May 04 2023
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One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
Not a bad funk album, although that’s not my thing. I found it interestingly mellow at times.
3
May 05 2023
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Queen II
Queen
What an incredible album. I'm a big Queen fan but had never heard most of the songs on this album. Some of them are just the most wonderful Queen songs I've heard. It really justifies my plan to listen to all these albums!
5
May 08 2023
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Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
5
May 09 2023
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Frank
Amy Winehouse
Wonderful! Such a great insight to this complex and talented woman. I started to lose track a bit near the end but it was still a great album.
4
May 10 2023
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Celebrity Skin
Hole
I'm a bit biased, because this album came out when I was 16 and I was crazy for it. I bought it on release. I was *there* for it. But 25 years on, I still think this album is fantastic. There's some elements of it that feel a little "filler" ("Playing Your Song"), but for the most part, this is a wonderfully melodic, brutally personal album from Courtney and Eric (and Billy Corgan).
5
May 11 2023
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There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly & The Family Stone
I thought this was really great! There was a couple of tracks I really loved ("Time" and "Just Like a Baby"). It really needs to be heard on good stereo speakers.
4
May 12 2023
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Gold
Ryan Adams
I was going to turn this off around track 8, "Nobody Girl", but then heard the song "Sylvia Plath" which I found really fantastic, so I continued listening. The rest of the album is much more soulful folk than the country vibes of the beginning. I ended up being ok with this album, but it's really not my thing except for a few tracks near the end. "Goodnight, Hollywood Blvd." is also quite wonderful.
3
May 15 2023
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Who's Next
The Who
Yeah. Pretty good album. I mean, I've heard The Who before and their classic tracks, and those are the highlights here. The songs in the middle are neither here nor there. They're ok. Less... I dunno... punchy? But not terrible. In summation; I've never enjoyed The Who and this maybe only slightly makes me think better of them. They're not bad or anything, it's just not my style.
3
May 16 2023
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Close To You
Carpenters
I mean... for the most part, this sounds like the Carpenters. But there's some absolute '70s classics on here, plus a banging cover of "Help", and a really haunting track called "Crescent Noon" that I listened to again. It lifted my score to a 3. I would probably give it a 3.5 if I could.
3
May 17 2023
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Wild Gift
X
I didn’t actively listen to this too much. I have to say, I’m not too into early punk. I make an exception for DK, but even then it took a lot for me to get my head around their stuff. In any case, “Wild Gift” by X is a decent listen. I can hear how this album was ahead of its time. For the most part, it’s not really my thing, but I did particularly love the song “White Girl”
3
May 18 2023
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Another Green World
Brian Eno
It's pretty crazy that this album was recorded in 1975. There's a lot of modern ideas here. For the most part I found it pleasant to listen to, but there was nothing really that grabbed me except for the track "Everything Merges With the Night" which I really loved. I can see a lot of influence on Smashing Pumpkins in that track.
3
May 19 2023
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She's So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper
When I first saw that this was today's album, I wasn't too happy. "How could this be one of the illustrious 1,001?" I thought. But I see why. This is a great example of why the '80s was a great time for pop music, with honest lyrics and groovy instrumentation. I quite enjoyed it. 3 stars.
3
May 22 2023
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The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
It’s an amazing coincidence. I had just 2 days earlier wondered what I would do if an album I knew really well came up in this project “like The Downward Spiral”, I thought. Crazy that it happened 2 days later.
This is is one of three albums that were the soundtrack to my late teens (the other 2 being both Smashing Pumpkins albums; “Siamese Dream” and “Mellon Collie…”). I can’t overstate enough how much I love this album. 27 (!) years on since I first heard it, it still sounds as exciting, dramatic, powerful, and intriguing as it did when I was 14 years old. I didn’t need to listen to it again, but I chose to listen to it in one stretch on my AirPods Pro with noise cancellation on.
This is an album that made synths heavy. It made the pain of longing cool. It reignited the goth movement for millions of kids. It’s so full sounding that it sounds like it was recorded on the floor of a huge chasm. It’s the angriest album I’ve ever heard. It’s the saddest album. It’s the deepest album. I feel it in my chest, and heart, and my head, and my gut, and in my pants.
Stand-out Tracks: Eraser, Reptile, Heresy
5
May 23 2023
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Blue
Joni Mitchell
This is what this project is all about. I would never in my life choose to listen to Joni Mitchell. In fact, apart from “Big Yellow Taxi”, I don’t know if I’ve ever listened to her. But here I am, thinking this won’t be the last time I choose to throw on Joni Mitchell’s “Blue”. This album is so beautiful. Some of the most wonderful silky vocals I’ve ever heard. I really love it
Standout tracks: “River” and “This Flight Tonight”
4
May 24 2023
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The New Tango
Astor Piazzolla
This album is obviously not in my wheelhouse, but I enjoyed listening to this. I really appreciated the dramatic feel, complexity, and occasional odd-meter. Even though I’m not a fan of Argentinian accordion, I recognised the talent that went into this performance.
3
May 25 2023
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Alien Lanes
Guided By Voices
Now this is what this 1,001 Albums project is all about! I would never have listened to this album, but it’s excellent. I take a lot of inspiration from this album. It’s a bunch of short little minimalist songs, some of them less than a minute, and the album as a whole is still excellent, thriving on the power of melody, songwriting, and the performances, rather than production quality or complexity.
4
May 26 2023
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Achtung Baby
U2
Bloody boring. I give it a point because "One" is a masterpiece. "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" was decent too. Otherwise this is the definition of milquetoast to me.
