1001 Albums Summary

Album #1 (1001 challenge extended): "St. Louis to Liverpool" by Chuck Berry(1964) "St. Louis to Liverpool" is the seventh studio album by American rock and roll musician Chuck Berry. Rock and roll is the sole Wiki-listed genre. The album was written and recorded after his release from prison and spending 20 months for interstate trafficking of women for prostitution: in his case, underage women. It was also written to capitalize on his popularity during the early 60's British Invasion. It was recorded in Chicago at the famous Chess Records. Chuck Berry was on vocals and guitars. His band included Matt "Guitar" Murphy (guitar), Johnnie Johnson (piano), Lafayette Leak (piano), Paul Williams (piano), Willie Dixon (bass), Odie Payne (drums), Fred Below (drums), Ebby Hardy (drums), Jasper Thomas (drums), Leroy C. Davis (tenor saxophone), James Robinson (tenor saxophone) and Louis Satterfield (bass). The album reached #124 on the US Pop Album Charts. Critic Dave Marsh called it one of the greatest rock and roll albums ever made. "Little Marie" opens the album with electric guitar and harmonization vocals. Berry's distinct bluesy with country-tinged electric guitar sound. A bouncy piano and rock and roll beat. Berry with subdued vocals describing his ex-wife calling him home to reunite with their six year old daughter and her. A guitar riff and piano rolls begin "No Particular Place to Go." The start-stop beat. Driving and fast guitar solos. "Promised Land" opens with a classic Berry riff. Upbeat with the piano killing it. Horns are added to "You Can Never Tell." The piano is upfront and carrying the melody. Even a piano solo. Berry's opening riff in "Bobby Soxer" is very similar to "Johnny B. Goode" And why not? Another ripping solo. He's encouraging a young teenage girl to dance. Berry's bluesy-edged and country-tinged guitar tone stands out on this album. On solos, riffs and fills. The backing band is outstanding. Short and upbeat rock and roll songs with a prominent piano and at times horns. Is it hard to listen to the content of these songs given Berry's background? Yeah, a little bit, but it is a classic sound and not all rock and roll stars are good or even likable people. But, I couldn't totally shake it. However, it a classic album of music that all rock fans should enjoy. 4.5 out 5

Album #2 (1001 challenge extended): "Crystal Castles" by Crystal Castles (2008) "Crystal Castles" is the debut studio album by Canadian electronic music duo Crystal Castles. Synth-punk, chiptune, noise and indie electronic are the Wiki-listed genres. The duo consisted of producer Ethan Kath and singer Alice Glass. The duo used electronic sounds with a circuit-bent Atari 5200. Commercially, the album reached #47 in the UK and #3 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Album Chart. It also received generally favorable reviews. "Untrust Us" opens the album. A bouncy and melodic synth. A synth beat. Glass' vocals up and down the scales. Hmmmm, interesting. The first-released single "Crimewave" has a dance beat and synth bass. Echoing and robotic vocals. Hypnotic. A melodic synth break. A loud and heavy drum ending. "Vanished" goes dreamy with the synth melodies. Kath on vocals with Glass. Laser sounds. Start/stop beats. More pop like. The album closes with "Reckless.". A oscillating synth melody. A club-like beat; it sounds like an 80's Ministry song. Layered synths. Well, this was unique. Heavy synths being melodic, noisy and video-game like. That Atari 5200 is ringing true. Weird idiosyncratic beats. The music can be described as dance, experimental, dance-pop, punk and techno. The tone seems to change between techno-adult and video game-dance kid-like. Glass' vocals can be straight-forward, screaming or distorted. This album kept my attention with its changing styles even though it was annoying at times. Short songs kept the annoying aspect low on those specific albums. Overall, an album I'd recommend for any electronic music fan. 3.5 out of 5

Album #3 (1001 challenge extended): "Almoraima" by Paco de Lucia (1976) "Almoraima" is the tenth studio album by Spanish flamenco guitarist, composer and record producer Paco de Lucia. Flamenco and jazz are the Wiki-listed genres. The album is considered a landmark recording of flamenco, rethinking what constituted flamenco and incorporating bass, congas, the Moorish lute-like oud and rhumba rhythms. de Lucia plated guitar and the oud. Other musicians on the albums included Ramón de Algeciras (guitar), Alvaro Yebenes bass) and Pedro Ruy-Blas (percussion). The self-titled "Almoraima" opens the album with percussion and an aggressive Spanish guitar. It slows down. It speeds up. More percussion and handclaps. Just exquisite guitar. "El Cobre" speeds things up with a fast beat. Toe-tapping and handclapping beats. "A la Perla de Cadiz" adds a choir at the start and end. The guitar controls the pace with starts and stops. A rhumba beat underlies "Rio Ancho." A scooting pace. The guitar impressively goes up and down the scales. The focus of this album is the extraordinary guitar work of de Lucia. It gets layered with other guitar or the oud. The other musical instrumental are relatively sparse but there is chanting, a choir, a subdued bass and percussion. I am a flamenco music novice but the other flamenco I've heard seems to have been busier. Nonetheless, de Lucia's guitar work is fantastic making this a very enjoyable listen. A recommendation for any music fan. 4.5 out of 5

Album #4 (1001 challenge extended): "Diamond Jubilee" by Cindy Lee (2024) "Diamond Jubilee" is the seventh studio album (and a triple vinyl album at that) by Canadian band Cindy Lee, a project of Patrick Flegel. Hypnagogic pop (evokes cultural memory and nostalgia), psychedelic pop, indie pop, brill building (girl group music from the 1960's), slacker rock, noise pop and lo-fi. There's a few new ones. The album was originally released in full on YouTube. The band included Patrick Flegel (performance, engineering, production), Steven Lind (guitar, bass, drums, synthesizer strings, claps, engineering, production, mixing) and Joshua Stevenson (mastering). The album had wide-spread critical acclaim. A slow guitar which eventually gets louder opens the self-titled "Diamond Jubilee." Fingers snapping, synth strings. Drums come in midway through. Dreamy feminine vocals. A 60's psychedelic vibe. "Baby Blue" continues the 60's retro sound with a spy-like guitar. Layered harmonized vocals as they're trying to get someone's attention. This is very Velvet Underground. "Flesh and Blood" layers guitar strikes with a ringing-David Bowie "Heroes"-era guitar. A 70's sounding rock beat and bass. Feminine and masculine vocals. The pace picks up and the song ends with a distorted guitar. "Dracula" gets a soulful groove going with the guitar melody and beat. A high-pitched guitar melody overlayed with a synth. Echoing feminine vocals. An interesting 70's synth break. The music matches the lyrical themes of isolation. We hear that spy-like guitar again in "Lockstepp." An ominous-sounding synth. A weird drum ticking. Great mood-capturing music. "If You Hear Me Crying" has a handclap rock beat. A piercing guitar solo. Dreamy feminine-masculine vocals. The song gets louder with dueling guitar solos at the end. "Exclaim!" magazine's Kaelen Bell nailed the album's music description as "Built on strains of 50's girl group pop, lush 60's psychedelia, itchy 70's radio rock, lo-fi 90's clutter and sparkling production choices grafted on from some alternate universe." I love the use of the grafted here since that's exactly what is done. There's a song with a chunky garage rock style guitar and a dreamy synth. And it works. There's pyschedelic, fuzztone and spy-like guitars and retro elements including garage, 70's soul/pop, bluesy beat, the Velvet Underground, post-punk and movie-score like. The vocals are feminine and masculine, dreamy and buried. Yes, the album is long at 202 minutes but you can literally start and stop at any point and enjoy this album. So much to like here. Surely one of the best albums of the 2020's and a very high recommendation. 5 out of 5

Album #5 (1001 challenge extended): "A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships" by the 1975 (2018) "A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships" is the third studio album by English band the 1975. Experimental, electronic, rock and pop are the Wiki-listed genres. Well, that covers everything. The album was intended as a follow-up to their previous album "I Like It When You Sleep, For Your Are So Beautiful Yet so Unaware of It." The album is considered a concept album questioning society's relationship with technology and its constraints on millennials and also a portrayal of lead singer Matthew Healy's heroin addiction. In addition, the recording of the album had to be halted for Healy to get treatment for his addiction. The bandmembers included Healy (vocals, piano, guitars, keyboards, drums), Adam Hann (guitar), Ross MacDonald (bass) and George Daniel (programing, synthesizers, keyboards, percussion, piano, backing vocals). Over 50 additional musicians were also used. Commercially, the album hit #1 in the UK and reached #4 on the US Billboard 200. The album had wide-spread critical acclaim especially for its production and portrayal of modern life. After the mostly instrumental self-titled "The 1975," "Give Yourself a Try" opens with a distorted synth/guitar and a fast-ticking drum. Healy with high-pitched vocals encouraging people and himself to recognize themselves. This sounds a lot like the Postal Service and that's not a bad thing. "TooTimeTooTimeTooTime" continues with the synth focus and is slightly lighter. An electronic beat and more poppy. Upbeat music juxtaposed with Healy's darker lyrics of paranoia and insecurity in a modern relationship fueled by social media. Bubbly strings sounds which eventually gets louder begin "Love It If We Made It." Healy's rapid-fire vocals through a vocoder running through and hopefully surviving various societal failures. Who thought Dylan might been have an inspiration. A dreamy, flowing synth. Horns added in the middle eight. Back to bubbly strings. This is a great song. "Sincerity is Scary" fuses electronic jazzy drums, a wobbly synth and a piano to give an R&B-jazzy pop song. A song that builds with the large London Gospel Choir on backing vocals. The last released single "It's Not Living (If It's Not With You)" opens with a power pop guitar. Synths, an electronic beat, very poppy. Female backing vocals. Another happy-sounding song with darker lyrics as Healy sings about his drug addiction. I'm always a sucker for musical and lyrical dichotomy. The music is largely synth-driven pop with electronic beats but there are elements of jazz, R&B, experimental, gospel, power ballads and post punk. There is a nice style change of pace between songs. The vocals can be clear and straightforward, rapid-fire or distorted through a vocoder. The lyrical focus is information overload in modern society mixed with Healy's struggles with drugs, anxieties and fears. At times the songs can be a little too poppy and the vocoder can really annoy me but the production details, overall experimental edge, lyrics and a few extremely strong songs won me over. A solid recommendation. 4.5 out of 5

"Yellow & Green" is the third studio album (and a double one at that) by American heavy metal band Baroness. The Wiki-listed genres are progressive metal, indie rock and sludge metal. It was the only Baroness' album performed as a trio with the departure of bassist Summer Welch and the last album with drummer Allen Blickle who left after a 2012 tour bus accident in England. The bandmembers included John Dyer Baizley (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, bass), Pete Adams (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Allen Blickle (drums, percussion). Commercially, the album reached #30 on the US Billboard and #85 on the UK charts and was critically well received. The first album is called "Yellow" and opens with the echoing, psychedelic guitar instrumental "Yellow Theme." Next comes a harder edged guitar and rock beat in "Take My Bones Away." Baizley with clear rock vocals, not the distorted, guttural vocals heard in a lot in the modern heavy metal genre as he sings about addiction and a toxic relationship. Driving, echoing guitars with underlying keys. This sounds a lot like early Queens of the Stone Age, not a bad thing at all. "March to the Sea" is slower with a melodic guitar. The song then goes heavy with the drums and pounding bass. Then comes a bigger sound with a layered melodic sound. Very anthemic. High-pitched guitar notes begin "Cocanium." An underlying organ and prominent bass. There's a Pink Floyd-esque guitar sound. I think we all know what this is about. The "Yellow" album closer "Evla" takes us on a ride. Acoustic guitar strumming and buried, melancholic lead vocals. A dreamy guitar. It's a song that builds with a weird wah-wah echoing guitar solo. Distorted guitar takes the song through the outro. The "Green" album opens with another instrumental. A bigger sound reminding one of Queen. "Board Up the House" is another song about addiction. Loud echoing guitars and drums and harmonized vocals. An echoing melody with a 70's rock sound. In "Psalms Alive," they actually get a groove going with bass and drums which are very idiosyncratic at that. Continued melodic. The guitar recalls vintage indie bands of the 80's. These guys keep surprising me. Melodic, anthemic, big, trippy, prog and psychedelic. These are not typically descriptors of the music of a band classified as heavy metal. And that's true, this is not typical traditional or even modern heavy metal. Their sound recalled Queens of the Stone Age, Pink Floyd, the Flea-like late 90's bass, Queen, Incubus and Soundgarden. The guitar is in the minor key a lot, a la 80's indie rock. There's plenty of changes of beats. Baizley has a great, clear singing voice; he doesn't need distortion or to go guttural. Plenty here to like. A high recommendation for anyone who likes rock music. Any one of their first five albums are worth a listen. 4.5 out of 5

Album #7 (1001 challenge extended): "Spirit of Eden" by Talk Talk (1988) "Spirit of Eden" is the fourth studio album by English band Talk Talk. Post-rock, art rock, experimental rock, ambient and new wave are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was a radical departure from their earlier synth-pop and had a lengthy recording process where there were hours of improvised performances that drew on elements of jazz, ambient, classical music, blues and dub, was heavily edited and then re-arranged into an album. The songs were written by singer Mark Hollis and producer Tom Friese-Greene and the bandmembers included Hollis (vocals, guitar, organ, melodica, piano and varriophon), Lee Harris (drums) and Paul Webb (bass). 15 other musicians also contributed. Commercially, the album was a disappointment reaching #19 in the UK and, critically, it had a mixed reception but grew in stature and is now considered an underrated masterpiece. It is also credited with pioneering the post-rock genre. "The Rainbow" starts the album with soft strings and stark guitar notes. Yes, very post-rock. A howling bluesy harmonica and a slow beat come in next. Hollis with subdued vocals. A piano too. Shakers and a glimmering synth gives an air of hopefulness. The song alternates between the subdued and hopeful. Another quiet start with "Eden" with guitar distortion. The song is more melodic with piano. Longing vocals and a tom-tom drumbeat. The song gets louder with various electric guitars and ends with guitar distortion. "Desire" opens with synths and gets louder with a ringing bluesy guitar and hard drums. They get that soft-loud-soft dynamic going. Echoing vocals and what ends up being the hardest rockin' song on the album. Slow drum ticks open the only released single "I Believe in You." Emotional vocals and a dreamy guitar. A synth melody and an underlying organ. This song had to be an influence for Radiohead. Sparse guitar notes in what would be called post-rock, minimal drums, a piano, an organ, a synth and even a harmonica in a few songs. Both subdued and loud in almost every song. The vocals and lyrics can be emotional, loud, soft, obscure and spiritual. The music style is almost irrelevant as it blends ambient, hard rock, blues and experimental. The improvisational recording and editing into songs are evident with the pace and instrumental changes within each song. It is uncommon to hear music where the artist is pretty much unconcerned with the audience and only playing and creating for himself. It is also uncommon where the music achieves this level of beauty. This is a great album and a very high recommendation. 5 out 5

