When this popped up I had no idea what it was. I looked on Wikipedia and said to myself- oh no not today wrong mood. Turns out my fear was all wrong. From about 30 seconds in I was intrigued. I’ve never heard anything that could be described as atmospheric metal. I loved it. I will definitely seek out more of this. I am sure it is something that will be very mood dependent for me. But in the right mood I think this will be the perfect soundtrack.

Listened to a couple of their records when I did a top 100 Canadian records list a while ago. I remember enjoying them then. I still enjoyed in.

This was my suggestion for the list. I have often thought with records on here that I would like to know the why behind them being suggested. So I’ll do that here. I chose this one not because it is the greatest album ever. You’ll see I only gave it a 4 as a rating. I added this because of the importance of The Tragically Hip in Canadian music and in Canada in general. The Hip were our band. They never broke into the broad scene outside of their home country but in Canada they were everywhere. One of the only bands who regularly included the Canadian experience in their lyrical content. Courage (for Hugh MacLennan) who was a Canadian novelist best known for Barometer Rising about the Halifax explosion in WWI which was the largest mad made explosion to that time and destroy much of the city killing thousands. More import MacLennan’s Two Solitudes coined a term that would be used to describe the speakers of Canada’s two official languages. Fifty Mission Cap is about Bill Brilko a Toronto Maple Leaf who after scoring the Stanley Cup winning goal in overtime disappeared on a fishing trip that summer. The Leafs would not win another cup until the year they discovered his body nearly a decade later. Wheat Kings is a reflection on the wrongful conviction of David Migaard and is laced with references to “pictures of our Parents Prime Ministers” and “ a late breaking story on the CBC” and “a nation whispers we always knew that he’d go free”. Looking For a Place To Happen is filled with references to early discovery of Canada by Europeans with lines like “Jacque Cartier right this way”. I do reference Europeans specifically above as Canada was a fully populated space upon their arrival. Gord Downie the lead singer became involved in many causes in his life include a haunting book and album Secret Path telling the story of 12-year old Annishinaabe boy Chanie Wenjack who tried to walk home after escaping a residential school and died alone of exposure on the trip. The Hip got elevated to a space no other Canadian band has with their final tour. After lead singer was diagnosed with an inoperable form of brain cancer they embarked on farewell tour of the country. The final show was shown on the CBC with an estimated audience of over 10 million watching live and uncut representing a full third of the country. It was a moment of watching a Canadian band in its final performance with its dynamic frontman clearly suffering form the effects of the disease that would shortly take his life. It was an amazing celebration. So I included this record not because it pushes the boundaries of music forward. Nor because it’s the best example of its type of rock. I added this to the list as it is a great example of music that tells unashamed stories of Canada and its people.

I’ve seen the name before from a local music venue I follow. Never knew what they were. Great record. Would definitely consider seeing a show.

This is why I keep listening to these lists. An artist I hadn’t heard before who I put on and end up enjoying. It’s not really my thing so I doubt I will put it on again. But I enjoyed the time I spent with it.

My first optional album after having completed the full list. If this is the quality of what people are putting on here it will be a good bonus list. This was a little bit out there while still being strongly rooted in tradition. Good listen.

Found this record early in the pandemic. Not sure how I missed them before then. Quickly fell in love with their music. From here I’ve explored many more bands. Lots of things I dislike about Spotify, but the radio play after this record was part of an opening up to new music that got me out of just the 90s (although my heart will always be firmly planted in that time). I’ll always consider this an important record in my musical journey.

I’ve tried listening to this more than once now. Just not my thing.

I’ve really tried to get into this over the years but it’s never taken hold.

I think this is the first time listening to a whole record of his. It’s well done. Well recorded. Well produced. It just doesn’t grab me.

Came across them with their newest record. I hadn’t listened to this one yet so it was good to hear. Nice to hear a current band with something interesting in their sound.

Straight up rock record. Enjoyed listening to it. Had heard of him before but didn’t know his stuff.

I was so happy to see this on here. I was in high school when this came out and saw them on the tour for it. The energy the vibe everything about this is a lift in the spirit.

A little more than a week into the user generated list and I think I am enjoying this as much as the main list. I loved the sound on this. I listened on my phone speakers based on when I was able to get time to listen to it. I need to come back to this with my main system one day.

