1001 Albums Summary

Favourite track(s): Common People Ausdrucksstarker Rock, teilweise mehr gesprochen als gesungen. Viele Melodien, die ins Ohr gehen.

Favourite track(s): Can I Sleep in Your Arms More of a vibe than a compilation of individual bangers. Nelson's voice is magic and the instruments are full-force american. Would play it again but I am not longing for repeated listenings.

Favourite track(s): Maggot Brain Not what the band name suggests. Very rocky, groovey from time to time as well. Some tracks sadly do fall flat though - just because they seem not to commit to either funk or rock. That's probably the whole vibe of the genre and maybe even what the album is most liked for.

Favourite track(s): Blackstar The arrangements are special and Bowie's expression is definitely intense. But his music is just too weird for me. I mean, who sits down and casually listens to Sue? That song is exhausting.

Favourite track(s): If You Think You're Lonely Now Love the choir in the background. And it is just very listenable to me in general. However, the vocals tend to get tedious on repeated listenings, some songs blend into one another and some instrumentals are kinda weird here and there.

Favourite track(s): Sympathy for the Devil, No Expectations I understand how that would come to be the sound of a generation for some. Many of the tracks are a little too busy for me but No Expectations kind of hits a soft spot. And some tracks do remind me of Cowboy Bebop.

Favourite track(s): Tinseltown in the Rain The opening track is pretty hard to listen to, does not make a good introduction to an album that is otherwise nicely melancholic and vibey. I just don't like the tone of the vocals that much and some of the instrumentals weigh the listening experience down even more.

Favourite track(s): Duke of Earlsfield; Theme Music like this makes you think about what you may base your review scores on. I would probably never listen to these tracks again just sitting down on my sofa. But for certain situations, some of these tracks may be the perfect vibe. Still, the album feels, in part, more like a collection of beat ideas than an album telling a story from start to finish.

Favourite track(s): Watermelon Man While very jazzy, the album is not as exhausting to listen to as other more improvisational works. Some of the passages could even be described as smooth. The intro and outro of Watermelon Man are certainly most rememberable and enclose a track I will most definitely listen to again.

Favourite track(s): A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes; Seems So Long Ago, Nancy; The Old Revolution Cohen's vocals are just so humane - as if he was telling stories to a friend. The guitar and bass guitar are the perfect accompaniment, supporting but never taking the spotlight. The first album of the project which I enjoy without reservation.

Favourite track(s): Being Boring; How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously It seems kind of emblematic that I only knew a few songs by the Pet Shop Boys before listening to the album - and I really liked them a lot. However, I did never listen to much else made by the band. This album seems to show why. The sound is pleasent but the tracks are all quite similar. Expect for my favourites, they do not stay in the ear. The lyrics do not make up for that. While I absolutely like the vocals, this seems like an album of tracks which did not make it onto a better record.

Favourite track(s): Chunga's revenge Somewhat hard to pick a favourite. All very danceble, none shining all too bright though. Over time, the tango-typical parts of the instrumentals become a bit tedious. But interesting to hear how a band would approach this genre of Electro Tango. It sounds as if Electro Swing was at least in part inspired by this kind of music. However, this is probably a chicken and egg situation.

Favourite track(s): Coyote All the tracks just blend into one another. Her style seems to be this relatively plain instrumental and her part-spoken, part off-key vocals on top of that. I am sure that is all technically more advanced than Cohen for example. But I just cannot get behind it.

Favourite track(s): How To Kill A Radio Consultant; More News At 11 The only way in which I had previously been confronted with this kind of Hip-Hop was with music by the Beastie Boys. Did not ever sort the genre out after that. Not because I could not vibe with some of the beats and harsh words drilled into your ear - there are times when I could see myself listening to these tracks again. But the problems discussed are just a little too far detached from my own social sphere and experience. And, on repeat, I do find these beats a little exhausting. Still interesting what Flavor Flav got famous for. Apparently it was not Flavor of Love.