Album #8 (1001 challenge extended): "Alive or Just Breathing" by Killswitch Engage (2002) "Alive or Just Breathing" is the second studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. Melodic metal core is the sole Wiki-listed genre. It was their first album on a major label, Roadrunner, and was produced by their drummer Adam Dutkiewicz. Bandmembers included Jesse Leach (lead vocals), Joel Stroetzel (guitars), Mike D'Antonio (bass) and Dutkiewicz (drummer, piano, guitars, backing vocals). Commercially, the album reached #37 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Chart and #122 on the UK Albums Chart. The album was well received and is considered a landmark recording in the metalcore genre. Tinny pounding drums open the album in "Numbered Days." Leach screaming, talking and singing. A metallic pulse. Melodic guitar riffs. Then bam! The band goes into thrash mode and settles there for the rest of the song. A metallic guitar riff begins the first single "Self Revelation." Fast drums and here it is, guttural vocals. Then back to melodic singing. Screeching guitar fills in with mostly a thrash metal style. An ominous guitar riff and thunderous drums usher in "Fixation on the Darkness." Screaming vocals very Al Jourgensen like. In fact, the music sounds a lot like very late 80's Ministry...not a bad thing in my world. We get a back and forth between the melodic and thrash. "The Last Serenade starts softly before it kicks in with the metallic guitar riff and heavy vocals. The melodic voice singing the title in the chorus with guttural vocals angrily screaming whatever he is screaming. An athematic guitar, believe it or not, highlights "The Element of One" with an underlying metallic riff and beat. The singing voice asking questions while the screaming voice answers him. The music on this album goes back forth between thrash and actual melodies. It's the same with the vocals and melodic singing, screaming/death growls and guttural vocals. Metallic down-tuned guitar riffs and venturing into thrash. The singing voice seems to offer hope while the screaming/guttural vocals portray his inner chaos and struggles. The music and vocal changes kept these songs fairly interesting. If it didn't it would have gotten very repetitive for me. This music is not exactly in my musical wheelbase but something I entirely dislike and the songs mentioned are all pretty good. If you're a Slipnot, Bullet for My Valentine, Ministry or metal fan, there's plenty here to sink your teeth into. The rest of you, stay away. 3.5 out of 5

Album #9 (1001 challenge extended): "Contra" by Vampire Weekend (2010) "Contra" is the second studio album by American rock band Vampire Weekend. The Wiki-listed genres are indie pop, world beat and synth-pop. The use of "contra" is for the meaning of opposite specifically rejecting the idea of rock musicians as poor, underprivileged rebels and also prejudices against affluence and wealth in music. Ah, defending their Columbia education. The bandmembers included Ezra Koenig (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, piano, programming), Rostam Batmanglij (piano, backing vocals, keyboards, harpsichord, drums, synthesizers, sampler, production), Christopher Tomson (drums) and Christopher Baio (bass, backing vocals, synthesizers). Commercially, the album reached #1 in both the US and UK and had significant critical acclaim. "Horchata" opens the album. Koenig with clear, loud vocals. Latin percussion beats and marimbas. Strings, harmonized vocals and a Casio creating a flute-like melody. A reflection on the passage of time. "White Sky" has an electronic beats, claps and a shimmering synth melody. Koenig yodeling. Various backing vocal chants. He's exploring NYC. They bring a ska beat to "Holiday." A scooting guitar and synth melody. A celebration of summer freedom and maybe a deeper meaning on the cost of that freedom. A galloping synth and beat open "Run." A glorious blaring synth harmony. "Cousins" opens with a strumming guitar. Rapid-fire drums and a break. Koenig also with rapid-fire vocals. A rattling sound, bells and they go up and down the guitar scale. "Giving Up the Gun" is a synth-pop gem. Handclaps beats and a shimmering synth. A bell anchoring the rhythm. Bell taps and an underlying synth. You have to disarm your identities of youth as you get older. Latin beats, ska beats, handclaps, world music melodies. marimbas, sampler, piano, synth and strings. Various singing styles and backing vocals. Lots and lots of little musical details by Rotsam's production. And all this adds up with very catchy songs. This is a high level album. I'd say their best although it's neck and neck with their next album "Modern Vampires of the City." A strong recommendation. 5 out of 5

Album #10 (1001 challenge extended): "Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)" by Digable Planets (1993) "Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)" is the debut studio album by alternate hip hop group Digable Planets. Alternative hip hop and jazz rap are the Wiki-listed genres. The samples lean heavily on Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler's Dad's album collection. The album is also less overtly political than their subsequent album "Blowout Comb." Besides Butler, the bandmembers included Mariana "Ladybug Mecca" Viera and Craig "Noodlebug" Irving. Commercially, the album reached #15 in the US. It was also highly regarded critically. A Herbie Hancock-tribal beat sample and ainimal noises open "It's Good to Believe." Gentle hip hop beats. Quick rappin'. A good blend of sampling. A drum tick then into a beat starts "Where I'm From." The melody and beats from a KC & the Sunshie song. All rappers take turns at the mic. A celebration of hip hop culture and their NYC community. "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" combines samples of the Honeydrippers' beats, Art Blakely's horns and Fred Wesley's weird synth laser sounds. Butler and Viera alternate as lead rapper as they honor and celebrate jazz. Smooth and one of favorite early 90 hip hop songs. They go psychedelic in "Jimmi Diggin' Cats." People talking. A weird wavering sound. Viera repeating the song title as they imagine meeting Jimi Hendrix. Yes, a psychedelic vibe is necessary. On "Nickel Bags" they tribute well, yes, pot. A handclap beat and a flute Herbie Mann sample in a very interesting song. Chill, laid back, smooth rapping. The jazz samples carry the melody, hooks and beats. Yes, some psychedelia. The lyrics are mostly hopeful and a celebration but there is some social commentary in a pro-choice song. The sample selections are not over-the-top, blend well together and set the jazzy tone. Maybe lacking in some of the humor of rap albums at the time but this is a really good album and a solid recommendation. 4.5 out 5

Album #11 (1001 challenge extended): "I Am" by Earth, Wind & Fire (1978) "I Am" is the ninth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire. R&B, soul, funk and disco are the Wiki-listed genres. The band included Philip Bailey (vocals, congas, percussion), Maurice White (vocals, drums, kalimba, producer), Larry Dunn (piano, synthesizers), Johnny Graham (guitars), Al McKay (guitars), Verdine White (bass), Fred White (drums), Ralph Johnson (percussion) and Andrew Woolfolk (tenor saxophone). 50+ additional musicians also contributed. Commercially, the album reached #3 in the US and #5 in the UK and, critically, it had generally positive reviews specifically for its production and musicianship. "In the Stone" opens the album with drum beats, blaring horns carrying the melody and a Latin percussion. A groovy guitar and bass. White and Bailey on vocals. Strings in the background. Ah, true love. An uplifting smooth R&B pop song. "Can't Let Go" starts with horns again but is faster paced with a harder groove. There's horn breaks. The synth is featured in an interlude and solo. "After the Love is Gone" is a slower ballad with a piano and synth. It builds with fantastic Bailey-White harmonies. Various horn fills in a soft-loud-soft song. And that alto sax solo by Don Myrick near the end. The disco really gets going on the second side with "Boogie Wonderland." Horns charges with a funky bass. White with deeper vocals and the Emotions giving those female backing vocals. A string interlude. "Star" features a Moog synth and strings at the beginning. A funky groove kicks in and the Bailey falsetto. Harmonies, layers of music and horns giving a New Orleans jazzy vibe. Horn and piano-driven melodies with funky and at times disco rhythm section. Smooth, pop/R&B, ballads, funky and disco with elements of jazz occasionally. Flawless lead and backing vocals and harmonies by Bailey and White. Tremendous songcraft. This album really took me back to that late 70's period. Maybe not reaching some of their previous early to mid-70's album heights but still a solid album. And, it sounded quite good today. 3.5 out 5

Album #12 (1001 challenge extended): "30 Something" by Carter the Unstoppable Machine (1991) "30 Something" is the second album by English indie rock band Carter the Unstoppable Machine. Alternative dance, grebo and punk are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was recorded in 20 days on 8-track costing 4,000 pounds and was heavy on puns and sampling. The band is Jim "Jim Bob" Morrison (performer) and Les "fruitbat" Carter (performer). The album was produced by the band and Simon Painter. Commercially, the album reached #8 in the UK and, critically, had very positive reviews. "Surfin' USM" opens the album with dialogue from the "Red Dwarf" TV show. Chanting, pulsating, wavering electronic beats and a hard guitar riff. Mostly instrumental including vocal samples from Bowie's "Suffragette City." The first single released was "Anytime Anyplace Anywhere." Strings and guys chanting in a bar setting. A dance beat, a bass synth and ringing guitars. The vocals start out whispering and progress to yelling in a song about hedonism. "Shoppers' Paradise" comes out with a charging beat, horn synths and a vocal sample of the Clash's "Kola-Kola." More ringing guitar and a horn-synth melody in a song that settles into an electronic beat. This is sort of an electronic version of the Clash. The horn synths are used again in "Bloodsport for All." A slashing guitar and a drum beat sounding the Call's "I Still Believe." Jim Bob's snarling vocals taking aim at the military bullying and racist culture. Most of these songs have a big sound with electronic beats, synths and loud ringing guitars. The music sort of fuses punk with the guitars, electronic beats, pop and 80's synth-pop sometimes bordering on videogame music. The vocals/lyrics can be acerbic, political and satirical. Overall, I found this album entertaining and recommend it for that reason, if at times the music especially the synths sounded dated. 3.5 out of 5

Album #13 (1001 challenge extended): "Dimanche à Bamako" by Amadou & Mariam (2005) "Dimanche à Bamako" is the fourth album by Malian duo (and married couple) Amadou & Mariam. African blues and Afrobeat are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was produced by French-Spanish musician Manu Chao who also played guitar and was on vocals.. Amadou (Bagayoko) played guitar and was on vocals and his wife, Mariam (Doumbia) was on vocals. The album featured Ivorian reggae star Tiken Jah Fakoly on vocals and Italian ska/jazz trumpeter Ray Paci. 17 additional musicians and vocalists contribute to the album as well. Commercially, the album peaked at #2 on the French Albums Chart and, critically, it won the BBC award for World Music Best Album in 2006. "M'Bifé" opens the album with an acoustic guitar. A ticking percussion. Mariam on lead vocals and a chorus of deep male and female vocals. An overall soulful vibe. Multiple people take over lead vocals on "La Réalité" which also gets a groove going with a wavering keyboard sound. The percussion has reggae and World beats. The guitar is more in the African blues style and very Carlos Santana-esque. The first released single was "Sénégal Fast Food." More of the African blues guitar and deeper into the reggae beat. A harmonica adds to the bluesy feel. Sounds of kids playing begin "Beaux Dimanches." Horns, a pronounce percussion and a snaky-sounding guitar. A chorus is essentially the lead vocalists. Horn fills throughout the song give this a Middle Eastern feel. A piano carries the melody in "Politic Amagni." A strumming acoustic guitar and a gentle rock beat. There's more of a serious tone with dual lead singers and nice harmonization. Acoustic string instruments, a mostly African bluesy electric guitar, horns, keys and piano can carry the melody. Multiple percussion instruments giving African and reggae beats. Multiple lead vocalists, chanting, choruses, harmonization and layered vocals. Excellent production by Chao doesn't let this album really settle into any one distinct style. The vibe is celebratory, serious and melancholic. The lyrics are in French and Bambara and researching the meaning of these songs they delve into the personal (love, love lost, devotion), political (migration, abuse) and a celebration rural life and shared heritage. The music fits perfectly. This is a really good album and reminded me of the recent fellow Malian Ali Farka Toure album I had. A strong recommendation for everyone. 4 out of 5

Album #14 (1001 challenge extended): "Music" by 311 (1993) "Music" is the debut studio album by American rock band 311. Rap metal is the sole Wiki-listed genre. Oh, boy. The album was produced by Eddy Offord and the bandmembers included Nick Hexum (vocals, guitar, percussion), SA Martinez (vocals), Chad Sexton (drums, percussion), Tim Mahoney (guitar) and Aaron Wills (bass). Commercially, the album reached #37 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Chart and, critically, it had mixed reviews. "Welcome" opens with a reggae/ska beat and guitar. Chill to start until a heavy guitar riff comes in. Hexum and Martinez co-lead singers/rappers. Hmmm, a fusion of hip hop, metal and reggae. The beats and guitar riffs get louder in "Freak Out." Co-lead vocals again, rappin', singin', and bouncin' off each other. Handclaps almost give this a danceable beat. The guitar goes grungy and toned-down in "Visit." Similar vocal approaches but they harmonized the chorus which actually establishes a nice melody. Pounding drums, more heavy metal guitar riffs and rapping in "Hydroponic." The rapping is almost dreamy and pyschedelic and it should given the theme of connecting with Mother Earth via some hydroponic residents. "My Stoney Baby" is the first song where the rhythm section shows some funk. What took them so long? Also, a scratchy bluesy guitar. A melodic guitar solo. Probably my favorite song on the album. I have to admit; this it's my first venture into a 311 album. Their music is a fusion of heavy metal and rock guitar riffs with ska/reggae, funk and rock beats. The co-lead vocals swing between rapping and singing. The music follows suit switching between the reggae/funk and harder edge with the guitar riffs. That's why, besides a few songs, that I both liked and disliked most of these songs. These guys can play though and they show a lot of energy. There's similarities with early Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine and the God-awful nu metal. So, if you're a fan of any one of those comps then you'll probably find something here to like. Otherwise, stay away. 2.5 out of 5

Album #15 (1001 challenge extended): "Stage Four" by Touché Amoré (2016) "Stage Four" is the fourth studio album by American post-hardcore band Touché Amoré. Post-hardcore, melodic hardcore and screamo are the Wiki-listed genres. The title is a reference to the band's fourth album and the lyrics focus on bandmember Jeremy Bolm's Mother who died of cancer. The bandmembers included Elliot Babin (drums, piano), Jeremy Bolm (vocals), Tyler Kirby (bass, vocals), Nick Steinhard (guitar) and Clayton Stephens (guitar). Commercially, the reached #168 on the Billboard 200 and, critically, it had favorable reviews. Drum ticks and a melodic guitar kicks open the album in "Flower and You." The band kicks into hardcore punk mode and Bolm's vocals are in emotional scream mode. The music slows down and speeds up. Ah, hardcore emo. The guitars are layered in the last-released single "Rapture." More of a rock beat. And more of the emotional scream vocals and the soft-loud-soft. Bolm is struggling to find meaning of his Mother's death in "Displacement." Rolling drums which turn fast. The guitars do a good job building the emotion. The first-released single "Palm Dreams" doesn't mess around and goes straight to the punk hardcore beat. The band adds a vocal chorus as well. "Skyscraper" begins with guitar strums and a melodic bass. The guitars go dreamy. The vocals do as well as Julien Baker joins a vocal chorus. Bolm intertwines the beauty and complexity of looking at the skyline with his grief. My favorite song on the album. The music is anchored by hardcore and rock beats and layered guitars in two-to-four-minutes long songs. Bolm's vocals are mostly scream reminding me of Fugazi. His lyrics are personal and emotional almost exclusively dealing with his grief on his Mother's death. The guitars do a good job supporting the emotions. Another good band comp is Fucked Up. Overall, I quite liked this album for its solid musicality and emotional depth; it overwhelmed the screamo vocals that can annoy me. So, if you're a fan of punk or pop punk, there's something here you'll probably enjoy. 4 out of 5