I had not listened to this record in a really time before it came up here. I enjoyed it, but I felt like it was pretty one note throughout. So it got a little tiring for me.

This is why I keep listening to these lists. An artist I hadn’t heard before who I put on and end up enjoying. It’s not really my thing so I doubt I will put it on again. But I enjoyed the time I spent with it.

When a record is in a language that I don’t know I try to seek out an aspect to grab onto. Maybe it’s the vibe, the music, sometimes even the production. In this case they didn’t do it for me.

Enjoyed that.

Interesting listen. It was too electronic for my tastes.

Not in a language I know so always struggle a bit in rating. I nearly turned it off during the second song, but I persisted. A lot of different things happening with a lot of different sounds and styles. You never knew what would be coming next. I can see how if you are more familiar with the style that this would be a five. However, as I am not familiar for me it was a three.

Enjoyed it enough.

I enjoyed this. I think k need more listens as I have a feeling it will get better as you get more into the lyrical content.

I loved Undertow when it came out. But after that I kind of grew away from the band. When these records came out I just wasn’t interested. Turns out I’ve been missing out.

My French is not very strong so can’t really comment lyrically. However, I found myself bopping along to this one. Not typically the sound that will do that for me. Found myself surprised with how much I enjoyed this.

I enjoyed this. Well played. Well recorded. Interesting songs.

Enjoyable. Nothing grabbed me to take it to this next level but enjoyed listening to it.

A nice listen.

I’ve been doing the user contributed list for about three weeks now and this is the first band I hit the follow button for on Spotify to make sure I come back and listen to another record. Something about the sound really resonates with me.

Too many negative associations with this for my youth to give it a fair shake. I would give it a 1 but I think that’s disdain for the style that is unfair.

I’ve started to get into his works in the last little bit. However this one hasn’t grabbed me as much as some of the others.

Enjoyed the listen enough.

I am glad this was on here. I’ve never listened to any Provo Harum other than Whiter Shade of Pale. Very good record. I enjoyed.

I’ve tried to get into this band for the last few years. I enjoy the songs enough it just hasn’t grabbed me enough to end up in regular rotation.

Listened to this properly on my main stereo system. I’ve always enjoyed what I have heard from Jimmy Eat World but I haven’t sat down to a full record before. This was a really great listen. Great song writing. Well recorded. Well produced. I’m giving it a four at the moment but has potential to be a five after some more listens.

These guys came on the scene as I was hitting the end of high school. I didn’t really get into them at the time. I found it a little juvenile. That hasn’t changed. I tried. I gave it a good shot. Just didn’t do it for me.

Enjoyed that.

When something is in a language I’m not strong in I try to focus on other aspects. I’ll listen for vibe in the music, overall flow or vocal emotion maybe for production quality. This record just didn’t hit it on any of those for me.

Listened to a couple of their records when I did a top 100 Canadian records list a while ago. I remember enjoying them then. I still enjoyed in.

Had never listened to a Status Quo record. It was a good time.

Started listening to her at the start of the pandemic. Really enjoy this record.

I’ve seen the name before from a local music venue I follow. Never knew what they were. Great record. Would definitely consider seeing a show.

Sorry. Wasn’t my thing.

Really enjoyed this one. Nice to hear an album in his genre that isn’t the usual suspects. Seemed to hit all the right notes for me.

I played this when it came out last year and it grabbed me right away. I’ve never been the biggest Cure fan in the world. I’ve enjoyed their stuff and appreciated it but it never grabbed me. This did. One of the best late career records I’ve heard. Well written, well performed and well mastered. Do yourself a favour and listen to this on the beat sound system you have at your disposal.

After starting this one I went to look at my Last.fm and lo and behold I had heard the record before. However I had zero memory of it. I listened to it when I did the NME 500 best albums. This record is one of the reasons why I always am a little hesitant about the ratings. One listen is rarely enough to properly judge an album. Further to that the way you listen to a record is important. Given what Last.fm told me I most likely listened to this on a small Bluetooth speaker. This time I played it on a proper sound system. This time I was blown away by the record. Really well recorded. Really well produced and mastered. Really interesting approach to sound and the songs. From the opening track to the end it had me hooked and excited for what came next. So glad someone put this on the list or I would still be missing out. Also makes me think about other records I was indifferent to and what another exposure or tweaks to listening environment would bring.

