pink floyd has an ability to make their extremely long songs sound very short. they take you on a beautiful experience, and every second is full of amazing music. they do use their lyrics to make a point or message (which are noble!), but i couldn't care less about what roger waters wrote (okay i do). the actual music is the best part of this album! i can't think of a single aspect that is lacking. as a fan of musicals, i love when musical themes repeat. the iconic diamond melody is beautiful and peppered throughout the album to give it a cohesive sound. there are a lot of little touches that make this album stand out. the barely there sound effects--wind, soft laughter, tv static, and so on--aren't overdone. the variety of instruments and how the instruments were used stands out, too. the timpani instrument in "welcome to the machine" creates the beat, and i swear it feels like a heartbeat pounding away. this album easily stands as one of the most influential, forefront progressive rock albums. it's incredible from start to finish, and it's so easy to lose yourself in the music. really, for being experimental, the album sounds so beautiful. i'm happy to add it to my 5 stars and my regular album rotation.

i am positively blown away! i wish i could have experienced how groundbreaking this album was in 1975. this album takes you on a delightful journey, starting with introductions in "p-funk". i can't get over how many genres and instruments they crammed into seven songs. the amount of fun contained in this album... i just had so much fun listening, and i listened to this album a lot today. i can't wait to listen to it again. let us also take a moment to appreciate this absolutely funkadelic album cover. it is so seventies but i don't care. love those platform wedges.

i had previously listened to "i'm your man," cohen's 1988 album, as part of this project. it became one of my favorite albums, and i realized this album will become the same halfway through my first listen. cohen's lyrics are just as beautiful, thought provoking, heart wrenching as before. so many songs focus on death and come across as authentic. he wears his heart on his sleeve. you feel his pain ("i'm angry and tired all the time") and acceptance (i'm ready, my lord") as he finds himself closer to death. i was struck by how simple "traveling light" was, yet his meaning is clear ("i'm running late/they'll close the bar/i used to play/one mean guitar"). i loved each line in this lyrics, honestly. there's a thread of religion throughout the album. "make it darker" contained hymns and jewish imagery, and "treaty" was about his relationship with (and love for) his god, among others. for someone as spiritual as cohen, incorporating this into his album while nearing the end of his life must have brought him some level of comfort. his voice is deeper on this album, lending to a further emphasis on death. his tenor had always created the focus on his lyrics but more so here. there's minimal background accompaniment; while beautiful, its simplicity allows the focus to be on the lyrics. and somehow, the violins sound like they're crying. the "string reprise" section was unparalleled in its beauty. he's still with his usual folk sound, but there are some blues sounds as well. this remarkable album is meant to break you. it's dark and deep, and it can be rough. it's beautiful and truly a piece of art.

i am rather conflicted on how to approach my rating and review. i read deeply into the polarizing controversy with this album; it’s fascinating that this album is so deeply beloved when so much contention surrounds it. while the african music is gorgeous, it is not the place of a white westerner to steal and profit from it, let alone during apartheid. that being said, i cannot deny how amazing some tracks are—diamonds, al, graceland. those songs alone can explain why this album is so memorable, more than 35 years later.

uh, WOW. this has got to be one of my favorites so far. i can tell that repeated listenings can only enhance my enjoyment of this album, and i am going to listen to other music by arcade fire, too. this is definitely an album to be enjoyed fully. the singles are definitely good and stand out, but the album was created to listened to as it is. the variety of instruments and sounds! the flare from the classical music influence, the different impact coming from two vocalists, it's all wonderful.

i wasn't sure if i had listened to this album in full before. most i already knew, because they are huge hits, but some i hadn't. rock & roll ain't noise pollution is a great choice to end the album. there's so much strong guitar work here, some really memorable lyrics and melodies. no surprise it's on this list!

i'm ashamed for a few reasons: 1) i have never listened to this album in full, 2) i never realized i knew so many of these songs, 3) i want to live in the moment between heartbreaker and living loving maid forever, and finally, 4) i am now a fan of led zepplin. surprised to hear so much progressive rock in here!

i am positively blown away! i wish i could have experienced how groundbreaking this album was in 1975. this album takes you on a delightful journey, starting with introductions in "p-funk". i can't get over how many genres and instruments they crammed into seven songs. the amount of fun contained in this album... i just had so much fun listening, and i listened to this album a lot today. i can't wait to listen to it again. let us also take a moment to appreciate this absolutely funkadelic album cover. it is so seventies but i don't care. love those platform wedges.

bitter sweet symphony is so iconic, everyone my age knows this song. it's a beautiful song, i love the backing orchestra. but the rest of the album just fell flat for me. it was very of its time--maybe if i listened to it in the nineties i would feel different.

i feel like this album is the whole reason i began this journey, and i'm only a few days in. he sampled quite a few songs throughout the album, and songs from multiple genres at that. creativity oozes from q-tip, his lyrics are something else! "won't trade" in particular grabbed me. some songs not so much, but i have tons of respect for q-tip regardless.

how interesting "fuck tha police" was never a single! it seems like such a standout. i mean, the opening to the song, that first verse, setting it up with NWA presiding over a court? i love it. plenty of other songs on the album mentioned police brutality as well, and i appreciate how much of their lives and experiences informed their many (many!) lyrics. of course, plenty of songs also mention misogyny, which i'm not exactly wild about. but hey, something 2 dance 2 is indeed fun to dance to! the beastie boys' songs sampled in 8 ball? fantastic.

More than half of these songs were new to me! Sometimes you don't understand the hype behind a song, but "Free Bird" is not one of those. There's a reason it's a classic. Actually, considering that "Free Bird" was constructed for Lynyrd Skynyrd's debut album is incredible! The guitar opening in "Gimme Three Steps"? Wow! This album actually has some very amazing, memorable guitar moments. Some songs were a miss for me, but hey, can you get any better than "Poison Whiskey" for a song title? "If I leave here tomorrow,/Would you still remember me?"

I wish I had something good to say about this album. I enjoy emotional music, but there was nothing that stuck out to me or interested me. There wasn't a single song I even sort of enjoyed. I was praying for the end of the album to come. Really, just not for me.

this was incredibly experimental! it really reflects a time where musicians were not restricted by record companies and not every song was fine-tuned in the hopes of becoming a hit. how wonderful frank zappa and co. was able to be their true selves. that being said, i will bring frank zappa from the dead, hand him a kazoo, and knock it the fuck out of his hands. i'm glad i listened to this album, to expand my musical knowledge, and i did find two songs on here i liked! but oh boy, oh boy, yikes?

this is the most different and the most beautiful album we've listened thus far. what a shame--it looks like this album didn't even make a blip in the US! the album was wonderful as a whole, and i really can't wait to listen again. it was great to work to!

i'm not sure what I was expecting with this "trip hop" but my gosh, this is great! what a wonderful album, truly a unique sound. some songs really blew my socks off--sour times? it's a fire? wow! actually, glory box has a very billie holiday feel to it. some other songs i didn't enjoy as much, but regardless i can't wait to listen to this album more and more.

i enjoyed hearing something very different! jazz rap is a unique and creative combination. how they used certain jazz elements in rap songs? very cool! but there weren't any songs i really liked, i'm sorry to say.

all i'm going to say is that if u feel the need to include the word 'incredible' in your band name, you should think twice. definitely of the time period, considering all of the instruments (i do love hearing a sitar!). a lot of yikes going on here.

oh, can little simz go fast or what! i think she's excellent, considering how fast she goes and how clear her rapping is! it was so cute to hear her british accent come through, too. those lyrics definitely pack a punch--she doesn't hold back! this album was definitely worth the second listen i gave before assigning a vote. "venom" demanded my attention during the first listen.

quite beautiful! it was lovely to have on in the background while working. there are some deep songs here, and it's definitely worth a re-listen when i'm not multitasking.

i am rather conflicted on how to approach my rating and review. i read deeply into the polarizing controversy with this album; it’s fascinating that this album is so deeply beloved when so much contention surrounds it. while the african music is gorgeous, it is not the place of a white westerner to steal and profit from it, let alone during apartheid. that being said, i cannot deny how amazing some tracks are—diamonds, al, graceland. those songs alone can explain why this album is so memorable, more than 35 years later.

do i love a good covers album, especially when it's all old, classic songs. even though these aren't willie nelson's original songs, his emotions are so palpable. i feel so connected with these songs, some new to me, even after one listen. every song is a hit. a beautiful album that includes genre hopping! oh what can’t willie nelson do?

the way janis joplin sang! it's still so unique, even after all these years. that being said, i'm just not a big fan of this type of music and this album.

i watched many a bollywood movie in my youth, but not this one! so i went into this with high hopes, bias, and more bollywood knowledge than most people have. this album has a pure seventies bollywood vibe! i have fallen in love with the romantic theme, but the other instrumentals are just as good. this album really jumps around in genres, and it can get corny at times with the sampling of english songs, but that's what adds to this soundtrack's charm. a fun, joyous listen. it doesn't have to be taken seriously.

an interesting listen! i learned some about early punk and mc5 today, but i also learned it just isn’t for me.

i knew u2's hits and of bono's humanitarian work, but i was still taken aback when listening for the first time. this album, with lyrics written only by bono, covers so many topics and political themes. i love pop-y, mindless songs, but songs with great meaning? those are dynamite. bono's heart and compassion come through the lyrics so clearly. "mothers of the disappeared" in particular is going to stick with me for a long time--"we hear their heartbeat." i'm not sure if i've ever heard of a genre called "art rock," but as i listen to this album, really listen to it, i totally get it. all music is art, yes, but u2 takes it further, on all possible musical levels. every song has such beautiful instrumentation. definitely a concept album. i cannot wait to listen to this album again and grow to truly love it.

it's... okay?? it's interesting enough, but not engaging enough. a cool concept, some parts could be could be great, but wholly forgettable.

very garage band! it's interesting how much meg and jack white could do between the two of them, vocals and instruments. sometimes simple is fantastic, as in "little room" and "we're going to be friends" but sometimes simple falls flat in others. maybe it's showing me i'm not really a garage band genre person. i certainly respect it, because darn it all "hotel yorba" slaps! but on a whole, this album is just average.

uh, WOW. this has got to be one of my favorites so far. i can tell that repeated listenings can only enhance my enjoyment of this album, and i am going to listen to other music by arcade fire, too. this is definitely an album to be enjoyed fully. the singles are definitely good and stand out, but the album was created to listened to as it is. the variety of instruments and sounds! the flare from the classical music influence, the different impact coming from two vocalists, it's all wonderful.

i was impressed by this album, actually. i was negatively affected by a group member's thoughts, but i do try to go in with an open mind. i'm not sure if i'd listen to this album again, but it had some cool sounds! "to the moon's contractor" in particular stuck out to me. there was some lovely indian music on this album, which was a wonderful nod to some of his upbringing in india. all lyrics were very enunciated, i had no problem hearing all lyrics, which was so important in "feb 4 '99 (for all those killed by cops)". that song title alone! i was impressed by his lyrics in this song in particular. lyrics were crafted brilliantly with metaphors!

i'd say this was average! i enjoyed it just fine and there was some excellent guitar noises, but it didn’t super stand out to me. since reading dracula, i can say this is one of my favorite lyrics: “is she weird, is she white, is she promised to the night?”

i'm torn about bob dylan. i don't think there's any arguing on how influential he and this album (among others) were, but there is controversy surrounding his music. it makes me uneasy that he's stolen so many musical aspects from bipoc. he does, at least, cover important topics within his songs. but to take the album as it is: i'm not the biggest fan of blues or folk, but with the rock element, this album is enjoyable for me. dylan's other work is tough for me to listen to, but his willingness to incorporate other instruments on this album helps me. but, of course, dylan still uses his signature harmonica and his story-telling lyrics. that being said, this was a worthwhile listen, mostly for my musical history education, but that's kinda it.

gosh i love when i am caught off guard for an album! this album was so mellow to listen to. perfect for a workday. some real gems could be found--"sunday shining" is such a beautiful song, full of hope. "i need a lover" reminds me deeply of prince. i love this combination of blues, reggae, soul, jazz in this album. such creativity! i am looking forward to listening to this again.

i am thrash metal's newest fan, apparently? pantera absolutely went for it in this album, they held nothing back, they went so metal. i didn't fully realize how into metal i could get, or maybe it was the loud music while working, or those great guitars and drums! whatever it was, it really worked with pantera and this album. i think i'll be adding some of these to a workout playlist. mad respect for a great album cover. and to every song from the album being explicit on spotify.

some memorable and huge hits on this album! i mean, "hot for teacher" is cemented in rock history for a good reason. the drums in that song! but hey, all instruments are working so well on every song: the drums, the guitar, the synthesizer. musically, this album is so beautiful and solid. the womanizing and misogyny i can do without, but i cannot do without those guitar solos. "1984," the opening, title, and lead off track, is a such an interesting choice. it's futuristic-sounding, yet the title is the year it was released. was it irony, perhaps optimism? once the instrumental is complete, the jump right into "jump" hits such a high! this was very much a fun, fun listen, and i rocked out hard today.

a nice album! a pleasant listen while there are some great themes and lyrics. "why world do you want me to be so mad" from "penitentiary philosophy" hit me, today, in the year 2022! every song had such a mellow vibe and it wasn't a bad listen at all. but it simply didn't wow me. a lot of it blended together, and some songs unfortunately didn't want to end. i'm satisfied i listen to some erykah badu and i wouldn't be upset to listen to this again, but i wouldn't seek it out.

this album wasn't awful! but i guess i now join the many people who are confused why two flaming lips albums are on this list. i understand this list is the albums you should listen to, not the best albums ever, but i remain befuddled. it had some nice moments, but on the whole, it wasn't anything remarkable. well, that's a lie, because the spiderbite song is going to stay with me for some time.

what a lovely listen! i so enjoyed listening to this album. i enjoy a good album containing covers of classics! it wasn't perfect sounding, but that's the beauty of it. the second half of the album hit me hard. “am i blue” is going to stay with me for a while. charles’ voice really shines in the last few songs!

i sure appreciate the purpose of every lyric in this album! rage held exactly nothing back in every song—lyrically and musically. i have nothing but respect for tom morello, as a person and a guitarist, and i absolutely love hearing that killer guitar. morello and his guitar absolutely make this album better. that being said, some songs were great! some, however, were grating against my precious ears—which i recognize is the whole point of it, 'cause rage goes against the mainstream. but it resulted in me unfortunately skipping some tracks. the whole album does deserve to have a listen. rage's anger came through easily. the album inspires more anger, and encourages the continued social justice fight. not to mention, this combination of rap and metal was so unique for its time. at the time of this review, rage is up for nomination for the rock and roll hall of fame for their fifth year. i hope 2022 is their year. fight the man.

i only realized a few months ago that rhcp were funk! and this album is pure funk and rap, and i sure loved it! some of the lyrics are, uhhh, well beyond suggestive, but somehow i don’t mind with all of the amazing guitar, bass, and drums. i mean, rhcp certainly embraced their desire for unrestrained lyrics. a lot surrounds sex, but the opening song, “the power of equality,” being what it is and containing some scathing comments, makes sure we know they’ve got more to say. this album, as a whole, is so solid. the slower songs on the album don’t mess with the flow. “under the bridge,” in fact, remains this album’s highlight. it’s beautiful and relatable, regardless of situation. the rest of the album has such amazing instrumentation—it’s steady throughout. special mention to my favorite lyric ever: hicks don’t mix with politics.

i know a few songs by echo and the bunnymen, which i really enjoy, but i was expecting to enjoy this album more than i did. the album left me disappointed, but it did include their biggest hit! "the killing moon" was the standout, easily. the choice to include a backing orchestra makes for some gorgeous sounds, especially on "nocturnal me." but still, most songs were forgettable and a little too weird sounding for me.

what a pleasant listen! yet filled with such purpose and themes. i loved paying attention to these autobiographical lyrics. i also loved hearing the variety of genres here! i'm happy this album made the list. "h2Ogate blues" (a rather clever name) deviates from the rest of the album for some spoken-word, but it was so meaningful. i have to imagine it packed quite a punch in 1973. "i'm sorry, the government you have elected is inoperative."

god bless the people who enjoy this album, because i'm not one of them. the vocals were just too rough, and i couldn't find many positive things because the vocals ruined the whole album.

a feel good listen! that sixties, happy pop is still a wonderful listening experience. most songs made me smile, but the zombies didn't restrict themselves on subject matter: "a rose for emily," a sort of gothic pop song, and "butcher's tale (western front 1914)," a song using only a harmonium with white's unsteady voice to depict a scene in world war i. major props for including a protest song despite the album's generally pleasant tone. i was so reminded of the beach boys, especially on "care of cell 44"--it's so reminiscent of "good vibrations" from the year before. the subject matter, however, is different from the beach boys' number, but honestly i'm in love with this song. the topic, combined with the tone, made it stand out! "time of the seasons" is a great classic, but my goodness this album is rounded out nicely! an album that deserves its spot on this list but also on my personal album rotation.

i wanted to like this more than i actually did. i guess i went into this thinking it would be pure and catchy new wave. to be fair, this album isn’t bad! i listened to it several times and couldn’t find it in me to love this album. there’s some great, interesting beats here (“i zimbra”) and i love singing “this ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco,” but that just wasn’t enough. i wonder if it’s because byrne’s vocals are rather soft. still a good listen, but it’s rather average.

once i get past my hang-ups about folk, fleet foxes' album is quite beautiful! folk can be difficult for me since it's so different from my typical musical interests. i must be in the right mood to appreciate the subtlety and mellow tune. fleet foxes definitely make it worth it to pay attention! the whole album blends together, but you cannot find a song that isn't pleasing to your ears.

sam cooke died too many years before i was born, and this wonderful live album makes me feel closer to the experience of seeing him live! the audience's cheering, cooke's rapport with audience, his attention commanding presence. no one does soulful, romantic songs like sam cooke. what a legendary voice. how he combined certain songs was masterful--i literally felt like i was one of the screaming audience members when cooke sang a few words from "you send me" during "bring it on home to me". this album was certainly a treat!

a nice listen! it was a different kind of hip hop here. the soul aspect of the album mellowed it out. this sort of soft hop pop was gentle on my ears. it's nice to hear good lyrics without forcing itself down your throat. should be a nice album to revisit!

aretha! how wonderful she is on this album. some aretha classics here, and they are noteworthy and legendary--absolutely worthy of praise! but the other songs that weren't hits are just as good. it takes a rare album to accomplish that. her voice was perfect as it was, but it was also perfect for soul. aretha and this album have upheld in the test of time. a charming record i would love to come back to.

a nice album, but rather boring. each song had the same kind of tune, and nothing stood out. i certainly didn't hate it, but it's just fine. this album must be a lovely listen right before bedtime, though.

oh, was this album COOL. this album is so influential and sounds nothing like was created before 1978! it's such an interesting listen, to hear what kraftwerk created with electronic music. more than that, including themes to create a concept album! fantastic. it was a great background listen because of all the instrumentals and minimal lyrics. but even when you pay attention to the songs (and aren't multi-tasking like i usually do!), it's fantastic. what an enjoyable listen. side note: the german version of "the model" ("das model") is far superior--check it out on the german version of their 2017 catalogue release. actually, it's great to listen to this album in german!

goodness, "and i love her" is possibly my favorite beatles' song. it's so wonderful and tender yet simple. learning that per paul, george was responsible for the guitar riff in that song made my day. their hits on this album are undeniably brilliant. "a hard day's night" always gets me moving! the other songs are nice to listen to. i don't think there's really a bad song in the bunch. but it's definitely early beatles and i can't get as excited about it. perhaps i'm unfairly comparing to their later, more exciting music. despite that, it was a nice listen and i appreciated hearing some deep cuts.

possibly one of the most interesting albums on this list (so far)! i appreciate this a lot: this is solid music and is a good combination of folk and punk. folk in general isn't easy for me to listen to, but combining it with punk creates a fascinating upbeat folk sound! but if there was ever any doubt it was folk, you've got that banjo and fiddle. that being said, i have respect for this album and it was a good listen, but it really isn't for me. bonus: how cool elvis costello produced this! what a range that man has.

this album is in the "not bad" category! really, considering the variety and amount of drugs happy mondays was on during this album's creation, it is quite good. the vocals leave something to be desired, but the guitar, drums, keyboard definitely deliver. i could hear happy mondays' experimenting with this album and touching on so many genres. an enjoyable, intriguing listen.

it’s fine?? i mean, wholly unremarkable. i have heard better punk. i can appreciate the punk genre enjoys going against the grain/system/the man, but circle jerks are trying all too hard. i guess i’m glad no more than fifteen minutes of my life was dedicated to listening to this album.

a pleasant, mellow listen! it was a soothing listen even though each song was distinct and the album covered a range of genres. this is an album to appreciate as a whole, and i'll enjoy it more as i continue to listen. ocean has a beautiful voice, which is rather evident in "bad religion"--a standout on this album.

first time listening to the strokes and i am a new fan! i admittedly don't know much about the garage band revival scene, but i found them much easier and enjoyable to listen to than other bands of this time. the vocals, surprisingly, are clear despite fogginess. every song starts off strong and unique, and begs your attention. i'm obsessed with this album cover. black and white, sensual, daring.

the who changed music forever with tommy. a concept album, yes, but a rock opera most importantly. it has all of the characteristics of a stage musical: overture/underture, recycling melodies, reprises. perfect for adapting into a movie! the who were influential for a few reasons but i stand by my belief that creating the first rock opera was their most important contribution to the world. this album takes you on such a journey alongside tommy. yes, perhaps some suspension of disbelief is involved and it is such a product of the sixties. you meet such a range of characters (including a sexual abuser! cool, she said sarcastically) while tommy journeys through a traumatic incident as a child to becoming a cult leader. obviously, i enjoy the story a lot but the music! the who is so solid; tommy's instrumentation is without flaw. i know this album quite well, but it's still surprising to me that "we're not going to take it," one of the who's most notable songs, a protest song, comes from this album. it has transcended tommy to stand on its own! "you've got to play pinball/and put in your ear plugs/put on your eye shades/you know where to put the cork"

"sympathy for the devil," what an album opener. possibly one of the best album openers of all time. but the album takes such a quick turn into blues! it was shocking how blues heavy it was. the stones did a good job with that, especially the subject matter. "salt of the earth" in particular stuck out to me. blues isn't really my thing, but i can recognize that this was blues well done! i do admire a band that can jump around genres.

this was a cool listen! it was something out of my norm and i made sure to really listen as a result. every time the horns were present, they dominated!! the horns definitely made the album great. some great themes here, too.

the guitar, the melodies, there's no mistake with zz top being on this list. "waitin' for the bus" and "jesus just left chicago" back to back--there's just something about it. "la grange" is easily the most standout track here. hm hm hm hm. ultimately, i'm just not a huge fan of zz top! still a worthwhile listen, and i did discover i enjoy "jesus just left chicago".

an intriguing listen! funk and jazz and soul. these genres combine beautifully, and i enjoyed listening to this album. and the lyrics, oof! "too young to die" in particular.

this album was great!!! the heavy metal was a work of art. i didn't realize judas priest was so heavy metal--i thought they were more rock--nor did i realize how influential they were on the heavy metal scene. i mean, this album came out in 1980! it's weird to hear so much heavy metal yet there are two rather patriotic songs (okay one was a bonus track) on this album when they're a british band. regardless, rock on, judas priest.

oh wow! this was completely new to me, and dang it was pretty good. definitely an album to dance to. some of these sounds were just so good! i could, however, see how some of these could get rather repetitive. still a cool listen.

abba's music is beautiful! i suppose this album isn't considered as good as their other albums, but i fell deeply in love with this album. it has everything from tender songs to their signature fun, pop-y songs. "one of us," a deeply autobiographical track, hurts me even as i sing along. "head over heels" is such a standout that it's shocking it flopped as a single. with every listen, i loved this more and more. easily five stars, with the hope more abba is on this list of albums.

folk can be such a nice, relaxing listen. folk is a great medium for telling stories or political/protest songs, too. and this album is so evidently rock from that guitar! it's charming how much to a T this album is folk rock. i was surprised by my enjoyment of this album! i wouldn't call myself a fan of folk, or even folk rock, but this was a wonderful listen! "country girl" grabbed me--boy do i love it when multiple songs are crammed into one. but also "teach your children," that is a song that's relevant in 1970 and 2022. "helpless" hits me right in my gut. that being said, some songs were just okay for me. still, an enjoyable and soothing listen on a friday. 3.5.

oh is this cool! covers can be so interesting, to see what an artist does with an existing song. and more interesting when you take a song and turn it into an instrumental! the music really stands out then. booker t and the mgs did a cool, cool job. not to mention the ever famous, non-cover "green onions," which is always a treat to listen to. nice to listen to while working. i also learned that a popular song from dirty dancing, love is strange, used the guitar riff from "rinky dink"!

what this album generator has shown me is that i'm not a huge fan of proto-punk! i suppose i like a more refined noise, though i know for a fact i do enjoy iggy pop's music. i did find something to enjoy about this album, and it grew on me after the first listen. getting past my biases and first impressions is important! "we will fall" is a dark, ominous, hymnal-like song. the guitar in "i wanna be your dog," wow! "no fun" is fun to clap along to! and of course, for the artists with long careers, such as iggy pop, it's always interesting to hear their first album.

oh my god! this album! THIS ALBUM!!!!! i really grew up with this, with my parents playing this album a lot. it's perfect, from start to finish. "movin' out (anthony's song)" is one of the greatest opening songs. the tires screeching on the pavement! "just the way you are" is one of the all-time greatest romantic songs. with lyrics like "i couldn't love you any better/i love you just the way you are"--are you kidding me? "scenes from an italian restaurant," a song that creates such a vivid picture in my mind. "vienna" contains a wonderful life lesson. the whistling in "the stranger" in the beginning and end, tying the song together in a neat bow--then the melody and whistling returns in "everybody has a dream." billy joel, his melodic voice, his beautiful piano playing. every song is unique and contains beautiful lyrics. you couldn't stop me from giving this 5 stars. a joy to listen.

this was an enjoyable listen! very southern rock and roll. i enjoy listening to artists' first album, because sometimes they had their sound down pat and other times it's interesting to see how they evolved. tom petty and the heartbreakers were pretty solid in their sound, for that matter! i don't think i was imagining it, but i got a small sense of punk in this album. very small, but makes sense for 1976.

this is an album where you know every second was so expertly planned and crafted. every song has a purpose. nothing is filler. kendrick lamar has a lot to talk about and he spends his 1 hr 18 min runtime wisely and productive. i mean, this whole album is pure art! i cannot fathom the amount of relentless work and creative energy that went into this. the album as a whole is so beautiful and thought provoking. what stands out is that this album is unapologetically created for black people. the songs that lamar chooses to sample. the interview with tupac at the end of "mortal man". the contemporary and historic artists lamar features in his songs, including george clinton of parliament funkadelic and ronald isley of the isley brothers (!). the spoken word poetry in "i". and of course all of the topics that he covers within his lyrics. also: king kunta must be one of the best songs in the universe. i will fight you on this.

what a beautiful, delightful album! well deserving of its place among the 1,001 albums. a well done instrumental album. it's fantastic to have on while driving or working. i appreciate the combination of afrobeat and jazz, because this album really became something unique. can't wait to listen again!

