Oct 01 2022
View Album
3 + 3
The Isley Brothers
Some timeless classics
4
Oct 02 2022
View Album
Dear Science
TV On The Radio
meh!
3
Oct 03 2022
View Album
Pink Flag
Wire
Never heard of Wire before and I'm not surprised - mediocre punk, lacks the raw energy and excitement of other punk bands.
2
Oct 04 2022
View Album
Kid A
Radiohead
Experimental, definitely not mainstream. Could be improved with a joint or two.
3
Oct 05 2022
View Album
Tommy
The Who
It has some good songs, but I always thought that it was a bit pretenious and self-indulgent - my opinion hasn't changed.
2
Oct 06 2022
View Album
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
Didn't like The Smiths in the 80s and I still don't like them. The title of their 1984 single "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" sums up how I feel after listening to this album. Pretensious self-righteous twaddle. Anyone whinks that The Smiths were great should listen to "Frankly, Mr Shankly" - surely, they're taking the piss.
1
Oct 07 2022
View Album
Make Yourself
Incubus
I was expecting pure metal, but the album is actually quite melodic in places. Nothing that grabs me.
3
Oct 08 2022
View Album
1999
Prince
A classic, featuring the eponymous 1999, the brilliant Little Red Corvette, and the hypnotic Automatic.
4
Feb 19 2023
View Album
The La's
The La's
Pleasant, with a couple of stand out tunes. Would make good background music for when I'm working.
3
Feb 20 2023
View Album
Yeezus
Kanye West
Straddles the border between genius and insanity, veers between radical and self-indulgent.
3
Feb 21 2023
View Album
Disraeli Gears
Cream
A classic Cream album with two of their most famous tracks "Sunshone Of Your Love" and "Tales of Brave Ulysses", but also with the totally weird "Mother's Lament".
5
Feb 22 2023
View Album
First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
Are they called The Cardigans because they're a bit wooly? Defintely the strangest and most uninspired version of Iron Man that I've ever heard.
2
Feb 23 2023
View Album
Who's Next
The Who
One of my all time favourite albums including the stupendous tracks Baba O'Reilly, Won't Get Fooled Again, and Behind Blue Eyes. I was never much of a fan of the Who, but these three tracks are outstanding.
5
Feb 24 2023
View Album
Dirt
Alice In Chains
I've not listened to Alice In Chains before and they'r enot bad. A cross between the heavy metals riffs of metal kings Black Sabbath and the harmonies of Wishbone Ash. I like them and might even get the album.
4
Feb 25 2023
View Album
Homework
Daft Punk
Too repetitve. I like electronic music and I'm a big fan of Tqangerine Dream, but this is electronic baby food for the ears.
1
Feb 26 2023
View Album
Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine
Cee Lo Green
I can see the attraction but it's not for me - I wouldn't turn it off though.
2
Feb 27 2023
View Album
Damaged
Black Flag
I can see whey this album was largely ignored by critics and the public at the time of its release - the big mystery is how it got on this list.
1
Feb 28 2023
View Album
My Aim Is True
Elvis Costello
Surely there are better Elvis Costello albums? Apart from "Watching The Detectives" - which wasn't on the original album - I don't think that I've heard any of these tracks before. Average.
3
Mar 01 2023
View Album
Rum Sodomy & The Lash
The Pogues
Great stuff - full of energy and life. Irish Folk-Punk at its finest. Loved it.
5
Mar 05 2023
View Album
Live At The Witch Trials
The Fall
Definitely not a timeless classic - it sounds like a cross between The Damned and The Stranglers, and very much late 1970s / early 1980s.
2
Mar 06 2023
View Album
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
boring soft jazz-rock-folk - baby food for the ears.
1
Mar 07 2023
View Album
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo
Devo
Saw Devo live at Knebworth in 1978 - definitely a Marmite band. Who can forget the quirky (I Can't Get Me No) Satisfaction, the controversial Mongoloid ,and the definitive Devo track Jocko Homo?
3
Mar 08 2023
View Album
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
I wouldn't listen again through choice, but I would listen if there was no other option. Some songs are quite pleasant but not really my type of music.
2
Mar 09 2023
View Album
You're Living All Over Me
Dinosaur Jr.
Sounds good until the singing starts - sounds like th singer is in pain. Spotifiy played Warsaw by Joy Division song after playing this album and in comparison it seemed like a happy song.
1
Mar 10 2023
View Album
Tonight's The Night
Neil Young
Not a fan of this particular Neil Young album, especially folloing on from "After The Goldrush" and "Harvest" - both of which I prefer.. Yes, some of the songs show real emotion, but to my ears, the vocals on some of the tracks sound off.
2
Mar 11 2023
View Album
Violator
Depeche Mode
Always liked Depeche Mode, but I wasn't familiar with any of the songs on this album. Not bad, but not great.
3
Mar 12 2023
View Album
Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Not really a jazz fan, but this album has the classic "Blue Rondo à la Turk" and the unforgettable "Take Five"; the rest of the album - meh!
2
Mar 13 2023
View Album
Safe As Milk
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Liked the opening blues track. Some of the other tracks sound like they're very much of the 60s but not too bad. Some tracks remind me why I never really got into Captain Beefheart.
2
Mar 14 2023
View Album
The Stooges
The Stooges
Interesting album. First couple of tracks are reminiscent of the Rolling Stones, but then you get the haunting We Will Rock, and then it morphs into a proto-punk, some years before "proper" punk arrived on the scene.
3
Mar 15 2023
View Album
Hms Fable
Shack
Pleasant, but not exciting. Wouldn't switch it off, but wouldn't play it by choice, and I would not be upset if I never heard it again. I'm not surprised that I'd never heard of this band before today.
3
Mar 16 2023
View Album
Inspiration Information
Shuggie Otis
Wikipedia describes this as Psychedelic / Progressive Soul / Funk - I'd describe it as inoffensive soulful funky lift music and nothing to write home about.
2
Mar 17 2023
View Album
Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
A couple of great tracks, but I prefer the earlier Talking Book and Innervisions albums. There are a couple of standout tracks including Isn't She Lovely, As, and Pastime Paradise which was later covered by Coolio as Gangsta's Paradise.
3
Mar 18 2023
View Album
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
A couple of good tracks, but most are just a whining Jewish-American intellectual.
2
Mar 19 2023
View Album
Street Signs
Ozomatli
Started off like 70's funk, but it's a interesting mix of ragga, reggae, dub, latin, and ska. I liked it.
4
Mar 20 2023
View Album
The Undertones
The Undertones
It's beginning to sound a bit dated now, but it's fared a lot better than most of the punk albums from that era.
3
Mar 21 2023
View Album
Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
Haven't listened to this in years. This type of soft-rock is beginning to sound a bit dated now, but still a few stand-out classics such as "Show Me The Way", "Baby, I Love Your Way" and "Do You Feel Like We Do".
3
Mar 22 2023
View Album
The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
Classic big-band music. Personally, I've never seen the point of it, but I beleive it was very big in the 30s, 40s, and 50s.
2
Mar 23 2023
View Album
Paul's Boutique
Beastie Boys
Is it me, or does all hip-hop sound the same? The game seems to be to try to spot the sample.
2
Mar 24 2023
View Album
Killing Joke
Killing Joke
It's hard to believe that this is now more than 40 years old, so I guess that's why it doesn't sound as fresh and exciting as it did back then. Abit dated, but still good.
4
Mar 25 2023
View Album
Tusk
Fleetwood Mac
Apart from a few tracks such as "Sara" and the quirky "Tusk", I thought that this was a pretty lacklustre album, certainly not as good as "Rumours".
2
Mar 26 2023
View Album
Deserter's Songs
Mercury Rev
Quirky, harmless, not exciting; not sure how NME gave this an "album of the year" award
2
Mar 27 2023
View Album
Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)
Loretta Lynn
I never understood the attraction of C&W, but I was surprised by the snetiments expressed by the lyrics of the title track. Otherwise, not an album for me.
1
Mar 28 2023
View Album
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
Beginning to sound a bit dated now, but it's still a classic. An historic album.
4
Mar 29 2023
View Album
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
The Flying Burrito Brothers
Country and Western of the worst type - lot's of twanging guitars. Hate It
1
Mar 30 2023
View Album
Olympia 64
Jacques Brel
It's French. Need I say more?
1
Mar 31 2023
View Album
Younger Than Yesterday
The Byrds
You can tell it's from the 60s. Lot's of harmonies, but some experiemtal stuff as well.
3
Apr 01 2023
View Album
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
Classic songs from The Temptations
4
Apr 02 2023
View Album
69 Love Songs
The Magnetic Fields
Quirky - hard to assign to a particular genre; some tracks are like C&W performed by Lou Reed. Some tracks feel a bit pretentious.
2
Apr 03 2023
View Album
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
Part of the soundtrack of life in the late 90s, early 00s. Includes the ubiquitous "Praise You", plus the classic "Right Here Right Now".
4
Apr 04 2023
View Album
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Spiritualized
How is this spce-rock? Hawkwind are spce-rock! This is quite pleasant, a bit spaced-out maybe, but that's it.
2
Apr 05 2023
View Album
Casanova
The Divine Comedy
Vocals are very reminiscent of David Bowie, overall sound is quite pleasant - not rock, but not pop either.
3
Apr 06 2023
View Album
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
Interesting, like a funky version of Santana.
3
Apr 07 2023
View Album
Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
Not the album cover that I remember! Classic Hendrix at his best - Crosstown Traffic, Voodoo Chile, Gypsy Eyes, All Along The Watchtower, and Voodoo Child (Slight Return).
5
Apr 08 2023
View Album
Elephant Mountain
The Youngbloods
Rock? Folk- rockmaybe, although given that they're American, country-rock is probably more appropriate. And they try to be funny on some tracks, but fail miserabvly. I can understand why I've never heard of this band before.
1
Apr 09 2023
View Album
Traffic
Traffic
Not sure why this particular Traffic album was chosen - hopefully some of the others will make an appearance later on. Very 1960's but hints of what's to come.
5
Apr 10 2023
View Album
Veckatimest
Grizzly Bear
Didn't like it. Rock should be exciting - this is boring.
1
Apr 11 2023
View Album
Live / Dead
Grateful Dead
I was never a deadhead for some reason, Not quite what I was expecting from a band that was once one of the loudest in the world. Reminded me of Man but more "mellow" if you know what I mean. Would I buy it - probably not, but I would definitely listen again.
4
Apr 12 2023
View Album
Marquee Moon
Television
Based on the first track, I was anticpating yet another uninspiring punk album, but it was better than that. Nothing really grabbed my attention though.
3
Apr 13 2023
View Album
Blue Lines
Massive Attack
I liked it. Similar to Faithless and The xx.
4
Apr 14 2023
View Album
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
Some Dylan classics - "Subterranean Homesick Blues", "Mr. Tambourine Man", and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue". I also quite liked "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" which I'd nevert heard before.
4
Apr 15 2023
View Album
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
Undecided. Quirky, moody. Previously, I was only familair with the Johnny Cash cover of "Hurt".
3
Apr 16 2023
View Album
Roger the Engineer
The Yardbirds
Some of the tracks sound so dated, but then they are almost 60 years old! Apart from "Over, Under, Sideways, Down" I've never heard any one these songs before.
2
Apr 17 2023
View Album
Slipknot
Slipknot
It's Slipknot - do I need say anything else?
3
Apr 18 2023
View Album
Tom Tom Club
Tom Tom Club
I was already very familiar with the opening track "Wordy Rappinghood", but the other tracks were new to me. More of the same: strange, quirky, avant garde - mixed feelings.
3
Apr 19 2023
View Album
Like A Prayer
Madonna
Apart from the brilliant and controversial title track, the rest of the album is uninspiring.
2
Apr 20 2023
View Album
Want Two
Rufus Wainwright
Intesring mix of styles, mainly singer-songwriter, but opening with an arabic sounding song, and including some in an opeartic style. Not really my style of music, but pleasant background mudic.
3
Apr 21 2023
View Album
Wild Gift
X
Starts off as punk-rock, but then morphs into some sort of country-rock. Not impressed.
1
Apr 22 2023
View Album
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
The tracks "Astronomy Domine" and "Interstellar Overdrive" are portents of greatness to come. Other tracks, including "Flaming" and "Bike", are typical of the psychedelic music of that era.
4
Apr 23 2023
View Album
At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
I'm not a C&W fan, but that voice is just amazing. I wasn't familiar with most of these songs, but I liked them; I never knew that Johnny Cash did a cover of "Green, Green Grass of Home". The album captures the atmosphere of the concert succinctly.
4
Apr 24 2023
View Album
Jack Takes the Floor
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
This album is older than me! Historic slice of American folk-blues.
3
Apr 25 2023
View Album
Thriller
Michael Jackson
Four stand-out tracks: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", "Thriller", "Bbeat It", and "Billie Jean", but then you have the naff "The Girl Is Mine" - even so, a stupendous album.
5
Apr 26 2023
View Album
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
Quite pleasant, but nothing special. I'd never heard of Nick Drake before - it seems that he only made three records before his premature death.
3
Apr 27 2023
View Album
Clandestino
Manu Chao
Interesting mix of musical styles and languages. I preferthe reggae tracks.
3
Apr 28 2023
View Album
Repeater
Fugazi
Quite good, but not outstanding - would make a good support group, but I wouldn't pay to see them.
3
Apr 29 2023
View Album
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen
I had to occasionally remind myself that this was Bruce Springsteen and not Bob Dylan, but I prefer this "Americana" style to his rock.
4
Apr 30 2023
View Album
Home Is Where The Music Is
Hugh Masekela
I'm not usually a jazz fan, but this is quite funky in places, mellow in others - very enjoyable.
4
May 01 2023
View Album
Different Class
Pulp
Apart from "Common People" the album is pretty average.
3
May 02 2023
View Album
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
Angry rap metal. Brilliant, especially "Killing In The Name Of"
5
May 03 2023
View Album
Soul Mining
The The
Another classic album from "The The".
5
May 04 2023
View Album
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
What can I say? The title track is perfection.
