1001 Albums Summary

Classic voice. Had not heard this album before, loved the variety of moods. 4.5/5

Knew I loved this band but was not familiar with any of their non-radio hits. 4.5/5

3.5/5 stars Really lush arrangements and evocative of a specific time in history, but I found myself tuning out at times.

A solid album from the Pixies. Not their best in my opinion but still lots of good tracks on here. 4/5 stars

I can hear some punk roots in a couple of these songs but overall I don’t love it. The lyrics and melodies are a bit simple for my taste

Really poetic lyrics for some of these songs. Particularly loved Train in the Distance

This is exactly the sort of experience I was hoping for with the 1001 albums project. A band I had never heard of whose music was right in my wheelhouse. I had heard their single on the radio many years ago but the whole album is a banger. 4.5/5 stars

4.5/5 stars. Love this album, such raw emotion. Lyrics and delivery are full of longing. Gets me every time.

I didn't make it through this whole album. It was very much like department store background music to me, and did not hold my interest. Maybe the last 2/3 of the album is great but I will never know.

Very chill vibe but it did get repetitive. Nice guitar sound. 2.5/5 stars

I sat in this album for weeks before I listened because I couldn’t imagine the album famous for The Humpty Dance would be particularly good, but it was actually decent. There were some clever rhymes but the general feel was like a knock-off De La Soul. Even if I didn’t think it was GREAT hip hop, it was enjoyable. 3.5/5 stars

Definitely not my favorite, but it has its merits. There are a couple songs on here I genuinely like but overall I find James Hetfield's voice to be grating and the lyrics to be overwrought. 2.5/5 stars

This is an album I have to be in the right mood to appreciate. It is obviously a classic but not something I want to listen to every day. 3.5/5

The only thing I knew about Animal Collective was that their music was "experimental". I found myself surprisingly absorbed by the album. Nice soundscapes, good modern psychedelic music. 4/5 stars

Classic folk album, and such a departure from most music that was popular in its time. 4/5

Love most of the singles off this album but I found most of the other tracks to be less well-developed and produced. Still, a good album overall. 3.5/5 stars

This album was all over the place! I enjoyed it though, even if I didn't know what I was listening to half the time. 3.5/5 stars

A barrage of sound but I found myself grooving to it. I don't always love noise rock but this was really good. 4/5 stars

I'm not in to most country music so this wasn't really for me, but it was interesting to listen to. There were a couple songs I did really enjoy, but mostly not to my taste. 2.5/5 stars

Quality new-wave album, 4/5 stars

Vocals are reminiscent of Iggy Pop and Lou Reed with jangly guitars. Songs feel at once modern and from another time. 4/5 stars

I'm a sucker for a good organ line and this album holds some sentimental value. The lyrics are the sort that probably sounded deep if you were high but otherwise come off as kind of silly. 4/5 stars

I actually liked this better than I thought I would. It helps that there a bit of variety in tempo and mood or else it would be too much. 3.5/5 stars

Station To Station has some stand songs, but overall this isn't one of my favorite Bowie albums. 4/5 stars

I had always enjoyed Queen Latifah's acting but had never checked out her albums. She's got some big names producing and performing on this album, and I tended to prefer the tracks that were collaborations. Ladies First, Evil that Men Do, and The Pros were my favorites. I liked the beats but the lyrics were pretty generic late 80's hip-hop and didn't really grab me. 3.5/5 stars

Lovely, dreamy electro pop. Minimalistic sounds but gorgeously layered. 5/5 stars

Adele is such a powerhouse, and 21 cemented her place in music history. Her voice is truly the star of the show, with backing musicians being very much in the background. 4.5/5 stars

Really not for me, not really an industrial fan and I found it hard to get past that voice. I did appreciate the random Queen cover, though. 2/5 stars

Absolutely groundbreaking hip hop album! 4.5/5 stars

This album is a groove and a half! The music moves and you have to, too. There is so much going on in these songs, lots of layers and a great mix of sonic textures. One of my all-time favorites. 5/5 stars

This album just didn't grab me for whatever reason. Went into it expecting more. 3/5 stars

Elliott Smith's music has always spoken to my soul, and this album is no exception. I love how his songs feel quiet and intimate one moment and the next they open up and fly. Not my favorite album of his, though. 4.5/5 stars

I had never heard of Bert Jansch before but this was a lovely album to listen to on a quiet morning. Lovely voice and guitar work. 4/5 stars

Had never heard of Mike Ladd before but I quite enjoyed this album. Interesting rhymes and production, would listen again. 3.5/5 stars

I grew up with this album so it's hard for me to be objective, but I really can't fault it. I'm usually a big lyrics person, but for me it's the music that really stands out on this album. Every layer has its place, and they all come together to build something gorgeous. Easy 5/5 stars