Album #16 (1001 challenge extended): "Grace and Danger" by John Martyn (1980) "Grace and Danger" is the eighth studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist John Martyn. Folk rock, folk jazz, jazz-rock, blue-eyed soul and reggae rock are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was written and recorded while Martyn was in the process of divorcing his wife Beverly. Phil Collins played drums and sang backing vocals and was going through a similar painful divorce which was reflected in his solo album at the time, "Face Value." I wonder if that's on the 1,001 extended? Island Records delayed the release of the album for a year since label owner Chris Blackwell found the album too depressing. Besides Collins, other backing bandmembers included Tommy Eyre (keyboards, synthesizers), John Giblin (bass) and Dave Lawson (synthesizers). The album had favorable reviews. The album opens with "Some People Are Crazy." Bass, keys, a wavering guitar and slow beats. Martyn with soft vocals that turn emotional as he struggles with the meaning of love. Dreamy folk best describe this. Martyn covers the Slickers' "Johnny Too Bad" from the 1972 film "The Harder They Come." More of a reggae beat and a funky bass. A wah-wah distorted rhythm guitar and a guitar solo. Martyn almost scatting. "Sweet Little Mystery" has soft beats and vocals. Keyboards strikes and a synth melody. Here's the blue-eyed soul. Female backing vocals while Martyn singing and repeating the sing's title. The synth is featured again in the next song "Hurt in Your Heart." Slow drum ticks. Jazzy guitar fills. Emotionally wrought vocals. The song's title says everything. Dreamy folk, aspects of late 70's country rock and soft rock, moments of jazzy drums and guitar and reggae are all the musical styles heard in the fist four songs. The second side slows things down quite a bit. The vocals and lyrics are emotional and the overall tone is quite subdued. Overall, this had very much a late 70's soft rock vibe. Bordering on yacht rock? Not quite but not too far away. I do like his other two albums on the challenge, "Solid Air" and "One World" more but this is a decent album...maybe not quite reaching their heights but definitely worthy of listen. 3.5 out of 5

Album #53 (1001 challenge extended): "Silence Yourself" by Savages (2013) "Silence Yourself" is the debut studio album by English post-punk band Savages. Post-punk and alternative rock are the Wiki-listed genres. Critics made a parallel of their music with the British post-punk of the late 1970's and bands like Magazine, Gang of Four, Siouxsie Sioux and the Stranglers. The bandmembers included Jehnny Beth (vocals, piano), Gemma Thompson (guitar), Ayse Hassan (bass) and Fay Milton drums). Commercially, the album reached #14 in the UK and #70 in the US and, critically, it earned wide-spread acclaim and was nominated for the 2013 UK Mercury Prize. "Shut Up" gets the album rolling. Voice samples of women talking and eerie noises. The music comes in: fast paced, a pronounced bass and an antsy guitar. Beth's vocals are defiant as she repeats "Shut up." A ringing post-punk guitar. A songs that builds towards the end. Most these songs do. "City's Full" has a soft-loud-soft dynamic. Drums. Guitar feedback. A funky bass. Grinding, screeching and angular guitars. A song always faking to explode until it does. "She Will" has a melodic eerie guitar riff. A quicker drum beat and a thumping bass. A very late 70's/early 80's sound. Anthemic as Beth urges "her" to do it. An appropriate guitar feedback outro. The album closes with "Marshal Dear," a song based on the final 15 minutes of Nazi Field Marshal Erwin Rommel who took his own life. Slower with a piano melody and ticking drums. Beth with emotional vocals. An underlying bass and guitar accents. A harrowing song with some sort of horn improvising end. The core music is post-punk with an atmosphere of dread and drama, eerie, ringing guitars, a heavy bass and drums and mostly dramatic. But, there are areas of a grinding, grungy pace, a heavy metallic sound and Sonic Youth-like experimental with distorted guitars. Songs tends to build to the end. Beth with strong, authoritative vocals and lyrics. Besides the aforementioned British post-punk bands, I also heard the Cramps, PIL and Sonic Youth. Never a dull moment on this album. A very solid album that kicks its hard pretty much all the way through. 4.5 out of 5

Album #17 (1001 challenge extended): "Breakfast in America" by Supertramp (1979) "Breakfast in America" is the sixth studio by British rock band Supertramp. Progressive pop, art rock and soft rock are the Wiki-listed genres. Bandmembers Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson wrote songs separately but conceived the album theme jointly. They had originally conceived an album concept about their relationship and conflicting ideals but scrapped that idea in favor of "fun" songs. The album was produced by Peter Henderson and the band. The bandmembers included Rick Davies (vocals, keyboards clavinet), Roger Hodgson (vocals, keyboards, keyboards), John Helliwell (woodwinds, backing vocals), Dougie Thomson (bass) and Bob Siebenberg (drums). Commercially, the album reached #1 in the US and #3 in the UK and it had mostly positive reviews. The album opens with "Gone Hollywood." An acoustic guitar start which gets louder with a piano melody. Both Davies and Hodgson on vocals in sort of a call and response style telling the story of person who moves to LA, struggles and eventually makes it. Big production with the horns and overall anxiety-ridden vibe. Castanet rattles and piano keys begin "The Logical Song." Hodgson with personal lyrics about growing up. Guitar hooks in a song that builds. Woodblocks, cowbells and a siren whistle are also thrown in. Davies over the lead vocals in "Goodbye Stranger." I always remember the falsetto vocal chorus. A more subdued start but the music picks up along with vocals. A guitar solo outro too. Ansty piano key strikes begin "Breakfast in America." There's mention of girlfriends, kippers and Texas. A whimsical song with the multiple horns and percussion. A bluesy harmonica starts "Take the Long Way Home." Piano and strings in very much a melancholic song. A very good deeper cut is the closer "Child of Vision." A pumping, wavering synth. More of the call and response lyrics/vocals by Hodgson and Davies and a critique on materialism. A dreamy chorus in one of the better songs on the album. These songs are driven by piano, synths and horns. Guitar and horn solos. Davies and Hodgson switch and combine on lead vocals and offer a good contrast. There can be a whimsical, melancholic or nostalgic vibe. Sometimes, there's over production. This was a massive album and I remember buying it at the time. I don't remember playing too much since. I do find this music fairly unique and can't really think of anything it influenced afterwards. I'm also very much surprised it was not in the original 1,001. Overall, this album contains some really good songs (those previously mentioned) which have aged relatively well and for that I recommend going back to this album for a listen. 4 out of 5

Album #18 (1001 challenge extended): "Telefone" by Noname (2016) "Telefone" is debut mixtape by American Noname (Fatimah Nyeema Warner). Hip hop, jazz rap, conscious hip hop and neo soul are the Wiki-listed genres. The album features guest appearances from Saba, Ravens Lenae, Raury and Smino and was produced by Cam O'bi, Saba and Monte Booker. The album was met with universal acclaim. "Yesterday" opens the album. A wobbly synth melody, drumbeat rolls and a jazz lounge piano. A dreamy throwback (retro) chorus. Noname rappin' reflecting on grief and memories. "Diddy Bop" features Raury and Cam O'bi with a more chill beat. A drippy keyboard melody and looping backing vocals. "Reality Check" heads into the neo soul area. Non-members is rappin' and singing sounding a lot like Lauryn Hill. Video game sounds, a shimmering synth and a prominent bass. More dreamy backing vocals this time featuring Eryn Allen Kane and Akenya. "Casket Pretty" tackles gun violence and police brutality in Black communities. Random percussion, a jazzy piano, string synths and sounds of children. The album closes with "Shadow Man." This song wanders into a few different styles. Handclaps, a soulful chorus with Saba, Smino and Phoelix and a jazzy piano and organ. The dreamy vibe is back again. Chill, jazzy, soulful and lyrics dealing with themes of nostalgia, positivity and some social commentary. There's jazzy pianos, soulful organs, glossy synths, and hip hop, R&B and handclap beats. Noname raps and sings with harmony and doo-wop backing vocals by featured guests. The music and vocals reminded me of Lauryn Hill and Chance the Rapper and that's a good thing. This is a really good album and a definite recommendation. 4.5 out of 5

Album #19 (1001 challenge extended): "All Hail West Texas" by the Mountain Goats (2002) "All Hail West Texas" is the sixth studio album by American indie folk band the Mountain Goats. Lo-fi is the sole Wiki-listed genre. It was the last album to only feature acoustic guitarist and lead vocalist John Darnielle and also to be recorded with his Panasonic RT500 boombox until 2020's "Song for Pierre Chuvin." The album was critically well-received. "The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton" opens the album. Acoustic guitar strumming and Darnielle singing/talking; that's all but one the 14 songs. Maybe the first and only heartfelt song about a death metal band (that I've heard) and really a song about rebellion. "Hail Satan!" The next song "Fall of the Star High School Running Back" is a little more melodic. A tale of a former high school star athlete whose injury leads him to sell drugs. In "Jenny," Darnielle is hot after a girl who rides a motorcycle. Darnielle falls in love but never feels totally comfortable in "Riches and Wonders." Lo-fi drums, an antiquated keyboard and a drone sound change the pace in "Blues in Dallas." A song about darkness which is pervaded by the music. Lo-fi indeed! A strumming melodic acoustic guitar and Darnielle's nasally vocals. Heartfelt lyrics and stories. Tales of down-and-out high school kids and others and struggles with feeling comfortable in relationships. It's unknown it these stories are autobiographical, semi-autobiographical or fictional...probably all three. The D.I.Y. ethos reminds me of Guided by Voices and Neutral Milk Hotel as does the music somewhat. I enjoy the Mountain Goat's music to some extent but realize this is not for everyone. So, if you're a fan of the previously-mentioned bands or lo-fi folk music fan, this is something you'll probably enjoy. 3.5 out of 5

Album #20 (1001 challenge extended): "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" by the Sensational Alex Harvey Band (1975) "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" is the fourth studio album by Scottish rock band the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. Hard rock is the sole Wiki-listed genre. Not much effort there from the Wiki page. The album cover by Dave Field was a parody of Roger Dean's art for groups such as Yes and depicts degradation of the environment by earthmoving equipment. No A-side singles were released but several songs were later released on B-sides. The bandmembers included Alex Harvey (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica), Zal Cleminson (guitar, backing vocals), Chris Glen (bass, backing vocals), Hugh McKenna (keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals) and Ted McKenna (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Commercially, the album reached #9 on the UK Charts which was their only album to make the UK top ten and, critically, it had positive reviews. "Action Strasse" opens the album with a distorted guitar and muffled vocals. Harvey singing about taking a walk in some gritty nightlife districts. Ansty and then psychedelic guitars develops into AC/DC-like repetitive guitar riffs and the song ends with a Middle Eastern tilt. Hard bluesy guitar riffs begin "Snake Bite." Harvey repeating the title. A glam rock/hair metal guitar solo. Harvey tells the tale of the environment being destroyed by modern industrialization in "The Tale of the Giant Stoneater." It starts with a piano which leads to loud guitars. Strings are added, tempos change and things get theatrical and dramatic. What a ride! A strumming acoustic guitar starts "Shake That Thing." Harvey with exaggerated vocals as he sings about temptations and madness. A bluesy stomp develops with bluesy guitar fills. The self-titled "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" is a cover from the Broadway musical Cabaret. The song opens with a harmonica and harmonica. Horns are added. A loud chorus comes in. Very anthemic and, well, weird. There were a lot of similarities on this album to other SAHB album I had in the challenge, "Next..". Where they were more glam in "Next..," here, they go in all sorts of different directions. There's songs of bluesy hard rock similar to Bon Scott-era AC/DC with themes of debauchery. Then there's more prog and pyschedelia songs being piano, synth and organ-led and more serious themes of the environment. In one song, they add jazzy beats and a jazzy guitar where they seem to be creating their own amalgam of Steely Dan and Frank Zappa. And, of course, the musical cover. All of this added up to pretty much a fun ride. So, if you're up for a musical genre tour, play this. 3.5 out of 5

Album #21 (1001 challenge extended): "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum" by Tally Hall (2005) "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum" is the debut studio album by American rock band Tally Hall. Alternative rock, indie rock, power pop, baroque pop, garage rock, psychedelic rock and hip hop are the Wiki-listed genres. All songs are finished versions of their demo tracks featured on previous EP's. The album's title was from a museum of mechanized curiosities in Farmington Hills, Michigan. The bandmembers included Rob Cantor (vocals, guitar, ukulele, percussion), Joe Hawley (vocals, guitars, ukulele, melodica), Zubin Sedghi (bass, vocals), Andrew Horowitz (keyboards, percussion, vocals) and Ross Federman (drums, percussion, marimba, vocals). A host of other musicians and backing vocalists also participated. Commercially, the album had word-of-mouth success according to Wiki and had generally positive reviews. "Good Day" opens the album. A vocal harmony chorus, a bouncy beat and piano led. Whimsical, poppy, lead guitar guitar fills, various lead vocals. An intro to the album which reminded me of Queen. "Welcome to Town Hall" begins with an auctioneer voice and crowd noise. Video game synth keys which goes to a hip hop beat, scratching and vocal rapping. It then transitions to music with a carnival-like organ and horns and ends with a gospel choir. Oh, boy! They're back to a bouncy beat in "The Bidding." A keyboard-led melody. Guitar slashes, horn fills, multiple vocalists and pace changes. They almost go full-on Ween in "Banana Man." A Caribbean beat, singing with a Jamaican accent, guitar strumming and jungle noises. I hope I get a Ween album in this extended challenge. In "Ruler of Everything," there are multiple vocalists asking questions, answering questions and even laughing. A song that starts out synth driven then changes to hard rock. Whimsical, power pop, bouncy, upbeat and gimmicky with areas driving into hip hop, baroque, country and Caribbean. Almost all songs change styles and pace within. The music and approach reminded me of They Might Be Giants, Ween, Queen, Weird Al Yankovic and indie pop lightweights AJR. In fact after the album stream, a They Might Be Giants' song came on. The problem is that I like those bands' albums (except for AJR) much better. The gimmick kind of wore thin for me quick. Not a bad album but I can't see myself listening to this again. However, if you like the whimsical and gimmicky, you might find this enjoyable. 2.5 out 5