5
May 05 2023
View Album
The Doors
The Doors
What can I say? This was their debut album and yet it contained such amazing and groundbreaking songs, such as "Break On Through", "light My Fire", and "the End", not too mention ""The Crystal Ship", and "Alabama Song".
5
May 06 2023
View Album
Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
Not my favourite Talking Heads album - the only highlight is the classic "Psycho Killer".
3
May 07 2023
View Album
Imperial Bedroom
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
The production might be great, but I prefer the energy of their earlier albums.
3
May 08 2023
View Album
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
More classic music from The Doors: the rocking "Roadhouse Blues", plus the moody "Waiting for the Sun" and "The Spy".
4
May 09 2023
View Album
Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
Although I was never a big rock 'n' roll fan, this is part of my musical history. Without the likes of Little Richard (and others) we would never have had the music we have today. Revolutionary!
4
May 10 2023
View Album
Headquarters
The Monkees
This album doesn't contain any of their big hits (as far as I'm aware); some tracks sound like The Beatles, while others are a bit country and western in style, with a couple of very experimental tracks thrown in. Interesting.
3
May 11 2023
View Album
Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
A mix of Irish/Scottish folk and rock, but neither one nor the other. Not bad, but not great either. I keep expecting each song to turn into their big hit "The Whole of the Moon"
3
May 12 2023
View Album
Opus Dei
Laibach
Very strange album. Slovenian death metal with Queen covers and songs in German.
3
May 13 2023
View Album
3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...
Arrested Development
I've never "got" Hip-Hop. Boring!
1
May 14 2023
View Album
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
I wouldn;t have classified this as hip-hop. Interesting mix of styles and samples.
3
May 15 2023
View Album
Nilsson Schmilsson
Harry Nilsson
Many have covered "Without You", but perdonally I don't think that anyone has bettered the Nilsson version. Anumber of very commercial songs, e.g. "Gotta Get Up", and "Jump Into The Fire", plus the rather annoying "Coconut".
3
May 16 2023
View Album
Tres Hombres
ZZ Top
Classic ZZ Top, contains the signature "La Grange".
4
May 17 2023
View Album
Space Ritual
Hawkwind
The ultimate Hawkwind album and one of the best live albums ever.
5
May 18 2023
View Album
Closer
Joy Division
Dark, sombre, and moody - classic Joy Division. Love it!
4
May 19 2023
View Album
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
The album that inspired countless musicians. Some tracks are a little bit too experimental for my taste, but there's a couple od stand-out tracks like "Venus In Furs".
3
May 20 2023
View Album
1989
Taylor Swift
I thought that Taylor Swift was C&W, but I had to check that the opening track "Welcome Yo New York" wasn't Lady Gaga; the entire album was pop music and could have been by any female artist, Not bad, but nothing blew me away either.
3
May 21 2023
View Album
Come Find Yourself
Fun Lovin' Criminals
Loved the bluesy "The Fun Lovin' Criminal".Interesting corss between hip-hop, blues, funk, rap, and rock.
3
May 22 2023
View Album
Scott 4
Scott Walker
Dated. Some of the tracks sounded like they were from the soundtrack of a Western movie.
2
May 23 2023
View Album
I Should Coco
Supergrass
I didn't realise that punk was still a thing in 1995, although "Mansize Rooster" sounds like it could have been inspiration for the Kaiser Chiefs. I quite like the classic "Alright" but didn't realise it was by Supergrass - if pushed I would have said Blur or Squeeze. Pretty average on the whole.
3
May 24 2023
View Album
Larks' Tongues In Aspic
King Crimson
Probably groundbreaking at the time, but not for me, although I quite liked "Easy Money".
2
May 25 2023
View Album
Honky Tonk Heroes
Waylon Jennings
Not a fan of C&W, and not a fan of this albu,m.
1
May 26 2023
View Album
Group Sex
Circle Jerks
To me a lot of American punk bands seemed to be fake and just trying to attract attention with their "look at me I'm a bad boy" antics designed to shock - this band is no exception and it hasn't aged well.
1
May 27 2023
View Album
Either Or
Elliott Smith
Who? Pleasantly boring.
1
May 28 2023
View Album
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
She blew me away when she appeared on Live Aid and I bought this album on the Monday. It's still relevant and still a great album.
5
May 29 2023
View Album
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago
Never understood the attraction.. Includes the iconic "I'm A Man", but little else of interest.
2
May 30 2023
View Album
There's No Place Like America Today
Curtis Mayfield
1970's soul/r&b/funk. Pleasant enough but not earth shattering - no "Move On Up", or "Superfly".
2
May 31 2023
View Album
Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Groundbreaking album: the eponymous track "Exodus" is brilliant, as is "Jamming", "Waiting In Vain", and the "One Love / People Get Ready" medley.
5
Jun 01 2023
View Album
Eagles
Eagles
It's hard to beleive that this album is over 50 years old - it's still a great album. The opening track "Take It Easy" is timeless.
4
Jun 02 2023
View Album
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
I was never a big Bruce Springsteen fan and could never see what all the fuss was about. That said, this album contains the classic Springsteen tracks "Born in the U.S.A.", "I'm on Fire", and "Dancing in the Dark".
3
Jun 03 2023
View Album
Pink Moon
Nick Drake
Very likeable English folk music. I was familiar with the title track "Pink Moon", but not the other songs. Quite liked it.
4
Jun 04 2023
View Album
Nothing's Shocking
Jane's Addiction
Not bad, but top 1000? I don't think so, as it's nothing special.
2
Jun 05 2023
View Album
Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode
It's from the 80's - lots of synthesizers and drum machines. It's OK.
3
Jun 06 2023
View Album
Document
R.E.M.
Great album, includes two of my favourite R.E.M. tracks "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" and "The One I Love".
5
Jun 07 2023
View Album
Mama's Gun
Erykah Badu
Not really my type of music - it does nothing for me.
1
Jun 08 2023
View Album
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A.
Being white, middle-class, and British, I guess that I'm not really part of the target audience which is fine with me because all sound the same to me.
1
Jun 09 2023
View Album
Close To The Edge
Yes
A masterpiece.
5
Jun 10 2023
View Album
Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
I just don't get Hip-Hop, but some people obviously do and that's fine - each to their own. Just not for me.
1
Jun 11 2023
View Album
Phrenology
The Roots
Soft Hip-Hop? Boring.
1
Jun 12 2023
View Album
Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth
A cheerful version of Joy Division, but boring. Just a wall of noise.
1
Jun 13 2023
View Album
American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
Not a big Johnny Cash fan, but what more needs to be said about his magnifcant version of "Hurt"? It's such a powerful song anyway, but with his voice, the tempo, and the backing track - it achieves new heights; this song always sends shivers down my spine.
An album mainly of covers, his singing on some tracks is not good, but a fitting obituary to the man in black.
3
Jun 14 2023
View Album
Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
The queen of Soul/R&B - what a voice! Not necessarily the best selection of her songs, but it includes the incomparable "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", and her version of the gospel classic "People Get Ready" (later also covered by Bob Marley).
4
Jun 15 2023
View Album
Garbage
Garbage
Average, nothing special.
3
Jun 16 2023
View Album
John Prine
John Prine
Who? Amercian country-folk singer. Nothing to get excited about.
2
Jun 17 2023
View Album
Brothers
The Black Keys
I quite liked it. Reminiscent of both White Stripes and Cream.
3
Jun 18 2023
View Album
The Last Broadcast
Doves
Meh! It's OK, but nothing really grabs my attention.
2
Jun 19 2023
View Album
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra
Boring crooning.
1
Jun 20 2023
View Album
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
Various C&W and folk music standards from the 50's and 60's reworked by Ray Charles in various styles including R&B, pop, and jazz. Not for me.
1
Jun 21 2023
View Album
It's Too Late to Stop Now
Van Morrison
Apart from the odd Van Morrison track, I've never been a fan of his rock/jazz/blues/soul blend.
2
Jun 22 2023
View Album
Green
R.E.M.
Apart from "Orange Crush", I wasn't familiar with anything on this album, but I quite like the album.
3
Jun 23 2023
View Album
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
Reminds me of Bad Company, with touches of Rod Stewart and the Faces, with a bit of Led Zeppelin blues thrown in for good measure. I liked it.
3
Jun 24 2023
View Album
Tidal
Fiona Apple
Does nothing for me.
1
Jun 25 2023
View Album
Cafe Bleu
The Style Council
Paul Weller was in The Jam before he was in The Style Council - you couldn't get two totally different groups. The Style Council are a strange mix of jazz, soul, and funk. Not for me.
1
Jun 26 2023
View Album
Vincebus Eruptum
Blue Cheer
Interesting - what Black Sabbth would sound like if they did the blues? Also reminds me a little bit of Stray.
3
Jun 27 2023
View Album
In It For The Money
Supergrass
I don't see what all the fuss is about?
2
Jun 28 2023
View Album
Ragged Glory
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Unable to listen to the album on Spotify as it's only available with a premium subscription, but I assume it's up to Neil Young's usual high standards.
4
Jun 29 2023
View Album
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
Although I can't stand Oasis as a band, especially the Gallagher brothers, there's no denying that their music is brilliant.
5
Jun 30 2023
View Album
Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Stereolab
Experimental or pretentious? Curious mix of art-rock/pop/funk/jazz. Not really a fan.
1
Jul 01 2023
View Album
Urban Hymns
The Verve
Three tracks stand head and shoulders above the rest: "Lucky Man", the hypnotic "Bitter Sweet Symphony", and the heart wrenching "The Drugs Don't Work".
5
Jul 02 2023
View Album
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
Supposedly one of the classic 4, but this album in nway is as good as "Talking Book" or "Innervisions".
2
Jul 03 2023
View Album
Ace of Spades
Motörhead
It's Motörhead with Lemmy! The title track "Ace of Spades" defined a genre, but the other tracks sound pretty sameish to me.
4
Jul 04 2023
View Album
Bossanova
Pixies
Space-Rock? I don't think so. Not bad, but not great.
3
Jul 05 2023
View Album
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
Is it metal, punk, or rap or some combination of all three? They can't seem to make up their mind and neither can I - some tracks are boring, and some are meh, but nothing really grabs me.
2
Jul 06 2023
View Album
The United States Of America
The United States Of America
Never heard of this band and I can see why. Continues to receive critical acclaim - from who? Based on the number of plays on Spotify, the only people that listen to this album are redirected from here. Hippy experimental music music reminiscent of early Pink Floyd, but not as good.
1
Jul 07 2023
View Album
Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
I don't see the influences from Bruce Springsteen or Neil Young and Crazy Horse - more like a mellow Bob Dylan. But I quite like the album.
3
Jul 08 2023
View Album
Exile On Main Street
The Rolling Stones
I was never really big on the Rolling Stones. There's "Tumbling Dice" of course, but apart from this, "Shake Your Hips", and "Ventilator Blues", this album doesn't seem to have a lot going for it. In my opinion, it definitely isn't one of their best.
2
Jul 09 2023
View Album
The Nightfly
Donald Fagen
Steely Dan light. I was never a big Steely Dan fan, although I liked some of their stuff. This album does nothing for me apart from make me drowsy.
1
Jul 10 2023
View Album
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
I remember when this album came out and how revolutionary it was. Some of the tracks are beginning to sound a bit dated now, but "Too High" and "Higher Ground" are still relevant. The stand out track, of course, is "Living for the City" which even by today's standards is stupendous in its scope, and unfortunately, is more relevant than ever.
4
Jul 11 2023
View Album
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Unable to listen to album without upgrading to Spotify Premium! Album contains the classic "Cinnamon Girl", "Down By The River", and "Cowgirl In The Sand" (all of which I have on the "Decades" album). Classic Neil Young.
5
Jul 12 2023
View Album
Truth And Soul
Fishbone
A strange mix of rock and ska-funk. I just don't understand how this is rated as one of the top 1001 albums?
2
Jul 13 2023
View Album
That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
Typical mid-70s soul-funk. You had to be there I guess.
1
Jul 14 2023
View Album
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
The Byrds
Interesting. 60's folk-rock-pop with a bit of psychedelia and some country thrown in for good measure.
2
Jul 15 2023
View Album
On The Beach
Neil Young
I'm a fan of Neil Young, but the guy has made some many albums over the years, it's hard to keep track. I'd never heard this album before, although the opening track "Walk On" seemed familiar. I liked it.
4
Jul 16 2023
View Album
Stardust
Willie Nelson
Boring. I was expecting C&W and didn't even get that.
1
Jul 17 2023
View Album
Tragic Songs of Life
The Louvin Brothers
Country music that's older than me! Some of the songs show their roots in Irish folk music, but mostly this is the type of country music that I can't stand - twanging guitars, whiney vocals, and depressing lyrics.
1
Jul 18 2023
View Album
Want One
Rufus Wainwright
Obviously very talented singer-songwriter, just not really my type of music.
2
Jul 19 2023
View Album
Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
Pretentious twaddle.
1
Jul 20 2023
View Album
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
I wasn't a big fan of this album when it first came out, and I'm still not a fan.
2
Jul 21 2023
View Album
Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Contains the singles "Accidents Will Happen" and "Oliver's Army", but the rest of the album isn't bad either.
3
Jul 22 2023
View Album
War
U2
A great album, one of U2's best. For me the stand-out tracks are "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day", but I also like "Drowning Man" and "40".
5
Jul 23 2023
View Album
Risque
CHIC
What can be said about the classic "Good Times" - a staple of any party in the late 70s / early 80s, and still played today. But apart from "My Feet Keep Dancing", the rest of the album is meh.
3
Jul 24 2023
View Album
Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
More 1960s folk-psychedelic-rock - it all sounds so dated now.
1
Jul 25 2023
View Album
Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
I find gangsta rap confusing. I understand where they're coming from, but to me there doesn't seem to be any real anger - a bit like American punk - it just seems to be designed to shock rather than start an uprising.
1
Jul 26 2023
View Album
New York Dolls
New York Dolls
There's no doubting their influence on punk, but I wasn't a big fan in the 70s, and I'm still not really a fan. My favourite track is "Jet Boy" and I remember them performing this on the Old Grey Whistle Test.