Favourite track(s): Dogs of War; Three Bricks Don't know why you would start an album with incoherent babble for one minute. Maybe that was just for the Expanded Edition. Also, I dont like skits on albums unless they are absolutely iconic, which in this case they are not. Some big names on the album but I had never heard of Ghostface before. Even though it is his album, he does remain quite flat in comparison to B.I.G. or Ne-Yo. Doesn't help that the album is just too long. While that seems like a lot of negative thoughts, the album was actually fairly listenable. It just did not spark all that much emotion.

Favourite track(s): Freedom! '90; They Won't Go When I Go; Something to Save I do appreciate when you can tell the individual tracks of an album apart - which is the case here, even if the sound is generally coherent. Funny how the George Michael Formula seems to result in few mainstream bangers (Freedom! '90, obviously) but can be heard in other songs (Soul Free) as well. Still, They Won't Go When I Go and Something To Save seem to deviate from the Formula but have stayed with me the longest. I only deduct one star because the other tracks could not grab me immediately and I might be inclined to skip them on repeated listens.

Favourite track(s): Save From Harm; Blue Lines; Five Man Army The style is certainly distinctive. Base lines, cool instrumentals, some spoken vocals and that groove. On this album it does fall flat sometimes, especially if some lf these components do not take center stage. Like in One Love, the lyrics of which just fall flat. Overall the style has the right energy though. If I wanted a more chill approach, I'd know to look at Mezzanine instead.

Favourite track(s): Cindy Tells Me; Here Come The Warm Jets Why does the majority of the tracks try its best to sound so off-tune, off-rhythm, off-turning? It sounds like an album where the artist had too much creative control, at times going completely off whack. Don't like most tracks, few silver linings here and there but that is it.

Favourite track(s): Revelator; My First Lover; Elvis Presley Blues Missing the usual percussion, the genre to me just lacks variety. The album is actually okay in this regard, but some tracks are just not unique enough, thus blending together. Her vocals are comfortable but I just cannot identify with that Red Clay / Banjo mentality.

Favourite track(s): Groovin'; I Don't Love You Anymore It is certainly a groovy album with a few tracks that stay in the ear. This being a mono recording takes away from the muscial experience a little. However, it'd be unfair to deduct points in case there is a stereo mastering somewhere. While I like the vocals and instrumentals, apart from that the album is not a banger for me. Might be one for the genre though.

Favourite track(s): Show You The Way; Walk On By; Them Changes The album is a journey - one just needs to read the titles in order to realize that. Thundercat is probably a bit crazy, but genius and crazy are also probably very close together. The instrumentals and vibes are amazing and the vocals underline both flawlessly. However, he seems to work best if collaborating with others. Other than the collabs on this album, the tracks sometimes seem to be no more than ideas. With interesting musical elements, sure. But for my liking, a few more "real" songs would have made the album more listenable. The tracks are certainly real in another sense of the word. But some do feel like interludes and I do not like those too much. Still, great album.

Favourite track(s): Has Anybody Here Seen Hank So this is my introduction into British / Irish Folk. Sadly, the songs seem to be new compositions rather than songs sang at the campfire for centuries. The fiddle does also annoy at times. Most of the tracks seem somewhat forgettable and I just don't like double albums, unless they tell two different stories (which this does not).

Favourite track(s): Assassins; Dracula Mountain Somehow this was easier to listen to than Joni Mitchell. The bass lines are kind of cool and it is less incoherent than I expected when I read the term Noise Rock. Still, it's noisy and I won't listen to it again. Ever.

Favourite track(s): Get On Our Own This album, even in its remastered version, sounds so polished but at the same time so unbelievably amateurish. Like a collection of tracks which were drawn up by a bunch of guys in their garage who really enjoyed aggressive guitar riffs and shouty, repetitive vocals with a "message". Funny how they obviously influenced bands like Billy Talent or The Hives, which I used to listen to quite frequently. Still, this seems very unrefined and, to me, is not enjoyable.