Album #22 (1001 challenge extended): "The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts" by Refused (1998) "The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts" is the third album by Swedish hardcore punk band Refused. Hard punk and post-hardcore are the Wiki-listed genres. The album continues the band's evolution from strictly punk to using more experimental influences although they would break-up a few months after the album's release. The album title was a reference to jazz artist Ornette Coleman and his 1959 album "The Shape of Jazz to Come." The bandmembers included Dennis Lyxzén (vocals), Kristofer Steen (guitars, bass, drums), Jon Brännström (samples, programming, synthesizers, guitars), David Sandström (drums, melodica, guitars) and Magnus Björklund (bass, cello). Upon its release, the album has mixed reviews. However, some critics currently see it as a landmark post-hardcore album. "Worms of the Senses/Faculties of the Skull" opens the album with sounds of cars, a guy talking and eerie feedback. The music kicks in with Lyxzén screaming. Off-kilter melancholic guitar riffs. Pace changes. This is hard rock on steroids with lots of similarities to Rage Against the Machine (a least in this song). "Liberation Frequency" has a more melodic guitar riff. Softer drums and vocals and even a groove until once again the bands explodes. The song switches between the loud and antsy and softer melodic in a song against the corporate media. The only-released single "New Noise" starts once again with that angular, antsy guitar riff and fast drum ticks. A song that builds. Synth noises and beats and echoing synth noises. There's that back and forth between the antsy and loud and fast. The song ends with the band in full throttle mode. Lyxzén repeating "We dance to all the wrong songs" as he attacks the current vapid and empty pop music. F'in great song. "The Shape of Punk to Come" continues that soft-loud-soft dynamic and adds a dance beat and layered guitars. A swirling guitar outro. The band adds a cello and ominous and droning guitar in "Tannhäuser/Derivè." Alternating ringing guitars and full-on band assault. They guys don't let up. Driving, loud, hard and fast punk/metal, lots of screaming, out-front drums and beat changes. The musical core is hardcore punk but they throw in groovy beats, jazzy intrudes, a cello, electronic beats and weird synth noises. These guys are sure angry attacking commercialization, the media and the state of punk and pop music at the time. The soft-loud-soft song structure alternating between the punk hardcore and antsy/anxious/urgent melodic totally worked for me. The album improved on a second listen and I really started to hear that post-hardcore style similar in bands like Slint and Shudder to Think. A strong recommendation for anyone who likes hard rock, punk or even metal. 5 out of 5

Album #23 (1001 challenge extended): "E•MO•TION" by Carly Rae Jepsen (2015) "E•MO•TION" is the third studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen. Pop, dance-pop, synth-pop and disco are the Wiki-listed genres. Jepsen looked to transition from the bubble-gum nature of her second album "Kiss." She took inspiration from 80's music and alternative styles and enlisted a team of over 100 musicians and producers including Sia, Mattman & Robin, Dev Hynes, Ariel Rechtshaid, Rostam Batmanglij and Peter Svensson of the Cardigans. Commercially, the album reached #16 in the US and #21 in the UK and, critically, it had favorable reviews specifically for its pop escapism, catchiness, production and cohesiveness. "Run Away With Me" begins the album with horns, a synth beat and echoing soft vocals. The songs builds with a bigger, louder sound. There's layered vocals. The song does the soft-loud-soft. Well produced pop. "I Really Like You" is faster with a dance beat and synth melody. A singalong chorus. She's in between the like and love stage. Glossy but well executed. Multiple percussions and handclaps give "Boy Problems" more of an R&B vibe especially with the thumping bass. More of the echoing vocals. This is very 80's sounding. "Your Type" starts with electronic beats and an ominous, wavering synth. Jepsen with strong layered vocals as she struggles in a relationship. Layered synths. Very catchy. My favorite song on the album. Catchy melodies, very well produced, glossy at times but easy listening and a definite 80's synth-pop vibe. There's pop, ballad and dance songs. A number of these songs build with layers of vocals, synths and beats. The lyrics focus on her emotions/feelings at different stages and types of relationships and attractions: not too deep but fits the music. Overall, I found this a strong and very enjoyable pop album with really no filler. If pop is your bailiwick give this a listen or re-listen. 4 out of 5

Album #24 (1001 challenge extended): "Norther" by Ex-Easter Island Head (2024) "Norther" is the sixth album by English experimental music band Ex-Easter Island Head. Minimalism, ambient and experimental are the Wiki-listed genres. It was the first appearance of Andrew PM Hunt as a permanent bandmember and he was also the producer and mixing engineer for the album. The album title is based the meteorological term for the cold wind from the north. The instrumental music incorporated both structural compositions and free-form elements. Besides Hunt, bandmembers included Benjamin D. Duvall, Benjamin Fair and Jonathan Hering. All members are credited with playing guitars, percussion, synthesizers and gadgets. The album received positive albums. "Weather" opens the album with a sound created by a cellphone recording of haptic motors running over guitars strings. Haptic motor equals a gadget. The song builds and gets louder with percussions and layered synths added. The song is a conceptualization of a weather system. The self-titled "Norther" used a recording of an actual norther on an aeolian harp. A bubbly danceable synth melody. Percussion and bells. A compelling song. "Magnetic Bridges" begins with a shimmering guitar strikes and ticking percussion. Then we get the sound of voices amplified through guitar pick-ups. Experimental indeed! This is an all instrumental album. Melodies created from unique sources as well as synths. There's layers of percussion but nothing is too busy. The minimalist descriptor is apt. There is a chill and ambient vibe. A good album to six back and relax. The album reminded me of Tortoise whom I am a fan. This is a very decent album and I recommend it for anyone who likes ambient or chill music. 3.5 out of 5

Album #25 (1001 challenge extended): "Up" by Great Big Sea (1995) "Up" is the second studio album by Canadian folk band Great Big Sea. Folk and folk rock are the Wiki-listed genres. Great Big Sea is known for performing rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs. The bandmembers included Alan Doyle (vocals, guitar, bouzouki, mandolin), Séan McCann (vocals, bodhran, guitar, Irish whistle), Darrell Power (vocals, bass, guitar, bones) and Bob Hallett (vocals, fiddle, accordion, mandolin, concertina, bouzouki, whistles, bagpipes). During the following 15 years, the band would go on to become one of Canada's best-selling artists. The album opens with a cover of Slade's "Run Runaway." Upbeat, fast pace, an Irish whistle and fiddle. Multiple vocals in a singalong song. Fun cover. They continue the fast pace in "Mari-Mac." Both lead and backing vocals are very fast-paced too; in fact, almost a rap style. An idiosyncratic drum beat. The pace matches the lyrics of a man put in the position of a highly pressurized arranged marriage. "The Old Black Rum" is another singalong song about alcohol and its effect. A shuffling beat, various acoustic instruments, the fiddle and a large raucous chorus. "The Chemical Workers' Song (Process Man)" takes a more serious tone: stark with a bass drum beat. Almost a capella with harmonized vocals. The exploitation of chemistry industry workers. The album ends with an ode to the sea and sea folk in "Rant and Rover." The Irish whistle and acoustic guitars are featured. Nice harmony vocals again. Upbeat, mostly fast paced, acoustic instruments, the fiddle and the Irish whistle. Strong lead vocals and nice harmonies. A modern take on traditional folk reminding me , at times, of the Pogues and for some reason, the Barenaked Ladies. The songs are split between the heartfelt personal songs dealing with relationships and the mostly singalong traditional songs. This was a fun and enjoyable album. I knew nothing about these guys but I can see why they were very popular for a good long time. 4 out of 5

Album #26 (1001 challenge extended): "The Decline of British Sea Power" by Sea Power (2003) "The Decline of British Sea Power" is the debut studio album by British indie rock band Sea Power (formerly known as British Sea Power). Indie rock and post-punk revival are the Wiki-listed genres. The bandmembers included Yan (Scott Wilkinson) (lead vocals, guitar, piano, piano), Hamilton (Neil Hamilton Wilkinson) (bass, guitar, piano, organ, vocals), Noble (Martin Noble) (guitar, piano, backing vocals, organ) and Wood (Matthew Wood) (drums). The album opens with the short a capella song "Men Together Today" and then goes into the blazing "Apologies to Insect Life." Loud punk guitar and a garage sound. Wilkinson basically scatting with indecipherable lyrics. A chaotic ending. Surprisingly, the album takes a sharp left turn and heads into more melodic territory at song number four and for the rest of the album. "Remember Me" has a chunky and echoing guitar riff. A song that builds and very 80's indie sounding. Wilkinson's vocals are clearer and emotional; he wants to be remembered. They did not forget the fast pace and drumming in "Fear of Drowning." The distortion and layering of the guitars are more noticeable. I don't know why it took me until song number seven "The Lonely" to get the comp to the early 80's Pyschedelic Furs. Wilkinson's raspy vocals are similar Richard Butler's. The music is too with its dreamy melancholic melody. A piano is added to this one of their released singles. The guitars are layered and swirling in "Carrion." Another song that builds with an organ in the mix. They really go for it in the 13-minute "Lately." Ringing and echoing guitars and drum cymbals gives this a Grateful Dead vibe. They build a melody with layered guitars. Guitar feedback and somewhat noodling ventures this into the experimental. They add a wind blowing noise cause why not add wind blowing sounds at this point. This album starts fast, garage-like and unhinged. The melodic songs kick in but the band keeps sone of the intensity with guitar feedback, ringing and distortion. The vocals start out indecipherable and eventually become a little clearer with tones of melancholy and personal experience. The music reminded me mostly of early to mid 80's indie recalling the Psychedelic Furs, the melodies of the Replacements, the guitar experimental aspects of Sonic Youth and even the psychedelic jams of Pavement. You can tell they took the melancholic notes of Joy Division for the lyrics. I barely remember doing a sync listen of this album awhile ago which I liked at that time quite a bit; it sounded even better today. Even though its evident they took pieces of previous artists to construct this, it still is very much their own and does sound of its early 2000's time frame. This album is very much in my "wheelhouse" of music that I like: a high recommendation. 5 out of 5

Album #27 (1001 challenge extended): "Silent Shout" by the Knife (2006) "Silent Shout" is the third studio album by Swedish electronic music duo the Knife. Synth-pop, techno and electronic are the Wiki-listed genres. This album is considerably darker than their previous release "Deep Cuts." One publication describes this album as Siouxsie Sioux meets Aphex Twin. Kind of right on there. The Knife consists of siblings, Karen Dreijer (also known as Fever Ray) and Olof Dreijer. The album had generally positive reviews with Pitchfork naming it the best album of 2006. Commercially, it reached #1 in Sweden and #28 on the UK Independent Albums Charts and #12 on the US Billboard Top Dance Albums. The album opens with the self-titled "Silent Shout." Electronic drum beats and pounds. A dance beat and techno synth melody are added. Muddled vocals led by Karen. Haunting, hypnotic and setting the album's tone. High-pitched and video game like synth keys begin "We Share Our Mother's Health" which get louder. Layered electronic beats and a wobbly synth. Layering also of Karin and Olof's vocals. A tribal beat carries the song off. A clickity-clack tap dance beat and a dreamy synth change things up in "Marble House." Karen with impassioned vocals. Electronic beats, echoing synths. Call and answer backing vocals. Dripping sounds develop into an electronic beat in "Like a Pen." Bubbly dance beats and a ticking synth melody. Eerie indeed. Haunting, hypnotic, dark, edgy and atmospheric. Electronic beats and ominous techno synth melodies, both layered most of the time. The vocals are muffled, anxiety-filled, yelling and just plain scary. They are mostly Karen's but Olof adds a needed contacting texture. The music builds as the synths, beats and vocals get louder and layered. Nothing ever really settles into place; the lyrics are abstract at best. The music is both hypnotic and complex creating an eerie atmosphere with manipulating synths and beats never really sounding the same between songs. I don't know if I can quite call this a landmark album but it is definitely a masterpiece. This is an outstanding album. 5 out of 5

Album #28 (1001 challenge extended): "Az ördög álarcosbálja (The Devil's Masquerade)" by Syrius (1971) "Az ördög álarcosbálja (The Devil's Masquerade)" is the debut album by Hungarian progressive rock band Syrius. Jazz-rock and progressive rock are the Wiki-listed genres. The bandmembers included Baronits Zsolt (saxophones, vocals), Orszáczky Miklós (vocals, bass, violin, acoustic guitar), Pataki László (piano, organ), Ráduly Mihály (saxophones, flute, piccolo) and Veszelinov András (drums, vocals). The band had commercial success in Australia. "Concerto for a Three" starts the album in a very classical way with violin strings and a prancing piano. The band kicks in with the bass, drums and a sax. Flute and piccolo accents. Yes, a combo of jazz and prog. There's yodeling. Various time signature changes (that's throughout the album). An organ fills out the songs. "Crooked Man" continues the complex beats. A sax and flute. With the vocals, this has a very Jethro Tull-ish vibe...up until the piano comes in and we're back to a prog jam. The band actually goes for a little bit of soul in "I've Been This Down Before" with the piano and vocals. The flute, sax and piano change the musical tone to more jazzy. These guys don't sit still. "Devil's Masquerade" shows the band at both their prog and free jazz forms. A organ intro goes into a prog style with the sax in the lead. Multiple sax's are each soloing and we are into free jazz. Never boring. "Psychomania" is similar employing both styles but the song twists and turns with multiple time signature changes. Oh, and a flute solo; we needed that. Prog, jazz fusion and free jazz but mostly equal parts prog and free jazz. Complex drum time signatures and changes. Sax, flute, piano and organ fills, solos and melodies. The vocals are somewhat at a minimum and sounding a lot like Chicago's Robert Lamm. The lyrics are split between early 70's prog like with topics such as journeys, bishops, the devil and medieval topics and the more personal. At times, the music reminded me of Jethro Tull. Frank Zappa, King Crimson and early Chicago. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this; not excessive in bloated prog noodling and displaying exceptional musicianship. So, if you're a prog or jazz fan, there's plenty here to like. 4.5 out of 5