1
Jul 27 2023
View Album
Moving Pictures
Rush
Not sure. Reminds me of Yes, Caravan, Camel, and various other British prog-rock bands. Not bad, but nothing really excited me.
2
Jul 28 2023
View Album
american dream
LCD Soundsystem
Interesting album, reminded me of OMD and Joy Division, but some tracks were more dance than electronica. Really liked "emotional haircut", and quite liked "black screen".
3
Jul 29 2023
View Album
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
Although I was never a big Rolling Stones fan, what I can I say about this album? The opening track "Brown Sugar" is an all-time classic. I also quite like "Wild Horses". I also like the blues tracks, such as "Can't You Hear Me Knocking", "You Gotta Move", and "I Got The Blues".
4
Jul 30 2023
View Album
Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
50 Cent
Hip-Hop meets Gansta Rap. Not for me.
1
Jul 31 2023
View Album
Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
Apart from the timeless "Waterloo Sunset" I was unfamiliar with the rest of this album, even though "Death of a Clown" was also released as a single in 1967. Quite pleasant, but except for the aforementioned "Waterloo Sunset", I wasn't really that enamoured with the album.
3
Aug 01 2023
View Album
Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
That voice! Blues-Rock. I really liked the album - I especially liked the laid back "Graveyard Train" and "Keep On Chooglin'". The album also features their hit "Proud Mary".
4
Aug 02 2023
View Album
Roxy Music
Roxy Music
A classic album. It was so different to everything else at the time that it took me some time before I liked it. The original UK version of the album didn't include their hit single "Virginia Plain" but the US version did, as did later UK versions.
4
Aug 03 2023
View Album
Sulk
The Associates
I've never heard of this band before and I didn't remember hearing anything from the album before but "Party Fears Two" seems vaguely familiar. Didn't like it, and thought it was a bit boring. Going by the number of Spotify plays, not many other people like this album either.
1
Aug 04 2023
View Album
Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Another great blues rock album from CCR. Includes their hits "Green River" and the timeless classic "Bad Moon Rising".
4
Aug 05 2023
View Album
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
I was and I am still not a Frank Zappa fan, especially the jazz-fusion style of this predominantly instrumental album, as exemplified by the track "Peaches en Regalia" which is familiar from various compilation albums. The only non-instrumental is "Willie the Pimp" and features vocals by Captain Beefheart. Some tracks, especially "The Gumbo Variations", reminded me of the album "Between Nothingness & Eternity" by the Mahavishnu Orchestra.
2
Aug 06 2023
View Album
The Trinity Session
Cowboy Junkies
Wikipedia says that the group's music is alternative country/country rock/folk blues and it's none of these and all of these at the same time - it's quite unique. Recorded in a church around a single microphone with no edits, mixing, or overdubs, the sound has a very natural sound, and the vocals from Margo Timmins are ethereal. I liked the album, especially "Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis)". Music to chill to.
3
Aug 07 2023
View Album
Made In Japan
Deep Purple
What can I say, one of the best live albums ever. Still one of my favouritetes.
5
Aug 08 2023
View Album
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
Interesting album. It's not quite depressing, and not very angry, but you can feel the lead singer's pain.
3
Aug 09 2023
View Album
Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz
This album popularised Bossa Nova in 1964 - it's now 2023 and it's not popularising Bossa Nova in our house. Boring.
1
Aug 10 2023
View Album
All Things Must Pass
George Harrison
A much underated album in my opinion - it contains such classics as "My Sweet Lord", "Wah-Wah", "Isn't It A Pity", and "Beware of Darkness", plus "if Not For You" ( A cover of a Bob Dylan song) and the title track "All Thnigs Must Pass". So many great songs, and his death was such a tragic loss to music.
4
Aug 11 2023
View Album
Liege And Lief
Fairport Convention
A superb album - an album that everyone should own. The standout tracks for me are "Matty Groves" and "Tam Lin", plus the hauntingly beautiful "Crazy Man Michael". Sandy Denny's vocals are sublime and her untimely death was a tragedy.
5
Aug 12 2023
View Album
Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby
Girls Against Boys
Wikepedia gives the genre as "Post-Hardcore, Indie Rock, Noise Rock" - of these "Noise Rock" seems to be the most appropriate for this truly depressing album. The album's only claim to fame that I can see seems to be that one of the tracks, "Bulletproof Cupid", was used in the "Need for Speed: The Run" video game soundtrack. Not sure how this got into the "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" list?
1
Aug 13 2023
View Album
Only By The Night
Kings of Leon
Liked it, especially their hit "Sex on Fire".
4
Aug 14 2023
View Album
The New Tango
Astor Piazzolla
Tango had a threesome with Jazz and Classical giving birth to Nuevo Tango. Boring.
1
Aug 15 2023
View Album
Rock 'N Soul
Solomon Burke
I'd never heard of Solomn Burke before today. Pure 1960's Soul/R&B - I liked most of the album.
3
Aug 16 2023
View Album
Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo
MC Solaar
French Jazz-Rap - I think that says it all. Two of my least favourite music genres combined and performed in French!
1
Aug 17 2023
View Album
Seventeen Seconds
The Cure
A great album which includes one of my all time favourite tracks by The Cure - the brilliantly bleak but hypnotic "A Forest" - you can just imagine being chased through a forest on a moonlit night. The album also includes crowd favourite "Play For Today".
5
Aug 18 2023
View Album
Truth
Jeff Beck
Interesting debut "solo" album from a guitar legend which features Rod Stewart on vocals on several tracks. The highlight of the album is "I Ain't Superstitious", a Willie Dixon cover, but it's not the only cover on the album - other's include "You Shook Me", "Ol' Man River", and "Greensleeves". The album also includes "Beck's Bolero" which is actually credited to Jimmy Page.
4
Aug 19 2023
View Album
Blur
Blur
Apart from the massive "Song 2" - woo-hoo! - and the hit single "Beetlebum", I wasn't overly impressed with this album and found some of the tracks a bit of a dirge.
3
Aug 20 2023
View Album
Blue
Joni Mitchell
I'm unable to listen to this album without upgrading to Spotify Premium. I have the tracks \"Carey\", \"Cailfornia\", and \"River\" on a greatest hits album, and of these three I really like \"Carey\".
3
Aug 21 2023
View Album
Third
Portishead
Wikipedia gives the music genre as experimental rock / electronica / psychedelic rock; I would call it depressing pretentious rock suitable for use as the soundtrack of a bleak sci-fi movie set in some dystopian future. Although I quite liked "We Carry On" which reminded me a bit of Joy Division.
2
Aug 22 2023
View Album
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Apart from the legendary track "Suzanne", this is an album for fans of Leonard Cohen. I never understood why he was so popular because he sounded so depressing - it must have been a 1960's thing.
2
Aug 23 2023
View Album
OK Computer
Radiohead
Moody, slightly depressing - were the 1990's really that bad? For me, "No Surprises" is the highlight with its haunting melody.
3
Aug 24 2023
View Album
There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly & The Family Stone
Funky soul from the masters - pure 1970's nostalgia. Noted for it's title track and their number one single "Family Affair".
2
Aug 25 2023
View Album
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
Another album from LCD Soundsystem in the top 1001 albums? Not sure why? It just seems to be more dance-electronic-punk-rock, but nothing special, although I quite liked "North American Scum".
2
Aug 26 2023
View Album
Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
I've never got rap - to me all the tracks sound the same. Apart from their hit "Fight For Your Right", I don't see much to commend in this album. Some of the tracks sound like they could be Weird Al Yankovic parodies.
2
Aug 27 2023
View Album
The Scream
Siouxsie And The Banshees
This was their debut album? Amazing! The highlight for me is "Metal Postcard (Mittageisen)", but I also liked "Jigsaw Feeling" and their cover of the Lennon-McCartney song"Helter Skelter".
4
Aug 28 2023
View Album
L'Eau Rouge
The Young Gods
The Young Gods are a Swiss band who sing in French. Wikipedia gives the genre as Industrial Rock, Dark Cabaret, Symphonic Metal, some might call it pretentious. I quite liked "Rue des Tempêtes" but could quite happily live without the rest of the album.
2
Aug 29 2023
View Album
Play
Moby
I like it. It's a strange mix of ambient, soul, blues, and funk, but good. Music to chill to.
4
Aug 30 2023
View Album
Cosmo's Factory
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Another CCR album - more rock / blues, and even some rock 'n' roll. I especially liked "Run Through the Jungle", and the classic "Up Around the Bend"; I also like their cover of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".
3
Aug 31 2023
View Album
Oar
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
Who? The album is meh, a mixture of confusing depressing folk rock country music recorded following the musician's release from a psychiatric hospital - it's obvious that he wasn't in a good place, mentally speaking and some tracks sound like he was heavily medicated. Why this is in the 1001 albums you must hear before you die is anyone's guess.
1
Sep 01 2023
View Album
All That You Can't Leave Behind
U2
A welcome return to their sound from the mid-1980s, but a largely forgettable album. For me the highlight is "New York", but I also liked "Grace".
3
Sep 02 2023
View Album
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
Contains the classic "Like a Rolling Stone" and "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry".
3
Sep 03 2023
View Album
Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes
Pure 1960s psychedelic rock - it hadn't aged well.
1
Sep 04 2023
View Album
Black Metal
Venom
Metal. Nothing grabbed me.
2
Sep 05 2023
View Album
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Boring.
1
Sep 06 2023
View Album
Master Of Puppets
Metallica
Pure Metallica. The title track is worth the price of the album by itself.
4
Sep 07 2023
View Album
Very
Pet Shop Boys
Pure Pet Shop Boys, but nothing really stood out for me.
3
Sep 08 2023
View Album
Unhalfbricking
Fairport Convention
Contains the beautiful "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?", plus "Si Tu Dois Partir" (a French version of Bob Dylan's "If You Gotta Go, Go Now"), and "A Sailor's Life". Sandy Denny's voice was angelic.
4
Sep 09 2023
View Album
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
Not bad. I guess the album would be more relevant to me if I was female.
3
Sep 10 2023
View Album
Sister
Sonic Youth
Most of this album is just noise and it gave me a headache. Wikipedia says that this "album furthered the band's move away from the no wave genre towards more traditional song structures, while maintaining an aggressively experimental approach" - what a load of pretentious bollocks. If this is their move to more tradional song structures then I hate to think how dreadful their earlier albums must have been.
1
Sep 11 2023
View Album
Strange Cargo III
William Orbit
I liked it - music to chill to. My faourite was the first track, "Water from a Vine Leaf", which reminded me of Enigma.
4
Sep 12 2023
View Album
Funeral
Arcade Fire
Not bad. Quirky, especially the vocals. It's different, but I don't really see what all the fuss was about.
3
Sep 13 2023
View Album
A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse
Faces
Apart from the massive "Stay with Me", I wasn't a big fan back in the day, even though a lot of my friends raved about this album. I'm still not a really big fan.
3
Sep 14 2023
View Album
Foxbase Alpha
Saint Etienne
Apparently their biggest hit was their cover of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" - I think it's dreadful. As for the rest of this alternative dance / trip hop album, "Carnt Sleep" wasn't bad, but I wasn't impressed by "Nothing Can Stop Us" which apparently was a hit single in 1991.
1
Sep 15 2023
View Album
Nowhere
Ride
WTF! Wikipedia gives the music genre as Shoegaze / Neo-Psychedelia / Noise Pop, and then defines Shoegaze as a subgenre of Indie and Alternative Rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of Obscured Vocals, Guitar Distortion and Effects, Feedback, and Overwhelming Volume - what a load of pretentious bullsh*t! It's just a wall of noise.
1
Sep 16 2023
View Album
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
If you were a teenager or older in the 1970s you probably have a copy of this album. A classic album with so many great tracks. The epic title track was such a powerful song of love and hope, and still is, even today. Then there's "The Boxer", another great song, plus "Cecilia" and "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)"; all of these songs were part of the soundtrack for anyone living through the 1970s.
5
Sep 17 2023
View Album
Sea Change
Beck
Quite pleasant. Dreamy folk-rock-pop.
3
Sep 18 2023
View Album
Third/Sister Lovers
Big Star
Never heard of this band before, and Wikipedia says that this album wasn't a commercial success when it was released in 1978 (some 4 years after it was recorded) - I can't say I'm surprised. Depressing. Doesn't even make it to mediocre.
1
Sep 19 2023
View Album
Aja
Steely Dan
I wasn't a fan of this sort of jazz-rock-funk then, and I'm still not a fan today. The album is not unpleasant, but it just doesn't grab my attention.
3
Sep 20 2023
View Album
Signing Off
UB40
I always thought of UB40 as more ska than reggae, butthis is a hardcore reggae dub album - loved it.
5
Sep 21 2023
View Album
The Sensual World
Kate Bush
Another great album from Kate Bush, not one that I've heard before.
4
Sep 22 2023
View Album
Entertainment
Gang Of Four
Sounds a bit dated now.
2
Sep 23 2023
View Album
Revolver
Beatles
So many great songs, especially "Eleanor Rigby".
4
Sep 24 2023
View Album
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
Apart from their massive hit "Walk This Way" with Aerosmith, I'm not a fan of hip-hop or rap-rock or whatever this is. First time I've ever heard the full-length version of "Walk This Way" and I loved it.
2
Sep 25 2023
View Album
Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
I remember seeing them perform "Dreamer" on The Old Grey Whistle Test and I bought the album the next day. Still one of my favourite albums of all time.
5
Sep 26 2023
View Album
The Joshua Tree
U2
One of their better albums. Production wise this album is excellent. The first three tracks on the album "Where the Streets Have No Name", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", and "With or Without You" were all massive hits.
5
Sep 27 2023
View Album
Locust Abortion Technician
Butthole Surfers
Very strange album. The track "Sweat Loaf" parodies the riff from Black Sabbath's "Sweet Leaf", while "Kuntz" samples a Thai country music song.
2
Sep 28 2023
View Album
Parachutes
Coldplay
Not their best, but "Yellow".
4
Sep 29 2023
View Album
Back In Black
AC/DC
Great album, especially the title track "Back in Black", and "You Shook Me All Night Long".
