View Album
Wed Nov 10 2021
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
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.
4
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Thu Nov 11 2021
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
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.
4
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Fri Nov 12 2021
Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
Quietly intense and beautiful.
5
View Album
Sun Nov 14 2021
Bossanova
Pixies
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.
3
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Sun Nov 14 2021
Screamadelica
Primal Scream
4
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Mon Nov 15 2021
The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
A classic!
4
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Tue Nov 16 2021
Is This It
The Strokes
Bringing the shades of Ramones and Velvets into the 21st century.
4
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Wed Nov 17 2021
Vespertine
Björk
Deep and intimate. By turns breathy and dreamy then suddenly out-front and powerful, you hang on every note for an irresistable listen.
5
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Thu Nov 18 2021
Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3
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Fri Nov 19 2021
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
3
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Sat Nov 20 2021
American Beauty
Grateful Dead
5
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Sun Nov 21 2021
Millions Now Living Will Never Die
Tortoise
4
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Mon Nov 22 2021
2112
Rush
Absolute classic!
5
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Tue Nov 23 2021
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
How have I never heard this album? Unique sonic collages within the language of hip-hip. Stands alongside Massive Attack!
4
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Wed Nov 24 2021
Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
5
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Thu Nov 25 2021
The Lexicon Of Love
ABC
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.
4
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Sun Nov 28 2021
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
My favorite Davis work - challenging and diverse, moody with amazing breakdown moments.
5
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Mon Nov 29 2021
The Message
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
Title track and Nasty are great. Rest of the album feels like filler.
3
View Album
Tue Nov 30 2021
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
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.
5
View Album
Wed Dec 01 2021
Fever To Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3
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Fri Dec 03 2021
The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
4
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Sat Dec 04 2021
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
4
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Sun Dec 05 2021
Junkyard
The Birthday Party
3
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Fri Dec 10 2021
Spiderland
Slint
4
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Sat Dec 11 2021
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
4
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Mon Dec 13 2021
New Forms
Roni Size
3
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Wed Jan 05 2022
Moon Safari
Air
A great album for chill, delightful to hear them channeling their inner Serge Gainsbourg.
3
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Thu Jan 06 2022
Shaft
Isaac Hayes
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".
3
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Fri Jan 07 2022
Bubble And Scrape
Sebadoh
3
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Sat Jan 08 2022
Achtung Baby
U2
Effectively bouncing between styles and moods, this is a great album that stands among U2's best.
5
View Album
Mon Jan 10 2022
Let's Stay Together
Al Green
4
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Tue Jan 11 2022
Heroes
David Bowie
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.
4
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Wed Jan 12 2022
3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...
Arrested Development
4
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Fri Jan 14 2022
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
3
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Thu Feb 17 2022
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
5
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Fri Feb 18 2022
The Poet
Bobby Womack
3
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Thu Feb 24 2022
Scott 4
Scott Walker
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.
2
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Fri Feb 25 2022
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
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.
5
View Album
Sat Feb 26 2022
Sunshine Superman
Donovan
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.
3
View Album
Sun Feb 27 2022
Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
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.
3
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Tue Mar 01 2022
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
3
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Wed Mar 02 2022
OK
Talvin Singh
3
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Thu Mar 03 2022
Water From An Ancient Well
Abdullah Ibrahim
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!
5
View Album
Fri Mar 04 2022
High Violet
The National
Decent album, but I found its interest fading after each listen.
3
View Album
Sat Mar 05 2022
Tres Hombres
ZZ Top
4
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Mon Mar 07 2022
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Spiritualized
3
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Tue Mar 08 2022
Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin
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!!
5
View Album
Wed Mar 09 2022
Melodrama
Lorde
4
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Thu Mar 10 2022
Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
3
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Fri Mar 11 2022
Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
4
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Sat Mar 12 2022
Who's Next
The Who
5
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Tue Mar 15 2022
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
5
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Wed Mar 16 2022
She's So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper
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 . . .)
5
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Thu Mar 17 2022
Sister
Sonic Youth
4
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Fri Mar 18 2022
Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
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.
