1001 Albums Summary

Listening statistics & highlights

161
Albums Rated
3.65
Average Rating
15%
Complete
928 albums remaining

Rating Distribution

Rating Timeline

Taste Profile

1960
Favorite Decade
Metal
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
36
5-Star Albums
5
1-Star Albums

Breakdown

By Genre

Top Styles

By Decade

By Origin

Albums

You Love More Than Most

AlbumYouGlobalDiff
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
The Byrds
5 2.83 +2.17
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
The Flying Burrito Brothers
5 2.91 +2.09
I Against I
Bad Brains
5 2.93 +2.07
O.G. Original Gangster
Ice T
5 2.97 +2.03
Maxinquaye
Tricky
5 3.05 +1.95
Double Nickels On The Dime
Minutemen
5 3.13 +1.87
The Sensual World
Kate Bush
5 3.19 +1.81
The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys
5 3.26 +1.74
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
5 3.3 +1.7
Live And Dangerous
Thin Lizzy
5 3.33 +1.67

You Love Less Than Most

AlbumYouGlobalDiff
Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
1 3.4 -2.4
Your Arsenal
Morrissey
1 3.05 -2.05
Coles Corner
Richard Hawley
1 3.03 -2.03
Violator
Depeche Mode
2 3.7 -1.7
Casanova
The Divine Comedy
1 2.65 -1.65
Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
2 3.56 -1.56
Play
Moby
2 3.45 -1.45
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
2 3.38 -1.38
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra
2 3.27 -1.27
Teen Dream
Beach House
2 3.26 -1.26

Artists

Favorites

ArtistAlbumsAverage
Bruce Springsteen 3 4.67
Led Zeppelin 2 5
The Beach Boys 2 5
R.E.M. 3 4.33

Least Favorites

ArtistAlbumsAverage
The Divine Comedy 2 1.5

5-Star Albums (36)

View Album Wall

Popular Reviews

Kollaps by Einstürzende Neubauten

This is a joke, right? No way this is real. These guys took mics to Haus Depöt and started recording everything on the plumbing aisle. This shit sounds like a “10 HOUR INDUSTRIAL BLACKSMITH FACTORY AMBIENCE” youtube video. Honestly though, I can dig abstraction and distorted electronica, but you always need something for the audience to latch on to. At times this is cool, but if this plays at the discotheque, I’m leaving because you can’t even try to dance to this shit

Reading this album’s reviews and I’m baffled this has a 2.85 rating. I’m even MORE baffled by all the 1 and 2 star reviews simply titled “Country sucks!” or something like that. I understand why country is i totally off putting - I myself used to despise everything it stood for. At some point, I started listening to Cash, and that softened me, but SotR is really what blew the whole thing open for me. It’s just so fucking brilliant. For all of his yuppie Harvard money, Gram Parsons was a musical genius. This record perfectly personifies the word “twang” while borrowing equally from psychedelic and rock music. From the opening punch of “You Ain’t Goin Nowhere” to the satirical gospel of “The Christian Life”, this is all killer no filler. If you write this one off because it’s “country”, you are doing yourself a HUGE disservice. Don’t be so cynical!

Half this album is Beverly Hills Cop II and the other half is FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA’S APOCALYPSE NOW (1979). four stars

The Sensual World by Kate Bush

DAMN… maybe all those stranger things nerds were on to something…

90 by 808 State

as far as dated dance music goes this was pretty good

1-Star Albums (5)

All Ratings (161)

Kenya by Machito
Apr 15 2022

This is one of the first jazz albums I’ve listened to all the way through, and I liked it pretty well! Percussion is really fun and the songs all groove.

The Blueprint by JAY Z
Apr 16 2022

This is an album in which Hov both talks the talk (he REALLY loves to brag), and walks the walk. The production and sampling are immaculate and diverse, and Jay and Co. rap at the top of their game. Still not sold on Jay’s constant “uh uh uh huh” ad-libbing though.

Melody A.M. by Röyksopp
Apr 17 2022

This album sounds like it belongs in a Jon Bois video - and not in a good way. Outside of a few moments, this album really wasn’t fun or exciting.

Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley
Apr 18 2022

I can really only imagine how this must have sounded to white people when it first came out: this is a really solid album that lays the foundation for some of Elvis’ best work later on. The hits are great, and his version of “Blue Moon” is a surprising lo-fi knockout.

Teen Dream by Beach House
Apr 19 2022

I absolutely believe this album was released in 2010 - a few cool beats here and there, but they’re buried under all the cursive.

Dry by PJ Harvey
Apr 20 2022

I think my friend Leah would call this “angry woman music”: high marks from her. Pretty good stuff, I like the edge but I prefer the rawness of Veruca Salt and Bikini Kill a little more.

