1001 Albums Summary

Big fan of some very interesting instrumentation, but the dream-like vocals were lost on me, alongside many of the lyrics. Highlight: Kids Lowlight: The Youth Surprise Hit: 4th Dimensional Transition

The fact that this album came out in 1971 blows my mind. I can see and feel it's influence as a concept album across the decades. Gaye's seemingly effortless vocals and messaging are just as impressive and important 50+ years later as they ever were. High Point: What's Going On Low Point: n/a Surprise Hit: Save The Children

This album is comfortably outside of my comfort zone. While most of it was inoffensive, it did feel awfully outdated in parts, and repetitive and droning in others. Needless to say, not my cup of tea. Highlight: 3 Kilos Lowlight: Claustrophobic Sting Surprise Hit: Poison

While non of the songs here were catchy enough to stick in my ear or moving enough to stick in my head, I can't help but give credit to Prince for his incredible range on this album.

I can't imagine a much better intro to Bob Dylan than this. I was skeptical of being able to handle an entire album of his vocals, but I have to say I should have never doubted his reputation. Lyrically masterful and audibly varied throughout, Bob Dylan and his supporting cast are put on full display on Blonde on Blonde and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bummed I hadn't heard it sooner. High Point: Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again Low Point: n/a Surprise Hit: Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands

I think I like jazz, but this album may be a bit too jazz for me. I often found myself lost in the music, and not in a good way. At the same time, I wouldn't argue against someone who said this was masterful or game-changing. To each their own I guess. High Point: Bitches Brew Low Point: Feio Surprise Hit: Miles Runs the Voodoo Down

Distinctly stylish, delightfully digestible, and distinguishingly British, Small Faces has put together an extremely tight and psychedelic concept album here that I wouldn't hesitate to listen to again. Highlight: Lazy Sunday Lowlight: The Hungry Intruder Surprise Hit: Rene

This sample-heavy album is not nearly as musically intimidating as some of the other vocal-less albums on this list, while still being varied enough to steadily hold my interest in the first half before slowly losing me towards the finish line. That being said, I don't think there's much on the bone here, and nothing that would really make me want to listen again. Highlight: Mea Culpa Lowlight: Mountain of Needles Surprise Hit: Moonlight in Glory

This album might be the first example in this list that I’ve had an issue with the balance of. The band seemed to overpower the vocals often, which is a shame because the instrumentation felt quite standard, especially in comparison to the lead singer. All that said, this album was good enough, and successfully scratched the British rock itch. And I definitely appreciate the flow of the album, despite some of the structure within the individual songs feeling repetitive. Highlight: Don’t Trust the Stars Lowlight: Bailed Out Sneaky Hit: Home Again

Just looking at the list of tracks here was practically jaw dropping, as someone who has never sought out Taylor Swift's catalog. Sure enough, this album delivers pop hit after pop hit, despite a couple songs not quite living up to the rest towards the end of the list. Sure, some people may complain that the album feels too "safe" or something equivalent, but at the end of the day the songs are as catchy as heck and comfortably unambiguous to the point of near pop-perfection. Highlight: Wildest Dreams Lowlight: I Know Places Surprise Hit: Clean

Maybe one of the bigger disappointments so far, this album really only has the one standout song in Respect. The rest, while not bad by any means, still left me unimpressed or even bored. Highlight: Respect Lowlight: Save Me Surprise Hit: Soul Serenade

Color me VERY surprised by how much I liked this album. I’ve never heard of Nick Drake or this album. You could tell me that this album was released any of the past 50 years and I would never doubt you. It’s simple, raw, timeless music. It’s not enough to completely blow me away, but I have no doubt I’ll come back to listen again. Highlight: Place to Be

Being the first Rolling Stones album I've listened to the whole way through, I consider this album a solid success. Sympathy for the Devil is an obvious classic. The production value is also second-to-none, to the point where it can carry some of the same-y blues/rock songs that may overpopulate the album. Highlight: Sympathy for the Devil Lowlight: Parachute Woman Surprise Hit: Dear Doctor

This seems like it must've been a fun album when it came out. Full of psychedelic sounds and far-out lyrics, this record sounds every bit as 60's as it looks, almost stereotypically so. I'm unfamiliar with the history of the genre so I may not be giving enough credit where credit is due here, but very little here stood out to me as something I'd come back to. Highlight: What's Happening? Lowlight: 5D (Fifth Dimension) Surprise Hit: 2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song)

I thought some other albums have been a struggle on this list, but this one takes the cake. Maybe that's its purpose. Maybe its genius. Maybe it takes a genius to truly appreciate their work here. Any of those could be true, but I know one thing is true for sure, this album is not for me.

For some reason it never occurred to me, growing up at least, that entire albums of Funk existed. My only experience was generally one-off bits in TV shows or movies. This album was almost unbelievably funky, especially compared to anything I'd heard of this genre in the past. There was a relatively snoozy track or two, but I can't imagine a person existing that wouldn't have a good time listening to this album. Highlight: Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker) Lowlight: Night Of The Thumpasorus Peoples Surprise Hit: P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)

Wow this album was everything I never knew I wanted. There's a sense of nostalgia and comfort here, despite the fact that I know very little Spanish and have never listened to this type of music before. Everything on the album exudes talent. The composition, the vocals, the instrumentation, and I'm going to assume the lyrics, all resonate universally in a way that only music can. And to have 14 tracks cover the breadth of music that this album did is a feat in its own, it's an instant classic in my book. Highlight: De Camino a La Vereda Lowlight : n/a Surprise Hit: Dos Gardenias

I'll admit, I was maybe too eager to judge a book by it's cover here. I didn't know what to expect at first glance, but what I got was an intimate, funny, lyrical, and somewhat theatrical album that has zero issues holding my attention. Some of the songs get a little goofier than I expected, but it would still quickly find it's way into my collection (if I had one). Highlight: Where Dreams Go To Die Lowlight: Marz Surprise Hit: Silver Platter Club