a lovely, easy listening album! wonderful to have in the background while concentrating on the task at hand. it's pure sixties country! it isn't heavy at all, even when the lyrics are somber. it's rather soothing, actually. i should like to listen to this again!

this album generator has made me realize i'm a fan of heavy metal, but this album didn’t impress me, really. it certainly wasn’t bad but it was just good, not great or amazing. the guitar work is easily the best part about this album! everywhere i turned, the guitar sounds were beautiful and heavy! the guitar definitely delved into the progressive genre but i loved it.

what a pleasant, pleasant listen. i loved it all! beautiful from start to finish. there isn't a bad song in the album. the saxophone is heavenly. truly, i can't wait to listen to this again and again. perhaps i'm thinking too much, but i confess i'm disappointed to learn that bossa nova was created in brazil yet the album that makes it on this 1001 albums list is the one by americans. that doesn't take away from the beautiful sound of the album but it does leave a sour taste in my mouth. regardless, i still learned all about bossa nova and this album is a lovely one.

this kind of did nothing for me. i didn't hate it but it seemed not very special. maybe it was too punk-y?

this album has such a cool sound! a good vibe. their singles are catchy, but the whole album is such steady quality. not to mention, i just love their electronic psychedelic pop sound! i enjoyed this one more than i thought, and i'm intrigued with the rest of MGMT's catalogue as well.

i enjoyed this album! it was a nice listen. i was expecting more synth in their new wave, though. i wouldn't call myself a huge fan of this album as a result. it was very beautiful and wonderfully crafted, don't get me wrong. but i couldn't get super into it. i did realize, after i saw steve winwood played the organ on several songs, that this album has some real winwood vibes.

a wonderful listen! the inclusion of albums like this are so important to this list. i always enjoy the international albums. and i am loving these mambo numbers! the entire album is fun and light. the trumpet in particular is noteworthy.

unremarkable! "the weight" is such a classic song, and i can't help but love it. that song saves the album. the rest of the album certainly isn't bad, but it isn't memorable. nice, easy listening in the background but that's about it.

i think the album's title defines it, no? it's beautiful, and so smooth. the trumpet, the drums... it's magnificent! this is good to listen to at the end of the day, or during the work day! i quite enjoyed it. perhaps the only draw back of the album is "darn that dream"! when the vocals begin, it's quite shocking for an otherwise entirely instrumental album.

i wasn't into this album until i heard "elegia." that's the standout of this album. deep, beautiful, eerie. a nice tribute in their friend's memory. i like this album, and it's very of the time! synth eighties. it's a good listen, but i don't think it stands as i thought it would. it can be a little forgettable, but some of the instrumentation is top notch. "sunrise" and of course "elegia" stand out in that regard.

a GOOD album. i really enjoyed the album, but i found i enjoyed it way more with headphones! "child in time" is such a standout. definitely allows the album to head into the progressive rock category. i was surprised at how heavy this album got! but it was an enjoyable surprise.

well this was an album! it had a great sense of authenticity and i liked how unrefined it was. however, it is definitely from 1958 and i don't think i liked it. i could not believe i listened to a song about bed bugs. whoever sang dink's song has the loveliest voice, but i don't think it was mr. elliott.

i admire artists jumping around genres and not limiting themselves to just one style. i also admire an album that is cohesive, tight. this album was creative but all over the place. i didn't not enjoy it, but it's at a solid 3 for me. an interesting listen.

what!!!! this album was FUN. i had a grand time listening to this album. there was never a dull moment. dmc and run going back and forth often kept me on my toes! they were so quick. the beats are, as the kids say, sick. i admire that, despite most of their tracks being fun, they use "wake up" as a powerful political song. run dmc were such pioneers with this hip hop album coming out in 1984. but then certain songs, such as "30 days," are of their time. i don't know the last time i heard the word "layaway." (but i loved that song anyway.) i enjoy the combination of rap and rock, too--the guitar is amazing on "rock box"! rip jam master jay. what a legacy he created!

an album where i didn't realize i knew so many songs! i'm definitely surprised by the blues aspect of this album. they do a great job with the blues, though it mostly isn't for me. hearing the blues aspect of their album was surprising, considering i only ever associated the doors with psychedelic rock.

this album surprised me; i wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as i did. i wish i found this album as a teenager. i would have grown such an attachment, and my former teenage self is mourning that loss. this album is a four, but i know i will listen to this album more. it could easily become a five! the songs are catchy, beautiful, witty. "jacob marley's chain"--everyone knows the reference but it's still fresh and sounds eerie. "i should've known" isn't the only song with attention grabbing lyrics, but this song definitely stood out. there's some great guitar work in here, too. lots of emotions, but it still makes for a lovely, calming listen. so many instruments among the album's personnel! perhaps this is the only album that has dixie cup within its liner notes?

my goodness, moondance is so, so pleasant to listen to! i didn't know van morrison made such soft music. the whole album flows seamlessly and smoothly together. "crazy love" is beautiful and has such lovely lyrics. the sax, the piano! the optimism in "brand new day"! this was such a well rounded album. i am looking forward to listening to it more.

the guitar work on his album stands out. covering "greensleeves" is an interesting choice, and i think beck did a nice job on it. recent news came out about a new jeff beck collaboration. i am certainly being biased but i can't bring myself to care a fig about this album.

"california dreamin'" is one of the best songs in the history of music. it's beautiful, the harmonies are incredible, it contains such emotion, and the instrumental part makes me cry. that being said, the rest of the album was a let down. it was catchy, pleasant pop of the sixties. but not as memorable as i would have thought. i listened to this album a few times through, and with every listen, i was expecting to like this more and more, but i didn't. the rest of the album is just average and doesn't have the same spark contained in "california dreamin'". i'd be remiss if i didn't mention mama cass, who had the best voice in this group. when she's on lead vocals, the songs sing.

i felt my feelings with this album! the lyrics paired well with the instrumentation and tone. it was a good, even listen; the album was whole. lots of standouts here, but i definitely think my favorites weren't even the singles. can't wait to listen to it more and more.

this was an okay album! it's always a little difficult, when an album on this list contains the artist's most popular song. "brass in pocket" is great song and rightly a classic. but the classics can easily overshadow the rest of the album. i can say it was a smooth, easy listen, despite its punk-y nature. i do love a good instrumental--that deep bass on "space invader"!

this album is placed so firmly in the sixties. i hear some beatles and beach boys inspired songs. "thoughts and words," with its fake sitar sound (they had me fooled!), is definitely reminiscent of the beatles/george harrison from this time period. i enjoy the variety in this album. i think the byrds really tried to hit as many rock genres as they could! there's a good amount of the peppy sixties pop sound, but "everybody's been burned" is a lovely sober tune to round out the album. "so you wanna be a rock 'n' roll star" was a cute way to open the album, and again it just felt so sixties. all in all, i liked the album fine, but it didn't grab me like other sixties albums of similar sound have in the past. it is interesting to see an evolution of david crosby!

this really was, like, fine but rather boring and nondescript. i suppose i'm biased because my previous album was another neo-psychedelic album (by MGMT) and i happened to love that one, but spacemen 3's kind of music is rather dull to me.

this being monk's first album of his own arrangements is incredible. the record companies should have been letting him do that from the start! this album is a wonderful piece of art! monk clearly had a gift with jazz and the piano. the composition of each piece really boggles my mind. an impressive, enjoyable album. should be a good one to listen to while working.

i couldn't get excited about this. i think 1001 albums chooses exceptionally good live albums and i could see how this one made the cut. i'm not sure if it's because i know of the allegations of james brown or it's the fact i didn't really know the songs. typically when i do listen to live albums, i already know the artist and the songs well. i didn't have that connection with james brown's music this time around. the audience was so lively! and brown really got the crowd going. i didn't initially recognize "night train," but i do know that song from back to the future! i liked hearing brown's rendition and his own lyrics.

tom waits took me by SURPRISE. i have disliked other experimental albums within this list, but i am HERE FOR MISTER WAITS!!!! i admittedly haven't heard anything else by tom waits before and i'm looking forward to hearing more of him on this list. there is something about his raspy, gravely voice. he owns it and leans into it! his songs are dark with deep lyrics. he didn't restrict himself at all. i think everyone who listened to this album, whether they liked or disliked it, can agree that waits let himself create what he wanted to create. i don't know why this is listed as "experimental rock," when it touches jazz, country, rock, spoken word, and other genres i didn't catch. the album has a cohesiveness somehow. i realize this album is weird--like really weird, but i couldn't stop myself from enjoying this.

an interesting listen! some good, ear-catching lyrics. beck bounced around genres here. i found it a creative album, but i think it lacked some cohesiveness. it wasn't bad, and i did groove to it! but it was just okay for my tastes.

the joy of listening to music by a singer/songwriter means the lyricist can draw from a variety of aspects; they may be autobiographical, or from a friend, or even about politics/world news. which is how we get songs like "for her". i mean, these lyrics, so striking so powerful: "good morning, good morning/you raped me in the same bed your daughter was born in" and "like you know, you should know, but you don't know". that song wasn't the best on the album, but the lyrics hold such strength! this album definitely has an experimental feel to it. despite that, it remains a pleasant listen! a lot of the time experimental can be another word for unrefined, which can be true for apple's type of music, i think. but i think it also allows apple to be simplistic. music can be busy and fun and loud, but "i want you to love me" has a beautiful, beautiful piano to pair with apple's voice and lyrics. songs can be so beautiful without all of the bells and whistles. it definitely allows apple's lyrics to remain prominent as she covers various topics. this is definitely an album i will look forward to revisiting and enjoying more and more. i'm obsessed with the album title.

i can't imagine listening to this album for the first time in 1970! it wasn't the very first heavy metal album, but it's close to and it is so iconic. i can definitely feel the presence of this album on other heavy metal we've seen in this 1001 albums, like pantera's vulgar display of power. the guitar riffs in this album are the focal point. i cannot believe how great they are! obviously "war pigs," "paranoid," and "iron man" are incredible, carry the album, and contain amazing guitar. the drums, actually, were amazing in "iron man," too. that being said, the rest of the album is okay. some of these titles were, uh, inspired is a nice word to use. the lyrics were probably fine, if you could ever understand ozzy. the instrumentation, however, is top notch, which cannot go overlooked. black sabbath released a killer debut album and set the heavy metal standard high.

i don't think i'm cool enough to listen to this album! it was an enjoyable listen and i can see how groundbreaking this was in 2001--and still today, even. i enjoy some of gorillaz' music, but some songs here just missed the mark for me. good, unique, but it couldn't excite me as much as i thought.

fairport convention 🤝 fiddle this was fine! i admired the storytelling aspect of their songs. their folk sound was pleasant. it really was an all around nice listen, but it just didn't do much for me.

an album that grabbed my attention! i had known "our house" initially and only vaguely at that. madness kept me on my tiptoes the whole album. some jazz sounds, some reggae sounds! i came away impressed that madness didn't confine themselves to anything, really. i mean, "new delhi" brings some beautiful indian sounds and instruments to this album. the piano, the saxophone, it was all very enjoyable.

i was surprised to realize i had never listened to the white album all the way through. i enjoyed hearing many new songs! i wasn't expecting this amount of experimental music, though. this album recorded and released in 1968 definitely shows the year with its brand of experimental music. some songs were just weird, but others like "piggies" were charming enough to forget any eclectic aspects. this album demonstrates a more grown-up sound, different from the solid pop their beginning--which isn't to say one is better than the other. the hits on this album are unbelievable. memorable, catchy, delightful, beautiful. the album balances itself so nicely. "back in the ussr" starts you off high. the album bounces between sweet, somber, fun. george's "while my guitar gently weeps" is the scene stealer. "glass onion" contains throwbacks delightful for even a casual beatles fan. "blackbird" is a lovely, soft number, worthy of its hit status. "ob-la-di" and "birthday" are plain fun, undeniably. how can you not clap along with "bungalow bill"? the guitar on "helter skelter" goes so hard, and edges this album toward some harder rock. no two songs are alike! we end with "goodnight," a simple and gentle song i wasn't expecting for ringo but provides a perfect end to the album. we all know beatles' songs were not equally distributed through its four members, but george's songs are always delightful; this album is no exception. it's always a treat to listen to new george music. an album i was so excited for, threw me some surprises, and left me so satisfied. an album which its hype is so, so valid.

it goes without saying but i'll say it anyway: the sound quality leaves something to be desired. but there's a charm to this! what the sonics lack in production, they make up for with excitement. well, a lot of excitement. it was an enjoyable listen. it was a good mix of covers and original songs. i appreciate their beginnings of punk!

i hesitate to find out how much bob dylan is on this list. i appreciate hearing more of dylan's discography, because i can understand how he's culturally significant ("blowin' in the wind"!!!) and i can see how he grew as an artist. but i didn't enjoy this album. it isn't bad by any stretch; it's just not for me. too folk-y, too bluesy, too harmonica-y. good lyrics! good message. but that's about all.

cheap trick are an average band and one i’m not overly excited about. it makes sense that the version of “i want you to want me” that everyone knows is this live version! there’s magic there, even if the song has become old for me. really, this is a passable live album and my ears did not bleed. but meh also—yikes, this sound production is awful! for being such a well known album, you’d think the quality would be better, or that the album was from before 1950, not 1978!

no, no, no. absolutely not. i don't care if many music critics and personnel find this influential and life changing. this album is about statutory rape! i was going to give it 2 stars because musically, it wasn't too bad of an album, but that was until i got to the sex noises in "en melody". what on earth is this album? i wish i could give 0 stars.

what is this album? it's so WEIRD. and it became progressively weirder and weirder! we had violin screeching, throat noises, dog barking. i would argue on the fact if this is actual music. it's cool they experimented so much but there should be a limit somewhere. the fact is i have a lot of questions for the members of the CAN band.

your mom threw away your best porno mag! some songs were hits, and some were misses. but their creativity shines through with their raps and guitar riffs. the sampling throughout the album! the iconic "fight for your right"! it's a fun listen and i always enjoy fighting the man. it's evident the beastie boys had fun creating this album because the excitement is infectious. how else do you explain "no sleep till brooklyn"? 3.5 but rounding up to 4.

enjoyable jazz but sometimes it got a little weird sounding. i do appreciate the subtitles for each movement, because it definitely added to the overall experience. mingus had a vision!

i only knew goldfrapp's music from supernature. this album was a complete departure! and i like it. it's serene. actually, it's surprisingly serene considering the variety of topics goldfrapp covers on this album. it's a nice easy listen, almost like you don't have to pay attention to the lyrics, but the lyrics are beautiful. each song is unique and has such purpose. overall, a lovely listen that i can't wait to come back to.

her voice on this album is the most unique part! you wouldn't think someone should sing with such a voice, but with the new wave and song contents, faithfull makes it work. it's somewhat off putting at first; her voice definitely grew on me. but she brings a certain charm to the songs. "the ballad of lucy jordan" rather grabbed me. i wasn't aware shel silverstein ever jumped into song lyrics (though it's clear this is his style), but i dug faithfull's version of the song very much. an easter egg for me is steve winwood on synthesizers! how neat.

this is SO on the boat. i didn't even realize how on the boat this whole album was until i was swaying to every single song on this album. it's so smooth and makes for great easy listening. i could instantly recognize the amount of work that went into the composition of this album, particularly with their variety of instruments! the piano and sax stood out the most, but all instruments had their time to shine and were expertly performed. i was shocked when i read on wikipedia that steely dan called in a-list session players because the music was so technically demanding--but when i pay attention to the depth of each song, it makes a lot of sense. regardless, their hard work creating this album paid off. the yacht and jazz aspects allow for a pleasant ride. it's such a cohesive album. a delightful listen. looking forward to listening to it more.

the only song i knew of leonard cohen before this album was "everybody knows". while i was looking forward to that song, i wasn't aware i'd fall in love with the rest of the album. there's a great mixture of topics and cohen touches different genres, but there's a cohesiveness despite that. it isn't easy to create an album with every song being unique! this is a well crafted album. cohen's deep, gravelly voice adds to the album. his voice allows the songs to be lyric driven. you can hear and focus on every single line! you hear his message and thoughts that much clearer. singing with his kind of voice makes for something beautiful. "ain't no cure for love" in particular grabbed me. well, if by "grabbed me" means i mean "listened to on repeat," then yeah. jennifer warnes' vocals paired with cohen's are quite powerful. "first we take manhattan," while catchy, creates such an image for the listener. then there's "take this waltz," which maybe should seem out of place on this album but it isn't. it's a beautiful opening to side two. as mentioned earlier, cohen dabbles in a few genres: classical, country, jazz--perhaps ironically in "jazz police". i like the album cover very much. it's a simple shot, really. this shot being an accident makes me think those might be the best kinds of album covers.

this album has got to be one of the most well known and well regarded jazz albums. while i enjoy jazz, it isn’t something i seek out much or often. despite its place in our culture, i would not have listened to this album without this list! and its place on this list is well deserved. i wasn’t expecting the amount of experimentation that was on here. i thought davis would create straight jazz, but it’s clear whatever this man touched turned to magic. i enjoyed hearing what he did with his jazz sounds. despite the long runtime, the hour and a half flew by! each piece was unique and exciting. nice to work to, besides.

i never considered myself a fan of grunge music! but this album has me rethinking that idea. i do see similarities with this album and others by female singer-songwriters in the nineties. the contents of and the focus on the lyrics, for one. this album is dark and emo! it allows me to really feel my feelings. shirley manson’s voice is perfect for garbage’s types of songs. so many songs where the guitar really stands out. but the bass on “as heaven is wide”?? wow. and no songs are duds! “stupid girl,” the only song i sort of knew on the album, containing a loop from “train in vain” by the clash absolutely blew my mind! their loops from various genres show garbage’s desire to not be defined. going to rate this a 4, but i wouldn’t be surprised if i regretted not submitting a 5.

this album wasn't terrible. it was okay but it was on the meh side. i liked how prominent the guitar sound was; it made the grunge and punk stand out. i don't know much nirvana but i can definitely see an early influence happening on this album as well. as a side note, i can see how this album wouldn't come to very much commercial success, but the critical acclaim this album received later was remarkable!

i'm a sucker for that boy band sound! i don't know if i've ever listened to take that or robbie williams, though. i really enjoyed this album. i'm not sure how much is due to williams? i wasn't that into his voice, or didn't find it as impressive as other boy band members' voices. of course, his voice isn't bad and he can certainly hit notes! this album had a great range. i do enjoy that nineties boy band sound, and i enjoy a slightly grittier sound from the britpop influence. "ego a go go" is a great example of that. also, the horns throughout the album are excellent. williams has a softer side with "angels." i'm not surprised such a soft, emotional song has become his biggest hit. his voice is well suited for it. as a side note, i listened to the whole album on youtube because spotify didn't have all songs available. i saw some scary nineties music videos as a result. williams is lucky i did not factor that into my rating!

i have mixed feelings about this album. i think i liked it! the album had an unusual sound, and the album cover added to that. there was an even, morose feeling throughout. "your lucky day in hell" might be the most stand out song. i thought it was so clever! i do like wit in my songs.

this is our second led zepplin album on this list, and i find myself more impressed with this one even though the album was the other's predecessor. i may be paying more attention now or perhaps differently, more than 100 albums later, but i feel more expression and creativity here. a worthy addition to this list. there were some notable songs that stood out. if you're not clapping during "bron-y-aur stomp," then i don't know what you're doing. a shoutout to "immigrant song," which is such a classic banger of a song that deserves all its praise. it's definitely the hardest on the album. "friends," which i maybe heard on the radio once or twice, stood out to me. i keep listening to it and finding more to enjoy about it. i thought "bron-y-aur stomp" would've been my favorite but "friends" grabbed the title a few listens in. the guitar opening on "celebration day." the simplicity of "tangerine." the songs are varied and enjoyable. some were okay to me overall, but nothing was bad.

i'm quite torn about this album. i'll start with the positives: there's no denying how catchy eminem's songs are! these hits are fire. "stan" and "the real slim shady" are such bangers after all these years. the cultural significance of those two songs alone! i grew up listening to some of eminem's music and i never realized the horror aspect of his songs. "amityville" in particular. i was impressed. but despite eminem creating good music, i have some serious concerns. i didn't fully realize as a kid how often he says certain slurs. or how awful his murder fantasy song "kim" is. i suppose you could say it's only a horror story, but considering that is his former partner's name and domestic violence is very real--well, i have reservations. it makes me very uncomfortable to listen to that song. i always do admire artists who are not afraid to be their true self (he even wrote "the way i am" to show this!). i suppose this is just eminem just expressing himself through music. if you're able to focus on just the music, well, he does it very well! i'll be fair and give a middle of the road vote of 3.

i love this concept for the album!! it's so daring even in the year 2021. the stories in spoken word format in between the songs is a brilliant choice. the stories are varied but still are women's stories. i loved hearing the different perspectives! sullivan touched on so many topics that are important to women and in such a well done way. the album's actual music was good but it didn't really grab me. an enjoyable listen and i was able to really listen to the lyrics.

an interesting inclusion in this project! it’s got a pre-heavy metal sound laced with that sixties pop. drums and guitar were super heavy. the music is not close to eighties’ heavy metal but i can hear the groundwork blue cheer set in ‘68. this album isn’t awful but just fine? i’m impressed as far as their influence but it’s not super enjoyable overall.

the guitar on this album... wow. WOW. WOW!!!! i truly understand now how great of a guitarist eric clapton is after listening to this album in full. in particular, the guitar on "key to the highway" and "i am yours" stood out to me, but the guitar was present and amazing on every single track. and of course the credit does go to duane allman as well. the guitar is what makes this album into what it is. of course i have to mention "layla." the piano halfway through is so exquisite, so beautiful, so perfect. all in all, it was too bluesy of an album for me. it wasn't bad, but just not for me. i couldn't get into more than a few songs. but derek and the dominos did know how to make their hits, that's for sure!

i'm disappointed i didn't care for this album. i listened to it several times in the hopes i would change my mind. this album's sound was beautiful and took you on a journey, but i think it was too lethargic and mellow for me. my teammate said this album had an "ethereal" sound, which i wholeheartedly agree. all songs connect with each other through the mellow tone. i was impressed with "life in a glasshouse." i enjoyed the addition of the humphrey lyttelton band to add some great jazz to that song! "knives out" has got to be the stand out and puts me right in my emo feelings. but overall, a lackluster album.

this album is an interesting creation. i find dj shadow's process and the concept behind this album fascinating. using uncommon songs to combine together to create a wholly original hour of music... it's a unique approach to an album. overall, it was unremarkable to me. not bad, but it didn't do much for me.

jack and guitar stood out on this album. everyone knows about "seven nation army" (which deserves all its praise and acclaim), but the guitar on "black math" and "ball and biscuit" is baller! the white stripes hit a bunch of genres here and made no bones about it. we even had a touch of folk? i don't think i imagined that. there were some unusual tracks here. i don't know if i liked it? like, "girl, you have no faith in medicine" is apt even for the year 2022, but i didn't enjoy it. interesting, yes, but eh. but there were some good weirdness songs here. "in the cold, cold night" is dark but has to be my favorite song here. jack typically sings, but meg really shines here. simplistic but it grabbed me. the cover of "i just don't know what to do with myself" shows the white stripes' willingness to step out of their comfort zone. there were songs that strongly reminded me of led zepplin. "ball and biscuit" had a garage band sound, but if i didn't know the white stripes performed it, i would have bet money on it being led zepplin. so even though the white stripes are firmly garage band, i appreciate the nod to classic rock. i did enjoy this more than their first album, but some songs were misses for me. so it receives the same ranking as the other one (3).

on its own, the modern lovers is an average album. it was listenable and had some enjoyable parts. but when compared to the other proto-punk albums that i've listened to on this list, this album is amazing, easily a 5! i suppose it's the rock elements that allow me to enjoy this record more than other proto-punk albums, but it still doesn't make me excited. i think i might just prefer my punk more produced/commercialized. it was a cool listen though with the punk, rock, and experimental combination.

i quite liked this album! there are quite a few tender songs here. i mean, "cowboys and angels" emotionally destroyed me. "praying for time" and "mother's pride" deal with tough subjects, but george michael handles them so well. he approaches the topics with sensitivity and care. he doesn't shy away from heart-wrenching lyrics. while i very much enjoy wham!'s poppy fun, what george michael does here is so beautiful, meaningful, and important. i found myself admiring his lyrics. every line seems to be purposeful. his voice is so well suited to these emotional songs, too. there's something magical about "freedom! '90". i enjoyed taking the time to learn about this particular song and its personal significance to michael. too often on this list, an album containing a hugely popular song will fall flat, except for that big hit. the rest of listen without prejudice vol. 1 carries itself well. i'm looking forward to listening to this album more in the future!

oh heck yeah. this is the new wave sound that i love and have been waiting for! actually is the definition of moody new wave. the lyrics and the tone of the music make it dark, but there's quite a beat throughout the album. it must the disco vibes! so many songs are just so catchy. "heart" and "hit music" embody that disco feeling! and how absolutely wonderful dusty springfield lended her voice for the "what have i done to deserve this?" duet. pet shop boys and dusty springfield are an unusual combination but one that paid off big. i've been looking forward to the pet shop boys on this list, and i'm so thrilled i was not disappointed. i do get nervous submitting 5s but i do know i will come back to this album and enjoy it more and more. final note: the album cover is such, such a mood.

this album just made me bored. it was unexciting and unremarkable. it was rather soft, too, and simple minds had a rather lethargic sound here. the one redeeming quality is the instrumentation on "somebody up there likes you". that was rather pretty and felt like a fantasy. overall, i didn't hate the album and i do like synth, but i couldn't get enthused even after several listens.

this was one interesting album. it contained a mix of rock, electronic, and punk. primal scream certainly kept us guessing because the sitar-like sound on "if they move, kill 'em" was astounding! with how heavy and unusual their electronic sounds were, i could hear influence from kraftwerk. this is an album that the focus wasn't so much on lyrics and vocals but instead the actual music and instruments. overall, an intriguing listen but not one i super enjoyed. sometimes the electronic sounds just became too much for me.

i am so impressed with the amount of political and social commentary on this album! ice cube held nothing back. by that alone, i can understand the album's deserved influence over thirty years. not to mention the songs are catchy! creating catchy songs with power isn't easy. that being said, there are a number of, uh, aspects about women that aren't great and make me feel uncomfy.

most tracks in the first half of exit planet dust were rather repetitive to my ears. i don't necessarily enjoy that, so it got old quickly. since the lyrics were minimal, i had no choice but to focus on the music. the songs did contain interesting, unique sounds, especially for the year 1995! the second half somehow turned around for me--or perhaps i became used to repeated melodies. but i do think it sounded better. "chico's groove" in particular was where my mind changed. a respectable 3.