Violator by Depeche Mode
Apr 21 2022

Not nearly as cool as New Order, but not terrible. I could get down to this if I was a moody 80s teen.

evermore by Taylor Swift
Apr 22 2022

Some good stuff here but it’s hidden in that god-awful contemporary pop production. I guess my beef is more with that then with Taylor. Oh well

Tusk by Fleetwood Mac
Apr 24 2022

chicks rock. I knew right away this was a 5-star album: this record starts great and doesn’t cease until the end of the last song. Lucious, diverse, joyful, passionate; it’s like if the Beach Boys made Pet Sounds in 1979.

Apr 25 2022

Half this album is Beverly Hills Cop II and the other half is FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA’S APOCALYPSE NOW (1979). four stars

Out Of The Blue by Electric Light Orchestra
Apr 26 2022

These songs maybe be well produced, and Jeff Lynne may occasionally be a genius, but this is still wuss rock. 3 stars

American Idiot by Green Day
Apr 27 2022

Parts of this are dated, and I don’t like this album as much as Dookie, but I’ll be damned if Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Holiday aren’t just as great as they’ve always been. I will say that the second half feels like a bit of a letdown, at least musically.

Maxinquaye by Tricky
Apr 28 2022

Trick managed to somehow make a Public Enemy cover that’s better than the source material… so much cool stuff here

m b v by My Bloody Valentine
Apr 29 2022

coffee shop record store ass music

Be by Common
Apr 30 2022

Heartbreaking: The Most Insane Rapper You Know Was The Producer On A Great Album

Crime Of The Century by Supertramp
May 01 2022

Yeah this bass track is sick, let’s add the worst fucking singing you’ve heard in your life. There isn’t a song on here that another artist hasn’t made a better version of. Kids Bop: Pink Floyd

Clandestino by Manu Chao
May 02 2022

these vibes transcend ethnic boundaries

Blackstar by David Bowie
May 03 2022

This is the kind of album that makes me wish you could revisit old albums on this thing? On my first listen, this album appeared to be a bit too much at times, a little too unfocused. And yet, Bowie’s haunting voice lingers, and I feel like one day I’ll really recognize this album as a masterpiece. 3.5 stars for now

Raw Like Sushi by Neneh Cherry
May 04 2022

rap sections: 5/5. sublime. dated 80s vocal sections: 2/5.

Sail Away by Randy Newman
May 05 2022

It sure was a Randy Newman album

Tarkus by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
May 06 2022

keith emerson should have been tried and imprisoned for his keyboard crimes against humanity. it’s like if black sabbath added a slide whistle player

Bitches Brew by Miles Davis
May 07 2022

Maybe I’m only giving this a 5 because of the mystique and fame of Miles Davis, but this is a damn good album. It’s weird yet cool; disjointed and chaotic yet laser-focused; extravagant yet perfectly efficient; imperfect and human yet otherworldly.

The Score by Fugees
May 08 2022

Lauryn Hill’s insane vocals and production skills make The Score one of the all-time great hip hop albums. 5 stars

Document by R.E.M.
May 09 2022

Enjoyed WAY more than I thought I would, I was kind of expecting weird weenie rock and got sick jams and great production.

Pearl by Janis Joplin
May 10 2022

Solid LP and great work by Janis. Side 2 is much better and has higher stakes than side 1.

Immigrés by Youssou N'Dour
May 13 2022

Whatever he’s selling, I’m buying. 4 stars

Highway to Hell by AC/DC
May 14 2022

yeah okay all AC/DC songs are in four and are all about having sex but have you considered dudes rock

Hot Buttered Soul by Isaac Hayes
May 16 2022

isaac hayes is cooler than me and he knows it

Live And Dangerous by Thin Lizzy
May 17 2022

BOY this was a good record. I like “The Boys Are Back In Town” just as much as the next guy, but the power and gravitas of this one blew me away. Phill Lynott sounds so fucking cool on this album

Your Arsenal by Morrissey
May 18 2022

this album would get 4 or 5 stars if morrissey wasn’t a racist wanker

Play by Moby
May 21 2022

don’t care

May 23 2022

this is hardcore? more like this is a guy who really likes david bowie

Garbage by Garbage
May 24 2022

“this is a slay!”

Time Out Of Mind by Bob Dylan
May 25 2022

Y’know at first I was skeptical because of old Bobby’s voice, but this album won me over! Great songwriting and arrangements. 4.5 stars

Hotel California by Eagles
May 26 2022

Is it lyrically complex, meaningful, or anything other than stadium rock? No. Is it still enjoyable? Yes.

