Jul 12 2022
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At Fillmore East
The Allman Brothers Band
I love this shit so much. I just visualize myself at this show rocking out with these men. A great intersection of Southern Rock and Blues. Duane Allman jamming on his guitar is what it is all about. He was taken from us way too soon.
4
Jul 13 2022
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Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
I appreciate the songwriting and the musicianship, but I can't get over Dylan's singing style. The annunciation just ruins it for me, and I really can't take him serious. These would be better received by me if someone else sang it.
3
Jul 14 2022
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Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
So... yeah... this is pretty great. I can't imagine what it was like to listen to this in 1992? And to me the older this album gets, the more favorable people will continue to view it. I think this album is captivating from start to finish, even the non singles are good songs and fit with the theme of the album. This album proved that mid-tempo albums had a place in music when done well, and I am guessing there aren't many mid-tempo albums done any better than this.
You feel Stipe's emotions in these songs. Like this is his therapy and he is trying to get something out that has troubled him for a very long time. Everybody Hurts is a song 30 years ahead of its time. What an enjoyable listen.
5
Jul 15 2022
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The White Album
Beatles
The Beatles. The White Album. What do you fucking think?
5
Jul 18 2022
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Tubular Bells
Mike Oldfield
Well this... this was certainly something. If you crammed EVERY genre of music into some psychedelic form of music this would be it. I just picture people tripping their balls off and listening to this. It doesn't really seem to make sense to me, but I am obviously not the intended audience here, though who really is? How did this wind up in this list? I will never know.
2
Jul 19 2022
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Dry
PJ Harvey
Ehh. This wasn’t for me. I’m guessing she was a trendsetter being a woman playing this type of music and recording all the instruments, but the songs seemed very mid to me.
2
Jul 20 2022
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Entertainment
Gang Of Four
I really enjoyed this a lot especially the guitars. You can see how this band influenced so many others. It sounded like something I wish I heard more of today.
4
Jul 21 2022
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Tarkus
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
This isn’t my jam.
1
Jul 22 2022
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Nixon
Lambchop
This sounds like nothing that was going on around 2000. Almost like it should be in the 60s or 70s. It’s weird. Trying to figure out where this fits in the realm of 1001 albums I have to listen to. I feel like countless bands did this better 30-40 years before these guys did this. 1 star because I can’t give it zero.
1
Jul 25 2022
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Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
I enjoyed this so much. Listened to it a few times. Depending on my mood, I could probably just listen on repeat all day.
4
Jul 26 2022
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The Man Who
Travis
How does this even make the list?
2
Jul 27 2022
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Imperial Bedroom
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3
Jul 28 2022
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You're Living All Over Me
Dinosaur Jr.
OK, going to try doing live thoughts today:
Track one - A lot of screaming to open this album. OK, there is the singer. He sounds... he sounds like he isn't a good singer. Like seriously this is like 4th of July karaoke. Here come the guitars again, it is just off putting.
Track two - Yep this guy just can't sing. More annoying guitars.
OK, I can't do this anymore...
Is this just on this list because it was so different from popular music of it's time? Like how does that make it essential? Because it influenced others? And so I need that context to understand great music? There just doesn't seem to be a lot of rhyme or reason right now to some of these albums.
Track three - The vocals still SUCK, but the music I am starting to understand a little bit. Nope nevermind, they went off the deep end. Man, just when I thought we were getting somewhere.
Track four - Whatever
Track five - Maybe we are starting to get somewhere. This sounds like a song that may have commercial appeal, which is actually more than I can say about the others.
Track six - I like the rhythm and guitars and drums in this song, but man the vocals... And now we're spamming the whammy bar again and just making noise. Fuck this song. It feels like track three all over again.
Track seven - What is this? How did it get on this album? Sounds nothing like the other songs.
Track eight to the end - Nope. Sorry. I'm done.
Overall, I think the word that sums this up is raw and annoying. There are pieces here. Snippets that would lay the foundation for the alternative we got in the 90s, but there was just so much other shit to wade through to find it. This guy cannot sing. Like at all. And it is distracting as fuck to try and get through him doing it on this album.