Album #29 (1001 challenge extended): "Up To Here" by the Tragically Hip (1989) "Up To Here" is the debut studio album by Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip. Alternative rock, rock roots, folk rock, country rock and blues rock are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis with producer Don Smith. The bandmembers included Bobby Baker (guitar), Gordon Downie (vocals), Johnny Fay (drums), Gordon Sinclair (bass, vocals, acoustic guitar) and Paul Langlois (guitar, vocals, bass). The album saw decent commercial success in Canada but lack of success in the US. The album opens with "Blow at High Dough." Drum ticks, a soft meandering electric guitar and Downie singing "I shot a moose once in my hometown." The band kicks in with bluesy guitar strikes. Loud and bass forward. Chasing what's just out of reach. Downie also struggles with the pull to party or pull back in the fantastic "New Orleans Is Sinking." Another soft guitar riff which gets layered with another guitar riff. Bluesy and down and dirty. Downie with lower octave vocals. Hypnotic and evil sounding. "38 Years Old" was inspired by a prison escape. Slower with an acoustic guitar and accented by long, stretched electric guitar notes. "Boots or Hearts" takes it a step further with the acoustic guitar and ventures into country blues. A bluesy stompy beat. Electric guitar and handclaps are added later. The album ends strong. "Another Midnight" is more melodic with a layered acoustic and electric guitar. This actually sounds happy and very similar to what the Gin Blossoms would sound five years later and that's not a bad thing. Ah, but we have to end with the dark "Opiated." A harder edge guitar and snarly vocals. No need to guess what this is about. A bluesy rock beat and bass. Layered, driving guitars with nasty riffs and melodies although they show a country rock tilt in a few songs. A dark tone but a few songs of hope. Downie with impassioned vocals telling cautionary tales that never end quite well and the struggle between success/fun and the need to pull back. The lyrics are very Drive-by Truckers just not as straightforward. This is a solid, solid album. I do regret not seeing this guys live but at least we have their records and this one is well worth a listen. 5 out of 5

Album #30 (1001 challenge extended): "Get Heaven" by Everything Everything (2015) "Get Heaven" is the third studio by British band Everything Everything. Art pop, art rock and progressive pop are the Wiki-listed genres. The lyrical themes are dark focusing on "global tensions and political happenings during 2014 (Islamic state of Iraq and the Levant, media coverage of the 2015 general election in the UK and various mass shootings) contrasted by upbeat music." Well, for about half the album. The bandmembers included Jonathan Higgs (vocals, guitar, keyboards, programming), Alex Robertshaw (guitar, backing vocals, programming, keyboards), Jeremy Pritchard (bass, backing vocals, keyboards) and Michael Spearman (drums, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals). The album was well received by critics and, commercially, it reached #7 in the UK. The album starts fairly stripped down with Higgs on vocals and no instruments. The band eventually comes in loud. Meandering guitar riffs a la Radiohead-era "Hail to Thief." A dramatic opening. The first single "Distant Past" is softer. Drums pounding and Higgs rapping. More beats and the piano. It's upbeat and poppy. The high point of the album has to be songs four and five. "Regret" has a pounding beat and a 60's sounding vocal chorus repeating "regret." Melodic with the synth keys. Echoing backing vocals and a swirling guitar solo. "Spring/Sun/Winter/Dread" brings back the bouncy beat. A wavering synth melody. I finally realize Higgs vocals can sound at times like Chris Martin's. Very, very catchy. Another swirling guitar, this time carrying the song out. Musically, the second half of the album takes a much darker turn. The best of these songs is "No Reptiles." Electronic drum beats. Soft nonsensical becoming more sensible vocals. Layered dark synths. The volume gets cranked up as the song builds. Higgs searches for a meaning to his life and a path to happiness. The music in the first half of this album has a pop beat and happy synth melodies. I would call this style prime for the Alt Nation crowd and bands like Walk the Moon, Young the Giant and Bastille. The exceptions being two outstanding songs previously mentioned. The album then takes a sharp left in the second half and we're in much darker waters. Electronic beats and dark synths. Radiohead had to be a major influence. Overall, I found this album a very entertaining listen. I'm not a big Alt Nation music fan but they really didn't stay there too long. Lots to enjoy and a firm recommendation to at least give it a spin. 4 out of 5

Album #31 (1001 challenge extended): "Yeti" by Amon Düül II (1970) "Yeti" is the second studio album (and a double one at that) by German rock band Amon Düül II. Krautrock, progressive rock, psychedelic rock, avant garde and raga rock are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was described as "one of the cornerstones of both Amon Düül's career and the entire krautrock movement. The bandmembers included Peter Leopold (drums), Christian "Shrat" Thierfeld (bongos, vocals), Senate Knaup (vocals, tambourine), John Weinzieri (guitars, vocals), Chris Karrer (violin, guitars, vocals), Talk Rogner (organ) and Dave Anderson (bass). The album was met with critical acclaim and placed at #41 in "Rolling Stone's" greatest prog rock albums. The album opens with the four-part suite "Soap Shop Rock." "Burning Sister" has a start-stop beat, 60's garage/psychedelic slicing guitars and a prominent bass. Karrer and Weinzieri with screaming vocals and Renate Knaup with operatic backing vocals. They slow things down in "Halluzination Guillotine." A deep and prominent bass. Back to psychedelic guitars sounding very Velvet Underground-ish. Lots of drum fills. The guitars become more urgent, repetitive and ringing. The violin is added to the closer "Flesh-Coloured Anti-Aircraft Alarm" raising the drama level. The main vocals are fearful and combined with the operatic backing vocals gave me chills. "Archangels "Thunderbirds" comes out loud and driving with the drumbeat, organ and guitar riffs/slashes. Knaup with howling vocals. The guitars become layered in what is best called a psychedelic-grunge fusion. The album closes, which includes both sides C and D, with three songs labeled as improvisational although the whole album sounds pretty improvisational to me. "Yeti" opens with guitar feedback which transitions to what best may be called guitar and bass noodling. A piercing high-pitched guitar backed by fast-paced drum beats and bass. The song builds with muffled vocals added. Flute melodies highlight "Sandoz in the Rain." Raga rock and a sitar-sounding guitar. A violin. Karrer and Knaup on psychedelic vocals as they venture into the wild. And of course, bongos join in for the outro. What a trip! Krautrock indeed! Psychedelic and sitar-like guitars, busy drums, the flute, the violin, grungy and stoner rock, hypnotic beats and long extended jams. There's a heaviness to the bass and drums that also take this into metal territory at times. Muddled, screaming and operatic vocals. There's a mix of instrumental and vocal songs. Epic and vast and I imagine traveling in the desert or probably tripping on "you name it" or better yet wielding a scythe in a busy, hazy land. Yeah, I liked this album. A must listen for any prog rock or pyschedelic fans. 5 out of 5

Album #32 (1001 challenge extended): "Deceit" by This Heat (1981) "Deceit" is the second and final studio album by English experimental band This Heat. Experimental rock and post-punk are the Wiki-listed genres. The songs were assembled from largely improvised recordings with themes of fear of nuclear war and imperialism. The songs also have varying degrees of sound quality as the band wanted to make it sound as though the record player was exploding. The bandmembers included Charles Hayward (vocals, drums, keyboards, guitar, bass, tapes), Gareth Williams (vocals, bass, keyboards, tape) and Charles Bullen (vocals, guitar, clarinet, drums, tape). The album was well-received by critics with Pitchfork ranking at #73 on their best album of 1980's. Chanting of "Go to Sleep" opens the song, you guessed it, "Sleep." Tribal beats, a humming sound. A weird guitar which develops into a melody. Vocals develop with handclaps. A haunting, subdued tone. A Middle Eastern acoustic guitar starts "Paper Hats." Screaming vocals and random sounds. A bass and drum groove develops. Yes, experimental. They get a rock beat and a post-punk guitar going in the wonderful "S.P.Q.R." A harmonized vocal chorus takes the lead. More percussion and the song builds. A song about the cyclical nature of history and the influence of the Roman empire. The next song "Cenotaph" takes a gloomy look at nuclear war. Ominous synth and guitar strikes. Weird idiosyncratic beats. Hypnotic. Ringing. And a chaotic end. The chanting comes back full force in "A New Kind of Water." Drums pounding. A psychedelic background guitar. The song changes a bit as the guitar and bass becomes melodic, the pace picks up and a lead vocalist takes over. Dramatic. A comment on the environment. Stark with a minimalist approach to instruments at times. Experimental with random noises and sounds. Layered percussion. Ringing post-punk guitar riffs. Lots of chorus vocals, harmonized, chanting or in the lead. An overall ominous and foreboding tone reflecting the lyrics on nuclear war, environmental decay and the inevitably of history negatively repeating itself. I saw a critic comment this as "existential dread." Very apt. And you know what, this album is great. The songs I mentioned are all outstanding. The overall tone and its effect made me play it immediately again. So, if you're post-anything fan (punk, rock) or like interesting experimental rock music, I highly recommend this very you. 5 out of 5

Album #33 (1001 challenge extended): "Sailing the Seas of Cheese" by Primus (1991) "Sailing the Seas of Cheese" is the second studio album and major label debut by American rock band Primus. Funk metal and alternative metal are the Wiki-listed genres. Yep! The bandmembers included Les Claypool (vocals, an assortment of basses, clarinet), Larry LaLonde (guitar, banjo) and Tim "Herb" Alexander (drums, percussion, water jug). Commercially, the album reached #116 on the US Billboard 200 and critically had decent reviews with one citing "excellent musicianship amidst cartoonish fun." The album opens with the short "Sea of Change." A grinding bass and Claypool singing operatically inviting you to sail the sea of change. "Here Come the Bastards" has a prodding, echoing guitar and a thunderous bass and beat. Anxious vocals and a dirty guitar solo (most songs have a token guitar solo). As with most songs the bass leads the melody in "American Life." Claypool with softer vocals as he sings about immigrants coming to America and the disparity between reality and dreams. A screeching guitar. Hypnotic up until they speed it up to the end. Claypool exercises his six-string bass melody skills in "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver." A howling guitar in the background. Drums adding to complexity with the beat and fills. The song goes heavy and comes back. I guess we don't want to be Jerry. Tom Waits adds growling spoken words to the wacky "Tommy the Cat." They also get the funk going. Claypool's vocals in barker-like fashion. More impressive bass. The bass also gets quite funky in "Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers." A hard rock guitar. The soft-loud-soft in a funk metal fusion. Thunderous, thumping, slapping complex melodic bass lines. Pounding drums. A wandering, screeching guitar mainly used in the background and in solos. Claypool's vocals are sparky, whispering, unique and sometimes annoying. The music can be funky, slow, grungy or metallic and sometimes a combination of each. I thought the music showed the most potential went it veered into metal and prog territory. I admit to not being the biggest Primus fan only having listened to their next album, "Pork Soda." This album is much better than that. Overall, I did like this album. For that, I'd recommend it to anyone who likes funk, metal or a fusion of each and also excellent musicianship, especially the bass. 3.5 of 5

Album #34 (1001 challenge extended): "Korn" by Korn (1994) "Korn" is the debut studio album by American nu metal band Korn. Nu metal and alternative metal are the Wiki-listed genres and it is also cited as the album that started the nu metal genre. Why oh why??? The album was recorded in Malibu with producer Ross Robinson and with themes of child abuse, drug abuse and bullying. Yes, and in great and personal detail. The bandmembers included Jonathan Davis (lead vocals, bagpipes), Brian "Head" Welch (guitar, backing vocals), James "Munky" Shaffer (guitar), Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu (bass) and David Silveria (drums). Commercially, the album reached #72 in the US and #181 in the UK. The album initially had mixed reviews but, in retrospective, critics have recognized it as one of the best metal albums of 1990's. The albums opens with first single "Blind." Drum ticks, an off-kiltered guitar riff and the Davis asking "Are You Ready?" A fuzz-toned guitar and a heavy sound. Davis with creepy vocals, rapping and yelling, on drug addiction. Dark. Very dark. "Need to" has a Black Sabbath-esque guitar riff. Complex drumming. The guitars develop an urgent and hypnotic riff. Anguish in Davis' vocals as he is confused in a relationship he doesn't want to be in. The last single "Clown" has a similar fuzzed and whacked-out guitar riff. A slow grinding pace. Davis confronts his high school bullies. Davis eerily repeats nursery rhyme lines in "Chutes and Ladders." And that is the intent as he transforms those lyrics into something hiddenly frightening. Bagpipes open the song. A ringing, screeching guitar that is surprisingly post-punk. A capella and operatic vocals begin "Daddy." Slow and eerie. Davis details his sexual abuse as his parents watched. The music follows with thunderous drums and more ringing guitars. The song ends with Davis breaking down, crying and yelling out. That actually did happen (there was no acting) and producer Robinson told the band to keep on playing. A truly stunning and disturbing song. I am not afraid to declare that nu metal ranks near, if not at, the bottom of my favorite musical genres. Thankfully, this album is an exception to that. Heavy, dark and harrowing. Fuzzy, scratchy and grinding guitars with no real melodies but perfectly fitting the tone. The drums can be tinny but are also pounding and complex at times. The bass contributes to that heavy foundation. The unfortunate star of show is vocalist and lyricist Jonathan Davis as relives and recalls his horrifying real life experiences in grave detail. He whispers, raps, sings, talks and screams. This on its own can all be annoying but you really start to ignore what might annoy you in favor of the intensity and result. This is quite an album and a high recommendation for any heavy metal/hard rock fan. 5 out of 5

Album #35 (1001 challenge extended): "Deadwing" by Porcupine Tree (2005) "Deadwing" is the eighth studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree. Progressive rock, progressive metal and alternative metal are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was based on a screen play written by bandmember Steven Wilson and Mike Bennion and is a ghost story. The bandmembers included Wilson (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, dulcimer, bass), Richard Barbieri (keyboards, synthesizers), Colin Edwin (bass) and Gavin Harrison (drums, percussion). Commercially, the album reached #132 in the US and #97 in the UK and received solid reviews. The self-titled "Deadwing" opens the album. A soft, undulating synth, a ringing melodic guitar and rock beat. An underlying heavier guitar comes in and the song becomes driving. The vocals and music kind of sound like Incubus. The song turns more prog at the end with layering of synths and guitars. The first single was "Shallow" and has more of a standard hard rock riff. Echoing vocals and there's a bit of Tool here. The other released song was "Lazarus." Piano and softer vocals takes this into pop territory. A pedal steel guitar, higher octave vocals, nice backing vocals, synths and a acoustic guitar. "Arriving Somewhere but Not Here" starts out with a dreamy synth and acoustic guitar. Wilson with wondering lyrics and echoing vocals. The song becomes more rock then more metal. Interesting transitions. The album closes with another song that starts dreamy in "Glass Arm Shattering." A slow drum beat and soft layered guitars. The underlying synth makes this not out of place on a Radiohead or Grandaddy album. The pace picks up and builds. A piano, harmonized vocals, synth and guitar carry it to the end. Best song on the album. The music on this album is a mix of hard rock, a little metal and prog especially near the end of songs. Guitar riffs, upfront drumming and underlying dreamy or eerie synths. I didn't pick up on the ghost story narrative but the lyrics are meditative, searching or pondering past relationship failures. I admit to not getting into this album for awhile. There is nothing wrong: the album is well produced but there is nothing outstanding. That was up until the last song which I thought was great and prompted me for a re-listen where I enjoyed it a lot better for what it was. So, an overall decent album and is recommended for anyone who is a hard rock, progressive rock or metal fan. Just remember, it is definitely not any of the extreme ends of those styles. 3.5 out of 5