Aqualung by Jethro Tull
May 27 2022

imagining a guy who’s favorite band is jethro tull

Seventh Tree by Goldfrapp
May 29 2022

i fell asleep to this album but in a good way

90 by 808 State
May 30 2022

as far as dated dance music goes this was pretty good

Calenture by The Triffids
Jun 02 2022

A more earnest, if less interesting version of the Smiths

A Short Album About Love by The Divine Comedy
Jun 06 2022

If you’re gonna try to be Sinatra, can you at least try to have an ounce of charm?

Abraxas by Santana
Jun 07 2022

All around great album: this song has great Latin stuff in Oye Como Va as well as bluesier stuff like Hope You’re Feeling Better.

Coles Corner by Richard Hawley
Jun 08 2022

I swear to god if I have to listen to one more album of a British guy trying to be a 50’s crooner

Green River by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Jun 10 2022

I keep going back and forth on this one! I LOVE CCR, and the singles on this are amazing: “Bad Moon Rising” is “Bad Moon Rising”, and “Lodi” might be my favorite CCR song. With that said though, the non-singles are somewhat filler and don’t have the same energy as the hits. But hey, even a filler CCR track is great. 5 stars

The Cars by The Cars
Jun 11 2022

This album is the epitome of “3 stars”: fun at times, but it’s still inoffensive 80s rock. I get that the synths and the singing is cool, I don’t see this as some new-wave masterpiece.

Station To Station by David Bowie
Jun 12 2022

This is the second Bowie album I’ve gotten on this and I don’t think I’ve quite figured him out? It’s really good music, I love the instrumentation and the singing - some of these songs really groove - but I’m not yet to the point where I can look at a record like this and say, “this is one of the greatest albums of all time”. Maybe I’m just a singles guy, or maybe I’m not listening to the lyrics close enough.

L.A. Woman by The Doors
Jun 14 2022

Good stuff, not my favorite Doors album but still great

Coat Of Many Colors by Dolly Parton
Jun 17 2022

Kind of surprised this one is on here, but no Jolene. Good album, but few standouts outside of the title track.

Figure 8 by Elliott Smith
Jun 19 2022

Another day, another white boy alt-rock album. 3 stars

Murmur by R.E.M.
Jun 20 2022

REM wiggles it’s way into my heart yet again. This is ALMOST as good as Document: Murmur is just missing a second iconic song. 4.75 stars!

Songs Of Leonard Cohen by Leonard Cohen
Jun 21 2022

For some reason, Leonard Cohen and Anthony Bourdain are the same person in my head. 3.75 stars: impressive songwriting, but a lot of the songs just kinda blend together. Suzanne a banger tho

Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel
Jun 23 2022

who let these white boys freak it?

Back To Black by Amy Winehouse
Jun 25 2022

Try as I may, I couldn’t think of a reason to not give this one 5 stars. Great production, hypnotic vocals, and superb songwriting. She’s no Ronnie Spector, but she’ll do.

Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye
Jun 27 2022

It’s a shame that this album is solely remembered for its title track because the rest of the album is truly “all killer, no filler.” Every single song is a carefully-crafted, passionate masterpiece that showcases all the different flavors of love. Tracks like “I Should Die Tonight” are inescapable representations of passionate and unconditional love, and songs like “Please Stay” are of course musical sex, but it’s songs like “Just To Keep You Satisfied” and “Distant Lover” that really make the album for me. The former is a complex goodbye song, and the latter synthesizes this heartbreak with the rest of the album’s longing: you can hear both the longing and pain in Gaye’s desperate pleas at the end of the song. This album perfectly sets the indescribable intricacies of love to music.

Low-Life by New Order
Jun 28 2022

forget Guns n’ Roses and Cyndi Lauper, THIS is real 80s music

Jun 30 2022

pleasantly surprised by this album! while it lacks punchy singles and occasionally loses focus, it’s a great hazy listen through and through.

Younger Than Yesterday by The Byrds
Jul 02 2022

Solid album. Should be listened to as a whole album, not as a collection of songs because the “Byrds sound” gets old after a while. It’s no Sweetheart, but it’ll do.

Madman Across The Water by Elton John
Jul 05 2022

Elton John 🤝 Randy Newman Writing songs that kind of have slurs in them In all seriousness tho, solid album. Earns a 4 just for “Tiny Dancer”, but the rest of the album is pretty good as well.

The Gilded Palace Of Sin by The Flying Burrito Brothers
Jul 10 2022

His own health aside, anything Gram Parsons touched was gold. While I don’t think anything can top Sweetheart of the Rodeo, this is one of the defining alt-country albums. It’s a blast to listen to, and the songwriting is excellent throughout. There are too few country records like this on the list!

Bluesbreakers by John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Jul 12 2022

Clapton and some other white British guys can technically play the blues here, but there’s no emotion in it.