3
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Sat Mar 19 2022
Graceland
Paul Simon
4
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Tue Mar 22 2022
Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
4
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Wed Mar 23 2022
Supa Dupa Fly
Missy Elliott
3
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Sat Mar 26 2022
Homework
Daft Punk
3
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Sun Mar 27 2022
Dig Your Own Hole
The Chemical Brothers
4
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Mon Mar 28 2022
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
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.
4
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Tue Mar 29 2022
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
I find something new in every listen. A brilliant and truly timeless album. Easily top-10 of the entire list.
5
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Wed Mar 30 2022
Penthouse And Pavement
Heaven 17
4
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Thu Mar 31 2022
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
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 . . .
5
View Album
Fri Apr 01 2022
Rhythm Nation 1814
Janet Jackson
4
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Mon Apr 04 2022
461 Ocean Boulevard
Eric Clapton
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.
3
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Tue Apr 05 2022
Private Dancer
Tina Turner
4
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Wed Apr 06 2022
Revolver
Beatles
5
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Fri Apr 08 2022
Brutal Youth
Elvis Costello
3
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Sun Apr 10 2022
Faust IV
Faust
4
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Thu Apr 14 2022
KE*A*H** (Psalm 69)
Ministry
4
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Fri Apr 15 2022
Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
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.
5
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Sat Apr 16 2022
At Budokan
Cheap Trick
3
View Album
Tue Apr 19 2022
Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
5
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Wed Apr 20 2022
Slipknot
Slipknot
3
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Thu Apr 21 2022
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
4
View Album
Sat Apr 23 2022
Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
5
View Album
Sat Apr 30 2022
Doolittle
Pixies
4
View Album
Tue May 03 2022
Moving Pictures
Rush
Absolutely classic!
5
View Album
Thu May 05 2022
Country Life
Roxy Music
4
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Fri May 06 2022
Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
5
View Album
Mon May 09 2022
The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys
4
View Album
Thu May 12 2022
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5
View Album
Fri May 13 2022
Ambient 1/Music For Airports
Brian Eno
Quietly beautiful. The more I learn about the experimentation behind its creation, the more amazing it becomes.
5
View Album
Wed May 18 2022
The Blueprint
JAY Z
3
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Sat May 21 2022
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
5
View Album
Sun May 22 2022
The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
3
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Mon May 23 2022
Face to Face
The Kinks
5
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Fri Jul 01 2022
Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple
3
View Album
Sat Jul 02 2022
The Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
5
View Album
Thu Jul 21 2022
Warehouse: Songs And Stories
Hüsker Dü
3
View Album
Fri Jul 22 2022
Nixon
Lambchop
4
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Sun Jul 24 2022
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
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).
3
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Mon Jul 25 2022
Lazer Guided Melodies
Spiritualized
3
View Album
Wed Jul 27 2022
Want Two
Rufus Wainwright
3
View Album
Thu Jul 28 2022
Machine Gun Etiquette
The Damned
5
View Album
Fri Jul 29 2022
Back In Black
AC/DC
5
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Mon Aug 01 2022
Dummy
Portishead
5
View Album
Wed Aug 03 2022
White Light / White Heat
The Velvet Underground
3
View Album
Thu Aug 04 2022
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
4
View Album
Fri Aug 05 2022
Welcome to the Afterfuture
Mike Ladd
3
View Album
Sat Aug 06 2022
Tubular Bells
Mike Oldfield
4
View Album
Sun Aug 07 2022
Something/Anything?
Todd Rundgren
4
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Mon Aug 08 2022
Scream, Dracula, Scream
Rocket From The Crypt
3
View Album
Wed Aug 17 2022
Le Tigre
Le Tigre
2
View Album
Thu Aug 18 2022
Rio
Duran Duran
2
View Album
Fri Aug 19 2022
Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
4
View Album
Tue Aug 23 2022
The Pleasure Principle
Gary Numan
5
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Wed Aug 24 2022
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
George Michael
3
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Fri Aug 26 2022
Call of the Valley
Shivkumar Sharma
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.
4
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Tue Aug 30 2022
Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
Amazing energy as a guitarist and performer. The demonstration he needed to show the strength of the songs in longer and less inhibited format.
