323
Albums Rated
2.5
Average Rating
30%
Complete
766 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010s
Favorite Decade
Soul
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
14
5-Star Albums
73
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Simple Minds
|
5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
|
Protection
Massive Attack
|
5 | 3.25 | +1.75 |
|
Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
|
5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
|
Seventeen Seconds
The Cure
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
|
5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
|
The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
|
5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
|
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
|
5 | 3.55 | +1.45 |
|
L.A. Woman
The Doors
|
5 | 3.67 | +1.33 |
|
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
|
5 | 3.73 | +1.27 |
|
KIWANUKA
Michael Kiwanuka
|
5 | 3.74 | +1.26 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
|
1 | 3.99 | -2.99 |
|
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
|
1 | 3.8 | -2.8 |
|
Kid A
Radiohead
|
1 | 3.71 | -2.71 |
|
White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
|
1 | 3.68 | -2.68 |
|
Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
|
1 | 3.61 | -2.61 |
|
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
|
1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
|
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
|
1 | 3.48 | -2.48 |
|
Paul's Boutique
Beastie Boys
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
|
1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
|
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
5-Star Albums (14)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Dr. Dre
1/5
This album and artist just grind me, such an ignorant form of music, it is certainly the lowest form of Hip Hop, which although this crap may have sold well at the time, it is extremely stale, ignorant and childish in comparison to other HipHop out at the same time like Del La Soul.
With conitnuous profanities for lyrics, aimed at their target audience of pubescent teenagers stoned out of their heads on mushrooms or sucking the end of a bong, who have just learnt how to tug on their pogo sticks, thinking they're "Billy big balls" cool listening to mutha fker niggah lyrics rapped out to a backing track created on a Rolf Harris Stylophone, bopping about in jerky alleged dance movements like a drunk chicken pecking through the grit for grain.
Every track is exactly the same stylophone backing with different arrangements of every profanity you can think of....
So in summary...
This album is pure shite.
6 likes
Mike Ladd
1/5
What the hell is this supposed to be?????
If I'm reincarnated a thousand times and never hear this album again, then I will be happy.
This has no place in 1001 albums to hear.
3 likes
Ryan Adams
2/5
Never heard of this guy, started off sort of OK in places, but then rapidly got progressively crappier. Generally not for me, I would need to be beyond bored shitless to even contemplate listening to this again..
3 likes
Jurassic 5
1/5
Never heard of Jurassic 5.... really unimpressed, the first track was really annoying to listen to and it just got worse, what can I say, not my cup of tea. Would like to give a zero rating.
3 likes
1-Star Albums (73)
All Ratings
The Kinks
3/5
Love the Kinks, one of the more progressive 60s bands.
That said, it's not one of their best albums, with the best track being Picture Book, with the intro rift sampled in the noughties by Green Day on their track Warning.
The Smiths
3/5
Well you could listen to this album on a night when youre feeling melancholy, and wanting to stick two fingers up to all that's wrong in the world... arguably a common theme with Morrisey, but the Smith's have better albums in their catalogue.
Some strange mash up tracks... Rusholme Ruffians, = charming man v's elvis Marie's the name of his latest flame.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
A marriage of rock and blues by people who can actually play instruments Iford a rich sound and vibe. Really enjoyed this, their first, album.
Paul Simon
4/5
Was looking forward to listening to this album again, although there's only 4 tracks I ever really liked on it. There was a lot of experimenting with sounds on this album, which you can pick up on throughout the album.
Jurassic 5
1/5
Never heard of Jurassic 5.... really unimpressed, the first track was really annoying to listen to and it just got worse, what can I say, not my cup of tea. Would like to give a zero rating.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Other than two hit tracks on this album, it's pretty flat and samey, rearrangements of a basic formula of their sound.
Killing Joke
2/5
Punk never really my thing, even though this band was emerging from the punk scene. They were influential to follow on groups, for example, Dave Grohl, so we have to thank Killing Joke for helping formulate the sound of groups like Foo Fighters
Mike Ladd
1/5
What the hell is this supposed to be?????
If I'm reincarnated a thousand times and never hear this album again, then I will be happy.
This has no place in 1001 albums to hear.
Massive Attack
5/5
Brings back fond memories of early version chill out music, this is such a good album.
The only negative is the inclusion of the live version of Light My Fire, kinda spoils the end of an awesome album.
George Michael
3/5
As much as I like a lot of music associated with George Michael, I don't really get a big vibe for his Faith album. I know its his first solo album but it would only really be a good easy listening album if he had excluded I Want Your Sex Part 1. Part 2 was a better mix, with less repetitive lyric, but unfortunately we have all 9 minutes of Part 1 and Part 2.
I Want Your Sex Part 1 is up there with Kings of Leon Your Sex is On fire... two tracks that bring out people of a certain age who imagine they are suddenly wearing a Harry Potter cloak of instant sex appeal as they throw cringeworthy bump and grind shapes on the dance floor.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
There's an hour of my life I'll never get back.
Pure drivel of samey flat toned whining.
The only track I could tolerate was Pump it Up, but that was only because I knew it better when Ozzy band Rogue Traders sampled it on their track Voodoo Child.
Madonna
1/5
Boring drivel.
Whats with all the 30 second barely audible intros?
I Shanti be listening to this album again.
The Cramps
1/5
There is a superfluous M in the groups name.
Also, the album full title should be...
Songs The Lord Taught Us Never To Listen To.
Miles Davis
4/5
One bottle of carmenre, one pair of your favourite jammies, one cheese board with side of olives and grapes, one open fire well stoked to roast your nuts, one table lamp setting a dusky scene, one cumfy sofa to stretch out on, one Miles Davis album of chill jazz... close eyes and relax, (try not to think of Ron Burgandy on jazz flute scene)
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Would I choose to listen to Bruce, No.
Would I listen to him if his stuff was already playing, probably.
The music isn't bad, it's just I can't stand his voice singing, and its all Americana.
The album, going on for 50 years old, is not bad, still gets radio air time, so peops still want it to listen to.
Definitely has sounds of Meatloaf, Van Morrison, and Dire Straits in there, especially the first track Thunder Road which has a very samey vibe as Meatloaf's Dead Ringer For Love.
The last track Jungle Road has a Dire Straits Romeo and Juliet sound.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
It's an OK album, but it's an easy listening romantic album, so something for when your in a loved up mood, but still wouldn't be my go-to album for the mood vibe.
Sonic Youth
1/5
Started with a screech... got worse... dreadful noise of extreme use of the wah wah bar mixed with resemblance of some melody or vocals. Drumming patterns were just smash smash smash akin to a school band on their debut in the school gym.
The Strokes
4/5
One of my favourite groups, and this, their first album paves the way for another 5 excellent albums.
I like their sound, listened to the album in full with no skips, every track was listenable, some better than others, but none worthy of a part way skip.
Their latest album, The New Abnormal, is worth a listen, with my favourite track The Adults Are Talking
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
Was first introduced to Michael with his Love and Hate album, such a pleasure to listen to an artist with a backing group that play real instruments. Love many of the arrangements that he has put together on this album, absolutely love the full version of Cold Little Heart with the 5 minute intro.
Moya and Martin chillout vibes.
The best album up for review yet!!!!!
Bruce Springsteen
1/5
Dreadfull
Tortoise
1/5
I remember me and the guys playing random warm up riffs while we were tuning our kit up... but that was back when I was 15 at school... I never thought of putting an album together of those random riffs... and people would pay money for this!
I just don't get it, yes it's easy listening, its just a random miriad of soft sounds, or put you to sleep sounds moreso, but wouldn't even come into my thoughts for a choice of listening.
Dinosaur Jr.
1/5
And yet another grunty American garage band who smash the cymbals and a couple of power chord strikes of the axe... and its all blah blah blah shite, the same as the rest of the 15yr olds in mom's garage. Really can't stand this dung.
Ice Cube
1/5
Pure shite
System Of A Down
1/5
No comment
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Such a soft sultry voice that commands every song. Dusty was a very distinctive sound, proper chill out time.
Scott Walker
2/5
Wouldn't be an album I'd reach for, but if it was on I'd be ok with it.
Van Halen
2/5
It's the sound of an era, when rock was lots of big sounds from the axe and smashing of drums... very little else.
Van Halen not one of the best acts to execute this formula, but then again, not the worst.
As an artist or an album I would never listen to it, but rating what i have listened to on this album, it will scrape a 2... but only barely.
10cc
1/5
Oh my! Definitely from of an era of inappropriate and racial lyrics.
Sheet Music???? Should have been titled shite music!!
I have no idea what genre these guys actually fall into, as its a mis mash of bits of folk and Country blended into something of a popish type melody.
I don't rate 10cc or this album, I can only think of one hit song 10cc ever churned out, I'm not in love, or some crap like that, but it was long and boring.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Now that's soul.
Just added this album to my spotify library.
Really enjoyed this one, played it a few times over the weekend.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
OK, to be honest I'm not a stones fan, but the first track Sympathy for the devil is in itself a standalone track.
The rest of this album, although good for its time, does lack ingenuity, a lot of it has a deep south USA sound, although I do like the prevelance of acoustic guitar on most of the tracks.
It's a fair album, but neither this album or the group ever warranted the hype, in My humble opinion.
Daft Punk
3/5
Early Daft Punk with a house music vibe from clubs, i hadnt realised they had an album as far back as 97. There's only one commercial track around the world, but generally something that is playing and you'd move with in a club rather that sit down amd listen to as an album, if that makes sense. I've always liked Daft Punk, but feel their later stuff is more where they got their foothold on style of sound they produce.
Neu!
2/5
I'm confused.... what is their sound.... oh they're a German group, ah right, that explains it. You either love it or hate it, and i hate punk and post punk, and moreso German interpretation of punk and post punk... so you can guess where this is going.
It opened well with isi, quite liked that track... and then I was transcended into a sea of tranquility in the relaxation room at the Spa... and then a blast of post punk guitar and smash smash drum rhyrhm woke me up again... tbh not the worst album I've ever heard, but I sure won't be listening to it again, it's just so inconsistent swing in sounds for each track.
Ministry
1/5
I feel violated.... my ears have been raped and buggered.
Maura summed this album up beautifully in three words... that's bloody awful!!!
Bad Company
3/5
Overall not a bad album at all.
Sounds of the Doors and Tom Petty in there, bit of a bluesy vibe there too.
Paul Weller
4/5
Got the Ulsterbus from Ards to the Big Smoke in the early 1980s with my mate Stevie Baker, both with our Sound Affects albums tucking into Co-Op carrier bags, made it to the Europa Hotel and lined up to meet the Modfather... would you sign this album... another friend even had cool conversation with Paul, and off we went again, fully signed up fans of Paul Wellar.
This is on of his better solo albums, (even I will admit he had a bad patch in music for a while), but it would be hard to fault this album and his original song writing.
Neil Young
3/5
Despite him being a pretentious pratt who was smacked out on drugs most of his life, I quite enjoy the sound of Neil Young and his tends toward acoustic arrangements, a lot of which are engrained in my DNA from a childhood of listening to Neil, The Doors, Bowie, Paul Wellar and David Sylvian.
Not my favourite album of his, much prefer Harvest or After the Gold Rush.
This album wanderingly drifts along in different directions a little bit more than Neil's usual trademark style, to the point where I found a couple of the tracks just plain boring and did hit the skip button halfway through.
It's still a good middle of the road album.
The Offspring
2/5
Would be a whole better experience if they didn't try to sing.... seriously.... please... stop doing that thing you think is singing.... oh geezus lord please make them stop.
The music is fine... all very samey but you could listen to it.... and then oh jezus mary and the wee donkey... they open their mouths again... oh please stop... just play.
Please, please, stop singing.... although.... once you remove the singing the tracks are basically all the same thrashing drum and axe.
Brian Eno
2/5
Didnt know a big lot of Brian Eno, thought he was just a producer, never knew he was a founder member of Roxy Music, let alone know he had solo albums.
I really.dont like his personal singing or vocal narrative, a real switch off for me, obviously why Bryan Ferry did lead vocals for Roxy.