2
May 29 2023
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All Mod Cons
The Jam
I listened to a remaster of this I know, but the recording is excellent. Every instrument is so crisp, and I was glad to be listening on my decent speakers. I enjoyed this quite a lot. I haven’t listened to a lot of new wave so I enjoyed the experience.
Stand out track is “Fly” which I thought was great
3
May 30 2023
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At Fillmore East
The Allman Brothers Band
I’d never heard The Allman Brothers Band before so I was keen to hear what they were all about. I dug it. A lot of great jamming on this album and a fantastic live recording. I will admit that I didn’t quite listen to all of it, but almost an hour. I felt like I had got the idea. It’s good. A solid 3.
3
May 31 2023
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Modern Kosmology
Jane Weaver
This is a cute little album. I didn’t mind listening to it too much, but I didn’t find it anything terribly unique or impactful. Kinda wondering why it appears on this list. It’s not like it’s bad… it’s just not that good.
2
Jun 01 2023
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Joan Baez
Joan Baez
This is all very lovely to listen to, but I’ll admit, I turned it off half way through. It’s very repetitive. If you’re a sweet old bird that loves to sit and crochet to the sound of tweeting budgies and Joan Baez, I feel you. But that is not me.
2
Jun 02 2023
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Scott 2
Scott Walker
This is... so weird. It sounds like the music my grandparents listened to in the car on a rainy evening, while I'm slowly waking up in the backseat having cigarette smoke fill my lungs. I respect Scott's songs about having his "ass slapped like a faggot" and gonorrhea. That must have been bold for 1968.
2
Jun 06 2023
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Superunknown
Soundgarden
I can't believe that I have never listened to this album. Black Hole Sun was one of the first songs I ever really loved. I remember when I started getting more into music, I would look for this album and would usually find "Down on the Upside" and was worried it didn't have Black Hole Sun on it. Maybe I would've been a whole different person if I had taken a leap of faith on Soundgarden and not "Mellon Collie..."
Anyway, almost 30 years later, I finally listen to Superunknown, and yes, I love it. There are some moments on here that are a little "Triple M" dad rock (at least now in 2023). What sticks out to me on this album is the performances and the recording. Kim Thayil is an amazing guitarist that really colours this album. And of course what can I say about Chris Cornell.
Favourites: Black Hole Sun, The Day I Tried to Live, Limo Wreck, Head Down, Fell on Black Days
5
Jun 07 2023
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Quiet Life
Japan
I really enjoyed this! I'd never heard of Japan before and now I'm glad to have. I found the vocals a little samey, and quite stiff in that deep new wave way, but otherwise the instrumentation was really great.
Stand out tracks: All Tomorrow's Parties, The Other Side of Life
4
Jun 08 2023
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Clube Da Esquina
Milton Nascimento
I've never listened to Brazillian music before, and I have to say this was really good. But I also don't think I'd listen to Brazillian music again. Cheers!
4
Jun 09 2023
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The Bends
Radiohead
One of my favourite albums of all time. It's beautiful, punchy, sometimes ahead of it's time, and sometimes of the moment. While there's touches of art rock in here, I've always felt like Radiohead really felt like they had achieved all they could with traditional alt-rock on this album.
I've listened to it thousands of times. It doesn't get much better.
5
Jun 12 2023
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Aja
Steely Dan
It is what it is. I didn't expect anything else. Really not my thing.
2
Jun 13 2023
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Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5
Jun 14 2023
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Boston
Boston
Loved it! I've loved "More Than a Feeling" forever, but never knew the rest of the album is as good. This is the archetype of great rock albums.
5
Jun 15 2023
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The Undertones
The Undertones
Pretty sick. I'm not big on '70s punk but this was a good listen. Nothing really stood out to me, but I didn't hate it.
3
Jun 16 2023
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My Generation
The Who
Yeah look... I liked it more than "Who's Next", but I'm still not feeling The Who all that much. It's garlic and onions being browned in a pan. An essential base, and a wonderful smell, but I don't enjoy eating them as they are.
3
Jun 19 2023
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Tidal
Fiona Apple
This album is incredibly sexy and soulful. I remember when it released and I couldn't get enough of Criminal, but being a grunge kid, didn't really want to give any time to the rest of the album. I'm glad I've heard it now. It's so good and her vocals are amazing.
5
Jun 20 2023
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Urban Hymns
The Verve
I didn't listen to all of this. It was like listening to the colour brown for an hour. I like "Sonnet" and "The Drugs Don't Work" but that's probably because I remember them from when I was an MTV addict in 1997. Probably also why I can't stand "Bitter Sweet Symphony".
Look, it's ok. But it just hasn't aged well to me.
2
Jun 21 2023
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Beyond Skin
Nitin Sawhney
This is a fantastic album of many textures, styles, and moods. I really enjoyed it. It was a really wonderful journey, and I'm really glad to have heard it.
4
Jun 22 2023
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Fragile
Yes
4
Jun 23 2023
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The Yes Album
Yes
Fantastic album
4
Jun 26 2023
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Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Not my very favourite RHCP album, but almost is. I do believe this is their magnum opus. A moment when they reached their maturity. Carved out a new sound that was still very much Chili Peppers. How sad it is for me though to think about the albums that came after this. Californication is surely the template the band used to build everything that has come after. And what came after was a lot of Triple M dad rock.
5
Jun 27 2023
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The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
I liked it kinda, but mainly it was very boring and every song sounded the same.
2