. 4.5 stars, rounding up on the strength of the main tracks, but still falls a narrow second to Close to the Edge.
Steely Dan
4/5
With an obligatory shout-out to the Yokohama Rubber Company, I will admit that Steely Dan is a band that I admire more than I enjoy. For me, a little goes a long way, perhaps driven by the overplay of so many of their tracks on a lot of the playlists where I've been delving recently. So a number of the less-familiar songs tended to fade into the background while I was trying to listen, and made it harder to judge each on their own merit. So I made myself give it a second, more active re-listen. Each song is crafted expertly, wonderful production and brilliant musicianship. Maybe that's why it's so exhausting - they stand tall among any of their peers in yacht rock, but the peaks are harder to see against the other peaks of this album (I expect to find the same thing on Aja when I come to it).
This is another album which makes me with this exercise ranked on a scale of 1-10 rather than 1-5, since I'd love to give it 9 stars. It's a great album, but it rarely excited me - its sense of cool leaves me a little cold.
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
I think the self-aggrandizement sabotaged folks' perception of what was a solid debut. Decent album, got a lot of airplay on college radio stations on release. Never noticed how much the refrain to Dance Little Sister sounds just like (Heaven 17) Penthouse and Pavement.
Frank Black
3/5
Somewhere among this sprawling double-album was a more coherent and concise collection. Not bad, just too much of the same.
The Modern Lovers
2/5
The Fall
2/5
1/5
Naw, screw that. A 3-star album on release, and later taken off the 1001 list?!? Not even gonna dignify that with a listen - give me something else from The Fall, it might surprise me. I got enough of Fred Durst's bulllshit in the 90's.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Opens with one of the greatest tracks of all time - not greatest Stones tracks, but songs by anyone. And finishes solid with the drawn-out Cant Always Get. However, it surprised me that I didn't recall the tracks in between as being so uneven. Probably just used to skipping Live With Me and You Got the Silver. 9-star album, but this time I gotta round down to stand Sticky Fingers at 5 stars.
Les Rythmes Digitales
1/5
Guns N' Roses
4/5
The Who
3/5
Violent Femmes
5/5
Deerhunter
2/5
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Ryan Adams
1/5
Lifeless and soulless, no clever turns of phrase or creative arrangements. Any band or local songwriter would have left this collection unrecorded. No business being on the list.
And obligatory slap from beyond the grave from Sylvia Plath for taking her name in vain on such a dull song.
John Cale
4/5
John Grant
1/5
Seeing the album come up on my list, I was surprised to find an offering that I'd never heard of before. The first track was god musically, but I was surprised by the casual vocals and vague story. And that was about as good as the record got. Each track seemed like Grant roughed out his lyrics as he wrote, but never got any further. Like Ryan Adams' Gold the other day, I couldn't believe this made the list. Attempts at wit fell flat or were just puerile - not everyone can be Sparks.
In the end I'm glad to have heard the album - often, we musicians overthink our writing and self-edit because it's not good enough. Apparently, some artists can just wing it and have their albums recommended as "must listen". I don't know anything about the rest of Grant's catalogue, but I'll pass.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
This was one of my first albums, and first Hendrix record. Haven't listened in its entirety in decades, but amazing how so much comes back.
Love Hendrix, and the album has amazing tracks like Little Wing, If 6 was 9, and Castles Made of Sand - but like Electric Ladyland it does feel a bit uneven. And strange choices for order (strange to start with the very odd EXP) and inclusion (She's So Fine).
But when it shines it shines. 9 stars, rounded down.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
I tried, I really tried. I am a huge fan of prog rock but ELP has always left me a little cold. And while this is obviously a technically strong performance it leaves me cold. Guess you had to be there . . .
The Teardrop Explodes
4/5
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
SAULT
3/5
Good message, but there was a surprising sense of sameness to it. More important, that sameness was one of mood, an almost lifelessness which betrayed the supposed passion for pride in her black identity. Held my interest for a couple of tracks, but I kept waiting for more, for it to go somewhere unique, challenging, ins[piring.
For me, that didn't come.
Lauryn Hill
2/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Bob Dylan
5/5
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
Elliott Smith
2/5
Gang Of Four
4/5
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Animal Collective
3/5
Deee-Lite
4/5
Carole King
5/5
Madonna
3/5
Stereo MC's
2/5
Jethro Tull
5/5
Leftfield
2/5
Nightmares On Wax
1/5
Decent groove, but ultimately immemorable - this album has no business being on this list. Yet another mid-90's entry of dance-floor stuff, lost amid artists doing it way better (Massive attack, Trans Global Underground, Moodswings, etc.) The author's bias towards the 90's is beginning to wear.
Julian Cope
2/5
Billy Bragg
3/5
Bee Gees
2/5
Missy Elliott
3/5
Bee Gees
1/5
Notable for opening with one of the most pernicious earworms in music history. No business being on the list.
The Undertones
4/5
The Police
3/5
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
Mine is the last voice you will ever hear.
Yes, FTFH were huge when I was in college. The singles were ubiquitous. Yet somehow the debut album was a real letdown, very much less than the sum of its parts. The cover choices defied understanding, and the material stretched too long. Would’ve made a fine single album.
Stephen Stills
3/5
The Go-Betweens
3/5
Kraftwerk
4/5
Joe Ely
2/5
Radiohead
4/5
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
Really glad I listened to this, a charming romp through Americana and bluegrass. However, it felt long for my tastes, and found myself wondering if the tracks were on repeat. Some solid songs, and ones I'll enjoy learning to play.
Screaming Trees
2/5
Prince
5/5
Bad Company
4/5
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Love the Pet Shop Boys, but there is an unfortunate sameness to the tracks on this record. Go West was a strong finisher, but by then I'd gotten a little numb to the beat. I think the issue is my listening environment - I am not at a rave or a club, this album's natural habitat. For that I'll grade on a curve . . .
Goldie
1/5
T. Rex
3/5
LCD Soundsystem
1/5
The Verve
1/5
Goldfrapp
3/5
Sonic Youth
4/5
John Coltrane
5/5
PJ Harvey
5/5
The Fall
5/5
A lot of bands are an acquired taste, and can take a lot of listening before you really get them. And sometimes even needing to reacquaint yourself in between albums. With The Fall, I often find myself needing to require my taste in between songs. This Nation’s Saving Grace is an exception; it caught my attention when it came out when I was in college, and quickly became one of my favorite records of the year. Yes, it is wildly uneven in its tracks for such a long record. But the highs more than make up for it! And many decades later, I still dive in, joining Mark E Smith in the weirdness.
James Taylor
2/5
John Lennon
3/5
Neil Young
5/5
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
5/5
David Bowie
3/5
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
Beach House
2/5
The Temptations
3/5
Funkadelic
4/5
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
Nepotism on the list. Unfortunately, while Ms. Gilberto benefited from her father's connections, it does not translate to a memorable album. With a weak voice and uninteresting lyrics (for the English ones, others who speak Portuguese can judge on the others). This album is remarkable only in that she has made a lifeless samba record. Not even silky enough to be good background music.