4
Sep 30 2023
View Album
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
Sound quality is not to the standard one would expect from a live album these days, but it captures the essence of his performance. Some great songs - most of them classics.
3
Oct 01 2023
View Album
Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
I've never been a fan of country music, but I was familiar with the opening song "Time of the Preacher" from the BBC series "Edge of Darkness".
1
Oct 02 2023
View Album
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Great debut album with some absolutely stupendous tracks, including the classic "Sultans of Swing", plus "Down to the Waterline", "Water of Love", "In the Gallery", and "Wild West End".
5
Oct 03 2023
View Album
Moondance
Van Morrison
I've heard the title track, "Moondance", before but never realised that it was by Van Morrison, but I've never really been a fan of this style of jazz rock.
2
Oct 04 2023
View Album
Infected
The The
A great album with so many great songs. My favourite song from the album is "Heartland" and I remember watching the video for this on MTV in the 1980s, but I also really like the title track "Infected".
5
Oct 05 2023
View Album
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
Not a fan of Jazz, especially Jazz Funk. This album didn't do anything for me - elevator music.
1
Oct 06 2023
View Album
Shleep
Robert Wyatt
It's like being transported back to the 1970s! I wasn't too keen on his style of jazz fusion, psychedelia and progressive rock back then, and I'm still not a fan.
1
Oct 07 2023
View Album
Rio
Duran Duran
The title track "Rio" was my introduction to Duran Duran and I immediately liked it. But you also have two of their massive hits "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Save a Prayer" on the same album - great album.
5
Oct 08 2023
View Album
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
Opens with the highly experimental "EXP", but also contains the massive "Little Wing", and one of my favourites, the heavy "If Six Was Nine". Other highlights include "Castles Made of Sand" and "Bold As Love".
4
Oct 09 2023
View Album
Shaft
Isaac Hayes
I bought the single "Theme from Shaft" and it's still an amazing track, but for the rest of the album that Spotify allowed me to listen to - meh!
2
Oct 10 2023
View Album
The Blueprint
JAY Z
Not a fan of Rap, but I quite liked the controversial "Takeover" mainly due to it's sampling of "Five to One" by The Doors and the use of David Bowie's "Fame".
2
Oct 11 2023
View Album
Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
This album contains the classic "Love the One You're With" and features an impressive line-up of guest musicians. The rest of this Folk Rock album is OK, but apart from "Go Back Home", (which features Eric Clapton on electric guitar in superb form), it's nothing special.
3
Oct 12 2023
View Album
Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
This is not the sort of Soul music that I remember, this is Progressive Soul, Psychedelic Soul, possibly even Soul Jazz. There's no doubt in my mind that Isaac Hayes was a genius, but I'm not sure if this album is for me.
3
Oct 13 2023
View Album
Imagine
John Lennon
What can I say about this beautiful album. Some of John Lennon's finest work with so many great tracks: "Imagine", "Crippled Inside", and "Jealous Guy" are the stand-out tracks, but let's not forget "I Don't Want to Be a Soldier", "Gimme Some Truth", "Oh My Love", and "How Do You Sleep?".
5
Oct 14 2023
View Album
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
Loved it. Will add this to my wishlist.
5
Oct 15 2023
View Album
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
This is the type of Jazz that I just don't get - to me it's chaotic and lacks form, which are probably the same reasons why some people rave about it. Not for me.
1
Oct 16 2023
View Album
Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
Meh! Boring, mediocre at best. Please explain how this is in the top 1001 albums of all time?
2
Oct 17 2023
View Album
The Wall
Pink Floyd
A classic album, perhaps even more relevant today than when it was released.
5
Oct 18 2023
View Album
I’m a Lonesome Fugitive
Merle Haggard
I can't stand country music.
1
Oct 19 2023
View Album
I See You
The xx
Quite pleasant in a dreamy sort of way, but doesn't excite me.
3
Oct 20 2023
View Album
Every Picture Tells A Story
Rod Stewart
I wasn't a big Rod Stewart fan back in the day, but this album has the classic "Maggie May" which was the soundtrack to the summer of 1971, plus "(Find a) Reason to Believe" which was actually the A-side of "Maggie May".
4
Oct 21 2023
View Album
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
Was never a big fan of Steely Dan's jazz rock style, but I quite liked "Rikki Don't Lose That Number".
2
Oct 22 2023
View Album
Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
Apart from the classic tracks "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit", this album also contains the stunningly beautiful "Today".
5
Oct 23 2023
View Album
Boy In Da Corner
Dizzee Rascal
Apparently and according to Wikipedia, the genre for this album is Grime, but to me it could be Hip-Hop or Rap. Not too bad.
2
Oct 24 2023
View Album
3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul
I just don't get Hip-Hop. The only track that I recognised was the annoying "The Magic Number".
1
Oct 25 2023
View Album
Hunting High And Low
a-ha
Apart from the singles "Take On Me", "Hunting High and Low", and "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.", it's not bad, but nothing to write home about.
3
Oct 26 2023
View Album
Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
Otis Redding
An album of mostly covers of other artist's songs. It's OK, but not great.
3
Oct 27 2023
View Album
Take Me Apart
Kelela
R&B with an electronic twist. It's different, but the tracks began to sound a bit samey.
2
Oct 28 2023
View Album
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
A great album from the first lady of soul music. Features the classic track "Respect" written by Otis Redding.
5
Oct 29 2023
View Album
Future Days
Can
Interesting album. Very 1970's, but advanced for it's time.
4
Oct 30 2023
View Album
Hypnotised
The Undertones
It's beginning to sound a bit dated now. Contains their hit "My Perfect Cousin".
3
Oct 31 2023
View Album
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
Interesting album. Wikipedia classifies it as alternative / punk rock - it has the energy of punk but quite a few years after punk rock peaked. The vocals - some of which are in Spanish - vary in style, sometimes depressing, sometimes angry, often distorted. My favourite track is "Vamos" because of it's driving beat.
3
Nov 01 2023
View Album
Harvest
Neil Young
A superb album, full of great tracks: "Harvest", "Heart of Gold", "Old Man", and my favourite "The Needle and the Damage Done".
5
Nov 02 2023
View Album
Ingenue
k.d. lang
It's pleasant enough, but boring.
2
Nov 03 2023
View Album
Rust In Peace
Megadeth
Meh!
3
Nov 04 2023
View Album
In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
I'm not a big fan of this style of progressive art rock, but it paved the way for others.
3
Nov 05 2023
View Album
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
I just don't get it - I'm sure that for some people it expressed how they felt, but not for me. There's no much in the way of music to speak of, and the lyrics - if you can call them that - are depressing.
1
Nov 06 2023
View Album
Mermaid Avenue
Billy Bragg
Interesting album. The first track "Walt Whitman's Niece" sounded like they were drunk, and the second track "California Stars" seemed to have the same tune as the first track? After that, the album settles down into a very pleasant folk rock / bluegrass album; I particularly liked "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key". For me, Billy Bragg's vocals on "She Came Along to Me" sound awful.
3
Nov 07 2023
View Album
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
Jazz - I just don't get it!
1
Nov 08 2023
View Album
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
Pure Prince. For me, the best track is the title track "Sign o' the Times".
4
Nov 09 2023
View Album
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
A mix of funk rock and rock rap - neither of which I particularly like. I quite liked the soft rock tracks "Breaking the Girl" and "I Could Have Lied", but otherwise I'm not a fan - and this is supposed to be their best album?
2
Nov 10 2023
View Album
Picture Book
Simply Red
The majority of the album is so-so, a pleasant mix of pop-rock-soul-funk-jazz, very much an album from the 1980s. But then you have their hit "Money’s Too Tight (to Mention)" and the massive "Holding Back the Years" with Mick Hucknall's superb vocals.
4
Nov 11 2023
View Album
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Soft-rock-funk. Meh! Don't see what all the fuss is about.
3
Nov 12 2023
View Album
Gold
Ryan Adams
Boring American country-rock.
3
Nov 13 2023
View Album
Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Can white men play the blues? They most definitely can. Loved this album even though I'd never heard any of the tracks before.
5
Nov 14 2023
View Album
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
The album that gave us "Candle in the Wind", "Bennie and the Jets", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", and "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting". A classic album.
4
Nov 15 2023
View Album
Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
Musically it's OK - I suspect that it's the band's association with gay culture and the band's name that account for this album's inclusion. I wasn't impressed with their cover of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb".
3
Nov 16 2023
View Album
Rocks
Aerosmith
I just don't see what all the fuss is about - medicore at best.
3
Nov 17 2023
View Album
Meat Puppets II
Meat Puppets
Very strange mix of musical styles from a band I'd never heard of before today; Wikipedia gives their music genre as Cowpunk, Psychedelic Rock, Bluegrass, Folk, and Americana - they seem to be as confused as I am! Dreadful album.
1
Nov 18 2023
View Album
With The Beatles
Beatles
They were yet to fully develop their songwriting, but there's a glimmer of the greatness to come, for example "All My Loving". Hell this was 1963, and this was only their second album. I also really liked "All I've Got to Do" and "I Wanna Be Your Man", plus their covers of "Till There Was You", "You Really Got a Hold on Me", and "Money (That's What I Want)".
3
Nov 19 2023
View Album
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
A fabulous voice, it's just a shame that it's not really my type of music - pleasant but insipid jazz blues pop.
2
Nov 20 2023
View Album
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
A classic album (and film) with so many great tracks: the title track "A Hard Day's Night", "I Should Have Known Better", "If I Fell", the beautiful "And I Love Her", the ebullient "Can't Buy Me Love", plus "Things We Said Today". Part of my soundtrack for the early 1960s.
5
Nov 21 2023
View Album
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
A bit depressing. Quite liked "Hiding All Away" and "O Children".
3
Nov 22 2023
View Album
GREY Area
Little Simz
Another Hip-Hop album, albeit from an English rapper (of Nigerian descent). Not as "in-your-face" as some other Hip-Hop albums, but I still just don't get it.
2
Nov 23 2023
View Album
Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
A great album. Opens with "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and continues with such great songs such as "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows".
4
Nov 24 2023
View Album
Fragile
Yes
What an album, my favourite Yes album after "Close To The Edge". Opens with "Roundabout" and closes with "Heart of the Sunrise", with "Long Distance Runaround" and "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" inbetween.
5
Nov 25 2023
View Album
The Bends
Radiohead
I don't know what to make of Radiohead - they capture the atmosphere of the UK in the 1990s and can sometimes sound depressing, but the overall sound and feel of the album is one that I like.
4
Nov 26 2023
View Album
Bongo Rock
Incredible Bongo Band
What a strange album - very 1970s (and so very dated). An album of covers of popular songs from the era heavily featuring bongo drums, conga drums, rock drums, and brass - includes their version of "Apache", "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", and "Wipeout". Weird.
3
Nov 27 2023
View Album
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears
I'n not a big fan of this style of jazz-rock-blues, but you can hear echoes of ELP and other 70s prog-rock bands. Contains their hits "Spinning Wheel" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy" (a cover of a Brenda Holloway song). I liked their "Variations on a Theme" (an adaptation from Erik Satie's "Trois Gymnopédies") before the first version went into a weird big-band jazz style. I also quite liked their cover of Traffic's "Smiling Phases". The track "Blues – Part II" interpolates "Sunshine of Your Love" and "Spoonful".
3
Nov 28 2023
View Album
London Calling
The Clash
The title track, "London Calling", defined a generation, but the rest of the album - which is a strange mix of various musical styles - doesn't live up to the promises made by the title track.
3
Nov 29 2023
View Album
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Opens with the classic "Blowin' in the Wind", and also includes "Girl from the North Country", "Masters of War", "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right".
4
Nov 30 2023
View Album
Fuzzy
Grant Lee Buffalo
Some of the songs on this album reminded me of other bands, but who influenced who is hard to say. Not the groundbreaking album that I was expecting, but not too bad either.
4
Dec 01 2023
View Album
Tank Battles
Dagmar Krause
Spotify only lists two albums by Dagmar Krause, and this album isn't one of them. Wikipedia lists the genre as cabaret, jazz, avant-garde, so I doubt if I would I have liked this album anyway.
1
Dec 02 2023
View Album
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Beatles
Surely one of the most influential albums of all time? I don't think that there's a single track on this album that isn't good.
5
Dec 03 2023
View Album
Coles Corner
Richard Hawley
Who knew Richard Hawley was a crooner? Not what I expected from someone who was such a important part of BritPop. It's pleasant enough, reminiscent of the 50's and early 60's, but it's all fairly innocuous and slightly boring. My favourite track was "The Ocean".
3
Dec 04 2023
View Album
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
What can I say about this album? The opening track "Welcome to the Jungle" sets the scene for a great album, and the massive "Paradise City" and "Sweet Child o' Mine" confirm the greatness. It's just a shame that Axl Rose is such an egotistical twat.
4
Dec 05 2023
View Album
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
What genre is this? Wikipedia says that the genre is Southern Hip Hop / Funk / Pop / Jazz-Funk / Avant-Soul / Progressive Rap which suggests to me that they don't know either! The album is boring and confusing - I just don't get it.
1
Dec 06 2023
View Album
Sound Affects
The Jam
A lot more polished than some of their earlier albums. Contains the hits "Start!" and "That's Entertainment".
3
Dec 07 2023
View Album
Halcyon Digest
Deerhunter
Wikipedia gives the music genre as Psychedelic Pop / Dream Pop / Indie Pop / Noise Pop - change pop to pap and you'd be close. Prentious boring noise!
1
Dec 08 2023
View Album
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
Contains some of their biggest hits from the 1960s including "Monday, Monday" and "California Dreamin'".
3
Dec 09 2023
View Album
Get Behind Me Satan
The White Stripes
Interesting album, varying styles, but all drum heavy (which isn't a bad thing). Liked the album, and particularly liked "Instinct Blues".
5
Dec 10 2023
View Album
Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
Allegedly one of the greatest albums of the 1990's, but not, in my opinion, stand-out great, although I quite liked the album. Alt-Rock / Grunge, very reminiscent of Nirvana, perhaps not surprising given that they shared the same producer. I quite liked "Cherub Rock", "Soma", and "Silverfuck".