This felt like some sort of bizarre time machine back a couple of decades, and not in a good way. Nothing here really stuck with me, except for maybe the somewhat pretentious feeling of it all. Not my cup of tea for sure, but it is music! Highlight: Erzulie Lowlight: Sweet Divinity Surprise Hit: n/a

I have little to no experience with Radiohead, but I have heard that some melomaniacs hold them in pretty high regard. And there were a couple tracks on this list where that shone through. But altogether the album fell a little flat for me. Maybe it's out of my league, but my monkey-brain was thirsty for more rhythm somewhere in the album. To me, the songs tended to flow into each other in a way that made several of them indistinguishable, or maybe even unmemorable. Highlight: Life in a Glasshouse Lowlight: Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors Surprise Hit : Knives Out

Credit where credit is due, this album has got a pretty sweet cover. And it was cool to hear the original version of the That 70's Show theme. But aside from a few of the slower hits. Most of the tunes here seem fairly run-of-the-mill for 70s rock. Not the worst listen, but nothing I'd come back to as a whole. (Also I would like to retroactively grade yesterday's album as a 2, this was better than that.) Highlight: In The Street Lowlight: ST 100/6 Surprise Hit: Thirteen

It took me a few songs to get into this album. The lead singer's Cher-like voice and the very 80's-pop tracking felt almost like an imitation of the times for a while. But I think it started to almost click for me close to halfway through the album, maybe due to some nostalgic soft-rock-esque saxophone. It's not great and it's VERY 80's, but I wouldn't hesitate to listen to if it came on in the background. Highlight: Goodbye Sunday Lowlight: These Early Days Surprise Hit: Apron Strings

Having knowingly only heard one Pet Shop Boys song before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this album. I’m still not entirely sure how I would classify it. Once I was a few songs in, the vocals started to grow on me. Unfortunately, the instrumentals didn’t fare as well. It’s a product of the times certainly, but it hasn’t aged very gracefully. The tone of the album never really landed either, with some songs feeling decidedly pop-y, while others were backed by momentous, cinematic instrumentation. Not something I’d seek out to listen to again, apart from showing off some of the more interesting tracks to see how others are impressed. Highlight: Go West Lowlight: One in a Million Surprise Hit: To Speak Is a Sin

Is it the Beatles best work? No. But don’t let that take away the lightning in a bottle that this album is. This is a masterclass in pop music. Short, sweet, catchy, everything you could ask for in a pop album. And at just over 30 minutes they managed to waste absolutely zero time here. You could argue every other song on this list could be a #1 hit, and for all I know they maybe were. As the first Beatles album on my list, it didn’t disappoint. Highlight: A Hard Day’s Night Lowlight: n/a Surprise Hit: And I Love Her

I might be beginning to get a bit of British rock/rock-adjacent fatigue because this album fell impressively flat for me. There were maybe a couple of standout songs in either direction, but really the vocal range and tempos all sort of melded together into what felt like one big, long song-blur. Probably closer to a 2.5 than a 2, but here we are. Highlight: Rescue Lowlight: Happy Death Men Surprise Hit: Monkeys

Now this is the Prince I thought I knew. There's definitely a reason I didn't come across many of these songs when I was younger, Prince is maybe at his freakiest here. The album starts off with a bang, with the first handful of tracks being locked down as pop staples. Throw in a few other hits along the way and you've got what feels to be an essential album for pop fans. Throw in a cool album cover and I'm sold. Highlight: 1999 Lowlight: Free Surprise Hit: Lady Cab Driver

I'm surprised I haven't heard more of Amy Winehouse before now. It's comfortably up my alley, and this album is something that I could listen to the whole way through again with no issues. Iconic voice, jazzy tunes, classic covers, not much more I could ask for here. Highlight: What Is It About Men Lowlight: Amy Amy Amy Surprise Hit: Moody's Mood for Love / Teo Licks

I've heard a lot of hype behind this album, so I think the fact that it didn't click with me is a pretty good indicator that Radiohead just isn't my bag. Which is a shame because there's a good amount of interesting instrumentation here. But the vocals are just something I can't get behind, and as a side-effect the lyrics often slip by as well. Not to say that there's I think is bad here, just nothing mind-blowing to me. Highlight: Jigsaw Falling Into Place Lowlight: Bodysnatchers Surprise Hit: Faust Arp

This album represents a genre that I've definitely heard before, but not one that I would be able to identify in words. There's definite nostalgia here, but this album really feels like a bit of a time machine. It sounds like the Matrix coming out, or one of those old Sonic spin-off games. It gets a lot of novelty for me there, but I can't give it too much praise beyond that. Highlight: Mirrorball Lowlight: Walking Wounded - Omni Trio Mix Surprise Hit: Good Cop, Bad Cop

This has "divisive" written all over it, but I'm happy to say I enjoyed this album throughout. I'm not sure what to identify this genre as, but the melodies here never got boring or repetitive. Joanna made some interesting vocal choices at times, but there was something deeply satisfying about the lyrics and their melody that drew me into the music. It's nothing that I would've ever searched out, but I am glad I stumbled onto it in this list. Highlight: Monkey & Bear Lowlight: Cosmia (especially the last 90 seconds or so) Surprise Hit: Emily

For a band called Funkadelic there was a supreme lack of funk on this album. The intro song/guitar solo was nice, but the rest of album seemed a bit tame compared to other funk pieces on this list.