Bad Brains
4/5
Frank Sinatra
4/5
David Ackles
2/5
I wanted to like this album, but at every turn it found ways to disappoint. The folky strangeness brought to mind Tom Waits or other quirky Americana, but Ackles' awkward phrasing and clunky lyrics got in the way. Think Tom Waits without the sense of humor, or Leonard Cohen without the pathos - and all sung by a Neil Diamond cover band.
I am glad I had a chance to hear the album - it is ambitious, and offers a lot to consider for a songwriter's list of "don't do". But knowing that another album lost a spot to it, it's hard to say it belongs on the list.
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
The hits have definitely stood the test of time. The other tracks . . . not so much. Fairly lifeless treatment of covers like Do You Wanna Dance and Spanish Harlem. The other originals felt stuck in their era. I found myself wondering when Mama Cass was going to take a deserving spot at center stage, and was disappointed by more and more songs with John and Denny out in front.
Cat Stevens
5/5
Lightning Bolt
2/5
Warning - under no circumstances should you listen to this album while driving.
Normally I appreciate a good aural assault. But this album is like taking Negativland or John Zorn’s experimental music and stripping its humor and context.
The Saints
3/5
The Divine Comedy
3/5
I have tried over and over again to be interested in albums by this group, and never succeeded. Not terrible, just not for me. Perhaps too clever for his own good?
PJ Harvey
5/5
I eagerly bought this album when it was released, awestruck by the songwriting power on PJ Harvey's debut "Dry". Absolutely floored by the raw emotion on the title track, the intensity rarely lets up - it is a very difficult listening album. Coming at a dark period of my life, it must have been just what I was looking for, as I recall it being on heavy rotation on my CD player for a couple of weeks. I even got the companion disc of the 4-track demo versions - also good for an evening of catharsis.
Music to burn a hole in your soul, for when you need it. Highly recommended!
Burning Spear
3/5
Basement Jaxx
1/5
With overwhelming evidence, it seems clear that the author of this list is a male born in the early-to-mid 70's, putting his formative musical years squarely in the 1990's. I can think of no other reason for the overrepresentation of 90's techno/ club/ dance records. I understand finding room for Dee-Lite and Ray of Light and some others but he needs to cool it. Especially when it comes to this steaming pile by Basement Jaxx. Dull beats, unimaginative and heavy-handed use of auto-tune lyrics. Nothing we haven't heard before 1000 times. No need at all to hear it, no need for it to be on the list. Zero stars, if it were possible.
3/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
John Lennon
3/5
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
4/5
This one was kind of tough to grade. I bought this album when it was released, on an adventure pick. Some great tunes, and I gave it plenty of airplay on college radio. I think that Lloyd Cole and the Commotions are one of those great “lost to time” bands: Pretty well known amongst the indie set in the 80s, but still drawing a quizzical glance from most listeners. Definitely a group people should be exposed to, and still very fun to see when he tours.
But still not sure if it’s 1001-best material. Was frankly surprised when it popped up for today, it’s been decades since I’ve listened to it through. Strong opener and title track, and a catchy lyric wit behind an affected American put-on twang. Forest Fire and Hearbroken are excellent additional tracks. Too many tracks, though, feel like unfinished sketches: speedboat, 2CV, patience, 4 flights up.
Call it 3.5 stars, rounded up for nostalgia. And go check out a “best of” - still plenty of other great Lloyd Cole tunes but hard to recommend further full albums.
The Pretty Things
4/5
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Joy Division
5/5
Dennis Wilson
4/5
Paul Simon
2/5
When the list contains a Paul Simon record of which I've never heard, it gives pause to wonder - so I dived right in and from the first track got a sense of the vanishing act that was Hearts and Bones.
The voice is compelling, and there's the usual glib Paul Simon effortlessness to the lyrics. But to me it doesn't click. I prefer the extended album's acoustic version of the title track, as it highlights the simple beauty of the chords and the lightness of the songwriting. It would be a highlight of many writers' catalog, but feels meandering and weak among Paul Simon songs.
Many of the tracks seem like sketches, or just iffy ideas that no-one in the studio had the nerve to question (Allergies, Cars). Knowing it was a pivot from the aborted S+G reunion, it strikes me that the pressure to just release something overwhelmed the urge to release something great.
Underwhelming and uncompelling - with at least 4 other more deserving Paul Simon albums on this list I fail to understand what Hearts and Bones is doing among them . . .
Dr. Octagon
1/5
Laughable, belongs on the list of 1001 albums that were released for no apparent reason.
Super Furry Animals
1/5
Dull, dull, dull.
No idea why this album finds its way onto the list. I suspect this is another instance of the author's personal listening bias, so often seen for albums of this time period.
Mekons
1/5
The Lemonheads
2/5
No, really - another milquetoast offering from the early 90’s. Not a bad record, but the songs do run together and there’s not much to differentiate Lemonheads from a dozen other albums of the same ilk.
The B-52's
5/5
This was one of my favorite albums when it came out, completely flooring teenage me. Or should I say that side one floored me. I own this record, and honestly can’t remember the last time I listened to side 2. I think after the wild gems of Claire, 52 girls, Lobster, I was usually ready to listen to something else, and literally if ever got up to flip the album. Just as well, honestly: those tracks on the flipside are nowhere near as strong.
Still, an absolute classic, and one which defined indie rock and early new wave. An easy five stars even on the strength of half an album!
Solange
3/5
Digging the groove, and this was a completely new one to me. A lot of the production felt like homemade 90’s - like if Happy Rhodes made a soul record.
Blue Cheer
3/5
Turbonegro
2/5
The Icarus Line
2/5
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Never my favorite of Cohen’s, the 80’s treatment doesn’t hold up so well. Would be a pinnacle for most artists, but just another entry from someone already well-represented on this list.
4 stars for great lyrics, but I would not have missed its absence from 1001 to make room.
Fatboy Slim
1/5
Billie Holiday
3/5
Just a shell of her former glory, there’s an amazing raw emotion to Holiday’s singing on this. Unfortunately, the soupy strings bring it down for me - too intrusive and out of place. I wish there had been the ability to record with this clarity for her 1940s performances.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Spacemen 3
1/5
The Cars
5/5
William Orbit
1/5
Pavement
2/5
Part Pixies, Sonic Youth, and the Fall, and somehow much less than the sum of its parts. Imagine being in the studio thinking “sure those vocals sound awful - let’s keep them”.
The three aforementioned bands are among my favorite, so I’m no stranger to riotous noise. But I’ve always felt out of the loop for Pavement.
Joanna Newsom
3/5
I'd heard of Joanna Newsom and had high hopes. Imagine my surprise when the lush harp music was accompanied by what sounded like a drunken Bjork impression. The voice was distracting, with cadences ill-fitting to the rhythm of the words and music. Like she'd listened to Jane Siberry at her weirdest and said "hold my beer". I gave it two tries and I admire the album for being different and what she was trying to do, but can't say I enjoyed it.