The Atomic Mr Basie by Count Basie & His Orchestra
Jul 14 2022

This album makes me feel like I’m wandering around 1950s Manhattan

Kid A by Radiohead
Jul 20 2022

The ultimate doomer album. I’m amazed by how ahead of it’s time this album was; it’s as relevant and fresh now as it was 20 years ago.

Jazz Samba by Stan Getz
Jul 23 2022

They may be white boys, but they have a little swag.

Elvis Is Back by Elvis Presley
Jul 26 2022

Solid record; these are polished Elvis tunes, but it’s nothing amazing? I have to wonder why this album made the list over Aloha from Hawaii or any of Elvis’s stellar gospel music.

Ramones by Ramones
Jul 30 2022

the ramones have like 1, maybe 2 sounds on this record. it’s good, but a lot of the songs blend together.

Stardust by Willie Nelson
Aug 01 2022

Fifth album I own on vinyl, and one of only 2 Willie Nelson records on this list. Personally I think that Phases and Stages should have been included at minimum, and other candidates could be Shotgun Willie, Willie and the Family Live, or even Waylon and Willie. But anywho, I do love this record, but the more I listen to it, I notice that Side 2 tends to meander. I don’t care as much for those songs. But this is nevertheless a really good LP. 3.75 stars

Exit Planet Dust by The Chemical Brothers
Aug 04 2022

not a huge electronic/club fan but this shit made me feel like I was in blade II.

Amnesiac by Radiohead
Aug 08 2022

Solid album but I can definitely see why Kid A gets all the attention. Amnesiac is good in it’s own way, but it lacks punch and tends to meander at times.

At Budokan by Cheap Trick
Aug 09 2022

decent I guess, they sound pretty good live. if this was a studio album I would like it a lot less.

Thriller by Michael Jackson
Aug 10 2022

The singles are amazing, but the rest of the album isn’t quite as good as Off the Wall.

BEYONCÉ by Beyoncé
Aug 11 2022

Not quite my thing, but I can’t deny that this a very well performed and produced album.

Let's Stay Together by Al Green
Aug 13 2022

man oh man is this a good record. every song is so emotional and well-sung, but How Can You Mend a Broken Heart is basically perfect. bee gees who??

Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis
Aug 15 2022

It sure was a jazz album! While this is certainly a musically competent record, I was expecting something more “Miles Davis-y”? I didn’t really feel anything outside of “Moon Dreams”. But for 1957 this is good.

A Love Supreme by John Coltrane
Aug 16 2022

I mean, c’mon, what can I say here? Superb album that incredibly complex yet entirely accessible. Saxophone is god

GREY Area by Little Simz
Aug 17 2022

Easily one of the best rap albums of the last few years. The production especially shines through it’s use of actual instruments. Each song feels unique in it’s own way. My one knock is that Simz uses the same British monotone cadence on every single song. I think it holds the music back a bit. 4.25 stars

Metallica by Metallica
Aug 18 2022

While it’s definitely the most commercial Metallica album - the “edge” of their brand of thrash is dull at times - “Metallica” is still a great listen. You can hear it a million times on the radio, but Enter Sandman is still Enter fucking Sandman. 4.25 stars

Revolver by Beatles
Aug 19 2022

FINALLY I get a Beatles album; FINALLY I get a record I actually own on vinyl (because I live in the US however, I have to listen to it on two separate albums because Capitol was run by a bunch of greedy bastards). Revolver was really the first Beatles album I became intimately familiar with as an adult - as a kid, you know the hits, but you’re not old enough to understand how each album functions. Revolver wasn’t the Beatles’ first great album, but for me, it’s the first one that was truly revolutionary. Songs like “Taxman”, “I’m Only Sleeping”, “She Said She Said”, “And Your Bird Can Sing”, “Doctor Robert”, and of course, “Tomorrow Never Knows” cement this album as on of the greatest and most musically-progressive albums of all time. I don’t think this is the “best” Beatles album, but it just might be my favorite.

Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan
Aug 20 2022

If the Eagles had actual musical talent but didn’t get any chicks this is the album they would have made. Every song on this album has one silly part. Sometimes it’s the piano, or a ragtime horn section. Sometimes it works, sometimes it’s jarring.

Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen
Aug 21 2022

For some reason, this was my favorite Springsteen album growing up. I loved the hushed emotion and storytelling on the record, and I loved that if I wanted to, I could fall asleep to these near-lullabies. The first two tracks are absolute perfection. Bruce’s singing on “Atlantic City” is desperate and powerful, and the production on “Nebraska” is so wonderfully purposeful. I love it. The second half of the album is a little bit of a let-down (outside of “My Father’s House”), so I unfortunately give this 4 stars, but if we’re really counting I’d say 4.5.