Some of the tracks were OK, albeit very bland, with a bit of earlier Roxy Music feel.
I guess I'm just not into his solo stuff and defo won't listen to this album again, but I've heard worse.
Willie Nelson
1/5
No no no no no no no no no... really bad, can't cope, sooooo bad.
Kraftwerk
3/5
Interesting to listen to this album, memories of my days in P6 primary school hearing this emergent experimental synth group, what was this new sound and do I like it, even with the strong German accent singing.
They weren't really my thing, and the synth on this album sounds very dated now, but you have to credit these guys for the progression of music, because you can hear the roots or basic formula for later DJ created club tracks and a ehole new genre of music.
If it hadn't been for experimental synth groups like this, we would still be rocking all over the world to the Quo and that would be sad.
The Electric Prunes
2/5
Rudimental and bland music, even for the late 60s.
Would make a good wedding band or a pub at the weekend, maybe playing in the background, but there's nothing here that would make you say, that's good, and you want to listen.
UB40
2/5
Never really liked UB40, none of their music, not even the commercial radio guff they churned out, the worst of which was red red whining.
Every track on this album has a standard reggae rift with layers of horns and bad singing of political protest lyrics.
This would be ok playing in the background somewhere other than my house... but definitely would not be playing this stuff.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
Opened with the classic Apache, awesome, and loved their version of In a Gadda da Vida.
Overall its not a bad album, a few tracks like Duelling Bongos, Pipeline and Raunchy 73 lacking substance as tracks, but the rest makes up for it.
Would happily select and want to listen to this album again.
Machito
2/5
Hey daddio.... dont be gimmie me none of your jive... let's go chilling with Jazz... 50s style... Ron Burgandy style on Jazz flute...
It's great background music, and I couldn't really tell you if there was any difference between tracks.. its ok... all a bit samey and of a time... but hey man lets go chill... but doubt I'll listen to it again.
Iggy Pop
3/5
I hadn't realised just how many Bowieism similarities there are in Iggys music.
Certainly a few tracks in there that have stood the test of time.
Quite a good album that has aged well.
I can't take too much of Iggy in one go though.
SAULT
1/5
One track does not an album make!
Wildfires the only track of substance, the rest was protest rhetoric of no quality.
I'm trying to up my game and be polite in my review of this album, because normally I'd have just said its a load of shit.
Motörhead
1/5
Hate this with a passion.
How many variations of the basic ace of spades track can you create into make a crap album.
Steely Dan
3/5
Don't know a big lot about Steely Dan, was pleasantly surprised with this album, it seems a mix of blues and soft rock, many elements of Nile Rodgers style. It's all a well composed album with good lyrics sung well, arrangements and supported by well played instruments.
Has a quality feel to the sound, they've obviously had a good mixing studio when mastering the album.
Peg is the best track on the album.
Not quite a 4 for me, but it's a heavily weighted 3.
Public Enemy
1/5
C-rap
Beats me how this genre exists
Pink Floyd
4/5
Probably one of Pink Floyd's better albums... but for me personally, I was never that hooked on their music, even though many peops rave about them.
Opening track.... sooooooooo long.... a bit of a trademark of the group, with the shortest track being 5 mins, and it did sound very Dire Staits Money For Nothing.
That said, I enjoyed this album, despite other stuff they've done which I find tedious.
Orbital
2/5
I enjoyed many artists during the Rave / Acid house scene of the early 90s, but I was never fussed on Orbital, neither then, or now.
This is a strange album, more like someone recorded an Acid dj mix on a club night and you really needed to be trippin to get the best out of this, because some of it is just like spaced out repeat lyric from the guy glazed out at the bogs.
The only saving grace of the album are a couple if tracks which are just OK.
Khaled
1/5
Got to second track and stopped.
Seriously.... 1001 albums and they chose this?
Not for me, it was busting my head trying to listen to this.
A load of bols
Johnny Cash
1/5
Depressing monotone voice to a basic boom-chuck or waltztime guitar rhythm.
Not even my parents listened to this growing up, I guess you needed to be full blown Montana hick to fully embrace and toe tap along to this one.
Sorry, its just not for me.
Nick Drake
4/5
This is good, it's really good, a tad melancholy in places but beautifully bare and clean song writing, guitar fret work, carrying off some beautifully arranged string strum and pluck patterns.
This guy reminded me a bit of Norah Jones style of singing, husky and effortless, whispering a lifes journey in your ear.
A good chill out album.
Apparently Nick Drake was a notable influence on Robert Smith, who we all know is an accomplished guitarist with our group The Cure.
Carole King
3/5
Nice tone to this original singer songwriter... but it is of a previous era, really not my cup of tea, and I would probably be controversial in saying the songs have been done better as covers by other artists.
James Brown
3/5
A couple of legend tracks on this album, complimented by good R&B support tracks.
I did do a couple of skips part way through a couple of the tracks, as they got a bit tedious repetition where I just said, enough, move on.
Thundercat
2/5
I wasn't impressed with this interpretation.
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
Someone got a drum and clap machine for Christmas and made an album with it.
Very 1980s feel about it, bits of Alexander O'Neil, 5 Star and Culio.... but nothing that worthy.
It's OK on in the background, but you'd never choose to listen to it.
The Killers
5/5
My first Killers album.
This album has a deep grained meaning for me.
I had put it onto my mp3 player and listened to to the Hot Fuss album religiously along with The Coral Magic and Medicine album back in 2004 and 2005 before and after my brain tumour surgery, so they are etched in stone in my head forever as awesome albums that got me through a difficult time.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Iconic album which had equally iconic videos to go with them.
I remember my mate buying this when I was but a pup, and he complained because most of the tracks had already been released as singles, so there wasn't anything new in the album.
I just thought it was class.
Still a strong album that stands on its own over 40 years later.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
It's of an era, and to be fair the 50s was still quite a restrained era.
Some well known tracks on the album, but for me it would be background music that's already playing, and not something I'd personally choose to listen to.
Bobby Womack
2/5
No.... this is supermarket tannoy background music
Deep Purple
4/5
This is proper rock from a group that could sing as well as play some awesome guitar rock.
Oasis and even wee Niall Horan have both recently stated they'd love to do a pure rock album like this, so these guys were truly legendary.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Never heard of these guys.... played first track... thought to myself, this is lively, not too bad, bit of a Beastie Boys flavour in there, then came track 2... and 3... and by then track 4 I was bored of the sound.. Will try the rest later me thinks.
Finished the album, this Americana type of alternative rock never did appeal that much to me, but these guys seem quite capable of some complex chord arrangements which are all let down by strained yell vocals at times.
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
This was shit back in 1986 and 37 years later its still C rap, although to be fair its more hip hop with rapping rather than a pure C rap album, and in its time it did cross the boundaries between genres and got more air time than would normally, especially in the UK, this album was more for the US Market.
The only saving grace for the album are It's Tricky and Walk This Way with Aerosmith.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Bob was an accomplished singer songwriter, I'd say I liked the songs and not the singing.... and bit less harmonica wouldn't go amiss.
Django Django
2/5
A big album of nothingness.
Why is this even on the list? Far better albums out there.
Run-D.M.C.
1/5
That's 2 Run DMC albums in three days to review, and they're both crap, with this one being crappier.
Eagles
4/5
Eagles at their best (aside from Hotel California album), it just doesn't get much better than this for timeless kick back, relax and enjoy music.
I've always loved their arrangements mixing acoustic and electric guitar, they make it all seem so effortless, yet a lot of the chord arrangements are quite complex.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
I was looking forward to listening to this album, but was deeply disappointed.
The tracks are OK, I can listen to the whole album, but it was all a bit boring, and that's not how I remember these guys from back in the day.
It all seemed a bit preprogrammed rhythm from a computer rather than previous stuff they did.
The Sugarcubes
3/5
Hold on a minute... I know that voice... of course, the very distinctive sound of a young Bjork.
Quite enjoyed this alternative rock album, it sits out there as being different to the American and European sound of the time.
Solange
3/5
Nice vocals, nice chill out vibe, spoilt with the theme of black lives matter lyrics.
Would be ok in the background, but it would be an album of choice to listen to.
Sonic Youth
4/5
I quite liked this album, had a good vibe to it, plenty to keep you listening with good punchy beats.
Sarah Vaughan
1/5
Did my tits in, not for me
The xx
3/5
Simplistic clean vibes with whispered vocals, a very interesting album, quite enjoyed most of it, with my only negative being each tracks haunting sameness which got a tad tedious after a while.
Deep Purple
4/5
Another classic album, with their established anthem, Smoke on the Water.
50 years on and their sound is still awesome!
PJ Harvey
3/5
A softer album from Polly Jean, her sound still draws from Folk roots, wouldn't be one of her strongest albums for me, but it was listenable, a few WetLeg type tracks, and I guess they would have been a better vibe if the Wet Leg energy was injected into the rhythm.
Saint Etienne
3/5
I liked some of the album, good vibe, albeit a bit of pic and mix style, but not bad tracks... and then there's the rest of the album... just noise and eventually vocal... I really had to stick with it waiting for tracks to go somewhere and then just left me hanging.
So in summary, some of its listenable.
Roxy Music
2/5
Ordinarily I quite like Roxy Music, but this album is so very very poor for so many reasons.
The drums were the same rhythm through basically every track, and all the rest of the instruments sound as if they were playing different tracks with little to no cohesion, and Bryan Ferry's vocals were less than capable on many tracks, which is unusual as he normally dominates the vocals.
The best thing about the album is the cover, they really didn't care about risqué images in the 70s.
The White Stripes
1/5
Painful, hard to believe someone put this together as an album of their work.
Massive Attack
3/5
Mixed bag here, Unfinished Sympony, is an all time classic, definitely up there as one of the best tracks of the 90s.
And then we have, Hymn of the Big Wheel, which is pure shite.
So I'd say, some of the album I would defo listen to over and over again, but about 60% of the album wouldn't get another airing for me.
Pixies
2/5
This album got the 40 second skip treatment.
40 seconds of each track was more than any normal human being should have to endure.
I had great expectations for the album... but bitterly disappointed.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Great blues album, loved the drum and bass, drumming patterns were slick and skilled.
I'm not a big fan of harmonica, but the arrangements on this album were executed with great harmony between vocals.
The Lemonheads
2/5
It is a shame, Ray must have been disappointed too, I know I was.
The album was nice(ish) to listen to, I like acoustic guitar, but not with the luvvy duvvy hey girl lyrics they plied onto these tracks.
I guess this album just lacked the punch I was expecting from the Lemonheads, with Mrs Robinson being the only track with a decent rock feel.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
1/5
This is an album that needs to stay in 1982 and not be played again.
Rocket From The Crypt
1/5
Absolutely dreadful, it's not even post punk, it's a poorly executed crash smash drum and single chord basic strum of the axe... and if you were tone deaf and smoked 60 unfiltered ciggies a day, you would still pull off better vocal range than these guys.
Never heard of the group, and obviously for a reason, they're mega crap, just another Americana gabage band of 14 year old spotty faced dorks thinking they're awesome.
This group and album do not warrant consideration for 1001 albums.
Jack White
3/5
Vibes of rag time blues with decent drum and bass, a marked change from the White Stripes mixture of tortured genres of meaningless sound.
I liked some of this album, whilst other tracks completely gridnded me, but to be fair I could listen to the decent tracks multiple times.
It's an OK middle of the road album, but nothing stand out about it, other than its a stepped change from the White Stripes.
Simple Minds
5/5
Iconic music executed at its best.
One of my all time favourite groups, who produced a quality of sound that is as fresh today as it was 40 years ago.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
One of stones better albums, although for me personally, I was never a stones fan, i dont get why so many people get a hard on for their music, and this album, although ok, is nothing outstanding.
That said, there are a few good tracks on here, Brown Sugar being a great opening track, and Wild Horses a simple and enchanting track, but a lot of the rest drifts off into a New Orleans style bluesy musical drawl that could have been better, but I found I really couldn't be bothered listening to it a lot of the time, simply waiting for the next track.