i must preface this review with saying alice cooper is my favorite artist. i cannot manage to be unbiased in my review and i'm glad to use this as an excuse to listen to a fantastic album. billion dollar babies is AMAZING. it showcases the alice cooper band's shock rock sound. the band definitely hit their stride in this album--i think it's their best (band-wise). a lot of what the band does here they were already doing: they were writing witty lyrics like what's in "elected," creating creepy songs like "unfinished sweet" dating back a few years, and writing amazing guitar, bass, and drum melodies (that drum intro on "billion dollar babies"? WOW). but there's something amazing about this album that makes it different from their previous albums. not every song was released as a single, but every song is so *good* and so unique. the lyrics are top notch. the group balances well between clever and scary. and if the lyrics aren't enough for you, listening to the piano solo in "mary ann" will cause actual chills to go up your spine! "i love the dead" is horror-esque by its title alone, but the guitar takes the listener on such a journey that you viscerally feel it. i couldn't say enough wonderful things about this album. well deserved on this list. i wouldn't dare change a single lyric or note.

while i lack a strong country music knowledge, i can recognize this project's absence of country albums! but dwight yoakam said, "hold my guitar." this was a fun album! a pleasant, easy listen. there were more than a few songs that became earworms after a few listens. i had fun singing along, even. it was a nice mix of original compositions and covers from old country songs. as i understand it, yoakam stood right between the old and the new country sound. i like that he took several old country songs (one as a duet with the original artist!) and created his own covers! it was a nice nod to the early country music.

i had previously listened to "i'm your man," cohen's 1988 album, as part of this project. it became one of my favorite albums, and i realized this album will become the same halfway through my first listen. cohen's lyrics are just as beautiful, thought provoking, heart wrenching as before. so many songs focus on death and come across as authentic. he wears his heart on his sleeve. you feel his pain ("i'm angry and tired all the time") and acceptance (i'm ready, my lord") as he finds himself closer to death. i was struck by how simple "traveling light" was, yet his meaning is clear ("i'm running late/they'll close the bar/i used to play/one mean guitar"). i loved each line in this lyrics, honestly. there's a thread of religion throughout the album. "make it darker" contained hymns and jewish imagery, and "treaty" was about his relationship with (and love for) his god, among others. for someone as spiritual as cohen, incorporating this into his album while nearing the end of his life must have brought him some level of comfort. his voice is deeper on this album, lending to a further emphasis on death. his tenor had always created the focus on his lyrics but more so here. there's minimal background accompaniment; while beautiful, its simplicity allows the focus to be on the lyrics. and somehow, the violins sound like they're crying. the "string reprise" section was unparalleled in its beauty. he's still with his usual folk sound, but there are some blues sounds as well. this remarkable album is meant to break you. it's dark and deep, and it can be rough. it's beautiful and truly a piece of art.

the best part about this album project is to listen to albums by musicians you wrote off. for this purpose, i do my best to enter into albums as a blank slate. i, like many others, didn't give courtney love (and her band as a result) a chance before. but this album! it's gritty and dark. the lyrics and themes are heavy, and the feminine focus wasn't terribly popular in 1994. "asking for it" in particular grabbed my attention; its subject matter is relevant today and has been for decades. i commend hole for releasing a song like that in 1994 when it was rather edgy to do so. a reviewer at allmusic mentioned the phrase "raw pain" to describe this album, and i cannot imagine anything better to describe this album.

the hives are a bit of an acquired taste. i got around to liking this album with a few listens. the vocals are just okay--super punk and garage but too much. at times the vocals were screeching and it was rough. the guitar is without a doubt the best part of this album. it stood out on so many songs ("hate to say i told you so"!!!) and is what gives the album its rock genre. really, the hives are way more punk than rock! they lean so hard into the punk. also: this album name is GREAT, i love it!

i always enjoy when artists change their general sound, and i love it even more when they can make it sound *good*! i had listened to their earlier album, live through this, as part of this project, and the two albums could be confused for belonging to two different bands! the reason i mention this is because of the pop sound here--it's such a departure from their grunge and punk. but hole does still incorporate punk-y aspects, and celebrity skin contains that great mix of punk and pop. hole has a lot of strengths, but their lyrics seem to be something special. i'm drawn to them in every song. love's vocals are perfect for the punk and grunge genres, partly because her voice isn't the clearest. she brings something great to pop songs with that voice! and i do like albums created around a concept: l.a., in this instance. definitely an enjoyable album and well deserved place on this list.

this album was soft rock to a T! it was actually a little too soft for me. of course, it was a calming, relaxing listen regardless. i had listened to the group's next album with neil young, déjà vu, earlier in this project, but their self-titled didn't have that same spark. i didn't even think there were any political songs, which must have been something young brought to the table. like with déjà vu, some songs were just misses for me: not bad but not exciting. "marrakesh express" and "pre-road downs" had a fun beat, and since they were livelier than the others, i enjoyed them more. i loved learning "suite: judy blue eyes" was about the wonderful judy collins!

this album provided such nice easy listening! it was so smooth. i can hear some yacht rock tendencies in here. it wasn't quite full yacht rock yet and it falls out of the year range, but its soft rock genre is right there. there were some jazzy aspects, too--the sax and horn! (evidently the flugelhorn?!) the sitar on "do it again," which i never noticed before and enjoy very much, is very indicative of the year 1972. i've listened to aja as part of this project, and i can see the evolution between can't buy a thrill and aja. the choruses are still catchy (the chorus of "dirty work" has been permanently stuck in my head for the last 24 hours). the beginnings of incorporating jazz into their music began in can't buy a thrill and jazz is much more prominent in aja.

first, i felt attacked. how dare elvis costello release a song titled "welcome to the working week"? overall, i found myself unimpressed by this album. it was decidedly average, even if it was costello's debut. this album was not bad; it was quite listen-able. but something lacked here, and its absence makes the songs a little boring. i couldn't even tell you what it is! i knew a handful of costello songs before listening, and i suppose they were his best because the album fell flat most of the time. unremarkable. for all costello represents the new wave sound, there was a strong sixties vibe here! it's interesting how well costello captured that pop sixties sound. "(the angels want to wear my) red shoes" was the standout of the album. it's got a slight punk sound--which checks out, considering its short runtime.

this album is too early to be considered yacht rock but i'm definitely feeling some yacht rock vibes. it was a mellow, easy album that definitely touched on a few genres. folk (the fiddle!) and rock and a touch of country but that sixties sound is still prominent. the lyrics were quite nice and could be rather emotional. "on sir francis drake" was quite the beautiful instrumental, though.

this album is all over the place! i do admire when an artist does not confine themselves to any one genre--or two. or three. i liked the range that super furry animals were able to project. it was such a weird listen but an enjoyable one. every song was unique, and somehow the whole album flowed? i wouldn't think this album would work but it does. some songs were absolute bangers ("god! show me magic", "something 4 the weekend") and others were sleepers ("long gone", "bad behaviour") and some weren't as good, but it made for a cohesive listen.

this project has allowed me to truly hear the blues' presence within the stones' music. this album is no exception. the harmonica and unrefined sound helps that. their blues sound even comes off as experimental, like in "high and dry." the album is rather dark in its lyrics. out of all the songs, the subject matter of "mother's little helper" grabbed me. obviously that sort of thing was happening in the sixties but i was surprised to hear such in depth lyrics describing this story. the rest of the songs are, well, not very complimentary towards women, but i have to trust jagger that it's done more tongue-in-cheek. there's no denying the catchiness of their hits, though. the uniqueness and variety of the instruments struck me. the sitar was rather popular in the late sixties, but its presence on "paint it black" could be its most famous instance in western culture. "under my thumb" contains the marimba--so soft i missed it before. the fuzz bass was an instrument that i don't believe i've heard before and it provided a unique sound.

what an important, interesting addition to this project! the pioneer of afrobeat definitely deserves his spot on this list. a previous album on this list that i hard was by fema kuti, fela kuti's son who performed covers of his father's songs. there is something about the live presence on this album! with the afrobeat (a genre i'm uneducated about and like just okay) sound and the humor, there's some magic that fela kuti creates. the jazz influence! this album is made up of music through which you *feel* primarily. and the inclusion of ginger baker, cream's drummer, on a few tracks is, in a word, cool.

after listening to the shortened version of this album, i knew i had to listen to the full version, despite its length at four (!) hours (!!!). the time i had to devote to this album was absolutely worth it. it was beautiful from start to finish. some credit goes to both gershwins for their songs that remain classics to this day. some credit goes to nelson riddle for his excellent arranging. and a lot of credit goes to fitzgerald. her voice! i cannot begin to describe it. she brought so much emotion to each and every recording so all pack quite a punch. (unsurprisingly, fitzgerald won a grammy for "but not for me.") i adore jazz and i enjoy gershwins' songs, so of course this album was going to be super enjoyable for me. but i wasn't prepared for how amazing ella fitzgerald sounded. her voice is what makes this album a classic.

in a word, this album was funky. more important than the music on this album was the social commentary it provided. it's clear a lot of thought went into the album creation, and i do admire the title track's length of four seconds long. the american flag is an interesting choice for the album cover, too. it's all very appropriate for its release in 1971. billy preston on keyboards on this album! what a highlight. so many times throughout this album did the keyboards stand out. it may have even been the best part of the album! a lot of this album was real smooth. there was some weirder songs (looking at you "spaced cowboy") but i can appreciate them. and the lyrics are what really hit home with this album anyway.

this is the punk i've been waiting for on this project!! there have been a fair amount of misses for me in the punk genre as i've gone through the list. i'm more used to the clash's more established years, where i think you could argue they had a more popular and refined sound, but this album is so delightfully punk. strummer's vocals are grimy and not always clear. i admire songs like "i'm so bored with the USA," "career opportunities," and "police & thieves," among others, for their harsh criticism of society and politics. the clash had something to say in 1977 and were not afraid to say it. the anger comes through with their lyrics and, well, how darn fast they play their music.

i enjoy jazz and a love supreme contained covered quite a few subgenres of jazz! it was an enjoyable listen and coltrane was rather talented. but i can't pretend to know and understand jazz enough to hear the subtle aspects for themes, though. for that reason, the album was good but average to me. i have heard other jazz albums on this list i liked much more.

typically i've admired albums on this project that mashed together drastically different genres because some unique, creative sounds can be a result. well, fear and whiskey has changed my mind. the combination of alternative and country on this album does not mesh. i guess this was music but it was so disjointed. it didn't flow, no interesting sounds were created. other albums with unusual genre combinations were cohesive, at least. and that damn fiddle got on my nerves. i walked away unimpressed and bored. in fact, some of this was not listenable or enjoyable.

this will be a boring review, because it was kind of a boring album. it wasn't bad music (and there has been some bad music on this list! i know this wasn't bad). it was just unremarkable to me.

considering blur's "song 2", i guess i was hoping this album would be better and more exciting. it was mediocre. not even one song stood out to me.

i don't know why pj harvey personally seeks me out to make my ears bleed. her voice is too unsteady. it does not sound good. some songs aren't even good when you focus on the instrumentation. i know i'm not usually a fan of folk albums, but i don't even think folk appreciates what pj harvey is doing. not a fan but i have to listen to more albums by pj harvey on this list. thanks for nothing, robert dimery and micahel lydon.

“blood on the tracks” is an excellent album title, to start. my reviews for other dylan albums find him very average. he’s too folky for me and his voice isn’t enticing. this album was better than the others and i believe it was due to the presence of rock and more instruments than just dylan’s guitar and harmonica. and he didn’t sound as nasally as he usually does! but it was still just an okay album. i am finding dylan’s progression interesting, as a positive note.

we've gotten a string of britpop recently in this project, and by and large it's been "just okay" for me. i don't know what happened with shack's h.m.s. fable, but i enjoyed their sound so much more. britpop appears to be a convoluted genre, so whether or not this album can be truly referred to as britpop, i don't know. i do know that the whole album flows easily, one song into the other. shack did well creating songs that were unique and can differentiate from one another, but taken as a whole, the songs are even better. the songs are pop in the sense that they are easy and catchy, but the songs are more broadly alternative. some songs are a little cheesy but charming ("beautiful"!). there are some good choices with the instruments. the horns on "reinstated" were particularly lovely. really, just a nice listen overall.

is there a reason the jam wanted so desperately to have an album title with a glaring grammar error? i guess they are indeed punk! i am incredibly relieved to discover that the jam considered the beatles' revolver as a huge inspiration for this album. in my notes for this album, i wrote "beatles if they released an album together in 1980". it's got some definite beatles vibes combined with punk and new wave. the end result is quite good. something unique about this album is that i found every song to have a killer intro!

this album was a great mix of pop and punk and rather reflective of music in 1979, i think. i suppose it's punk that's easier to consume because it wasn't as unrefined as other punk can be. i mean, the whole album did have a great beat going. and it could be quite catchy! the lyrics definitely come off as pop-like. an enjoyable listen and wasn't upset about listening to the album a few times.

this is a chaotic album. to be fair, i think i'd call any album with a song titled "now i wanna sniff some glue" to be chaotic, but i stand by my assessment. it's clear there was a lot of fun involved in the creation of this album and they didn't take themselves seriously. it's fascinating how the ramones knew their sound immediately from their debut album. to open with "blitzkrieg bop" is real balls to the wall energy. a good album but sometimes lackluster. their hits are amazing, but some of the others are just okay. as always, it's very interesting to listen to a famous artist's debut album to see their start.

this was an okay album. it was the second pixies album as part of this project, and while they don’t make terrible music, it doesn’t seem that engaging for me. i can say they have the most wide ranging, weird subject matters for their lyrics. the banter is a cute addition in a few songs! i don’t know if that’s overdone nowadays but i do always find it charming to get a slice of the real artist on the album.

well, it's certainly a choice to have six short songs on the first side, then the second side have one nineteen minute song. arthur lee and jethro tull have something in common. this was an interesting album. i could hear similarities with other artists from the mid-sixties. "relevation" sounded like the rolling stones crafted it. "stephanie knows who" is a little too harsh for me, but the harpsichord presence is of its time. "she comes in colors" could have been a beatles track. a big treat for me with this album was "7 and 7 is." as a huge alice cooper fan, i recognized the song immediately from his special forces album (a deep cut). i do enjoy comparing covers in my spare time, too.

if you don't get out of my way when "dancing in the dark" comes on, then it's your fault if you get clocked. this album was full of some old fashioned rock and roll. two of the boss’s biggest songs were here, and ugh did he deliver. the e street band backing him sounded great, too. really, the album left me with a feeling of homesickness. “my hometown” definitely hits the listener over the head with that, especially since it finishes the album. the boss’s voice sounded soulful at times, which definitely contributed.

the gall to choose this album on the day following queen elizabeth ii's passing!!! (i'm hardly offended, it's just amusing that our fearless leader chose the same album for all listeners.) this album. in a word, it's moody. i hadn't ever listened to the smiths before, but i understand now how teenagers can easily gravitate toward the smiths. one big reason has to be these lyrics--they're so descriptive and i couldn't help but being drawn to them. they're not completely pleasant ("mother, i can feel the soil falling over my head" from "i know it's over" or "to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die" from "there is a light that never goes out") but they're full of so much feeling and emotion. there's some unexpectedly catchiness in here. that upbeat tune in "frankly, mr. shankly" or "cemetry gates" grabs your attention, despite the darker subject matter. it's interesting to pair a weird song like "vicar in a tutu" with a beat that's bumpin'. somehow the album flows well, a credit to marr. some songs here were great! some missed the mark for my own tastes, but half of the album was just so strong, strong enough that i already can't wait to listen to those songs again. i do love those heavy, emotional songs. oh yeah, following what other reviews have said: fuck morrissey.

i am excited when the day's album is a famous one! sometimes it doesn't live up to the hype, but bridge over troubled water does exceeds its reputation. this is an album where the hits are just as good as the non-singles. i was thrilled for "cecilia" and emotional over "bridge over troubled water" but wasn't expecting the intricacies of "the boxer" or even i'd find another folk album i enjoyed. the lyrics are, of course, a high point. i suppose that's guaranteed with an album paul simon took part in. but every song contained such beautiful lyrics. i am biased about "bridge over troubled water" but there's something to be said for is simplicity yet the lyrics contain such beauty. and i'm not sure anyone can deny simon's ability to use songs as a storytelling medium. i wasn't fully aware how many songs i knew from the muppet show! a lovely surprise.

ah, not a terrible album but not a terribly interesting one. i gave this album a few listens yet it just came across as boring. unfortunately, i don't even have much to comment on. to end positively, i certainly appreciate how the album title came about! i think it's a fitting and unique title.

i apologize for being a broken record but i am thrilled an album like this made this list! there are a ton of western albums on the list but other areas of the world are included, too. i hadn’t heard of this artist before, but i do know an artist’s final album released around the time of their death can be heavy and full of significance. i don’t think this album is an exception. i wish i understood the lyrics without a translation service, but i appreciate music with lyrics in another language. it leaves more to the imagination. savane is a beautiful album. while i wouldn’t typically call myself a fan of blues music, i enjoyed hearing the combination of blues with african music. the result is an intriguing listen. it’s very pleasant to the ears, and is a nice tribute to touré.

it seems silly to write that the piano stood out for me on this album, considering it's elton john. but it did! it's no wonder his piano playing is so renowned and respected. the piano was beautiful and commanding in every song. the piano in "tiny dancer" (while a great song) is what allows the listener to become destroyed. and i must bring up bernie taupin! elton gets a lot of well deserved credit, but this album is filled with beautiful lyrics. while the "madman across the water" song has a soaring piano, the lyric of "is the nightmare really black/or are the windows painted" is what makes the song into an epic masterpiece. all this to say, john and taupin make a great team. a super enjoyable listen.

my goodness. no denying the catchiness of ac/dc's songs! that opening guitar riff to "highway to hell" is unmistakable and can bring a dead man back to life. ac/dc, in their last album with bon scott, is at the top of their game here. every song is so solid. the non-singles go just as hard as their hits. there, uh, is a certain topic that all songs here revolve around, to say it delicately. easy to figure out what was on their mind, just like all of the eighties bands who followed in ac/dc's footsteps. but the truth is despite the consistent subject matter, every song is a banger. i don't know how they made it work so well! scott's grizzly voice and the fact that each guitar, drums, bass are relentless, and mutt lange's producing, of course.

this type of music that the lemonheads had here was very popular in the early nineties, but i'm not hearing much that's intriguing to my ears. musically, "the turnpike down" was the most interesting number here! and i enjoy the album title; it definitely grabs attention. i do enjoy simon and garfunkel, so the cover of "mrs. robinson" was appreciated. lyrics weren't too different, though "confetti"'s did grab me. unfortunately, this will just be a forgettable album as part of this project. not bad, not great, but nothing to make it stand out.

i'll start this review by saying i absolutely recognize the significance and influence nirvana had and still has. i agree in utero should be on this albums list! i'm just not a huge fan of their music. upon listening to this album, i've realized a lot of it has to do with kurt cobain's voice. in many songs, i couldn't hear many of his lyrics because his voice was so much softer than the music! that's my personal preference and that was his choice to sing that way. and i didn't care very much for when he screamed instead of sang. ah, i suppose that's grunge for you. the drums by dave grohl were just excellent. he completely controlled the songs via drums. and cobain's guitar could be very powerful. in some parts of the album, nirvana even edged close to heavy rock/metal. the lyrics were authentic and real. so this to say, i grew in my respect for nirvana, i did find a song i enjoyed, and i learned more about nirvana, but. i think a 3 is the best i can do.

beyonce is one of those artists that i have always wanted to explore, and i'm thrilled to get the opportunity here. the album is autobiographical at times, which is fitting for a self-titled album. including those audio clips of her childhood/past was a brilliant choice. not to mention, "***flawless" includes such an important message--the spoken word verse!! i love owning and celebrating sexuality via "partition." it's so empowering. "pretty hurts," as the album opener, discusses happiness and beauty standards. beyonce works hard to cover some important topics here. for someone who can sing as she does, it's a shame there's so many produced sounds. i wish her voice was allowed to stand more on its own. regardless, her voice is beautiful here. but i suppose with the produced sounds, the album is full of a lot of fun. as a side note, it's fascinating to see how many of these songs have a cultural impact!

i was not expecting such a cool album. so rarely have we had an album full of this amount and this level of cool. it's full of creative, unique sounds and not repetitive at all. there's a variety of softer and bouncy, fun songs. with the minimal vocals (and i like how not every track has vocals), the electronic music is the focus! according to the wikipedia article, this album was a pioneer in house music and i can't say i'm surprised. barnes and daley put together such a fun album. looking forward to listening to this more and more.

this album was a calming listen. prine has an even voice, which definitely contributed to the overall easy feeling. it allowed him to tell stories within his songs and include a great political anti-war message. sometimes prine even included rather amusing lyrics (see the final few lines of “illegal smile”!). all in all, this album was a different kind of addition to this project. i enjoyed it!

this is an album that was so artfully created. a lot of effort went into this, and i so appreciate and respect it. i knew a little of janelle monáe's music before, but now i really understand all of the hype behind her. she deserves it. and i do love a concept album, especially since monáe doesn't beat you over the head with that fact. progressive soul is an interesting genre to use, and monáe does it well though she does float around. but despite that, the album is seamless, flowing from one song into another. a majority of these songs are catchy as hell. some of them (especially "tightrope" and "come alive" and many others) grabbed me, and i couldn't get away from them. the hooks are strong. i'm a sucker for "clair de lune," so when "say you'll go" included its melody, i nearly had a breakdown. the song used a popular melody without depending on it. it makes for a beautiful song. the suites are a perfect touch to start each cd, and are quite beautiful regardless. including classical music? i love it. when she has the opportunity to belt out a song, get out of the way. when she raps, she's brilliant and so fast. honestly, there isn't a bad song on this album or any musical decision that was bad. i'm looking forward to listening to monáe's other music to hear the entirety of the metropolis story.

some of this album is forgettable and maybe even boring, but the second half of the album is special. i'd argue the piano's presence here is what allows the album to be beautiful and unique. there are quite a few songs that are "epic"--sometimes it's the piano, sometimes it's a nine minute song, sometimes there's a classical edge. but i really enjoyed the second half of the album. bernard butler's piano in "the 2 of us" was perfect.

perhaps one of the most interesting albums (so far) on this list! i definitely see how influential this album was for electronic music. it was nice, but i began listening when i felt a little sleepy--not my smartest move. there were some times where the distortion was just a little too weird? i respect the art but it was just okay in the end.

what? what did i listen to? i’m not entirely sure this is art or even music. the reoccurring whispering was awful and grating to my ears. it was plain weird and not in the charming way. there was a nice piano solo, but uh. that’s all. i respect frank zappa a lot both personally and professionally, but this was one of the worst albums on this list. i just have so many questions for zappa. i’ll never get them answered. but thank goodness he moved away from the kazoo in this album. i can say the personnel notes were the most amusing i have ever seen.

a nice mix of punk and new wave. their lyrics were weird at times, but i suppose i couldn't doubt how punk they were. they definitely did open the whole album with the lyric "someday i'm going to smack your face." their songs were quite catchy, which is reminiscent of punk at this time in the late seventies. but all in all, nothing too memorable.

the first thought with this album is that it's definitely different from david bowie's typical music that made him famous in the seventies. bowie's last album being full of dark, experimental music across multiple genres seems rather fitting. to open the album with a nearly ten minute track is more of bowie's daring. the distortion of "blackstar" stuck out to me, and it must've been such a purposeful choice. the album's final two songs, "dollar days" and "i can't give everything away," contain some poignant lyrics and remind the listener that this was bowie's last album.

one thing this list of albums takes into account is albums that contain very different genres! but sometimes the result is not good. i was apprehensive about a combination of folk and punk and suspected it would be grating, but instead it was good and interesting. it was an even mix and didn't lean too hard in one direction. i was definitely impressed with how frequently his songs obviously reference a political message. not only that, but quite a range of political topics! some even seem early for 1986. folk and punk have a long history of using music as a medium for a political message, and briggs leaned into it.

one of the coolest albums on this list so far. with albums only providing an audio experience, it's harder to string together a story or theme, unlike other forms of media. but you wouldn't think so with this album! david holmes did a great job using only electronic sounds and minimal, intermittent dialogue to create a story. it comes as no surprise to me that holmes has created the music for many movies and tv shows after listening to this album. i recognized holmes' name instantly because i am absolutely obsessed with the ocean's franchise, and it was such a treat to hear some of the ocean's soundtrack in this album ("gritty shaker", "rodney yates") in a slightly different format. i can have a small easter egg, as a treat. and the james bond number was an interesting homage, too!

color me impressed! first, sepultura goes *so* hard in every single song--it's hard to imagine them being any more metal than they are. they aren't music to relax to, but damn, it's some good rage music. but the inclusion of their brazilian heritage is what stands out! the combination of the two is absolutely marvelous. there have been previous albums on this list or otherwise that have borrowed (a not so nice word is stolen) musical influences, themes, instruments, styles, etc. from other native cultures. but as far as i can tell, sepultura created this album respectfully with the brazillian indigenous people's encouragement. the influence isn't over the top, but the chants, flutes, forest sounds every so often add to the general ambience. it took me several hours after listening to this album to realize i am reminded of system of a down! that's a wonderful compliment in my world. i'm looking forward to coming back to this album again! 🤘

this is the kind of music elvis' voice was perfect for! i mean, he excelled in a lot of areas musically, but there's something lovely about his voice and how well it suits southern soul/blues/country. he brings such a tender quality to these songs. i'm glad an album of elvis' made this list when it doesn't contain the sound he was most well known for.

pink floyd has an ability to make their extremely long songs sound very short. they take you on a beautiful experience, and every second is full of amazing music. they do use their lyrics to make a point or message (which are noble!), but i couldn't care less about what roger waters wrote (okay i do). the actual music is the best part of this album! i can't think of a single aspect that is lacking. as a fan of musicals, i love when musical themes repeat. the iconic diamond melody is beautiful and peppered throughout the album to give it a cohesive sound. there are a lot of little touches that make this album stand out. the barely there sound effects--wind, soft laughter, tv static, and so on--aren't overdone. the variety of instruments and how the instruments were used stands out, too. the timpani instrument in "welcome to the machine" creates the beat, and i swear it feels like a heartbeat pounding away. this album easily stands as one of the most influential, forefront progressive rock albums. it's incredible from start to finish, and it's so easy to lose yourself in the music. really, for being experimental, the album sounds so beautiful. i'm happy to add it to my 5 stars and my regular album rotation.

i really like britney spears as a person and a singer! i think she sings well and has great songs. this album, however, was rather lacking. it's overproduced in a word. this album was created to appeal to the youth instead of creating music for the sake of creating music, which is exactly how we wound up with a song like "email my heart"--yikes! that isn't to say there aren't good songs. the album starts out so strong with "... baby one more time", "(you drive me) crazy", and "sometimes". those are three amazing songs and are still so good in 2023. the rest of the album falls off so quickly and becomes forgettable drivel. it's unfortunate. that leaves me with an in between score of a 3; i would give a 5 for the opening tracks, but the rest of the tracks bring it down to a 3. of course i have to mention max martin. he's amazing with creating pop music, and it's no surprise his stamp is on this album but most notably the opening track. side note: it's possible to not like britney spears/this album and not dunk on the fact she's a woman.

thus far, this 1001 albums list has not contained very much ska--which is already a genre that gets ignored too often. but this is some original ska, before it took off in the nineties and aughts. but more than that, fishbone did some creative work with playing ska with metal an funk, starting off from the opening track being a cover. i'd describe many of these songs as snappy. it's gotta be the trumpet's frequent and dominating presence! the trombone and saxophone helps, too. there's a lot of smoothness here, too. even though there's some metal in here, the album still comes across as a smooth and easy listen. something this album excelled in was making every song creative and original. it never felt repetitive, boring, or stagnant.