Country Life by Roxy Music
Aug 22 2022

One one hand, this album does sound pretty good. There’s an urgency to it that I think is missing in other glam rock albums (looking at you, Transformer). It sounds good, and it’s occasionally creative. On the other hand, there is a cloud of unoriginality and douchiness over this whole thing. It just feels really masturbatory and I don’t really give a shit. 3 stars I guess.

Marquee Moon by Television
Aug 23 2022

Probably didn’t give this one a fair shake (it was on in the background while I was working) so I should revisit it, but it was still really good. Guitars and vocals both good. 4 stars

Kollaps by Einstürzende Neubauten
Aug 24 2022

This is a joke, right? No way this is real. These guys took mics to Haus Depöt and started recording everything on the plumbing aisle. This shit sounds like a “10 HOUR INDUSTRIAL BLACKSMITH FACTORY AMBIENCE” youtube video. Honestly though, I can dig abstraction and distorted electronica, but you always need something for the audience to latch on to. At times this is cool, but if this plays at the discotheque, I’m leaving because you can’t even try to dance to this shit

Aug 25 2022

Shame this one isn’t on Apple Music because I love Funkadelic! George Clinton was just such a genius - he was excellent at finding perfect roles for every instrument. Really cool record that only gets 4 stars because of its unavailability and because it isn’t quite as good as Maggot Brain.

Punishing Kiss by Ute Lemper
Aug 26 2022

“Oh the first song is actually really good, I like the arrangements” *checks credits and sees The Divine Comedy and Nick Cave* I’m so tired of this silly ass esoteric music! Who is this for!!! Who listens to this? Imagine you’re in the car and one of your homies grabs the aux and starts playing “Die Driegroschenoper”. That dude is walking home.

Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park
Aug 27 2022

Tough one to rate here. This album has been a staple of rock radio for the past 20 years because it is at times legitimately fun to listen to - it has really energy and sounds a million times better than Limp Bizkit or any other garbage like that. It is however pretty dated and corny: the rock stuff works, but whenever they try and rap it’s SO bad and it’s so obvious how out of their element these guys are. 3 stars I guess. I wish I had the heart to rate it lower, but it reminds me of my childhood.

Aug 28 2022

So I knew this was gonna be great, obviously. After all, we’re talking about Aretha singing her greatest hit here But a part of me was a tiny bit skeptical: I generally think that Motown got better the closer we get to ‘72 or so. Take Marvin, one of Aretha’s contemporaries, who didn’t really make his best work until 1970 (though his ‘60s resume was immaculate nevertheless). Boy was I wrong. This is a great record that hasn’t aged a day. This is one of the albums that elevated not just Motown, but American popular music as a whole from good to great. I think 1965-1975 might be the greatest decade in popular music, and this record is right in the upper pantheon.

Aug 30 2022

This is the third album I’ve gotten that I have on vinyl, and boy is it a good one. DSotM is SUCH a meme, and liking it is so incredibly common, but it’s just so amazing. It sounds so fucking good, and it has one of the top 5 rock vocal performances of all time (maybe the best if it wasn’t for Merry Clayton). I first listened to this album in a painting class my freshman year of college. A lot has changed since, and this album has only gotten better with time.

Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin
Aug 31 2022

4th album I own and second huge album in a row? I know it and you know it: IV is an unimpeachable, amazing 5 star album. I get really tired of “Black Dog” and “Rock and Roll” because they get ridiculously overplayed on the radio (these songs do nothing for me anymore), but songs like “Going to California”, “Misty Mountain Hop” and even “Stairway” get better with age. I don’t think this is Zep’s best, but that’s a story for another day.

Home Is Where The Music Is by Hugh Masekela
Sep 02 2022

Really enjoyed this one! I put it on while working and I must have listened to it front to back 3 times. Very accessible but still throws in some free jazz at times to keep you on your toes. I’m giving this 4 stars because I’m worried I’m inflating the value of 5 stars? Like this was a great album but my gut tells me to slow down 5 star distribution. Oh well

Sep 03 2022

Listening to the album was like putting on your favorite, well-worn jacket: it’s familiar, warm, and reminds you of all the good memories you’ve made while wearing it. I really could hear my childhood while this was spinning: my parent’s CDs, adult contemporary radio from the early 2000s, and a million movie soundtracks. I really enjoyed hearing this again. I know people levy the (valid) criticisms that Coldplay is boring, inoffensive pop music, but this isn’t “Journey of a Lifetime” Coldplay, this is “height-of-their-powers” Coldplay. Lots of interesting things going on the first half of the album, and I really enjoyed listening to this again.

Talking Heads 77 by Talking Heads
Sep 05 2022

Well, it’s about what I expected. I respect Byrne’s music and artistry, but this just isn’t my kind of music. I love “This Must Be The Place” as much as the next guy, but I don’t really dig 77’s thirty-nine minutes of yodeling.