4
Dec 11 2023
View Album
The Poet
Bobby Womack
Spotify wouldn't let me listen to the first three tracks without paying to upgrade. Mostly harmless, pleasant Soul / R&B, a flashback to the 1970s when this style of music was massive. The track "Just My Imagination" was a tad annoying because it sounded very similar to "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" by The Temptations , which may or may not have been the intention.
2
Dec 12 2023
View Album
Elephant
The White Stripes
Overall I preferred their next album, "Get Behind Me Satan", but this album contains the absolutely massive "Seven Nation Army". I also really liked "Ball and Biscuit" and "Hypnotize".
4
Dec 13 2023
View Album
The Rise & Fall
Madness
Not as jolly as some of their other albums, but "Our House" makes up for this.
4
Dec 14 2023
View Album
Transformer
Lou Reed
Not to everyone's taste I know, but a groundbreaking album. The iconic "Walk on the Wild Side", plus the original version of "Perfect Day"; also worth a mention are "Vicious" and "Satellite of Love".
4
Dec 15 2023
View Album
Germfree Adolescents
X-Ray Spex
Sounds a bit dated now, but it captures some of the energy of the Punk era in the late 1970s. Quite liked "Identity" and especially like the title track "Germ Free Adolescents". On tracks like "I Live Off You", you can begin to hear the start of the Ska resurgence that followed.
3
Dec 16 2023
View Album
...And Justice For All
Metallica
I wasn't too sure what to expect from an album described as thrash / progressive metal, but I liked it - it's very musical in places. I really liked the almost an instrumental "To Live Is to Die".
4
Dec 17 2023
View Album
White Ladder
David Gray
Meh! I don't see what all the fuss is about? His cover of Soft Cell's "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" feels too slow.
3
Dec 18 2023
View Album
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
In some respects my favourite Deep Purple studio album due to the outrageous opening track "Speed King", not to mention "Child in Time".
5
Dec 19 2023
View Album
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
Like it, especially their hit "Take Me Out".
4
Dec 20 2023
View Album
The Visitors
ABBA
Different from earlier Abba albums, but quite pleasant - I liked it. For me, the stand-out track was their hit "One Of Us".
4
Dec 21 2023
View Album
Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
Apparently the defining album for the "shoegaze" genre? Pretentious, depressing, and boring, but I've heard worse.
1
Dec 22 2023
View Album
Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
Started a change in direction for Stevie Wonder, highlighted by the superb "Superstition"; also contains the hit "You Are the Sunshine of My Life".
4
Dec 23 2023
View Album
Highway to Hell
AC/DC
The title track "Highway to Hell" is a great classic hard rock track; the rest of the album is also good, but not great, although I really liked "Beating Around the Bush".
4
Dec 24 2023
View Album
Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
The keyboards that open the first track "Back at the Chicken Shack" could be by any prog-rock or blues band from the late 1960s or early 1970s, but it soon evolves into a jazzy r&b style. Other tracks are more jazz than r&b. I liked it.
4
Dec 25 2023
View Album
Van Halen
Van Halen
Hard rock from the late 1970s; the opening track "Runnin' with the Devil" sets the mood perfectly. The guitar playing on "Eruption" is pure guitar hero stuff. Really liked their cover of "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks.
4
Dec 27 2023
View Album
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
It wouldn't be Christmas without Phil Spector's 'wall of sound'. A bit kitschy, but who cares! Contains some of the classic Christmas sounds, including "Frosty the Snowman" and "Sleigh Ride" by The Ronettes, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by The Crystals, plus "Winter Wonderland" by Darlene Love.
3
Dec 28 2023
View Album
Out Of The Blue
Electric Light Orchestra
I've always been an ELO fan and this album is one of their best. From the opening "Turn to Stone", to "Sweet Talkin' Woman", and the "Concerto for a Rainy Day" which comprises the second half of the album and includes the song which always puts a smile on my face "Mr. Blue Sky" plus "Wild West Hero", this is a brilliant album.
5
Dec 29 2023
View Album
American Pie
Don McLean
Part of the soundtrack for the 1970s. Contains the massive hit "American Pie", and the not so massive hit "Vincent".
4
Dec 30 2023
View Album
Be
Common
Yet more Hip Hop - not sure why there shoud be so many in this list! Wikipedia gives the genre as Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop, Hip Hop Soul, Progressive Rap, Chipmunk Soul - what the hell is Chipmunk Soul? This album's main claim to fame seems to be that it was mainly produced by Kanye West.
2
Dec 31 2023
View Album
Dare!
The Human League
Part of the soundtrack for the eraly 1980s. So many great tracks on this album: "Open Your Heart", "Love Action (I Believe in Love)", and the Xmas 1981 number 1 "Don't You Want Me".
5
Jan 01 2024
View Album
Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
I can understand why this style of singing - crooning - was big in the 50s, but there's no emotion and it's boring. Of course I'm familiar with the songs because this sort of music was always in the background when I was a child, until it was displaced by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, et al.
2
Jan 02 2024
View Album
25
Adele
Not really my type of music, but I really liked the massive "Hello"; I also liked quite liked "River Lea" and not just because of my connection to the river as a child.
3
Jan 03 2024
View Album
Diamond Life
Sade
Smooth soul and it doesn't get any smoother than this, especially "Smooth Operator" and "Your Love Is King".
3
Jan 04 2024
View Album
16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
Nothing special. Parts of "Quiet Heart" are very reminiscent of U2.
3
Jan 05 2024
View Album
I Against I
Bad Brains
Not sure about this album. Is it metal, is it punk, is it rock, or some weird confusing mix of all three - Wikipedia says Alternative Metal/Hardcore Punk/Funk Rock/Funk Metal. I don't see why so many people should have considered this such an important album.
2
Jan 06 2024
View Album
Teen Dream
Beach House
Dream Pop aka Shoegaze. Meh!
3
Jan 07 2024
View Album
Cut
The Slits
Very strange album. Wikipedia gives the genre as post-punk/dub-reggae/art pop, and yeah! I'm OK with the post-punk/dub-reggae aspects, but so keen on the art pop side of things.
2
Jan 08 2024
View Album
Beyond Skin
Nitin Sawhney
A mix of Downtempo (Ambient) plus Drum and Bass, with South Asian overtones. I liked it.
4
Jan 09 2024
View Album
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
Brings back memories of the early 80s when anyone thought that they could be in a band, although musically this is quite good, it's just the vocals that let it down - a bit Jonathan Richman meets Jilted John.
3
Jan 10 2024
View Album
Giant Steps
The Boo Radleys
I just don't get Shoegaze, and I don't remember the early 1990s being that depressing.
1
Jan 11 2024
View Album
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
Not a fan of this style of Jazz-Funk/Jazz-Fusion.
1
Jan 12 2024
View Album
American Idiot
Green Day
I'd never heard of Green Day prior to the release of "American Idiot" as a single and it was massive. The rest of the album is quite good, especially "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", but it comes nowhere near the title track.
4
Jan 13 2024
View Album
Off The Wall
Michael Jackson
The album - the first to be produced by Quincy Jones - that, for me, marked a change in direction for Michael Jackson, and a sign of greater things to come, typified by the opening track "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", and the title track "Off the Wall".
3
Jan 14 2024
View Album
Under Construction
Missy Elliott
Yet more Hip-Hop? The only thing that really differentiates this from all the other Hip-Hop albums is that this is "sung" by a woman.
1
Jan 15 2024
View Album
Debut
Björk
Quirky, with a mesmirising voice. My favourite track is "Violently Happy", but I also like "Venus as a Boy", "Big Time Sensuality", and "Play Dead".
3
Jan 16 2024
View Album
Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Classic Bob Marley & The Wailers, including the great "Stir It Up", and also "Kinky Reggae".
3
Jan 17 2024
View Album
Vauxhall And I
Morrissey
I hate Morrissey (and The Smiths).
1
Jan 18 2024
View Album
So
Peter Gabriel
So many great tracks on this album - the catchy "Sledgehammer" with its amazing video, "Red Rain", "Mercy Street", and the inspiring duet with Kate Bush on "Don't Give Up".
5
Jan 19 2024
View Album
Tellin’ Stories
The Charlatans
Quite liked it, but nothing really grabbed me.
4
Jan 20 2024
View Album
Fever To Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Interesting. Wikipedia gives the genre as Garage Rock Revival / Art Punk / Dance-Punk, and it's too polished and too late to be regarded as true Punk. Vocals reminded me of Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders.
4
Jan 21 2024
View Album
Your Arsenal
Morrissey
I hate Morrissey - he's a pretentious twat.
1
Jan 22 2024
View Album
Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
Any album that contains one of my favourite tracks of all time,"Spellbound", has to score a 5, but the rest of the album is quite good as well.
5
Jan 23 2024
View Album
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Great album. Highlights are "Breakdown" and "American Girl".
5
Jan 24 2024
View Album
If I Could Only Remember My Name
David Crosby
Spotify wouldn't let me listen to "Music Is Love" or "What Are Their Names", presumably because Neil Young was one of the co-writers. Classic early 1970s folk-rock.
4
Jan 25 2024
View Album
L.A. Woman
The Doors
A great album with some fantastic tracks including "Love Her Madly", "L.A. Woman", "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)", the bluesy "Been Down So Long" and "Cars Hiss by My Window", plus the atmospheric "Riders on the Storm".
5
Jan 26 2024
View Album
Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
Classic early 1960s R&B. Worth it for the title track "Green Onions" alone, but the rest of the tracks on the album - which are mainly covers - feel a bit dated now.
3
Jan 27 2024
View Album
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
I'd forgotten how great this album was. There's the obvious legendary guitar hero "Free Bird", but the rest of the album is good as well, "Tuesday's Gone" and "Gimme Three Steps" to name but two.
5
Jan 28 2024
View Album
From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
Classic Elvis. The highlight is the soulful "In the Ghetto", but the rest of the album is meh!
3
Jan 29 2024
View Album
Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone
A mixture of Blues, Folk, R&B, and Jazz. Wasn't so keen on the Jazz tracks, but I quite liked the other tracks. The song "Four Women" was controversial at the time because of its anti-racism lyrics. 3/5
3
Jan 30 2024
View Album
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
I can't make up my mind about this album. It's sound is both unique and derivative at the same time - just when I think it's quirky and different, it reminds me of other bands but I just can't say who. The vocals are certainly marmite - you either love them or hate them.
3
Jan 31 2024
View Album
Grievous Angel
Gram Parsons
Country music - lots of twanging guitars. Some nice harmonies though.
2
Feb 01 2024
View Album
Eli And The Thirteenth Confession
Laura Nyro
Wikipedia gives the genre as Blue-Eyed Soul / Folk Jazz and I would agree. Laura Nyro has a great voice but the album is boring.
1
Feb 02 2024
View Album
The Message
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
Hip-Hop or the start of Rap? Or both? Either way, I wasn't keen.
2
Feb 03 2024
View Album
Disintegration
The Cure
One of my favourite albums by The Cure. So many great tracks, including "Pictures of You", "Lovesong", "Lullaby" (what a great video), "Fascination Street", and my favourite "Prayers for Rain" (which must be played as loud as possible). I would give this album 6 stars if it were possible.
5
Feb 04 2024
View Album
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
I remember buying this album because I was a Roxy Music fan, but this album was unlike anything else that I'd ever heard. Eno was "out there". A great album. A bit controversial back in the day because of the cover.
5
Feb 05 2024
View Album
Ambient 1/Music For Airports
Brian Eno
Another great Brian Eno album - my favourite of all his ambient work.. Perfect for background music while working, but also great for listening to when you want to relax.
5
Feb 06 2024
View Album
The College Dropout
Kanye West
Yet more hip-hop / rap. I just don't get it! Using the n-word doesn't make it edgy or cool. The sound processing was interesting at first but then became annoying - what's with the squeaky voices anyway? Boring.
1
Feb 07 2024
View Album
Oxygène
Jean-Michel Jarre
Haven't listened to this for years and it doesn't sound dated. Not as "hardcore" as the likes of Tangerine Dream, but this album made electronic music more mainstream - even my dad liked this album.
5
Feb 08 2024
View Album
The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys
Unimpressed. Apart from the opening track "Do You Wanna Dance?" (which is a cover) and "Help Me, Ronda", I don't think that this album has a lot going for it.
2
Feb 09 2024
View Album
Apocalypse Dudes
Turbonegro
Initially I wasn't sure what this album was in the top 1001 albums, especially as I'd never heard of the band before today and assumed that they were only included because they're Norwegian. But the album is solid rock and is actually quite good.
4
Feb 10 2024
View Album
Music From Big Pink
The Band
Apart from "The Weight", I have always failed to understand the attraction of The Band and was almost completely underwhelmed by this album. Their version of "This Wheel's on Fire" is truly awful.
3
Feb 11 2024
View Album
1977
Ash
Some tracks reminded me of Nirvana, and "I'd Give You Anything" has what sounds like a classic Black Sabbath riff. Musical styles are all over the place, but not bad for a debut album.
3
Feb 12 2024
View Album
Faith
George Michael
You can't have lived through the 1980s without hearing the title track "Faith" at least once. Apart from the title track, the rest of the album is nothing special as far as I'm concerned.
2
Feb 13 2024
View Album
At Fillmore East
The Allman Brothers Band
Never heard this album before and I loved it - perfect music to chill to. Laid back blues rock.
5
Feb 14 2024
View Album
Pretenders
Pretenders
The post-punk music is OK, but I've never liked Chrissie Hynde's voice. My favourite track is "Space Invader"; of the rest, "Kid" and "Private Life" aren't too bad, but I've always found their hit "Brass in Pocket" really annoying.
3
Feb 15 2024
View Album
Double Nickels On The Dime
Minutemen
This feels like one of those albums that people rave about because some one has declared that it's trendy. I've heard worse albums, but my general feeling is that listening to this truly depressing album has wasted an hour of my life.
1
Feb 16 2024
View Album
Blood And Chocolate
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Nothing special - sounds very similar to other albums from Elvis Costello and the Attractions. Pretty boring.