this album is another new wave album that i didn't quite care for as part of this project. i initially considered myself a fan of new wave, but i must be picky with that genre, more than i realized. tears for fears' sound isn't bad, and they can indeed make music--but this album was underwhelming to me. a point in their favor is that it was an easy listen. but perhaps too easy, since i found myself bored.

what an album opener! "faith" remains a classic, a huge hit, and its acclaim is well deserved today. if this album was full of "faith" on repeat, i wouldn't be upset and it would easily get a 5 rating. but this album contains more than just "faith," and it's disappointing and i'm disappointed it's disappointing. i listened to george michael's follow up album, "listen without prejudice, volume 1," before this album since it appeared for me first. i can't unknow what i already know and it's hard not to compare. that album has a lot of heart and strength. this album lacks the volume and emotion. after starting out so strong with "faith," there's only one other song that appealed to me. the rest wasn't noteworthy or thought provoking. i didn't even find the pop sound fun, like i do with wham!. very unfortunate.

this album is something else. everything that could have gone wrong before keith jarrett's performance did go wrong! but for me, someone who is musically untrained but enjoys music a lot, i couldn't have even predicted any of the backstage struggles and mishaps. jarrett gave a remarkable concert and every second sounds so beautiful! it's also hard to believe this was improvised, and there's only the piano for the entire concert! regardless of how the concert/album came to be, it is positively wonderful. it's easy to listen to, and the backstory makes it even more fascinating. well deserved spot on this list.

when multiple albums of an artist are on this list, we truly get a chance to hear the artist's musical progression. i previously listened to and adored their earlier album actually, and i was subsequently nervous that i wouldn't enjoy very on the same level. well, i shouldn't have been concerned! i absolutely love their music, end of sentence. the pet shop boys' usual synth pop sound is present here, but they've expanded. there's a techno-like sound on "a different point of view"--there's even a smidge of a smooth jazz in "to speak is a sin". and multiple songs here keep them on the disco train. this album is a great balance of pet shop boys staying synth but exploring other genres. i get some of the same vibes from actually, but very is able to stand on its own and be appreciated for itself. they've kept their heart on this album, too. the hidden track "postscript" is so tender despite its length. a good way to describe pet shop boys, i think, is beautifully melancholy. "dreaming of the queen" and "the theatre" follow that description. somehow, psb manage to use synth and disco to make music with such feeling. i definitely want to mention neil tennant's sexuality. i have always admired pet shop boys' gender neutral love songs; most artists just do not go that route. i believe it allows any gender, any sexuality to enjoy any song. i do think tennant's sexuality encourages him and chris lowe to write their songs in such a way. but really, only a queer person could write "liberation": "take my hand/don't think of obligations/now, right now/your love is liberation."

it is funny how when you grow up with a famous song like "sunshine of your love", you don't think too deeply about the song until you're prompted to like in this project. i didn't realize how psychedelic rock "sunshine" was, nor did i pay attention to how the guitar (clapton) and drums (baker) work so well together. "sunshine" is definitely the biggest hit of this album fifty-five years later, and what stood out to me was how the album was so very full of psychedelia. "sunshine" is a great song, yes, but this album flows so well. the psychedelic rock genre makes the whole listening journey smooth. but of course with a genre like that, there are bound to be some songs that are just too weird. i hope eric clapton doesn't take that to heart.

joan armatrading has a marvelous voice! what a treat to listen to her self-titled album. the songs here are soothing, as if she literally reached out of spotify, patted my hand, and told me everything will be okay. every song contains such unique, colorful lyrics, proving her ability as a songwriter. she bounces between heartbreaking ("down to zero") and desperately optimistic ("somebody who loves you") while requesting help ("save me") and remaining realistic ("help yourself"). while so many songs on this album are good, "join the boys" shows armatrading didn't shy away from a protest song. it's uplifting yet the opening lyric (or rather, rallying cry) asks, "are you for or against us?"

i didn’t find this album terribly creative or innovative. sure, it was the first of its kind in the trip hop genre, but it relied all too much on electronic music. it just didn’t grab me at all. i did get some slight prince vibes, but it was in the sense it was second rate. there was a certain male voice that was rather whiny, and not in a good way. i enjoyed the female voice (shara nelson, unless if i’m mistaken); she had quite a voice, one i must describe as alluring.

if i were to describe this album in one word, i would choose "immersive". what the cure excel at here is creating a uniform sound and feeling throughout the album. i found myself falling into the album as a result. that isn't an easy sensation to capture. this album screams moody teenager music--but in a positive way. it's got a modern feel despite being from 1980. the bass drove multiple songs with its heavy, crisp presence, almost overpowering.

this album is full of funk, plain and simple. there is creativity oozing out of very song! the vocals on "i want to take you higher" demand special attention; while the entire song is a banger, the combination of multiple band members singing and trading off the chorus is something beautiful. definitely the stand out of the album. sly and the family stone nearly end the album with a thirteen minute epic, "sex machine," and damn if i've ever heard a song so funky. and of course, like the other sly and the family stone album i've heard (the follow-up to stand!: there's a riot goin' on), great purpose was taken to have nearly every song contain a message. the influence this album had on prince is evident, too: the funk, combinations of unusual instruments, messages.

there is nothing as terrifying as staring up at the teacher leaning over the wall on the fourth floor of the rock and roll hall of fame in cleveland, ohio (please look up images on google if you're unfamiliar). growing up, i heard many of these songs on the classic rock station so a good half of the songs were already familiar to me. like other pink floyd works, this is an album best enjoyed as a whole. yet there are some absolute banger hidden gems! there were several new-to-me songs that instantly grabbed my attention. at the same time, the wall suffered the way too many double and triple albums do: it just went on for too long and could have used some tightening up. i certainly don't want to give too much credit to the record companies, but sometimes how they hold an artist back can be helpful. but clearly here pink floyd was so popular that they were given free reign. the album was incredibly commercially successful and relevant in pop culture, regardless. the main focus of this album is remarkable. in today's society, we talk much about mental illnesses and struggles, but this album must have been significant in 1979. it's still important today, so it's no surprise that it remains relatable to so many. an event or events causing enough trauma to build barriers to protect ourselves? that's something everyone can connect to. like my other review for pink floyd (wish you were here), i must mention how simply beautiful the music is. roger waters has such a magical touch, and every guitar strum and synthesizer key is perfect, even though i did say the album was bloated. focusing on the arrangement makes the album fly by. bob ezrin, who is responsible for some of alice cooper's most famous albums, was such an important part for the wall's creation and evolution. knowing how he puts together concept albums, i'm not surprised this album is still respected and adored. that dang repeated dial tone to tie the whole album together somehow creeps me out, even though it's just that: a dial tone!

uh, this album was decidedly not for me. it was a struggle to finish listening. i like new wave and i like punk, but devo's album missed the mark completely for me. it was just weird--maybe too punky? the only devo song i know, "whip it," is much more synth than punk, so that abrupt difference didn't help either. i do try to find a positive thing in every album: the heavy guitar sound ran the album.

ragged glory contains a different genre for neil young, while still containing some of his folk roots. some of this album was full of what i'd call jam sessions. there seemed like there were more than usual amount of instrumental interludes, and neil young just wanted to rock out with the crazy horse--which is not a bad thing! the guitar, bass, and drums are positively bangin'. i do think that young lost some of his spunk he had earlier in his career. granted, i don't know very much neil young music, but when most of the album is written by him, i assumed more political topics would have been covered. but none of us need to be political all the time, so that's just a passing note.

this album was randomly selected for me on october 31st, 2022, and this was during the time kanye west made several public anti-semetic comments, not to mention other public incidents in the last few months. i hardly know of any of west's music, and i typically do have difficulty separating music from the artist. the album was better than i thought it would've been. there were some troubling parts that did not endear me to west. but so much of it was catchy. west managed to combine such a soundscape into one album, and the album works as a whole, reminiscent of other well known concept albums. in particular i loved the line from "power": "no one man should have all that power."

for an artist and an album i had never heard before, they knocked my socks off! not to mention i hadn't heard of the genres jangle pop and college rock before. i was so pleasantly surprised. rattlesnakes was a lovely, soothing listen with tender lyrics. sometimes the lyrics veered off in a pretentious manner, almost like name dropping, but even lloyd cole later said he was embarrassed by some of the lyrics, so i won't hold it against this album. i feel a lot of similarities musically with this album and the smiths' the queen is dead--which is nothing against lloyd cole and the commotions, since rattlesnakes predated the queen is dead. it's definitely less weird, which probably means less punk, than the smiths.

i'm not sure if i've ever heard a studio recorded album contain such a concert environment. so many songs contained enough hype to impact the listener! several songs were created with that explicit purpose. several transition songs introduced certain group members, too. i love it! the goal of this album was, per public enemy, to mimic the level of social and political observation of marvin gaye's what's going on album. they certainly succeeded! their songs are filled with so many messages and thoughts, much of it about blackness. this could have easily been just as powerful of an album in 2022 as 1986. these two lyrics grabbed me: "five-o said, "freeze!" and i got numb/can i tell 'em that i never really had a gun?" (from "bring the noise") and "j. edgar hoover and he coulda proved to you/he had king and x set up" (from "party for your right to fight"). as a side note, as a result of their frequent samples in their songs, several songs contained beats that were just too repetitive. i do know i'm sensitive to sounds and find that sort of music unpleasant to the ears, and it did impact my overall listening pleasure. but hey, how interesting that a song on side B samples a song on side A!

that opening guitar riff is seared into my brain. it's one of the most iconic openings in all of music history! it's bangin', it's recognizable, it's lively. the riff was created by glen buxton, and it must be one of the most well known song intros. fun fact: the opening riff music notes are engraved on buxton's grave in clarion, iowa. truth be told, because "school's out" is such a classic and mind-blowing song, it overshadow rest of album. but with alice cooper as my favorite artist, i've listened to this album hundreds of times and i have such a soft spot for the rest of the album. the lyrics! alice cooper is one of my favorite songwriters, and too often i don't think he or the group gets their due. these lyrics are witty and enjoyable. some of it is dark in typical alice fashion. who doesn't enjoy the lyrics from "school's out"? this lyric from "blue turk" is actually one of my favorite lyrics ever: "tastes like roses on your breath/but graveyards on your soul." considering that the alice cooper group met in high school and this album is the group's second to last before their dissolution, this album reads like a tribute to their respective high schools in a musical format. so many of these songs are about school or reference cheating math tests. a song's title is even straight up "alma mater." i'm not sure if anyone could deny this is indeed a concept album. it isn't as tight as cooper's later solo albums but could possibly be the alice cooper group's most concept-y album. bob ezrin, notable producer of pink floyd, was definitely a contributor. "gutter cats vs. the jets" uses west side story (which uses the school theme as well), and of course the melody returns at the end of "grand finale." the final song of the album is even an instrumental!

this 1001 albums project has allowed me to learn more about myself and my music tastes, specifically that i don't like talking heads beyond their biggest hits. i admire the album's inspiration drawn from fela kuti, who i have enjoyed listening to as part of this project. incorporating musical elements from other cultures can be great if done respectfully and well. but despite this, the album just could not pique my interest. so many songs may have had a lot going but came across as monotone and boring. a lot of the album seemed too similar. i'm giving a 2 simply for the song "once in a lifetime." i did say i enjoyed their hits, so i will be fair.

from the very first beat of this album, the music leapt out of spotify and into the world. every single song comes across as cool, though that doesn't quite seem to cover it. these instrumentals are wonderful and vivid; they carry the entire album well and the minimal vocals don't even matter. because of how commanding the instrumentals are, it's kind of weird when a guest vocalist is on a track. electronica's foundation in disco is so clear here, too. the disco beat is undeniable! side note: this album is great to walk to, with a peppy beat in every song.

as i listen to more of tom waits' music, this much is clear: either you enjoy his vocals, or you don't. there is no in between. for myself, i absolutely love it. sometimes it's distorted and nearly unintelligible ("downtown"), but at other times, it's soft and tender (see "ruby's arms"). his voice choices are intentional and depends on the song. what a shame that tom waits' style doesn't allow his lyrics to be easily understood! the more you get used to his voice, the easier it is to understand. the lyrics within "mr. siegal" are so full and paint such a picture. "drivin' dangerous curves across the dirty sheets." but possibly the best lyrics on the album are in the ballad "ruby's arms." while simple, this song describes a heartbreaking departure between lovers. i feel like i'm there in the room with waits as he leaves. there was a fair amount of blues on this album. as someone who claims to not enjoy blues too often, i sure loved it here. like with anything, waits puts his spin on it. "heartattack and vine" is pure blues but the guitar drives the tempo hard. the "in shades" instrumental immediately follows and acts as a continuation but is more classic blues. as for the topics covered in the songs, there's that pure down-on-your-luck blues, "on the nickel". "'til the money runs out" and "mr. siegal" tell such stories, pure blues.

i found little remarkable about this album. i do believe it was early on the alternative scene, so its inclusion is notable. but nothing stands out to me. well that’s not necessarily the whole truth. “don’t” stood out because it’s one of the worst songs i have ever heard. screaming nonsense that hurt my ears and i have no remorse for my rating.

this album's genres are hard to pin down. punk always has a very distinct sound, so even though this album isn't pure punk, that comes to the forefront for me. despite the punk, darklands is very easy to listen to--i'd go so far to call it charming. there's just a general rock/pop vibe. "cherry came too" has such a sixties pop sound, similar to the beach boys. the jesus and mary chain explored and pushes genres, and it made for an enjoyable listen. 3.5

this album has a sound we've not heard much on this list. it's electronic, but it's different from kraftwerk and other electronic artists part of this project. not to mention it's such a newer sound, so i'm not surprised it came out in 2018. while it was a calming and easy listen, i couldn't get into it. it was just too little. this was not a terrible listen, but there wasn't enough to grab me. the vocals were straight forward and bland. also, yikes about how hookworms disbanded.

like a lot of hip hop, the roots touch on a lot of important topics in phrenology--including the choice of their album title. they weren't afraid to pull some punches in their lyrics. and something i absolutely loved was that "WAOK (ay) rollcall" provided the roots a way to honor and recognize the black musicians who came before them, many of which are on this 1001 albums list. however, including a song with the name of "pussy galore" was certainly a choice, and one that made me uncomfortable. but that's a recurring theme within a lot of music, so the roots aren't the only offender. all in all, i was left rather ambivalent. i admired some aspects of this album while being indifferent to the rest.

laura nyro was a brand new artist to me! i knew of her since she was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in 2012, but i hadn't sought out her music before. her spot on this list is worthy! in a word nyro is pop, but she has jazz and folk mixed in. nyro had an interesting voice; sometimes it can be very beautiful, like in a carole king style, and sometimes her voice isn't exactly "pretty." but that's reminiscent of the sixties, and i respect it. actually, this album is firmly in 1968 but i'm not surprised that musicians like elton john were influenced by it. i can hear similarities between nyro and carole king and other singer songwriters. 3.5

stereo's emperor tomato ketchup is unusual; for its 1996 release, it sounds like it could have been released in 2022. they use electronic to create light pop music, but they leave you with a psychedelia aftertaste. as i've mentioned in other reviews, i don't care too much for repetitiveness within songs. unfortunately, stereolab in their usage of looped sounds didn't exactly create music that was pleasing to my ears. sometimes there was enough happening in the song that it didn't bother me at least. this album title is one of the weirdest i have ever heard of. i get that they used the name of a film from 1971 but i still have questions for *somebody*.

i love this rockabilly fifties sound. i just do! it's charming and easy to listen and dance to. buddy holly and the crickets excelled at this sound: every single song contains a super catchy chorus. because of the short length, i listened to the album a few times in a row; before long, i was singing along easily. several of these songs became popular covers over the past sixty-five years, which does not surprise me. and finally, what a little treat to find out roy orbison was a contributing songwriter on two songs.

the offspring works within a genre that i didn't pay much attention to as a teenager, much to my adult self's disappointment. i can recognize now this album is great! i didn't realize how many songs i already knew. smash is definitely punk, but not as punk as other groups in the previous decade. i almost want to call this "fun punk"? it feels more commercial than other weird punk from the eighties. ska's also evident in this album; multiple aspects reminded me of no doubt. dexter holland's vocals aren't the clearest, enough to provide some gritty, punk feeling. if you take away the vocals, the guitar absolutely wails and is more of the rock genre.

right from the first few notes of "gotta get up," i knew how pleasant and lovely this album was going to be! it's a charming and easy listen. there's nothing complicated here! i adore it, and i listened to it at least six times before writing a review. "without you" is the cornerstone of the album: it's beautiful and grabs at your heart, and nilsson's voice is so tender. i couldn't determine if it was on purpose, but i noticed multiple songs had an interesting intro. the stalled car sound in "driving along" or the heart thumping in "jump into the fire". also--what an absolutely cute album title in "nilsson schmilsson"!

a word that comes to mind after listening to this album is bland. it's not bad but not very interesting either. i get a bit of a smiths vibe, but the go-betweens didn't write as clever or charming lyrics as the smiths. i'm not sure this album deserves to be on this list. yes, it was some early indie/alternative music, but eh. one thing i am trying to determine is why the the harmonica was used.

what stands out most on this album is the instrumentals! they are positively beautiful. the guitar on "samba pa ti" or the keyboards on "incident at neshabur" or even the percussion on "el nicoya"--that wasn't an instrumental, but i stand by it. the latin element is present and delightful. abraxas was fun, plain and simple. santana created music that stood on its own without vocals. i've gone through over 200 albums on this project so far. world music is lacking. abraxas was refreshing and provided a different kind of sound that we haven't heard yet. i had a lot of fun while listening to this album!

this album took longer for me to get into than born in the u.s.a, which surprised me when i was coming into this album with excitement. i grew to understand how it's considered some of bruce's finest work: the working class focus, the deep lyrics, the guitar riffs. there are some bluesy aspects here, but it's mostly classic the boss' rock and roll. that being said, while i did come to enjoy and respect darkness on the edge of town, there was something lacking and i couldn't come to love it.

the dark side of the moon is similar to the other two pink floyd albums i've reviewed so far: wish you were here and the wall. the specific, reoccurring sounds (the heartbeat, money clinking, the laugh, etc.) tie the whole album together, like a concept album but also like a musical. the songs flow into one another with such ease, which makes me regret ever having heard pink floyd on the radio (aka out of order and incomplete). roger waters' lyrics are just as beautiful and poignant. the thought behind such songs like "money." what makes the dark side of the moon different is how hard pink floyd leaned into the progressive. there was more experimentation, specifically the keyboards. there's also this psychedelia feel, which makes sense in 1973. several songs created such a colorful visual in my head.

there is a word that sums up this album: power. SAULT speaks to a lot of important topics facing our world today, and they deal with heavy subject matter. it is not lost on me that this album was released during the summer of 2020. i am sure that's the same for most listeners; if you aren't paying attention to the lyrics, then the album cover will force you to understand. but "stop dem" literally has vocals shouting, "stop dem" and "don't shoot us"--how could it be any clearer their intent? but on this album there is still joy; it's a celebration about being black while fighting. with twenty tracks at 56 minutes, SAULT created untitled (black is) with a heck of a lot of genres. wikipedia has this album listed as soul, r&b, and funk--all of which are true, but there are world music, techno, and pop fifties sounds as well. a well rounded album.

as a lou reed fan, white light/white heat was a disappointment. it's made up of the kind of experimental music i don't enjoy and don't find a lot of interest in. there were periods that consisted only of discordant keyboard smashing. i can understand the significance and influence on punk music, and its release in '67 was much earlier than other punk music. but i just didn't enjoy this. one positive is the storytelling in "the gift." yes, it's weird but intriguing. i don't think i've heard a song like this before. the storytelling was performed dryly by john cale, and it isn't too surprising it was written by lou reed.

alice in chains is an artist whose music i only know from the radio--so only their biggest hits. i enjoyed what i knew, but i wasn't quite prepared for this album. alice in chains go so hard! every song is different yet masterfully crafted. dirt is a great combination of metal and grunge; it's gritty and it's dark. there is a heavy purpose in the songs combined with meaningful lyrics. while a lot of their songs have a focus on drugs, there's a lot of relatability regardless of your drug status. "hate to feel" must be about heroin ("pin cushion medicine") but covers the pain someone can feel at any given time ("hate to see (wish i couldn't see at all)/hate to feel (wish i couldn't feel at all)"). and alice in chains shows somewhat of a softer side--as much as you can with grunge and metal, anyway. "down in a hole" isn't soft per se, but as one of the softer songs on the album, its lyrics hit home and are beautifully written. it's no surprise this song endures to this day. there hasn't been as much metal on this list as there probably should be. dirt is definitely a prime album and its place on this list is well deserved. i will definitely enjoy listening to this album more and more.

curtis mayfield's super fly is so smooth! it's easy to listen to, and the whole album flows so well that it's hard to tell where the album ends if you have it on repeat. super fly has soul and funk while remaining pleasant and easy to the listener. with instrumentals dispersed throughout, super fly is balanced. earlier on this 1001 list, i listened to fishbone's "truth and soul," which contained a cover of "freddie's dead." it's nice to see a song come full circle! i enjoyed hearing the mayfield's original version; both versions are still rather funky but have their own strengths.

evermore is my first real foray into taylor swift's music, and it is breathtakingly beautiful. the album can be surprisingly simple at times, like with only a piano accompanying swift's voice. no song is overdone or contains "too much." every song is given exactly what it needs. the whole album is really an emotional journey. swift creates such an atmosphere that lingers throughout the album, so that it flows easily. there's a reason swift is so well known as a songwriter. evermore, unshockingly, is very lyric heavy. but this isn't different from her other musical works, from what i know about swift. she can create such a world within one song. she uses symbolism but it isn't overdone.

i don't know what to really talk about in my review, partly because this is the first time i've listened to queens of the stone age for more than one song and because queens' style is unlike anything i have ever heard before. they createD such a unique sound. the instrumentals are amazing--the drums seem to always, always stand out, but the guitar is well done, too. they get a little weird at times, like at the end of "i was a teenage hand model" with static and other noise and it isn't always great. but on the whole, a great listen.

this album didn't do much for me. deep purple played their biggest hits with extended jam sessions--which could be interesting, for a time. but that's also deep purple's M.O.: progressive music! performing live allows creativity and it's what every artist dreams of. for some reason, there appeared to be rather limited audience reaction? i suppose that's something uncontrollable, no matter how hyped an artist is, but it's interesting this japan concert was chosen for the album release. the sound quality for live shows in 1972 is good at least!

spiritualized's lazer guided melodies was overall interesting, but eh. i was surprised it was released in 1992 when it has such a modern sound. spiritualized did create a very ambient album that was relatively easy to listen to. i was surprised when there were vocals on these tracks. the vocals weren't bad but they didn't add much. the focus was on the actual music in the end, and the vocals could almost be distracting at times.

what a curious album this is! some vocals use an autotune-like device (back in 1998! 👵), and sometimes vocals are completely absent. regardless, the vocals here are purposeful when they are used; air knows their strengths lay in their instrumentals. air created instrumentals that match their titles perfectly. this album is 100% dream pop, yes, but it's more than that. there's some seventies soul, a little jazz, electronica. it's an easy listen but i still found myself so intrigued so i paid a lot of attention. 3.5

this is my third pixies album as part of this project, and i suppose my third album cements the fact that i consider them just okay. i can, however, see some influence: they sound like an early version of green day in some of their songs. they've also got a late seventies/early eighties punk vibe, like the clash. some of the songs could be snappy and carry a good tune, but then some of the lyrics just fell flat. also, noise pop is apparently just uninteresting to me; making loud noises for the sake of being loud? no thank you. 2.5.

honestly? kanye's an antisemite jerk whose music i don't want to write about. i listened to the album and it's fine. influential? sure. but i don't care.

i grew up in the nineties when nick @ nite aired old reruns of the monkees show. my mom adored them growing up, and headquarters was in fact her favorite monkees' album. i've never stopped loving the monkees. some bias may show here, but i'll show good reason for it! headquarters is different from the monkees' previous albums. not only are peter and michael's vocals featured more, but the overall quality is better and feels more authentically monkees. this album isn't as breezy and light as their first two albums but instead contains more substance. the monkees were given more creative control for this album, which is unmistakable when comparing their albums. more than half of the album is written by at least one monkee, along with the usual tommy boyce and bobby hart additions. i will plug the delightful opening lyrics from "my sunny girlfriend" written by nesmith: "she owns and operates/her own sunshine factory". not to mention, for a band that was created simply for a tv show and not because they could play instruments, the four of them creating the "band 6" instrumental is monumental as an inclusion. as mentioned before, headquarters has more depth. there are some sweet, slow songs ("shades of gray", "early morning blues and greens"), but you have the typical monkees humor ("zilch", "randy scouse git" - and i swear you can hear micky's laughter in the back of "no time") and your love songs for davy and his girlfriend of the week ("i can't get her off my mind"). sure, it's a similar formula, but more meaning is contained within than before. headquarters is the first monkees' album to balance all members without relying only on micky and davy's vocals. if anyone is slighted, it is peter; later albums show how soft and beautiful his voice on songs could be. there's a reason why "shades of gray" stands out on this album. but for mike to have three (!) songs he wrote and sang included, that shows the monkees' personal influence. don't get me wrong: headquarters is brilliant and enjoyable, but i love all monkees' music. regardless of the album or the song, a smile always finds its way to my face when listening to them. one of the easiest 5s i've ever given.

michael franti had a lot to say here! every song had such a purpose and even bordered on educational. this album is different from the other hip hop i have seen on this list so far; public enemy and n.w.a. have included meaningful lyrics but nowhere near the scale on hypocrisy. the genres itself were interesting as well. hip hop, for sure, but there was some jazz that popped in here and there. like, that trumpet?! it was a good mixture and different from others on this list. as a side note, the disposable heroes of hiphoprisy is a great artist name.

i have listened to three pixies albums so far; all were okay but didn't stand out that much. i wasn't even aware they were successful enough to have their frontman go solo! and i'm not entirely sure why. this music is fine but doesn't stand out so much and isn't as good as the pixies. the lyrics are unimaginative. it even seems unnecessarily long; it wasn't like frank black had that much to say so i don't know why teenager of the year is over an hour long. for what it's worth, the guitar was quite good here.

in his early career, leonard cohen created music very folk-y; his sound reminds me a lot of bob dylan. i don't care very much for dylan, but i do enjoy cohen's later music that contains more than just the folk element. i suppose that's why i'm in the middle with my vote. folk does allow the songwriting focus, which is where cohen always excelled. his music style changed over the years, but his songwriting has the same quality. it's just as raw and evocative here. i suppose the best example of that is "famous blue raincoat," and it's no wonder it became so legendary. but also worthy of mention is "avalanche": it has the most beautiful violin in the background that adds perfectly to his voice and acoustic guitar. "diamonds in the mine" might be the most unusual one here; i'm not sure i've heard a cohen song where his voice is so gritty. but his tendency to use backup women singers to contrast with his voice began in the beginning of his career! but, throughout it all, cohen uses his storytelling skill to create great lyrics.