I've heard of Fiona Apple before but never dabbled. The timeliness of this album seems like it would've been really cool to listen to on release. Kind of raw and unfiltered, Apple takes a lot of jabs at a lot of things here. Good as a one time listen through to me, but I don't think there's anything on the album I'd come back and bob my head to. Highlight: Under The Table Lowlight: On I Go Surprise Hit: Ladies

Finally a hip hop album made it's way onto my list, and a good one to boot. Raekwon is in peak form here, proving that he's got what it takes even outside of Wu-Tang. There's a lot of rock solid stuff in here, but there's not many songs that stand out as a big hit in my book. It's not my favorite form of hip hop, but it's undeniably great work. Highlight: Ice Cream Lowlight: Glaciers of Ice Surprise Hit: Knuckleheadz

I was sort of dreading this listen once I saw the run time of this album. Over 2 hours is a lot to ask, and it's definitely too much here, but aside from the sheer amount of music here it was actually not too bad to sit through. I didn't need the repeated tracks, and maybe they weren't there on the original album. But there are a few bonafide hits on here. I probably never gave George Harrison enough credit as a Beatle. This feels as 70s-singer-songwriter as it gets, and if you're a fan of the genre and willing to skip around a bit, then it's definitely worth your time. Highlight: My Sweet Lord Lowlight: Wah-Wah Surprise Hit: If Not For You

Aside from the name of the album, there wasn't much here that I could take away. Seems like perfectly serviceable rock music, albeit I'm sure some messaging went over my head being in a different language and all. Highlight: The Noise of Carpet Lowlight: Olv 26 Surprise Hit: Emperor Tomato Ketchup

In plain words, this album felt cool. I don't have a ton of experience with punk music, but there's enough variance here among what the quintessential high-energy songs to keep me entertained the whole time. Not much bad I can say here in all honesty, just good, cool music. Highlight: Adult Books Lowlight: n/a Surprise Hit: When Our Love Passed out on the Couch

There's a few fantastic songs here, mixed in between a bunch of songs that were an absolute miss. Peter Gabriel is someone I had heard of before, and his sound is familiar, but he was clearly still finding himself in this debut album. In this case, the highs were enough to balance out the lows. Highlight: Solsbury Hill Lowlight: Moribund The Burgermeister Surprise Hit: Excuse Me

I'm convinced that this is a jazz album. 21st Century Schizoid Man is a bonafide hit, and most of the other tracks are far behind. I don't think it's an album for everybody, but I would heartily recommend it to people who are remotely interested. Highlight: 21st Century Schizoid Man Lowlight: Moonchild Surprise Hit: Epitaph

This was a pretty nice sounding album, aside from Gil's voice at points. Somewhat astonishing to listen to this nearly 4 decades later and see how similar the political environment was. Smooth, chill music, but probably a one-and-done for me.

The Ocean is really good. Richard Hawley does well here, but aside from the single-worthy The Ocean, there's not much here to bring me back.

Talk about starting off with a bang, Hotel California and Life in the Fast Lane are some of the Eagles best. Unfortunately, this album quickly lost pace with me. The second half really felt like stereotypical love songs that could have been written by anybody. But man those other two songs are real good. Highlight: Life in the Fast Lane Lowlight: Pretty Maids All in a Row

I think the amount of listens each track has on Spotify lines up perfectly on this album. Brass in Pocket is one of those songs that I've always known bet never knew who it was from. Kid was a pleasant surprise here. The audio balance was a little off for me, with the lead signer being washed out sometimes, but the pacing of the album was spot on. Overall, Pretenders was a mish-mash of good and not-so-good, but it's probably closer to a 3.5 than a 3 for me.

What an iconic album. While it may not be as masterful as To Pimp a Butterfly, the story Kendrick tells here is nearly as compelling. Even looking past that, the music and production here are just as good on a surface level. I guess it's not every cup of tea, but Swimming Pools (Drank) and Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst are songs that have kept and will keep me coming back to this album for years. Highlight: Swimming Pools (Drank) Lowlight: good kid Surprise Hit: Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst

This may be a sign that I'm not a Jimi Hendrix guy, or at the very least this album of his is not for me. There's not much I could take away here. The songs were fine, nothing particularly caught my ear, good or bad. I'm not super familiar with Hendrix, but I associate his name with guitar. Even then, there was no guitar work in here that felt especially memorable, at least for me. Definitely closer to a 2.5 than a 3. Highlight: Castles Made of Sand Lowlight: If 6 Was 9 Surprise Hit: Spanish Castle Music

This is the second Nick Drake album I've listened to on this list, and it solidifies the opinion I had about Drake after the first album. While maybe not quite as moving as his later album Pink Moon, there's a lot of great, lyrical stuff here. And it offers a completely different sound than the more intimate Pink Moon. There are still some low points on the album, but overall another fantastic piece from Drake. Highlight: Hazey Jane II Lowlight: Sunday Surprise: One Of These Things First

Seemingly one of my more controversial takes on this list, but there are more songs on that album that I wouldn't listen to again than songs that I would. Stevie's vocals are great and everything, but some of the arrangements, especially earlier in the album, feel a bit too chaotic or messy to me for some reason. There are a handful of great songs on here, but not enough to really impress me as a whole. Maybe I'll like some of Wonder's other albums better. Highlight: Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing Lowlight: Golden Lady Surprise Hit: All In Love Is Fair

Simon & Garfunkel are one of those legendary groups that you undoubtedly hear about at some point during your life. I am somewhat struggling to see why this album made this list though. Aside from the spectacular Homeward Bound, much of this album seems very... plain? I can't put my finger on the right word, but for such a seemingly influential sound, this album fails to really hit any of the marks for me. Struggling to find a reason to give this anything more than a 3, maybe even closer to a just a meh 2.5 Highlight: Homeward Bound Lowlight: 7 O'clock News / Silent Night

Man I'm a sucker for a good concept album, and this one hits the spot. It's not something I would recommend to everyone, and it feels like it requires more attention than sometimes I would like to give, but it's a pretty unique experience album-wise and it's not too far off the path of a regular album. Something about it feels theatrical, and it moves up and down from climaxes in a familiar way. Good stuff. Highlight: Chicago Lowlight: Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I shake the dirt from my sandals as I run Surprise Hit: They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back From the Dead!! Ahhhh!