4
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Fri Sep 02 2022
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
5
View Album
Sat Sep 03 2022
The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
3
View Album
Sun Sep 04 2022
Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
4
View Album
Tue Sep 06 2022
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
5
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Wed Sep 07 2022
Walking Wounded
Everything But The Girl
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.
4
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Fri Sep 09 2022
Beautiful Freak
Eels
3
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Sat Sep 10 2022
Blur
Blur
3
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Mon Sep 12 2022
Punishing Kiss
Ute Lemper
4
View Album
Tue Sep 13 2022
My Generation
The Who
3
View Album
Sat Oct 01 2022
Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Lana Del Rey
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".
3
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Mon Oct 03 2022
The Rising
Bruce Springsteen
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.
3
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Sat Oct 08 2022
Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
5
View Album
Sun Oct 09 2022
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
3
View Album
Thu Oct 13 2022
D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
3
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Tue Oct 18 2022
The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest
4
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Wed Oct 19 2022
Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
4
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Fri Oct 21 2022
Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
3
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Tue Oct 25 2022
White Ladder
David Gray
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.
2
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Wed Oct 26 2022
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
4
View Album
Thu Oct 27 2022
A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse
Faces
4
View Album
Fri Oct 28 2022
Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
4
View Album
Sat Oct 29 2022
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
5
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Tue Nov 08 2022
Virgin Suicides
Air
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.
3
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Wed Nov 09 2022
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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".
4
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Fri Nov 11 2022
A Night At The Opera
Queen
5
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Tue Nov 15 2022
Amnesiac
Radiohead
4
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Wed Nov 16 2022
C'est Chic
CHIC
Many songs dragged too long. Solid singles, but it felt that 2/3 of the album was filler.
3
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Fri Nov 18 2022
Wild Wood
Paul Weller
3
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Sat Nov 19 2022
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
4
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Sun Nov 27 2022
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
5
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Mon Nov 28 2022
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
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.
5
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Thu Dec 01 2022
Hunting High And Low
a-ha
3
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Sun Dec 04 2022
Headquarters
The Monkees
3
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Wed Dec 07 2022
Hms Fable
Shack
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.
2
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Thu Dec 08 2022
Purple Rain
Prince
5
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Sat Dec 10 2022
Nothing's Shocking
Jane's Addiction
4
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Thu Dec 15 2022
The Visitors
ABBA
3
View Album
Fri Dec 16 2022
Rum Sodomy & The Lash
The Pogues
4
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Sun Dec 18 2022
Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
5
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Tue Dec 20 2022
1989
Taylor Swift
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.
2
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Thu Dec 22 2022
Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
Gotta give it 5 stars for the sellar long tracks. But I’d forgotten just how much unfinished filler was on this record.
5
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Sat Dec 24 2022
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
5
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Wed Dec 28 2022
Dig Me Out
Sleater-Kinney
3
View Album
Thu Dec 29 2022
Superunknown
Soundgarden
4
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Sat Dec 31 2022
Bad
Michael Jackson
3
View Album
Sun Jan 01 2023
Parallel Lines
Blondie
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!
5
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Mon Jan 02 2023
Fromohio
fIREHOSE
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.
3
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Thu Jan 05 2023
I’m a Lonesome Fugitive
Merle Haggard
4
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Fri Jan 06 2023
Trout Mask Replica
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
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.
4
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Wed Jan 11 2023
Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
4
View Album
Thu Jan 12 2023
New Wave
The Auteurs
2
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Mon Jan 16 2023
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
4
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Tue Jan 17 2023
Darklands
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3
View Album
Wed Jan 18 2023
At Fillmore East
The Allman Brothers Band
5
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Fri Jan 20 2023
Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Small Faces
3
View Album
Sat Jan 21 2023
american dream
LCD Soundsystem
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"
2
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Sun Jan 22 2023
Go Girl Crazy
The Dictators
3
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Mon Jan 23 2023
We're Only In It For The Money
The Mothers Of Invention
4
View Album
Tue Jan 24 2023
Winter In America
Gil Scott-Heron
4
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Wed Jan 25 2023
The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
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.
4
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Sat Jan 28 2023
British Steel
Judas Priest
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.