On a plus point, for an album that's over 50 years old, the good bits still command a really good sound.
Thats All You Need!!! What an awesome guitar riff, I was so sorry when Rod started singing over it.
Stay With Me an absolute classic.
I wouldn't be a fan of Rod Stewart on vocals, but the music overcomes his scratchy notes.
Billy Bragg
1/5
Wolfie "Citizen Smith" meets Chas and Dave meets Elvis Costello... and spues out political communist protest songs against Thatcher in support of the miners strike in the 80s... I remember thinking his stuff was shit back in the day, we alll did, well apart from my mate Stevie Baker who thought Billy was a cool up the revolution guy, bless him, he didn't know any better, but nah, listening to it again, 40 years later its still shit.
Pere Ubu
1/5
This is bloody awful!!!!!!
Who in their right mind thought anyone needed to have their ears raped and buggered listening to this tortured mutilation of sounds clumped together into an album, never mind think it was worthy of 1001 albums you must listen to!!!
I've read reviews giving it 5 and how it's a masterpiece... but you must be off your meds stroking the white rabbit?
Pure shit!!!
Beatles
4/5
The Beatles were a stepped change to the music scene, hard to believe this album is 60 years old.
They had a good sound, a very simple 3 minute track recipe.that simply just works.
Van Morrison
3/5
Sorry but the wee Belfast boy, Van the Man, will never win the battle of me liking his voice.
I find it a really hard ask to listen to him, and he does leave you feeling a tad depressed and melancholy after listening to this album.
The album is an eclectic mix of folksy tracks with maybe a hint of jazz or blues... its hard to tell, did I mention his voice, I still can't get that out of my ears.
The songs themselves are musically a progession arrangement for 1968, when music was emerging as more expressive than traditional, albeit on a number of tracks there is little synergy between the musicians and it all gets a bit clunky. But the music isnt the bad part about this album, because you just can't get away from that persistent Leeeooowwwwowowwowwahhyeah extensions he adds into way too many of the lyrics, which continually adds to the headache of his grating singing voice.
So in summary, it's an album of his early work, it's eclectic, i dont know why people rave on about Van, but laterally he did go on to turn out better albums and some well known popular songs, but for me this Astral Weeks album is just middle of the road, absolutely nothing special, and pretty sure it won't get played again... unless I get depressed and want to add to my woes, then I'll play it again.
Air
4/5
Swim trunks - yes
Shades - yes
Suncream - yes
Beach towel - yes
Flip flops - yes
Beer money - yes
Ear buds - yes
Chill out vibes - yes Air Moon Safari
I'm all good!!
Point me in the direction of a sun lounger!!
I'm off to soak sun and chill out to this album... priceless !!!
George Jones
1/5
Not as long as the hole in my arse points down will I listen or give credibility to this style of mournful hick country music.
Need a frontal lobotomy to sit through this one.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Lady Jane sparks the sounds of Boston, More Than a Feeling.
Have to say, personally I was never a Tones fan, just the odd random track I liked... but this album actually surprised me, I liked it, I loved the acoustic, electric guitar arrangements.
There are a few misses on the album, but overall, was a listenable album that you would actually choose to play.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
When ibsaw this album come up... I thought... Velvet Underground, this will be hit or miss!!
Listened to the album, and yes I can get why, back in the day, these guys were rated as out there and experimental with sounds, and I'm sure there's many a "music" critic who will criticise me for saying this... but listening to it as an album of work, without all the nostalgia and meaning from way back in the day... its really not that great, and I'd say more of a miss than a hit, for me anyway.
Just sounded like they were having a jam session where each of them came up with a track and they had a go at playing it, because it was quite rough and unhinged in many places... European Son being the worst by far.
Nirvana
4/5
For once a decent album to review that has drawn so much from the previous punk scene and then went on, as a standalone statement of musical work to inspire and give direction to so many follow-on groups.
It was very much a short lived career for the inspirational Curt Cobain, but what a brilliant album he left as a legacy!
Having read Dave Grohl's book last year, it was a real raw narration of the slum tours, the dramas, the drugs, and the pure inspired passion these guys had to create music, drawing on so many of their idols like Iggy Pop.
And there again... had we not had Nirvana... would we have ever got the explosive sound from the Foo Fighters.
Yes
2/5
Has the potential to be something, takes you into a sound and then repeatedly meanders off into misdirection and completely irritating nothingness.
I found this a very difficult album to listen to, and I guess it's just from an era.
Bill Callahan
1/5
Musically this album borders between easy listening and boring... tipping over into mind numbingly boring.
Vocally, the narration of lyrics was akin to Rick Jones narration on Fingerbobs in the 1970s. (Kids TV show)
In fact it would have better if monotone Bill had just broke into the Fingerbobs theme song (Google it).
I can't imagine how anyone could choose to sit and listen to this album, it's just so depressing and mournful.
For me, this album is a complete waste of time that could be better spent hovver boarding iover tha Alps n your pyjamas listening to pigs squealing along to a Lewis Capaldi song.
The Beach Boys
2/5
Disappointingly mediocre, which kind of annoyed me, as I would have rated the Beach Boys for producing some quality sounds.
It was an OK album for playing in the background of a shopping market, but sadly that's where it ends, I wouldn't choose to listen to it again.
The Monks
2/5
Some of this album was OK, it was of that 60s era where all songs were to a recipie for the labels and radio.
There is nothing significant, all very beatles reminiscent... but they were really trying to be Jimorrison and the Doors, but the strangulated screams of the lead singer fall a long way short of audibly acceptable.
Music has evolved more cleverly and accomplished by so many other artists of that era, so for me this album just didn't even warrant a middle of the road scoring.
Green Day
3/5
I do like a bit of Green Day, they're lively and energetic, a bit of fun in a world of correctness.
I've heard their music termed as pop punk, but ive never heard of that term before and im not sure how correct that is, I would have said it was more polished americana garage band music, which is normally a musical area I avoid like the plauge, but these guys created something different.
Dookie was their first commercial breakthrough album, and although lively, it was very samey, but thankfully they went on to pull more accomplished albums together.
I hadn't listened to this album in full before, I guess I would listen to it again, but sadly there are a couple of tracks to skip in there.
Sister Sledge
4/5
Get your glitter ball out and dance around your handbag in this late 70s disco legend.
It's the Nile Rodgers, (Chic), touch that brought a stepped change to the Sister Sledge sound, and it's just one of those albums that has a few gems to kick off any party to get people up and shake their booty and throwing shapes on the dance floor like the legends they wanted to be.
For the few legend tracks on the album, there are also a few donkeys, which shouldn't have been recorded, let alone played again.
It's a bit of disco diva fun, nothing to get over critical about, just kick back and enjoy.
Hot Chip
1/5
Mind numbingly boooooooooorrrriiinnnggg.
Or in short... its ceap!
These guys churned out some half decent stuff in previous singles, but not in this album.
Such a load of nothingness that should never have been created let alone submitted to a list of albums you need to hear.
Marianne Faithfull
2/5
Musically some decent arrangements, apart from the title track.
Vocally I found Marianne extremely annoying, more reminiscent of the pished old doll singing up the pub on a Saturday night, in fact I couldn't wait to skip through the album.
This one definitely not for me.
The Waterboys
2/5
This is the album where the Waterboys became watered down lol.
Their previous stuff was good solid blues rock with a hint of folk.... and then they had a wee trip to Ireland and created this album that was highly influenced by Irish folk music.
First few tracks weren't bad, in fact on Spotify you get the alternative version of Fisherman's Blues, which I think is a better arrangement to kick back and chill out to.
Unfortunately the album falls apart from track 5, where the Irish folk song influence has robbed the album of the Waterboys previous success.
Ray Charles
1/5
Sorry Ray, I'll be kind and just say... not for me.
Frank Zappa
2/5
I had heard of Frank Zappa, he was well before my time, but I would have heard older people talk about his music highly.
For me, I just don't get whatever the sound or genre he tried to achieve.
I did like the horns on many of the tracks, but the tracks were mostly lengthy and wandered aimlessly for what felt like an eternity, and to be honest, sounded more like a group of musicians having a jamming session, taking turns to bounce off each other as the lead in an impromptu arrangement.
Although elements of this album are tolerable it wouldn't be something I'd choose to listen to.
The Who
4/5
The Who, one of the original groups that could thoroughly entertain an audience for a full gig, they were great showmen and great musicians.
This album has a couple of strong anthems to start and finish with, and a splattering of above average mediocrity in the middle, but all delivered with a rocking beat from Keith Moon on drums.
Baba O'Riley, Behind Blue Eyes, Won't get Fooled Again, we're already on my Spotify playlists that I still play today, and I think that's the key thing to The Who, they produced music with longevity, 50 years later and people still choose to listen.
The Modern Lovers
2/5
A pubescent incarnation of a later 1980s americana garage band with wannabe desires to be another Velvet Underground.
I really really dislike the vocals on every track, so nasally it just crawls beneath tour skin.
Best track, probably She Cracked.... immediately followed by the worst track Hospital.
I'm really searching for something positive to say about these guys, and this alleged album that was released years after the band actually split up... but there's absolutely nothing special here, nothing to rave about, they were just a group of guys who got together in the 70s, threw a few tracks together and then disappeared again.
Beastie Boys
1/5
When you were 15 years old this album was good.... and if you were 12 it would be awesome lol.
You can't take these guys too seriously, it's a bit if fun, with fun lyrics, Egg Man is a piss, but all great fun.
I really don't get why people hype up this album as a statement to hip hop, as it is extremely samey for every track.
That said, if it was on I would listen to it and enjoy it for what it is, a bit of kids hip hop fun, but I would never ever dream of selecting it to listen to.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Now that's what I call an album, opens strong with Cinammon Girl, an excellent track, and we finish with Cowgirl in the Sand, also excellent.
This is an album I would happily play on repeat.
The only negative is that Mr Young and his skewed morales means that we can't listen to his music on Spotify.
Beck
3/5
I first heard of Beck in the mid 90s through the track Loser, and at that time I listened to the album Mellow Gold, which had a few decent tracks and the rest was crap.
Roll on 10 years and he releases this "alleged" album Guero... and what do you know... First 3 tracks are OK... and the rest is crap, albeit this album is less appealing than his earlier stuff.
Baaba Maal
1/5
No, absolutely not for me in any way, not even for a review..... aww c'mon, don't be a dick... 1001 Albums has said this is good and to review it.... trust them, its gonna be awesome?
So, dare I listen to this... OK I'll give it a go....
I got a quarter of the first track and it was just too much for my wee head to endure.
Nothing against the artist or his native origins that influence the sounds he creates, but it just not something I'd ever want to listen to.
OK, maybe I'm being harsh, let's go through the rest of them and sure I can skip if it's not a great track.....
... hold on a minute, they're all the bloody same.... a few strums of sitar sounding instrument and then mournful wailing because his granny's cat died ..... no, this one's defo not for me.
R.E.M.
4/5
This is an album of REM before they sold themselves out to pure commercialism and totally annoying songs like Shiny Happy People.
The opening track, Finest Worksong, is by far the lead track of the album, with a couple of overplayed but decent tracks End of the World and The One I love.
REM have always seemed to be marmite group, you either love them or hate them, not much in between, although personally I like a lot if thei early stuff like this album from the late 80s, before it all got away from th in the 90s.
Faust
1/5
Pure shite, unless you're full on out of your scone tripping on acid.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Probably the only Pink Floyd album I actually like and enjoy to listen to, and would happily play this album.
I've never been a Pink Floyd fan, and to the purists of the group, they often claim this album as not proper Pink Floyd origins, as its drifted away from the sound formally driven by the now absent founding member and lead guitarist Syd Barret, who was lost to LSD by this stage. But for me, this is a solid album that stands the tests of time.
The Temptations
3/5
I seen this come up for review and was really looking forward listening to it.
By the end of the album I really felt disappointed, I really liked the temptations and felt this album didn't represent them at their best.