Favourite track(s): Everything; Sketch This albums takes a sound similar to that of my favourite tracks from Massive Attacks Album released one year prior, employs it in almost every song, adds clean and chill lyrics and still manages to mix it up here and there. It may become kinda same-y by the end and The End is certainly not the most exciting track. But it is still a cool album all in all and makes for a chill listen.

Favourite track(s): Gimme All Your Lovin'; Got Me Under Pressure; Sharp Dressed Man; If I Could Only Flag Her Down As the soundtrack to working out (or other activities involving bodily exertion), this album just slaps. The intro track Gimme All Your Lovin' sets the tone and the guitar crying out and being answered in the beginning of Sharp Dressed Man almost invokes some sort of primordial feeling. Now not all tracks are on that level. I Need You Tonight slows the pace down quite a bit - too much for my liking. I Got The Six luckily raises it up again and while TV Dinners feels like another low point (low in terms of this album), the album closes out on two solid tracks. While some may consider it noisy, this kind of Rock focused on guitar riffs and forward-moving beats feels like a highlight of the overall genre. Notably, I do not have enough experience with the genre to make any statements on whether ZZ Top is THE band in this regard or merely a copycat. Still, great album.

Favourite track(s): Heartland An interesting album with a lot of layered instrumentals. Some tracks have a kind of "musical" feel to them. As if the instrumentals are trying to set a scene and the vocals are telling their story on top of that, somehow disconnected. As is often the case in musicals, not all tracks are necessarily rememberable though. That does not take away from the fact that with every track, there seems to be something new, something different. Certainly raises it above some albums from this list.

Favourite track(s): Long Gone A bit like a Prog Rock Album without the cool instrumentals. The strumming of the acoustic and squeeking of the electric guitar alone just don't do it for me. Having started this album several times, I have never felt the urge to finish it. Even if it is only a little longer than half an hour. The vocals, in part off rhythm, also don't do it for me. Some interesting parts, especially in Long Gone and If It's In You is kind of funny in the beginning. But that is about it. Not for me.

Favourite track(s): The Sage Wonder how I would rate this if I was more familiar with the original composition. This is just cool. Even though it makes use of the prominent themes, which even I am familiar with, it does not feel classical at all. More like a Pink Floyd record. Makes you wonder what music the composers of earlier centuries would have made, had they had more freedom in picking a style. Or maybe I just don't understand classical music genres enough. Still, cool guitars, cool e-piano and cool lyrics. Certainly takes you on a journey.

Favourite track(s): I'm a Foolto Want You; I Get Along Without You Very Well I wonder if folks in '58 considered the sound of this album nostalgic as well. I wonder if they also thought the voice of Billie Holiday to be absolutely iconic. I wonder if they the music generated a longing for Christmas time in them, even when they listened to it in October. I wonder if it was considered flawless, since in my eyes it isn't - simply due to the lack in variety with regard to the instrumentals and vibes. For me, this results in a feeling of "having listened to one song, I have listened to most of them". But even so, I wonder how many artist since that time would name Holiday as a clear inspiration. Melody Gardot comes to mind among others.

Favourite track(s): Smoke On The Water; Stange Kind Of Woman I might actually enjoy a studio album by Deep Purple. I did not enjoy this live track collection. To me, this is just not an album in that it does not tell a coherent story, not even on the first half. The second half is just 50% Black Night and 33% Speed King but for about an hour. I just cannot find enjoyment in tracks being stretched out that far. And hearing different renditions of the same track might work for core fans, but probably not for first-time-listeners of Deep Purple. The riffs do work and are at times iconic. But, as a counter-example, "searching" for sounds on an e-piano, drifiting into childish melodies here and there, only to then explode into a finale which does not feel earned - that is just exhausting to me.