4
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Mon Jan 30 2023
Clube Da Esquina
Milton Nascimento
3
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Tue Jan 31 2023
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
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.
4
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Wed Feb 01 2023
The Sensual World
Kate Bush
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.
4
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Thu Feb 02 2023
Elephant
The White Stripes
3
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Sat Feb 04 2023
First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
3
View Album
Tue Feb 07 2023
Rain Dogs
Tom Waits
5
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Wed Feb 08 2023
OK Computer
Radiohead
5
View Album
Fri Feb 10 2023
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Richard Thompson
4
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Sat Feb 11 2023
The Score
Fugees
3
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Mon Feb 13 2023
Fragile
Yes
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.
5
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Tue Feb 14 2023
Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
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.
4
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Wed Feb 15 2023
Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby
Terence Trent D'Arby
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.
3
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Thu Feb 16 2023
Teenager Of The Year
Frank Black
Somewhere among this sprawling double-album was a more coherent and concise collection. Not bad, just too much of the same.
3
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Fri Feb 17 2023
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
2
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Sun Feb 19 2023
The Infotainment Scan
The Fall
2
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Mon Feb 20 2023
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
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.
1
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Tue Feb 21 2023
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
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.
4
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Wed Feb 22 2023
Darkdancer
Les Rythmes Digitales
1
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Thu Feb 23 2023
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
4
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Fri Feb 24 2023
The Who Sell Out
The Who
3
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Sat Feb 25 2023
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
5
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Tue Feb 28 2023
Halcyon Digest
Deerhunter
2
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Sun Mar 05 2023
You're Living All Over Me
Dinosaur Jr.
4
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Mon Mar 06 2023
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen
4
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Tue Mar 07 2023
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
5
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Wed Mar 08 2023
Gold
Ryan Adams
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.
1
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Thu Mar 09 2023
Paris 1919
John Cale
4
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Wed Mar 15 2023
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
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.
1
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Sat Mar 18 2023
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
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.
4
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Sun Mar 19 2023
Pictures At An Exhibition
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
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 . . .
2
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Mon Mar 20 2023
Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
4
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Tue Mar 21 2023
Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
4
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Fri Mar 24 2023
Done By The Forces Of Nature
Jungle Brothers
3
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Tue Mar 28 2023
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
5
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Thu Mar 30 2023
Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
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.
3
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Sat Apr 01 2023
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
2
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Tue Apr 04 2023
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
4
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Wed Apr 05 2023
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
5
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Fri Apr 07 2023
I Am a Bird Now
Antony and the Johnsons
3
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Sat Apr 08 2023
Either Or
Elliott Smith
2
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Sun Apr 09 2023
Entertainment
Gang Of Four
4
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Mon Apr 10 2023
Yank Crime
Drive Like Jehu
2
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Wed Apr 12 2023
The Hissing Of Summer Lawns
Joni Mitchell
5
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Fri Apr 14 2023
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Animal Collective
3
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Sun Apr 16 2023
World Clique
Deee-Lite
4
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Mon Apr 17 2023
Tapestry
Carole King
5
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Wed Apr 19 2023
Ray Of Light
Madonna
3
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Fri Apr 21 2023
Connected
Stereo MC's
2
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Sat Apr 22 2023
Aqualung
Jethro Tull
5
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Sun Apr 23 2023
Leftism
Leftfield
2
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Tue May 02 2023
Smokers Delight
Nightmares On Wax
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.
1
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Wed May 03 2023
Peggy Suicide
Julian Cope
2
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Thu May 04 2023
Mermaid Avenue
Billy Bragg
3
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Fri May 05 2023
Odessa
Bee Gees
2
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Mon May 08 2023
Under Construction
Missy Elliott
3
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Thu May 11 2023
Trafalgar
Bee Gees
Notable for opening with one of the most pernicious earworms in music history. No business being on the list.
1
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Sat May 13 2023
Hypnotised
The Undertones
4
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Sun May 14 2023
Reggatta De Blanc
The Police
3
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Mon May 15 2023
Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
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.