2
Feb 17 2024
View Album
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
I'm conflicted by this album. Generally, I'm not a fan of hip-hop, but I quite like this album - partly due to the musical style and production, and partly due to its storytelling nature; however, it's hard to reconcile this against the violent, homophobic, misogynistic, and sometimes racist lyrics - supposedly, some of the songs are satirical, but it's hard to tell which ones.
3
Feb 18 2024
View Album
The Holy Bible
Manic Street Preachers
I was expecting the album to be depressing, but it wasn't too bad. My favourite tracks were "4st 7lb" and "Mausoleum", although I quite liked the very dark "The Intense Humming of Evil".
3
Feb 19 2024
View Album
Teenage Head
Flamin' Groovies
Rock and roll from the early 1970s.
3
Feb 20 2024
View Album
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
I wasn't really into soul in the 1970's and I'm not about to start now.
3
Feb 21 2024
View Album
Smile
Brian Wilson
This album shows just how much Brian Wilson was responsible for the sound of the Beach Boys. A strange album - partly it feels like a concept album and partly it feels like a musical stage show celebrating the Beach Boys.
3
Feb 22 2024
View Album
Street Life
The Crusaders
Jazz R&B Disco - I'm not a fan of Jazz or the late 1970's/early 1980's disco scene. Apart from an overly long version of their hit "Street Life", I found this album boring elevator music.
2
Feb 23 2024
View Album
Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.
Just how many hip-hop albums are there in this list - too many in my opinion. Repetitive and boring.
2
Feb 24 2024
View Album
At Newport 1960
Muddy Waters
A great live album from one of the Blues legends.
5
Feb 25 2024
View Album
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
Overall, I liked it, and I thought that the best track was "Life During Wartime".
4
Feb 26 2024
View Album
Copper Blue
Sugar
Never heard of this band before. I quite liked the album, but nothing really stood out. I'm not a big fan of the muddy wall-of-sound on some of the tracks although I know that this was popular in the 1990's.
4
Feb 27 2024
View Album
Moon Safari
Air
Airy chill-out music with French style.
3
Feb 28 2024
View Album
Medúlla
Björk
More quirky weirdness from Björk - an album consisting only of human vocals with no instruments whatsoever. However, it's still her usual haunting meolodies and vocals.
3
Feb 29 2024
View Album
Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman
John Zorn
Unable to listen to this on Spotify, but found the full album on YouTube., although I shouldn't have bothered. Wikipedia gives the genre as Avant-Garde Jazz / Free Jazz / Punk Jazz / Thrashcore which raises so many red flags. The album title, "Spy vs Spy: The Music of Ornette Coleman", is pushing the term "music" way beyond my defintion of music - I think that "vaguely musical noise" would probably be a better term. I'm 7+ minutes in, and the 5th track has just started, (I think), but it just sounds like one continuous track, and it's giving me a headache.
1
Mar 01 2024
View Album
Rain Dogs
Tom Waits
Quirky to say the least, interesting, but not really my cup of tea.
2
Mar 02 2024
View Album
Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
I don't like Jazz, cool or hot.
1
Mar 03 2024
View Album
Aladdin Sane
David Bowie
I remember when this album came out and I was a bit disappointed at the change in direction from his previous albums. Apart from the singles "Drive-In Saturday" and "The Jean Genie", the rest of the album, especially the discordant title track didn't really impress me.
3
Mar 04 2024
View Album
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
One of my favourite Coldplay albums, contains hit singles "In My Place", "God Put a Smile upon Your Face", "The Scientist", and "Clocks".
5
Mar 05 2024
View Album
Stankonia
OutKast
Yet another hip-hop album!
2
Mar 06 2024
View Album
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
Dream pop - quite appropriate as listening to this made me want to sleep. Not unpleasant, but didn't grab my attention.
3
Mar 07 2024
View Album
KIWANUKA
Michael Kiwanuka
Quite pleasant folk-rock, but nothing really grabbed me.
3
Mar 08 2024
View Album
Life's Too Good
The Sugarcubes
I liked it a lot and not just because of the unmistakable vocals from Björk - the music, (Post-Punk according to Wikipedia), was quirky, but not enough to put me off. My favourite track was "Delicious Demon".
4
Mar 09 2024
View Album
Boston
Boston
Who doesn't like the opening "More Than a Feeling", a classic stadium rock track from the mid 1970s. But apart from this, it's a pretty mediocre album.
3
Mar 10 2024
View Album
NEU! 75
Neu!
I'd heard of this band before, but I'd not listened to any of their albums. Wikipedia gives the genre as "Kosmische Musik", a term used before "KrautRock". As a fan of Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk, I liked this album, although it's closer to the latter than the former. Side 1 is more ambient than side 2 which has more of a rock feel to it and reminded me of Hawkwind.
5
Mar 11 2024
View Album
Gentlemen
The Afghan Whigs
I quite liked this album, but would have liked it more if it weren't so depressing. My favourite track was "Fountain and Fairfax".
3
Mar 12 2024
View Album
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
What an opening track: the eponymous track "Black Sabbath" on the album of the same name, sets the scene perfectly, created a new musical genre, and changed music forever. It's a shame I can only give this 5 stars.
5
Mar 13 2024
View Album
Winter In America
Gil Scott-Heron
Spotify was unable to find the album, but I did find one of the tracks on the album: "Your Daddy Loves You". Jazz-soul-funk. Not for me.
1
Mar 14 2024
View Album
Heroes
David Bowie
My favourite album of the Berlin trilogy. Best track is the title track "Heroes", but I also like "V-2 Schneider".
4
Mar 15 2024
View Album
White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
Another great album from the White Stripes, full of the raw energy that we've come to expect from Jack and Meg. The opening track, "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" is unmistakenly pure White Stripes blues-rock. When I heard "Expecting", I thought I was listening to Black Sabbath.
4
Mar 16 2024
View Album
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
Contains one of my favourite R.E.M. tracks, the superb "Everybody Hurts". Other tracks that I like include "Drive", "Man on the Moon", and "Nightswimming".
5
Mar 17 2024
View Album
Ill Communication
Beastie Boys
Why are there so many hip-hop albums in this list? Once you've heard one hip-hop album, you've heard them all - apart from the jazz samples on some of the tracks, "Sure Shot" and "Root Down" for example, this album sounds the same as any other hip-hop album.
1
Mar 18 2024
View Album
Basket of Light
Pentangle
A classic.
4
Mar 19 2024
View Album
Arrival
ABBA
What more can I say about an album that contains "Dancing Queen", "Knowing Me, Knowing You", and "Money, Money, Money"; plus the title instrumental track "Arrival" itself. A great album.
4
Mar 20 2024
View Album
Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin
More techno then ambient, but I liked it.
4
Mar 21 2024
View Album
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
Country and western with the emphasis on western. An album that's almost as old as me. Some of the tracks, such as "Cool Water" are vaguely familiar from my childhood when cowboy movies were all the rage.
2
Mar 22 2024
View Album
Crazysexycool
TLC
Wikipedia says the genre is R&B / Hip Hop Soul, which feels about right - a better description might be a female version of Prince, but not quite as funky/
3
Mar 23 2024
View Album
American Beauty
Grateful Dead
I'm confused. I always thought that the Dead were a rock band - one of the loudest bands around at the time - but this is at best folk rock, similar to what CSNY were doing. Quite pleasant, but nothing to write home about. My favourite tracks were "Attics of My Life" and "Truckin'".
2
Mar 24 2024
View Album
British Steel
Judas Priest
The opening track "Rapid Fire" reminds me so much of Motörhead. the album also contains one of their most famous tracks "Breaking the Law".
4
Mar 25 2024
View Album
The Boatman's Call
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
A Marmite album: obviously a very talented singer-songwriter, but this is such a depressing album - Leonard Cohen for the 1990's, so it has to be a no from me. I had to check that Spotify hadn't started playing Lou Reed when "There Is a Kingdom" started because I thought that I was listening to "Perfect Day".
3
Mar 26 2024
View Album
Natty Dread
Bob Marley & The Wailers
I'd not heard this particular album before for some reason, but it's another classic Bob Marley albu, starting with "Lively Up Yourself", and followed by the original verison of "No Woman, No Cry". I will be adding this album to my wishlist.
5
Mar 27 2024
View Album
Countdown To Ecstasy
Steely Dan
I wasn't a fan of Steely Dan's brand of jazz-rock back in the 1970s, and apart from the odd track here and there - none of which are on this album - I'm still not a fan; I remember that this was the cause of many an argument with some of my friends back in the day. I quite liked "Your Gold Teeth" which had more of a prog-rock feel to it.
3
Mar 28 2024
View Album
1984
Van Halen
Not bad, but apart from "Jump", not great either.
3
Mar 29 2024
View Album
Mr. Tambourine Man
The Byrds
Apart from the classic title song "Mr. Tambourine Man", the rest of this folk-rock album is beginning to sound a bit dated now.
3
Mar 30 2024
View Album
Brown Sugar
D'Angelo
Neo-soul/R&B/soul/funk/jazz = pretentious crap.
1
Mar 31 2024
View Album
Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
More Afrobeat than Jazz, but a blend of both - but I liked it.
3
Apr 01 2024
View Album
Alien Lanes
Guided By Voices
Wikipedia specifies the genre as Indie Rock / Lo-Fi / Power Pop? The longest track is less than 3 minutes long, with the average track length being around one-and-half minutes. I'm sure that there's some talent in there somewhere, but it's not too obvious from this album, as the whole album sounds very amateurish, but I guess that's the "Lo-Fi" aspect. The album in parts is truly depressing, especially "As We Go Up, We Go Down" and "The Ugly Vision". I was going to give this album 2 stars, but the longer I listened, the worse it got.
1
Apr 02 2024
View Album
Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche
Koffi Olomide
For fans of world music - if you liked the South African music on Paul Simon's "Graceland", then you will like this album. No idea what he was singing about because the lyrics are in French and Congolese, but I really liked this album.
4
Apr 03 2024
View Album
For Your Pleasure
Roxy Music
Not sure why I bought this album instead of Roxy Music's first album back in the day, but I'm so glad that I did. From the opening "Do the Strand", to "In Every Dream Home a Heartache", "The Bogus Man", and the closing title track "For Your Pleasure", this still remains one of my all time favourite albums.
5
Apr 04 2024
View Album
Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
Remove the energy from punk and combine it with the "woe is me" lyrics from country, throw in a violin, and you get this truly depressing unmucial awful album. I could feel my will to live slipping away as I listened to it. This album only gets one star because I can't give it zero.
1
Apr 05 2024
View Album
S&M
Metallica
Although I was only previously aquainted with just a few Metallica songs, I liked this album. Metallica's thrash metal works with a symphony orchestra, and works well. I especially liked "Master of Puppets", "Nothing Else Matters", "For Whom the Bell Tolls", and of course "Enter Sandman".
4
Apr 06 2024
View Album
Midnight Ride
Paul Revere & The Raiders
Nothing special. The album is notable for two tracks "Kicks" (which was rejected by the Animals) and "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone" which was a top-20 hit for the Monkees in the USA.
3
Apr 07 2024
View Album
Private Dancer
Tina Turner
The album is OK, but nothing special. Contains her hits "What's Love Got to Do with It" and "Private Dancer", plus passable covers of Ann Peebles' "I Can't Stand the Rain", Al Green's "Let's Stay Together", and David Bowie's "1984".
3
Apr 08 2024
View Album
Triangle
The Beau Brummels
Reminiscent of their contemporaries Traffic and Jefferson Airplane, but nothing really grabbed my attention, but that could be due to a lack of familiarity with this group.
2
Apr 09 2024
View Album
The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
The opening track "Race for the Prize" grates my nerves - the twanging guitar, synth, or whatever it is sound like it's out of tune, as do the vocals on the second track "A Spoonful Weighs a Ton". A difficult listen - perhaps a bit too "out there" for my liking.
1
Apr 10 2024
View Album
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
As much as I admire Dolly Parton as a person, I just don't like country music.
1
Apr 11 2024
View Album
Rings Around The World
Super Furry Animals
Alternative rock? A mixture of different musical styles which might suggest a number of line-up changes during the recording of the album, but apparently not. Not bad, but not great either.
3
Apr 12 2024
View Album
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Eurythmics
Part of the soundtrack for the 1980s. Contains some great tracks, the title track "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" obviously, but also "Love Is a Stranger", "Somebody Told Me", "This City Never Sleeps", and my favourite "Jennifer".
5
Apr 13 2024
View Album
Mothership Connection
Parliament
Mid-1970s funk - sounds so dated now, with track names such as "Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication"!
2
Apr 14 2024
View Album
Rejoicing In The Hands
Devendra Banhart
Acoustic folk-rock. Not sure why an album that sold so few copies is in this list - it's OK, but why choose this album over, for example, a Cat Stevens album? His voice reminds me of early Tyrannosaurus Rex, but not sure if that's what makes Devendra Banhart a psychedelic folk musician as there's nothing particularly psychedelic about this album.
2
Apr 15 2024
View Album
Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
I usually don't like jazz, but this is bossa nova, samba-jazz and it's not too bad. The opening track "Desafinado" is a song that I've heard before, as is "Samba de Uma Nota Só" - probably in an elevator or hotel bar somewhere. After a while, all the tracks begin to sound the same to me.
2
Apr 16 2024
View Album
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
Classic Elton John.
4
Apr 17 2024
View Album
Tuesday Night Music Club
Sheryl Crow
It's OK.
3
Apr 18 2024
View Album
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Classic stuff.
4
Apr 19 2024
View Album
Woodface
Crowded House
Nothing special.
3
Apr 20 2024
View Album
Shalimar
Rahul Dev Burman
I'm a fan of classical Indian music, but not Indian film music. This is a strange mix of Indian film music and western 1970's music, with several songs sung in English. It all sounds a bit dated now.
2
Apr 21 2024
View Album
Murmur
R.E.M.
Apart from "Radio Free Europe", "Talk About the Passion" and "Perfect Circle", I wasn't very familiar with the tracks on R.E.M.'s debut album, but I really liked it.
4
Apr 22 2024
View Album
Screamadelica
Primal Scream
Indie rock meets acid house. Not impressed.