i enjoyed ice cube's the predator more than other hip hop of the late eighties/early nineties. i am, in the spirit of all honesty, white, and i do wonder the correlation with the actual music more accessible/enjoyable. but there's still other troubling matters; for all of ice cube's focus on racial matters, the misogyny is easily evident. some of this album comes across as personal when ice cube uses media/audio clips (though some are perhaps fake for the sake of his narrative?) to guide the listener through the album. malcom x's appearance seems particularly well placed toward the end of the album. ice cube created "we had to tear this muthafucka up" in response to the trial of the rodney king beatings, all in the same year, 1992. "who got the camera?" seems sort of ahead of its time, considering how crucial cameras on phones became after michael brown's murder in 2014. ice cube made a strong statement with this album for all those reasons, but the misogyny damages it.

bruce springsteen's rock is, on the whole, very easy to listen to. it can be quite calming, even when about heavy topics like here. the fact this album came to be because of 9/11 is no surprise, but it's more than that. this album surpasses any tragedy or disaster. springsteen wrote some beautiful, impactful lyrics that can be and are applicable to other situations; it isn't confined to any borders. the rising isn't about the tragedy itself but rather the aftermath. we can't control tragedies, but we can control our reactions. 3.5

while i know of and enjoy the byrds, i hadn't known of gene clark before listening. this album came out of left field and knocked me out. the more i listen, the more i become upset i hadn't heard of him and that this album was a failure for its first fifteen years of existence. it is quite striking! it's easy listening. while clark uses several genres, he never leans too far in any one genre to pigeonhole himself. it makes for a smooth, mellow ride. and the lyrics? they are so beautiful! clark put a lot of work into this album, and i'm so glad i could listen to and appreciate it.

this album must be one of the most unique albums on this list. i was excited for my favorite beastie boys song ("sabotage"), but this album is so much more than that. "sabotage" barely begins to cover the diversity and depth the beastie boys included in ill communication. there's their usual punk and rap, but the jazz and funk aspects are a surprising yet delightful change of pace. the few instrumentals are also a fascinating listen. the violin is so eerie in "eugene's lament"! the flute in "flute loop"? unexpected instruments but with great results. the whole album seems oozing with creativity while being lots of fun, which is what the beastie boys do best.

themed albums don't seem to make this 1001 albums list very often, based on my experience from the last 235 albums. most of these songs have become, since their release in 1963, the definitive version! to me, that knowledge solidified this album's importance, even if it was produced by phil spector. his idea of using a handful of musical acts to sing several classic songs is so simple, yet it worked brilliantly. each group sings in such a charming way; it's hard not to smile when listening. a lovely christmas treat, even if the "random" generator stopped functioning properly on december 23rd.

i'm torn on this album. i know some random songs of david bowie, sometimes big hits and sometimes not, and a fair amount about him and his music. but i'm not the biggest fan. as such, the album wasn't amazing to me, but i can still appreciate bowie's creation and c-c-c-changes (i couldn't not). "life on mars?" in particular shows bowie's evolution toward ziggy stardust; it's a soaring epic with intense lyrics. in fact, it sounds like it belongs on that album more than hunky dory! 2.5

there haven't been many blues albums on this list, but that means the albums that do make the cut have something extra about them. well, this live album performed by muddy waters is something special. the audience in 1960 maybe wasn't as vocally loud as other live albums here, but their excitement in their clapping and call-and-response is evident. while waters' voice isn't as clear due to quality, his joy of singing is infectious. waters is a common influence among the most popular rock and roll musicians, so much so that he's frequently listed as an influence for those inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in addition to be inducted himself as an early influence in 1987. listening to this album, when i hadn't listened to much of waters beforehand, made this clear to me. several of these songs written by waters have been covered and have become concert staples for other artists. the peppy riffs in "i'm your hoochie coochie man" are early rock if i've ever heard it!

o.g. original gangster is one of the better gangsta rap albums that i've heard as part of this project. that being said, it could definitely have been tightened up. 76 minutes seemed all too long, even though ice t commented on important subjects. that, to me, is this album's biggest weak point. well, the misogyny isn't great either, but that has been part of all of the gangster rap of the late eighties and early nineties thus far. i enjoyed the various methods ice t used to get a point across: a public service announcement, an interview, a news bulletin. it allowed him to directly speak to the listener. the best part was the opening of "body count," where ice t all but chastises listeners if they limit themselves in music--and then he proceeds to bang out a great rock and punk song. that was the standout of the album, and allowed ice t to flex his music muscles.

there have been a handful of instrumental only albums so far. in a word, this is ethereal. it's an incredibly easy listen; its beauty forces you to slow down, relax. there are no rough or discordant sounds. everything stylized by jarre is done to bring peace to the listener. this album was incredibly ahead of its time with being released in december 1976. there's a timeless aspect about this album; it feels like it was simultaneously created in the seventies, eighties, nineties, and now. the synthesizer and electric sounds were delightfully eighties! the space sounds had a slight E.L.O. feel to them, but perhaps that's what makes the album as a whole sound so timeless.

since i left you contains a lot of sampledelia; i've mentioned this before, but suffice to say, sometimes i worry sampling shows more of a lack of creativity and doesn't allow an artist to create their own music. the songs that didn't rely too much on sampling other pieces of work were better. the album alternated between easy listening and dance music, an interesting combination. there were some noises early in the album that were incredibly jarring and unpleasant. all in all, a forgettable listen.

aladdin sane is my third bowie album as part of this project, with lots more sure to come, and i immediately find myself admiring how different his music was throughout the decades. the biggest component of aladdin sane is definitely the piano provided by mike garson. the piano is on every track and drives the music often. i’m not so sure how glam this album was, in the long run. it’s a toned down version of other glam rock in the eighties, but you do have to walk before you can crawl.

grateful dead are easy listening! there's a country charm within american beauty, and i can't help but ease back as i listen. it's folk rock, which is much easier for me to digest than plain folk. their lyrics aren't too complicated, their melodies simple. sometimes their songs blended together as a result, but i can't complain too much. it made for such a lovely listen.

d'angelo's brown sugar is incredibly smooth. all songs were of the same build: some funk, some soul, lots of romance. it ended up sounding rather one note. this sometimes happens to an album that spurred a large music trend. without a doubt, d'angelo influenced r&b for the late nineties. i was heavily reminded of prince during some of this whole album. even moreso when i discovered d'angelo created these songs in their entirety almost completely by himself! i admire the creation decision and dedication. outside of that, the musical similarities to prince were too much. the album came across was unoriginal as a result. not terrible sounding, but there was only ever one prince.

this album was an exercise in restraint. there were some god awful sounds throughout the album, like that loud static noise?! the lead singer, jeff tweedy, has an unremarkable voice that even sometimes sounds like pure whining. those sorts of things soured me on the rest of the album very quickly. wilco did get something right: "heavy metal drummer" is the best song on this album. it's cute, charming, and there are no awful sounds on it. unfortunately, what that means to me is that wilco is capable of creating good, enjoyable music but chooses not to.

the amount of punk within franz ferdinand's self-titled album took me by surprise! their punk is catchy, too--you just need to listen to "take me out" once to agree. musically, the drums absolutely stood out the most throughout the album. the lyrics were witty, creative, and created some good imagery. some of the album seemed to meld together and could be lackluster, which was surprising considering how much of a banger "take me out" is. 2.5

admittedly, i don't know very much about hip hop, but i know outkast's stankonia wasn't typical hip hop, especially compared to what i've heard thus far on this project. sure, it had the rapping and good beats! but it was a breath of fresh air in comparison to other hip hop albums--especially because of the purposeful lack of misogyny here. the satire song "we luv deez hoez" was amusing for that reason. progressive rap isn't exactly a common genre, and outkast might be one of the few to make it sound good. and to combine it with funk? wow! i found every song to be a creative endeavor. outkast didn't rely just on rapping for their vocals (though it is clear especially in "b.o.b." that they are talented rappers!), and that choice allows the album to not feel stale. at 73 minutes it is a long listen, but with the different genres and vocals, the time is well spent. and like many other hip hop albums, outkast chooses important subjects for their songs. "gasoline dreams" stood out to me for that reason with its lyrics. that being said, i've found myself interested in this album in a few different ways. upon repeat listens, there's more and more to notice. it's well done and deserving of its place here. but for me? it just isn't something i'd revisit frequently. a 3.5 as a compromise.

boston hit the nail on the head so accurately right out of the gate in their debut album. side a is filled with solid gold bangers, and side b doesn’t suffer like many albums do with stellar hits. side b holds its own! there are no duds, only jams. boston’s lyrics and vocals can be powerful—but the guitar? the drums? the keyboards?? they’re all given a time to shine on this album with their own solos. some of these guitar riffs are some of the most famous out there! their instrumentals, notably but definitely not restricted to “foreplay”, are beautiful and go so hard. the second half of “smokin’”? wow! there are no boring or lazy components to be found.

at mister kelly's was a charming album. small details can go a long way: the falling R on the album cover, the introduction on the first song about the entire audience being mercury recording artists for the night, vaughan needing to find "a key" in the beginning of "willow weep for me". it was extremely easy to listen to this album. vaughan had a lovely voice and sings these songs beautifully with her backing band. but i suppose it was a little too easy because the songs melted into one another. there was nothing bad about this album; it just didn't have much to make it stand out.

i found myself unimpressed with this album. i wanted to be fair to this album when the artist is beyonce's sister. while solange discusses empowerment and injustice and other worthy topics, the music itself is just okay. not that it's bad! it's that beautiful soul music with an updated edge with some great funk. but it isn't memorable. every song left my head as soon as it ended. as a final note, i don't care for the decision to include interludes that were not performed by solange. they were all written by solange, unless if i'm mistaken, so it is her perspective. but i wanted to hear her voice--it's her album, after all.

i had a hell of a lot of fun listening to this album! it's maybe over the top, potentially cheesy, but who cares when you're having this amount of fun?? these choruses are extremely catchy--i dare you not to sing along. this album is one that's meant to be enjoyed as a whole. jim steinman, the composer, made sure of that. each song by itself is a soaring, epic masterpiece. together, all songs could almost be overwhelming--but there's also this whimsical feel, like meat loaf and steinman didn't take themselves too seriously. the piano and saxophone are beautiful intermittent touches. not to mention, meat loaf is actually a good singer! this album couldn't work without that talent. when he holds the notes at the end of "for crying out loud" or "bat out of hell," oof!

it's always fascinating when an artist releases their debut album and knew exactly at that moment what they wanted to do. this self-titled album contains that very psychedelic rock sound that the doors cultivated. i knew a good amount of these songs already, due to my upbringing on classic rock radio, but i was struck how progressive the doors could be. most of their songs are under or around three minutes, but their two longer songs show their intrigue in experimentation. the keyboard instrumental in "light my fire" is a perfect example of this. mostly, psychedelic rock isn't for me. it's kind of too weird for me! the doors' hits are undoubtedly good, but with the non-hits being too different to enjoy, sometimes i wonder if i don't like them as much because i did not live through the sixties. no matter--still a worthy entry to this albums project.

i certainly didn't expect this type of music out of a band called "the electric prunes." i found a lot of similarities between the monkees--unfortunately in how the prunes didn't get much of an opportunity to play their own music and create their own lyrics. this album has the same feel as the early monkees albums, too. it's rather simplistic and straightforward. too many songs were lyrically not bad, but the opening lyric was the title of the song. overall pop-y and easy to listen to, but not super engaging.

somehow the divine comedy's casanova comes across as pretentious, like they're trying too hard. i'm not sure if this is because i'm an american and band is british. but even though the music isn't bad, i'm left with such a sour taste in my mouth and i find it hard to enjoy much of the music. in the spirit of saying something positive: i liked the usage of several melodies from classical songs interspersed throughout. and the backing orchestra can be quite beautiful! it's pleasant enough, but overall, eh.

this is an album that surprised me! it sounded fresh for 1989, even though it came in at the end of the eighties with lots of synthesizers. there was some good variety and even some dance songs were included, but it stayed easy and smooth enough. and there were some cute rhymes in here! before i knew it, i had listened to this album a few times over.

oh, wow. i really liked this! neon bible was beautiful, especially whenever unusual instruments popped up. "my body is a cage" utilizing the organ took the album's end to such heights. the lyrics can be moody (typical of indie music in the aughts!) but heartfelt. the album's theme was an interesting focus; i'm not sure if there's another album that covers television preachers like this. "neon bible" and "(antichrist television blues)" drive arcade fire's point home. if the album is to have any weakness, most songs do blend into one another. but i find it hard to mind when the album is breathtaking. i struggled to write this review, but i didn't mind listening to this album over and over.

all music is intrinsically art by nature, but some albums, such as de-loused in the comatorium, are so purposefully made that you are smacked in the face. since it's progressive music, the album can be jarring at times but it isn't overwhelmingly so. overall the sound is better when it's not so distorted or discordant--but that is their style so i won't split hairs. progressive metal is definitely not a common genre, but whenever an artist utilizes progressive music, they must be top notch musically. volta's drums and guitar stood out multiple times--and imagine my surprise discovering flea was the bassist for most tracks here! the lyrics are strong and well crafted. the mars volta is a band with a vocalist (cedric bixler-zavala) who is incredibly well-suited for this kind of music. 3.5

sufjan stevens' illinois is very dense. i get that's kind of the standard for his indie folk music, but i can't really say i enjoyed much of it. i did find it varied. "jacksonville" started off with the most beautiful violins, but then we have a banjo quickly thrown into the mix. quite a lot of instruments were included. it's lyric heavy in the sense that it's so hard to focus when stevens is coming at you with so much. while i enjoy concept albums, it's just *too much* at the end of the day.

this album feels like a mix between black sabbath's usual sound and led zepplin, which also makes it sound very much from 1970. it's got a classic rock feel and you have progressive moments the second an instrumental part begins playing. the bass sometimes had a gritty sound, and the drums and guitar were positively jamming. and speaking of instrumentals, that album opening is absolutely aces. if an artist's debut album is going to catch anybody's attention, you need to do it like black sabbath. definitely a debut album that's enjoyable, but it felt like something was missing--perhaps because i know some of black sabbath's later career. still a worthy listen. 3.5

1989, when this album was released, was quite an interesting place for music in hindsight. the eighties and rock and roll were winding down, and metal and alternative were about to blow up. after listening, it's no surprise when this album was released. it has an eighties touch but it's facing forward, especially with the metal. i heard some similarities with pantera and system of a down, and i have no doubt that faith no more served as some influence. there's a pinch of hip hop in here, too, so again forward facing to the gangster rap of the early nineties. overall, one of the most unusual albums part of this project but an enjoyable one.

what i know of supertramp is their catchy hits! i knew a few songs here beforehand (i wasn't even aware i knew "bloody well right"!), but crime of the century is missing that catchy earworm aspect that makes supertramp so fun to listen to. so while it's far from bad, crime of the century shows supertramp was definitely working up to their usual sound. they were more progressive here than their big later hits, so much so that i felt that this was an off brand pink floyd. and the horns popping up or the harmonica opening a song? not bad at all.

despite sheer heart attack being an early queen album, it contains that usual queen charm. it also contains the great glam and hard rock sound they were known for! sheer heart attack is their third album but is the first album to contain one of their biggest hits, which happened to be "killer queen". as such, most of this album was new for me. it was incredibly enjoyable, and i had no problem listening to this album multiple times. if i had to pick one instrument from this album, it is undoubtedly the guitar. brian may absolutely KILLS the guitar during multiple tracks. opening the album with "brighton rock" and that guitar, wow! but also, "bring back that leroy brown" is somehow catchy yet weird. the instruments used in that song were an unusual combination but it turned out good. i guess that's queen in a nutshell! freddie mercury is synonymous with queen since he was their frontman, but it's lovely to hear other band mates' voices, too.

thus far, one of the least enjoyable albums in this list. i couldn't find much remarkable about this album. it was an exercise in patience when there was mindless screaming or feedback noises. i can't tell if i found it boring when i actively disliked it? but i can say it was unimpressive.

cloud nine didn't contain the kind of music the temptations are known for, but they're hard to pin down because throughout their long history, they have moved around genres often. i was surprised how funky and soulful this album was. the temptations' cover of "heard it through the grapevine" startled me, as someone who is so used to marvin gaye's own cover. i found it fascinating how the temptations created their version. while it was rather pleasant to listen to, it lacked that spark in other temptations' music. i couldn't get too excited, though i do enjoy the temptations a lot.

eh. warehouse: songs and stories was an okay album that didn't wasn't remarkable. it wasn't bad music but the lyrics were just okay, the vocalist wasn't impressive, and the music was fine. this album was released in the age of hair metal. if i put money on when this album was released, it would be the mid nineties, not 1987. is this album on the list because it was ahead of its time? i guess, but ehhh.

stevie wonder's talking book is positively beautiful. wonder bounces around a few genres: his signature soul, funk inspired by the seventies--there's even a folk-like song. it's a good mix! in multiple tracks, wonder's voice is full of emotion, resulting in tender songs. his piano definitely adds to these songs. he creates such smooth songs and all of a sudden i have tears in my eyes during multiple songs. an enjoyable listen, well deserving of its spot here. 4.5

the la's self-titled album was more punk than i was expecting when when wikipedia listed the genres as pop and rock. not much stood out to me on this album. though it wasn't bad, it wasn't great--not even deserving of a 3, i think. it wasn't jarring, to its credit, and it was easy enough to listen to. but a little too even without anything interesting to jump out.

i've hit a point in my reviews that i'm tired of using the word unremarkable so i've begun using an online thesaurus. pere ubu's dub housing is unexceptional and pointless at best. i can sort of understand its importance in punk history, but whatever. there's better punk out there. and i'm tired of hearing so many distorted noises for no purpose!

some of this album was startlingly beautiful. the drums in "exiles", or the violin in "larks' tongue in aspic (part i)"--they could make such beautiful music! but then a lot of it was weird. i'm not sure what the purpose was to make the violin sound abysmally terrible. and some of it was just average: it didn't stand out too much but most wasn't awful to my ears. i guess i just have some questions to ask of king crimson. a polite 2.5.

i've previously listened to a prior album of the cure's, seventeen seconds, as part of this list. the cure has more of an evolved sound here, and they do more, too. they're still dark, but there's more depth in general, notably in their lyrics. and of course there's "love song," and it's no wonder it's still such a well known song often covered. i do think this is an album i would've enjoyed more as a teenager. the cure create good music, but this album didn't hit so much for me at my current age. so a 3 to show i respect and value this album's place on this list but it's an album not for me.

this was an unusual album! overall it was peaceful, ethereal. there's a sci fi element, too--which has definitely been done before, but with the muted and easy tone of the album, the combination is what made it unique. somehow the entire album had this muted tone, like it always felt farther away as you reached. that allowed the album to be cohesive. spiritualized went in a lot of different directions but didn't lean too much in one direction, yet that muted sense connected the album together. as mentioned, spiritualized did a lot here but not in an overly ambitious way that causes an album to be too muddled. "ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space" sampled elvis. they have a fair amount of instrumental numbers, almost bordering on progressive. not to mention the range of instruments used. the horns and saxophones were used well--ok, almost. while i'm sure there was a thematic purpose for the discordant noises during the end of "no god only religion," i don't know if the ends were worth the means. and that instrumental title was accurate and descriptive, which is something i always enjoy. and even when i first listened to "broken heart," i felt my stomach drop because of the title's accuracy. there was a splash of punk, too. dr. john making an appearance is a great, unexpected addition. i found this to be a unique album, but i'm finding it very difficult to rate fairly. there were some ups and downs, but in general it was a smooth listen.

sade's diamond life was absolutely a pleasant and smooth listen. the jazz undertones, especially with that horn (!), is what made for such a smooth ride. there were no bad songs, because it was such easy listening. but at the same time it made for good background music, it was too uniform and it blended too much together. i wish there was something to make it stand out more. ultimately, an average album.

at first, i thought this would just be yet another weird electronic album i couldn't get into. but oh no, the album cover is racist as hell! i guess asian cultures are considered strange, because the world is euro-centric due to some ignorant brit making music in the UK? not to mention, calling it strange and then pointedly using asian instruments in your music isn't a great way to go, my guy. i try include something positive about an album: i do find enjoyment in asian music in general, and i did enjoy the usage of various asian instruments. but william orbit can fuck right off, because you know this wasn't done respectfully. i don't agree with this album's place on this list at all.

haut de gamme / koweït, rive gauche was a refreshing listen. i have lamented the lack of world music part of this project, so koffi olomide's presence is very appreciated. but despite my excitement, i want to be fair in my review. this album was quite fun. the beat was fast but playful. it could be soulful, or deep with african music, or even encouraging the listener to dance along. this album makes for a good introduction to this kind of music, and it's no wonder olomide is so well known in all of africa. 3.5

i must include a disclaimer that i am not a huge fan of folk music. but here, joan baez has a positively beautiful, soulful voice. it's commanding yet not overbearing as baez weaves her stories. it's hard to get a voice so sweet but strong, but she sure is perfect for the folk genre. i admire the desire to include a spanish song here, which couldn't have been easy to convince the record company of in 1960. even for someone who isn't well versed with folk music, i can recognize the importance and influence baez still has to today. i certainly respect and appreciate her music, but i couldn't get completely into it--and i did enjoy this more than other folk music!

i suppose if i had put any thought into it, i would have realized that elvis presley's debut album would absolutely be included in this list. if there's one album that single-handedly changed the trajectory of american music as we know it, well--here you go! the biggest takeaway was how often artists covered other songs in the fifties. this is something i knew before, of course. and that's just how the industry was then. i can't single elvis out, either. i can enjoy different versions of songs, but sometimes i desire a little something more than just another cover. regardless, elvis' debut album is enjoyable. it's a quick listen that's entertaining without a ton of focus required. he had his legendary voice here. sure, this album is entirely based in rock 'n' roll, but luckily there's enough to distinguish the songs. the little bit of rockabilly keeps things interesting!

a girl called dusty was a wonderful first album for dusty springfield. it was full of covers, but dusty had such a charming voice and presence that i didn't mind. if a new artist can make covers sound new and different, then it's a great testament to their talent. despite recording songs from a variety of lyricists, the album flowed together well. that's that easy fifties/sixties pop for you! of course, i'd be remiss not to point out the bacharach/david creations--always beautiful, regardless of the vocalist, but dusty does bring something special to those songs. also, "my coloring book" (written by ebb and kander) has that same spark. dusty's voice is tender, and she took me by surprise here. streisand who?

this is an okay album. it can fade to the background too easily and thus become forgettable. it could be interesting at times, like with the use of a harmonica or piano. the lyrics weren't anything unique. the album became uniform quickly without much to distinguish, or intrigue. for what it's worth, i enjoy the album cover and title--it creates a good vibe.

i listened to this album quite a few times in the hope that i would love this, but i only like it. it's far from bad. the drums, bass, and guitar are all well done. some of these riffs or solos!? damn. the vocals didn't impress me as much. the music itself seemed to drown out the vocals. i guess that's grunge? so the vocals weren't bad necessarily but i wish more emphasis was on them. but despite my non-preference for billy corgan's voice, he is a great lyricist. there's a personal touch within these lyrics, and corgan laid himself bare for the sake of these songs. all in all, the album is just okay. the vocals soured me some but i can appreciate other aspects.

a disclaimer: kanye is antisemitic. i don't believe in separating the art from the artist because the artist creates art from their worldview. but i did listen to this album, which was my third of his so far, because i want to be thorough. some of this album could be catchy. some of it could also be too repetitive for me to enjoy. it wasn't as long as the other two albums i've heard; kanye was able to be succinct while still getting his message across. and he made some very good choices--using a "strange fruit" sample in "blood on the leaves" is brilliant. his use of electronic separates this album from the other two, and i wasn't surprised to see daft punk's name all over. i'm not a fan of the racism in his lyrics, either. i find it hard to vote for this. i've given him a 1 before on the basis of who he is. he's lucky he isn't getting a solid 1 from me.

my fourth leonard cohen album on this list! songs of leonard cohen is his debut album (you can't say the album's title wasn't apt). i am hearing a lot of similarity between bob dylan and leonard cohen here. songs of leonard cohen was released in 1967, arguably in dylan's hay day. this album is straight folk, plain and simple. instead of focusing on the political like dylan, cohen focuses on love and religion. as with other leonard cohen albums, what truly stands out is the songwriting. (of course, that's what just happens in folk music.) throughout his entire life, he was able to use beautiful imagery to create such a lifelike world. it's lovely to see his ability in full force in his debut album. my suspicion is that he was heavy-handed in the lyrics here, especially in comparison to later albums, but i can't fault a debut album. cohen makes for easy listening, in a way. it isn't jarring and is easy on your ears, even if the lyrics are dark and his voice isn't smooth. some of the album is too similar to itself; when i initially listened, i thought the album restarted when i was halfway through. i've said before in my reviews i'm not generally a fan of folk music, but leonard cohen makes folk so bearable. 3.5

an interesting album! this is an album that was created with such purpose and a clear vision. i don't believe i know of another album that features so much dialogue from multiple movies! the dialogue is used in such a smart way to craft a story. the lyrics could do that on their own (and i do think the lyrics are strong), but using the dialogue strengthens gza's message with such ease. and while i can't pretend to be a hip hop aficionado, i can say that i found myself impressed with gza's lyrics. he rhymes well and the lyrics contain such a message. this was an album that impressed me and was good for what it was, but not something i'd probably put on again.

eehhh??? this is an album that somebody on this earth must enjoy, perhaps only robert dimery, but it isn't me. these are extremely short songs, and the album has a relatively short runtime. it lacked substance as a result. it's punk by the music and the runtime length, but this comes across as another founding punk album that allowed other musicians to excel after them.

i do find it amusing that inside of one week, i get two solo albums of wu-tang clan members when i hadn't gotten them before. i do enjoy other wu-tang clan members showing up in multiple songs! overall, i found myself unimpressed. some of these beats were absolutely great. i definitely think this album went for too long; i don't know why it is nine minutes over an hour. i can't comment on the fact if it was that influential or meaningful of an album. i don't know if it deserves a spot here. i suspect it's uncreative but not bad. i've definitely heard actual garbage on this list, and raekwon's only built 4 cuban linx was not garbage.

this is not my first neil young album on this list, but i finally arrived at the conclusion that i don't enjoy his voice very much. this album isn't bad but perhaps lackluster. the instrumentals can be good, which i respect. everybody knows this is nowhere is mellow and relatively easy listening. but it couldn't excite me, and it really comes down to young's voice. i have enjoyed some music by young (when i'm distracted by the message or there is more music happening), but i think this was just too mellow and isn't quite the neil young i enjoy.

after listing to this album, is it any wonder b.b. king is such a legend? he's the blueprint. the masterpiece. no one can or did do it like him. there's so many wonderful things about this album. live albums, in order to be great, must have a magical connection. his presence can be felt through the album, even though we're only receiving audio of the concert. the audience is LIVING for king, and he's even encouraging us to whoop and holler fifty years later. he brings all thirty-five minutes to life, and none of it is boring. but that's just about the live aspect here. musically, it's amazing. b.b. king makes this so easy to listen to. his guitar playing is beautiful and impactful. he hits the right notes, every time, and i felt it in my bones. he alternates between blues and jazz and there's a touch of latin in there. nothing is boring or tired. the sax and piano seem to come in at the exact right time. i do hope b.b. king has more albums on this list, but damn can any of them be as good as this? can anybody's live album top this? i don't think so.