Aside from Papa was a Rolling Stone, the rest of the album was very mediocre, and some of the lyrics were definitely questionable, but then I guess it was the 70s.
Cornershop
2/5
I'm Never too old to learn something, I'd always thought Cornershop was a one hit wonder with Brimful of asha, which was a great Indie Hip Hop track.
But today this album came up for review and I thought... wow... these guys also made an album!!
The experience of the album was a big let down though, it wasn't a statement collection of tracks, just a meandering random collection of pointless arrangements that were annoyingly repetitive, in fact the very first trackcwas essentially a slowed down version of Brimful of Asha.
I would listen to some of this album if it was already playing, but I wouldn't choose to listen to it, and I really hate the sound of the sitar.
Taylor Swift
3/5
OK, so I'm not a "Swifty", I'm definitely not one of her fans, but there again, I don't hate her music, it's all just very bland and repetitive.
Taylor was a singer first, and then learnt how to play guitar and piano, which is perfectly fine and natural as a growing artiste, and it's a credit to her that she didn't fall into the music factory image of a scantily clad pouting girl bopping about to her songs with the baps having out and a thread of material yanked up her front bonnet.
So where am I going with the review of this album 1989.... Well it is ram packed with some of her best singles, and the ones on the album are better than the radio edit versions played on the radio, and the girl can definitely sing.... so that's all positive... but the music is manufactured, the lyrics repetitive, and all very commercially marketed for that teenage schoolgirl pop music market.
Talor has evolved from this album, but sadly for me, her music, although listenable, will always sound manufactured for a market, and not a creation of an artistes musical direction.
The Go-Betweens
4/5
A 1001 albums that has come up for review that has actually been a never heard of it before, and I like it, worthwhile review.
I listened to the entire album without any negative thoughts, it was a Johnny Hates Jazz, come Deacon Blue, style and feel to their music.
Very enjoyable, they can sing, play and compile pretty decent musical arrangements, supported with decent lyrics.
I would happily listen to this album in full for a relaxing evening.
Steely Dan
3/5
Listening to this album kept reminding me of Peanuts and Charlie Brown.... it just sounded so much like the music on those cartoons, care of the awesome Vince Guaraldi.
Rikki don't lose that number, and Pretzel Logic, prob the best 2 tracks of this very short album, only about 30ish mins.
I enjoyed the album, has been well produced in the sound booth, even though, for me, its dated and a tad bland, but these guys can sing, play instruments very well, and write some pretty good lyrics to the arrangements.
The annoying thing is, its just music from that 70s era, I can just picture in my mind, the type of peops back in the day, out in their best wide lapelled suits and frocks, dancing around their handbags on a 70s disco floor, all thinking this sound was coolio, but it's just not my kinda music.... and I don't have a handbag, or a flared suit with big lapels, or a gringo moustache and greasy hair lol.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Tracy was an instant hit when she released this album in 1988, I absolutely loved it then, and still find it a brilliant album to kick back and listen... chilled.
Her lyrics and effortless vocals paired with her beautiful acoustic guitar accompaniment, is a real treat for a personal chill out time.
Fugees
2/5
I really don't like this album.
Other than the cover versions of songs they released as singles, the majority of the album isn't worth listening to.
Very disappointed with this Fugees album, I had higher expectations when it came up for review.
I had thought 1001 albums review would introduce me to some really cool music, but after 125 album reviews, I'd say 100 were crap, 20 were OK, and 5 were good but I already knew them.... so I don't think there's much value in continuing to spend my time listening and reviewing the selections they keep pushing.
The Cars
3/5
Just What I Needed and my Best Friends Girl probably the best known tracks form The Cars debut album.
It's a pretty decent album for a debut, l could enjoy this if it was already playing, but it wouldn't be up there as a choice.
Gotan Project
1/5
So these guys went down to Argos and bought a Botempi home organ and pulled their granddads accordian out of the attic and thought they'd make a frap album.... and here it is!
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Fooled Again I don't like it.... kinda sums up how I felt about this album.
OK, so it's mid 70s, music was on a burst of change and Tom Petty churned out some alternative pop rock easy listening sounds, that were OK for the time, probably over endorsed by radio and movie soundtrack inclusions, but for me I just don't get it, I just don't see or rather hear anything special here.
Ramones
2/5
So after the first track you realise the whole album is the same track played with very little variation and other numb lyrics.
They play with raw energy and manage to pull off a couple of rocking beats, but as an album it's not great.
Dare I sat the Ramones were always over hyped.
Tina Turner
3/5
Without doubt Tina had a powerful voice and vocal range, and was a true entertainer who commanded the stage with raw energy and sexual prowess.
The Private Dancer album was her first resurrection of her as an artist in her own right, I remember it coming out back in the day, and it was played everywhere, non stop, the album was a hit.
There are no real bad tracks on the album, and there are a few iconic Tina tracks in there, but the thing that kills the album, which you kinda didn't notice so much back in the mid 80s, was the falseness of the music, the 80s style synth overlays of instrument layers, it just lacks the power and feeling from real instruments played by real people, and it takes away from the power of Tina's vocals.
The synth style instruments are just a lack lustre, over produced sound that are very cringe now when you re-listen to the album.
3/5
In 1982 I was barely a teenager, in jeans, a t-shirt and the default pair of Doctor Martens boots, listening to The Specials, The Selector, The Doors.... but definitely hadn't really considered New Romantic music, although by this stage I was already dipping my toe into Japan's Quiet Life album, so my ears had got a taste for new wave music by that time.
ABC released this album, and it kinda broke my barrier to New Romantic music, these guys were able to produce some differbt music that sort of got my interest at the time, even though it was heavily synthed and had the cheesiest lyrics to pluck on the hearts of the teenage girls fan base, these guys were up running in the new romantic pack with Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet.
The fun thing about the cheesy lyrics was that, for pubescent teenage boys, we would take great amusement to reword the lyrics into something more enjoyable, like, you stole my heart became, your stinky fart, and many other childish and teenage hilairballs alterations.
All in all, it's not too shabby an album, for the early 80s, but it is incredibly samey between tracks.
The music and the look were both aimed as pure marketing to a teenage girly fan base, a recipie that the music industry manufactured recipie music continues to apply today.
Buzzcocks
2/5
Punk guitar at a million miles an hour.
It's just not my thing.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
2/5
Ok, these guys may have been good back in the day, but 54 yeras have passed now and in my wee humble opinion it hasnt dated very well.
Politely polished male harmonisation that isn't bad, they were wannabe Simon and Garfunkels, but not quite hitting the mark.
Sadly this type of music is just a polar opposite of anything I'd want to listen to.
As i listened to the album I thought these guys were OK for the late 60s... but then they even managed to completely kill Harry Neillsons Everybody's Talking, which is a shame, because there are soooo many excellent versions of that track, from Harry's original to The Beautiful South.
This is not an album for me.
MGMT
3/5
Time to Pretend was OK
Electric Feel, Kids are better known and worth a listen.... but the rest of the album is just bland nonsense that meanders on forever too long with crap vocals.
If it was playing I'd listen to it OK, but wouldn't be an album of choice.
So to be fair, as an album from these guys, I'd just place it middle for diddle on a 3.
David Bowie
3/5
Solid glam rock album from the early 70s from the legendary Bowie.
Good vibe, original music, with plenty of Bowieisms in the guitar chords, would happily listen to this album.
The only problem is, that it isn't one of Bowies memorable albums, not in the same way that preceding and following albums had.
Gary Numan
1/5
Aside from the track Cars, this is very forgettable and unbelievably samey 80s pop synth.
I didn't like it in the 80s, and 40 odd years later I still don't like, with Gary's vocals being a Marmite love it or hate it thing.
The Byrds
1/5
First 4 chords of track 1 and my instant thought was... I'm gonna hate this!!
The Byrds have created loads of great music, but this country album isnt one of them, this creation is little more than dreadful.
Nothing else to say except, I hate this album with a passion. I hate country music with a passion.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
This is a truly classic soul album from the smooth vocals of Mr Marvin Gaye.
Do I want to listen to this album again and again?
Absolutely!
Let's get it on!
Beck
2/5
Incredibly samey.
Incredibly boring.
At a push you could say you could listen to a couple of tracks from the album, but there again, they would be instantly forgettable.
Brian Eno
1/5
Seriously, this is not good.
Sorry Brian Eno, but this is a far cry from the hay days of Roxy Music!
This album generator should be renamed 1001 albums that should never have been made!!
Ryan Adams
2/5
Never heard of this guy, started off sort of OK in places, but then rapidly got progressively crappier. Generally not for me, I would need to be beyond bored shitless to even contemplate listening to this again..
The Birthday Party
1/5
The crashing of axes and drums in the post punk era was a mix of of music attempted by many spaced out wannabees who couldn't sing, but could pull something together that might be a backing track to a violent video game.
I think Nick Cove made a wise move into acting.
Thanks 1001 albums for introducing me to yet another album I would never have considered listening to, nor will I ever again, pure shite.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
In 1981 the iconic American Werewolf in London film was released with revolutionary award winning gory makeup.... and also a pretty decent soundtrack which hailed back to the late 60s when John Landis originally wrote the script for the film.
Anyway, why do I open with this?
It's because the comedic horror film soundtrack was my first introduction to Creedence Clearwater Revival through the awesome track Bad Moon Rising, just as the lead character David was about to turn into a werewolf for the first time.
It's wee gem experiences/memories like this that introduce us to previous eras of music that you may otherwise have missed out on.
This album is packed with many great bluesy rock tracks, which I enjoyed and would happily listen to over again... I'm also quite partial to playing Bad Moon Rising on acoustic guitar, quite an easy track to play.
Snoop Dogg
1/5
What a load of shit!!!
Hip hop??? More like Shit Shop!!
Vulgar childish "Billy Big Balls" lyrics about homeboy niggahs chuggin at thier tiny little dicks, calling all the women hoes, bitches, mutha fkers, gotta listen to DJ salt t balz... I mean ffs, were they trying to copy Chef in Southpark??? How original!!
Complete shite, No musical talent applied to any part of this album, go ask yourself....
Hate everything about this album and the genre???? It stands for!!!
Eric Clapton
3/5
A far cry from the burst of sound created with Layla, this is a very soft rock album.
I wouldn't be a fan of Clapton, he's got marmite vocals, but he is a very good musician, I just feel he could have let loose stronger on the guitar in some of the tracks, it was like he had been scolded by the producers to tame it down.
Not a bad album in general though.
Britney Spears
2/5
Oh baby baby, if I was a 12 Yr old starry eyed girl I'd think this was a good album... doh!
This album is the definition of factory manufactured music and artist.
Apart from the lead single, which was Britneys trademark song, the album is very boring and factory created.. not for me this one!
Ella Fitzgerald
2/5
Ella Fitzgerald had a beautiful smooth voice, perfectly suited to jazz and blues on a smokey club back in the 50s, and I can see how you would have happily sat relaxed in a club back in the day listening to this with a Manhattan on one hand and a Marlborough in the other... but that would have been 65 years ago, and for me now, I could only see myself maybe listening to one or two of these tracks on a super chilled night, but in general for the majority of this album, as the title of track 6 goes... But Not For Me
3/5
I still have my original vinyl of Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum, from original release, and I played these a lot.
That said, although the Jooshua Tree, for me, was the better album, it has lost its edge over the years.
I still like U2 and this album, and would happily listen to it, I'm just not im love with it as I was 35 odd years ago.
Metallica
3/5
It's Monday morning, i opened my album selector in anticipation of what album would be up for review... my eyes instantly rolled back in my head as I saw the name Metallica come up.... gently closing my eyes and rubbing my forehead in soft circular movements, I contemplated how precious life was and whether I should subject my ears and brain to the Metallica sound.
Surprisingly, from the opening trck of the album, I realised that this was a bit different, it was a live album with an orchestra who could actually play instruments and make music!
Have to say, I liked the albilum a lot more than I'd first thought, it was a good combo, and probably would have been an excellent concert to be there at, absorbing the full atmosphere.... but for me the orchestral novelty wore off by track 6.