Dion
3/5
I think this was an otherwise OK album that was dragged down by its production. The tempo of most tracks feels sluggish, and the heavy reverb on all of the instruments makes it sound like the album is playing in the next round. That really creates a challenge in feeling close to the otherwise personal. The generally vague air of the lyrics also doesn’t do it any favors (make “the woman” love me, not a name).
Spotify is packaging the album with Streetheart, which only serves to emphasize the production shortcomings of this record.
Saint Etienne
2/5
Would've just rather listened to Dazzle Ships.
Ambient/ electronica on parade, but no a groundbreaking album by any stretch of the imagination. By 1991, we'd heard everyone using samples and dialogue bits (hell, even Durutti Column). Nothing to hate hear, a decent album on its own - but not a lot to love. I think its another instance of the list creator's bias. Some other, more unique album gave up its spot for St E.
The Psychedelic Furs
4/5
Eagles
2/5
Mariah Carey
1/5
4/5
The Byrds
4/5
The Shamen
1/5
David Bowie
5/5
Kings of Leon
1/5
Utterly generic whiny-guy album of the 90’s. A genre that needs zero entries to this list.
Big Star
4/5
1001 Alex a Hilton albums generator. Not as good as #1 Record, so not sure that all the Big Star albums needed to be on the list. Enough good songs to make it a keeper, though
The Black Keys
1/5
Is this a joke? The production is the star of the record, and it gets old after a couple of songs - same boot drums, same fuzzy vocals. The album feels like someone wanted to parody a 60’s blues rock record, and left out the heart and soul. Forgettable rhythms, predictable lyrics. Pass.
Eminem
1/5
Fuck no
50 Cent
1/5
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Jimmy Smith
4/5
The Zutons
3/5
Strong start - good throwback sound with touches of Gong. Quickly settled into another ho-hum British indie sound with daft lyrics.
Tangerine Dream
5/5
Kings of Leon
2/5
Fatboy Slim
1/5
Malcolm McLaren
5/5
Scott Walker
2/5
As if the other Scott Walker album wasn't enough - but wait, there's more!
He strikes me as the kind of artist that should be on the list so people unfamiliar with him can be exposed - then search out his catalogue on their own (and then leave the 2 Divine Comedy albums off entirely - we don't need the modern retread).
That said, I found this slightly more enjoyable than Scott 4, passably clever songwriting and a good singing voice. But much like Ackles' "American Gothic", there's something uncannily off about the meters and rhythms of the songs - and not in a good Tom Waits-y way.
Glad for the exposure to a unique figure in pop music, but the albums just aren't for me.
Deep Purple
5/5
Os Mutantes
4/5
This is the kind of discovery I came here for! Like a Brazilian Beefheart or Zappa, utterly different sort of experience.
Gets chaotic at times, and not one I'll be going back to very often. But 3 stars for quality and an extra star just for being so damn out there.
Rating: 4 trout heads.
Bob Dylan
4/5
A great demonstration of where Dylan was going and what greatness was to come. Fantastic highs like Rolling Stone, Tom Thumb, and Desolation.
there are a lot of Dylan albums on this list. I've always been a huge fan, and am inclined to agree, since they so often showcase a wildly different style. But have to be honest that they all can't get 5 stars. Sorry, Highway 61.
Rating: 4 Tombstones
Grant Lee Buffalo
2/5
Each song reminded me of another, better song. Lots of derivative moments.
Shining hour sounds pulled straight from The Waterboys
Opening chord of Jupiter and Teardrop unashamedly borrowed from Moonage Daydream.
And so on.
Pantera
2/5
Britney Spears
1/5
Ian Dury
5/5
The Boo Radleys
2/5
Like a twee pop band with occasional demonic possession by Sonic Youth.
And not in a good way. Their inspirations and shout-outs seemed completely random (Butterfly McQueen?) and the cuts and insertions distracted from otherwise competent (if not overly memorable) songwriting.
Is this on the list of 1001 Things Not to do in the Studio?
5/5
Huge Dylan fan, and I admit that not all of his recordings need to be on this list. However, this would have been a good replacement for Highway 61 because it shows the "going electric" more vividly than studio recordings.
I love the solo acoustic half of the album, and prefer it over the full band - mostly owing to limitations of the recording tech (mike chirps and feedback). The harmonica is not for everyone, but adds an essential melancholy melodic note to Visions of Johanna and other songs. And to close it out, this is by far my favorite recording of Desolation Row - definitely the high point of the album.
R.E.M.
3/5
Another instance of packing the list with too many albums from the same artist. Sure, AftP sold a lot of records, but REM's best albums were in the 80's. AftP lacked the energy and spark of earlier records, with a surprising number of lifeless, draggy "filler" tracks.
It's not that its a bad album - most bands would be thrilled to have it in their catalog. But it doesn't hold a candle to Life's Rich Pageant, Reckoning, or Murmur. Any of REM's first 5 albums can be considered essential listening; their 90's output like AftP and Hi-Fi are okay for further exploration.
Pink Floyd
2/5
My love of Pink Floyd has always been for their 70's output. Happy to give another run at Piper, only to be reminded why it doesn't sit on my shelves.
The album is ponderous and messy, almost playing like a spoof of the psychedelic rock genre that exploded that year. The sense of experimentation on Astronome, Interstellar, etc. is incoherent and draggy. Many of the songs sound like guys messing around and hoping that something cool happens while the tape rolls (not in and of itself a bad thing).
Unlike a lot of other albums of this genre, I feel that Piper hasn't aqed well. It feels more like a oddity, a museum piece rather than something you'd reach for in repeated listenings.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Lucinda Williams
4/5
Miriam Makeba
4/5
Rage Against The Machine
2/5
Nanci Griffith
3/5
Fats Domino
4/5
Kate Bush
5/5
The Dreaming was a bold and daring move by an hugely popular artist. Without easily accessible singles, it wasn't going to win her new fans that way, and the theatricality and delving into dark depths probably had a lot of her fans scratching their heads. Of all her albums, it's the one that most needs repeated listens to grow on you, to see the intricacy of craft and revel in the diversity of styles. Essential for those who appreciate Kate Bush, though probably a little out there for those first coming upon her.
(This 1001 list should come with side-notes or disclaimers for albums like this. "Not for Introduction to This Artist" - with a link to Hounds of Love. Like having Scary Monsters as your first Bowie album. )
Not as coherent as Hounds of Love, the risk-taking and resultant highs are worth it, and this remains my second-favorite Kate Bush record. A solid 9/ 10, rounded up for the sheer jaunting joy that is "Suspended in Gaffa".
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
Pretenders
5/5
White Denim
4/5
Now this is why I'm glad I'm doing this list - an album I truly needed to hear!
I was unfamiliar with White Denim, and really wowed by fun grooves! Happy t have found it, and looking forward to further listens.
That said, While many of the songs are great, with shifting rhythms and extended jams, I don't feel it holds together strongly as an album. A few slow songs don't hold up their weight lyrically or vocally.