Really interesting concept behind the record. Also really well executed. I like the use of all the pre-WWII music to build this. Thank you to whoever suggested this for the user list.

Love this style of punk but don’t listen to it enough.

Enjoyed that. Love the flow of the record.

Interesting listen. Hadn’t come across this previously.

It has had so much hype that I have toyed with listening to this before but never got around to it. It was really for me. However, I did like that the songs were all different. I have teenagers and so have a reasonable exposure to what they listen to and most doesn’t have the diversity of sound on any given album that this does. I can see why it had a lot of buzz. Still wasn’t for me. But I can see it.

It didn’t grab me.

It is one I’ve seen around but never listened to. Not going to be a favourite I listen to on repeat but well worth the listen.

I should love them more than I do.

Good record. The vocal style is one that I don’t have a tolerance for very long. I am good with it in short bursts, but it does prevent me from coming back to it too often.

I don’t know why I wasn’t listening to this high school. Good record.

I came to start listening to them in probably a less common route. I saw Buck Meek open for Jeff Tweedy. His sound and style was so different from other performers that I started looking into what else he did. Of course in this band he’s not the singer, but the uniqueness of approach continues with that band and goes in its own direction. Added to greatly by Adrianne Lenker and the rest of the band. I really enjoy this record. Captures what they are doing perfectly.

If you had asked me before I would have sworn this was on the main list. Just has the feel of a record that would have been there. Glad this was put on the user list.

Enjoyed this.

Approached it with an open mind. Just didn’t do it for me.

Really liked the first few songs and the way they sounded. Then it kind of started to sound the same. Strong star that didn’t carry all the way through for me.

Enjoyed listening to this.

Enjoyable.

Really good album. I just find it a little long. It’s rare for me that a record that is over an hour does leave me feeling it’s too long.

Another record in place in the category for probably not coming back to, back glad that I’ve listened to. This user list has been great for providing records in this category for me. Enjoyable from front to back.

Unfortunately this is the type of metal/hard rock that doesn’t really do it for me. While it’s not my primary genre I have seen bands like GnR, NIN, Maiden, Slayer, Anthrax live. There is just something about this harder music from this time period I just can’t get into.

I surprised when I see a live album from MSG and don’t know who the band is. On quick research they were the ones with the infamous silent album on Spotify. Enjoyed this record.

Another band I came across in the pandemic. I am always a sucker for bands that have both male and female singers. I find they get to do a lot together and explore spaces that just on singer can’t do.

Obviously a legendary band from a touring perspective. I never explored them as they were building their thing. At this stage I’ve thought about listening to them but it feels like starting a long-running TV show in the 6th season. I appreciated this being on the list as I think it was the right way to exposed to them. I am glad I played this on my main stereo system. I think a lot would have been lost if it was on small speakers.

Two live jam band records in a row for me. I can see why people enjoy it. Maybe I’ll check out a jam band show one day.

I love the depth of the music. There is a bigger than a rock band sound to them. I find this one sounds a little different to me than a lot of their other work. Can’t put my finger on why as it’s not a huge leap.

Before I started listening to 1001 and other lists like Rolling Stone 500 and NME 500 I had never listened to a full Pink Floyd record. I had heard songs and never really saw the need to go deeper. Having now listened to all the classic albums a couple of times I will say that for me this one and Meddle are my favourites. They have a great deal of interest in the layers of sound without being over powered by the lyrics and vocals which for some I know reason I don’t love.

Unfortunately not for me.

This band has popped up on my Spotify algorithm from time to time. I haven’t explored them much before this. For some reason I thought I was going to be hearing something more pinkish in style. Don’t know why I had that expectation. That is very far from what the album delivers. It was an enjoyable record but hasn’t grabbed me to dive any deeper into their catalogue.

Having read the Wikipedia I thought this would be one I should listen to on my main sound system to give it the best go. I thought it was all recorded and liked the sound but overall it didn’t really grab me.

Enjoyed it enough.

Death came on my radar with some YouTube reviewer who sang their praises. I had put another one of their records on my to listen list and therefore was very happy when I saw them come up here. I enjoyed this listen but the style isn’t really my thing.