The Beach Boys Today! by The Beach Boys
Sep 06 2022

Given that the Beach Boys are neck-and-neck with the Beatles for the title of my favorite band, I think it’s an absolute TRAVESTY that there isn’t another BB album on the list. Today is supposed to represent the BB’s early work, but in reality it’s a transitional record. I think that Surfer Girl or even Summer Days… And Summer Nights should have made the list as well. Anywho, I thought I was going to give this only 4 stars because on every pre-Pet Sounds BB record, there’s like 5 beautiful songs that make you want to cry, and 5 of the dumbest novelty songs you’ve ever heard. Yet even the songs on side one are amazing! I enjoyed “Do You Wanna Dance?” just as much as “Please Let Me Wonder”. Brian and the boys earned their five stars here.

Take Me Apart by Kelela
Sep 07 2022

Modern R&B isn’t really my thing but this was a solid album. Vocal harmonies were really nice.

Sep 08 2022

Album number 6 I have on vinyl! I can’t begin to express how much I love this album. It was incredibly revolutionary and progressive for the time, it tore down barriers, and it’s probably Ray’s best or second best album. Holy shit it’s such a joy to listen to. While some of the songs aren’t as perfect as “Bye Bye Love”, “You Don’t Know Me”, or “You Win Again”, I enjoy listening to every single one of them. No filler or bloat whatsoever. If you don’t like this album, I don’t even know what to say to you. I should note that I’m only writing about Volume 1 here, but Volume 2 is equally perfect (if not better).

Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Rós
Sep 09 2022

Breaking: Swag Discovered In Iceland

The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths
Sep 10 2022

Sidleds wild for this one lol. The Smiths present a challenge to my practice of rating sus musicians: Morrisey got 1 star for a solo album, and the 2 Michael Jackson records I’ve gotten were fairly rated despite his actual crimes. I guess there’s no rhyme or reason, so the Smiths will get a normal rating as a group but any future Mo album gets 1 star. Anyways, great stuff right here. Super catchy and worms it’s way right into your heart. 4 stars

Dookie by Green Day
Sep 13 2022

Finally the real man’s Green Day album. These songs sound so “Green Day” if that makes sense? This is the high water mark of this sort of sound.

The Madcap Laughs by Syd Barrett
Sep 14 2022

Syd Barrett’s Guitar Pick 🤝 John Bonham’s Kick Pedal Being annoyingly audible in their music In all seriousness though, I loved the first half but was really weirded out by the second. It wasn’t till I read up on Syd and the album that I found out why. :/

The Next Day by David Bowie
Sep 15 2022

Yet another late-career Bowie album I just can’t wrap my mind around… Bowie’s singing is amazing on this record, but the arrangements just feel kind of tacky. I don’t know. I’ll figure it out one day.

Darkness on the Edge of Town by Bruce Springsteen
Sep 16 2022

I think this is album I own #7? And what I record it is! This was probably the first Springsteen album I came to love as an adult, mostly because of its complexity. It sounds so different from the Boss’s other albums, and the songwriting is immaculate. People sleep on “Something in the Night”!

Femi Kuti by Femi Kuti
Sep 17 2022

Very funky - this music is ALIVE! Good stuff, 4.5 stars

Sep 18 2022

I feel bad that I’m giving this one such a low rating? There are SO FEW country albums on this list, and I love Dwight, but to say this is one of the few great country records is ridiculous. This is maybe Dwight’s 3rd or 4th best album. I think Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc… would have been a much stronger inclusion, because unlike this album, it’s songs are distinct and well-written. “Streets of Bakersfield” a banger tho

Green Onions by Booker T. & The MG's
Sep 19 2022

A little disappointed in this one? I love Booker T, and I love the song “Green Onions” even more, but the rest of the songs on this one just felt very uninteresting and inoffensive. 3 stars.

Beggars Banquet by The Rolling Stones
Sep 20 2022

Another banger from the Stones! 5 stars for “Sympathy for the Devil” and “Street Fightin Man”, but one star revoked for having somewhat unmemorable non-singles.

Rust Never Sleeps by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Sep 22 2022

As a big Neil fan this album was a huge disappointment… there’s some good stuff here but it just feels really uninspired. 2.5 stars

Playing With Fire by Spacemen 3
Sep 23 2022

robert dimery be like including more than like 5 motown/blues/country albums: ❌ including 200 boring british alt-rock bands: ✅

At San Quentin by Johnny Cash
Sep 24 2022

At last, one of the 3 (THREE) Cash albums on this list, and I believe this is the 8th album I own. Absolute travesty that there’s that few. Cash’s career is littered with hugely influential and critically acclaimed records like Bitter Tears, His Hot and Blue Guitar, Ride This Train, and many others, so it kind of sucks that the only ones on the list are two live albums and a late career masterpiece. Anyways, solid stuff here - “Boy Named Sue” and “San Quentin” are perfect - but the record is held back by its song selection. Do yourself a favor and listen to the full uncensored version, as this release leaves out a lot of great songs (yet leaves in 2 versions of “San Quentin”??).