this is my second album of the smiths. i'm struck by how calm the smiths' punk is when compared to the punk of the late seventies and early eighties. it certainly has a moody edge, though. the smiths do go harder in some songs, but nowhere near the level of, say, the clash or the ramones. the album comes across as inconsistent. it can be catchy with witty lyrics, but flat at other times. johnny marr's guitar playing is absolutely on point, though. "barbarism begins at home"? killer. some of meat is murder comes across as holier-than-thou. i know how much of an asshat morrissey is, and clearly we can see him showing his pretentious jerk colors just by these lyrics from 1984. i mean, my god, "meat is murder" is absolutely over the top and unnecessary, morrissey. don't you know you can catch more flies with honey?

what this album did was prove to me that preconceived notions don't do us any good. i made the error of reading the wikipedia article before listening. i was sure peggy suicide would be pretentious art rock or a wannabe pink floyd, and that i would be bored and unimpressed. that was not the case! this album was refreshingly different. julian cope dabbled in so many genres--punk, rock, pop, a little jazz, and more i'm sure i didn't catch. calling this album art rock is limiting, really. cope as the primary lyricist is able to make quite a statement with these songs. the choice of a chorus singing all lyrics in "western front 1992 c.e." is bold. i wish i knew more about u.k. politics, because "each day we get closer to the big bad fire" in "double vegetarian" seems rather poignant. within "drive, she said," two sets of lyrics grab me: "she shouts, screaming down, over cities and towns, 'i have rights!'" and "yeah, we could crawl, but i'd rather drive, she said." 1991 was a quieter time, relatively, for women's rights, but i too want to go fast for societal progress. and that's only a handful of songs! this album could still be considered too long at 75 minutes, but i didn't find myself bored much. cope's ability to make every song unique helped in that regard.

i can't say anything about adele's voice that hasn't already been said. stunning, exquisite, lovely. we know this. but what stuck out was how very well suited she was for these songs. talk about playing to your strengths. every time she holds a note, i shiver. every song allowed her to showcase her voice! these are emotional songs, and you can really hear that emotion thick in her voice every time she opens her mouth. it's no wonder she became a sensation after this album. this album has songs that are similar enough they flow in and out of each other but contain enough different elements to distinguish. the piano accompaniment to adele's voice is crucial and beautiful. "set fire to the rain" allows adele to take her power back. the final line of "rumour has it" contains a twist: "but rumor has it he's the one i'm leaving you for" after the song's beat pounds throughout. the album ends with a heart wrenching yet optimistic ballad, "someone like you." together, all songs create such an atmosphere and controls your every emotion. there isn't a bad song among the bunch. on a final note, i absolutely loved what she did with the cover of "lovesong." it's eerie, like the original, but slower. her vocals pack the punch in her version, instead of the background music. i think i might even prefer her version now!

it's so weird how easy the byrds are to listen to when they're folk rock. i don't care for folk rock much! but the byrds have a bubblegum pop twist to their folk rock, and it's so palatable. i thought maybe initially this wasn't much of a groundbreaking album, but that thought was because after this album's release in 1965, the byrds' style became so popular and reused. i know this style, because i've heard it so many times before! regardless of its influence, mr. tambourine man is good. it can come across as simple sometimes, because of how easy it is to listen along. but upon further analysis, the byrds have plenty happening in each song. "mr. tambourine man" is a catchy song to grab you as you begin the album. gene clark, for his first songwriting forays, created charming, pleasant songs, even if one of them happens to be breakup song "i'll feel a whole lot better." this, combined with covering bob dylan's impactful songs to make them a heck of a lot better, makes for a great album, especially a debut. a small easter egg: george harrison used a guitar riff from "the bells of rhymney" into his song "if i needed someone." i cannot imagine the feeling of being a brand new band, and someone like george uses your guitar riff.

this album is completely different from david bowie's biggest hits and the albums i've heard of his thus far on this list. bowie leans into an experimental electronic sound here. while he had always gravitated into a different/unusual sort of sound, the music found on low is nowhere near his usual glam rock. in addition, a good chunk of these songs are simply instrumentals. to be honest, what bowie excelled at here was the instrumentals! the songs containing lyrics were okay but forgettable. the instrumentals are a weird mix of eerie and serene. a little space age-y. it keeps you on your toes. i admire artists who over their careers frequently changed their sound and played around with different kinds of music, good or bad. bowie's low landed in the good category. i was surprised by the change in sound with this album--and i enjoy it more than other bowie albums. i kind of wish there were no vocals, especially since the instrumentals are so impactful on their own. still a 3, though.

jimi hendrix was just a guy who enjoyed rocking out! what i kept thinking about is that jimi hendrix has been held up as a rock god for decades at this point, and still his sound is so unique. electric ladyland is a double album, and typically i find double albums' length unnecessary. not here. hendrix found a way to make all four sides unique with combining psychedelia, funk (!), rock, soul. the many guitar solos! and when songs' time extends into double digits, i didn't care. this album is a listen it's easy to lose yourself in. several songs here are all-time classics. i wasn't expecting several covers to be included, but he definitely makes them his own. only listen to "all along the watchtower" to be convinced. but he keeps the listener guessing. "little miss strange" is such a easy sixties song, more akin to the beach boys or the beatles, not jimi hendrix. most songs are more of hendrix's signature sound, but i like curveballs.

vespertine was a different kind of album than what's typically part of this list. i found it interesting, but i didn't like it very much. while i'm unfamiliar with björk, i can say that this style in this album isn't very common. i was amazed to learn the driving aspect of this album was to create music that functioned well when downloaded and listened on a computer! the choices to make the album electronic and ethereal--and so quiet!--as a result were pretty cool. that being said, eh. as much as i respect her, i found björk's voice grating at times and it quickly soured me. i did try to focus on the instrumentals, which used a variety of instruments to create an unusual sound, but she sang quite often. it could have very well have been too artsy for me.

what an absolutely beautiful voice joni mitchell has. the style of music in hejira (soothing, folk, story telling lyrics) compliments her voice. most of the album is relatively slow, though the album opener "coyote" has her playing and singing at a faster pace. there's a fair amount happening in each song, but it's easy to listen whether focused or not. like a lot of singer songwriters, mitchell's lyrics aren't overwhelmed by the music. her voice is so clear. and every song contains such expansive lyrics! she creates such vivid pictures. pulling from her own life, mitchell touches on variety of experiences, but travel and journeys are the biggest recurring theme. i feel like i'm with mitchell in her "blue motel room". all of this together allows hejira to come off as effortless, though i know it was anything but. a lovely, calming listen, especially for a friday.

buffalo springfield again by, you guessed it, buffalo springfield was an okay album. a nice, easy listen, but not something i'd seek out often. it doesn't even sound much like their biggest song! overall, it's folk-y but not overwhelmingly so. the banjo isn't used excessively. most of the songs don't sound very much like one another. "expecting to fly" is a sweet song with minimal accompaniment. "good time boy" is probably the most fun and funky song here. sometimes springfield goes surprisingly hard, like "mr. soul"--i didn't know buffalo springfield could do that. i realize they are still rather easy listening; i am aware they are not heavy metal. i didn't know much of buffalo springfield before today, but i realized how equal of a band they were. songwriting, yes, but most importantly vocals were spread throughout the group. i have to admit i like it!

this was absolutely a charming, easy album. i could hear similarities between artists like tom petty and the heartbreakers or lynyrd skynyrd, but still not quite the same. the roots rock genre is a real back to basics genre. the fact that rod stewart made sure to include several covers to accompany his originals shows he's giving a nod to the roots of rock and roll. i want to call this album simplistic, but then rod stewart threw in the mandolin into the mix--and "mandolin wind" is so beautiful! it isn't simplistic at all. the intro to "maggie" may proves that easily enough, or even the quick inclusion of "amazing grace". i probably mention this too often in my reviews, but i'm always impressed when an album is so uniform. it's a smooth ride, and stewart has the covers weave seamlessly with his original songs. nothing is out of place. on a final note, i knew "maggie may" was originally a b-side, but gosh it goes to show you how baffling music can be.

this album was plain fun! little richard brought a lot of energy to this album. his intensity comes through despite the slightly coarse quality, though the album does not suffer due to sound quality. this album was was a mix of rock and roll and rhythm and blues. there are the usual instruments, bass, guitar, drums, but the inclusion of horns and piano! little richard set a lot of standards with these songs, and inspired many as a result. for me, it's easy to hear the impact this had on prince's music--especially in the voice! interestingly, multiple songs on this album used the same, if not similar, arrangement and structure of "tutti frutti."

a fun and charming album--and not just the actual music, but the album title and cover were cute, too. the go-go's have a lot of pep in their new wave sound. there aren't a ton of sharp edges like in other punk bands of this time, but their fast speed makes up for it. and it was catchy! the choruses were undeniably crafted well. for a band that formed on happenstance, the go-go's seem rather put together while furthering a new sound. this was before the synth of the eighties, and not as punk or new wave as blondie. carlisle's vocals lend themselves to the punk genre. she doesn't come through clearly, and that works for new wave, too. 3.5

i'm not entirely sure i have heard anything like bill callahan's sometimes i wish we were an eagle before. calling this country is so limiting. there are a lot of country elements, yes, but then callahan will throw in beautiful string instruments or a tinkling piano, or use a south asian-like sound to start and begin "the wind and the dove." both aren't commonly found in country or folk music. he ends his album with "faith/void" to examine and disregard god while finding his own peace. his musical choices come across as bold. an unexpectedly enjoyable album. it took a few listens to enjoy and appreciate it. i continually find new aspects the more i listen. 3.5

i am lead to believe that steve earle's guitar town was groundbreaking in terms of country and rock coming together. most times, i didn't find myself that impressed, but it's of course different listening to something in 1986 than 2023. it was easy enough to listen to! it could be catchy at times. i do enjoy witty lyrics, and earle's songs could contain clever lines. earle even leaned into the hick side of country rock, even going so far to create a song named "hillbilly highway." you gotta embrace who you are! 2.5

can you imagine listening to this album for the very first time, and the opening track "respect" absolutely knocks you off your feet? wow! this is a beautiful album. aretha franklin had the most heavenly voice, and she's absolutely wonderful here. her voice is so well suited for these songs. these songs are silky smooth and her voice is like honey on top. what stands out is how accessible this is. this is soul music sung by a black woman, and it's just so darn easy to listen to. something shocking is the track listing. two dynamite songs bookend the album: otis redding's "respect" (which she undoubtedly made her own) and sam cooke's "a change is gonna come" (considering more people know of her version than cooke's, she did the same here, too). there are good songs in between, but nothing comes close to the power those two have. not to mention, it isn't easy at all to create the most popular or well regarded version of a damn good cover.

i can appreciate fatboy slim's you've come a long way, baby with its creativity and its place on this list. some tracks i enjoyed more than others; i think the ones i didn't enjoy just fell into the category of too weird. electronic music can allow the artist to explore the bounds of music, and i think fatboy slim was able to do so. the album is electronic, but there's a funk or rap feel throughout. he was able to make each song pretty catchy, to boot.

i can't imagine how ambitious of a project it is to finish an album from several decades ago! music changed a lot in those 30 years. but brian wilson managed to catch the same beach boys sound in their later years, including their lean towards experimental. i found that showed itself through the variety of instruments used. wilson used the early beach boys' sound of playful pop, too. "heroes and villians" is a good example of this! of course, like the beach boys, some of this was just too on the nose for me. i don't need to hear wind chimes in a song titled "wind chimes." but i realize i'm being grumpy--i'll refrain from telling kids to get off my lawn. also, there are some small easter eggs. i'm not the biggest beach boys fan so there were some that i missed, but hearing a light melody of "good vibrations" in "song for children" was adorable. i think that's a nice treat for the fans after so many years of an unfinished album, in addition to covering the beach boys' biggest hit toward the album close. anyway, this album convinced me that the beach boys were primarily driven by brian wilson.

my absolute first thought about this album was that its album cover looks like a picasso. pink moon by nick drake absolutely does not sound like folk from 1971. i've listened to folk from the late sixties and early seventies as part of this project, and this album doesn't sound like it at all. i think part of it is drake's vocals. his voice is so gentle and calm, absolutely nothing like bob dylan, joan baez, leonard cohen, or neil young. i can't help but wonder about the guitar. it is an acoustic guitar, commonly used in folk music, but it doesn't sound as abrasive. perhaps the music production did something? regardless, i found pink moon to be a relaxing listen based on the mellow tone. there's not much accompaniment aside from the guitar (and the piano on one song). sometimes it's nice to have a lot happening in music, but here the music softens the listening experience. it's delightful. sometimes the lyrics are on the darker side, or they can be very minimal. but there's something about the presentation that forces you to pay attention. i must think it's telling on drake's last album before he died, his last song "from the morning" is an optimistic song.

david ackles' american gothic was country with jazz interspersed. some songs even sounded rather orchestral! other times, it was minimal, like with only a piano joining his voice. i enjoyed the mix. ackles enjoyed telling stories through his lyrics--he always had something to sing. i was left with such a feeling of homesickness. ackles keyed into so many emotions without being over the top. his lyrics were the key part of that, too. the whole album had a serene, wistful sense, and it hit a head when it came to "waiting for the moving van" toward the end of the album. "oh, california!" had a jaunty country attitude as ackles described an exciting return journey. "another friday night" puts you firmly by a campfire when camping with that opening harmonica. "love's enough," which absolutely took my breath away, was a softly beautiful song and described the beginnings of love. hymn-like "family band" was the oddball of this album, but with the memories of his family celebrating their faith together. i found myself reminded of leonard cohen, but not the music from his early career. cohen wasn't very country but was lyric heavy.

abba's music contains such energy. they are incredibly easy to listen to! arrival with its release in 1976 must have been an oddball. this was rock's heyday, and an album of such light pop and disco must have been unusual, even though it wasn't abba's first release. but there's a sense that abba is unashamedly having fun, and it leaves the listener with such joy--or at least it does with me! some lyrics here can be almost silly ("dum dum diddle"), but i can't bring myself to care much when there's "dancing queen" or "money, money, money," because listening to abba is all about having a good time. honestly, i couldn't stop listening to this album!

this is a difficult album to review. upon my listen, i realized there were a lot of aspects in coldplay's music that are like candy to me. this album is moody, emotional, beautiful. musically, it's positively brilliant. but there was some sort of disconnect, and i couldn't click with this album. is it possible that "the scientist" over-hyped coldplay for me? maybe. i mean, i couldn't tell you how many times i heard coldplay's "the scientist" in a tv how or movie. it remains a beautiful, beautiful song and is the standout of this album.

this album was a stark disappointment to the chili peppers' earlier album, blood sugar sex magik. i do try not to compare either previous or future albums, but i was so looking forward to this album that i cannot help but feel some dissatisfaction. in some ways, this album seems like almost a caricature of bssm instead of standing on its own. that doesn't mean that californication was bad, but boy did that second half of the album fall flat quickly. on the plus side, "road trippin'" absolutely saves the second half from ruin. i'm not quite sure what it is. even when rhcp are at their weirdest, their songs can be so catchy and i can't resist loving them regardless. but i couldn't get behind "purple stain" or "i liked dirt." i enjoy their funk more, that's for sure. i think, with this album's shift toward alternative rock, it wasn't so much for me and my tastes. still, for all of my negative aspects, there were some really great bangers here, and they made up for considerable lost ground. 3.5

this was a breath of fresh air! manu chao's clandestino is an easy, fun listen. it's different from other albums on this list by the virtue of it being world music (which is just too vague of a term!). but i enjoyed some incorporations of hip hop and electronic music. the concept of this album is cool and is, i think, the reason why it comes across as so fresh. traveling to different locations to record music on a laptop might be a very 1998 thing to do, but i enjoyed it anyway. 3.5

i'm a sucker for dusty springfield's voice! her biggest hit, "son of a preacher man," is on this album, and ugh is it a scene stealer. it's so easy to sing along, and dusty even veers a little into country. it's a damn good catchy song; no wonder it's her biggest song. but as for her other songs, they are soulful and delightful. her tender voice is perfect for "the windmills of your mind" in particular, especially with the song's slow beginning. like other dusty albums, these songs are all written by others. dusty was choosy about the songs she recorded, which was wise considering (my personal philosophy of) covering songs in a unique way. i like the variety of song writers chosen here--though i am pleased to see carole king on there four times!

in some ways, this is very unlike typical beach boys but not. the beach boys' sound evolved as the years went on, as all artists do, but brian wilson's songwriting has a magic about it. after my first listen, it wasn't a big surprise to discover brian wilson was not heavily involved in this album. that fact is definitely to this album's detriment. i suppose carl wilson and the rest of the beach boys didn't necessarily do a bad job, but it's such an obvious change. surf's up mostly feels like some sort of beach boys caricature. i am compelled to say that "student demonstration time" is by far the standout of this album. this rock song is catchy on its own, but with mike love rewriting lyrics of "riot in cell block number 9" from 1954 to apply to the political and social unrest in 1970, it is incredibly powerful.

isaac hayes comin' through! this mostly instrumental album was an absolute pleasure. full of soul and funk and jazz, shaft was a smooth listen. the instrumentals flowed into one another, and damn there's something about hayes' voice in "theme from shaft." undeniably, this is a great, great album. the significance of the shaft movie, and by extension the movie, is not lost on me. i can respect a movie specifically geared towards black people in 1971, especially after the social and political upheaval in the sixties. this movie must have been part of blaxploitation, but that doesn't mean the soundtrack doesn't have ongoing significance. i am satisfied that a soulful black man made this memorable soundtrack.

what WAS this album?! i didn't hate oedipus schmoedipus, but i think i received whiplash. actually, i can say with confidence i enjoyed this. that being said, i'm not entirely sure what i listened to or how to write my review. this definitely is experimental, considering it sounds like nothing i've heard, but more evolved than a lot of other experimental music on this list. a fair amount of these songs were instrumentals! and there was a heavy amount of jazz throughout the album. there's "miles," an extremely jazz-y song (with such horns!), followed up by "dirty barry," which sounds like it's straight out of a horror film. "vermillion kisses" has a fairytale-like narrator. "the sweetest embrace" sounds like a tom waits song in lyrics, tone, and voice. "the vibes ain't nothin' but the vibes" contains a beautiful piano, a fake audience, and a narration deeply spoken so close to your ears--again, a little waits-like. "the big bamboozle" is a jazz song that could have been used in an ocean's eleven movie. with all of this, i don't know what adamson's end goal was, but at the end of the day, i had a good time listening to the different songs here.

i like lou reed in general. as part of this project, i was subjected to velvet underground's atrocious second album, and transformer is so much more palatable than that. there was some weirdness, but it wasn't overpowering. the quirks remind me of reed's punk origins. he leans more into rock on transformer, but he dips his toe into punk and pop, and jazz? i mean, i admired the tuba and saxophone inclusion on "goodnight ladies" but it was unusual on the album. i guess that ties back into punk, huh? reed's voice struck me. like some other musicians of this time period, they weren't strong singers--alice cooper comes to mind immediately. but these kinds of singers have unique voices and bring something different to their songs. in fact, reed's steady voice is perfect for slower songs like "perfect day" or "satellite of love." lyrics tend to be stronger, i think, for these kinds of musicians. the first few opening lines of "vicious" seems to prove that. 3.5

color me impressed! upon my listen, it was easy to hear similarities with nirvana and rage against the machine. it's a shame fugazi isn't as well known as those bands, considering they laid the stepping stones. i hear some more punk in this album than i typically do for alternative rock in the nineties. fugazi's repeater didn't blow me out of the water as something i'd listen to again, but i appreciated it. to include something specific and positive on this album: fugazi didn't waste a lot of time writing lyrics! that isn't necessarily a bad thing--we all can't be taylor swift. but some of it i enjoyed. the "every slip's not a slide" line from "reprovisional" was particularly poignant.

nick drake is an artist i had never heard of before the last month or so. his debut album five leaves left is my second album of his as part of this list. this was another immensely enjoyable album by nick drake. this is folk, but as i've said in my previous drake review, it's not like other folk music from 1969 or the surrounding years. there's more than just singing with an acoustic guitar. i want to call it accessible folk, if that makes any sense at all. what sets him apart, i think, is the delicate nature he uses to craft his songs. there's a somber tone throughout. drake's voice only adds to it. the songs are slow, lyrics morose, his voice steady. the piano and vibraphone together on "saturday sun" are beautiful, yes, but with those instruments combined in the final song, you're left with a more optimistic note. the lyrics and the subjects add the most to the somber tone, i think. he leans on nature/earth metaphors often, but then again, the album is called five leaves left. so many songs stood out to me, but since drake crafted three albums in his short lifetime to no critical acclaim, i enjoyed this line from "fruit tree": "they'll all know you were here when you're gone."

this is my second curtis mayfield album on this list. the first, superfly, was a notable soundtrack. while i enjoyed superfly, his there's no place like america today was more elevated. there's a considerable amount of funk on this album, and damn mayfield makes it so easy to listen to. funk is the most dominant, but mayfield incorporates jazz and soul, too. mayfield alternated between romantic songs, including religious undertones (and overtones, considering there's a song straight up called "jesus"), yet he begins and ends his album speaking of society in the mid-seventies. as a result the album comes across as grounded. but what's most important is that in the final song, mayfield makes a point to say, "i'm not givin' up, this little pride." the light-hearted songs don't distract from the message, which is hammered home by the album cover. as a prince fan, i can say some of these songs sounded like they could be from prince--in lyrics, in vocal range, musically. i almost always say that prince did or could it better, but i cannot in good conscious say that here. 4.5, rounding up.

melody a.m. is an album that stands out on this list. it felt like a film soundtrack in many parts. like, i swear one track sounded like it was from a forties noir movie! or another song would be something out of a horror flick. röyksopp is definitely wide ranging in their electronic music. when there were vocals in the songs, it seemed so out of place. it was, for what it's worth, easy enough to listen to, but it wasn't of too much interest to me.

there is such a thing as neil young fatigue. or is it harmonica fatigue? i suppose this is my first neil young solo album, though i've had 2 albums by neil young and crazy horse, 1 by crosby stills nash and young, and 1 by buffalo springfield. a lot of this album just wasn't my speed. there were some aspects that appealed to me--there were some instrumental sections in "speaking out" and "mellow my mind" that were beautiful. but somebody needs to get that darn harmonica away from young. and i suppose i don't care much for his voice, either. i can respect the driving force of the death of two friends of young's. in fact, i love the unabashed inspiration and grief. ah, sorry neil young.

the police's reggatta de blanc has one of their greatest and well known songs, "message in a bottle" and... not much else. i couldn't get much into it. this album has an interesting fusion of new wave and reggae, which definitely set the police apart. i like some reggae and some new wave, but not this combination.

i'm typically not a fan of electronica on this list, but lcd soundsystem's sound of silver was enjoyable at times for me. the repetitive nature of electronica can weigh me down, but outside of that, i recognize that the dance aspect of electronica set this album apart. dare i say some disco elements were used? if i were in a club (and not judging this album solely as part of this project), i would dig these songs! i would be dancing.

electric warrior contains the t. rex music i know. imagine my surprise discovering that this was their first glam rock album and had only done folk rock before! i hadn't known that t. rex was one of the pioneers of glam rock, either. like other artists early to a genre, they aren't as well known as others--david bowie is easily the most known. but t. rex created "get it on," so we're all winners here. as for the album, a lot of these songs are catchy. good hooks, easy to sing along with, but sometimes not entirely memorable. many songs seem to clump together. a lot of glam rock has to do with stage performance/presence, which doesn't come through the music as much, unless if you're david bowie or alice cooper. but there's some sort of attitude that does come through. i'm hearing some similarities with prince and david bowie, among others, so it's easy to see how influential electric warrior was. 3.5

tom waits is an artist who has created such drastically different music throughout his career! nighthawks at the diner is no exception. i've heard his jazz origins, and his later change to rock and experimentation. this is a jazz album but with an audience component. jazz music is perfect for intimate, live settings, so this combination makes sense. this album is full of waits' personality. he is charismatic and funny. the humor can be bawdy at times, or even contain terrible puns. with nearly every song written by tom waits, his usual wit is present, too. "emotional weather report" is clever when waits recounts his mental health difficulties in terms of weather terminology. in that sense, this album can be rather personal, and it does indeed feel like he's talking directly to the listener. of course i must give credit where credit is due. waits is only on the piano and guitar in addition to his vocals. his backing jazz band is absolutely fantastic throughout!

i don't think i can call myself a fan of björk, but i did like this more than her later album, vespertine. and i found myself more intrigued by this! debut shows a wider range of björk, which surprised me considering this was her first album. she alternates between peaceful and ambient to electronic dance music. and she throws in a touch of folk, and jazz! honestly, i realize i don't care very much for björk's voice. it's unfortunate, but that's how it is sometimes. 2.5 even though i enjoyed it more than vespertine.

whenever there's an album by an artist completely unknown to me, i do get nervous! i shouldn't have worried. anohni created a rather emotional album. it's honest and from the heart. the listener is taken on a journey to understand anohni's inner thoughts. like others, her vibrato sometimes bothered me, but the lyrics could be so beautiful that i didn't mind. the album has such purpose and anohni had such focus creating an impactful piece of art. some of this album contains rather famous musicians guesting. it almost seems weird that lou reed, a punk pioneer, would make an appearance, or some of the other musicians, but their presence fits well. and i always enjoy musicians stepping outside their comfort zones. lou reed's baritone voice opening "fistful of love" is perfect. i was reminded a lot of evanescence as i listened to i am a bird now. they are obviously more rock, but i was reminded of them in regards to the emotional level. sometimes, i was reminded of fifties pop. but mostly, antony and the johnsons created a unique sound found in i am a bird now.

the national's high violet is a very middle of the road album in my mind. in some ways, it was an easy listen because it didn't hold my attention and wasn't a challenging listen. i say challenging to mean doing something different or unexpected. there was minimal excitement. the album was even and steady in tone, and not a terrible listen, but it had such a bland and disconnected vibe. as a result, it wasn't very memorable or interesting for me. it wasn't catchy. i did enjoy the lyrics from "anyone's ghost"--i thought it was clever!

rock on, deep purple. i unfortunately thought that deep purple was overrated in my naivety, but these thirty-seven minutes have absolutely changed my mind. deep purple rocked their hardest on machine head. while i only knew two songs going in, i quickly realized that didn't matter. there was so much to enjoy and appreciate. each song has a significant instrumental section, and they are always unique and fascinating. also, that deep guitar opening "smoke on the water" melts your face off, which is just a statistical fact. with all of their instrumentals, they do come off sounding slightly progressive rock, which was just beginning to find its footing in 1972. with this album recorded in three weeks, there's a natural element found here. these songs don't contain quickly created, unpolished jam sessions. their instrumentals rock out hard and are polished but only to the point of still being natural. 4.5

bonnie raitt has an absolutely mesmerizing voice! some of these songs aren't the most memorable, but she brought her A game to every single song. her vocals are just amazing. similar artists to raitt's style here are springsteen or petty, but of course their vocal range is not like raitt's. most of this album is some country, blues, rock (just like springsteen and petty), but then some jazz tones are used unexpectedly (see "too soon to tell"). really, this was incredibly easy to listen and relax to. a lot of what i like about this album is bonnie herself! while most of the songs aren't her own, she's owning the music and herself. "nobody's girl," "i will not be denied," "the road's my middle name." the late eighties weren't the dark ages, but raitt's backbone and determination to create music in a man's world is seen and appreciated. and of course, say what you will about an album mostly full of cover songs, but one of her biggest songs is "nick of time," first on this album and an original song of hers.