2
Apr 23 2024
View Album
Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
TV On The Radio
I guess it's all down to personal taste but I just don't understand how this album makes this list. Wikipedia gives the genre as Avant-Pop / Dark Wave / Experimental / Post-Punk and I think that says it all - specifying the genre as "avant-anything" or "experimental" tends to indicate to me an album that will only be liked by people who think that they're trendy.
1
Apr 24 2024
View Album
Time Out Of Mind
Bob Dylan
A more mellow, reflective Bob Dylan. The track "Can't Wait" reminded of John Lennon's "How Do You Sleep?", while the guitar playing on the final track "Highlands" sounded like a slowed-down version of a song by Seasick Steve. I quite liked the album.
4
Apr 25 2024
View Album
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
Two of the best ever Rollong Stones tracks are on this album: "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Street Fighting Man".
4
Apr 26 2024
View Album
Beach Samba
Astrud Gilberto
Apparently not one of her best albums; she was better known for her version of "The Girl from Ipanema" which isn't on this album, so it makes me wonder why this album was chosen and whether we can expect to see another Astrud Gilberto album in this list. The album is pleasant, but sounds so dated now, reminds me of watching some 1960's foreign-language movie on BBC 2.
2
Apr 27 2024
View Album
Post Orgasmic Chill
Skunk Anansie
Liked the album. The lead singer has an incredible voice.
4
Apr 28 2024
View Album
D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle were one of the pioneers of industrial music, and this album is interesting, from harsh experimental music, to tracks that reminded me of Tangerine Dream and Brian Eno.
3
Apr 29 2024
View Album
En-Tact
The Shamen
I quite liked this album. I think I preferred their dance tracks to their more psychedelic tracks.
3
Apr 30 2024
View Album
Dummy
Portishead
The opening track "Mysterons" reminds me of Björk's "Hunter" (although the Björk song was 3 years later). Haunting, but slightly depressing, with the last track, "Glory Box", verging on almost being joyful.
3
May 01 2024
View Album
Country Life
Roxy Music
Not my favourite Roxy Music album.
3
May 02 2024
View Album
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
I think that the title of the opening track, "Grand Ole Opry Song", says it all - this is an American country/country-folk/bluegrass album from 1972 with lots of banjos and fiddles, but it's not what we'd now think of as a C&W album, which is its saving grace.
2
May 03 2024
View Album
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
It's jazz and to make things worse it's avant-garde jazz, which means it sounds like a collection of random noises played by "musicians" who were in different locations at different times.
1
May 04 2024
View Album
Architecture And Morality
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
After the grating opening track "The New Stone Age", the album settles down into the OMD style that most are used to; includes their hits "Souvenir", "Joan of Arc", and "Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)".
4
May 05 2024
View Album
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
What can I say about the definitive Black Sabbath album? Apart from the title track "Paranoid", we also have "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "Electric Funeral", and "Fairies Wear Boots".
5
May 06 2024
View Album
Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
Probably my favourite Alice Cooper album, so many great tracks, "Hello Hooray", "Elected", "No More Mr. Nice Guy", "I Love the Dead", the title track "Billion Dollar Babies", dental nighmare, "Unfinished Sweet", and my favourite "Sick Things".
5
May 07 2024
View Album
Tubular Bells
Mike Oldfield
Revolutionary when it was released, and still relevant today.
5
May 08 2024
View Album
Kings Of The Wild Frontier
Adam & The Ants
I've always liked "ant music". The drumming is reminiscent of John Kongos and Burundi Black from the early 1970s, but it was a different sound for the early 1980s. In addition to their hits "Antmusic" and "Kings of the Wild Frontier", there's also "Ants Invasion".
4
May 09 2024
View Album
Buffalo Springfield Again
Buffalo Springfield
A classic folk-rock album from the "summer of love" era, contains their singles "Mr. Soul", "Bluebird", "Expecting to Fly", and "Rock & Roll Woman", plus "Broken Arrow".
4
May 10 2024
View Album
Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
Mediocre.
3
May 11 2024
View Album
The Last Of The True Believers
Nanci Griffith
Who? A US country artist that didn't make it across the pond. Quite pleasant for country music, but ultimately boring.
2
May 12 2024
View Album
Guitar Town
Steve Earle
Is it rock or is it country, it's country-rock. For Bruce Springsteen fans who lean more towards country than rock.
3
May 13 2024
View Album
The Colour Of Spring
Talk Talk
I was a fan of their first album, "The Party's Over", but wasn't overly keen on their move to a more jazz oriented sound, but this album isn't as bad as their subsequent album "Spirit of Eden".
4
May 14 2024
View Album
The Madcap Laughs
Syd Barrett
Obviously reminiscent of early Pink Floyd, think "Arnold Layne" and "Bike", a piece of hsitory, but slightly depressing, with little hint of the subsequent greatness that Pink Floyd would achieve.
3
May 15 2024
View Album
Let England Shake
PJ Harvey
Don't really see what all the fuss is about. She sounds a bit like Björk, but nat as quirky.
3
May 16 2024
View Album
Paris 1919
John Cale
Early 1970's Art-Pop doesn't do it for me and neither does this album.
2
May 17 2024
View Album
Aqualung
Jethro Tull
One of the all time classic albums, ever! A mix of folk-rock, progressive rock, and hard-rock. I still listen to this album.
5
May 18 2024
View Album
Logical Progression
LTJ Bukem
Boring - it would be better if it was more ambient and less repetitive. The tracks listed by the Wikipedia link are different from those on Spotify which doesn't include the classic track "Demon's Theme"; this review is based onthe Spotify album.
2
May 19 2024
View Album
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
Apart from "Bell Bottom Blues" and the massive "Layla", I'd not heard any of the tracks from this double album before. Not the best blues-rock I've ever heard, but pretty close. I liked their version of the blues standards "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out", "Key to the Highway", and "Have You Ever Loved a Woman", but wasn't so keen on their cover of the Jimi Hendrix song "Little Wing".
4
May 20 2024
View Album
This Is Hardcore
Pulp
Liked it.
4
May 21 2024
View Album
Fred Neil
Fred Neil
Apart from one track, this album is pretty much variations of "Everybody's Talkin'" which was a big hit for Nilsson after it was featured in the film "Midnight Cowboy" (and whioch I prefer). The standout track for me was the Indian inspired "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga" which was almost obligatory for any album from the mid 1960s.
2
May 22 2024
View Album
Guero
Beck
A strange inconsistent album with a variety of musical styles. I had high hopes with the opening track "E-Pro" which was a solid alt-rock track, but then it descended into the realms of hip-hop with the second track "Qué Onda Guero". After this the album settles down into blend of pop-rock.
3
May 23 2024
View Album
Machine Gun Etiquette
The Damned
I liked it. Imagine the energy of raw punk from a couple of years earlier (1977), with the sophistication of The Stranglers, plus the speed of Motörhead, with some heavy metal and a bit of Dire Straits thrown in for good measure, and you're getting close to the feel of this album.
4
May 24 2024
View Album
Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
Not another bloody hip-hop album? Repetitve, boring and if it wasn't for Spotify occasionally interrupting with adverts, I would assumed that the album consistly of two or three very long tracks. Highlights for me were the dub-style hip-hop tracks "INS Greencard A-19 191 500" and "Socio-Genetic Experiment".
2
May 25 2024
View Album
Lady In Satin
Billie Holiday
Late 1950s jazz with an orchestra. Even though her voice was not at its best by the time she recorded this, her penultimate, album, there's no doubting that she had an amazing voice. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of this style of music and find it boring.
2
May 26 2024
View Album
She's So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper
Very much a 1980s synth-led pop-rock album; contains the massive "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and one of my favourites "Time After Time", but the rest of the album is meh.
4
May 27 2024
View Album
Pump
Aerosmith
American stadium glam-rock. Nothing special.
3
May 28 2024
View Album
Before And After Science
Brian Eno
Apparently his last non-ambient album. Reminded me of his earlier album, "Here Come the Warm Jets".
3
May 29 2024
View Album
La Revancha Del Tango
Gotan Project
French electronica / tango / nu jazz! Why this album is in this list is anyone's guess because I'm not sure what to make of this album. The album is pleasant enough, but ultimately boring and doesn't really go anywhere. However, pour yourself a Pastis 51, light a Gauloises, and chill.
2
May 30 2024
View Album
Leftism
Leftfield
I didn't really consider myself a fan of house music, but if this is progressive house, I'm a fan. I loved the album and I've just bought it.
5
May 31 2024
View Album
Reggatta De Blanc
The Police
So many great tracks on this album, including the massive hit "Message in a Bottle", the title track "Reggatta de Blanc", plus "Bring On the Night", and my personal favourites "Walking on the Moon" and "The Bed's Too Big Without You".
5
Jun 01 2024
View Album
A Northern Soul
The Verve
Spotify said that it couldn't play "A New Decade" or "Life's an Ocean" for some reason? Several tracks sound very much like Oasis songs from the same period, which isn't surprising as they used the same producer, Owen Morris, but other tracks hint more at what was to be the style of their next album "Urban Hymns".
4
Jun 02 2024
View Album
Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
Back in day, when I was into hard rock, one of my friends raved about Steely Dan, but I never saw the attraction. Having said that, I quite liked the two singles "Do It Again" and "Reelin' In the Years".
3
Jun 03 2024
View Album
Music
Madonna
Appareently, the title track was released as a single, but I don't remember hearing it or anything else from this forgettable album. Interesting, but insipid, cover of Don McLean's "American Pie".
2
Jun 04 2024
View Album
The Healer
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker and Carlos Santana on the title track is a match made in heaven and it will heal your ills. A great album, with a fantastic array of guests.
5
Jun 05 2024
View Album
Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
Meh!
3
Jun 06 2024
View Album
Night Life
Ray Price
Wikipedia says this is country / hony-tonk, but the title track "Night Life", (written by Willie Nelson), is more blues than country. The rest of the album is most definitely country (which I can't stand unfortunately).
2
Jun 07 2024
View Album
2112
Rush
I'm a fan of prog-rock, but I'm not a fan of this album and can't see what all the fuss is about.
2
Jun 08 2024
View Album
...Baby One More Time
Britney Spears
Ultimately, this is a manufactured pop album that could have been made by almost any female singer. Would it have been such a massive hit without that video for "...Baby One More Time" - I don't know. There's no real coherence to this album as it veers between dance and teenage love songs.
2
Jun 09 2024
View Album
Live Through This
Hole
Alternative rock / grunge / punk rock. Not bad, but nothing special, notable only for Courtney Love and its connection to the late Kurt Cobain.
3
Jun 10 2024
View Album
Porcupine
Echo And The Bunnymen
Contains their haunting single "The Cutter". Interesting album.
4
Jun 11 2024
View Album
They Were Wrong, So We Drowned
Liars
Noise rock / experimental rock / dance-punk - the genre and the album's title says it all I think. I've heard worse, but not often.
2
Jun 12 2024
View Album
461 Ocean Boulevard
Eric Clapton
Blues rock. Contains Eric Clapton's versions of "Motherless Children" (traditional), "Willie and the Hand Jive" (Johnny Otis), "I Shot the Sheriff" (Bob Marley), "I Can't Hold Out" (Willie Dixon), and others, plus some new songs such as "Give Me Strength" and "Let It Grow".
4
Jun 13 2024
View Album
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Dead Kennedys
Some punk hasn't aged well, and most of this album falls into this category apart from their single "Holiday in Cambodia" which I quite liked, and the quirky cover of the Elvis song "Viva Las Vegas".
2
Jun 14 2024
View Album
Searching For The Young Soul Rebels
Dexys Midnight Runners
Northern soul with a northern brass band sound. After a while, all the tracks begin sound the same. Contains their massive hit "Geno" which I was never really a fan of.
3
Jun 15 2024
View Album
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
A classic 60's style R&B/Soul album, with the odd reggae track "Just Friends". The lady sure can sing, but ultimately, it all depends on whether or not you're a fan of this style of music.
4
Jun 16 2024
View Album
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
Oh joy! More Jazz. I've never got the point of this style of Jazz.
1
Jun 17 2024
View Album
Music Has The Right To Children
Boards of Canada
According to Wikipedia "the album received critical acclaim upon its release, and has since been acknowledged as a landmark work in electronic music" - I own this album and it's good, but I don't understand how this album, released in 1998, is regarded as a "landmark work in electronic music"? Have people not heard of Faust, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Brian Eno, and others, that have being making electronic music since the 1970s?
4
Jun 18 2024
View Album
Playing With Fire
Spacemen 3
Any band purporting to psychedelic rock / space rock is going to be compared with Hawkwind and Pink Floyd. This album tends more towards early Pink Floyd than Hawkwind, think "A Saucerful of Secrets", although "Revolution" is almost identical to "You Shouldn't Do That" from Hawkwind's 1971 album "In Search of Space".
3
Jun 19 2024
View Album
Live!
Fela Kuti
Afrobeat album, (recorded live in the studio), famous for featuring Ginger Baker on two of the four tracks (tracks 3 and 4). Reissue and Spotify have a bonus track featuring a 16-minute drum duet between Ginger Baker and Africa '70's drummer Tony Allen recorded at the 1978 Berlin Jazz Festival. I liked it.
4
Jun 20 2024
View Album
Sheet Music
10cc
Not as good as their subsequent album "The Original Soundtrack", but still a classic. Revolutionary at the time, but beginning to sound a bit dated now. Contains their hit "The Wall Street Shuffle".
4
Jun 21 2024
View Album
Songs From A Room
Leonard Cohen
I have always found Leonard Cohen depressing and this album is no exception.
2
Jun 22 2024
View Album
Illmatic
Nas
Another rap album- what gives?
1
Jun 23 2024
View Album
Cross
Justice
Boring.
1
Jun 24 2024
View Album
Bad Company
Bad Company
Haven't listened to this album for years. From the opening track "Can't Get Enough", through the title track "Bad Company", to the closing track "Seagull", this is a classic 1970s rock album.
5
Jun 25 2024
View Album
Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
Another classic rock album from the 1970s - what a great decade it was.
5
Jun 26 2024
View Album
Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts
The Adverts
One of the better punk bands from the late 1970s. The Spotify album / 2002 reissue includes their hit single "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" which I remember buying. Beginning to sound a bit dated now.