This feels like one of those albums and/or artists I'm supposed to have heard about before now. Very classy sound, and swanky backings make for an easy listen but aside from the fantastic Lilac Wine there wasn't much left for me to really vibe with. Nina Simone's voice was at times very impressive and at other times not for me at all. This is one of those albums that I'll think of for "that one song" but not much else.

The second WuTang member I've had on this list, Method Man didn't do much here that would bring me back. Lackadaisical would be a good way to describe the feeling a lot of these songs gave to me. Even the big hits are nothing I'd really come back to. Much respect to Method Man, but this album wasn't for me. Highlight: Bring The Pain Lowlight: Stimulation Surprise Hit: Release Yo'Delf

Now this is some easy listening. It may be requisite that I'd be in the right mood to listen to this whole album, but when that happens man it hits the spot. Astrud is not someone that I'm familiar with, but there's no question that I'm a fan of this kind of music. Nothing goes above and beyond here, but at the same time I can't think of any real complaints. Highlight: Beach Samba Surprise Hit: Misty Roses

I always thought Oasis was a one-hit-wonder, maybe as a side effect of the sheer popularity of Wonderwall, but there's a lot on this album that is just as good, if not better. There's some definite misses, and it hasn't aged particularly well aside from feeling like a bit of a nostalgia pill for the 90s, but overall I enjoyed this album much more than I anticipated. Oasis plays with harmonies a lot, and the slower, less hard songs all have a bit of an earworm tendency. If it were possible here, I'd probably give this one a 4.5. Highlight: Don't Look Back In Anger Lowlight: Hello Surprise Hit: Some Might Say

If you're looking for jazzy 80's new wave music, here it is. This album is almost too 80s for me, coming off as a bit goofy at times. Thankfully, there is enough saxophone and horn here to keep it from being below a 3 for me. Maybe I'll come back if I'm looking for a stereotypically 80's playlist, but otherwise I think I'll stay away. Highlight: Lemon Firebrigade Lowlight: Nobody's Fool - 12" Version Surprise Hit: Fantastic Day

This album fell into a weird, quasi-Tiny Tim/70s/80s uncanny valley for me. It didn't always feel like something I wouldn't like, the instrumentations and melodies were all fine, but something about the album as a whole felt off. Aside from bits and pieces of a couple songs (If There Is Something and Virginia Plain), I don't think there's much else here that I can say that I liked.

If there's one thing that continues to get reinforced by this list, it's that I have a soft spot for any Latin music. Didn't really know what to expect coming into this album and seeing Black Magic Woman, but the rest of the album was a pretty big departure from it, at least relatively. There's some stuff here I was a really big fan of, though I did kind of lose attention in it about halfway through. It's great, lyrical guitar playing with a few supporting facets, if you're into that then you should be into this. Highlight: Oye Como Va Lowlight: Mother's Daughter Surprise Hit: Se a Cabo

I have a hard time imagining a better album to put on if you're itching for a couple hours of jazz. Just throw this on and you're sorted for the night. Incredible work here by Duke Ellington and company. I'm not usually into the live album experience, but I don't think there was a single time during this album that I can say I was distracted by it or that anything was taken away due to it's live nature. In many cases it was just the opposite. It's easy to say this album feels like an event, but I think it's entirely accurate. Highlight: I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) Surprise Hit: Diminuendo In Blue

I'm having a hard time putting what I don't like about this album into words, but nonetheless there's no doubt that I think this album is not very good. Ryan Adams feels like a cheap imitation of what earlier singer-songwriters were. I'm not a fan of his voice, the lyrics do nothing for me, and the music is nothing special. I'm struggling to see any real sense of why this could possibly stand out enough from anything else in the genre to be on this list.

Queen is good. There's no doubt about it. I was pretty surprised that they had an album with zero songs I knew on it. But at the end of the day, I'm not too surprised. The songs here were good, and they were classic Queen, but nothing really stood out on its own. I imagine more Queen albums to come, but in the meantime this was a decent if not exceptional part of this list. Highlight: Seven Seas of Rhye Lowlight: Some Day One Day Surprise Hit: White Queen (As It Began)

This feels like a blues behemoth. Every second of this album is almost exactly what you'd expect from the blues. Hard vocals, moving backings, cutting lyrics, its got the works. That being said, there wasn't much here that surprised me in any way. Just good, old-fashioned blues. Highlight: Mannish Boy Lowlight: Deep Down In Florida Surprise Hit: I Want To Be Loved #2

As far as electronica albums go, this is probably the best I've had on this list. Tracks flew by for what it's worth. A common issue I have with these albums tends to be repetitiveness. It's not absent here, but I noticed it less than I have before. It's ok music, but the genre is still not for me. Highlight: Don't Die Just Yet Lowlight: Caddell Returns Surprise Hit: Head Rush On Lafayette

This is right up somebody's alley. It's not mine. I don't doubt the talent Rufus Wainwright has, but his vocal style doesn't hit my Q-zone in a similar way to Thom Yorke. It took me a few songs to begin to understand most of what he's saying, and by that point I had already gotten off on the wrong foot here. I'm sure the lyrics are deep and meaningful and all that, or at least he makes them sound that way, but it comes off a little whine-y to me. He dips into a bit of a broadway vibe a few times in this album, and maybe in that context I would like it more. Highlight: The Art Teacher Lowlight: Agnus Dei Surprise Hit: Hometown Waltz

This was a surprise. What an iconic album. It's not exactly my cup of tea, but man does it deliver on all fronts if you're looking for some 70's singer-songwriter goodness. I'd easily recommend this to any fan of the genre if they hadn't listened before. Joni Mitchell comes off as incredibly sincere here, and even though there is some groovy slang mixed in, the album remains timeless. Highlight: River Lowlight: This Flight Tonight Surprise Hit: California

I listened to this album about half an hour ago and I've already forgotten most, if not all of my opinions of it. It's inoffensive, but that's really all I can say about it. I guess this dreamy electronica is maybe a genre that needed representation on this list, otherwise I've got no clue why.