Judged the book by the cover and was not looking forward to this as it started. I was wrong. I found myself bopping along to several of the tracks. It’s still not a style I am likely to come back to but I am happy I have had the chance to listen to this.

The main list is definitely short on country music. This list has been short on it as well. I am glad someone put this on here. It is not my genre but part of this is hearing stuff outside your comfort zone. This won’t become a regular but I’m glad I’ve heard it.

Unfortunately didn’t leave much of an impression on me.

I feel this one may grow on me with more listens.

Something about the vocal style doesn’t do it for me.

I’m surprised this wasn’t on the main list. I really thought it would have been. I prefer Pork Soda, but that is probably because it was the way I found them as a teenager. There is no one like Primus.

A surprise for me. I’ve heard of them forever but avoided as not a huge fan of the 80s sound. I sat down and listened properly to this one and enjoyed it. Thanks for adding it.

I really enjoy Tool records and the layers and the various sounds, etc. I just find them too long for me.

Not a band I was really familiar with. Really enjoyed this one. I’ll be coming back.

I didn’t like it at the time. I listened through it all. Still not for me. That Numetal thing was just not for me.

In the category of I won’t listen to it again, but glad I have listened to it once. Although it wasn’t for me it definitely had its own sound and is well written and recorded.

Not my style of music but really glad I got to hear it. It seemed like on I should listen to on my main system and I wasn’t right. Very well recorded and produced and a lot of interesting things happening in the sound. That aspect would have been lost on Bluetooth speaker.

Had never heard of this band. Enjoyed it enough.

I love hearing the early things in industrial. Enjoyed the listen. Definitely needs to be heard on a good sound system.

On of those bands I’ve known of forever but didn’t actually know their stuff. It was a good record.

For some reason that I can’t put my finger on I didn’t enjoy this as much as the studio albums. It’s still fun and well executed it just didn’t grab me as much

Good enough.

I have tried a few times to get into Tame Impala. I just haven’t been able to do it.

So glad this was on here. Spotify has fed me these guys from time to time on random playlists. Never really took note of them. I guess what I needed was to sit down and listen to this record front to back to get it. Listening to this record shows a cohesive whole that shines.

Didn’t really grab me, but enjoyable enough.

Different from other things out there. Enjoyed this.

I saw them live on the tour for their second album I think it was. I listened to this once before this go when it first came out. Enjoyed it enough.

The Tool fans are out in force. I feel between the main list and this side list I’ve had all their records in the last few months except Opiate. They’re all good records and I enjoy them. I just don’t know if they all need to be on here. Which one I would remove - I don’t know.

One of those artists that shows up on my Spotify algorithmic playlists that I’ve never really taken the time to dive into. I enjoyed this listen and will likely go back and try and hear some more.

Wasn’t really for me.

When they first came on the scene I didn’t really have any time for them. I think I’ve been missing out. I enjoyed this.

This definitely benefits from listening straight through with focus. I’ve heard it and songs from it over the years and enjoyed it enough but didn’t get it. A proper focused listening has changed that. Great record.

Enjoyed it enough.

For me his music will be forever associated with the pandemic. Didn’t know of him before that time but Spotify fed me him on the algorithm and I really enjoyed his work. Great record.

It was fine.

An album I have loved for years. I love the gloomy feel throughout.

Not my style of music but really glad it’s on this list. If the main list is criticized for not having enough rap/hip hop etc then the user list seems to have even less. This is the first I think I’ve had in 100 recommendations.

When this popped up I had a moment of panic as I did not want schlocky love songs. What a pleasant surprise this record was. The narrative arc and stories reminded me a little of Ogden Nut Gone Flake. Not sure why that is but it did.

I will need to listen to this again. Maybe he’s an artist I’ve built too much up in my head. My expectations were that it might be a life changing record. Turns out it was good but didn’t hit at the extent I was thinking it would. Probably some more listens might help.

Enjoyable enough.

Funny how it works sometimes. The day before this generated I said to myself I hadn’t listened to a First Aid Kit record in awhile. So I listened to Palamino. Glad this came up the next day. Really enjoyable record.

Interesting concept. I think I need to spend some more time with it.

What a great recording. I would have loved to see him live in his heyday (but hey I wasn’t born for another 4 years after this show). I have gotten to see him live in ‘03 and ‘24. Still does a great show.