Album #36 (1001 challenge extended): "Fear of a Black Planet" by Porcupine Tree (2007) "Fear of a Black Planet" is the ninth studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree. Progressive rock, progressive metal, art rock and alternative rock are the Wiki-listed genres. The title is a reference to album of the same name by Public Enemy. The album's themes deal with "the fear of losing the current generation of youth to various common threats to their mental and social well being." The bandmembers, in case you might have forgotten, are Steven Wilson (vocals, guitars, keyboards, keyboards, piano), Richard Barbieri (keyboards, synthesizers), Colin Edwin (bass) and Gavin Harrison (drums). Commercially, the album reached #59 in the US and #31 in the UK and was critically highly acclaimed. The album opens with the self-titled "Fear of a Black Planet." Anxious guitar strings, an underlying synth and popping drums. An ominous synth in the lead as Wilson sings about the disconnection of the modern youth. An edgy and paranoid vibe. Various rhythm shifts throughout. "My Ashes" is more dreamy with a piano and an acoustic guitar. Strings are added. A very majestic song. The 17-minute "Anesthetize" is a three-song suite. The song features Alex Lifeson on guitar. The first part continues the dreamy being more synth driven. The middle song is hard driving with heavy metal guitar. The song ends slower and organ led. Quite the sci-fi journey. Well, I was surprised to see back-to-back Porcupine Tree albums. I don't know if it is a good or bad thing but it does allow for a good comparison. And to me, this album is definitely better than "Deadwing." The songs lean more into the prog rock with strings, intricate drumming, changes of pace and a more cohesive and consistent theme (that of alienation and numbness of the youth). There's also more use of synths and keyboards. Each song features more instruments but none of these songs are busy and are given space. So, I did enjoy this album and if you want a more modern take on prog rock or where to start with Porcupine Tree, this is the album. 4 out of 5

Album #37 (1001 challenge extended): "Fantastic Planet" by Failure (1996) "Fantastic Planet" is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Failure. Alternative rock, post-grunge, space rock and art rock are the Wiki-listed genres. The album had space rock themes and was well received critically although it failed to chart. The bandmembers included Ken Andrew's ( vocals, guitar, bass), Greg Edwards (guitar, bass, piano, percussion) and Kelllii Scott (drums). The album opens with "Saturday Saviour." The sounds of birds and other noises progresses to a slow rhythm guitar/bass which gets overlayed by a lead guitar. Drums kick in and there's a slow rock grind. An echoing guitar solo. Post-grunge for sure. "Smoking Umbrellas" has a higher pitched strumming post-punk guitar. A melodic bass and shuffling drums. An eerie piano and dark lyrics of existential dread. "Pitiful" combines post-punk and post-grunge. An urgent, slashing guitar with loud drums and a thumping bass. The vocals goes from whispering to loud as Andrews' sings of repeated disconnections in relationships. A ripping guitar solo too. "Another Space Song" begins with high-pitched eerie guitar notes. Very Slint-esque. The song builds. Yes, very space like. High-pitched piercing guitar notes highlight the first single "Stuck on You.'" The song heads into a more melodic hard rock song. He can't get past a previous relationship. Driving, grungy, grinding or post-punk guitar(s) lead the songs. An upfront melodic bass and impressive drumming. Andrews' vocals are like a more gruff Scott Weiland and more anxious. The lyrics are eerie and dark and about disillusionment, detachment and drugs. This album does sound of its mid to late 90's time frame and bands like Hum and Slint. But, I really like those bands and that music so I also really liked this album. So, a strong recommendation for those fans of post-punk, grunge (post-grunge) or just plain hard rock. 4.5 out of 5

Album #38 (1001 challenge extended): "Diamonds & Gasoline" by the Turnpike Troubadours (2010) "Diamonds & Gasoline" is the second studio album by American country music band the Turnpike Troubadours. Red dirt, Americana, country and country rock are the Wiki-listed genres. The bandmembers included Evan Felker (lead vocals, harmonica, acoustic guitar), RC Edwards (bass), Kyle Nix (fiddle, backing vocals), Ryan Engleman (guitars), Giovanni Carnuccio III (drums, percussion, backing vocals) and Roger Ray (guitars, dobro). The album opens with "Every Girl." Harmonized strong vocals. Acoustic guitars, a fiddle and a rock beat. There's a fiddle and electric guitar solo. OK, not bad. "7 & 7" has a quicker beat. Felker with nice strong vocals again realizing he's not getting his childhood sweetheart. A lead fiddle in more of a country rock song. The band gets the pedal steel going in "Whole Damn Town." More melodic with an electric guitar in a heartbreak ballad. A melancholic acoustic guitar leads the self-titled "Diamonds & Gasoline." Felker is struggling between making a commitment and losing his freedom. The album ends with "Long Hot Summer Day." This song has all the instruments, the fiddle, harmonica, drum ticks, a bluesy electric guitar. A song about a hard-working man working on the Illinois River. The core of this music is country but at times there can be a rock beat and the music can blend and blur into alt country, Americana, country rock and even hints of blue grass. Layers of acoustic guitar, electric guitars, pedal steel and a dobro. Strong lead vocals by Felker. Storytelling lyrics about love lost, love never had and small-town tales. I'm not a big fan of modern country but I'm not sure this exactly fits into most modern country. Regardless, this is a solid album and this band probably is a great live band. A recommendation for any fan of country or the aforementioned musical styles. 3.5 out of 5

Album #39 (1001 challenge extended): "Civilisation" by Kero Kero Bonito (2021) "Civilisation" is a compilation of EP's "Civilisation I" and "Civilisation II" by British indie pop band Kero Kero Bonito. Indie pop, alternative pop, electeopop, dance-rock, hyperpop, bubblegum pop, future pop, glitch pop and art pop are the Wiki-listed genres. The bandmembers included Gus Lobban (production, drums, keyboards, backing vocals), Jamie Bulled (production, keyboards, bass) and Sarah Midori Perry (Sarah Bonito) (lead vocals, keyboards). "Battle Lines" opens the album. Electronic beats. Glimmering 80's-sounding synths. Perry with layered vocals. A weirdness to the synths makes this sound rather fresh. The only single from the first EP "When the Fires Come" is slower. A piano and a whistle-sounding flute melody. Soothing, dreamy and about environmental collapse. "The Princess and the Click" is upbeat and poppy. A quirky glossy synth and electronic beats. The lead vocals are sometimes through a vocoder; I'm not a fan. A start-stop type of song and a nice melody. 80's-sounding synths. Electronic beats. The overall mood is dreamy, quirky, poppy and sometimes dance pop. Enhanced vocals are supplemented with the music. As mentioned, there's a weirdness to the synth sound that I quite liked and made this unique. Overall, this was a decent listen and at seven songs and 27 minutes flies by quickly. 3.5 out 5

Album #40 (1001 challenge extended): "Deltron 3030" by Deltron 3030 (2000) "Deltron 3030" is the debut album by hip hop supergroup Deltron 3030 consisting of rapper Del the Funky Homosapien, producer Dan the Automator and DJ Kid Koala. Alternative hip hop, underground hip hop and hip hopera are the Wiki-listed genres. This is a concept album where soldier/computer prodigy Deltron Zero rebels against the 31st century new order who are suppressing human rights and hip hop. Other contributing vocalists/musicians included V. Brown, Sean Lennon, Money Mark, Brad Roberts, P. Windermere and Damon Albarn. Commercially, the album reached #194 on the US Billboard 200 and, critically, it had solid reviews. The album opens with the short "State of the Nation'" where Damon Albarn is talking slowly as he introduces the futuristic place and time. "3030" starts with mechanical noises. A slow drum beat, a synth and a slide guitar. Del's rapping style is soft as he sets the stage of the post apocalyptic world and the album's hero Deltron. "Positive Contact" has a more funky beat. Samples from The Hooterville Trolley and James Brown. Scratching is introduced. Quick rapping and very much a futuristic braggadocio hip hop song. A clever high-pitched synth key sample from Johnny Olivio sets the tone for "Mastermind." A hip hop beat sample from Daly-Wilson Big Band. More scratching. Hypnotic as Deltron shows his powers. "Time Keeps on Slipping" has more hard core rapping. Sultry female backing vocals. Another original sample selection with horns from the 18th Century Corporation. This is a fun album. Sci-fi hip hop lyrics. The music is more laid back and chill. An excellent job in original sample selections with very good production. I have to think the whole Y2K thing at the time had something to do with the concept theme. I will say I'm not sure the wacky interludes added anything; the main song lyrics were goofy enough. And, it does suffer the CD-era syndrome of being too long at over an hour. But, an enjoyable listen where I would think mostly all hip hop fans will find something to like. 4 out of 5

Album #41 (1001 challenge extended): "ross." by Low Roar (2019) "ross." is the fourth studio album by post-rock and electronic music project Low Roar. Post-rock, electronica and dream pop are the Wiki-listed genres. The bandmembers who are listed as playing all the instruments and producing the album included Ryan Karazija, Mike Libdsay and Andrew Scheps. "Darkest Hour" opens the album. Acoustic guitar, a slow brush beat, swirling synth keys and a piano. Dreamy, echoing and melancholic lead and backing vocals in a song about longing for someone. This reminds me very much of the Fleet Foxes. Karazija's vocals continue to be soft with an added falsetto in "Slow Down." Acoustic guitar, piano and vocal harmonizing. Delicate with added horns. He's got to get out. The synths are highlighted in "I'll Make You Feel." A song that builds musically and in sound volume. Grandiose and beautiful. "Not Around" continues the melancholic tone of most of these songs. A nice horn and synth outro. "The Machine" has spiraling keys, a piano and a very slow beat. Dreamy vocals with a vocoder added in spots. I immediately thought of the wonderful "Song for Lulu" by Phosphorescence. The one thing that stood out was the similarities of Karazija's vocals to Robin Pecknold's of the Fleet Foxes. The music is mostly delicate with an acoustic guitar, a piano and brush drums. There's also added elements of horns, synths and electronic beats. Overall, there is a melancholic vibe with lyrical themes of longing, burnout, isolation and the absence of someone. The album at its best compares with the Fleet Foxes, Phosphorescence's "Song for Lulu" and even Rufus Wainwright. I didn't feel this album quite reached the heights of the best of those artists but it is a decent album and if you like any of those aforementioned artists this might be worth checking out. 3 out of 5

Album #42 (1001 challenge extended): "Look Sharp" by Joe Jackson (1979) "Look Sharp" is the debut album by British musician singer-songwriter Joe Jackson. New wave and pub rock are the Wiki-listed genres. Jackson said the album was influenced by reggae music and also sought to capture a spontaneous feel and most tracks were first takes. Jackson sang lead lead vocals and played the piano and harmonica. His bandmembers included Gary Sanford (guitar), Graham Maby (bass) and David Houghton (drums). The album had critical acclaim and, commercially, it reached #20 in the US and #40 in the UK. "One More Time" opens the album with an urgent slashing guitar, rumbling bass and a fast beat. Jackson with clear vocals as he processes a break-up. You definitely hear the reggae influence. An excellent rockin' vibe. "Sunday Papers" has more of the slashing guitar and tone. Echoing backing vocals and slow and fast beats as Jackson mocks the British tabloid press. A piano is added and the bass carries some of the melody in "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" The first song I remember from Joe Jackson as it was his first-released single. Melancholic vocals by Jackson adds to tone. "Look Sharp!" gets a groove going. A staccato guitar. Quick transitions from fast to slow. A guitar and piano bridge. "Fools in Love" really shows the reggae influence. More subdued vocals. Jackson 's cynical view of the consequences of love. When I think of late 70's new wave, two names that pop into my mind are Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson. A slashing, urgent guitar. A rock-solid band especially the rhythm section. I always love a loud bass in the mix. two and a half to four minute mostly hard rockin' songs. You can hear the influence of reggae and punk. This is a top notch album with maybe my only critique being some filler songs at the end. And, if you want to go back and get some good new wave, look no further. 4.5 out of 5

Album #43 (1001 challenge extended): "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" by Godspeed You! Black Emperor (2000) "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven" is the second studio album (and a double album) by Canadian post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Post-rock is the sole Wiki-listed genre. It needs to go somewhere I guess. The album is composed of "four 20-minute songs divided into subsections or movements consisting of instrumental crescendos and occasional use of field recordings. The bandmembers were Efrim Menuck (guitar), Sophie Trudeau (violin), Norsola Johnson (cello), David Bryant (guitar), Thierry Amar (bass), Aidan Girt (drums), Maurice Pezzente (bass), Bruce Cawdron (drums) and Roger Tellier-Craig (guitar). The album was produced by Daryl Smith. The album had critical acclaim and, commercially, it reached #66 in the UK. The opening song/suite "Storm" starts out with two (what I would call) core songs/sections. "Lift Your Skinny Fists, Like Antennas to Heaven" starts slowly with guitars, strings and a hum. The volume and instrumental crescendo begins and continues to the end (as with most of these "core" songs) with marching drums, horns and layered guitars. The next song/section "Gathering Storm" continues the hum with melancholic reverb guitar strums and strings. The song gets louder with drums. Guitar feedback and bass thumps give a darker edge and carries it to the end. Epic and very movie soundtrack/score like. The next song "Static" is bookended by ambient and field-recording sections. The "core" section "World Police and Friendly Fire" adds a piano to the guitar strums and strings. The song goes sinister halfway through with feedback and echoing guitars. The song progressively speeds up and ends chaotically. What a song! The third song "Sleep" opens with a guy reminiscing about the dying area/culture of Coney Island. This leads to "Manheim." An operatic singer is added to the background. The guitar is almost Pink Floyd-esque. All musical elements come to a peak volume. Time signatures are repeatedly changed towards the end Similar to song two, the closing song "Like Antennas to Heaven..." is bookended by field recordings and ambient songs. Squeezed in the center is "She Dreamt She Was a Bulldozer." This time the song explodes at the start with shoegaze guitars and a rock beat. It goes silent with wind blowing and finally ends with oscillating guitars, drums and keys. Woah, what a journey! Four songs/suites composed of main instrumental songs/section core songs, all with building crescendos, interspersed with field recordings and ambient songs/sections. The music is epic in its approach and scope. Layered guitars and strings. It also gives a tone of hope which are contrasted with the field recordings where the people talking are giving PSA warnings and sermons and tones of anxiety and paranoia. Menuck's filmmaking background is evident with this whole album playing out like a movie score with both hints of operatic and classical music. Overall, just an outstanding album and experience. The entire album is a lengthy time investment at 87 minutes but well worth it. Any of the aforementioned "core" songs are great places to get a glimpse of the music and experience. 5 out of 5