3
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Wed May 17 2023
Manassas
Stephen Stills
3
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Fri May 19 2023
16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
3
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Mon May 22 2023
Trans Europe Express
Kraftwerk
4
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Sat May 27 2023
Honky Tonk Masquerade
Joe Ely
2
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Tue May 30 2023
The Bends
Radiohead
4
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Thu Jun 01 2023
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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.
3
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Mon Jun 05 2023
Dust
Screaming Trees
2
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Tue Jun 06 2023
1999
Prince
5
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Wed Jun 07 2023
Bad Company
Bad Company
4
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Thu Jun 08 2023
Very
Pet Shop Boys
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 . . .
3
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Fri Jun 09 2023
Timeless
Goldie
1
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Sat Jun 10 2023
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
3
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Sun Jun 11 2023
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
1
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Mon Jun 12 2023
Urban Hymns
The Verve
1
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Thu Jun 15 2023
Felt Mountain
Goldfrapp
3
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Fri Jun 16 2023
E.V.O.L.
Sonic Youth
4
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Sat Jun 17 2023
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
5
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Mon Jun 19 2023
Dry
PJ Harvey
5
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Tue Jun 20 2023
This Nation’s Saving Grace
The Fall
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.
5
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Wed Jun 21 2023
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
2
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Fri Jun 23 2023
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon
3
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Wed Jun 28 2023
Harvest
Neil Young
5
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Thu Jun 29 2023
Architecture And Morality
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
5
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Fri Jun 30 2023
Young Americans
David Bowie
3
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Sat Jul 01 2023
Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3
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Mon Jul 10 2023
Teen Dream
Beach House
2
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Fri Jul 14 2023
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
3
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Mon Jul 17 2023
Maggot Brain
Funkadelic
4
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Tue Jul 18 2023
Tanto Tempo
Bebel Gilberto
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.
2
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Thu Jul 20 2023
I Against I
Bad Brains
4
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Sun Jul 23 2023
In The Wee Small Hours
Frank Sinatra
4
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Mon Jul 31 2023
American Gothic
David Ackles
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.
2
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Tue Aug 01 2023
Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room
Dwight Yoakam
2
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Thu Aug 03 2023
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
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.
3
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Fri Aug 04 2023
Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
5
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Sat Aug 05 2023
Wonderful Rainbow
Lightning Bolt
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.
2
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Sun Aug 06 2023
Eternally Yours
The Saints
3
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Mon Aug 07 2023
A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
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?
3
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Tue Aug 08 2023
Rid Of Me
PJ Harvey
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!
5
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Wed Aug 09 2023
Marcus Garvey
Burning Spear
3
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Fri Aug 11 2023
Remedy
Basement Jaxx
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.
1
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Sat Aug 12 2023
São Paulo Confessions
Suba
3
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Wed Aug 16 2023
This Year's Model
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3
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Sat Aug 19 2023
Imagine
John Lennon
3
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Sun Aug 20 2023
Rattlesnakes
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
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.
4
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Mon Aug 21 2023
S.F. Sorrow
The Pretty Things
4
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Fri Aug 25 2023
Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
3
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Sun Aug 27 2023
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
5
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Mon Aug 28 2023
Pacific Ocean Blue
Dennis Wilson
4
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Tue Aug 29 2023
Hearts And Bones
Paul Simon
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 . . .
2
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Thu Aug 31 2023
Dr. Octagonecologyst
Dr. Octagon
Laughable, belongs on the list of 1001 albums that were released for no apparent reason.
1
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Sat Sep 02 2023
Rings Around The World
Super Furry Animals
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.
1
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Sun Sep 03 2023
Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
1
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Mon Sep 04 2023
It's A Shame About Ray
The Lemonheads
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.
2
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Wed Sep 06 2023
B-52's
The B-52's
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!
5
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Fri Sep 08 2023
A Seat at the Table
Solange
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.
3
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Sat Sep 09 2023
Vincebus Eruptum
Blue Cheer
3
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Sun Sep 10 2023
Apocalypse Dudes
Turbonegro
2
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Mon Sep 11 2023
Penance Soiree
The Icarus Line
2
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Wed Sep 13 2023
I'm Your Man
Leonard Cohen
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.