So I had another album of his show up a few days ago and commented that I was excited to hear it but was let down. So my expectations were not as high for this one. Turns out this one was better for me. This grabbed me the way the earlier hadn’t.

Enjoyable Lo-fi.

Another artists who I feel I should love but for some unknown reason I don’t. I have nothing negative to say. Just hasn’t grabbed me.

Only started to hear about this band in the last couple of years. Really neat stuff.

Great record. Not my usual sound, but I found my toes tapping along to this.

Had never heard of them before. It was an enjoyable listen.

Second time with this one. Grew on me a little. Still a ways to go to get to the greatness others see.

Not sure how to rate this. I think I need to give it a second listen on my main system. I had to listen to it on AirPods which probably doesn’t do it justice. I think the more complete sound of the big stereo would benefit it.

Another band that pops up my algorithm but I’ve never dove into. I should spend more time with them. There is something there.

That was a nice surprise. Went in with no idea what to expect and I enjoyed it.

Enjoyed enough.

Wasn’t really for me, but I was glad to hear it. I like records being on here that are stylistically a little different from the others. It’s 1001 albums you must hear not always 1001 best albums. This lands in a I’m really glad I’ve now heard it category.

Really enjoyed that. Spotify feeds me Airborne with some regularity but I haven’t explored further. I think after hearing this I will spend a bit more time listening to this band.

I really enjoyed that one. They have been on my radar but I haven’t sat down to a full album before this. It seems to push forward in all the right places. Not too out there but somehow different.

I really enjoyed this one. My appreciation of jazz has been growing with age. I’ve enjoyed what I have heard from him before and this added to my appreciation.

Enjoyed more than I thought I would. Should listen to some more.

Enjoy every record I’ve heard from them.

I’ve heard them a few times on the Spotify algorithm. Never really sat down to a listening session before. I enjoyed this. I will likely dive in a little more to their discography.

I’ve been starting to get into jazz in the last year or so. I have started with instrumental jazz and haven’t yet made the leap into jazz with vocals. Clearly this is a very good version of that music. For some strange reason it doesn’t do anything for me. I’ll keep making small forays into this world maybe one day it will click.

I am really glad someone added this to the list. I knew nothing about them but it grabbed me from almost the first note. Will definitely come back to hear more of their stuff. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the track that had a lot of vocals. Definitely preferred the instrumental tracks.

Enjoyed this.

This is one that if you had asked me I would have said was on the main list. Definitely an oversight from that list. Love the variety of what you get out of this record. It never gets to the level of worship for me that I think it might for others. Still a great record.

Enjoyed that.

I enjoyed this and my check out some more. Just not sure if I know what lands jt as a must hear other than being a must hear other than being recent and good. I’d love to know more.

Every time I listen to Frightened Rabbit I think I need to listen to more Frightened Rabbit.

The first track or two had me thinking I might enjoy this one. But then I slowly lost that feeling and ended up back in the realm of not for me.

I was happy to see this pop up. I remember him getting a lot of buzz a few years ago at the Grammy’s. I did really enjoy this. I thought there was a good variety of sounds going on. At first I was listening off my phone but then I was enjoying it enough that I switched over to my main sound system. Very glad I did.

Good record. Enjoyed it. For me it landed in the category of good record but not sure what would push it onto a 1001 must hear list. Still, glad I got to hear it.

I will admit this is not the type of music i usually enjoy and was therefore not looking forward to this when it popped up. I can’t say why, but I was so wrong. Nothing about this lands in my usual listening profile but I enjoyed it. I’ve tried to figure out why so maybe I could try a little more with those elements. Couldn’t do it. Just don’t know why I liked this.

Another example for me of how you listen matters. I had hear of them before and listened to this record probably 3 or 4 years ago and thought - meh. Well, at that time I would have most likely listened to it through my little Bluetooth bose speaker. This time I made sure to listen to it through my main system. Wow. What a difference. This time it grabbed me from the opening right through the final note. I was blown away by the dynamics in this record. The distance between the lows and the highs, the soundstage the imaging. Wow. Just wow. And the songs grabbed me and I found myself waiting for what was coming next. My wife did say and one point for the upstairs “what the heck is that noise”. I think that’s the sign of a different and interesting sound in a record. Anyway, all this to say, listen to this on the best system you have at your disposal. And my system isn’t amazing by any stretch but it is able to be able to pick out the above. I’d love to hear this on a real audiophile grade system (whatever that is).