It's not a new concept, but still an interesting album in ways, and I could listen to some of it again.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Saw this come up for review... and I thought... oh great, another Nick Cave album... this is gonna be shit.
However, as I listened to the album I had a growing appreciation of how correct my gut feel was for the album. As it was very much Shit.
The guy can't sing, just incredibly depressing narrative of dumb inert lyrics. Not even Kylie could bring a rose to save a track on the album for Nick!!
Adele
2/5
Without doubt Adele can sing, and probably her earlier albums would be classed significantly better than this album... but... and for me it's a big but.... because I simply don't get the hype about Adele.
Maybe I'm just a grumpy old male, im not in touch with my feminine side, but I really can't be bothered listening to power ballads about jilted love, and you dont realise what youve let slip past your fingers...ya de ya de ya... and this album has that theme running right through it, with little variation between tracks on musical arrangement or theme of lyrics.
Simply said, her album 19 was her best, but 25 is just boring.
Scott Walker
1/5
Thats a large portion Oh frig no, definitely not one for me.
2/5
Not a bad indie Rock album from PJ, considering what her previous albums were like, because they werent good.
But I found there wasn't one track that made me say, yeah that was good.
The duets with Thom Yorke were extremely painful to listen to, awful in fact, i think hell will freeze over before i ever listen to those again.
If she was playing at a festival gig on one of the stages... you might stop an listen for a while, but you'd very soon slide on to find something better, which I don't think would be too difficult.
She does seem to have a good fan base that promote rave reviews for her... but this one's not for me.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Depeche were of my era, and as a spotty faced teen, I narrowly missed out on going to one of their early gigs that they played near my home town.
Loved the Depeche sound, it was 80s synth done well, but the achilles heel for Depeche through all their years playing, is for every brilliant track they have, there's a dozen meaninglessly meandering nothingness tracks that become more increasingly irritating as they go on and on and on, in fact the track Pimpf on this album is a classic example of this type of meaningless track.
Given that Depeche are of my era, i should be loving this, but I'm not.
Best track for me on this album is Strangelove, but I wouldn't rate this as one of Depeches good/best albums.
Slayer
1/5
1001 albums brings yet another album i never wanna hear again!!!
I got up to part way through track 3... and lost the will to live.... but eventually I managed to at least part play all tracks on the album.
Its all the same... Quite literally the same riffs throughout.
Some would say their style is... full of energy... I'd say... full of shite....
You need to be full on stroking the white bunny with a frontal lobotomy and ears full of wax to even consider this type of thrash metal as worth listening too.
The Human League
3/5
Love them or hate them, the Human League wrote the definition of synth music and set the bar for the rest of the 1980s.
I've always liked their music, it was something different from the 70s sound, but it did become a bit bland as they sought commercial success.
This album isn't bad, although not as fresh and raw in that post punk period as their first single Being Boiled in 1978, which is worth a listen.
Madonna
2/5
I liked Madges early stuff, it was catchy and fun, but this Musoc album is a far cry from the likes of her True Blue album.
Yes there's a couple of commercial radio known tracks on this album, but as a whole it lacks very much substance of tracks worth listening to... I just found it very boring, and just another album churned out to top up her coffers.
Arctic Monkeys
5/5
From the Ritz to the Rubble
When the Sun Goes Down
I Bet You Look Good on the Dance floor.
Enuf said.
One of the best Artic Monkey albums.
Looking forward now to Favourite Worst Nightmare album to come up for review.
Elliott Smith
2/5
I liked the guitar work, vocals and lyrics OK, overall tracks OK, but just all very samey which became very boring, I didn't even finish the album, nothing grabbed my attention, and it's questionably indie.
If it was already playing I'd listen to it, but wouldn't see.me.chosing to play it.
Elvis Presley
1/5
I personally can't stand Elvis.
There's only about 3 songs ever done by elvis I can tolerate.
He was of an era, many liked him and he was hugely successful, but I just find the majority of it cheesy.
Soundgarden
3/5
Hadn't really heard of them before, it was OK, but is still wouldn't rush out to listen to it again.
Beck
2/5
Meh! Another Beck album... how uninspiring.
I always try to look for the positives in each album review, but Beck has failed to deliver every time... and no surprise that this album is just as lame as the rest of his stuff.
Best I can say is there are small sections of some of the tracks that are quite promising, but then each good bit of a track is hedged either side by uncoordinated changes, his vocals dire, and lyrics are sooooo lame.
I really don't like this guys style of music. It's not that it is totally unlikeable, (or rather it's not as bad as the depths of despair with country and western music), but this album of Becks it's just incredibly bland and booooooooring, even though its livelier than the last album that was up for review.
But hey, sure its all horses for courses, and if it rocks your boat then turn it up to 11.
Alice In Chains
2/5
There's a couple of ok tracks, but not really my thing.
Os Mutantes
1/5
Pure shite
Rufus Wainwright
1/5
No, I really struggled with this, found it so incredibly depressing, I would never even consider listening to any of this
Basement Jaxx
3/5
A few great bangers on this album to shake your ass and throw shapes on any available space this is pumping out... love them.... but the rest of the album is just fillers of no substance, theure more like samples you would mix between tracks, so sadly it's a 3 from me... which is a shame, as I like what Basement Jaxx pulled together on their banger tracks.
Booker T. & The MG's
2/5
Title track Green Onions is always gonna be a default classic track for me... but the rest of the album... with that Hammond organ sound... is just some straight out of a night in the Phoenix Night club with Brian Potter.... its just a 60 year old sound that hasn't travelled well.
Iron Maiden
3/5
I remember this album well when it came out, my eldest brother used to play it full blast and thrash about in a violent sweat like he was the most awesome heavy metaller ever bouncing to (at that time) awesome risque lyrics... me.... I thought... meh....
As for the album, it's not that I hate it, i just think it's over rated for what it is.
If it was on I'd listen to it, probably still be able to sing it word for word I'd heard it that many times as a kid... but feck me no, I'd never.choose to listen to it.
Richard Hawley
2/5
The only track of Richard Hawley I ever liked was Tonight The Streets Are Ours, but it's not on this album.
I found this album to be disappointing, had the promise of easy listening... only to border very noticeably toward country (dangerous territory)
1/5
Dreadful, absolutely dreadful, how is this on the 1001 albums list?????
Primal Scream
1/5
Definitely not a great album from these guys, there were a couple of ok moments in some of the tracks, but as am album it simply doesn't work.
Parliament
3/5
Hadn't heard of these guys, and I do like a bit of funk.... but sadly these guys were only able to put the funk into the titles of their tracks.
Most of the tracks had the same drum and bass, and had a decent build up to that funk sound, but never really completed the deal, which was disappointing.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
I do like a bit of Curtis Mayfield, although this album was a much softer chilled sound than the previous Superfly album.
Would be happy to let this album play if it was already on.... but I would still be looking to select Superfly on the play queue.
Boards of Canada
1/5
A concoction of moisture without musical arrangement.
This was a very irritating album to try and listen to for review.
Yet another example of an album that does not warrant being on 1001 albums you should hear.
Absolutely woeful.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
As a kid i grew up listening to the distinctive horns of Dexys, which is quite enjoyable, but I never liked Kevin Roland's voice.
Radiohead
1/5
Depressingly melancholic vocals to overrated and uninteresting musical arrangements... I just don't get why people rate these guys.... but don't karma police after me for saying that.
Neil Young
3/5
I like Neil Young, still have some of his vinyl from back in the day, but I feel this album is very overrated for what it is, and hangs basically on everything that went before it.
Neil never was one for happy cheerful singing or lyrics, but this album pushes the whiny boundaries a little bit beyond the limits even for Neil on a number of tracks.
A couple of good tracks in there, which in their own entity I would select to listen to... but not the album as a whole, I wouldn't select this album to listen to.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
I'm sure back in 1964 this would have been an awesome gig with Jerry Lee bopping out some great 12 bar blues and what are now some iconic tracks.
It sounded like a fun gig full of energy and musicianship, albeit a bit tired now some 60 years later.
Janis Joplin
4/5
Wouldn't have listened to a lot of Janis Joplin, I'd always heard from other peops that she was overrated for her time... but for me... I was pleasantly surprised as i queued the album up and found I really enjoyed this bluesy rock album, first 2 tracks were a good lead into the album.
Janis vocals are strong and powerful, albeit with that annoying trait of sounding strangulated at times, but the backing group carried each track through effortlessly with decent vibes.
Worst track for me was her trademark Mercedes Benz, meh, not for me, but it was only a short track.
Bauhaus
2/5
Never listend to Bauhaus stuff before, opening track was simply the Peter Gunn bass riff with hair of the dog lyrics and vocals layed over it... and i couldn't determine if the lead vocalist was trying to be Bowie, Frederick William Schneider of B52s, or David Byrne of Talking Heads.... but either way, he didn't master any of them and i simply did not like his vocals.
It's not the worst post punk album I've ever heard.... but then again... its just not great either.... but I sure as hell won't ever play this again.
Dirty Projectors
1/5
Supposed to be Indie / Prog Pop... ????
I just don't know what I'd call this one..... hmmmm perhaps it's in the bloody awful genre.
The vocals and attempted harmonies are dreadful, absolutely dreadful, like something from kids in a school play production.
The musical arrangements of instruments were eclectic at best, randomly disorganised and unrelated to each other would be the norm.
I absolutely 💯 % guarantee I will never even consider playing this album again, and it has joined the list of 1001 albums you should NEVER hear before you die!
Arcade Fire
3/5
This album is already in my spotify library, really enjoy a few of the tracks, although the rest of the album has a few donkeys in there.
There are some pompus theatrical tracks in there, such as Intervention and My Body Is A Cage, with the dramatic church organ backing, but i guess it could have been a lot worse if they'd stuck a country track in there.... because that would have been sooooooo baddddddd.
As a whole the album has got a few quite good tracks, which are strangely comparative to Killers at times for me.
Best tracks for me, Keep The Car Running, and No Cars Go.
Aerosmith
3/5
Lively but extremely repetitive.
OK if it was on already playing, but it does get annoying to listen to as a full album.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
I wouldn't be a massive Fleetwood Mac fan, but In my wee humble opinion, Rumours is probably the best album ever produced by Fleetwood Mac.
Considering it was released in 1977, there are so many of the tracks on this album that are still played on commercial radio today, such was the calibre of the song writing.
I have this album on my own personal library, and would often choose to play many of the tracks regularly.
In many ways, this was their peak, as their personal and professional lives started to unravel, but damn this is still a great album.
Dr. Dre
1/5
This album and artist just grind me, such an ignorant form of music, it is certainly the lowest form of Hip Hop, which although this crap may have sold well at the time, it is extremely stale, ignorant and childish in comparison to other HipHop out at the same time like Del La Soul.
With conitnuous profanities for lyrics, aimed at their target audience of pubescent teenagers stoned out of their heads on mushrooms or sucking the end of a bong, who have just learnt how to tug on their pogo sticks, thinking they're "Billy big balls" cool listening to mutha fker niggah lyrics rapped out to a backing track created on a Rolf Harris Stylophone, bopping about in jerky alleged dance movements like a drunk chicken pecking through the grit for grain.
Every track is exactly the same stylophone backing with different arrangements of every profanity you can think of....
So in summary...
This album is pure shite.
Faith No More
3/5
At the time of original release, I would have given this more air time, because this album was a more polished production than a lot of the metal groups at that time.
Remembering what this album was like, and thinking of how music has moved on, all I'll say is, I didn't dislike it as much as I thought I would, and I got through the entire album with no skips.
Would listen to it if it was on, but wouldn't choose to play it.
David Bowie
3/5
If you ever wondered what a musical bowieism is, then listen to this album, it's full of musical quirks in the musical arrangements that were David's trademark.
Thoroughly enjoyed this album, it was a tame production in comparison to Bowies previous and more experimental albums, but given it was created when he was at the lowest point in his life, you have to applaud how good the album is.
Bob Dylan
2/5
I don't get Bob Dylan, and never will.