U2
5/5
Soft Machine
4/5
Fugazi
4/5
David Bowie
3/5
Beyoncé
1/5
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
2/5
The production was intriguing, but brought down by drab singing and dull lyrics. Definitely a case of style over substance. To me it came across as off-brand Radiohead. And not in a good way.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
Television
5/5
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Tom Waits
5/5
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Started off like a bad impression of a Bowie album, and sorry to say it never grabbed me after that. The writing and singing weren't strong, and never quite fit with the music. The production was abysmal - it struck me that Wyatt sounded like he walked into a studio and decided to sing over another record.
In a year that brought us progressive pinnacles like The Lamb Lies Down, Red, and Relayer, this album stands out as a major disappointment. As a prog fan I am glad this was on the list, both for the story of its creation and as a cautionary tale. With the people involved, this could have been an intriguing "difficult listening" album, and wound up sounding like a parody of the genre.
Nirvana
2/5
4/5
The Band
4/5
The Jam
5/5
The Gun Club
4/5
The Stooges
3/5
Minor Threat
4/5
CHVRCHES
3/5
Lou Reed
5/5
Haircut 100
4/5
Two great singles to open it up. After that, a perfectly listenable album, but without a lot to distinguish the other tracks. Notable, and worthy of selection for the list as a good example of a representative pop album that definitely influenced later acts (e.g., Blow Monkeys).
Solid 7/10, rounding up for serious grooving on "Boy Meets Girl".
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Arcade Fire
3/5
It’s a paradox: a solid album that I don’t feel like listening to. Three or four songs in, and I feel like I’m sensing a formula, and not entirely sure the disc isn’t stuck on repeat.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
The Only Ones
3/5
4/5
Korn
1/5
Kraftwerk
3/5
The Associates
1/5
As if sparks tried to make an Echo and the Bunnymen album. Wait, no that would probably sound better. This is as if echo and the Bunnymen try to make a Sparks record.. Total rubbish.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
5/5
Laura Nyro
5/5
In terms intimate and exuberant. Nyro had a gift for songwriting and a gorgeous voice. Always one of my favorites!
Björk
4/5
Great album, with hints toward her future perfection in Vespertine. Sounds dated to the 90’s dance sound, so hard to give it full 5 stars, but still one I will revisit.
Sparks
5/5
Aerosmith
2/5
XTC
2/5
A disappointment to me, lifeless songwriting. Having grown up on Black Sea and English Settlement, and even the wildly inconsistent Mummer, I remember being let down by Skylarking upon its release.
For a release by a beloved band, this is one I will continue to avoid.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
The Darkness
2/5
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Peter Gabriel
5/5
George Jones
3/5
Marilyn Manson
1/5
LTJ Bukem
1/5
Skepta
1/5
Rubbish.
Sonic Youth
3/5
The Police
4/5
Killing Joke
3/5
Radiohead
5/5
4/5
The Offspring
3/5
Joan Armatrading
5/5
Cornershop
2/5
Dull as dishwater.
Sister Sledge
4/5
Iggy Pop
3/5
Robert Wyatt
3/5
Creative, with some genuinely wow moments. But ultimately the unevenness, weak vocals, and dissonant extra instrumentation just gets in the way.
Moby Grape
4/5
The Specials
3/5
This seems yet another example of the author overstuffing the box with a beloved band. I too am a fan of the Specials, but there is not that much that's, uh, Special about this one. Like many other bands, it's great to put their top or most influential release on the list, with the hope/ expectation that people will explore the catalog if they like it.
More Specials had a couple of standout tunes (always have loved JB style!) but otherwise didn't really show us much we hadn't already seen in their debut. I fully expect that the list's author will present us with the entirety of Fun Boy Three and The Colour Field catalog just to be sure we didn't miss it the first time . . .
Syd Barrett
1/5
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Worldly and Genius are infectious hits. But the whole rest of the album failed to impress - other tracks have always felt like filler.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
This is an album where more context on the songs, or the genre as a whole, would help appreciate why it’s on the list. Good beat and intriguing melodies, that was a plus. But the album felt repetitive, and wasn’t a big fan of the singer’s voice, so not sure where to land on it. But glad to see some multicultural additions rather than another LCD Soundsystem snoozer.
Was it the middle eastern Aqualung? Maybe that would’ve helped . . .
The Undertones
3/5
Arcade Fire
2/5
Step 1 - listen to The Moon and Antarctica.
Step 2 - ignore that you don't have Modest Mouse's sense of bizarre whimsy or ability to mold atonality. You just have a singer with a squeaky voice. Try to be like Modest Mouse anyway,
Step 3 - ?????
Step 4 - profit
Arcade Fire has always seemed like the band you are supposed to admire. I try, I really do. But I'm not sold on the quietly restrained, driving eighth notes, supposedly building up to something that never quite gets there.
And I have this sinking feeling that this and The Suburbs aren't the only albums of their waiting on the list to disappoint us . . .
Pere Ubu
5/5
Utterly unique and bizarre. This is the kind of album that made growing up during post-punk such a weird journey of musical discovery.
Fred Neil
2/5
2/5
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
The Byrds
5/5
There are several Byrds albums on this list, and this is the one that most deserves a spot. A shining example of how psychedelia, rock, and folk could intersect. Beautiful voices and arrangements, and some of the band's most original work.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Do we need to have a Tom Petty album on the list? Without a doubt. Do we need to have multiple Tom Petty records on this list? Perhaps not. Petty and various incarnations of the Heartbreakers spent a career cranking out decent rock records, each with a single or two to rise them a little above the crowd.
Does it need to be THIS Tom Petty record? Breakdown and American Girl both stand apart as surprisingly strong for a band's debut. However, the remainder of the songs are forgettable. He had better albums, and I’d rather the spit have been left open for another artist.
Digital Underground
2/5
No, I don’t recall asking that many times about DU. Not that unique when you consider all the other sampling hip-hop of that time. Give
me my De La Soul and I’m good.
Sugar
2/5
The Cure
5/5
Dark and phenomenal.
Talking Heads
5/5
Absolute classic, one of the true must-hear of this collection. Everybody knows the track watching the days go by, yet it is all of the other tracks, like Crosseyed and Painless, Born Under Punches, and Houses in Motion for which is album really stand out.
The Overload is the one track that doesn’t fit, and I don’t even begrudge that - just puts a backdrop for the funky light of the rest of the tracks.
5/5
UB40
3/5
The Afghan Whigs
2/5
Isaac Hayes
5/5
The Divine Comedy
1/5
Weather Report
4/5
Dinosaur Jr.
1/5
Neu!
4/5
Carpenters
3/5
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Peter Tosh
2/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Adele
3/5
She takes us as a tourist to her pain but doesn’t let us in. I am sad. We are over. You hear it, but the lyrics are generic so you don’t feel it. Compare this to a Tori Amos or Laura Nyro record and the difference is clear. I hope Adele can grow as a lyricist or partner up - then I think we will see the dark fullness of heartbreak.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
5/5
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Christina Aguilera
3/5
Million dollar voice, 25-cent lyrics.
1/5
TV On The Radio
2/5
Intriguing instrumentation and style, I couldn’t get past the singer’s voice.