Enjoyed this.

Thank you for putting this on. This is the type of record I like being on here as a step in understanding the evolution of music. Often times I hear the user list and ask myself I wonder why the person chose to put it on the list. I really wish people could have their own caption on why they put it there. Often records just feel like ok it’s a good rock recording, but what make it must hear. This one doesn’t suffer from that syndrome. I clearly belongs and I am very glad to have heard it.

Wish I knew the language. I feel I might have really enjoyed it. As is I still enjoyed.

Did really do it for me.

Another one in the category of I would have sworn this was on the the original list. I can’t really fairly rated this one. It came out when I was in junior school and had been with me ever since. I owned it on cassette and then on CD. Puts a smile on my face every time I hear it.

Second one on the list. I think I liked this one more.

Enjoyed it.

Enjoyed this.

Not my usual style. Unlikely to come back to. However, Wow!!! That was awesome. Musically interesting. Lyrically interesting. Captivating flow. Great production.

Enjoyed it.

I may have enjoyed this more on a different day. Wasn’t really the style I needed for when I listened to it.

Had to find it on YouTube as they have pulled their music from most streaming platforms. I am so glad that I did hunt it down. I find on this list there are a lot of records that seem to be just good rock records without being clear why someone would call them 1001 to hear before you die (I would love if as submitters we had a paragraph of why we thought it hit 1001 worthy). This one was obvious to me. Content, sound, recording quality all of it interesting and different. I would not call this just another rock record.

Not sure what to say about this. Seems very obscure. I did find it to be an interesting project. Worth the listen.

Another band on my list of bands I feel I should love but somehow don’t. I’ll keep giving them a chance. I’m sure one day it will click.

Enjoyed that one. At first I was neither here nor there on it. But it clicked for me at some stage.

Interesting record. Enjoyed it enough.

Really good album. It’s one where I would love to know why the person chose to put this forward. What pushes it from being a good album to 1001 must hear.

Definitely belongs on this list. Different sound and a bit of a challenging record. Enjoyed it.

Never would have come across this on my own. Glad to have had the chance to hear it.

Well, know I know why Yoko Ono is always portrayed as caterwauling in comedies.

Enjoyable enough.

There is something there. Interesting.

Good listen.

Not my usual style so I wasn’t looking forward to it when it popped up. Turns out as I got into it I found myself enjoying it. Eventually it did transition to being a bit same between the songs and fell a bit more into the background. All in all better than I expected but I lost steam on it.

Another one that I would have sworn was on the main list.

Sometimes these ones that are far beyond my usual listening I end up hearing something really interesting to me. This one I didn’t get that. Just wasn’t for me.

Not my usual style. Enjoyed the listen.

Another one I thought was on the main list. Classic punk record. While I don’t put this on often I do enjoy it when I do.

That one was unique. Had to hunt it down as it was no longer on Spotify.

A record I really enjoy. It’s in my semi regular rotation.

This one I struggled with. I am not the target market and as a result there is a lot of a particular word I am not comfortable with. I find when an album is heavy on that usage it reduces my ability to enjoy it. I think I really liked the overall sound and vibe. I probably would have given it an extra star had it not been so prominent.

Didn’t do much for me.

Glad to have listened to this. I knew Tell That Girl to Shut Up but nothing else from them. Interesting sound from a specific moment in time on this one. Well worth the listen.

At the time is was a teenager and Ani DiFranco was not something I would give the time of day to. Now that I am in my mid-40s I am starting to realize how good her music is. I hadn’t listened to this one as a whole record before. I really enjoy listening to the sound of the record and what she has to say. Glad it was on here.

Enjoyable listen.

Enjoyable enough.