I don't like his vocals or whiny lyrics, and his music is folk/country, so I just don't get why people think this his music is so legendary... I'd call it annoying.
Iggy Pop
3/5
You would never guess that Bowie produced this first solo album for Iggy lol.
Although David and Iggy Co wrote China Girl, its amazing the difference in Iggys version, where he murdered it, and 6 years later David releases it and its a hit.
For me this album was an expression of Bowie at a low in his life, and Iggys first solo attempt fell short of the goal line with strained vocals... only to find his solo spirit in his next album Lust For Life.
I could listen to this if it was on, but wouldn't choose to listen to it.
I'm torn for review rating, and only giving it 3 stats for the Bowie influence.
Sam Cooke
3/5
Is it just me thinks Chain Gang is just Wonderful World with different lyrics?
I like Sam Cooke, I'm sure that would have been an awesome soul night in person at the club that night.... but sadly for me, the quality of recording on this live album has lost the soul of his soul music.
So it's not that I don't like the soul tracks Sam produced, I love them, I just don't like this recording.
Meat Loaf
3/5
My eldest brother played this non stop before I'd even accumulated double digit birthdays, but I always remember it as theatrical rock, a bit of fun, and listening to it today, that's exactly what it still is, I can sing it word for word, etched into my childhood sponge brain.
If it was playing I'd enjoy it for what it is, fun theatrical rock.
Queen
2/5
Probably my least favourite album of Queen.
One commercial track and the rest was theatrical expression and trademark Queen long intros.... and Brian May expressing every form of guitar style in his repertoire.
It's not a bad album, it's just nothing memorable that would draw you to select it to play as an album, just a couple of tracks on it, that's it.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Classic blues by the legendary Muddy Waters... 63 6ears later and it still sounds smooth.
The Flaming Lips
1/5
And why did I need to hear this album?
As psychedelic music it's a poorly executed americana attempt, married to a bloody awful vocalist, of man but he's dire.
Couldn't find anything to like about this album, 14 meh, whatever, tracks.
Kraftwerk
1/5
So boring...... zzzzzzzzzz
Ich bin Deutscher, meine langweilige Musik wird dir gefallen, ja
Q-Tip
2/5
It was an OK album, can't ever see me listening to it again.. meh!
Had never heard of Q-tip before except for the cotton buds you get in the chemist.
Tracks I liked... none
Tracks I would play again... none
So I guess all I can say is, if it was already on in the background then meh.. OK.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
I didn't like this album, I loved it.
Thin Lizzy had their own distinctive sound, with quite a number of hit tracks on this album.
The only problem I have with Thin Lizzy is that I need to be in the mood to listen to them, otherwise I could never listen to an album in one go.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Joni has a beautifully angelic voice, which is elegantly matched to her folk tunes and accomplished lyrics.
The only thing is one track was enough, I'll never play this album again, it was OK to listen and give it a review, I'll try anything twice lol, but this style of music and singing is all too churchy for me, I need to feel my music, not have to feel like an upper class snob clinically disecting each song like an art critic describing how wonderful a blob of paint on a canvass is a masterpiece.
To each their own, but Joni Mitchell is defo not for me.
The Prodigy
2/5
If I was in a club and this was pumping with a buzzing crowd ... back in the day... I'd be luvvin it.
Fast forward 30 years and listen to the album in isolation... its actually quite bland and long, there's nothing legendary about this as part of the rave scene.
Eminem
2/5
It was OK.
Incredibly samey.
I'm just not into rap.
Nanci Griffith
1/5
I you look up the top 100 albums for 1986... shock horror... not a mention of this album or artist... so why does this site think this americana country shite is something I need to hear or that its worthy of the top 1001albums of all time!!!
Skipped through the whole thing.
Cant be arsed with it, Nothing to like.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Blues Brothers with the addition of a heavy metal axe.
Some very tame lyrics for heavy metal, mostly drawing on the blues side of things, or as best you'll get with Ozzys vocal style.
Aside from the Black Sabbath well known hits, I had never listened to an album of theirs, and found it quite enjoyable, I'd maybe even pick out one or two tracks for a relisten.
All in all, not too shabby for 1970.
The Police
3/5
I can take or leave The Police as a group, never really made much of an impact on me.
I remember my schoolmate buying this album on original release, and how he described it as a Jeckyll and Hyde album of tracks.
Tracks 1 to 5 and 10 are just really crappy album filler tracks that will never be played again, but they're there to throw in with tracks 6 to 9 that were the comercially released as singles.
Should make a special mention for the track "Mother" ... simply to say it was bloody awful, soooo bad.
John Prine
1/5
Excrucingly painful pissarro poor effort at the worst music genre..... country.
I'm getting massively fed up with the volume of crappy whiny country albums this site selects.
This guys singing is hilairballs.... jeez they must have been desperate in 1971 to listen to any aul eejit whining along to cheesey country lyrics.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
This is by far the worst of Leonard Cohen's albums, not that im a fan of his work, but i do know he produced ither stuff that was better, but still nothing i would be into.
There are some glimmers of contempory folk that appear in the album, but I find his monotone narration with many of them hard to listen too, and they are essentially very same tracks.
Kanye West
3/5
I missed out on the whole hip hop rap scene at the time when it was popular, and I know that many hipsters rave on about Kanye.
To be fair, I listened to the album in full and thought it was quite well produced with much tamer usage of the N word that rappers at that time seemed fixated about spuing out in every line of lyrics.
Enjoyed the album on this occasion, I will never listen to it again, and I don't get the hype around Kanye, but if it was already playing in the background it would be OK.
Common
3/5
This site has certainly given me a lot of samey Hip Hop albums to review... and a lot of samey Country albums... I wonder if the person who compiled the list had a slight bias.
It would be fair to say, I've yet to find any hip hop album that I'd say is good, they are all so samey in musical arrangements, and the default continued application of repeat lyrics with the N and F words, which although i'm no prude, I do find these type of lyrics completely boring and ignorant.
For this album, it did have a lot of good bass, which made it more palatable on the ears, and having listened to a Kanye album for review yesterday, it was no surprise to recognise his involvement in the production of this album.
Tracks I liked - intro
Would I play this again - No
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
Cool smooth chill session jazz, which would be awesome to kick back and have playing in the background.
Bill Evans trio had quite a fan base, but the sophistication of each track was kinda lost on me, with most of it feeling the same as the last track.
Loved the double time brush drumming, silkily played out to compliment effortless piano and bass.
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
Not their best effort.... and they made it into a double album???
Obviously the songwriting was influenced by powder... I really struggle with this album, with 20 tracks and only 1 I liked, Sara.
Least liked, The Ledge.
Beatles
4/5
The fab four at their height, a class album of original music.
Least liked track was Love You Too, but that's just because of the sitar, I've never heard any music with a sitar that I'd say, that's good.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Love the bass rift of Superstition, evening it is one of Stevies most radio aired tracks, I always enjoy it.
Stevie is a fantastic singer, songwriter and musician, I can't think of a bad track he has ever released, although this album does have a few tracks that aren't overly interesting and miander on a bit longer than they needed to.
All in all, not a bad album to chillax with on an evening, and I'm torn a bit on the rating, simply because it's Stevie and he did pump out brilliant albums later.
Lauryn Hill
4/5
Had never heard of this Lauryn Hill album before, she was fab as part of the Fugees, but I didnt know what to expect when this album came up for review, and was quite pleasantly surprised to find i enjoyed virtually every track.
Her music is hip hop, R&B, and pinch of Soul in there, married up with an effortless voice and good songwriting.
Johnny Cash
2/5
Some nice acoustic guitar playing.
I just don't like Johnny Cash singing.
Most liked track... Personal Jesus... if only someone else sang it... oh wait a minute, they did, it was Depeche Mode.
Don McLean
4/5
A really talented singer songwriter, who has created music that has stayed the test of time.
People have called him a one hit wonder because other than the brilliance of his iconic American Pie track, some people just write the rest of his work off as boring.
Which it isn't, some of his arrangements are simple genius.
That said, there are a few dull tracks on this album, as there are on many albums, the filler tracks, but the still don't take away from this accomplished artist.
ABBA
2/5
Quite a few of Abbas iconic tracks... which if you're into them... then it will be fabulous.
But I'm not into them, I'm that inbetween age range to never have got the hype, not old enough for their heyday... and not young enough to be reintroduced through Mamma Mia the movie.
So.. the best I can give them is a 2, and that's for Dancing Queen, and not because I liked the song, it's because my mate used to do a class piss take dance to that track, we used to get the clubs to play it early in the night and he'd do his dance... was a piss take... but he always got a lot of interest from the girls, so we humoured his wee routine lol.
KISS
1/5
American glam rock... Ive heard bits of their stuff before but nothing memorable... its was mostly a commercially directed peacock display by the members of the group, rather than any musical talent or composition.
When I seen the album up for review I was a bit wary, but in the end, as it was a commercially sold image and sound, I found it not as bad as I thought it would be... although this album is supposed to be their best... oh wow.
This kinda over hyped dramatics is just not my thing.
I'd struggle to find something constructive to say, so I'll summarise in one word what my gut feel was for this album and group... Shite!
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
The first album up for review on this site that id truly say was fresh listening that i should hear before i die lol.
Cuban jazz.
Never heard of these guys before.
I loved it, have played it in the background all weekend... would be an excellent album for a summer party with friends and a load of bacradi cocktails
Judas Priest
2/5
If you like heavy metal then this album isn't for you.. this is the album where the legendary Judas Priest went commercial.
Crap same same routines.
I'm being generous giving this a score of 2.
The Smiths
3/5
Acclaimed to be the Smiths best album.... but meh.... nah, defo not the best output from them in my wee humble opinion.
This album is a clear contrast in sides, the A side is meh... OK... its Morissey expressing drama... nothing that grabs you.
The B side, opens well with Big Mouth and continues with a run of trademark Smiths classics.
So for me, I'd only play half the album.
Kate Bush
3/5
I love Kate Bush, such a unique singer who creates some well produced music.
I've read rave reviews about this album being a masterpiece of her work, but for me I just don't get it, I really struggled with this album, and I wouldn't rate it as her best work.
She was a wonderful voice and talent, but you shouldn't need to concentrate and disect each part of the songs to come out with a doctorate on how wonderful it is.
She made much better music than this.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
Loved these guys back in the day, a couple of Scottish lads heavily influenced by the Ramones and The Velvet Underground, and they produced a fab rock album in the mid 80s that has stood the test of time.
Nine Inch Nails
1/5
Pure shite!
Coldplay
3/5
I played this album exhaustively through 2002 to 2005, it was a difficult time in my life, and I found these guys such an easy listen and this is probably my favourite album of theirs.
Yes there are a lot of filler tracks on the album, they're not the first group to do that, but I still find their earlier music more palletable than later commercial tracks.
The Hives
3/5
As far as punk revival bands go... they were actually not bad.
Musically it was basic repetition of arrangements... but you could listen to it OK... apart from the vocals, which were dreadful.
The Roots
1/5
Not as long as the hole in my backside points down would I listen to this crap.
Hate this grunty genre that are obsessed with how many times they can say niggah in a track.
Really pathetic, I hate it.
Robert Wyatt
1/5
Hadn't heard of this guy or this album... and as I listened to it, I thought... what the f@@k is this sh!t£?????
Who the hell needs to listen to this???
I mean seriously???
This is bonkers nuts rubbish.. no sane person ever needed to hear this!!!
The Doors
5/5
The Doors were a bit before my era of growing up with the current music, but I was always drawn to their sound, which is something that has stayed ingrained with me my whole life.
I bought this album on vinyl in 1983, some 12 years after the original release, and literally played it on repeat every night. I still have that album, with all its battle scar scratches from drunken nights and sticking on my default vibes.
Their sound is unmistakable, with the growled lyrics from the late Jim Morris on.
Garbage
3/5
Enjoyed the album, but apart from the three commercial success tracks onit, the rest was just middle of the road.
Blur
3/5
Unlike the famous Father Ted sketch... I've always liked Blur and Oaisis.