Nico
3/5
This is a strange album. I like Nico’s contributions to velvet underground, and actually really enjoy her dark and bizarre later albums. But this one seems not to know what it wants to be. The flute and soupy strings, feel at odds to the songs’ content.
And more so than most of her other recordings, I have to wonder what the engineer was thinking when they agreed to go with that take on the vocal track. Nearly every song, she’s off key and off rhythm. Sure, I know that’s kind of a trademark, but I have to believe that they could’ve spent a little bit more time, so a few more takes for These Days and Fairest of the Season.
Eurythmics
5/5
Neil Young
4/5
Some absolute gems, but forgot how many odd filler songs were in here.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
Nitin Sawhney
1/5
Beyond Dull. A late-to-the-game take on mid-90’s international flavored groove like Moodswings and Transglobal Underground. Nothing to really stand out.
Morrissey
4/5
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
Queens of the Stone Age
2/5
Josh Homme should be on the 1001 list, no question. But not for this record, which is uninteresting and sounds unfinished - weak singing and repetitive songs. Lullabies and Them Crooked Vultures (side project) are much better intros. This album is staying on the shelf.
Depeche Mode
4/5
Solid singles, but several of the other tracks really drag.
Frank Sinatra
5/5
The Killers
1/5
John Martyn
2/5
This is a bland salad of an album. Nothing to complain about in the guitar playing, quirky voice, average songwriting. There’s just nothing that makes it stand apart from so many other light adult-rock albums.
I’d let it slide, in the name of getting exposed to acts who are now lesser- known. But this is not the only John Martyn album on the list - dude hardly deserves one spot, let alone a second.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
Buffalo Springfield
5/5
Not all the tracks stand up with their original shine, but Bluebird, Mr Soul, Expecting to Fly, and especially the stellar Broken Arrow secure this album’s place in the pantheon.
Drive-By Truckers
1/5
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Somewhere, there is an A&R guy
to whom we all owe a huge debt of gratitude. If Peter Gabriel’s whole solo career had lived or died on the strength of this album, it seems unlikely that we would have ended up with Security, So, or Us.
I was surprised, having not present to this entire album in several decades, to see how unfocused and uneven it is. Sure Solsbury Hill and here comes the flood are huge standouts. But as for the rest of the tracks, the best I can say is, I didn’t hate all of them. I’ll give it an average rating based on the strength of it two masterpieces, and for the promise of what his third through sixth records would provide us.
Throwing Muses
5/5
I can no longer breathe.
I can no longer be still.
Throwing Muses' first album is absolutely the kind of record for which this list exists. An American band on an small British label from the mid-80's this was not well-know on release, and has been lost to time for most people. That ain't right! For those of us who did buy and treasure the record, it was a game-changer. From the opening riffs of "Call Me", it grabs hold and won't let go. A unique and compelling collection of songs, with Kristin Hersh's haunting voice, tangential lyrics, and shifting rhythms. It is just the right kind of "difficult" album.
Your face appears
I keep forgetting your name.
It bums me out that the album still isn't on spotify, but glad some others have found it on youtube for the exposure and experience. Check out their track "Fish" from the 4AD compilation Lonely is an Eyesore - that's the next best thing. Neither the "other" (2003) self-titled Throwing Muses album nor Real Ramona, House Tornado, etc. come anywhere close to the 4AD debut's wild energy.
Why don't you do to my insight
What you do to my insides?
Other bands like Pixies and Sonic Youth were branching indi rock in simlar directions, and ultimately enjoyed more success and staying power. But this album remains, to me, at the top of that pyramid. Solid 10/10.
Favorite tracks: Call Me, Hate My Way, Rabbit's Dying, Soul Soldier
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
I am very glad that this extremely talented artist has an album on the list. However, it does not thrill me that he has at least two and probably three albums on this list. I first heard Ali Farka Toure on his collaboration album with Ry Cooder. That was a revelation and an opportunity for deeper exploration of west African music. But even in my appreciation, there’s not that much variety to significantly differentiate Savane from his debut or Talking Timbuktu. One is plenty - it opens the door. Two is just pushing someone else off the list.
John Prine
4/5
Bauhaus
5/5
Goth post-punk classic. Killer bass lines, shrieky guitar, driving rhythms and all the weird that Peter Murphy can summon.
The Magnetic Fields
2/5
About one albums worth of quality songs. Ambitious project, but not worth a spot here.
G. Love & Special Sauce
1/5
Ugh that mush mouth semi rap. Spare us.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I will admit that I wasn't overwhelmed with excitement to see yet another Elvis Costello album pop up on the list. That's five so far, and I have a nagging feeling there's a sixth lurking out there somewhere.
I've never been a big fan, and unfortunately, the record did not win me over. Most of the songs had a meandering sense, setting ol' Declan to spew his word salad all over the place and be generally pleased with his own wit.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
Hard to keep my feet from moving - great dance music!
That said. Definitely in the running for winner of "worst record cover" - looks like a diaper ad.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
Intriguing start to the album, I was pulled in. But it became too one-note, and the limitations of the singer and the same drony melodies quickly wore thin.
Rod Stewart
2/5
I liked his work with the Faces, but this album just seems to be retreading that work. Not sure why this list needs both Minstral Wind and Gasoline Alley - both so similar and dated products of their time.
Talk Talk
5/5
I am thrilled that talk talk has finally come up on this list. I would say that this is my third favorite talk. Talk album after Eden and Laughingstock, neither of which unfortunately are on the list. But I can see why this one would be chosen from their catalog, as it is most representative of their unique sound, while also being more accessible than their fourth and fifth albums.
As for the songs: magical! I was blown away when I first heard this when it was released, such a departure from their first two records. It provides a great mix of introspection and intensity. Definitely a “must check out”.
Favorite tracks: Living in Another World, Chameleon Day.
The Byrds
2/5
Come on, ANOTHER record by the Byrds??
Only a couple of weeks ago, "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" flew at me from the ether, and I was happy to give it a 5-star review on the strength of Roger and the boys finally synthesizing folk, rock, country, and psychedelia in a coherent and effective fashion. Well done - and accordingly the list should have left off "Fifth Dimension".
So what to say of this album, following in the heels of "Younger than Yesterday" and "Byrd Brothers"? Not impressed. It goes off the deep end to country sounds, following the lead of Gram Parsons (who'd already paved the way for the genre).
Absent are the great harmonies we'd associated with Byrds albums of past, and there are only two original compositions. The Band returns to its former days of dredging for Dylan tracks and while "You Ain't Going Nowhere" is a fun choice, neither it nor "Nothing was Delivered" have the punch of former tracks.
I do believe this list would benefit from less "artist completeness", allowing room for more breadth. "Sweethearts of the Rodeo" should have been a "you may also enjoy" footnote to "Byrd Brothers", Gram Parsons, or the Flying Burrito Brothers.
Fine for its genre, but docked two stars in protest of one band having wayyyyy too many albums on this list.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
5/5
Tasty tasty psychedelic rock! This album has been one of my favorites since my deadbeat school buddies listened to it getting high. Amazing guitar work, joyful jamming. Sure, a bit self-indulgent but I put myself in the shoes of the grooving hippies who got to see John Cippolina live. The man definitely deserves a spot on this list, and this album (especially side 1) shows him off at his finest.