21 by Adele
Sep 28 2022

GREAT vocals, but the production and songwriting get a little schmaltzy at times

Heroes by David Bowie
Sep 30 2022

FINALLY I get a Bowie album I can get down to. I love both the funky, proto-New Wave stuff on side 1 and the Blade Runner soundtrack on side 2.

The Man Machine by Kraftwerk
Oct 01 2022

It sure was a Kraftwerk album! Not terrible, I was into it. 3.5 stars

Another Green World by Brian Eno
Oct 09 2022

This album isn’t perfect; some songs are better than others, but MAN this album is years ahead of it’s time. Could have been released today and it would be just as relevant. “The Big Ship” a banger.

Band On The Run by Paul McCartney and Wings
Oct 16 2022

I’m giving this one 4 stars, but not without hesitation - this is a genuinely great album. “Band on the Run”, “Jet”, and “Let Me Roll It” are spectacular singles; songs I listen to all the time. The rest of the LP is all that keeps it from getting 5 stars: Paul’s “granny music” is on full display and it just doesn’t feel super coherent.

Heartattack And Vine by Tom Waits
Oct 20 2022

Gotta admit, I thought for sure I’d hate this because I don’t really care for super esoteric music, but it wasn’t too bad! I liked the dichotomy between the sleazy guitar songs and the heartfelt piano ballads. Bonus points for “Jersey Girl”.

Mask by Bauhaus
Oct 21 2022

Was not expecting the mid-album switch to hip-hop! 3 stars

To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
Oct 22 2022

Finally got some K Dot! While TPaB isn’t my favorite Kendrick album, I can’t deny it’s a brilliantly constructed collection of hip-hop, funk, jazz, and spoken word poetry. Different songs on this record have had different meanings for me growing up, be it loud locker room music or even songs that represented negative emotions. An absolute classic of the genre. If you “can’t get into this because it’s rap” or because he mentions money and women, I hate to break it to you: you have no critical thinking skills. Phooey.

Oct 24 2022

Reading this album’s reviews and I’m baffled this has a 2.85 rating. I’m even MORE baffled by all the 1 and 2 star reviews simply titled “Country sucks!” or something like that. I understand why country is i totally off putting - I myself used to despise everything it stood for. At some point, I started listening to Cash, and that softened me, but SotR is really what blew the whole thing open for me. It’s just so fucking brilliant. For all of his yuppie Harvard money, Gram Parsons was a musical genius. This record perfectly personifies the word “twang” while borrowing equally from psychedelic and rock music. From the opening punch of “You Ain’t Goin Nowhere” to the satirical gospel of “The Christian Life”, this is all killer no filler. If you write this one off because it’s “country”, you are doing yourself a HUGE disservice. Don’t be so cynical!

Cloud Nine by The Temptations
Oct 28 2022

Serviceable motown stuff, nothing crazy but it gets the job done.

Chirping Crickets by Buddy Holly & The Crickets
Oct 30 2022

Buddy Holly kinda sounds like somebody sped up an Elvis song but only by like 10%. 4.5 stars

Oct 31 2022

Probably my least favorite of the 3 REM albums, but that’s more of a testament to how good the other ones are. “Man on the Moon” always bangs but I can’t listen to “Everybody Hurts” without laughing.

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek & The Dominos
Nov 03 2022

I hate myself for giving this one 5 stars… Clapton is a huge wanker but man this is a good record… anything Duane Allman touched was gold I guess

Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Nov 04 2022

I like the funkier stuff on this album, but to be honest, songs like “Californication”, or “Other Side” fall into the same category as “Jump” or “We Are The Champions”: I’ve heard it so many times on the radio that I no longer feel any joy or positive connection to the song.

I Against I by Bad Brains
Nov 07 2022

Can’t believe I’ve never heard of these guys! Really cool blend of thrash, punk, alt rock, and funk. I can really see how these guys must have been huge influences on 90s bands.

Really went back and forth between 4 and 5 stars on this. On one hand, it’s an all-time classic that’s excellently written and sung, but on the other hand, I thought a lot of the non-iconic tracks were forgettable. I guess I’ll do a high 4 stars for this.

Electric Warrior by T. Rex
Nov 12 2022

Usually I can’t stand “glam rock” but this was really good! I really liked the bluesy feel that spans the whole record.