Favourite track(s): You Ask Me To; We Had It All The genre ( but at least this album) seems to feature three different types of tracks. The one which makes you sway back and forth (e.g. Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me, Ride Me Down Easy). The one which makes you want to walk (e.g. Honky Tonk Heroes, Low Down Freedom, Omaha). And then the one which do not allow for all too much swaying and rather than making you want to walk, make you want to listen (e.g. You Ask Me To, We Had It All). Obviously I like the last one best. With repeated listenings, the swaying tracks can get kind of tedious and the walking tracks are somewhat similar / forgettable. Still, Waylon Jennings features solid vocals, catchy instrumentation and quintessential Country vibes. You just have to have a hang for it.

Favourite track(s): The Girl From Ipanema; Baugles, Bangles and Beads For people not familiar with Bossa Nova, this album can serve as a nice introduction. It has the Sinatra instrumentation with its longing strings and soft brass instruments. But it is certainly no more than an introduction. This is clearly a Sinatra album and while Jobim's name is in the title, his impact seems limited. The Girl From Ipanema being the opener, one might suspect that the studio chose to rely on another artist's work, only putting a little twist on Sinatra's regular style in order to sell more copies. Maybe that is why the tracks which seem to have been written by and for Jobim in part do not strike one as all to special. Maybe both artist saw eye to eye on later releases. I would have liked the album even better if that was the case here. But still, it's Bossa Nova Sinatra. I cannot not like that.

Favourite track(s): Tomorrow's (Just Another Day); Our House I do like the creativity in the instrumentals, in particular the use of piano and brass instruments. I don't really like the "exotic" style in some songs, but that seems to be what the genre is about. Cannot recall most of the lyrics with the vocals being kind of forgettable in general. Not my favourite album but also not my least favourite, for sure.

Favourite track(s): Expectations; She's Losing It Maybe it is because I have listened to this album playing in the background for several times by now. But the tracks are unexpectedly catchy, the instrumentals being not too up front but still interesting (brass here, synth and e-piano there) and the vocals easy to sing along with. Electronic Renaissance is a bit of a letdown (a bit style over substance). The tracks in the back half are a bit monotonous. Mary Jo is a good closing track at least.

Favourite track(s): How Many Mics; Ready or Not; Killing Me Softly with His Song; The Score; Manifest/Outro To me, this kind of minimalist Hip Hop is just pure bliss. It's like a destilled form of the craft with a clear focus on the words delivered. Even so, the funky beats support them in the best way. while her rapping is already mesmerising, when Lauryn Hill switches on her vocal chords, the tracks become iconic. Some may even argue that they don't fit well onto the album. But to me the mix is just perfect. Really well made - will listen to this one time and time again.

Favourite track(s): Dress; Victory THE album if you feel like listening to that band featuring your high school crush doing the vocals. She does have a nice voice but naturally sounds a little inexperienced. You don't really like the genre, some songs are just really weird but you have to acknowledge that they seem to be enjoying themselves. You certainly are jealous of that guy on the guitar because he knows how to play the cool instrument and he is vibing a little too much with your crush. It is only at your third concert of them that you notice they have a bass guy and that his lines are actually somewhat catchy. After someone tells you that your crush has been dating guitar guy for at least one year by now, your interest in that kind of Alternative Rock nose-dives - and never recovers.

Favourite track(s): Splash 1 Dukedukedukedukeduke. No wonder my favourite track is one without the brain-piercing vocal-bass-mishmash. I can acknowledge that the album was probably very influential. However, I am not currently under the influence of any psychedelic drugs and thus its influence on me is rather limited. Also, the stereo mixes are somehow worse than the monos.

Favourite track(s): Last Child; Rats In The Cellar; Nobody's Fault Some really memorable riffs and vocals that are likely easy to sing along to after repeated listens are definite positives. Before my minds eye, I see Steven Tyler with long hair, tilting the mic stand, sometimes being accompanied by a band member. In that sense, it seems like "typical" rock music - polished but not really inventive. Not that I had all that many references in the genre. While it does not make me want to rock out, it at least makes me rhythmically nod my head.