I really liked a lot of the guitar work on this album, it was a bit less of a brit pop endeavour for Blur... but it didn't really pull it off for me, so I found this album very middle of the road, nothing stand out.
King Crimson
3/5
I liked the middle sections of a number of the tracks, but found the start and ends a bit drawn out
Barry Adamson
1/5
OK, i handn't heard of this guy or his album before... and now that I've listened to it, i understand why I had never heard of it.
So Ok, it's supposed to be a conceptual experimental album based on a soundtrack to a film that doesn't exist... but it still did my tits in with all the wandering introduction of noises and this kinda industrial machinery thumping... nah... its for the birds this one.
Yet another album that I've no idea why I had to listen to this?
I like to enjoy my music, not disect it into critical review about genius composition that just sounds crap.
Ray Charles
2/5
Ray Charles was very accomplished musician, I really liked Ray Charles when he plays blues, but I wouldn't say this album is a representation of the genius of Ray Charles.
But let's not be too harsh here, if we consider it was released way way back in 1959... he'll my mum was barely a teenager then... so it's in the hayday of jazz and the big band sound, and fornthat era it's a smooth compilation.
Did I enjoy the album, yes, mostly.
Would I listen to it again, well yes kinda, if it was already on in the background.
What tracks did I like, well none of them really stood out, but I didn't completely hate any of them either.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Quite a mature sound for a young Fiona Apple, with many of the tracks being easy listening to the ears.... but that's as far as it goes for me... easy to listen too, nothing memorable, instantly forgettable, it wouldn't be something I'd choose to listen too, but more akin to something playing in an elevator, or shopping mall.
Sisters Of Mercy
3/5
Back in the day I wouldn't have given these guys the time of day, because Robert Smith and The Cure were the legendary goth rock group, and still very much are.
Sisters of Mercy were a resurgence of goth rock and their sound was extremely samey between tracks.
That said, I actually found I enjoyed listening to the album, I'd even choose yo play a couple of the tracks again, so they have grown on me over the years.
The Replacements
2/5
Not sure why this album is on for 1001 albums to hear.
There's absolutely nothing notable about these guys, you can go into town any weekend and there'll be a group of misfits playing in some pub somewhere of the same calibre as these guys.
So they stole a few rifts from early Jam and Undertones tracks, and wrapped some variations around it... but none of it was stand out or memorable.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Aretha... the queen of soul... enuf said.
3/5
A whole lot less rock than older Muse tracks, with hints of Depeche Mode on a lot of the tracks on this album... but not as well executed and very... meh!
The best track on this album, for me is Starlight.
I have alwsys had a bit of a love hate relationship when listening to Muse, and it's aligned with my own mood. When I'm in Great form I'll have a few Muse numbers thrown into my playsuit, because they're not a bad group, I quite like many of their tracks.... its just I find they can get a bit depressing, which is why I relate to my moods, so if I'm down... I ain't gonna play these guys.
Stevie Wonder
2/5
As much as I like a lot of Stevies music, I found this album very dull and boring, I wouldn't see me playing any of it again.
Red Snapper
1/5
Make random noise, repeat, make random noise, repeat. Do this for 5 minutes and call it track 1.
Repeat process 10 times and call it an album.
Sit back and self gratify yourself for the shitty album you've just created.
Led Zeppelin
2/5
Opening track guitar riff ingrained in our heads from early Top of the Pops theme tune in the 1970s.
But that's all that's really good about all the tracks on this album, it's a lot of covers with some pretty cool guitar riffs... only spoilt be wandering theatrics of nonsense in the middle.
Elastica
3/5
Quite an easy band to listen to, even if Waking Up is a complete rip off from the Stanglers track No More Heroes, although that doesn't bother me as they created a good track.
Found the album a very easy listen, lively and well good vocals.
The main negative about the tracks.om this album would be the same riffs used across multiple tracks, which suggests they had limited creativity in their song writing.
David Bowie
3/5
Bowies swansong album released shortly before he passed away.
It's a short collection of intimate tracks that reveal Bowies realisation that his time was near an end, some of the lyrics are quite evident of his frame of mind that the end was coming.
So I get the poignant importance of this album when it was released, and the hype around the album that followed thereafter his passing, but if you remove the timing and meaning of the album, it's actually quite boring, and not a creative release synonymous with his preceeding albums.
I will always remain fan of Bowies music, but just not this album.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Although this album has quite a number of Michael's hit singles, I found it less creative and interesting as previous albums, such as Thriller.
Although I enjoyed listening to the album, I found it very much a product of pure commercial tracks aimed to maximise sales, rather than a creative album.
Sade
4/5
Effortless chillout jazz to the hauntingly beautiful smooth voice of Sade.
I was barely a teeneager when this came.out and i thought this was a good album then, and it has stood the test of time.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
That albums banging 😁👌
Bruce Springsteen
1/5
I struggle to listen to Springsteen at the best of times, but this album is truly woeful.
Would never listen to it again in a million years.
Not for me.
Janelle Monáe
2/5
Another one of these alleged experimental albums... I just found it bonkers eclectic random swings in style and sound that was all very much sounding computer generated with absolutely nothing memorable.
There were some good parts to some of the tracks, but you shouldn't have to study a track to enjoy it.
I've read a lot of rave reviews about this album, with lengthy disection of each track and what it means... ya de ya de ya... but I just don't get it what they're on about, I found the whole thing massively boring, never gonna listen to it again.
Various Artists
3/5
A festive album, which although was released 60 years ago, it still has a number of staple christmas classics on it.
Many of the tracks have been re-recorded to a better standard than this release, but they still manage to evoke that christmas warth inside.
Grateful Dead
3/5
Opened well with "Box of Rain" and a folk sound with hints of rock and country.
Harmonies were consistently well executed, but it all became consistently boring and repetitive.
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
Sinead was such a natural singer with quite haunting tones to her voice, she didn't even need backing music.
She was always quite outspoken as an individual on matters that she held dear, and a lot of the public and press hounded her for this, but that is irrelevant when it comes to the music she created.
So let's look at this album. Her voice is faultless throughout every track, albeit some of the lyrics are weak at best.
The backing music is very.lack lustre... like the last session those guys had was creating a mix tape for a shopping mall.
The album was a good example of Sinead as a singer, but most of the tracks were instantly forgettable, other than The Emperors New Clothes and Nothing Compares to You.
Ananda Shankar
2/5
Unusual mix of cultural music styles which invariably never works.
I will never be a fan of the sitar, but I did find I could kind of tolerate it for a few of the cover tracks, although the second half of the album was a real struggle and I had to skip it.
Not my kind of music.
Nirvana
5/5
Absolutely brilliant
Wu-Tang Clan
1/5
Absolute and complete shite
Kings of Leon
3/5
Not their best album, The Bucket being the only track I really liked.
Skunk Anansie
2/5
I really wasn't into this mixed up rock sound back in the late 90s, it was just bad, I really don't get why this gets highly rated, because at best it's music with no identity, and at worst, it's about as good as a school band trying to be awesome rockers... and failing miserably.
Tracks I liked... well none of them actually.
Tracks I hated... On My Hotel TV
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
I quite liked the Chilli's back in the day, and I liked this album, back in the day.
Fast forward 20+ years... and listening to this album again... well I found it to be 15 tracks, but 13 of them are just repetitive variations of Otherside or Californication.
This is still an album I would listen to, but it's just lost that point in time edge of really good enjoyment.
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
This album was recorded live, has some classy blues riffs in many tracks that you won't get in a polished produced album.
Good chill out blues.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
The only Springsteen album that I've ever liked, because I'm really not a fan of his dulced tones lol.
I'm on fire probably the track I liked best, and that's because Bruce draws on the softer tones in his voice, rather than the belted out lyrics of Born in the USA.
The Crusaders
2/5
The title track with Randy Crawfords vocals, is the only credible track on this album.
The rest of the tracks are literally the same jazz funk riffs, with a lot of sax leads.
These guys can certainly play their instruments, it was just all very bland and boring... perhaps best suited as background music in a shopping mall.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
I was but a pup when this came out, and would have been a fan of Adam and the Ants back in the day, with their distinctive double drum set sound and the glamour of their post punk style.
This album was a taster.for what was to come from them, and although I enjoyed reminiscing as I played this album, I wouldn't be in a big rush to play it again.
Taylor Swift
2/5
The only Swifty reference i can relate to is Rick and Morty doing.. Get Swifty. Lol
I'm really not a Taylor Swift fan in any way, but I do recognise she has a wide appeal to kids.
Anyway... this album... well Taylor can sing, has a nice voice and vocal range, but it's just that this album was back to her country / folk roots.... and if there's ever a genre I hate with an absolute passion... its country.
So ok, this isn't a hick country album, it is more folk music, but I still have only 2 words to sum up the album.
Incredibly Booorrrrring 💤
Johnny Cash
1/5
Nope, nope and nope, I know a lot of people like this guy and his country music... but I just don't get it!!
I got to 20 seconds into the second track... and I was already full on pissed off listening to this.
That repeat track recipie of annoying bass guitar twanging away with a chickity chick drum skiff and that mournfully droll voice of Johnny just grinds the life out of me.
Johnny Cash music never was and absolutely never will be anything I would listen to.
It's of an era from 55 years ago Americana country music... the world has significantly moved on musically since then.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
There's 3 good tracks on the album and the rest is just reggae based filler tracks.
Pink Floyd
2/5
I'm not a Pink Floyd fan, but I guess this album has 2 ok tracks, Comfortably Numb, and Brick in The Wall Part 2.
So that's as good as this review gets... and for me the album is only worth a 2.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
1/5
This type of hick yee-haw album has no place in a list of 1001 albums to hear before you die.
It's worse than bad, a 5 year old child could do better twanging elastic bands.
Life's to short to endure this type of torture.
OutKast
3/5
A fairly enjoyable rap album, with Outkast being one of the few rap acts I would listen to.
My biggest gripe is the lyrics... it just grinds me the over applied use of the word niggah so much in rap, it just is so boring and predictable.
Prince
3/5
1999, Little Red Corvette, Delirious, are the only 3 tracks worth listening to, the rest of the album is annoying at best.
Prince did create other great music, it's just not on this album.
Björk
2/5
Bjork is as mad as a bag of frogs... but this album is incredibly boring and lack musical talent, its basically just Bjork quirky singing style.
Big Time Sensuality is the only track I'd listen to on the album, the rest of it was really not my thing... sooo boring.
The Cure
5/5
Robert Smith was a mere 22 years old when he released this album... and would go on touring with it for another 40 years, in fact I went to see the Cure playing last year and they were still on point.
I always wonder was the Cure track "M" an inspiration for Curt Cobain with his Nirvana hit "About a Girl."
Absolutely loved this album, and the new music on their later albums reflected back to their roots in this album.
Meat Puppets
1/5
This is bloody awful... its like country v's punk on a full blown drug infused bender of bonkers moany vocals to random instruments played in an unconnected miander for a few minutes... and hey guys... we nailed it... that sounds awesome???
Thanks for giving me this crap to listen to... yet another album I wish I'd never heard.
Metallica
2/5
Some of the tracks started quite promising, some nice riffs in there.... and then the screaming starts... even for metal the vocals are dire at best.
I was born with a brain and hearing... and I never warmed to this type of music, and never will.
Respect to the drummer... he beat the shit out his kit like animal in the muppets.
Metal not my genre.
The Smiths
4/5
The last "Smiths" album before the Morrisey and Marr egos butted heads sufficiently to put the last nail in the coffin for the Smiths.
The album had some class track titles... quirky enough that you'd remember them, and the tracks themselves, showed more of the journey Morrisey was in, and where he would continue to grow post "The Smiths."
I grew up with this music, and it brings back many happy memories, I really enjoyed this album today, have played it 3 times already.
Brian Eno
1/5
And why is this in the list for people to hear this?????
Seems more that someone has a hard on for Brian Eno to include yet another one of his voring albums.
So it's minimalist music... Big deal... why did I need to hear this for review?