i didn't hate this album until i got to "frankie teardrop." i understand what suicide was going for in this song, and i admire the story they were telling, but i really could have done without the blood curling screaming in my ear. on the bright side, this is better than the other proto-punk on this list! i enjoyed the mix of electronic/synth with punk. the music of "johnny" definitely grabbed my attention. suicide's self titled and debut album is definitely a creative venture. just--i wish they opted from including that screaming.

i'll be the first to admit that i generally don't care much for folk music. oh my gosh, tracy chapman! she used her lyrics wisely to tell her stories, to such a powerful impact. the social injustices mentioned are done in such a smart way, too. she asks hard questions, demanding answers, in "why?" or muses about a hypothetical revolution, "talkin' 'bout a revolution." or there's "across the lines" where chapman details how different lives can be as black or white. while those are worthy subjects, her more personal songs dealing with heartbreak are on equal footing. "fast car," rightly a legend, showcases chapman's storytelling skills with snapshots of a life. and her visible pain when singing the chorus of "if not now..."! all this to say her songwriting is clearly the standout of this album. the music itself sometimes wasn't as good on certain songs, like i found myself uninterested, but no matter what, the lyrics brought me back and kept me in it. that's exactly what good folk music should do! i suspect this is an album that becomes better and more appreciated on additional listens, so i'm looking forward to future listens. more than that, i felt like chapman's self titled was an educational listen and a great choice to be among the 1001 albums. for it being folk music in 1988, to be by a black woman, to include such important subjects.

everyone knows jimi hendrix was a talented guitar player, and sometimes because it's such a fact i don't pay enough attention to his guitar playing. hendrix' axis: bold as love didn't contain his most well known songs, except for little wing. because i didn't know most songs, i concentrated more on the guitar--and my goodness, that man was TALENTED. lots of psychedelia rock here. that's definitely what influenced the album cover, though hendrix and my displeasure over the label's choice is another story. i've previously had the follow-up album, electric ladyland, as part of 1001 albums. while both are psychedelic rock, axis doesn't have that soul sound and is more r&b based. while i try not to compare, i enjoyed this but not as much as electric ladyland.

my third beastie boys album as part of this project. paul's boutique was part of their sample phase. their previous licensed to ill sampled as well, but i felt a larger range of their chosen samples here. of what i caught, they used more rock music, but there's still a touch of disco and country to be found, too. a little easter egg was to hear the drum intro for alice cooper's "it's hot tonight" on "what comes around"! that being said, i only thought this was just an okay beastie boys album. i do enjoy their more original work better, for what it's worth. the beastie boys brought their usual energy, which made the album pass by easily. a pleasant 3.

the byrds' sweetheart of the rodeo is a cute album name, but if you hadn't told me who the artist was, i would never have guessed it was the byrds. really, this album is indistinguishable from their earlier albums, of which i've listened to two as part of this list. the country lean must have happened due to gene clark and david crosby's absence and firing, respectively. i enjoy country music, but this album came across as bland. it's not that good of country music. clark's absence is keenly felt. sure, this album is listenable but it's uninteresting and a drag.

the energy on this album! jerry lee lewis brought so much excitement to the stage, and it's evident through this recording. i mean, multiple times the crowd chants his name! i can understand why this live album made the list. lewis' piano playing remains unique to this day, and it's a big part of the energy captured here. i think lewis' notable "great balls of fire" showcases that--but also his original "lewis' boogie," a charming song. also, today i learned what a huge racist and asshole lewis was! hope you rot. he could've gotten a 3 or 4 from me, but he's stuck at a 1 now. i have no remorse.

ok, listen. system of a down is not for everybody. their later music is much more palatable, and their early music is rather abrasive metal, though there are some people who don't like any of their music. but honestly and musically, this album SLAPS. is it unusual? yes, but i love it. the screaming, the harsh guitar, everything. i have always admired their lyrics and topics. soad has never shied away from any topic. it's because of system that i learned about the armenian genocide when i was a teenager. more than that, they question the meaning of war, describe existential breakdowns while on drugs, deliver scathing criticisms of the catholic church, and plenty more. song after song, system delivers such a strong message. i found myself drawn to this sarcastic lyric of "mind" today: "free thinkers are dangerous." there's so many more i could pick out, but they manage to have such purpose in their lyrics while providing us with such amazing metal music. it's hard to find another artist like system. while i don't think this album is their best, this album was markedly different for its time. i'd give this a 4.5 on the lower side, but since this is the only system album on the list, my loyalty from my youth has me rounding up to 5. it's still a banger of an album after two and a half decades.

living colour's vivid sounds so fresh! it was actually a lot of fun to listen to. they definitely used a range of genres here, and that helps the listener from being bored. their biggest hit by far is "cult of personality" (which is such a banger), and i was surprised how different the rest of the album is after the opener. their music doesn't completely remain as hard or metal! they have a number of chiller songs: "open letter (to a landlord)" is a societal statement disguised as power rock--and that chorus was just as good as any eighties power ballad. the very prince-like scream opening and the funk included in "what's your favorite color?" does make the music feel a little more eighties--but it's enjoyable regardless. toward the end of the album, there's more of rap and hip hop. my goodness, was i impressed that living colour managed to put together an album touching so many genres while making it sound good! i traditionally keep to the original track listing since that's what i should only be reviewing, but i have to mention--the cover of "should i stay or should i go" was great! i always admire when an artist purposefully has the cover sound different from the original.

a list like this is always going to contain some sort of bias. i was shocked that more of elton john's albums aren't part of this list, but i suppose if it's going to be any of his albums, it should be goodbye yellow brick road. many of the songs on this album are his biggest hits and are deservedly so classics. this album opens with a larger than life song, "funeral for a friend." this slow building intro, along with several other songs, gives me goose bumps on a sunny summer day. but soon, "funeral for a friend" brings us into "love lies bleeding" and if you aren't bopping along, then the problem is you. john toys with us some, alternating between fun songs and his slower, sincere songs. the tender, broken-hearted "i've seen that movie, too" is a star. unsurprisingly for an elton john album, the piano of course shines. somehow, so much emotion is in the songs because of that piano! this album wouldn't be what it is without john's piano creations. there are no bad songs to be found on goodbye yellow brick road--only one song i'd call so-so. for a double album, it certainly flies by fast. it's almost a shame! i never want this album to end.

this was fun! sabu brought high energy to their palo congo album. i don't know a lot about this kind of music, so i fear some nuance was lost on me. regardless, this album was percussion focused with the congas appearing on every track. sabu created a mix of songs: some instrumentals, one had call and response vocals, another used chanting, and one song had more of a salsa feel. enjoyable, and i feel more knowledgeable for listening to it.

silver jews' bright flight was bland. a lot of the singing by david berman was close to monotone. some lyrics and song titles were witty, but it just felt like silver jews were being try hards. a lot of this album felt like folk rock with a side of country, and... it unfortunately held little appeal to me.

neil young thinks he can pull a fast one on me! i've gotten a handful of young albums so far: solo, csny, and him with crazy horse. i still wouldn't call myself a neil young fan, but thank goodness we have an album of his that was a nice listen. but did neil young think that i wouldn't realize on the beach is a pleasant listen?! where has this neil young been! on this album, young uses folk rock not in a brash way but in more of an easy listening way. his harmonica is not grating. it's a mellow kind of album, which makes sense when he dipped his toe into the blues. i might not be a huge fan of his vocals but i can tolerate it well enough. "vampire blues" is a cute, tongue-in-cheek song, which is an unfamiliar feeling (for me) with neil young. i enjoyed his lyrics here in general. but "motion pictures" was the one, however simple it might appear, was crafted to be simple but grabbing. "see the sky about to rain" was not about actual nature, but rather life's ups and downs for everybody, especially anticipating a negative event. "walk on" must be the most personal song of the album. "i remember the good old days/[...]/but we still did the best we could."

the third arcade fire album on this project but their debut album (excluding their ep). it contains a lot of their usual morose, melancholy sound. some indie music can be real misses for me, but with arcade fire, i know they are dependable, based on the other two albums i've heard of theirs throughout this project. like with their other albums, they created a theme on funeral. it can be moody but they do stay on theme. "crown of love," the standout, breaks your heart, and it's not like "wake up" makes you feel any better. i like all three neighborhood songs, and they really tie the album together. i found myself disappointed by régine chassagne, the female vocalist, and i'm not sure her voice is strong enough to carry a song by herself, but at least there were only two solo songs. also, this guy win butler sounds like a real piece of work. unfortunate arcade fire makes such good music.

some of the rolling stones' biggest hits are on sticky fingers. as someone who mostly knows only the stones' hits from the radio, it was a different experience to listen to this album in its entirety. their hits are generally straight up rock and roll, but i found much more depth in the other songs here. i mean, yes, it was a lot of rock! but the stones incorporated blues, folk, a pinch of jazz that was unexpected but not unwelcome. sticky fingers made for an interesting listen that kept rewarding me the more i paid attention. also, "brown sugar" is a bop.

i didn't love this album. i liked it--but most importantly, i found it riveting. the evolution throughout the album progressed from electronica and techno to rather ambient music, including some acoustic songs. the electronica songs could be extremely catchy ("honey"!), and the acoustic tender. the samples that moby used were well and sparingly chosen; they suited his songs and purpose nicely.

in 1978, elvis costello traveled through time to read my 2022 review of his debut album. thank goodness he did, because he made this album with more energy and it's considerably better. costello definitely found more of his sound on this year's model. obviously he's new wave through and through, but there's something that nails his signature sound here. i suspect it's the keyboards! the almost throwaway lyric of "those disco synthesizers" from "this year's girl," the second track, seems to encompass the entire album. but also, really, the higher energy goes a long, long way. "pump it up" is obviously the most fun song on the album, and the other songs benefit from it but are also able to carry the high energy well. 3.5

k.d. lang's ingénue was a very easy album to listen to. her voice is awfully gentle. she leaned more on jazz than i expected, resulting in a smooth album. i feel like i didn't get the full effect out of this album because i didn't listen with the lights dimmed and a lit cigarette in my hand. despite that, i was intrigued and enjoyed the listen. i found myself reminded some of leonard cohen. the singer-songwriter is part of it, yes, because also lang's lyrics (sometimes written with two other songwriters) are so personal. difficulties with love and being drawn to the wrong person, finding yourself. the slight folk sound is part of it, too. but at the same time, k.d. lang doesn't sound like much music i've heard. a unique album on this list.

power in numbers was a delightful surprise! jurassic 5 had real purpose when creating this album. i was blown away by some of these lyrics and themes. jurassic 5 covered political corruption and personal empowerment, called out phony black people, reminisced about the old days of rap music. the second song on the album is titled "freedom" and these lyrics cover the song's point better than i could: "yo, my forefathers hung in trees to be free (rest in peace)/got rid of slavery but still kept the penitentiary." the majority of this album is rap and hip hop, but jurassic 5 hop around to other black originated genres, too. "if you only knew" is jazz inspired and so smooth--and it specifically and blatantly mentions soul music! there's some funk interspersed as well. "remember his name" is a thematically dark song about death, and i can't help but be reminded of the last ten years of social unrest, though this album was released in 2002. "if you only knew" has jurassic 5 speaking to and trying to connect with the black community, despite differences of protest methods: "i'm trying hard to relate in a place filled with so much hate." i'd be remiss to not mention the call and response (usually linked with black cultures) within "i am somebody". the choice to use call and response to empower the listener is so powerful. i'll include a disclaimer that i'm white, but even i can appreciate the significance of this album. this is definitely an album written for the black community.

miles davis' in a silent way is a pleasant album. i do wish i was more knowledgeable about jazz music to fully appreciate what davis is doing here. as a result, my review will be short. this was an easy listen, and davis weaved together his composition beautifully. absolutely no complaints! this was the third album of his on the project thus far, and i can't say i'm upset he's on the list.

i'm torn on metallica's live s&m album. combining heavy metal with an orchesta is a cool idea, and metallica did something super unusual here. however, at times the orchestra is drowned out and the whole point of the album is lost. metallica really just plays hard, so i guess that's the risk you run. regardless, it was an enjoyable live album. metallica was able to extend some instrumentals in their songs, and i enjoyed the differences the orchestra brought. the string instruments could increase the musical tension well. two hours is a risky length, but with the extended instrumentals, it didn't seem so long. not to mention metallica brought such great energy to this audio only recording. and i heard some new metallica songs, so it was a win for all of us today.

emmylou harris, containing a first name worthy of any country star, has a sweet voice that's particularly perfect for these tender songs on pieces of the sky. "far too gone" is a great example of this. it's already a beautiful song, but something about harris' voice knocks her songs up a notch. that song with the only single, "if i could only win your love," are the stand outs. the rest of the album could be a little lackluster in comparison, but her voice makes the album enjoyable in the long run. and linda ronstadt providing backing vocals on "queen of the silver dollar" (containing cute lyrics by shel silverstein) is the icing on top of the cake! 3.5

CCR isn't typically in my wheelhouse. i enjoy their hits, and they have some fantastic songs. i wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as i did! this genre is formally called swamp rock, but to me it's just a combination of rock, blues, and a good amount of country. i mean, of course it's swamp rock when you have the album opener called "born on the bayou." i'm reminded of tom petty and the heartbreakers, though he was more southern or americana rock, so i'm not sure if that connection works. bayou country is a remarkably even album--this stands out to me after listening to metallica, so maybe some context will help. it's still rock but it's a chill kind of rock music. "graveyard train" is an example of that; it doesn't get very excitable but the bass and the lyrics catch you. the cover of "good golly miss molly" was interesting. while it's still a cover with the slightly changed lyrics, CCR made it their own with their swampy music. and, of course, a special mention: we have to thank john fogerty for tina turner's "proud mary." a delightful 4.5!

oasis' definitely maybe, while containing a cute album name, didn't do much for me. liam gallagher, who i am sure is talented, had a droning voice at times, and i checked out. i did try. i did like the lyrics! the other gallagher brother, noel, came to my rescue. all in all, uninteresting--and i guess it was some sort of super influential game changer?

jack white is real eh for me. i don't think i enjoyed this as much as the two white stripes albums i've heard, and i thought both of those were average. this one was boring on the whole. i'll admit i'm not the biggest blues fan, but this in particular could not grab my attention. it was easier with the higher energy songs, but my goodness the low energy songs were rough. not for me.

wow, did guns n' roses go hard on their first full length album or what? they opened with "welcome to the jungle," which is a banger of an opener and is still so great after all these years. this album does contain three of their biggest hits, and in these kinds of situations with previous albums, the other songs typically are lackluster. that didn't happen here--gnr went all the way, even on sentimental tracks like "think about you." i say sentimental, but you know what i mean. even songs that aren't hits, like "mr. brownstone," are absolute bangers. appetite for destruction (an amazing album title if i ever heard it) was a fun album, plain and simple. it didn't invite deep discussion like bob dylan or leonard cohen's music does, but it's enjoyable, as music should be. 3.5

i laughed when i saw today's album, but then "in-a-gadda-da-vida" instantly got stuck in my head. the seventeen minute long track is joked about in my family, but the fact is that the song actually slaps. iron butterfly created a masterpiece of progressive and psychedelic rock in this song, and damn if it's not delightful every second of the way. the rest of the album is certainly passable. the other songs are similar in style to the title track, but like other albums with one major hit and nothing else, the rest of the album doesn't live up to expectations. the other songs allow for a flowing listening experience, but they're not noteworthy. i did think a band called iron butterfly creating a song called "flowers and beads" was cute, for what it's worth.

music for the jilted generation was an unusual album! after more than 350 albums, i haven't heard anything quite like this yet. i get the sense that this album was unusual for its release year, 1994. the prodigy certainly were committed to rave and techno. techno music can sometimes be too repetitive for my enjoyment, and basically i'm here to say "it's not you, it's me." i can say that the wind instrument in "3 kilos" was an unexpected choice of a sample. not bad to keep your listeners on their toes. 2.5, but i'm impressed with the album and creativity, so 3.

third radiohead album as part of this project, and i don't know what they did here. it sure isn't the worst i've heard on this list, but i know that radiohead can do better. hail to the thief has a more experimental vibe than i realized radiohead had. it's super artistic and off the wall, which usually i admire. but this album seems to just be a moody, bleak mess. the droning voice did them no favors here. bummer.

eddie van halen's guitar work is the first thing that stood out to me, but i'm sure it does for most people. i'm thrilled he had his own instrumental song, "eruption," to play with, and it's not a surprise that became so well known, even if it wasn't ever a single. it contains some of the best guitar work in hard rock! the rest of the album doesn't slouch. take any song, and you'll find some beautiful guitar work. there was some nuance that was easy to overlook, that i only heard upon multiple listenings. there's a pinch of eddie van halen playing the sitar on "ain't talkin' 'bout love." on "i'm the one," there's a quick interlude containing some scatting. despite those nuances and more, the lyrics are great. the songs are catchy. what an enjoyable listen. rip eddie van halen!

what a delightful and fresh album! i can say with confidence i enjoyed every aspect of this album. overall, the choice to use the soul genre made it a calming and pensive listen. kiwanuka did use more than just soul, but gosh i loved how much soul was on here. "living in denial" was pure seventies soul! and the beautiful lyrics, too! they could be so insightful. i'm not sure i've ever heard a song with lyrics like "solid ground". i enjoyed this album a lot, especially since it was absolutely an unknown to me going in.

i don't know what i can say about this album that hasn't been said before. i will say that "silver springs" has to be included when considering this album, and i won't be taking no for an answer. this album is a wonderful mix of songs. emotional songs that tear at your heart, but there's plenty of fun songs so you aren't weighed down too much. "you make loving fun" might be the purest, happiest song on the album while recollecting the joy of love. you've got an acoustic song, "never going back again," and a piano only song (and a little acoustic guitar), "songbird." most songs aren't as minimal, so they stand out more. "the chain" has such an intense beat in comparison. the reverberating bass before the big finish--wow. the album is well balanced. the songwriting is absolutely exquisite here. each member of fleetwood mac contributed, to the album's gain. the different perspectives amid the relationship drama, again, only help the album. the album title makes sense, huh? if i may request readers' patience, the juxtaposition of all of these lyrics: "i know there's nothin' to say/someone has taken my place" from "second hand news", "for you, the sun will be shining/and i feel that when i'm with you" from "songbird", "and if you don't love me now/you will never love me again" from "the chain", and "now here you go again, you say you want your freedom/well, who am i to keep you down?" from "dreams". i love it all so much! the voices of christine mcvie and stevie nicks absolutely ruin me. the minimal accompaniment to "songbird" allows mcvie's voice to be center stage. what a beautiful and captivating voice--and the same for nicks, too. while, no offense, i don't find lindsey buckingham's voice as interesting, he doesn't have a bad voice--and it's perfect for a song like "second hand news." but there's something about nicks and buckingham singing together. there isn't a bad song on this album. it's a perfect album and i have no notes. i don't hesitate in my vote.

joni mitchell cannot ever be a bad listen. her voice has such a light, pleasant quality to it, which sure makes for easy listening. she uses jazz for the most part but combines it with pop and rock, which makes for that smooth listen. the second song on the hissing of summer lawns, "the jungle line", is the exception--her voice by itself is lovely, but the discordant sounds here are interesting yet jarring. i'm not mad about it! i definitely noticed the emphasis on women's perspectives. i'm sure it's due to mitchell writing almost the entire album, but i know she chooses her themes carefully. the world was changing in the mid-seventies when this was released, but not enough that her emphasis choice wasn't purposeful. she describes a southern belle's persistence despite difficulties, a woman's decision to stay with an unloving husband, the strength of all women.

de la soul's 3 feet high and rising is not your typical rap or hip hop! this album was released in 1989 and had an incredibly different tone in comparison to other rap and hip hop that was released at that time. truth be told, i think it still stands out from today's rap and hip hop! de la soul is playful in their lyrics and topics. i mean, who else would sample "magic number" from school house rock or a nursery rhyme?! or create some seventies game show as a running gag? de la soul's daring dissent is charming and admirable. yet it isn't always fun and games: they make sure to cover societal issues like many rap groups at this time. not limiting their music, sampling from a variety of genres or unusual sources--this formed the respect i have for this group and album! 3.5

wu tang clan's first album was very much not for me. i respect it and i know many people today enjoy it still. oh my good gravy, that misogyny! super uncomfy to listen to. this album was a lesson in restraint for me and tested my ideology of listening to entire albums on this project, but i persevered.

this band name and album name are quite the mouthful. orchestral manoeuvres in the dark (shortened to OMITD) created a very specific ambient tone on architecture and morality. this album is a great example of creating music that flows seamlessly, one song into the next, while remaining different songs. all that being said, my overall reaction was "eh." omitd's album is easy enough to listen to, but kind of boring.

this album was plain weird, and this is coming from someone who enjoys weird tom waits music. i'm not entirely sure this band is normal after "i won't leave my wooden wife for you, sugar." a lot of this was out of tune or instruments were smashed together in the hope of creating music. i get that in 1968, lots of musicians were experimenting with psychedelic music, but oh my good lord, this was not music. and then this band even used old time-y music! i don't understand. as for something positive, i liked the different vocals. i'm out tho

oh this is garbage! nothing about this was interesting or revolutionary. i even kind of find it offensive that a band of mostly white guys called themselves the boo radleys and created a song named "rodney king." i'm honestly confused on how anyone can call this music. some of it wasn't terrible, but a good chunk was made up of random sounds that don't sound good together. what? also, 64 minutes of this nonsense was 64 minutes too long, yes, but for real this album dragged!

while i'm not a big david bowie fan, i have always admired artists who try different sounds and can never stay still. bowie definitely was that! this is the fifth bowie album as i've been randomly given albums throughout my journey, and i can guarantee this was my favorite thus far. with station to station's release in 1976, yeah, the funk and rock music makes a lot of sense. i would even mention that there's a touch of disco, but that may be a controversial statement. but i'll stand by this statement: "stay" is the best example. and speaking of "stay," the instrumental sections of this and other songs were top notch. i wasn't disappointed at all. while i was annoyed that i had yet another david bowie album to listen to, i couldn't be upset once i began listening. many apologies, david bowie!

green river follows bayou country, which i've also listened to as part of this project. CCR honed in on that swamp rock sound, huh? it's a remarkably easy (swampy?) album to lose yourself in. "bad moon rising" has to be one of my favorite classic rock songs. it's got such a good hook, and i can't resist singing incorrect lyrics. like most albums with huge hits, "bad moon rising" does overshadow the other songs. sometimes the other songs can be forgettable and not noteworthy, but that's not the case here. fact is, "bad moon rising" is just that good! the rest of the album can hold its own. some songs like "cross-tie walker" or "commotion" are unusually peppy for CCR, but they still contain that usual twang of swamp rock that connects the whole album. "sinister purpose" has a different tone but it's delightfully disquieting. green river is definitely an album that contains distinct songs yet it flows quite well. 3.5

talking heads' debut album released in 1977 has a cute title: talking heads: 77. but the actual album itself wasn't too exciting for me. my review for another of their albums allowed me to realize that i enjoy their hits but not much more. that holds true here, too. "psycho killer" is a certifiable bop of a song, but what sticks out the most is that talking heads replicate various aspects found in "psycho killer" into their other songs but nothing is as good or catchy. i did find myself intrigued because there's more funk than i expected (not mad about it).

if you told me that a member of velvet underground created music that wasn't a discordant, experimental mess but full of beautiful orchestra pop, i would call you a liar. john cale discarded his punk roots and went in a completely different direction with paris 1919, and i absolutely love it. this is the kind of music i am a sucker for. the backing orchestra adds such a lovely, pleasant quality to this album. i am left to suspect that without the orchestra, i wouldn't be as interested. his voice isn't too remarkable, though it's interesting that he's close to whispering on "like on antarctica." the orchestra fills up the tension, higher and higher, on "the endless plain of fortune". the orchestra matches the increased tempo on "macbeth," which definitely sounds like your typical fun rock song from the seventies. the orchestra allows "andalucia" and other songs to be mellow and sweet. yet, cale makes himself known with a song named "hanky panky nohow." alright, cale, i see u.

i was surprised that nothing's shocking came out in 1988. a lot of genre precursors are not good at all, and while i didn't love this album by jane's addiction, it's incredibly listenable. jane's addiction was early for heavy metal, alternative rock, and grunge, but they have some punk roots, too. and then they decided to do an about turn for a bit of island time for "jane says" or jazz for "thank you boys." i admire their gumption. i definitely hear similarities with rhcp (no surprise considering dave navarro) but also rage against the machine, in regards to the music played but also for the fact their album's that level of unusual. they clearly did what they wanted to do. how else do you get a song referencing ted bundy? on a final note, perry farrell's vocals are unique. this is definitely part of the trend of this genre that they aren't stylistically great singers, and that's okay since there's a fair amount of screaming.

wow! jorge ben jor's áfrica brasil sure was lively, despite it not being a live album. it isn't easy to create that kind of natural energy in a studio. but i found myself clapping, bopping, dancing along to these songs. i had a good time listening! each song was distinct from one another, yet the album as a whole was a fusion of jazz and funk. and then in the final song, ben jor threw us a curveball with that beautiful piano! a joyful listen. worthy of being on this list!

i can never be upset when a funk album comes up--even when the title is maggot brain. george clinton, that certainly was a choice. maggot brain was full of delightful, funky funk. it was clearly created and released in the seventies, especially considering the amount of psychedelia. and the soul sound!! what a captivating mix. the album used only instrumentals at times, and gosh the title track was some way to start off the album. that truly was a great instrumental. then on "can you get to that," raymond davis' deep voice was so alluring! even with the farting noises during "wars of armageddon," this album was such an enjoyable listen.

the human league's dare had some heavy synth! with the intense synth sounds, the album definitely came across as dark. but oh my gosh, some of these beats were delicious. i heard some similarities with kraftwerk, who did predate them (no shade meant! it's just good to know who influenced who). like kraftwerk, their electronic/synth sounds definitely were more on the experimental side. an educating listen, to be sure. "don't you want me baby," as the fourth single, is absolutely bonkers to me, considering how it's their most famous song by far. it's a fun album closer, though.

this album is just as smooth and delightful as i had hoped. like, buttery smooth. i'd be surprised if it wasn't one of the smoothest albums on this project! because of al green's voice and the album's tone, let's stay together is a delightful, joyful listen, even with some sorrowful songs. really, al green covering "how can you mend a broken heart" by the bee gees seems rather on brand. i was so charmed by this album, and i'm so happy i listened to it.