Favourite track(s): Ideology; There Is Power in a Union; The Home Front Only electric guitar and vocals on quite a few tracks. Who would have thought these two on their own could carry a song. At the very least, this style comes with the potential to rally people. Or maybe I just get that impression from the lyrics. When there is additional instrumentation, it supports the track well - like, for example, the trumpets on The Home Front, evoking an ironic feeling of proud nationalism. A collection of hymns, chants and ballads which I could listen to again.

Favourite track(s): Avalanche; Dress Rehearsal Rag Opens up slow yet intense with Avalanche and Last Year's Man taking up speed with Dress Rehearsal Rag. Still, Diamonds in the Mine sticks out a little too much and while the other tracks are solid Cohen, they don't stay around quite as long as those on Songs from a Room. I like how Joan of Arc cakls back to Last Year's Man, but it does not seem like good closure to the album. A lot of criticism, yet I can't give Cohen less than four stars - I just keep on listening.

Favourite track(s): The Eye Of The Beholder; To Live Is To Die If you like riffs, riffs over riffs, for minutes ongoing, then this may be the album for you. Supported by punchy drums, this seems to be the main focus of most tracks, with the riffs sometimes varying but most songs congregating into a whole to my untrained ears. Most tracks also change rhythms at least once - does not make listening any easier. Lastly, upon first (and only) listen, the (mostly) sparse lyrics seem a little too dramatic for my taste. Cannot find all that much to like.

Favourite track(s): Yours Is No Disgrace; Starship Trooper Cool music, you certainly feel the passion in there. In the longer tracks, the instrumental changes tone (instruments, rhythm and the like) quite often, as if the band was trying out new and new ideas - perpetual change is a good was to describe it. Spanky guitars, electronic organ and fast paced drums all work really well. The tracks generally come back to the main motive, tying it together, even when a single track can last more than nine minutes. Still, I am missing passages that really blow me away and the experimental nature can make listening kind of exhausting as you never find the time to vibe to a certain passage.

Favourite track(s): August Day Song; Bananeira Feels like background music. Non-offensive, while musically not very interesting. Lyrics are probably very beautiful - wouldn't know. The vocals are soft and the language beautiful. But that cannot save the album.

Favourite track(s): Pink Moon; Place To Be; Things Behind the Sun; Free Ride Funny enough that Pink Moon features a piano when the rest of the album is so focused on guitar play. Sensual, evocative, driven guitar play plus some really soft vocals. While some of the tracks are rather simple, the mood created is strong. Feels like Nick Drake had to walk, so a number of artists could run (Bon Iver comes to mind). This will be a regular listen in the years to come.

Favourite track(s): The Prisoner; The Number Of The Beast; Run To The Hills This sounds like music the band had fun playing! Very engaging tempo and instrumentals, that is for sure. The lyrics invite you to join in (although I think guys like Dio show stronger vocal performance). To me, this feels like THE cliché heavy metal album - sometimes so over the top that it seems ridiculous. Maybe not everyone's genre but perfectly executed even upon repeat listenings.

Favourite track(s): Shameika; Under The Table; Heavy Balloon A very intimate record, almost like a live session. The first track on the album immediately sets the tone both in terms of intimacy as well as weirdness. The whole album does sound weird at times, combining familiar elements of pop and jazz with unusual (percussive and vocal) sounds - especially those barks come to mind, or the end of Relay. The second half is maybe a little less impressive, more repetitive. Nevertheless, overall, Fiona Apple certainly has constructed a very personal sound signature, new (to me but likely in general as well) and interesting.