Mariah Carey
3/5
Songs I already knew - none
Songs I liked- none
This is the type of album you get when a talented singer is sucked into the music factory to churn out an album of unmemorable pleasantness.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
Ach come on... someones taking the piss with these album selections.
It's no coincidence that "skip" is in this artists name... because that's what you need to do to every track if you wish to retain your sanity.
His voice is dreadful, the track "Cripple Creek" was bloody awful, nearly drove me to the drink!!
Would never in my life consider playing this again.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
It was OK, but I'll never listen to it again.
Radiohead
2/5
Seen this album come up this morning... and my first thoughts were "this is going to be depressing."
Guess what?
It was depressing,!!!
The vocalist is a pure pain to listen to.
Take the vocals out, imagine someone else singing, and the music isn't bad at times, albeit, they meander on for so long like a stick slowly floating down a stream.
These guys are very much middle of the road, but a lot of people rave about them? Go figure? Horses for courses, but this stuff not for me.
The Who
2/5
"I Can See For Miles" is a classic "Who" anthem... but the rest of this album is just filler tracks of not great quality, and loads of irritating advert style narratives.
There are a lot of Who tracks over the years that I like, but aside from I can see for miles, there's little to enjoy on this album.
The Soft Boys
2/5
There's a few ok tracks on this album, nothing special, and certainly nothing significant about this post punk 1980s group, and the music, although had grass roots of promise... it was all very poorly executed and produced.
I'd never heard of these guys before, and I grew up in the 80s, and i was very into my music bak in the day, so I'd say they weren't that popular.
The KLF
3/5
Back in the day... at 3am Eternal, I felt all Justified and Ancient....
And then I saw the KLF released this album... so enthused with the soft rave/acid sound they had going on back in 1991, I went out and bought the CD... came home, loaded her up and cranked the volume up to 11... and after 45 minutes of disappointment of other than the 2 tracks I already knew, the album was crap, so it was quickly re-packed and then back to the record store and exchanged for something else.
So only for 3am eternal & justified and ancient, I'll give this a 3.
Public Enemy
2/5
Tracks I already knew = None
Tracks I liked = None
Best I can say about this album is that it didn't suck as bad as most of the Hip Hop crap that was produced... which incidentally is another point about this album, the production is really poor, and that repetitive chalkboard screech that they play throughout every track gets to be extremely annoying.
Pearl Jam
3/5
Even Flow and Alive were already on my Spotify liked library, but I only like some of Pearl Jams music.
Eddy's deep monotone voice is quite recognisable albeit the lyrics are just boring and unimaginative punched out in Eddy's one key delivery.
The album, or rather Pearl Jam in general, is all very very samey... apart from a few guitar riffs that momentarily grab your attention in some tracks... but the whole thing, we'll it's just lacking, so it's a middle of the road 3 from me.
Pink Floyd
1/5
It really doesnt matter if this was their debut album or not, because this album typifies exactly why I never have, and never will like Pink Floyd.
The randomness of instruments which sound as if they're playing different songs all at the same time... is just bonkers and I struggled to listen to this.
Take Thy Stethoscope and stick it where the sun don't shine.
Not for me... ever!!!!
Deerhunter
2/5
Coldcut
3/5
As a dance album it's a good classic, albeit, at the time, it didn't make a big dent in the charts, and there are still a couple of misses on the album.
Overall I quite enjoyed the album, it certainly opened with a great Lisa Stansfield track, and the brilliant Yaz featured on a track too.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Bob and his group brought with them that Jamaican Reggae sound that was the basic template of all other Reggae based tracks.
There is a sameness to a lot of the tracks, which is the only negative thing I found with the album... so I debated with myself how to award a 3.5... but conceded that they still changed the reggae for all following artists.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Undoubtedly Elvis was a notable natural singer, and his impact on the music scene, through this first album, started a revolution in the music sound of the 50s and on.
That said, although there are a few versions of tracks on this album that became his trademark sound... the album is still mostly Country tracks which were given the Rockabilly twist.
But it was of an era.
I do get why Elvis influenced the music world, and growing up in the 80s I heard him played a lot by my aunt and uncle, but he's still not my thing.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
These guys turned out some polished music in their time, with this album was less pop and more smooth chill than their previous album.
Not very often I do this with the 1001 albums generator, but I played the album twice, back to back, I really enjoyed it.
Ray Price
1/5
Seriously?????
First twang of that steel guitar and I knew I'd hate this album.
Thousands of awesome albums have been made by many artistes for decades, but just ignore them all, as this album generator keeps churning out this wonky tonk country crap.
Only good thing I'll say is that the vocals were OK... bit still can't stand country... even if they put a wonky tonk spin on it.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I never fully got the Led Zepplin thing.. it always seemed to be a group older people revered as being awesome?
This album opened well with the Immirant Song, and the rest was ok, but to be honest, I'm never gonna listen to this again.
Norah Jones
5/5
Beautiful vocals to smooth bluesy jazz arrangements that you can totally chill out too.
De La Soul
4/5
Well executed Hip Hop.
I always liked these guys as they could churn out enjoyable tracks without the usual lyrics that other alleged hip hop groups churned out with lyrics full of repeated profanities and ignorant references.
Sigur Rós
2/5
What can I say...
I've read the rave reviews... personally I just don't get how you could wax lyrical about this Icelandic group.
I didn't even like the vocals, for what there was of vocals.
I didn't completely hate it, some of the melodies (once the volume became audible) were ok, but overall, it is an hour of my life I'll never get back listening to the album.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
This album seems to be a quirky take on established classical music, which in ways make the classical movements more interesting.
Jimmy Smith
2/5
All very samey, but enjoyable enough as Soul Jazz.... if only he hadn't incorporated that organ... it kinda came across too strong in the tracks.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
I've always found Hip Hop to be akin to background music, but that said, this is not a bad collection of HipHop tracks, and for a change I didn't hate it.
Little Richard
3/5
Some iconic tunes on this album thatwere more progressive and made more impact that the same era rockabilly tunes from Elvis.
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
A poor attempt at trying jump onto the hip hop/ rap scene with some resemblance of afro instruments and sounds... bit aside from mediocre chart entries from Double Dutch and Buffalo Girl, I don't think there was ever much impact from Mr McClarens little experiment.
The tracks prick memories from that time, but there's absolutely nothing on the album I would want to listen to again.
Shivkumar Sharma
2/5
To be honest, ordinarily I'm not a fan of Indian music, mainly because I can't stand the sound of the sitar.
This however, was interesting, it was calming and more classical Indian/Hindu music, and I listened to the whole album, and the musical composition and quality of playing the instruments was quite good.
It wouldn't be an album I would reach for again, but it would be easy listening if it was already playing in the background.
Abdullah Ibrahim
2/5
Background music in a wine bar or restaurant.
It's OK chill out jazz style music, and nothing bad about, it's just that there's nothing interesting about it.
There have so many great jazz albums produced that I fail to see why this album in particular has made the list.
The Smashing Pumpkins
2/5
Probably the better album from the Pumpkins... but I still think they're very overrated, despite the rave reviews others seem to wax lyrical about them.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Musically, some nice arrangements of classic tracks.
Vocally, I really wouldn't be a fan of Janis Joplin.
Joan Armatrading
5/5
Love Joan Armatrading, such beautiful songwriting and effortless way she plays her music.
Love and Affection is an excellent song.
Stan Getz
3/5
Nice lounge music, nothing that special about it.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
4/5
Billy Joel
3/5
Billy Joel is a greatsinger songwriter and entertainer, and there's a few of his songs I don't mind listening to, but for me, I need to be 20 years older to fit the target audience if his music.
Pixies
4/5
Even though ive concert tickets to see these guys later this year, the Pixies are still a group I really need to be in the mood for, definitely not something to listen to at the start of a day.
My favourite track is probs Gouge Away.
Least favourite, I Bleed.
New Order
3/5
As much as I like a lot of New Orders music, I just found this album very tame, boring and uninteresting.
Elvis Costello
2/5
Songs I always knew - Alison.
Elvis Costello has turned out some decent tracks in his time... its just there aren't any on this album.
I found it very whiny, his vocals re very irritating to say the least..
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
Boring, samey, uninteresting, full of copied riffs and baselines from other people music... I just don't get why this album is here for review.
I'll give it 2 for effort.
Other than that it's instantly forgettable.
Duran Duran
4/5
When this came out I was listening to Paul Wellar and The Jam, Neil Young, Talking Heads... but the girls were all into Duran Duran, so, as a healthy male teenager, i suddenly found a reason to listen to Duran Duran lol.
Move on 40 years, and the album comes up here for review, and aside from this being the first time I ever listened to the album in full, I found I was able to sing along with about every lyric... damn that misspent youth chasing girls who liked Duran Duran.
They weren't that wonderful musicians, but they were packaged and target audienced to perfection by the record company, with slick videos and and swarthy tanned guys living their best life.
These guys are still touring, and still sounding as good as they did back in the day.
Love them or hate them, Duran Duran made a statement on the 1980s musoc scene.
Stan Getz
3/5
It's an OK jazz album, a bit flat on the sax, and little to no variation between tracks.
Unsure why this album made the cut... but I guess it's a running theme with this list of questionable albums.
Background music at a Las Vegas hotel
Finley Quaye
3/5
I liked Finlay Quaye, and would still often play "Even After All" in my chillout playlist.
As an album, the songs aren't bad, but they kinda morph into each other with uncanny similarity, and a "DeLaSoul The Magic Number" baseline variation throughout most of the tracks.
Ali Farka Touré
1/5
Hated this.
I literally had a splitting headache after the first track.
Bon Jovi
3/5
Probably the album with Bon Jovis Best known hits... but a few miss tracks in there too.
I would listen to some of this, if it was already playing, but personally, I wouldn't choose to play them.
It's all just too much americana commercial tracks.
Television
4/5
Hadn't heard of these guys before, and was pleasantly surprised to listen to their album.
This has been classed as punk, but it's much more composed and executed than what I'd class as the punk sound.
Guitar work is excellent, some unique riffs in there, and the sound was consistent throughout.
My only negative would be the vocals, I found him to be a tad whiny.
All in all, not a bad album, was worth a listen.
Arcade Fire
5/5
One of my favourite bands and this album is packed full of great tracks.
I've my tickets for their tour in July 2024.
Aphex Twin
2/5
Never heard of this guy or his album... but I'll give it a whirl.
Did a bit of background searching on the album, found there's a lot of people got a full hard-on for this stuff, disecting it and the brilliance of it all.
Personally, it opens well, so ok, it's ambient music, ok I get that, but more than half way through the album you realise it's the same baseline and haunting synth strap.
So in summary, grand if you've dropped a tab and off tripping, off in a wee colourful spaced out wonderland with this album randomly reminding you of your heartbeat with the baseline drum beat... other than that, I can think of no occasion I'd ever want to listen to this, or to go tripping out of my head either... I prefer music played by musicians on actual instruments, not something created on a laptop by a computer programmer.
Grateful Dead
2/5
1001 albums has been brought to you today by the words "bored" and "shitless".
It was probably good in its day, and as a live recorded album, it was testimony that these guys could play.
I struggled big time to listen to this album, it took several goes.
I've always considered the Grateful Dead very overrated.
Nothing memorable here, just extended jamming sessions wrapped up and presented as a set of tracks worthy of bundling into a live album.
Rod Stewart
1/5
I saw Rod Stewart come up today, and the heckles rose on the back of my neck... for I already knew it was a torture album selection today.
This is supposed to be folk rock... but it drifts very closely to sounding country.. a genre I hate and despise.
Add to that, we also have to endure Rods voice, which is little more than a pub singer.
This is simply music for old people swaying in their rockers, tapping their hands and feet to the groovy beat.
Prince
3/5
There are only a handful of Prince songs I ever liked, Sign of The Times is one of them.
Sadly, it's the only track I like on this album, the rest of it comes across like a petulant child stampkmg their feet in a tantrum, demanding everyone needs to understand his music, rather than enjoy it.
All a tad dated 80s vibe.