Album #44 (1001 challenge extended): "Pussy Whipped" by Bikini Kill (1993) "Pussy Whipped" is first full-length album by American punk rock band Bikini Kill. Punk rock and riot grrrl are the Wiki-listed genres. The album had critical acclaim and was cited as "the first great riot-grrrl album." The bandmembers included Kathleen Hanna (vocals, bass), Billy Karren (guitar), Kathi Wilcox (bass, vocals) and Tobi Vail (drums, vocals). Commercially, the album reached #20 on the UK Independent Albums Chart. The album opens with "Blood One." A rumbling, hard drum roll. Screeching guitar. Punk and lo fi. Hanna yelling and snarling about refusing to be defined. The whole band seems to join in on the screaming. "Alien She" continues the fast drums and bass. Another in-your-face song. "Sugar" gets a deep bass groove going. Ominous guitar strikes. More of a rock beat and a guitar solo. She's not afraid. "Rebel Girl" has a unhinged, driving guitar and pounding bass. A chugging song with an actual melody. Hanna defiant in this punk anthem. The album closes with "For Tammy Rae." Marching drums, bass strums and high-pitched guitar strokes. A more serious tone and hints at what this band can be going straight-forward rock. It's a tribute song to Hanna's close friend. Twelve songs in 24 minutes. Fast, punk, angry and defiant. Screeching guitars and a lo-fi vibe. There's a Mudhoney, grungy feel too in some of these songs. Just like the Inuit have over 50 different words for snow, I think Kathleen Hanna has 50 different types of screams. In-your-face, fast, short and, yeah, a great punk rock album. 4.5 out 5

Album #45 (1001 challenge extended): "Night Drive" by Chromatics (2007) "Night Drive" is the third studio album (also known as "Original Motion Motion Picture Soundtrack IV") by American electronic music band Chromatics. Synth-pop, synthwave, dream pop and Italo disco are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was "a departure from their previous punk sound with a new direction reminiscent of Itali disco." The bandmembers included Johnny Jewel (programming, production), Adam Miller (guitar), Ruth Radelet (vocals) and Nat Walker (drums). Critically, the album had mostly positive reviews. The album opens up with "The Telephone Call" and that's exactly what it is as a woman is headed over to her boyfriend's. And this maybe foreshadows the next song "Night Drive" where a woman is on a night time drive. A swirling guitar carrying the melody, electronic beats of sorts and Radelet's dreamy vocals. An underlying synth and vocal tones of yearning and longing. "I Want Your Love" has more of a dance beat and more in the synthpop area. Repetitive synth/guitar notes. The electronic beat is overlayed by real drums. The band decides to cover Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill." Synth keys carrying the familiar melody. Added foreboding synth keys. A more minimalist and chill version. "Healer" caught my interest with a dark edge and a post-punk guitar tone. The drum beat is very similar to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." A song that builds and a guitar solo based off of Joy Division's "Shadowplay." The majority of this album is dreamy in the synthpop and dance mode, especially with Radelet's vocals. It's minimalist at times with just the vocals and a few layered synths. The two songs that I liked the most had a goth, darker and haunting edge with the post-punk guitar and synths. Maybe, I should have gone back and listened to their two previous albums. I didn't understand the last song, a 15-minute instrumental of a ticking sound, a drone sound and a reverberating synth. So, overall, this not a bad album, there are parts I liked but parts I also struggled with. I guess, if you're a dreamy synthpop fan, there's parts here you'd probably enjoy. 3 out 5

Album #46 (1001 challenge extended): "Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)" by Yves Tumor (2023) "Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)" is the fifth studio album by American experimental electronic artist Yves Tumor (Sean Lee Bowie). Indie rock, post-punk, alternative dance, indie pop, electronica and psychedelic rock are the Wiki-listed genres. The album received critical acclaim especially for its diverse production and its lyrics. Tumor was the lead vocalist, played the drums, bass, guitars and programmed drums. 30+ additional musicians and vocalists were also involved. The album reached #81 on the US Top Album Sales Chart. A scream starts the first song "God Is a Circle." Weird breathing sounds, electronic beats and an ominous bass and synth. Tumor wearily talking and singing as he is trying to understand himself. An overall scary vibe and approaching industrial music. "Lovely Swear" has a driving bass and beat. Deep echoing vocals by Tumor as he joins with Kida on lead vocals. An air of hope with a synth and piano. More in the 80's Indie pop realm. Tumor uses his falsetto in "Parody." The song starts slower and dreamy until the drums and a harder edge guitar hits. A deep bass. A song that builds throughout. Tumor continues the falsetto in "Heaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood." A 70's-sounding guitar in the background with drums. Layered vocals and an idiosyncratic drum beat. The song gets the soft-loud-soft dynamic going with a piano, synth and searing guitar. "Echolalia" was the second single. Bass thumps and a rock-dance beat. An underlying spiraling synth melody. A catchy beat and vocals. The songs on this album show a variety of styles: post-punk, industrial, 80's indie rock, 90's hard rock and pop. The production is detailed with layers of different instruments appearing unconventionally and seemingly out of nowhere. Tumor's vocals are whispering, yelling and normal singing interspersed with echoing backing vocals at times. The lyrics are personal. Songs can build or have that soft-loud-soft thing going on. There's a lot going on in these 2 1/2 to 4-minute long songs. This album had me guessing and captivated throughout. A strong recommendation for just about everyone. 4.5 out of 5

Album #47 (1001 challenge extended): "California" by Mr. Bungle (1999) "California" is the third studio by American experimental rock band Mr. Bungle. Experimental rock, doo-wop and noise rock are the Wiki-listed genres. The bandmembers included Mike Patton (vocals, keyboards), Trevor Dunn (bass), Danny Heifetz (percussion, drums, keyboards), Clinton "Bär" McKinnon (saxophone, keyboards, French horns) and Trey Spruance (guitar). 14 additional musicians also contributed. Commercially, the album reached #144 in the US and, critically, it was well received. Bird sounds and dreamy slow keys open the the album in "Sweet Charity." Patton's soft vocals go loud. Percussion and keys are added and there's a 60's Beach Boy vibe. A bossa nova beat comes and we're in lounge act territory. Oh, wait they've just added a Hawaiian/surf guitar. Little did I realize that this was a foreshadowing of the stylistic changes in nearly every song on this album. "Retrovertigo" begins with an acoustic guitar and gentle keys. Vocal harmonies and Patton showing off his strong voice. Strings, a shuffling beat and an electric guitar come in another cornucopia of music. "Pink Cigarette" starts off in waltz time. Horns, strings and a piano. Doo-wop lead and backing vocals. A good song that gets louder. The album closes with "Goodbye Sober Day." This song really goes Zappa-esque with the weird noises. There's rattling drums, an eerie synth and even some scratching. An a capella vocal part leads to what best can be called a doo-wop-dreamy-industrial fusion. Yep! There is a lot going on within each of these songs with various noises, organs, synths, horns, guitar and strings. The variety of styles they cover is mind blowing: doo-wop, Beach Boys, show tunes, traditional European, rockabilly, heavy metal, big band, lounge and psychedelic just to name a few. Is this a masterpiece? Is this a gimmick? Probably yes to both. But, it certainly is weird, adventurous and fun. It definitely highlights Patton's versality as a singer. I liked this to some extent on a first listen but really started to appreciate it more on a second listen. Is this for everyone? Absolutely not. But if you're into experimental or Zappa-like music, this should be right up your alley. 4 out of 5

Album #49 (1001 challenge extended): "Word Gets Around" by Stereophonics (1997) "Word Gets Around" is the debut studio album by Welsh rock band Stereophonics. Rock, indie rock and Britpop are the Wiki-listed genres. Most the songs were written about everyday life in the band's hometown of Cwmaman, South Wales. The bandmembers included Kelly Jones (vocals, guitars), Stuart Cable (drums) and Richard Jones (bass). Commercially, the album reached #6 in the UK and, critically, it had decent reviews. "A Thousand Trees" opens the album with a melodic rock guitar and Jones' clear vocals. The song gets louder with the drums. The soft-loud-soft thing. Heartfelt vocals as Kelly sings about the destructive power of rumors in a small town. A guitar solo in the bridge. "More Life in a Tramps Vest" pays tribute to the market workers' life with a bouncy beat and more melodic guitars. Kelly's rapid-fire vocals sounding a lot like Against Me's Laura Jane Grace. "Local Boy in the Photograph" begins with guitar feedback and progresses to layered guitars. A song that builds and has a nice sound anchored by the rhythm section. The fourth and last-released single "Traffic'" starts out a ballad with the acoustic guitar. Kelly sings about the different roads of life. The song transitions into and ends in more of a rock song with electric guitar. "Too Many Sandwiches" begins a reverbing guitar and goes soft with a similar beat to most of these songs. I was half paying attention and then halfway through a wah-wah guitar comes in. Other ringing guitars are overlayed. The most rockin' and my favorite song on the album. The songs on this album are melodic and guitar led and many have the soft-loud-soft dynamic. Jones' vocals and lyrics are heartfelt. The overall theme of small town events/situations/people worked for me; the songs are well thought-out stories and personal commentary being serious or light-hearted. At its best, the songs sound like a good Suede or Oasis song. The album is not breaking new ground with most songs being pretty formulaic but they sound good. So, if you're in the mood for a decent late 90's Britpop/rock album, this may hit the spot. 3.5 out of 5

Album #49 (1001 challenge extended): "Angel Dust" by Faith No More (1992) "Angel Dust" is the fourth studio album by American rock band Faith No More. Alternative metal and experimental metal are the Wiki-listed genres. The band wanted to move away from the funk-metal style of their previous albums towards a more "theatrical" sound. The bandmembers included Mike Patton vocals), Mike Bordin (drums), Roddy Bottum (keyboards), Billy Gould (bass) and Jim Martin (guitar). Commercially, the album was their best-selling album worldwide reaching #10 in the US and #2 in the UK and, critically, it had extensive critical acclaim. "Lands of Sunshine" opens the album hard driving with a thumping bass and a keyboards melody. Patton with dramatic vocals. He's also laughing. It's melodic. The vocals go chaotic. There's a guitar solo bridge. Underlying keys in an operatic and prog-like finish. "Caffeine" was inspired by Patton's writing experience while sleep deprived and relying on caffeine. Much harder with a driving and urgent guitar riff. Patton with throttled vocals. It gets heavier with pounding drums. The first-released single "Midlife Crisis" begins with a mid-tempo beat. Do they stay there? Of course not. That funky bass comes back. A heavy metal guitar riff. Patton whispering, singing and rapping. Scratching. A drum sample of "Cecilia." Yeah! Piano keys begin "Everything's Ruined." More melodic hard rock with the guitar and beat. They get the funk-metal thing going with the bass. Patton is all over the place with his vocals. The song has a pervading hypnotic beat and a piano carrying the melody. Good song. "A Small Victory" actually starts out as a straight-forward rock song, almost pop. A Deep Purple-esque organ enters with a heavy riff. Catchy song. Diverse is a good word describing the music: heavy, hard rock, pop, mid-tempo rock, Middle-Eastern influences, operatic with the synth, hip hop and funk. Songs switch tempos, beats and styles. The band is definitely not interested in keeping things straight as they travel through musical genres. It's grandiose and epic at times. It was good to have Patton's other band Mr. Bungle last week; this album is, believe or not, more focused in hard rock than that album. Although, in no way can these songs be called focused. Similar in both albums, Patton's vocals are all over the place: normal singing, deep, rapping, whispering and throttled. It's easy to see this album's influence on bands like Incubus and genres like nu metal. However, this album is much better than what that band and that genre have to offer. Compelling, interesting and never boring. A strong recommendation especially for those hard rock fans willing for a more experimental listen. 4.5 out of 5

Album #50 (1001 challenge extended): "Fantasies" by Metric (2009) "Fantasies" is the fourth studio album by Canadian indie rock band Metric. Indie rock and new wave are the Wiki-listed genres. The bandmembers included Emily Haines (vocals, synthesizers), James Shaw (guitar, vocals), Joshua Winstead (bass) and Joules Scott-Key (drums). Commercially, the album reached #76 on the US Billboard 200 and #6 in Canada and, critically, it had highly positive reviews. The first-released single "I'm Alive" opens the album with tinny drums and Haines with echoing vocals singing "I tremble" as she confronts life and tries to assert herself. An underlying synth. The song gets harder with a ringing guitar and goes back and forth between the soft and hard. "Sick Muse" starts right away with a rock beat and an angular guitar sound very Depeche Mode "Personal Jesus" like. The songs builds and gets louder (most of these songs do). The chorus is really carrying the song as Haines is breaking free. "Gold Gun Girls" has a darker tone. A ringing, antsy guitar. An underlying, hypnotic synth and ticking drums. Their second-released single "Gimme Sympathy" is the most "poppy" song on the album. Glimmering synths. Guitar slashes. Lighter vocals. The band goes dreamy in "Collect Call." An echoing guitar. Whispering and longing vocals. The song builds with the drums. My favorite song on the album. True to its song title the album closer "Stadium Love" is loud with the synth, fast drums and guitar feedback. A "Ooh, ooh, ooh" chorus. The most rockin' song on the album with added exaggerated guitar slashes. The songs on this album seem to be split between post-punk guitar led with a darker tone and new wave synth-led. All songs build throughout and in many cases the choruses are very anthemic. The song themes are centered on being true to one's self and also the falsities of fame and materialism. All the songs are in the likable category with catchy hooks and choruses. A lot of this album reminded me of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at right around that 2009 time frame although not quite reaching the heights of their songs. However, this is a decent album and if you like new wave and/or post-punk there's probably something here you'll like. 3.5 out of 5

Album #51 (1001 challenge extended): "Six" by Mansun (1998) "Six" is the second album by English alternative rock band Mansun. Progressive pop, progressive rock and art rock are the Wiki-listed genres. The bandmembers included Paul Draper (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dominic Chad (lead vocals, backing vocals, piano, harpsichord), Steve Kong (bass) and Andie Rathbone (drums, percussion). Commercially, the album reached #6 in the UK and, critically, it had decent reviews. The self-titled "Six" opens Part 1 of the album with piano keys and a harpsichord and then goes to a rock beat. Draper with clear and nasally vocals as he realizes life is a journey and a compromise. A synth comes in and the song is more pop. Oh, wait a harder-edge guitar and Draper's falsetto enter and we're into glam. Not so fast, the synth goes dreamy and the song proggy. Back to hard and ends with softer, echoing vocals. Welcome to this album! The next song "Negative" also travels the musical spectrum. Loud with ringing guitars and a drippy synth. Draper with sinister vocals expressing despair. Dramatic and a busy song. "Cancer" ends Part 1. The guitars are the highlight here as they are spy-like hard, driving, dreamy, buzzing and soaring. Marching drums and odd piano strikes too. Part 2 closes with two of the better songs on the album. Hey, we have a song in "Legacy" that stays the course throughout. A straight-forward rock song. A melancholic melodic guitar riff. Draper with personal and heartfelt vocals and lyrics as he reflects on the music industry's obsession with image. Layered guitars and a dreamy vibe. "Being a Girl" starts fast and hard. This stops with synth keys and we get a loud-soft-loud thing going. The song and album appropriately end with feedback and a guitar jam, shades of the Grateful Dead. Along with Faith No More and Mr. Bungle, this album adds to my two weeks of schizophrenic albums where the main objective is to avoid staying within a single musical genre at all costs. This album delves into rock, pop, glam, prog, punk, R&B, psychedelic and jam band. There's an overall darker tone with the lyrics, guitars and synths. This reminded me of the Manic Street Preachers and, sure enough, after the stream of this album ended, there was a Manic Street Preacher song. Overall, I found this a strong album which I liked quite a bit. And, if you're up for a musical, mostly rock genre journey, give this a listen. 4 out of 5