Favorite tracks - When You Love
Steely Dan
3/5
A light-rock classic, so everyone says. Intensely crafted, every note perfect, a marvel of production and engineering. So everyone says.
Smooth! You can't handle this much smooth!
Overall, the sons are cool and detached, but without as much of the wit we'd heard on the other Steely Dan albums on this list (see general rant, below). Three songs in, and I'm feeling they're overlong (Black Cow is the longest 5-minute song I've ever heard). My toe tapped to Deacon Blues, but is that enough?
The rhythm section kicks into high gear on Peg. Excellent song, but I admit my grooving was mostly owing to it being used by De La Soul. Then they lost me again with the album's remainder, even Josie.
Too slick, too smooth. I always feel like Steely Dan is a band I should like, and 40 years later I'm still waiting for that moment. During the mid-70's Joni Mitchell was experimenting just as much with composition, arrangement, and jazz session players, with results that capture my heart and imagination. Fagen and Becker gave us a still-life.
Giving a bonus star for the otherworldly sound of the drums and over precision in the production process.
(rant: as usual, too many albums by the same artists. This is the third Steely Dan album I've come across during this project. Do they all need to be there? Does each one bring a unique facet of the artists' work and career? I'd have been happier if the list creator included a "you might also enjoy" footnote so that those interested could explore more of Steely Dan's catalog.)
Black Sabbath
5/5
\m/
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Next up in the mix-singles to hear before you die: The Cutter/ Back of Love single. By far the best of the material from Porcupine. I am a fan of Echo and the B, but still didn’t find much standout material from the remainder of the tracks. Fuel was a good ending track, but that just kind of reinforces the point.
Not sure we needed 3 albums by these guys, especially when Heaven Up Here was not one of them.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
Unique and otherworldly.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Excellent early 70’s soul. Paints a harrowing and sympathetic canvas of issues which still plague us today.
Patti Smith
3/5
The Doors
4/5
The Coral
1/5
Full and derivative. At its best, it sounded like the record Tom Waits would make if he lost his distinctive voice, sense of humor, lyrical wit, and association with Mark Ribot.
1001 other albums are lined up in limbo waiting to take the place of this one. Nn
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Thunder Road, Backstreets, Jungleland, and the title track - one album with 4 all-time classics. She’s the One and 10th Avenue are no slouches either. I don’t often go all the way through for a listen, but this one has been on my heavy rotation for decades.
Hats off to the Lead Man!
Green Day
3/5
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Culture Club
3/5
Big Black
3/5
I don’t think I was ever angry enough for Big Black.
Dagmar Krause
4/5
A nice discovery. I wanted to like it a lot more than I did. Intriguing mad cabaret feel, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find that this influenced Tom Waits’ Black Rider, The Legendary Pink Dots, divine comedy, and a lot of other late 80s theatrical avant-garde acts. I will definitely give this a few more listens To catch things that I might have missed.
Difficult to find these days, but very deserving of a spot on this list.
Alice In Chains
4/5
David Bowie
4/5
Wire
4/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Fairport Convention
4/5
Maxwell
3/5
The Clash
5/5
Meat Loaf
4/5
The La's
3/5
Great single, the rest of the material was workmanlike but unremarkable.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
I got this album when it came out after hearing the TV track. Wore thin quickly, as what appear to be clever rhymes and observations dull quickly with all the repetition. Each song seems to follow the same model, and the smugness no longer passes as a sense of humor.
Suppose there’s a reason I haven’t listened to this in almost 30 years.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
Miles Davis
5/5
The Soft Boys
4/5
David Bowie
5/5
The Beta Band
2/5
Utterly uninteresting and unimpressive. Repeated lines over and over again. Background music for mindless tasks.
Adele
3/5
Gene Clark
4/5
Caetano Veloso
4/5
Enjoyable, but like many psychedelic albums the poor mix sounded like someone mumbling over another record. Or maybe I’m missing the point of psychedelic albums.
Mott The Hoople
5/5
Brian Eno
5/5
Destiny's Child
2/5
Beck
3/5
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
Norah Jones
1/5
Tim Buckley
3/5
Soft Cell
4/5
Banger single, opens strong with Frustration, Sex Dwarf is hedonistic mania, and Say Hello is beautiful torch. An album I’ve enjoyed since the 80’s. But this listen I felt like most of the songs ran about 30-40 seconds too long. I suppose that’s when happens when you’re off the dance floor.
The Slits
4/5
Not a great album, but an enjoyable listen. The instrumentation was basic and felt at home with punk/ post-punk sensibilities. But the experience was odd - I vacillated between:
"this is great, feels like a late-70's version of PJ Harvey's "Dry"
and
"this reminds me of "my dog foot foot".
And maybe that's the most punk thing ever.
Travis
1/5
I had to wash out my ears after listening to this album - offensively mediocre.
Bill Callahan
1/5
I was really giving this a chance, hoping it would catch my interest. Nice mellow melodies, and then the next song was talk-sing. And the next. The whole album is talk-sing. I think if I checked out his other albums (not gonna), they'd all be talk-sing. I mean, there's a lot of Leonard Cohen songs where he isn't really singing, and a lot of Michael Gira, and Edward Ka-Spel - so I should be okay with this, right?
Nope. It just felt forced to me, and grew less and less compelling as the album went along. Kept expecting him to order a sarsaparilla and tell The Dude he should swear less.
Oh, and one star deduction for an album cover and title that made me wonder if I should even try to listen to it . . .
The Clash
5/5
Aretha Franklin
5/5
The Fall
5/5
Unstoppable energy. Killer rhythm section. Strong standouts like "Two Steps Back" and the album closer "Music Scennnnn-eh" really show Mark E. Smith's casual vitriol.
(Find the 1979 version of this if you're new to The Fall - spotify version has 21 tracks and then bludgeons you with a second disk of live sessions. I love the lads, but that was too much even for me . . .)
Sonic Youth
3/5
Ok, another Sonic Youth album, by my recollection the 4th I've encountered on this list so far (5th? was "Goo" on the list also?). Do we need to have the majority of artists' catalogue?
Not a terrible record, but not their best and certainly not the one I would want to use to introduce someone to the band. "diRty" would be ok to include as a footnote to the discussion of "Daydream Nation": if you liked this, check out more . . . My introduction was through Evol when it came out in the 80's, and I became a fan - this record would not have grabbed me in nearly the same way.
Tori Amos
5/5
Straight out of the gate, start-to-finish, Tori Amos lets us peek into her world and share her emotions and experiences through incredible songs
Enigmatically, not all the way - the lyrics follow tangents and don't tell us exactly how to feel about them, we can find our way to what we need. With clear influence from Kate Bush and Laura Nyro, she stood out unique from the inevitable comparisons to artists like Alanis Morissette and Fiona Apple. Lazy and unfounded comparisons, at that - music press was lumping them together based on gender, overlooking the fact that Tori Amos was miles ahead of her contemporaries as a musician, lyricist, and songwriter.