1
Jul 29 2022
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Thriller
Michael Jackson
Michael. Thriller. Revolutionary.
5
Aug 01 2022
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Music For The Jilted Generation
The Prodigy
3
Aug 02 2022
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The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest
4
Aug 04 2022
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The Holy Bible
Manic Street Preachers
3
Aug 05 2022
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Tanto Tempo
Bebel Gilberto
2
Aug 08 2022
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In The Wee Small Hours
Frank Sinatra
This is the Frank they give us?
1
Aug 09 2022
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Berlin
Lou Reed
4
Aug 11 2022
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James Brown Live At The Apollo
James Brown
4
Aug 12 2022
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Fun House
The Stooges
3
Aug 15 2022
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American Idiot
Green Day
3
Aug 17 2022
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Lust For Life
Iggy Pop
3
Aug 22 2023
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Homework
Daft Punk
First things first, I should probably admit I am kond of "ehh" on EDM in general. That being said, "Homework" felt like a crazy rollercoaster that I wasn't exactly prepared for – but in a strangely good way.
The album kicks off with "Daftendirekt," and I couldn't help but feel like I was being catapulted into some neon-lit universe of electronic soundscapes. The beats hit hard, and even for someone like me, it was impossible not to nod my head along.
"Revolution 909" follows suit, and I got this intense urge to just move. Seriously, if you put this on at a party, I can't imagine anyone resisting the groove. It's got that unmistakable '90s flavor that feels simultaneously nostalgic and fresh.
Then, there's "Around the World." I've heard this one before. It's the kind of track that could go on forever, and you wouldn't mind.
You can't help but notice the experimentation going on. "Rollin' & Scratchin'" might sound a bit chaotic at first, and that feeling doesn't let up over 7 minutes. I hated this track.
"Da Funk" is like the soundtrack to a late-night drive through a futuristic city, a finishing with "Alive" feels like the climax of an action movie where the hero finally triumphs.
3
Aug 23 2023
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Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz
When you go to a shitty gala and they hire a shitty band to play the music while you eat... this is what you get.
I think there are better Getz albums that could have been picked to show off the improvisation he was known for with this sax. Take the tracks O Grande Amor and Vivo Sonhando. These are brilliant and show off Getz's skill with the sax, but everything else really limits this man's brilliance on this album and that is a shame.
2
Aug 24 2023
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Rust In Peace
Megadeth
If you're looking for an album that's all about hanging and banging to killer guitar riffs, "Rust In Peace" by Megadeth is your ticket!
"Rust In Peace" isn't just music – it's a workout for your senses. Imagine yourself in a gym, pumping iron with the most adrenaline-pumping tunes blasting through your headphones – that's the kind of energy we're talking about here.
The killer guitar riffs on this album are like sonic grenades exploding in your ears. Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman tag-team their axes, delivering a barrage of intense, mind-bending solos that will leave your air guitar skills in awe. "Hangar 18" is a prime example of this shredding goodness that demands to be cranked up to 11.
"Rust In Peace" stands as a testament to the power of genuine metal. With its killer guitar riffs, workout music vibes, and the feeling of early '90s high school football, this album is a sonic time machine that captures the essence of a bygone era.
3
Aug 25 2023
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Cafe Bleu
The Style Council
No! I mean just no! How did this even make the list? If we are putting this on the list there aren't 1001 great albums.
1
Aug 28 2023
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Aladdin Sane
David Bowie
I really enjoyed this. It really seemed to have a soulful undertone in a lot of songs that I really dug. It's the kind of album I could leave on in the background all day.
3
Aug 29 2023
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Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
I feel like artists during this time were a victim of the machine, having to pump out album after album, but Elton John and Bernie Taupin are at the peak of their powers right now. The 3 albums the duo wrote from 72-73 most people could put together a Greatest Hits album for Elton John.