The second album I've had on this list that I've listened to in it's entirety when I was younger, The College Dropout reminds me of why Kanye West was so popular. It also maybe foreshadows a bit of his downward spiral, but for what it was it is a really good album. Fun interludes, catchy lines, and quality beats are all over this album. There are a couple lows, but the highs more than make up for it. I'm not sure it'd be the first Kanye album I'd recommend for new listeners, but it's got to be up there. Highlight: Slow Jamz Lowlight: Get Em High Surprise Hit: We Don't Care

This album is a fantastic example of telling stories through music. Yes, Big Iron is a bit of a meme at this point, but the song carries itself even apart from its reputation. There's a lot of other good stuff in here too. Nothing wrong with firing this entire soundtrack up and wandering the wasteland, it's incredibly iconic and is well deserving of this list. Highlight: Big Iron Lowlight: In The Valley Surprise Hit: El Paso

Seeing this was a electronic/dance album had me bummed out. Maybe my low expectations did this album a favor though because it far exceeded them. I don't think I could ask much more from this genre. The French have really got a lock on this genre seemingly, with Daft Punk also competing for the crown. Unfortunately, the album is maybe a touch too long, or maybe this type of music just drains my attention span a little more than others. Either way, it's a brilliant album, knocking on the door of five stars. Highlight: D.A.N.C.E Lowlight: One Minute To Midnight Surprise Hit: Phantom Pt. II

At the risk of offending some Steely Dan fans, this band does nothing for me that the Eagles don't already do. There's a few big hits on this album (Do It Again, Dirty Work, Reelin' In The Years), but push comes to shove it's nothing super special in my book.

Tom Waits is a name that I know has been in the back of my mind for a while, but I don't think I really knew who he was or what he did. Even after seeing the album cover, I wasn't sure of what I was in for. I guess I would say don't judge a book by it's cover because I had no clue this was going to be the bluesy-folk rock album that is was. That being said, he delves into Bruce Springsteen territory here in my opinion, and aside from maybe one song on the album not much lives up to The Boss' work. Highlight: Jersey Girl Lowlight: In Shades

Common is one of those names that's been everywhere as I've grown up, but this is the first time I've listened to any of his stuff. I definitely have a bias towards hip hop, but this is a really solid album nonetheless. Be has a somewhat nostalgic and hopeful feel throughout, and Common lives up to his reputation with some really solid lyrical work. Highlight: GO! Lowlight: Real People Surprise Hit: Be (Intro)

I'm not very far into this list, but I am already growing pretty numb to this style of music. The English post-punk music here is nothing I would ever call bad, but man was I wholly unimpressed. Spotify's play-count seems to reflect that this is a pretty popular album in the genre too, but maybe it's a style that never really will click with me.

There's a bit of British rock fatigue here, but I'll do my best to stay objective. This is a cool album, or at least most of the songs are. The other songs tend to melt into the background. The bass lines stand out often, and the album ends with a bang, but other than that it's another punk-y album to go along with the rest.

It's hard not to see Marvin Gaye's influence in music after listening to this album. It may not be his magnum opus, but it strives to be just as good as What's Going On with a little more levity. It's a short, sweet album that is more than easy to listen to. Highlight: Let's Get It On Lowlight: You Sure Love To Ball Surprise Hit: Come Get To This

This album hits the ground running and doesn't let up for the majority of its runtime. Obviously Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion are mega hits, but Toys In The Attic and No More No More are great additions too. There are a couple tracks that I get the point of, but that I still would skip if I was listening again. There are some weird undertones throughout that I wish weren't there, but musically this is a really solid album. Highlight: Sweet Emotion Lowlight: Round And Round Surprise Hit: No More No More

What a debut album. Enter the Wu-Tang solidifies everything that's great about the group, and does so without wasting much time at all. Not every song is a hit, and there are definitely members' styles that I prefer over others, but I can't deny their greatness. Highlight: C.R.E.A.M. Lowlight: Clan In Da Front Surprise Hit: Da Mystery Of Chessboxin'

I mean, it's not the worst album I've had. It's passable, but I wouldn't come back again. This genre of music is not for me, and I'll be honest I would have a hard time recommending it to anyone. Some the lyrical stuff was alright though. Sometimes stood out among the sea of meh.

I think this is the first metal album I've ever listened to, aside from a handful of songs I've played in Guitar Hero, and I have to say I see the appeal. This album is pure energy from start to finish. The lead singer doesn't bring the greatest range to the table, but the uniqueness of his voice does enough to fill his role. Drums are kicking the whole time, the guitar drives the songs right alongside. It's not an album I could put on whenever/wherever, but given the right time and place I think it'd fit like a glove. Highlight: Ace of Spades Lowlight: Live to Win Surprise Hit: Love Me Like a Reptile

Supertramp is one of those bands that I think might have the Midas touch. Their prowess is once again put on display on Crime Of The Century. Short track list (mostly) full of hits that checks all the classic 70s/80s boxes, but also has a timeless quality. Some of the songs might run a little long for me, but that's a small price to pay for what is otherwise a pretty stellar album. Highlight: Bloody Well Right Lowlight: Asylum Surprise Hit: Crime Of The Century

As nostalgic as this music is for the late 90s, I don't think I can think of a situation where I'd choose to listen to it again. The structure of the choruses here often felt too repetitive to me, and the songs themselves got to be a little stale after a while. Not much to note here other than the fact that the album feels a bit like a time machine. Highlight: Passive/Aggressive Lowlight: Come Find Yourself Surprise Hit: Methadonia

After listening to 1989 my hopes were pretty high when it came to my second Taylor Swift album. Unfortunately, this is a very different album in many ways. It was much to soft and monotone for me, and there wasn't a real hit on the album I could identify. Pop Taylor is what hits the spot for me, this was altogether skippable. Highlight: no body, no crime Lowlight: cowboy like me Surprise Hit: champagne problems

This album felt like it should've been more impactful than it actually was for me. Lots of catchy stuff, full of 90s edge, but at the end of it all I don't think there was a single song that stood out among the rest for me, bad or good. It fell into the same rut that a lot of other 90s albums have fallen into for me with repetitive choruses and dated vibes. Still not a bad listen though.