3
Jun 27 2024
View Album
Bad
Michael Jackson
Mixed feelings about this album. You have some great tracks like "Bad", "Man in the Mirror", "Dirty Diana", and the massive "Smooth Criminal", but the rest of the album I can live without.
3
Jun 28 2024
View Album
Maggot Brain
Funkadelic
Interesting album. The instrumental title track, "Maggot Brain", is wow! And the rest of the album is like a cross btween The Temptations and Jimi Hendrix.
4
Jun 29 2024
View Album
Kollaps
Einstürzende Neubauten
Interesting. Strangely hypnotic! Punk music with hand tools.
3
Jun 30 2024
View Album
Purple Rain
Prince
Loved the movie and love the album. Includes "Let's Go Crazy", "Darling Nikki", and of course, the outstanding title track "Purple Rain".
4
Jul 01 2024
View Album
Psychocandy
The Jesus And Mary Chain
Apparently, according to Wikipedia, thise music has been described as "bubblegum pop drowned in feedback", (or noise-pop), and helped establish the style of distortion-laden fogginess that would eventually become the foundation for shoegaze. More depressing than Joy Division, (who I like), with none of the charm or energy.
1
Jul 02 2024
View Album
Rock Bottom
Robert Wyatt
Although a fan of the "Canterbury scene", I've never really been a fan of Robert Wyatt's music or his voice.
1
Jul 03 2024
View Album
Aha Shake Heartbreak
Kings of Leon
Quirky, but energetic.
3
Jul 04 2024
View Album
Selling England By The Pound
Genesis
One of my favourite Genesis albums, and one of my favourite albums ever. For me, the best tracks are "Firth of Fifth", and "The Cinema Show" / "Aisle of Plenty".
5
Jul 05 2024
View Album
Bummed
Happy Mondays
Unhappy Mondays is a more appropriate name for this group, and Bummed is how I feel after listening to them drone on and on. Apparently a lot drugs were used during the recording of this album, and under the influence of drugs is probably the best way to listen to this album.
2
Jul 06 2024
View Album
All Directions
The Temptations
Classic 1970s funk from the Temptations; the album includes one of my favourite tracks ever: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone".
5
Jul 07 2024
View Album
Tapestry
Carole King
So many standards on this album, most of which were hits for other artists: "I Feel the Earth Move", "It's Too Late", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", and the massive "You've Got a Friend" (which I'd always assumed had been written by James Taylor).
5
Jul 08 2024
View Album
OK
Talvin Singh
Classical Indian music meets Electronica / Drum and Bass - music to chill to. I liked it.
4
Jul 09 2024
View Album
Youth And Young Manhood
Kings of Leon
It's OK, not sure if I like Caleb Followill's voice or not. I quite liked "Wasted Time" because it reminded me very much of Tom Petty, and I also liked the laid-back "Dusty".
3
Jul 10 2024
View Album
Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
The Residents
Generally speaking I don't like any musical style that includes "avant garde" or "experimental" in its description, and this "experimental rock" album is no exception.
1
Jul 11 2024
View Album
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
Until their fourth album, this was the Led Zeppelin album. Side one of the album opens with the stunning "Whole Lotta Love" which was used as the title music for "Top of the Pops", a staple TV music programme if you grew up in the UK in 1970s, while side two opens with "Heartbreaker" another classic rock track. Classic 1970s rock from the masters.
5
Jul 12 2024
View Album
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Pretty much what you'd expect from one half of folk-rock megastars Simon & Garfunkel. Stand out songs are the firts two singles from the album: the reggae song "Mother and Child Reunion", and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard".
4
Jul 13 2024
View Album
Viva Hate
Morrissey
I never liked the Smiths because I found them depressing, and felt that Morrissey was pretentious twat. Musically this album is OK, but Morrissey's whining vocals, which seem to be for a different album, ruin it for me, heaven knows how miserable I felt while listening to this album.
1
Jul 14 2024
View Album
Solid Air
John Martyn
Folk-rock, almost jazz at times - a masterpiece. The title track is moody and brilliant, "I'd Rather Be the Devil" (a version of the Skip James song "Devil Got My Woman") is funky and definitely "out there", while his signature song "May You Never" was later covered by Eric Clapton.
5
Jul 15 2024
View Album
Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi
I always thought that Bon Jovi were another overrated American stadium glam-rock band more interested in their appearance than their music. That said, this album is not too bad and it contains some of their biggest hits including "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' on a Prayer", and "Wanted Dead or Alive".
4
Jul 16 2024
View Album
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
Another classic singer-songwriter folk-rock album from the early 1970s - it seems amazing today just how big this type of music was back in the day. IOn addition to the title track, this album also contains the single "Country Road", the massive "Fire and Rain", the bluesy "Steamroller", and an interesting version of "Oh, Susannah".
5
Jul 17 2024
View Album
Dry
PJ Harvey
I'm not sure about this album, it's a bit depressing, but emotional and haunting at the same time.
3
Jul 18 2024
View Album
World Clique
Deee-Lite
If I was in a nightclub or at an event this album would be a good choice, but outside of that type of environment this album just doesn't do it for me - I don't think that house music travels very well.
1
Jul 19 2024
View Album
Welcome to the Afterfuture
Mike Ladd
Who? Why are there so many hip-hop albums in the list? Hip-Hop meets dystopia - depressing.
1
Jul 21 2024
View Album
Microshift
Hookworms
A mix of neo-psychedelia (whatever that is), space rock, noise rock, and drone rock - think OMS meets Joy Division meets Kraftwerk meets Snow Patrol. I quite liked it, especially "Opener".
4
Jul 22 2024
View Album
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
A beautifully produced album of melancholic, almost depressing music, which ultimately, just doesn't do it for me.
3
Jul 23 2024
View Album
Heartattack And Vine
Tom Waits
I loved the title track "Heartattack and Vine" plus "'Til the Money Runs Out"- his voice matches the bluesy ballad style of these tracks. But on tracks like "Saving All My Love for You", it's almost like he's a parody of himself.
2
Jul 24 2024
View Album
Survivor
Destiny's Child
Dominated by Beyonce, but that's not a criticism. Contains such classics as "Survivor" and "Bootylicious", but apart from "Gospel Medley", the other tracks they all to blend into each other.
3
Jul 25 2024
View Album
Figure 8
Elliott Smith
It's OK, but nothing special.
3
Jul 26 2024
View Album
High Violet
The National
Interesting album - sort of upbeat Leonard Cohen playes slowed-down Joy Divisin.
3
Aug 04 2024
View Album
Better Living Through Chemistry
Fatboy Slim
Mixed feelings: I like the music, but it all begins to sound the same after a while.
3
Aug 05 2024
View Album
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
The first Black Sabbath album I ever bought and one of their best.
5
Aug 06 2024
View Album
Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
A great album from the post-punk era.
5
Aug 07 2024
View Album
John Barleycorn Must Die
Traffic
Not my favourite Traffic album, more folk-rock that prog-rock in my opinion, but nethertheless a good album.
4
Aug 08 2024
View Album
Meat Is Murder
The Smiths
I loathe Morrissey.
1
Aug 09 2024
View Album
The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
Interesting album.
3
Aug 10 2024
View Album
Club Classics Vol. One
Soul II Soul
Late 1980s, Soul/R&B/Dance Music - not for me.
2
Aug 11 2024
View Album
Rhythm Nation 1814
Janet Jackson
Not really my type of music - after a while all the tracks sounded the same.
2
Aug 12 2024
View Album
Your New Favourite Band
The Hives
Swedish garage-rock-punk revival band - some tracks reminded me of the Stranglers. Nothing special.
2
Aug 13 2024
View Album
Autobahn
Kraftwerk
Revolutionary when this album came out, and I still listen to it.
5
Aug 14 2024
View Album
Dub Housing
Pere Ubu
Combine Talking Heads with Devo, and you begin to come close to Pere Ubu, but without the talent. Quirky and annoying - I just don't like the lead singer's voice.
1
Aug 15 2024
View Album
Everything Must Go
Manic Street Preachers
I never understood what all the fuss was about this band back in the day, and I still don't. Mediocre at best.
2
Aug 16 2024
View Album
Red Dirt Girl
Emmylou Harris
Not your usual country music album, but I'm still not a fan.
2
Aug 17 2024
View Album
The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
It's OK
3
Aug 18 2024
View Album
Out of Step
Minor Threat
Hardcore punk - but wasn't punk already dead by 1983? More like thrash metal than the punk that I remember.
2
Aug 19 2024
View Album
Superunknown
Soundgarden
The obvious comparison is with Nirvana, but I detected hints of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath in some of the songs. Liked it.
5
Aug 20 2024
View Album
Talking Timbuktu
Ali Farka Touré
The very distinctive style of Ali Farka Touré - magical stuff. I especually liked "Gomni", plus the bluesy "Amandrai" and "Ai Du".
5
Aug 21 2024
View Album
Dig Your Own Hole
The Chemical Brothers
Liked it.
4
Aug 22 2024
View Album
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Simple Minds
One of my favourite Simple Minds albums - my favourite track is the last one: "King is White and in the Crowd".
5
Aug 23 2024
View Album
Back to Basics
Christina Aguilera
Wasn't so keen on the pop songs, but quite liked the R&B and Jazz-Blues songs.
3
Aug 24 2024
View Album
Hejira
Joni Mitchell
The start of Joni's move from folk-rock to folk-jazz; quite pleasant, but for me nothing stands out.
3
Aug 25 2024
View Album
The Sun Rises In The East
Jeru The Damaja
Why are there so many hip-hop albums in this list? To me, this sounds no different from any of the other hip-hop albums in the list and is just as unremarkable. Going by the number of plays, Spotify users don't rate it very heighly either.
1
Aug 26 2024
View Album
Next
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
A classic. I remember them doing "The Faith Healer" on TOGWT and I was hooked. For em another stand-out track from the album is the title track "Next".
5
Aug 27 2024
View Album
Roots
Sepultura
Groove/Nu/Death Metal with the flavour of Brazil, especially on tracks such as "Ratamahatta". Have you seen a doctor about your throat?
4
Aug 28 2024
View Album
Superfuzz Bigmuff
Mudhoney
Depressing.
2
Aug 29 2024
View Album
...The Dandy Warhols Come Down
The Dandy Warhols
As someone who likes "Bohemian Like You" from their mext album, I dound this album a bit of a let down.
3
Aug 30 2024
View Album
Gasoline Alley
Rod Stewart
I was not a fan back in the 70s, and I'm still not.
2
Aug 31 2024
View Album
McCartney
Paul McCartney
Lennon-McCartney were epic, but apart from the follow-up album "Ram" and the odd song now and then, I never rated McCartney as a solo artist, and this album is no exception.
2
Sep 01 2024
View Album
Little Earthquakes
Tori Amos
The album cover was a bit controversial at the time due to the phallic mushrooms it depicted. The obvious comparison is with Kate Bush, but Tori Amos comes across as less pop and more serious. I'm still a fan of the album.
4
Sep 02 2024
View Album
Kick Out The Jams (Live)
MC5
Who? Not sure who decided that this was pro-punk rather than rock, and pretty medocre rock at that? Sound quality is not great.
2
Sep 03 2024
View Album
Born To Be With You
Dion
Meh. This seems to be one of the albums that you're supposed like because it's trendy. Perhaps it would have better if Phil Spector left it on the shelf?
2
Sep 04 2024
View Album
Millions Now Living Will Never Die
Tortoise
Who? Apparently it's Post-Rock/Jazz-Fusion which immediately puts me off, but I gave it a chance. First track, "Djed", is just under 21 minutes long, but reminded me of early Kraftwerk. The second track, "Glass Museum", reminded me of Gentle Giant. Overall, I quite liked it, but I wouldn't buy it.
3
Sep 05 2024
View Album
Felt Mountain
Goldfrapp
Haunting. Critically acclaimed, but the UK album buying public didn't seem to agree with the critics.
3
Sep 06 2024
View Album
Face to Face
The Kinks
The first and last tracks, "Party Line" and "I'll Remember", sounded so much like the Beatles that I had to check. Contains the classic "Sunny Afternoon". Some of the other tracks were quite progressive for the time.
4
Sep 07 2024
View Album
Surf's Up
The Beach Boys
Boring.
2
Sep 08 2024
View Album
Bug
Dinosaur Jr.
Nothing special, almost boring.
2
Sep 09 2024
View Album
Planet Rock: The Album
Afrika Bambaataa
Old School Hip-Hop or New School Hip-Hop - it's still Hip-Hop and I just don't see the point.
1
Sep 10 2024
View Album
Antichrist Superstar
Marilyn Manson
I quite liked this album.
4
Sep 11 2024
View Album
Mask
Bauhaus
This album didn't quite live up to the high expectations that I had based on their brilliant debut single "Bela Lugosi's Dead", but it grows on you.
4
Sep 12 2024
View Album
Rid Of Me
PJ Harvey
The songs are dark and moody, and the sound is raw. This is someone that you don't want to get into an argument with. But I liked it.
4
Sep 13 2024
View Album
The Stranger
Billy Joel
Billy Joel is like Marmite - you either like him or you don't. And I'm not a fan, but I understand his popularity. This album contains a number of his biggest hits, including "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)", "Just the Way You Are", and "She's Always a Woman".
3
Sep 14 2024
View Album
S.F. Sorrow
The Pretty Things
A psychedelic rock opera. It all sounds a bit dated now.
2
Sep 15 2024
View Album
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
I'm not usually a fan of albums by supergroups because I don't think they work - too many egos. THis album just doesn't rock my boat.
2
Sep 16 2024
View Album
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
Jazz-Fusion / Jazz-Rock album with just two tracks - need I say more? I'm not a Jazz fan, and especially not a fan of Jazz-Fusion, so isn't for me.
1
Sep 17 2024
View Album
#1 Record
Big Star
Who? Apparently this album is now widely-regarded as a seminal work in pop rock and power pop, but I don't know how much of influence it was at the time if virtually no one had ever heard of it until it subsequent re-releases. It's OK.
3