For most artists, they should feel thrilled if they ever put out an album so uniformly filled with excellent tracks. But she was just getting started - continuing to improve, following it up with even stronger collections like "Boys for Pele".
An album that regularly finds its way back onto my heavy rotation rotation. 4.5 stars, just to leave room for 5 stars to Pele.
Moby
2/5
Late to the party - Vini Reilly and Colourbox and others had been masterfully mixing in vocal samples in the 80’s. Moby marketed it better and sold it to everyone for commercials, but that doesn’t make it a great album. Too repetitive and way too long.
Fairport Convention
5/5
Happy Mondays
2/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
5/5
Blur
2/5
Changing the channel.
Van Morrison
2/5
It seems that live albums should be on the list because they launched an artist (Live at Budokan, Frampton Comes Alive), or they are definitive collections (Belafonte at Carnegie Hall). In this case, we have neither. Instead, a slack and mumbling Van Morrison churning out some ok standards and generally butchering his better-known work (talk-singing through Into the Mystic was a prime offender).
We have Astral Weeks & Moondance deservedly on the list, and some of his late-70’s albums inexplicably also present. This live album is for die hard fans and apologists only.
Talking Heads
4/5
Love love love Talking Heads. But this is a tough one for me too rate, since I feel this list suffers from having too many albums from the same groups. On one hand, you could make a case or just about all of Talking Heads catalog being considered “must listen”; on the other hand, that dilutes the diversity of our experience.
That said, fear of music was an extraordinary bridge within Talking Heads career. The influence of Eno is immediately evident in the chaotic and rapturous I Zimbra. Other standouts like life during wartime, Cities, Heaven, and Drugs, are indicative of the transition in the band’s style. Unfortunately, several of the remaining tracks feel like filler.
In the end, a worthy listen for fans of Talking Heads, but not one which should be recommended to newbies. The list would be improved by having footnotes along the lines of “if you like this record, here are others to check out”. So put that note on Remain in Light, and we keep fans and non-fans happier.
Slipknot
1/5
Talking Heads
4/5
You. Cant. See. It. 'Til. It's. Finsihed!
Solid album, with Tina Weymouth's basslines driving the ship. It's been a very long time since I've dusted this off start-to-finish and it mostly holds up.
David Byrne's voice doesn't stand as strong on its own (compared to the arrangements with backup singers on RiL and SiT). Liked it better than 77, but not as much as Remain in Light. Loses a lot of momentum creatively after "artists only", with side 2 much less strong than side 1.
Favorite songs - Thank you for Sending me an Angel, Artists Only
Least Favorite - Take me to the River (suffers from overplay)
(Strangely, just had Fear of Music the day before yesterday. Noted that not all TH albums need to be on this list, and at this point I'm beginning to suspect that they might be . . .)
Kings of Leon
1/5
Fela Kuti
4/5
The Young Gods
3/5
What’s not to love about an album whose first track sounds like “In the Flesh?”, if Pink Floyd were French Tom Waits impersonators? Or so I thought. After a little more mad carnival, we had a track that sounded like it tested off a copy of Ministry’s Twitch. Ok, some genre-jumping and stuck in the 80’s, still weird enough to keep me intrigued.
And then some growly metal. And more, and more. Of all the genres to settle on.
Maybe if I understood enough French to follow the lyrics, there was a unifying thread to this. As it was, the album felt disjointed and i lost interest. Glad I had the chance to hear it, but not a band I’ll be exploring.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
1/5
Fucking seriously!?! “Too-rah-yay” was my album yesterday. There do not need to be 4 Dexy albums on this list.
One star out of spite.
The Incredible String Band
2/5
I like weird. I like rough. This just felt unfinished. Recorders and kazoos and made up on the top of your head vocals don’t go well with unfinished.
Bob Dylan
5/5
The Prodigy
1/5
Terrible. It’s made me so irritated that I want to give tomorrow’s album only one star also.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Can’t get past the bad singing. If I want quirky lyrics and droll British observations, I’ll stick with Housemartins and Everything but the Girl.
Simply Red
1/5
Truly one of the albums of 1985.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Thundercat
2/5
Morrissey
3/5
Too much of an only-ok thing
The Byrds
3/5
Not a bad record, but showing them off through other people’s songs. They will come into their own later, so not sure why nearly every Byrds album belongs on the list.
Radiohead
4/5
Skunk Anansie
2/5
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
3/5
Begs the question: should this be judged (and is on this list) based on the potential of the unfinished product, or by what got pressed onto vinyl? As the former, I'm inclined to be more receptive - plenty of here to catch my attention, and the kernels of some good songs. Musicianship is good, nice psychedelic and bluesy vibes.
But that's about as far as it goes. Without the context of Spence's mental illness or the circumstances of the album's creation, I'd have to say "what the fuck?"
Three stars, probably not one I'm inclined to revisit, even on the darkest nights of my soul. But still miles ahead of slogging through 4 Tim Buckley records.
Dirty Projectors
1/5
Yesterday I had Skip Spence's "Oar", the unfinished studio project of a drug-addled mind. And it made a whole lot more sense to me, felt more coherent than this mess.
Sounds like trying hard to be prog - sudden tempo changes, layers of textured voices, blue notes aplenty. Comes across half-baked, like they didn't actually listen to their first takes from the studio and wonder whether it sounded any good.
Each song quickly reached my threshold of tolerance, so I suppose that's an achievement on its own. Congratulations, guys.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
This sounded like Bonnie Raitt, Santana, and friends were in the middle of doing a JLH tribute album when the man wandered in on the sessions. Most of the side 1 tracks feature the guests way more prominently than Hooker (hell, on the title track we have Santana off on his second guitar solo before Hooker even starts singing). Odd choice.
Gets way better on the non-"featuring" tracks on side 2.
Calexico
5/5
Gillian Welch
3/5
Ok as background music, but few of the songs had any real grab to them. I liked “Elvis Presley Blues”, but that’s the only one that made a strong impression.
Def Leppard
3/5
Deducted a point for the awful cock-rockness if it’s opening track.
Kanye West
1/5
Booker T. & The MG's
5/5
Ride
3/5
Riding on the fumes if Breathless, MBV, and Galaxie 500. An ok album, but nothing special or unique. Off-brand shoegaze doesn’t belong on a list of essential listening.
Gotan Project
4/5
Brian Eno
5/5
Van Halen
4/5
The Blue Nile
5/5
Depeche Mode
4/5
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Portishead
3/5
Decent listen, but docked a star for the author’s compunction to include a band’s entire discography. “Dummy” is a clear 5-star entry, and this album should appear as a footnote.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Devendra Banhart
2/5
1001 albums that make you long for listening to anything else.
Never heard of this guy, can’t believe the size of his catalog. I’ll assume they are similarly dull and amateurish, no way I’m gonna dig deeper.
Sinead O'Connor
5/5
1001 albums that make you long for listening to anything else.