This was my suggestion for the list. I have often thought with records on here that I would like to know the why behind them being suggested. So I’ll do that here. I chose this one not because it is the greatest album ever. You’ll see I only gave it a 4 as a rating. I added this because of the importance of The Tragically Hip in Canadian music and in Canada in general. The Hip were our band. They never broke into the broad scene outside of their home country but in Canada they were everywhere. One of the only bands who regularly included the Canadian experience in their lyrical content. Courage (for Hugh MacLennan) who was a Canadian novelist best known for Barometer Rising about the Halifax explosion in WWI which was the largest mad made explosion to that time and destroy much of the city killing thousands. More import MacLennan’s Two Solitudes coined a term that would be used to describe the speakers of Canada’s two official languages. Fifty Mission Cap is about Bill Brilko a Toronto Maple Leaf who after scoring the Stanley Cup winning goal in overtime disappeared on a fishing trip that summer. The Leafs would not win another cup until the year they discovered his body nearly a decade later. Wheat Kings is a reflection on the wrongful conviction of David Migaard and is laced with references to “pictures of our Parents Prime Ministers” and “ a late breaking story on the CBC” and “a nation whispers we always knew that he’d go free”. Looking For a Place To Happen is filled with references to early discovery of Canada by Europeans with lines like “Jacque Cartier right this way”. I do reference Europeans specifically above as Canada was a fully populated space upon their arrival. Gord Downie the lead singer became involved in many causes in his life include a haunting book and album Secret Path telling the story of 12-year old Annishinaabe boy Chanie Wenjack who tried to walk home after escaping a residential school and died alone of exposure on the trip. The Hip got elevated to a space no other Canadian band has with their final tour. After lead singer was diagnosed with an inoperable form of brain cancer they embarked on farewell tour of the country. The final show was shown on the CBC with an estimated audience of over 10 million watching live and uncut representing a full third of the country. It was a moment of watching a Canadian band in its final performance with its dynamic frontman clearly suffering form the effects of the disease that would shortly take his life. It was an amazing celebration. So I included this record not because it pushes the boundaries of music forward. Nor because it’s the best example of its type of rock. I added this to the list as it is a great example of music that tells unashamed stories of Canada and its people.

Not my thing. But I enjoyed what they did here. I liked the scope of this. Usually a double record puts me off. That was my first reaction when I saw it come up. I think they executed it well.

Classic Shania. It was everywhere at the time.

I really enjoyed that.

I’ve never been a big Ozzy fan. I will listen to his stuff when it comes on without skipping tracks but I never seek it out. I’ve listened to his Sabbath stuff through these lists but this is the first time I’ve sat down to a full solo record. It didn’t change my mind. I just don’t love the way he sings. Which I now lots of people do. I can see why if you like his style this would be a top 1000 album for you. Just not for me.

Another one in the category of I thought this was on the main list. I think this is my favourite thing that McCartney did post Beatles.

For whatever reason his music has never connected with me. It isn’t love, it isn’t hate, it’s just indifference. With this listen that overall feeling didn’t change but I did gain and appreciation for how well played and recorded his music is. He is clearly a great musician and it’s nice music to have on. It just doesn’t grab me on an emotional level. I can see how it would for others.

Good record. Not sure why I don’t listen to more of them.

That’s country alright. Good country.

When this popped up I had no idea what it was. I looked on Wikipedia and said to myself- oh no not today wrong mood. Turns out my fear was all wrong. From about 30 seconds in I was intrigued. I’ve never heard anything that could be described as atmospheric metal. I loved it. I will definitely seek out more of this. I am sure it is something that will be very mood dependent for me. But in the right mood I think this will be the perfect soundtrack.

I enjoyed it.

It was good.

This has the sound of the type of punk record that I enjoy listening to. I really wish my French was a bit stronger. Sung this way I just can’t keep up.

I recently came across his when he was a guest at a Dua Lipa concert. She talked about how many great artists come out of Toronto and this big build up and hype and then brought this guy out. That was the biggest collective letdown I’ve ever felt at a concert. You could feel the audience all be like who the heck is this guy. Then he came out and did a rather boring song with her. It took a solid 4-5 more songs before she was able to reestablish the energy. As for the record which I’ve now listened to it was as bad as I had feared from the experience. Actually interesting folk in there.

Not my usual style. However, this is the type of rap that I enjoy. I like the theme through the album. The clever use of skits to bridge between songs and sections. When I come across records like this I enjoy them way more than a rap record that is just a collection of songs. Thank you to whoever put this on. Good choice.

I feel I have let myself down in my musical journey. Canadian indie band of this quality that I didn’t know makes me sad. Great record.

I’ve heard that people listen to video gags me soundtracks but I never have before. I am guessing you need to love the game to really get into it.