what a joyful surprise, this self-titled joint album between stan getz and joão gilberto. this sultry jazz album was such an easy listen! gilberto's voice was incredibly smooth. switching between portugese and english added to the mood. there's something lovely about music in a foreign language! i'm not mad about this album at all, though i'm sure there were intricacies i didn't appropriately appreciate.

holy crap!!! i knew i would enjoy this album, but i wasn't prepared for how much. the cars' new wave is the new wave i love. it's light and synth-y. a lot of these songs are bops! honestly, it was a lot of fun listening. i'm surprised how much of the cars' debut album is well known. i do admire artists who make such a big stamp on their debut, and the cars were no exemption. synth was ballooning in 1978, and it makes a lot of sense that the cars used new wave and synth to define their sound. "moving in stereo" is a good example, because the synth is the loudest part of the song--it definitely drives the song. anyway, 5 stars. no notes.

second iron maiden album for me, and i have to say i like this album more! my review of their debut self-titled album mentioned how great the guitar was--and i stand by that for this album, too. these guitars are killer! the final song on the album, "hallowed be thy name", in particular had some great guitar work. i wasn't upset at all. i'll admit i don't have much iron maiden knowledge, but i feel like "the number of the beast" was right up their alley in terms of theme and tone. each song connected with one another with a malignant tone, and of course iron maiden brought up demons and hell and their usual business. 🤘

i can't say i was anticipating an album named this is hardcore to have its second song to be about cleaning the dishes comparing himself to jesus, but i guess that's where my day took me. with this album being released in 1998, i was surprised how similar it was to david bowie's music. even the lead singer's voice sounds like david bowie? if i didn't know better, i'd bet money that this was david bowie, not just music that took david bowie inspiration. not terrible, though i couldn't find much original about this music. as always, i've definitely heard worse music on this list!

the joy i felt when i saw today's randomized album! queen dolly! older country typically is a calming and relaxing listen, and parton holds true to that in coat of many colors. it's quite the easy listen. her voice is so endearing and definitely adds to the easy rhythm. "early morning breeze" is a great example of this! with most of the album written by parton, her music comes across as incredibly genuine. the only exceptions are the one song from each side that were written by her long-time collaborator, porter wagoner. with the opening track as the title track, parton nails her purpose within three minutes.

this album kept me on my toes, and not always in a good way. the album opens with "traveller," a song i can describe no other way than gorgeous. orchestral, full, emotional. the following songs were noir-like or peaceful with electronic used, but still a south asian sound was there, through and through. the regional sound tied the album together and forced the album to be so different from the other electronic music we've had on this list--and in such a good way. anyway, then you got a weird ass song like "decca" that stands out, and really drops this whole album down from a 5 to a 4. thank goodness spotify allows you to omit a song from your listening.

rufus wainwright's want one was a nice album. it was dreamy and pretty in general. i felt rather enveloped by his music because it was all encompassing. but it had some sleepy time tea vibes, so i found my interest waning as the album went on to nearly an hour. anyway, a song released in 2003 named "vibrate" and containing lyrics like "my phone's on vibrate for you" was rather of the time. what a time to be alive, huh. 2.5

it's no surprise that max martin's name is all over this album, especially when you consider how big 1989 is. all of taylor swift's albums are huge, but she hit something special on 1989. it's pure fun pop and definitely a departure from her early country sound. considering the heavy pop presence, of course martin was heavily involved in its creation. while swift does not hold herself to one genre, 1989 was definitely a springboard to her current sound. the pop music has synth and electronic backing, and gosh it just makes so many songs unbelievably catchy. in fact, many of swift's staples are on this album! hit after hit after hit. unsurprisingly, swift's songwriting remains strong. but it's still worth a mention. "band-aids don't fit bullet holes", "'cause, darling, i'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream", "pictures in frames of kisses on cheeks". just a handful of examples but her songwriting can be so evocative, simple, emotional, powerful. 4.5

oh my gosh this album was boring. is shoegaze a synonym for boring?! i mean, nowhere is fine on the whole. there were some pretty strings and encompassing music, but i could not wait for it to end. i typically reserve 1s for albums that are unlistenable or the artist is a dbag. well, ride is a special case. byeeee

i'm a lonesome fugitive by merle haggard is a whole ass vibe!! with a title like that, it's no surprise this album is country with a capital c. the entire album follows along with a theme haggard created after hearing (and subsequently covering) "i'm a lonesome fugitive." his own prison stint only encouraged the theme, and i love the connection and the dedication. i enjoyed following along with haggard's story, and like a lot of country, i found it easy and relaxing to listen to this album. i'm just saying that the album would've improved with including "mama tried".

lenny kravitz' let love rule was an album i knew, two songs in, that i would enjoy. what i'm stuck on is if i enjoy it on its own or that it's got a lot of prince vibes. well, i know i'm not upset with the prince similarities. in some ways, this felt more like a family friendly version of prince. when you add to the fact kravitz did prince's trademark--performing almost all instruments by himself--well, that isn't a uniquely prince attribute, but it's another connection. regardless, it's admirable. there was *so* much funk here! kravitz nailed it. great immersion with rock and soul music.

fear of a black planet, as an album title, is badass. this wasn't public enemy's debut, so it isn't a surprise they continued to create songs reflective of their society. but even knowing that, the inclusion of "911 is a joke" shocked me! i admire it, and i'm glad it's on this album. go off, public enemy (thirty-three years later)!

fiona apple's tidal is her debut album, released when she was just nineteen. my goodness, it's so beautiful! some of this album can be so delicate, but sometimes there's a darker undertone, and it's so delicious. i'd also describe the album as smooth. not smooth as in jazz typically is, but smooth like untouched water. as a singer songwriter, apple crafted music that is definitely emotional and personal. actually, i wonder if tidal is more personal as her debut. "sleep to dream" kicks off the album, and gosh some lyrics are delightfully scathing! musically, the songs are great and i have no complaints, but her lyrics are definitely a highlight.

what an absolutely pleasant and easy going album! upon reflection, with the various jazz albums on this list, i understand why the dave brubeck quartet's time out was included. among the instruments, the piano and the saxophone stood out the most. the sax could be so beautiful, like nothing could ever top it, and then the piano charmingly shimmies into the song. not mad about this delightful album one bit.

one world is an album that doesn't sound like it's from 1977. "couldn't love you more" sounded more like some nineties alternative than seventies experimental pop! other than that, some of this album came off as uninteresting. i'm already not the biggest fan of experimental, so unfortunately that's a strike against john martyn he can't fight. i will say that steve winwood's energy is definitely felt here. he popped in nearly every track on this album, and a song like "small hours," a pleasant instrumental, felt like another song from winwood's eighties career.

slayer did not go home; they go so hard on reign in blood. a little too hard for my own tastes; i'm not entirely sure i've heard music like this before. of course, i'm sure that there's many people who love their thrash metal and satanic lyrics. it was far from bad music, and i know they were early to this scene with this album's release in 1986. a precursor for sure, but like many early influences, it's not quite as good as the later music. so i'm left with appreciation!

go off, fela kuti!! in my book, when you anger your country's military with your music, odds are you're on the right track. i loved hearing this scathing criticism, even if i didn't understand it fully without the societal context. musically, kuti's zombie has more jazz fusion than the other albums i've heard. the horn usage was just delightful!

oh my god, the guitars!!! brian robertson absolutely murdered his guitar solos and the instrument itself in live and dangerous. thin lizzy is definitely a well-rounded band, so it's not like the other instruments were lackluster or boring. but gosh there was something magical about the guitar in this recording. "still in love with you" and the guitar? are you kidding me?! the energy on this album is HOT. the way the album opens and closes with the cheers allows it to be played on a seamless loop, like a never ending concert. phil lyontt has great audience interaction, even through an audio only recording. by the way, absolutely wild that huey lewis makes a little cameo on the harmonica during "baby drives me crazy"! i'm not mad about it, but i'm just saying i assumed at first it was a different huey lewis.

this album was okay. not as attention grabbing as it could be, truth be told. i found some similarities with n.e.r.d.'s fly or die with the beastie boys. whereas the beastie boys leaned more into hip hop with rock tendencies, n.e.r.d. focused more on rock with sprinkles of hip hop. a good combination, but it couldn't do enough for me. really cool to see pharrell williams' origins! he's like a baby here, and he learned to play drums for this album?!

a lackluster album, but truly not the worst i've heard. i could hear some of the influence that the replacements took from the soft boys' underwater moonlight. the replacements are more solidly punk, whereas the soft boys were a kind of light punk. on a weird note, i couldn't determine if "positive vibrations" was a take off from the beach boys' "good vibrations". the inclusion of the sitar made me think that. though a sitar is not present on "good vibrations," it does contain a lot of unusual experimental sounds.

i've listened to a number of david bowie albums as part of this project. i don't exactly agree about the choice to include this album. his other albums definitely broke barriers and had influence, but the next day seems just okay. while i wouldn't call myself a bowie expert, i don't think he did much of anything new here. i did say this album was just okay; by itself, it's fine, but i suppose i was expecting more from david bowie. for what it's worth, the artistic choice to use an adapted version of the heroes album cover is fascinating. and what went into bowie's inspiration for the creation of this album is fascinating, too.

a delightful album. stevie wonder mixes soul and funk in such a beautiful way. i can think of no better example than the classic opening to "higher ground". beautiful and catchy. but like you'd expect from an artist like stevie wonder, there's even a pinch of latin in the opening of "don't you worry 'bout a thing"! his voice is truly beautiful. wonder is great with a variety of songs, but with the soft, emotional songs, there is something special when he holds a note. "all in love is fair" destroyed me when i first heard it. legitimately, leave me here to die. my perception of wonder, as a millennial, is that he's an apolitical musician with a focus on soulful, romantic songs. that assessment isn't fair anymore. i knew of the song "living for the city" but only the single version. sure, wonder isn't shoving his comments on society in your face, but he doesn't need to. the full version speaks for itself, and its story is forceful. also, to be fair, it just a good song, musically. i admire the ability to create a good song with a powerful purpose and great lyrics! a good example of his songwriting prowess.

the beach boys' pet sounds is probably more of an okay album by today's standards, but its existence in 1966 was much more groundbreaking. still, looking back on the beach boys' evolution through the years is fascinating. they didn't completely sever their connection to their original sound; these songs aren't as happy-go-lucky (and don't contain surf references), but they do have that saccharine quality that makes their music such easy listening. regardless, they are straddling their original sound and their newer, more mature sound here. "god only knows" is one of the most beautiful songs of all time, and it isn't a song that could have come out earlier in the beach boys' career.

my second adele album, with the first being 21. her voice is positively beautiful on 25. she holds some notes way longer than you'd expect. actual chills!!! what a gifted singer. every song showcases her voice. even if some songs hit the mark more than others, her voice remains reliable. she did change some of her genre inspiration on 25. adele lives in soul music, but it's less pronounced on this album. there's a stronger r&b presence. she used synth, making "i miss you" have more of an impact. "send my love (to your new lover)" is very reminiscent of amy winehouse (considering the inspiration, that's the exact direction she used). "a million years ago" is a paul simon-like song. i can understand why some listeners found this album boring. this type of music isn't the type to get you hyped at a party. you definitely have to be in the right mood for this album. this music is emotional, and being present only allows you to appreciate it more. this is an album that can't be rushed. her ballads are beautiful and heart wrenching. though adele isn't the only songwriter, her lyrics are emotional and moving. those notes she holds on "all i ask" are incredible but would be nothing without those lyrics. the choice to have a piano only song only serves to hammer home the emotions. her ballads, to me, standout among the other songs.

an unusual album. heaven or las vegas has a dreamy quality that's unlike anything i've heard. the cocteau twins leaned into their ethereal sound. the whole album contributed to the same float-y, vague ambience. actually, i think it hurt them overall since the songs became a whimsical tangle. the imperceptible vocals weren't much help; a lot of it was mumbling. still, didn't hate this album.

i'm learning about my personal musical tastes through this project. the early version of the who was not good, and i didn't enjoy it. some songs sounded like not-as-good beatles knockoffs, which makes sense considering its release in 1965. there was more of an original, garage sound on the first side. "my generation" is, clearly, the gem on the album. it slaps! i did find this an interesting listen; as the who's debut, my generation shows the origins of the band and their evolution towards rock music. outside of "my generation," there are few clues to show that the who would become the legendary rock band they are to this day.

i've been dreading the inclusion of michael jackson albums. it's hard to reconcile good music when it's created by a pedophile. to be fair, a large part of off the wall's direction is due to quincy jones. jackson's initial solo albums were not noteworthy. but once jones joins him, jackson's albums become instant hits. off the wall is the beginning of the huge pop star jackson would become. as a result, the first two songs are absolute disco bangers. the rest of the album isn't bad and makes for good enough listening but pales in comparison to the first two. anyway, i'd probably give this album a 3 if the artist didn't commit sexual abuse to children.

throwing random sounds and vocals into poorly created melodies is not going to result in good music. locust abortion technician is a disjointed, messy album. it's fine butthole surfers did a play off a black sabbath song, but what was the point? what did butthole surfers do in this album to be anywhere near remarkable and legendary?

i have to believe that as amy winehouse's debut, frank gets overlooked since her following album absolutely blew up the world in 2006. as someone who isn't a huge winehouse fan (but can appreciate her music), i was surprised how solid this album was. it's a shame frank didn't get as much attention in the US initially. amy's wheelhouse is in jazz, but gosh it's such a cool combination, with soul and r&b and hip hop. for a relatively short career, amy tells us exactly who she is in "fuck me pumps," and i love the strength in coming out of the gate with a song like that. while she's not the sole songwriter on this album, i found myself amazed at the power of the lyrics.

damn, no one did soul like marvin gaye. his voice is remarkably smooth, a great accompaniment to the music. i don't think he was capable of making a bad song. his music creates such a sense of calm and contentment, almost making it easy to not pay attention to his significant lyrics. and speaking of--i'd be a fool if i didn't mention the over-arching theme on this album. what's going on reflects issues in society and gaye's changing perspective, a definite turning point of his career. all of the topics are important, even to this day, and gaye gives a lot of social issues significant time on this album, all while making great music. gosh, who knew soul could sound so political yet remain easy listening?

i wouldn't consider mask by bauhaus a great or even good album, but i found myself weirdly interested in it. sometimes it was a mess of distorted music, but sometimes it was quite normal punk rock! it could be gothic at times, too. the vocalist left something to be desired. a disjointed album that had no flow. i don't know why it's on this list, to be honest.

kiss is well known for their hard rock and metal sound, and they're very good at what they do! but they're also one note. this album is undeniably fun and great for concerts but lacks substance. these songs are big and contains well played music but are rather similar to one another. these are corny songs in a way; "detroit rock city" starts off with a radio intro that's kind of campy! enjoyable to an extent, but not very fulfilling.

this album feels different from paul simon's other solo or simon & garfunkel albums. at his core, simon is a storyteller and that hasn't changed with this album. "the late great johnny ace" and "rené and georgette magritte with their dog after the war" are songs referencing real people and events; the former connects several assassinations to one another. simon's genres aren't any different from his other albums, though he isn't as heavy into folk here. his tone is the same; he's as paced and even as ever. the beat seems stronger as a whole. "when numbers get serious" is a playful song, reminiscent of simon's earlier work. i'm reminded of the songs used on simon's episode of the muppet show! "think too much (b)" uses a marimba, which definitely foreshadows simon's next album. i'm not sure of the inclusion of "cars are cars", but there seems to always be a weird song on any paul simon album. what stands out on this album is the personal aspect. simon is a storyteller, but i've come to expect that his songwriting typically doesn't cover himself. the title track references his relationship with carrie fisher. "allergies" and "train in the distance" seem to reference other love relationships. the lyrics simon wrote are simplistic yet provides an inside look into his life. i enjoyed hearts and bones more than other paul simon albums, to be honest. i found graceland to be lackluster outside of its hits, but this album had more of a consistent quality.

my third and final pet shop boys' album from this list. i've discovered my joy and interest in psb as part of this project. to exactly no one's surprise, this album's still synth heavy, but there's a change in their tone. while they do have their more energy intensive songs, the consistent tone throughout is much more melancholy. part of the tone change is due to lyrics. "jealousy" has a great beat and describes the emotions and thoughts of a lonely, hurt, jealous lover in a one-sided conversation: "you didn't phone when you said you would". "to face the truth" seems like a follow-up, of bitter acceptance of the end of a relationship after not knowing where their lover is at night. but we still have "nervously", which is an adorable, sickly-sweet song of young love, in contrast. "so hard" reveals a couple's compromising efforts, but the lyrics lead us to believe that it's too difficult: "why don't we try not to break our hearts and make it so hard for ourselves?" and of course there's a song with the title "the end of the world", though it's not so bleak or dramatic but about teenage heartbreak. "only the wind" uses weather imagery to show a relationship with difficulties, but at least one person is blind to the problems: "it's only the wind, they say it's getting worse" and "a storm blows itself out". "being boring," with a banger minute and a half instrumental to open the album, is anything but boring and is probably the album's song with the strongest significance. the world changed, particularly for the lgbtq+ community, through the 1970s to the 1990s, and our main character grows older and opens the "closing door". from the chorus, we hear a recollection of the carefree times: "and we were never holding back or worried that time would come to an end." but soon, within the third verse, we see the fierce changes the main character went through: "all the people i was kissing, some are here and some are missing, in the 1990s". an impactful song to start off an album named behaviour and a big reason for the album's somber tone. immediately following is "this must be the place i waited years to leave", a song reminiscing not-so-fondly of returning to school and likening school to a strict dictatorship without protest or free expression. psb went so far to include spoken russian by prosecutor andrei vyshinsky during a 1938 soviet treason trial as the outro. "my october symphony" seems to reference the october revolution and the soviet union--but also the disillusionment of its people. it's important to mention this album did release in 1990 when the ussr was going through major changes, leading to its demise. to edit the lyrics for the sake of space: "shall i [...] change the dedication [of my october symphony] from revolution to revelation?" "how can you expect to be taken seriously?" seems more of a personal number for the duo to poke fun at themselves, like the pet shop boys are using the second person pov to detail questions they receive but provide no answers. i couldn't help but love this line: "do you think they'll put you in the rock 'n' roll hall of fame?" while the rock hall inducts musicians of other genres, psb are not currently inducted. i heard more orchestral aspects on this album, too. "only the wind", "my october symphony", "jealousy". psb use synth mostly, which is why their orchestral music is noteworthy. the pairing together is chef's kiss. there are some more electronic elements than usual, too, ("the end of the world") so it isn't only synth by itself. to my ears, using an orchestra will allow music to become more emotional, which only adds to that melancholy tone.

new meme dropped: a cat paw on the back of bob dylan's hand. it's time to stop playing the harmonica. george harrison did a better cover of "absolutely sweet marie".

anthrax is definitely a band i wouldn't have sought out on my own, but i can't say i hate this album. among the living is thrash metal, obviously, but there is a good amount of solid instrumentation behind the screaming vocals. anthrax couldn't be a reputable band without creating decent music. having a song like "indians" on an album in 1987 is bewildering. gotta love a political song you weren't expecting! because anthrax doesn't do anything halfway, their lyrics are particularly hard hitting. i can't even single out any specific lines because all of it is amazing. a surprising 3.5. thanks for the head banging, anthrax.

this was not a bad album, and i was not bored by it. at times, i struggle to pinpoint other genres' influences on an album, but with the bees' sunshine hit me, the reggae came through well. there were even some classical notes. on the whole, this album was forgettable. i was at times reminded of an unrefined beach boys. the vocals were very eh and could be drone-y at times. i'm not a huge fan of the early 2000s indie for the fact that not all indie needs to be published. indie music should not be a synonym for "not very good", and i don't know why this album is here. the bees were not the only to use reggae with indie music.

reggae as a genre is overlooked, and i'm so glad bob marley made this list. marley and reggae are still so intertwined after all these years, and who knows how known reggae would have become without his influence? his use of reggae punctuated the white western world, though this album wasn't marley's debut or final. bob marley and the wailers' exodus is an extremely easy going album. the beat, like yacht rock, is so chill and creates an easy album to listen to. the inclusion of the horns is so beautiful! in contrast, you would think the reason of the title track creation seems potentially antithetical to the rest of the album. but it isn't: marley took his experience of an assassination attempt and crafted a hopeful, uplifting song for his religion and fellow believers. the lyrics written by marley may seem plain, but they're more powerful than anything else.

i never knew of pj harvey before this 1001 albums project, and i wish i still didn't. third album of hers i've heard, and it's absolutely not for me. it's boring. her voice drones on and on. there's nothing exciting or different in her songs. cool album cover is all i've got.

what a beautiful album! solomon burke's voice is so pleasant, and the music itself is an engaging mix of rock and soul, hence the cute album title. this kind of older music is my catnip! soul is definitely the primary genre (like, so much that soul has a capital S), but burke includes country at times, too. his soulful voice makes it work, though! the background singers don't quite get their fair praise on this album. their backing of burke allows songs to become well rounded. there's no way "just out of reach (of my two empty arms)" could sound so beautiful without those background singers! i can't even find record of who his background singers are, which is such a shame.

i don't think marvin gaye could've made bad music! while i don't think here, my dear is his finest work, it isn't bad. it's still unbelievably smooth, and his voice is just as delightful as always. he really was made for soul music. it seems to miss the spark his other music has, though. but i'm not mad, because his voice is still full of love. i'm no gaye aficionado, but i think he did something a little different here. i thought funk would be on this album more, but it's only a touch of funk sometimes. "is that enough" contained electronic pieces, and "a funky space reincarnation" reminds me of parliament's mothership connection with its sci-fi.

i came away from manassas with more appreciation for stephen stills. of the supergroup CSNY, stills was the last one to prove their significance to me. i can't say i was wowed by this album, so i'm at a middle-of-the-road 3, but i appreciate his songwriting and music creation now. tied with his buffalo springfield roots, this album does have more of a country and blues tilt. it wasn't easy listening like how yacht rock is, but there was that general ease that comes from blues music. and i say this even with manassas being a double album! the last song acted as a tribute to recently deceased musicians/friends. having "blues man" as the closing track of a supergroup's debut album tugs at the old heartstrings. "such a waste, left such a space."

overall, i found myself impressed but not intrigued. m.i.a. is definitely not your typical artist and there were some cool or unusual elements, like incorporating world music with hip hop and paying homage to her heritage. in a genre dominated by men and pointedly not those of indian heritage, m.i.a. carved quite a spot for herself in her debut album.

yes' fragile delivered! i suppose their music isn't as progressive as other artists, or as progressive as their later music became. but i enjoyed it a lot. for being a song that was possibly overplayed on classic rock stations in my youth, "roundabout" still slaps and is a great album opener at eight and a half minutes long. the instrumentals ("cans and brahms", "five per cent for nothing", "mood for a day") grabbed me in particular. the first had more of a classical touch, the second experimental, the third folk-y, but they were solid and showcase yes' range.

this album is an album that includes every genre under the sun! hip hop was the dominating genre, but the fun lovin' criminals (what a band name) incorporated jazz, rock, rap, and some country/blues. they even covered a bond song! i didn't hate this album and its genre jumble, but i also didn't find it terribly interesting as a whole and i don't know about its inclusion on this list. the song titles were entertaining, at least.

this album felt too long. i've heard much worse before, for what it's worth. on the bright side, suba created electronic music that was pleasant and not grating to my ears, especially for someone who isn't the biggest fan of electronic music. the infusion of experimental, jazz, and ambient aspects kept suba's são paulo confessions interesting. then out of left field, suba throws a fiddle in for a folk-y feel. the fiddle was a choice, is what i'm saying. still, in the end, the album as a whole just seemed to never end.

well, that was music! i knew tom tom club's "genius of love," so i kind of suspected what this album would contain. tom tom club's self-titled is, in a word, unusual. for a talking heads' side project, this album contained more funk than i associate with talking heads. the amount of new wave, even for a side project, checks out for two members of the talking heads. i suppose a side project allowed weymouth and frantz to experiment more, and weymouth's airy vocals got a chance to shine. her voice paired well with this funk/new wave sound!

i have to imagine the use of microsoft paint for the album cover was a lot cooler and edgier in 1991 than 2023. regardless, i am here to focus on the music. on the whole, teenage fanclub's bandwagonesque left something to be desired. it had an early sound of alternative or indie music. some songs were better than others; i felt like teenage fanclub found more of their groove with "is this music?" 2.5, close to a 3 but not quite.

it's truly fascinating that the sex pistols had one studio album but were so influential and memorable. but that doesn't mean i enjoyed it. a lot of early punk is so unrefined and uncoordinated that i can't even appreciate it. in contrast, the instrumentation was fine! in fact, i think it was done well or maybe i just had extremely low expectations. the vocals, however, were incoherent and unappealing and a downright mess. johnny rotten's voice makes the sex pistols unlistenable. i do respect this album's placement on this list, however.

in general, i don't care much for r.e.m.! i think they're overplayed on the radio (which they don't dictate), but more than that, the lead singer's voice is drone-y and uninteresting (i don't know why he held the note at the end of "king of birds"; alas, one of life's great mysteries). despite this, listening to r.e.m.'s document taught me more of their alternative rock presence. their two big hits off this album are more rock than alternative to my ears, but the rest of the album has that alternative feel. this album is definitely something for emo teenagers--i mean, one of their biggest hits from this album is "it's the end of the world as we know it," and nothing screams more emo teenagers than that. for what it's worth, the instrumentation was very solid and allowed the album to be cohesive.

this album's track listing is wild! the replacements' first two songs are sweet, which definitely cuts into the stereotype of what punk music is. what's more punk than that? but the replacements made sure to include songs like "tommy gets his tonsils out" and "gary's got a boner," which are definitely your typical punk of creating songs with titles and lyrics that make your elders stop in their tracks. but i will not forget that the replacements included cutesy, clever lines or they have a lyric of "you're my favorite thing, bar nothing". i see you, paul westerberg. what's most punk about this album is the song "androgynous". this album was released in 1984, and to have a song that blatantly talks about non-gender conformity is pretty great. the song is limited to only a piano, but the distorted vocals don't allow the lyrics to be as coherent as much as they would otherwise. still, the song's intention is clear: some people appear androgynous and they do what they want to do. "tomorrow, who's gonna fuss?" as in, mind your own business. this album is the only one of the replacements that i know; apparently they toned down their previous punk nature for let it be. i wouldn't necessarily characterize this album as straight punk. there's a bit of a peppy pop approach at times. yes, the new wave genre is absolutely here! and the instrumentals! the instrumental sections in "seen your video" and "unsatisfied" are particularly beautiful. punk can be characterized as songs played quick and fast without much fuss or intricacy. instrumental sections aren't unheard of in punk but are uncommon. the usage of these instrumentals is a breath of fresh air but also showcase the band's talents without the vocals interrupting. two of the more morose songs on the album, "sixteen blue" and "unsatisfied", provide balance to the more lively songs. i don't think it's an accident these are more rock based. the roaring, unrefined vocals allow these melancholy songs to hit deeply. the unpolished nature of "unsatisfied" (which the band freely admits to!) possibly makes this song more noteworthy than otherwise. but a song doesn't need to be tweaked to death in order to achieve greatness. again, that's punk!