I think the album cover of A Wizard, A True Star pretty much nails the feel of most of the album. Many of the songs, especially in the first half, were pushing the boundary of "music" a bit too much for my enjoyment. But when the more standard pop songs showed up they did the trick. Lyrically Rundgren sometimes came off as a bit whiny, or maybe egocentric, but otherwise there's a lot of really genre-pushing stuff here. It's not an album that will find it's way back into the rotation for me any time soon, but it wasn't painful to listen to... for the most part. Highlight: Medley: I'm so Proud / Ooh Baby Baby / La La Means I Love You / Cool Jerk Lowlight: Dogfight Giggle Surprise Hit: Tic Tic Tic, It Wears Off

The best way I can describe this album is that it "feels" like it should be critically acclaimed. In my book though, it feels like another page in the English rock book. Many of the songs blend together, aside from a few highlights and lowlights. I guess I could see why some people adore it though. Highlight: Frankly, Mr. Shankly Lowlight: Never Had No One Ever Surprise Hit: n/a

This is nothing groundbreaking, but if you need a classic Christmas album to throw on during the holidays then this one fits the bill easily. You've probably heard many of these renditions before, and they're classics for a reason. Hard to see much wrong with it, but the highs aren't quite 5-worthy to me. Highlight: Sleigh Ride Lowlight: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Surprise Hit: Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers

This album feels like poetry, for the most part. I'm not going to act like nothing went over my head or that I'm the biggest fan of Cohen's voice, but for a few songs it definitely works. It feels like the kind of album that is to be listened to very intently, and while I don't want to say that doesn't have its place, it's not my prerogative most of the time. Still, I cannot deny the masterful lyrical weaving that Leonard Cohen can accomplish.

Such a cool album, Dylan branching out in the first half to a more contemporary, poppy side of folk and blues before returning to form in the second. There might be a couple of tracks that fall short from greatness, but there's no doubt that some of his best work is in here. Highlight: Subterranean Homesick Blues Lowlight: Love Minus Zero/No Limit Surprise Hit: It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)

It's always going to be tough for me to rank drum and bass albums on this list, but this one was long, and didn't feel in any way spectacular or ground breaking. There was one section with a rap artist that stood out, but once again I am left wanting more from this genre.

Maybe I'm not familiar enough with the genre, but this doesn't seem groundbreaking enough to really land towards the top of this sort of alt rock genre. Grant Lee-Phillips vocals are serviceable at best, and whiney at worst. The heavy focus on rhythmic guitar outstays its welcome, and overall the album drags as a result. Highlight: America Snoring

I had my hopes maybe too high for this album. But at the end of the quick 30 minutes, I found myself sort of without many thoughts at all. It's a shame, because I can't really find a fault with the album. The live performances are incredibly clean and tight, and the audience adds to the record more often than it doesn't. But off paper, it didn't do much for me. Will have to come back to it at a later date to see if I'm feeling it more. Highlight: Think Lowlight: I Don't Mind

Yet another singer-songwriter that I was regrettably unfamiliar with. Paul Weller lyrics might not be as clever or as powerful as some other artists on this lists, but that's not always a bad thing. I can't say that anything in particular stands above others in the genre though. Overall, it's a safe, digestible rock album from the 90s with few low points and a few tracks I wouldn't mind hearing again, not bad. Highlight: Hung Up Lowlight: Foot of the Mountain Surprise Hit: Shadow Of The Sun

This one went way over (?) my head. Just couldn't have a good time with this one despite the energy of the album. This feels like something you need to be on the same wavelength of in order to enjoy. It's leaning into what it is, and it feels like the artists are being their honest, creative selves. But I won't be coming back any time soon. Do your thing, Bjork. Highlight: Birthday Lowlight: Sick for Toys

One of the more varied alt rock/pop rock albums I've listened to on this list, surprisingly with a bit more lyrical levity than some of the others. Still not exactly my cup of tea, but I could see myself coming back to this or at least recommending it to the right person. Highlight: Weather With You Lowlight: Whispers And Moans Surprise Hit: Four Seasons In One Day

Shoutout to some fun production in this album, binaural audio and bright harmonies made this one fly by. It'd be hard not to draw some comparisons between Paul Revere & The Raiders and The Beach Boys, but as far as I'm concerned the more the merrier. Toss in a couple cool, classic 60's automobile tunes and I'm a happy camper. Midnight Ride feels like a cotton candy, pop-rock album the whole way through, sweet and easy. Highlight: SS 396 Lowlight: Ballad of a Useless Man Surprise Hit: There's Always Tomorrow

Here's an example of an album that I don't really feel qualified to talk about. Africa Brasil at it's samba-filled core seems like it'd be right up my alley. Maybe it's because I don't have the knowledge to understand the lyrics, but musically nothing really stood out here for me. Except the Cuica. The Cuica kills every time. Highlight: O Plebeu

This album opened my eyes to what Earth, Wind & Fire was really capable of. I had no clue what they offered aside from their mega hits like Boogie Wonderland and Shining Star, the latter being on this album. What’s here is distinctly funky and soulful from top to bottom. A couple of the songs in the short track list blend together, but some stand outs bring it above par. Highlight: That’s the Way of the World Surprise Hit: Africano

There's no way around it. Everything you need to know about the album is right there in the title. Hit, after hit, after hit, this album is everything you want in a hip hop record, and then some. Woof. Highlight: Waterfalls Highlight #2: Red Light Special Surprise Hit: Diggin' On You