Never heard of this guy, can’t believe the size of his catalog. I’ll assume they are similarly dull and amateurish, no way I’m gonna dig deeper.
Snoop Dogg
1/5
Nick Drake
5/5
Steve Winwood
2/5
Great opening track and decent title track. But quickly downhill after that, sounding now like another generic 80’s record.
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
The Smiths
2/5
First of all, too damn much Morrisey on this list - His Mopiness doesn’t warrant this kind of over representation.
Especially not for such a weak final record as Strangeways. The magic was gone. Give me their debut, and Queen, and I will continue to think of them fondly. Strangeways did not wow me when it was released, nor has the passage of time brightened my dim view of this album.
Marty Robbins
5/5
Solid!
Steve Earle
3/5
Laibach
5/5
The Thrills
1/5
Marianne Faithfull
5/5
Beatles
3/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Röyksopp
3/5
The The
5/5
The Rolling Stones
2/5
The Temptations
2/5
Adam & The Ants
3/5
Grateful Dead
2/5
I'm a middling Dead fan, and this was kind of a struggle to get through. Starting off with a whole side of Black Star was a strange choice - a few minutes in, and still wondering when the song was going to start. The recording quality left much to be desired. I prefer some of their later-70's live recordings, where there seemed to be a lot less self-indulgence and vague wandering.
X-Ray Spex
4/5
Orange Juice
3/5
Put it on my shelf with Pelican West. Not enough there to place it as top 1001, but digging the grooves on “I can’t help myself”.
Neneh Cherry
2/5
Started strong with Buffalo Stance, then faded quickly. Save this for (maybe) 1001 Songs list, but the album isn’t strong enough.
Baaba Maal
3/5
Björk
5/5
Holger Czukay
5/5
The Beau Brummels
3/5
Traffic
4/5
Excellent grooves. One star for each ten thousand headmen.
Coldcut
3/5
Excellent grooves. One star for each ten thousand headmen.
Neil Young
4/5
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
On Rumours, the band were able to use their emotional and personal dysfunction as artistic fuel. Here, the exhaustion of the supernova shows. Tusk would have been better as a shorter record, they could have channeled their efforts. The standouts are there, Sara is still one of my favorite FM tracks.
Not a bad record, but I don’t feel it deserves a spot on the list - leave it as a footnote to Rumours.
Hawkwind
4/5
Duke Ellington
5/5
Swanky!
Blood, Sweat & Tears
4/5
Giant Sand
2/5
Dollar store Lou Reed. No thanks.
Doves
2/5
Meh
The Zombies
5/5
The Beta Band
1/5
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
An album to make prog fans dislike prog.
Keith Jarrett
5/5
Absolutely sublime!
Elvis Presley
4/5
Richard Hawley
2/5
Einstürzende Neubauten
4/5
Japan
5/5
The album that revealed what David Sylvian, Mick Karn, Jansen and Barbieri were capable of. Solid guitar work by Dean as well, a fond farewell.
This album has a huge warm spot in my heart - was introduced by way of the Velvets cover, and fell in love (awww myyy) immediately.
Orbital
1/5
10cc
4/5
Baaba Maal
4/5
Mudhoney
2/5
David Bowie
5/5
Traffic
4/5
The Style Council
3/5
Jazmine Sullivan
1/5
Ryan Adams
1/5
MC Solaar
5/5
Shuggie Otis
5/5
Scritti Politti
1/5
Not if this was the 10,001 albums list.
Justin Timberlake
1/5
Queen
5/5
Morrissey
2/5
No one deserves to have their whole catalog on this list, least of all His Mopiness.
Anita Baker
3/5
Slayer
3/5
Suede
2/5
Beth Orton
4/5
Morrissey
3/5
Just how many Morrissey records are on this fucking list? Two days ago I was presented with his 4th: “you are the quarry”, and not impressed. I do love the Smiths, and always find the occasional gem among Morrisey solo records. But his solo work is uneven, and besides, no one deserves to have their entire catalog on this list.
Grizzly Bear
2/5
It’s so . . . average. Ugh. Minus 1 star for wasting my time.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Everything but the Girl came to us pleasantly enough, with their quirky "Eden" and "Love Not Money" - some horns, some witty British pop, and above all , the gorgeous voice of Tracy Thorn. Unfortunately, for nearly the next decade their albums descended into what appeared to be an attempt to revive Yacht Rock, before dabbling in ("Amplified Heart"), and then firmly committing to ("Walking Wounded") soulful electronica.
I found their mid-career output uninteresting, and the re-listen for this project has not changed my opinion. Ms. Thorn's voice is lovely, but the songs on Idlewild leave her with little to express. Any of the four albums listed above are superior (and I know that several of them are already on the list). Let's just cut Idlewild and make space for someone else . . .
Mylo
2/5
Destroy this album. Inoffensive and un-innovative (is that a word?) house dj stuff that would have sounded passe even by the time of its 2004 release.
It was an ok listen, satisfying background music, but in no way does this belong on the list.
Paul McCartney and Wings
5/5
k.d. lang
3/5
Linkin Park
1/5
De La Soul
5/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
Soul II Soul
2/5
I knew “Keep on Movin’”, and I think it’s gonna stay that way. Decent track, nothing huge or unique about it, and the rest of the album is unremarkable 1990’s filler.
Youssou N'Dour
5/5
Jeru The Damaja
2/5
Funkadelic
4/5
King Crimson
5/5
Common
3/5
Hooked me at the start with the Intro's heavy groove of 70's soul. Unfortunately, that influence seemed to wane as the album went on.
Gene Clark
2/5
Madonna
2/5
Kid Rock
1/5
Cream
3/5
Liz Phair
5/5
Michael Jackson
5/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Parliament
5/5
I got one word for this record: teartheroofoffthesucker!
Iron Maiden
4/5
The Stranglers
5/5
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Pulp
2/5
Not nearly as clever as they think they are.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Not nearly as clever as they think they are.
Steely Dan
4/5
Not nearly as clever as they think they are.
Gram Parsons
4/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Boards of Canada
3/5
Slade
3/5
Big dumb rock. Didn’t know if but I felt I’d heard it all before.
The Cure
5/5
Billy Bragg
5/5
The Mars Volta
3/5
Musically intense but hard to feel its direction.
The The
3/5
Not a terrible record but not the one I’d use to introduce the band. Even the title track sounds like a retread of “Waiting for Tomorrow “. The The has 2 other entries to this list, and Infected doesn’t need to be among them.
David Crosby
4/5
Guided By Voices
2/5
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Too many Costello albums on this list.
Fishbone
3/5
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Sepultura
3/5
The Black Crowes
3/5
Elbow
3/5
Marvin Gaye
3/5
5/5
David Holmes
1/5
The Smiths
4/5
A good for the list of Albums you should hear if you are a Smiths fan, but worth debating whether it needs to be among the 1001. Sandwiched between 2 stellar records, Meat is Murder is merely very good. Not the essential intro to the band, but a nice follow up.
Clearly Smiths/ Moreisey are favorites of the author, but that doesn’t mean their entire catalogue needs to be on the list.
Kraftwerk
4/5