Not a single weak song on this whole album. I only knew the singles but I thought every track held up. Hard to believe this gem is over 50 years old, it feels just as fresh today. 5/5 stars

So many great songs on this album. 4.5/5 stars

Starts off strong with "Highway Star" but I found "Maybe I'm a Leo" to be a bit of a let-down. Everything after that is a banger, though! Great album, 4.5/5 stars

While I appreciate the complex vocal harmonies and enjoyed some of the arrangements, this is probably not an album that I would listen to again. 3.5/5 stars

This album is such a wild ride, as most Kool Keith albums are. The lyrics are absurdist and sometimes just straight-up silly, but the production is killer. 4/5 stars

This was a truly enjoyable listen, if a bit overly long. I was already a fan of Stevie Wonder's radio hits, but I found I liked some of the deeper cuts even more. "Contusion" was a standout for me, a cool instrumental interlude that reminded me of some of Frank Zappa's instrumental numbers. 4/5 stars, would have been higher if they had cut a few songs.

"Hotel California" is a stupid song. Fight me. While I don't hate "Life in the Fast Lane" or "Victim of Love" everything else is either too schlocky and/or elevator music. 2.5/5 stars

Such a strong debut album, very atmospheric and dark. 4.5/5 stars

Yes, he's got the voice, but I found myself more interested in the band. Still, I was ready for this album to be over less than half-way through. 2.5/5 stars

One of my go-to albums when I am in a mood. Nirvana + Steve Albini is a killer combination. 5/5 stars

For me, R&B is about the voice and Kelela's didn't stand out to me. I don't dislike it, it just feels kind of generic. 3/5 stars

This album didn't really grab me in the first half. It felt like there just wasn't enough there to hold my interest. I thought the second half was better, though. I suspect further listenings might improve my opinion of the album, but for now it gets 3.5/5 stars.

I loved most of this album but there are a couple songs that really don't grab me so it falls a bit short. 4.5/5 stars

Really not my style but I can't fault her voice! 2.5/5 stars

Did not grab me, found the vocals irritating and the music underwhelming. 2.5/5 stars

I was surprised to hear two songs I recognized that had been made famous by Kathy Mattea, who I loved when I was a kid. Not as much of a country fan these days, but this album is pretty good. 3/5 stars

I'm not usually into arena rock, but Boston's debut album absolutely nails the form. All around, a high-energy album that (deservingly) launched them to stellar heights. 4.5/5 stars

I put off listening to this one for weeks because I don't enjoy the RHCP, but this wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting.

Couldn't get into this. Nick Cave's voice doesn't do it for me, and I just wasn't feeling the emotion behind the songs. 2.5/5 stars

I found most of the songs on this album pretty forgettable, but "Please Mr. Postman" and "You Really Got a Hold On Me" are standouts. It is noteworthy that both of these songs were covers. On "With The Beatles", the group has yet to hit their songwriting stride. 3.5/5 stars

I like lots of weird sh*t but this really didn't do it for me. It tried twice and nearly didn't make it through the album. Really disappointing, as I expected to enjoy it. 2.5/5 stars

Had never heard of the Adverts before but I really dug it! Classic punk, a very fun listen although it does get a bit repetitive. Did not need to hear Gary Gilmore's Eyes three times. 4/5 stars

This album definitely loses me in the second half. Some excellent tracks though. 3.5/5 stars

I don't know how I had never heard this album before, but I'm glad I have now! Stylistically the songs are a bit all over yet it all feels cohesive. Killer album, easy 5/5 stars

I liked this more than I thought I would! His rendition of Fever was probably the highlight for me. 3.5/5 stars

Loved the energy of this album, I can only imagine what it must have been like in real life. The screaming audience bits get a little old, but everything else is very enjoyable. 4/5 stars

Had never heard of them before, but I really enjoyed this album! I don't feel like there was anything particularly innovative or stand-out about it, but it's well-executed melodic electronica which is good enough for a 4/5 in my book!

I never really could get into the sludgy stuff. This is one of those albums I've tried to get to love through repeated listening but it just doesn't do it for me. 2.5/5 stars

I could not get into this album AT ALL. I recognize that he has a great voice, but the songs themselves just felt overwrought. 1.5/5 stars

I Should Coco was one of the first albums I got in this project and I loved it, so I was excited to hear this one. Unfortunately, it doesn't capture the same energy and felt kind of generic to me. 3/5 stars

I would have rated this album higher but I really didn't like the singer's voice. I found his inflection SO grating that I barely made it through the whole album. The only reason I'm not giving it a 1 is because I actually quite liked the instrumentation. 2/5 stars

I enjoy the Pet Shop Boys in small doses, but a whole album was too much. It felt very dreary and repetitive, and the singer's nasal voice gets annoying after a while.