Favourite track(s): I Talk To The Wind; Epitaph; The Court of the Crimson King What a journey. From the distorted screams of 21st Century Schizoid Man to the soft flute in I Talk To The Wind (a favourite simply for its melancholic tone). Then the intro to Epitaph, longing and dramatic, with the song later morphing into what feels like a death march and ending in that phrase, repeated. You do need to be willing to take a journey in Moonchild when distant guitar and percussion become more vibe than music. And lastly the big crescendo of The Court of the Crimson King with the organ at the end. Then it is over. Not too long. Experimental, yes. But still musically so very enjoyable. Perfect album.

Favourite track(s): Walk On; See The Sky About To Rain; On The Beach Great opener, with anthem potential! Overall, the instrumentals paint the melancholic mood of the album really well, although I could do without the one on Ambulance Blues. For The Turnstiles also sticks out in a negative sense. Youngs vocals can be harsh on that track and a few others but otherwise fit the mood. The texts range from interesting (Revolution Blues) to painfully simple (Vampire Blues - oil, we get it). A clear vibe, a few really strong tracks but in parts a little too meandering (in particular the closing track). An album strongly tied to a particular locale, which may make it hard to identify with.

Favourite track(s): Edison; Lamplight; I Laugh In Your Face Was expecting a disco album - speaks volumes of my lack of knowledge with regard to music history. When listening to this, I am reminded of The Mamas & The Papas or Barclay James Harvest, the latter of which was actually most active when this album had been released for a good few years. While that may be positive references, I did not like this album all that much. Many songs feature strangely vibrating vocals (not to be confused with the falsetto which the Bee Gees are known for and which is not really present here). There are some Progressive Pop elements here, but that does not bring the excitement one might get from Progressive Rock. Weirdness is cool, but considering tracks on the second half (some of which feel downright disney), this just lacks cohesion.

Favourite track(s): We're Going to Be Friends; Offend in Every Way Musically coherent but thematically - not sure. There is some clear repetition here and it does not help that some tracks (of which there are too many) do not elicit any emotional resonance whatsoever. The sound of distorted guitars is ever-present and may also be too much for some. But the album generally feels quite intimate, like a private garage concert, which is a plus. May have influenced later works of bands like Arctic Monkeys or The Hive.

Favourite track(s): The Headmaster Ritual; Well I Wonder A driving album - driving both musically (due to the reoccurring fast tempo beats and riffs in more than half of the tracks as well as the continuous meandering vocals) as well as textually (with sometimes quite unpleasant themes supported by even more unpleasant execution - looking at you, title track). The vocals are what I would imagine will either strongly draw people towards this album or turn them away sooner rather than later. While I find myself to be in the second group (maybe because I am mostly missing some clearly defined melody that does not sound like it was made up on the spot), I can still appreciate that the album is at least cohesive and to a point (or multiple, if you will).

Favourite track(s): Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God); Hounds Of Love; Mother Stands For Comfort; Jig Of Life Honest (there is quite a bit of barking or howling), experimental (percussion on Mother Stands For Comfort, Waking The Witch in its entirety) - and yet also very polished (instrumentals in general and in particular the use of strings). Often very driving and energetic through incorporation of choirs and marching drums. Also, there seem to be a lot of references to either literature or film (why else would Kate Bush say something in German at the close of Hello Earth). Overall a very diverse and thus enjoyable album. But I would understand if some find the album to lack focus or are not that fond of the vocals, which can be drawn-out in parts. Also, The Morning Fog is either a very weak closing track or the perfect choice after all that intensity.

Favourite track(s): Mr. Jones; So Run Down Another British rock album from the 80s. I wish I had as much of a soft spot for this music as the curators of this list seem to have had. This one is at least bearable, albeit very uniform. Some of the tracks are so similar to one another, they become hard to distinguish even upon second listening. The instrumentals are defined by clean drumming with a little bit of variances and guitar riffs which are not striking enough to remember. Once or twice the instrumentals are supplemented by saxophone, e-piano, or the like, but do not stand out beyond that. Then there is the rough speak-singing on top of that, ever the same with this kind of rock. I honestly wonder who would call this one in particular their favourite album.