4
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Fri Sep 15 2023
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
1
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Sat Sep 16 2023
Lady In Satin
Billie Holiday
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.
3
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Sun Sep 17 2023
Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4
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Mon Sep 18 2023
Playing With Fire
Spacemen 3
1
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Tue Sep 19 2023
The Cars
The Cars
5
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Thu Sep 21 2023
Strange Cargo III
William Orbit
1
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Fri Sep 22 2023
Slanted And Enchanted
Pavement
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.
2
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Sat Sep 23 2023
Ys
Joanna Newsom
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.
3
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Sun Sep 24 2023
Born To Be With You
Dion
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.
3
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Mon Sep 25 2023
Foxbase Alpha
Saint Etienne
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.
2
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Tue Sep 26 2023
Talk Talk Talk
The Psychedelic Furs
4
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Wed Sep 27 2023
Eagles
Eagles
2
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Thu Sep 28 2023
Butterfly
Mariah Carey
1
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Fri Sep 29 2023
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
4
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Sat Sep 30 2023
Younger Than Yesterday
The Byrds
4
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Sun Oct 01 2023
En-Tact
The Shamen
1
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Mon Oct 02 2023
Low
David Bowie
5
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Tue Oct 03 2023
Only By The Night
Kings of Leon
Utterly generic whiny-guy album of the 90’s. A genre that needs zero entries to this list.
1
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Wed Oct 04 2023
Third/Sister Lovers
Big Star
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
4
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Thu Oct 05 2023
Brothers
The Black Keys
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.
1
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Fri Oct 06 2023
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
Fuck no
1
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Tue Oct 10 2023
Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
50 Cent
1
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Wed Oct 11 2023
Talking Timbuktu
Ali Farka Touré
4
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Sat Oct 14 2023
Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
4
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Tue Oct 17 2023
Who Killed...... The Zutons?
The Zutons
Strong start - good throwback sound with touches of Gong. Quickly settled into another ho-hum British indie sound with daft lyrics.
3
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Sat Oct 21 2023
Phaedra
Tangerine Dream
5
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Sun Oct 22 2023
Aha Shake Heartbreak
Kings of Leon
2
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Mon Oct 23 2023
Better Living Through Chemistry
Fatboy Slim
1
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Wed Oct 25 2023
Duck Rock
Malcolm McLaren
5
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Thu Oct 26 2023
Scott 2
Scott Walker
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.
2
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Sat Oct 28 2023
Machine Head
Deep Purple
5
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Sun Oct 29 2023
Os Mutantes
Os Mutantes
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.
4
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Mon Oct 30 2023
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
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
4
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Tue Oct 31 2023
Fuzzy
Grant Lee Buffalo
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.
2
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Thu Nov 02 2023
Vulgar Display Of Power
Pantera
2
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Fri Nov 03 2023
...Baby One More Time
Britney Spears
1
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Sat Nov 04 2023
New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
5
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Sun Nov 05 2023
Giant Steps
The Boo Radleys
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?
2
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Tue Nov 07 2023
Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)
Bob Dylan
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.
5
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Wed Nov 08 2023
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
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.
3
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Thu Nov 09 2023
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
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.
2
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Fri Nov 10 2023
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
5
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Sat Nov 11 2023
Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Lucinda Williams
4
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Tue Nov 14 2023
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
4
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Wed Nov 15 2023
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
2
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Thu Nov 16 2023
The Last Of The True Believers
Nanci Griffith
3
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Mon Nov 20 2023
This Is Fats Domino
Fats Domino
4
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Tue Nov 21 2023
The Dreaming
Kate Bush
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".
5
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Wed Nov 22 2023
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
3
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Thu Nov 23 2023
Pretenders
Pretenders
5
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Fri Nov 24 2023
D
White Denim
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.
4
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Sat Nov 25 2023
War
U2
5
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Sun Nov 26 2023
Third
Soft Machine
4
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Mon Nov 27 2023
Repeater
Fugazi
4
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Tue Nov 28 2023
The Next Day
David Bowie
3
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Wed Nov 29 2023
BEYONCÉ
Beyoncé
1
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Fri Dec 01 2023
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
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.
2