1001 Albums Summary

Who hasn’t heard of The White Stripes? Even if you can’t name them directly, you have 100% heard their music. What’s fascinating though, is that this album predates a lot of the big radio hits that stick in the zeitgeist like Seven Nation Army. But digging down a bit more, I love hearing the core blues and folk influence that Jack White carries with him; the acoustic track We’re Going to Be Friends or even the lighter mood of I’m Finding It Harder To Be a Gentleman stand out from the headbangers they’re known for. Top song pick upon first full listen is We’re Going to Be Friends. I heard it for the first time live recently and it’s just stuck with me. It’s a lovely acoustic ballad that leaves you longing for the innocent days of school.

This isn’t The Cure you know. Most of their staying power comes from hits from the late 80’s and early 90’s, but that widely successful period only came about because of the bleak and minimalist sound found in their early recordings such as this album. Every song weighs you down from the eerie soundscapes created along with Smith’s increasingly bleak lyrics; some songs hardly having any lyrics at all (“In Your House”) or just mixed so down you hardly hear them (“Three”). Any momentum comes from drums and guitar and what you get is the beginning of gothic rock. It’s a different listening experience, but if you want to hear where The Cure comes from, give it a listen and appreciate the inception of their signature sound. Top song pick is “At Night,” one of the more straightforward songs though it is still very much inline with the rest of the album. A simple drumbeat and distorted guitar eighth notes open the song, maintaining the same rhythm throughout, while synths come in and out over Smith’s foreboding lyrics.

I know I've heard Sam Cooke before, but I am by no means an avid listener, and damn. I can't remember how his voice sounds from studio albums, but you can just hear the rawness in his presentation on this album. His interaction with the crowd is fantastic as well and for a live album, I love that the mix includes the background noise from the audience; it pulls you into this intimate performance. For those wanting to get into Sam Cooke a bit more and dig into his brief discography, this may be the greatest greatest hits album to start with. Top song pick upon first listen would be the medley of It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons; love how the crowd gets more into it as Sam pulls people in and engages them.

Love being able to hear the nooks and cranny of pop music. I have never heard of Jane Weaver before but I'm glad to have been introduced to her and by extension, this album. I definitely feel like this one will grow on me in time, but I see it as a great album to have on in the background. Top song pick upon first listen is The Architect; synths slowly build for over 30-seconds before launching into a dirty bass synth and drum groove, really dug it!

Context is everything when it comes to this album; George had been pushed aside creatively during his time with the Beatles and wrote a massive amount of music from 1966 to their ultimate disbanding in 1970. All that writing led to this triple LP punch showcasing what George is truly capable of as a songwriter. But as with the Beatles (and by extension its individual members), what else can be said that hasn't already? I guess it’s simply this; it’s amazing to hear George in full on his own. Any Beatles track he had credit on was always a treat (While My Guitar Gently Weeps or I Me Mine for example) so it’s incredible to hear him, no strings attached. The instrumental tracks on the Apple Jam disc showcase his guitar skills unlike anything else prior to me; plus he brings in an incredible list of studio musicians to jam with. Since it’s a long album, here are two of my top song picks. “Behind That Locked Door” just stuck with me even after playing the rest of the album; the slide guitar gracefully glides between the organ and George’s dubbed harmonies. It all makes for a sweet and easy listening experience. For my other pick I have to go for one of the jams; “Plug Me In” is such a fun honky-tonk/rockabilly jam session with Eric Clapton jumping in for a solo…or two. Honorable mention to “Let It Down;” it opens on a hard hitting wall of sound that transitions to a calming verse, it’s a really interesting dichotomy when listening.

I along with most people really only know their one big hit, Don't You (Forget About Me), so this was a real treat to hear the band a few years prior. First thing of note to me was how involved the bass playing is; every song has a slick bass line that drives them forward. The layering of the mix with different synth sounds along with the rest of the band makes for a really fun soundscape that shifts with each song. Overall I’d say I was definitely not expecting 80’s pop to be so fine tuned; make no mistake, this is an album firmly planted in the 80’s, but even 40 years on now, it still sounds great. Extra points for so many of the album's 9 songs hitting the 5-minute mark. Top pick from first listen is "Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel." Even though this is the shortest song, the bass line drives the groove right from the get-go, the drum playing perfectly syncopated and I love the sparse hits from the synth, it creates such a vibe. Shout out to the single "Glittering Prize" and it’s ethereal like synths and constantly moving bass line.