Jam-packed from top to bottom, London Calling is absolutely full of it all. 19 songs, spanning across numerous different genres. I could easily see how this could be someone's favorite album of all time. Unfortunately, I just can't get into Joe Strummer's vocals at all. That being said, while the punk tunes here aren't my favorite, when they branch out to ska and reggae and sometimes even the blues or jazz it's a breath of fresh air. This seems like one of those albums that's probably a 5, but I just can't get there personally. Highlight: Spanish Bombs Lowlight: The Card Cheat Surprise Hit: Lost in the Supermarket

I'm thankful for the dichotomy that this album has. One one hand, the electronic side of this album pushes me away, and on the other James Murphy's vocals and the distinct indie feel of this album had me hooked. It's certainly a couple of songs too long even apart from the genre pieces that don't fit with me, but the handful of big hitters here helps earn this album's place on this list. Probably a 3.5 if I was allowed. New York, I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down is an all-timer, and I’ve never even been to New York. Edit: Whoops. I severely underestimated how much I enjoyed the top 3 songs here. One week later, and they've all been cycling through my head. I can't put my headset on without listening to them at least once at this point. North American Scum is early on the album, after Time to Get Away almost tees it up. Its baseline absolutely cranks. The first verse is magnetic. It's a fun, funky song, that showcases James Murphy's tongue-in-cheek self-deprecating lyrics that is high energy to the end. All My Friends is a masterpiece. Devastatingly relatable, and wholly engaging, the song grabs you from the very first hits of the piano through it's entirety. It's an anthem about growing old, missing days gone by and friends that have quietly fallen out of touch along the way. It has an argument of being one of the best songs since the turn of the century. This is closer to a 4.5. For sure. Highlight: New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down Lowlight: Get Innocuous! Surprise Hit: All My Friends Surprise Hit #2: North American Scum

I was due for a swing and a miss. Still can’t get in the swing of most of the alt rock genre, and I really like the concept behind this album and can tell it’s been crafted from a meaningful place. Maybe if I was going through something then any of these songs would have landed, but ultimately the vocals just don’t land with me at all, even if the supporting band was impressive. It’s deeply moody, almost angst-filled music, and most of it went right through me.

This has gotta be somebody's favorite album of all time. Probably several people's. But this one went way over my head, or maybe just missed my mark. I can hear the anger in O'Connor's lyrics, and can understand the emotion on paper, but none if it is translating to me through the music. Even the renowned cover of "Nothing Compares 2 U" left me completely unaffected. Maybe this one warrants a re-listen in a different mindset, but as it stands I don't see myself remembering much from this album an hour from now.

Here's another album that is unabashedly itself. David Bryne's vocals and lyrics lead the way through this album, but not in a way that resonates with me. It feels like an album that you really need to pay attention to. There wasn't anything on here that I was itching to skip through, but I don't think there was much of an earworm anywhere either. I'll kick a couple of the hits around, but otherwise I think this will blend into the background of this list for a while. Highlight: Life During Wartime Lowlight: Electric Guitar Surprise Hit: Cities

The amount of hits on this record is astonishing. And somehow Creedence Clearwater Revival's biggest hits are still absent. But what's here is undoubtedly a masterclass of blues and rock, well paced and varied through its entire runtime. Travelin' Band, Lookin' Out My Back Door, Up Around The Bend, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, and somehow even more are jam-packed into this 40-minute long masterpiece. Highlight: Lookin' Out My Back Door Surprise Hit: Travelin' Band

My first listen-through of an Elton John album. And John leaves no doubt here that he is a master of vocal melodies. Even despite some lyrics that are on-the-nose at best, Madman across the Water easily warrants it's place on this list. Tiny Dancer is obviously a classic and hard to beat as an opening to an album, but Tevon puts up a great argument for the best track on this album immediately afterwards. The songs are a little long for my taste, and the second half of the album drags a bit, but Elton John's vocals do more than enough to carry the album all the way through. Highlight: Tevon Highlight #2: Tiny Dancer Lowlight: Indian Sunset Surprise Hit: Holiday Inn

It was about time for another inkling of country on this album. And well, it was just fine. I will say, Gram Parsons' presence is definitely felt here, in a way that was maybe divisive for some Byrds fans, but in a way that I didn't mind. A couple of good songs here or there, and a fun, nostalgic message that ends the album off are enough to make this about middle of the road for me. 2.5, if maybe someday we're able to do half-stars. Highlight: Hickory Wind Lowlight: You Don't Miss Your Water

Shoutout to one of the coolest album covers I've seen on this list, and one from 1958 to boot. I don't know what I expected out of this, or Count Basie, but this album is so cool. Every single song serves its purpose, almost feeling like a last hurrah before rock and roll takes over completely in the 60s. The Kid from Red Bank kicks the pedal down from the start, giving the titular Count Basie his time to shine. The meat of the album consists of Flight of the Food Birds, Double-O, and Teddy the Toad, all great pieces on their own, before culminating with Whirly-Bird, a speeding exhibition of pure energy and saxophone. Midnight Blue follows immediately afterwards, giving the listener a chance to catch their breath, and chill. Splanky and Fantail aren't to be underestimated either, the latter including a sort of dueling solos from the sax and the drums, before Lil' Darlin' just about wraps you up in a blanket. Just a super clean, engaging, 39-minute-long love letter to swing and big band jazz. Highlight: The Kid from Red Bank Lowlight: Duet Highlight #2: All those other songs mentioned above.

Ehhhhh, this was a fine album. I don't want to blame oversaturation of this era on this list as the downfall here, but that could be a factor. The biggest thing that stood out to me was the production, the album felt very subdued and crisp, definitely worth listening to in stereo. Other than that... The Murder Mystery stood out? At the end of the day, there's nothing here that I would go out of my way for again, and here at the end of it I'm kind of left just completely disinterested. 2.5, I guess.