Nov 14 2022

Such a special album. Maybe I’m talking out of my ass here, but this reminds me a lot of the Beach Boys’ SMILE: the songs on the album are less individual songs, but rather short musical phrases that can be rearranged or combined to form longer musical sentences. There’s like 43 songs on DNotD - most of them are very short and unrefined. I think if the band took any one of them and polished it, you’d have an individual song of popular music, but they didn’t. The songs instead flow together, creating different moods and emotions. I don’t mind that they’re short! I love just putting this on in the background and sinking into the music.

Vivid by Living Colour
Nov 15 2022

The angry, grunge-funk tracks are great (see Cult of Personality), but the 80’s pop sections are not. Still love this album tho

Nov 16 2022

I kind of would just rather listen to Phil Collins’ or Peter Gabriel’s solo music… prog rock is so hard to get into

Triangle by The Beau Brummels
Nov 18 2022

Not too bad, I enjoyed a few songs.

Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
Nov 21 2022

God I really don’t know where to start with Pet Sounds. I got really into the Beach Boys maybe 2 years ago? I don’t remember how it started, but I was immediately drawn to Brian Wilson’s vocals and production style. Every song these guys made was full of emotion, longing, sadness, and joy. The Beach Boys’ first 6 or so albums possess some of the most beautiful vocal harmonies you’ve ever heard. Makes the Four Seasons sound like a bunch of yelping cats. Anyways, Pet Sounds is absolutely their magnum opus, and it’s visible as soon as the first track, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, a wonderfully wistful song about being young and in love. There’s not a song on hear I don’t love: the long vocals on “You Still Believe In Me”, the wonderful interplay of Mike’s lead vocals and Brian’s falsetto on “That’s Not Me”, the psychedelic “Don’t Talk”, the songwriting of “I’m Waiting for the Day”, the percussion on “Let’s Go Away for Awhile”, and of course, the ever-happy “Sloop John B”. Side 2 is just a perfect: “God Only Knows”, Brian’s visible soul on “I Know There’s An Answer”, the silly “Here Today”, the camp sadness of “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times”, the sleigh bells on “Pet Sounds”, and of course, the beautifully sad (yet too short) “Caroline, No”. I fucking love this album. I’ve listened to it a billion times, and it always gets slightly better every time I do. Probably my favorite album of all time.

Blue Lines by Massive Attack
Nov 22 2022

Incredibly, beautifully, and sometimes painfully 1991.

Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen
Dec 03 2022

I think what’s so great about “Born To Run” is that it’s so short and sweet? You real appreciate how bombastic each song is. It also works together as a unit very well - it’s very easy to get tired of the title song when heard on the radio, but when you hear it in its original context, you can’t help but love it!

Beauty And The Beat by The Go-Go's
Dec 06 2022

PLEASANTLY surprised by the Go-Go’s! I was worried this might be a bit too new-wave for my taste, but I really enjoyed the record and listened to it all day. 4 stars instead of 5 because I think it’s a little inconsistent outside of the big songs.

Parallel Lines by Blondie
Dec 13 2022

3.5 stars mostly for “Heart of Glass”. The rest of the album is pretty good? Nothing crazy though. I wish it was more punk.

Dec 18 2022

It sure was a U2 album. Kind of enjoyable, but nothing special.

Paris 1919 by John Cale
Dec 21 2022

Real short album, but better than I was anticipating.

The Sensual World by Kate Bush
Dec 28 2022

DAMN… maybe all those stranger things nerds were on to something…

The Scream by Siouxsie And The Banshees
Jan 01 2023

Good stuff but I’m guessing this isn’t their best album? Sound is a bit unrefined at times. 3.5 stars

Endtroducing..... by DJ Shadow
Jun 10 2023

Meanders a little bit but otherwise a very cool album!

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme by Simon & Garfunkel
Jun 13 2023

I really enjoyed Bookends, but I think this is just a *little* too twee for me. Great production regardless! 3.5

Jun 14 2023

It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the flow of writing reviews on this site, so I’m not gonna say much right now but I did really enjoy this album. I hope I get more of his stuff in the future! 4.5

Casanova by The Divine Comedy
Jun 16 2023

not this fucking guy AGAIN. there’s a total of like 13 soul and country albums on this list, and somehow, this is the THIRD Divine Comedy i’ve gotten. what is going on

Here's Little Richard by Little Richard
Jun 17 2023

The scene in Predator when “Long Tall Sally” plays in the helicopter was like a hydrogen bomb going off in my 12-year old mind

The Blueprint by JAY Z
Jun 20 2023

I’ve gotten this album before… what is going on

Buffalo Springfield Again by Buffalo Springfield
Jun 22 2023

The harmony vocals on “Mr. Soul” are all-time greats! Solid album, enjoyed it all the way through.

Wordsmith

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Other

Album origins are grouped into three buckets: US, UK, and everything else. “Other” means the artists you rate highest are from outside the US and UK.