The 3-song run from Candle in the Wind through Bennie and the Jets and finishing on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is a tour de force of music singles. If someone said you get 3 songs to describe Elton John, I might contemplate just using this album and these songs.
One of the issues with having to pump out album after album—and all the drugs—is you get a lot of junk on these albums as well. But I think that is just a price of the times.
4
Aug 30 2023
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GI
Germs
It was loud. It was crazy. It was angry. I can see how this could be influential at the time and how many were inspired by it. I just wasn't one of them. But, I do respect the work.
3
Aug 31 2023
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Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
Darkness on the Edge of Town is more than just a great album. It is a cultural touchstone that has inspired generations of musicians and fans alike. The album's themes of hope, determination, and resilience continue to resonate today, making it a timeless classic.
4
Sep 01 2023
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From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
I mean it was Elvis. He's the King. I enjoyed it in parts. I am at like 2.5, but I'll round up to 3.
3
Sep 04 2023
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D
White Denim
3
Sep 05 2023
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Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
Another 2.5 that rounds up to 3. I feel like Billy Corgan is someone who people either love or hate, but I can fall right in the middle. I am not sure this album ages well for anyone who didn't live this in the 90s.
3
Sep 06 2023
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Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
"Foo Fighters," is an electrifying journey through the soul of alternative rock. It announces Dave Grohl's emergence as a frontman and musical force to be reckoned with, following his tenure as Nirvana's drummer. The dude literally played EVERY INSTRUMENT on this album when he recorded it.
From the album's explosive opener, "This Is a Call," to the hauntingly melodic "Big Me" and the frenetic energy of "I'll Stick Around," each song presents a unique perspective with Grohl's signature raspy yet emotionally charged vocals infusing every lyric with passion and authenticity.
Two decades later, "Foo Fighters" remains a cornerstone of the band's legacy and a milestone in the evolution of alternative rock. Its gritty, unapologetic sound and emotionally resonant lyrics continue to captivate me.
4.5 stars for me but we round down today.
4
Sep 07 2023
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Southern Rock Opera
Drive-By Truckers
Too. Long.
It's like they did a lot of cocaine one night and said what if we took the song length of Freebird and correlated it to an album?
It didn't work for me.
2
Sep 08 2023
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Crooked Rain Crooked Rain
Pavement
I mean I think it is OK. And I get they were an independent band doing this in the early 90s, but I feel there were other bands that did this style much better.
2
Sep 11 2023
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(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
"What's the Story Morning Glory?" captures the essence of '90s British culture. Its influence and enduring popularity cement it as a seminal album in the annals of rock history. Whether you're an Oasis fan or not, this album is one demands a place in your music collection. It remains a quintessential record of the Britpop movement.
From the iconic opening chords of "Hello" to "Champagne Supernova," this album is a journey. Standout tracks like "Wonderwall," "Don't Look Back in Anger," and "Some Might Say" have become classics, but even songs like "She's Electric" and "Cast No Shadow" deserve more credit than they are given.
This album is a perfect balance of sincerity and bombast.
5
Sep 12 2023
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Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi may be gone, but this album will live on 4 life!!!
5
Sep 14 2023
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90
808 State
3
Sep 15 2023
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The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
It’s a no from me, Dog.
2
Sep 18 2023
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Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
This was a perfectly fine 3-star album
3
Sep 20 2023
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The La's
The La's
Ehh
2
Sep 21 2023
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Kid A
Radiohead
Not my Radiohead, but this is it before it really goes off the rails.
3
Sep 27 2023
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G. Love And Special Sauce
G. Love & Special Sauce
My wife used to make me listen to this album all the time and I remember enjoying like two songs — Baby's Got Sauce and Cold Beverage — and thinking the rest of the album was mid.
That opinion still holds. I admire what he's trying to do, but this just doesn't work for me.
2
Sep 29 2023
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evermore
Taylor Swift
I really enjoyed this album, famously recorded along with folklore during COVID in a cabin in 2020. I think this sort of signified a renaissance for Swift and when I personally started taking her more serious as an artist.
4