Album #52 (1001 challenge extended): "Lonerism" by Tame Impala (2012) "Lonerism" is the second studio album by Australian artist Tame Impala. Psychedelic rock, psychedelic pop and neo-psychedelia are the Wiki-listed genres. Tame Impala really is Kevin Parker who wrote, recorded, performed and produced all the songs. Jay Watson also contributed in the writing and played the drums, piano and keyboards. The songs on the album build on the psychedelic sound of the debut but favor synths and samples over guitars. Commercially, the album reached #14 in the UK and #34 in the US, critically, it was heavily acclaimed. The album opens with "Be Above It" and loud tinny drums and heavy breathing.. Wavering synths, rattles and Parker with high-pitched vocals as he has to be above it all. "Apocalypse Dreams" gets the pyschedelic dreamy going. Synth and piano keys carrying the melody. Pounding drums loud in the mix and that's most songs. Layered synths too, another common "thing" with these songs. The third and final single "Mind Mischief" features a phase guitar riff. Idiosyncratic drums, underlying synths and a guitar solo. Parker is confused in a relationship. A great deeper track is "Why Won't They Talk to Me?" A very catchy synth and piano melody. Laser sounds and layered synths. An ambient vibe. Parker with melancholic vocals. Piano and drum rolls begin "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards." Synths and pronounced bass. Chill, catchy and dreamy. Parker wrote "Elephant" before his debut album. A pounding beat, distorted guitar and a driving bass groove. A bluesy, psychedelic tone. Also, Beatle-esque drum rolls. Plus, an extended synth jam in the bridge. The music on this album is a combination of the psychedelic and dreamy ambient. Pop songs without the typical pop song structure of verses and choruses. Glimmering, layered synths setting the mood. There are melodies but they can be buried in the dreamy atmosphere or easily identifiable. The music matches the lyrics of isolation and distant/unrequited relationships. I liked this album a lot when it came out and it sounded great today. A solid recommendation for the psychedelic and ambient crowd. 4.5 out of 5

Album #54 (1001 challenge extended): "In Between Dreams" by Jack Johnson (2005) "In Between Dreams" is the third studio album by American-singer-songwriter Jack Johnson. Folk rock and acoustic rock are the Wiki-listed genres. Johnson sang the vocals and played guitar. Other bandmembers included Sam Lapointe (lead guitar), Simon Tessier *bassoon), Zach Gil (piano, accordion, melodica), Adam Topol (drums, percussion), Merlo Podlweski (bass) and Johnald Hernandez (backing vocals). The album had massive commercial success reaching #2 in the US and #1 in the UK. Critically, it had mixed reviews. The fourth and final single "Better Together" opens the album. A melodic acoustic guitar, guitars slaps, soft drums and a piano melody. Johnson with whispering vocals in an uplifting and chill love song. "Banana Pancakes" is similar with guitar slaps. Johnson is staying inside on a rainy day and cooking banana pancakes. Hey, Johnson actually has some societal and political thoughts in "Good People." More intricate acoustic guitar work, a melodic bass and an underlying piano. A nice chorus and even some rapping. Johnson questions society at large for the junk they are watching on tv. "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing" is a more aggressive with the guitar strumming. More melancholic as Johnson is frustrated as he can't get the girl. Drum rolls and a pace that builds. "Breakdown" has a bouncy beat and guitar. Johnson sings that he needs to take a break and does a nice job letting the music carry the tone as opposed to a flood of lyrics. Chill, laid back, acoustic and melodic as folk rock is the dominant style. And, I fully expected to be reminded of sitting outside drinking beer on a warm Friday night in a beer garden half paying attention to the dude upfront playing the acoustic guitar. And to be fair, there is some of that here but there also are songs that show shades of funk, soft rock, lounge and bossa nova. The production does a nice job balancing the uplifting and melancholic. The musicianship is sharp. I was fully prepared to hate this album, but, I really didn't. I can't say I'm going to go and listen to his whole discography but I've heard much worse and enjoyed this to some extent. I can see why this was so popular. So, if you're up for some chill folk music, this is a good choice. 3 out of 5

Album #55 (1001 challenge extended): "The Grass Is Blue" by Dolly Parton (1999) "The Grass Is Blue" is the 37th solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. Bluegrass is the sole Wiki-listed genre. The eventual producer Steve Buckingham pitched the idea of a bluegrass album to Dolly telling her that when asked, bluegrass fans cited her as the artist that they would most like to see do a bluegrass album. The album is a mix of Dolly originals and folk and bluegrass standards. Of course, Dolly was on the vocals and other bandmembers included Barry Bales (bass), Steve Buckingham (guitar), Sam Bush (mandolin), Jerry Douglass (dobro), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Jim Mills (banjo) and Bryan Sutton (guitar). 15 people contributed on backing harmony vocals including Allison Krauss and Patty Loveless. Commercially, the album reached #24 on the US Country Chart, #198 on the US Billboard 200 Chart and #8 on the UK Country Chart. It received much praise and won a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album. The album opens with a Billy Joel cover "Travelin' Prayer." A fiddle and banjo plucking which eventually kicks into faster-paced bluegrass: fast pickin' and fiddle. Dolly just belting it out. Sublime backing harmony vocals. This band is tight. "Cash on the Barrelhead" is slower, more of a traditional country beat. Strong harmony vocals. The dobro standing out. Somehow, it doesn't seem far-fetched that Dolly would be carrying a gun. Ahh, we get a waltz in the third song and first single "A Few Old Memories." More loud harmonies. Dolly struggles to move on from the past. "Silver Dagger" starts out with fast pickin' from the banjo. A more subdued Dolly as she carries a dagger a symbol of both protection and of harm. The melancholic fiddle matches. A slow fade outro and a beautiful song. "The Grass Is Blue" is also melancholic and heartfelt. Soaring vocals and harmonies. The album closes with "I Am Ready." A capella singing and harmonies. Soulful and gospel-like. Dolly is accepting and peaceful in the face of death. How appropriate!!! I'm sure we were though. Well, I can't say I was surprised a Dolly album turned up. First off, just an exquisite and tight band...banjo, mandolin, bass, fiddle, dobro and acoustic guitar. The music falls into three categories: fast-pace bluegrass, slower, more traditional country and, of course, a few waltzes. The backing and harmony vocals are outstanding. And, well, the star of the show is Dolly: strong, strong vocals...heartfelt, soulful and soaring. Can Dolly sing with a bluegrass band? Yes! Should you listen to this? Yes! Will we miss ger? Absolutely!!! 5 out of 5

Album #56 (1001 challenge extended): "Last Splash" by the Breeders (1993) "Last Splash" is the second studio album by American alternative rock band the Breeders. Alternative rock, surf rock and grunge are the Wiki-listed genres. The Breeders were originally formed as a side project for Pixies' bassist Kim Deal but at this point, the Breeders were her main gig. The bandmembers included Kim Deal (lead vocals, guitar, synthesizers, keyboards), Kelley Deal (guitar, lap steel, mandolin, vocals, sewing machine), Jim MacPherson (drums) and Josephine Wiggs (bass, cello, drums, vocals). Commercially, the album reached #33 in the US and #5 in the UK. It had wide-spread critical acclaim with one critic retrospectively calling it "the most enduring masterpieces of alternative rock." "New Year" starts out with anthemic guitar riffs, distortion and a slow beat. Dreamy vocals. The pace picks up with a hard driving guitar and rhythm section setting the tone for the album. The first single "Cannonball" begins with Kim Deal's distorted vocals created by feeding them through a harmonica microphone and one of the most recognizable bass lines of the 90's. A grungy, surf guitar and then the song explodes with a chorus. Catchy, groovy. Drummer MacPherson using the snare drum and cymbal rims. Lots to remember here. The fourth and final single "No Aloha" has surf guitar accents and a harder guitar underneath. Midway through the drums kick in. One of the more Pixies-ish songs in the album. Bass, very quick drums and a ringing high-pitch guitar melody begins "Divine Hammer." Harmony-lead vocals. The song builds in the chorus and music. Two guitar solos in the bridge. A great chorus, a great melody and one of the best alternative rock songs of the 90's. "Saints" goes more ominous with a deep bass. Ringing guitar accents. Deal singing about wat she likes. I admit to buying this CD at the time it came out and really only listening to the hit singles and not really diving deep into it. My mistake. The music has a hard edge, surf guitar, distorted guitars, a melodic bass and excellent drumming. Short, catchy songs mixed with slightly longer songs with an experimental edge; there's feedback, distortion, pace changes, long sections of instrumentals and long sections of silence. Deal with dreamy and distorted vocals. Lyrics that are elusive; you never know exactly what she's singing about. An album where you really get more with repeated listening where you notice the layered guitars, more of the surfer guitar sound and more of Pixies' influence. I feel this is a seminal and one the best albums of that early 90's alternative rock era. Highly recommended. 5 out of 5

Album #57 (1001 challenge extended): "Blade Runner (Soundtrack)" by Vangelis (1994) "Blade Runner (Soundtrack)" is the soundtrack for Ridley Scott's 1982 science- fiction film noir "Blade Runner" by Greek electronic musician Vangelis. Electronic, new-age and ambient are the Wiki-listed genres. A description of the album is that it "evokes the film's bleak futurism with an emotive-based sound, drawing jazz scores of classic film noir, as well as Middle Eastern texture and neo-classical elements. The release of the album was delayed over a decade from the film's release due contractual complications, rights issues and a reported fallout between Scott and Vangelis. The album received critical acclaim as an influential work in the history of electronic music and one of Vangelis's best works. Commercially, it reached #20 in the UK. "Main Titles" opens the album with typewriter and robotic sounds. Harrison Ford is talking. Bells, a vibraphone and orchestra music give an ominous and dark tone. Horns add an outer space element. Piano keys like dripping water and shimmering bells begin "Rachel's Song." The song gets louder with long synth notes. Rachel Hopkin comes in with operatic vocals. A flute-like synth adds layers. Dick Morrissey plays a sultry sax in "Love Theme." Piano keys and an uplifting synth. The song goes dark with loud synths and horns. The song then fluctuates between the dark and lighter moods. "Blade Runner Blues" conveys a melancholic vibe. Echoing synth horns keys. An underlying shimmering synth. Slow with areas of dead space. The album closes with "Tears in Rain." Roger Hauer's replicant Roy Batty's climatic speech where he tells of all the destruction that he's seen will be forgotten like tears in rain starts the song. He's ready to die. High-pitched piano notes. An underlying synth. Moods of melancholy and sadness. This soundtrack really does take you back to the atmosphere of the movie. Dark, futuristic, retro, ominous, ambient and even hopeful. Electronic beats, lasers, various robotic noises, synth melodies, horns and an electronic piano. Voice samples from the movie. Operatic singing. Crooning. Areas of jazz. Each song seems to evoke different feelings. I am by no means a soundtrack/movie score expert but this was quite compelling. And if you're in to such things, I highly recommend this. 5 out of 5

Album #58 (1001 challenge extended): "Nu Delhi" by Bloodywood (2025) "Nu Delhi" is the second studio album by Indian heavy metal band Bloodywood. Nu metal, Indian folk music and folk metal are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was a tribute to the music scene of Delhi. The core bandmembers included Jayant Bhadula (vocals), Karan Katiyar (guitars, flute) and Rapul Kerr (rapper). Commercially, the album reached #20 in the UK and #41 in the US. Chanting, a percussion and a flute open the album in "Halla Bol (Raise Your Voice)." The song builds with percussion and goes loud with a metal guitar and pounding drums. Bhadula growling and yelling. Kerr comes in rapping overlaying the growling. Heavy, fast with an Indian musical tone underneath. "Bekhauf (Fearless)" continues the loud, fast and growling. Female vocals from the band Babymetal are then layered over everything else. Wow! A lot going on here. "Tadka" begins with a trumpet, an Indian-sounding flute and marching drums. The song goes heavy with a metallic guitar riff. Rapping and a vocal chorus similar to Kid Rock's "Bawitdaba." The Indian-sounding flute is featured again in the closer "New Delhi." A fusion of rapping, a hop hip beat and heavy metal. Oh, and a guy singing in traditional Indian folk is thrown in. I didn't have Indian nu metal on my bingo card when I woke up this morning. Hard, pounding, heavy beats and in your face. A combination of yelling, growling and rapping with added female and traditional Indian folk vocals. What kept this slightly above the Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock nu metal level was the underlying Indian and Middle Eastern folk tones. But, overall, this is core nu metal where I like very few albums and this didn't quite make it. It is a very busy album. However, if you are a nu metal fan, this will fit your bill. 2 out of 5

Album #59 (1001 challenge extended): "Oncle Jazz" by Men I Trust (2019) "Oncle Jazz" is the third studio album by Canadian indie band Men I Trust. Indie pop, dream pop and electropop are the Wiki-listed genres. Bandmembers included Emmanuelle "Emma" Proulx (lead vocals, guitars), Jessy Caron (guitars, bass) and Dragos Chiriac (keyboards). The album was longlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize (best full-length Canadian album). The album opens with mostly instrumental "Oncle Jazz." Guitar and synth melodies and electronic beats. Dreamy and uplifting. "Norton Command" continues the electronic beats. A wavering synth, looping bass and high-pitched guitar notes. Proulx with whispering vocals repeating "all we need is each other." More of the dreamy. "Say You Here" is a song I've heard before as it was on heavy rotation on Sirius XMU. A melodic thumping bass and echoing guitar notes. She's looking for a change. A dreamy/new wave fusion. "Seven" has 70's-sounding soft rock guitar. It's slower with a plodding bass. More of the dreamy vocals. Actually, maybe the most dreamy. An Eagles-like guitar solo too. Initially, I thought I was listening to a cover of Player's "Baby Come Back" with that seven-note guitar lick in "You Deserve This." Dreamy, swirling guitars. Oh, so 70's soft rock sounding. Mostly chill and dreamy with wavering synths, high-pitched guitar riffs and a prominent bass. Proulx with whispering vocals and lyrics mostly about relationships, trying to connect or change. There's a heavy 70's pop-soft rock vibe especially in the second half of the album. There a few songs with more of a darker post-punk/new wave guitar tone which kept things interesting. There is also nice production and sound in general. Overall, I liked this album. It did have repetitive areas of too many similar-sounding dreamy songs and with 24 songs at 70 minutes, it dragged a bit. But, it was worth a listen and if you're into dreamy and/or 70's soft rock, I recommend it. 3 out of 5