What an absolute beast of an album. As one of the very few albums I had actually dipped my toes into before I started this list, The White Album is in a bit of a tough spot for me. There's no doubt this album is great. 30 tracks, any number of them having the potential to be someone's favorite, and each so stylistically distinct from the others in a way that causes the album to feel even larger than it already is. I've always been partial to Paul McCartney's vocals, and there's such a cool range of him here. Growing up listening to The Beatles with my parents maybe put them on a pedestal in my head. My parents thought they were great, the world thought they were great, and I liked their music so they must be great. Greatest of all time even, maybe. I've always been a sucker for vocal harmonies, something that's in the forefront across The Beatles discography, and a lot of their experimental or influential use of what I would call sound effects always made their songs fun, or at the very least interesting. But the more music I've gone out and found thanks to this list, and now coming back to the white album after so many years, I can't help but recognize that there are many other albums that just felt better to me. Ones that I enjoyed more as a whole than what was presented here by John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Despite knowing of the revolutionary influence this album had, and the great display of talent and creativity that is on display, I would much rather listen to A Hard Day's Night nine times out of ten. The same could be said of any of the other 5 star albums on this, my, list. Maybe it's a factor of too much of a good thing, side 1 and side 2 of this album easily being enough to stand on their own. Maybe it's my distaste for many of John Lennon's songs, here and elsewhere. At the end of the day, there's not enough enjoyment here for me to personally rank it with the other 5's on my list, though there is no doubt in my mind that this album could deserve one. Highlights: Back In The U.S.S.R. Dear Prudence Glass Onion Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da While My Guitar Gently Weeps Happiness Is A Warm Gun Blackbird Rocky Raccoon Birthday Helter Skelter Good Night Lowlights: Wild Honey Pie I'm So Tired Piggies Yer Blues Revolution 9

Another Radiohead album, another reminder that I just cannot get what other's get out of this group and their music. To be completely fair though, this album held my attention more than the other two Radiohead albums I have listened to so far (In Rainbows and Amnesiac). It feels like there's more intrigue in this album, like it's a direct window into the paranoia and maybe even dread around the technology boom of the 90s. Even the music-adjacent aspects of this album, the effects strewn throughout and the track Fitter Happier, stood out and were impactful. Still going to be tough for me to ever search this out, but best of Radiohead that I've heard so far. 3.5/5 Highlight: Subterranean Homesick Alien

Another album I can chalk up to just not being my bag. The title track held my attention, but otherwise any time that I felt it slightly hooking me with a motif, it quickly lost it. It's hard not to feel ignorant when I'm writing about music like this, but it just does absolutely nothing for me.

Hopes were at an all time low when I saw another alt/art-rock album in this little run that I'm on, but this on caught my attention right from the start and actually kept things interesting the whole time. Was it always working? No, maybe not, but I respect the experimental nature of what they're doing. Ultimately I found more of what I prefer here than in any of the Radiohead albums, not that I should be drawing a direct comparison between the two, but there's clear overlap here. For a debut album, it really feels like TV On The Radio didn't pull any punches and put out exactly what they wanted to, a cappella vocals, crunchy guitars, even a dribbling of early 2000s electronica. It's still not my genre of choice, but it kept my attention the whole time which is more than I can say for others of its kind in this list. Highlight: Staring at the Sun Lowlight: Don't Love You Surprise Hit: Wear You Out

This album gets off to such a sick start. Zero kicks off with a crunchy synth baseline that cooks along through the whole song. And of course Heads Will Roll is a classic dance track. From there though, the rest of the album slowly fizzles, which is a shame when so much energy lives in those first two tracks. Most of the other stuff is just fine though, and I wouldn't roll my eyes listening again. 3.5 Highlight: Heads Will Roll Lowlight: Shame and Fortune Surprise Hit: Zero

From the album cover and title of this, I went in fully expecting a live recording of Elvis in Memphis. Instead, we have Elvis' 10th studio album, and I have to admit, it kind of felt like it. 10 albums is a feat, and there are undoubtedly some classics here. Suspicious Minds is a mega hit, and In The Ghetto deserves every bit of respect it gets. But the rest of the covers just feel a bit phoned in, but even Elvis phoning it in is pretty good. It's my first Elvis album on the list, and I can't help but want some of the punchier, rockier Elvis I know of. Highlight: Suspicious Minds Lowlight: It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin' Surprise Hit: True Love Travels On a Gravel Road

This album feels like something that somebody way cooler and more knowledgeable than me absolutely LOVES. Not in a bad way necessarily, there is something here, especially on the first side, that is inherently cool. It feels like an epic, albeit only 20 minute long, adventure. But as far as my music tastes go, this one probably won't be in the rotation. Which is a shame because the album cover is simply fantastic.

In a similar vein to some album's on this list that weren't for me because they are too experimental or progressive, I can see why some people would be not into this album for the opposite reason. This is simple, pop/hip-hop. But I have to say, for what it is it does a really solid job. Simple hooks, simple lyrics, you 100% know what you're getting when you throw on this album. 3.5 Highlight: In Da Club Lowlight: Gotta Make It To Heaven Highlight 2: P.I.M.P.

I can't imagine this not being a genre-defining record. The opening baseline hooked me, and I was fully onboard with my intro to trip hop from there. That being said, there's no doubt this genre isn't for everybody. It is distinctly 90's and distinctly British, in a way that might turn off some listeners. Sharon Nelson and Tricky especially shine here, merging two genres effortlessly. It's a tight and innovative genre piece from a decade that was full of experimentation, and it absolutely deserves a place on this list. That being said, there are a few too many tracks, especially in the second half, that didn't stand out among the rest. 4.5 Highlights: Safe From Harm Blue Lines Daydreaming

I wasn't really sure if I was going to give out another 1-star review, but here we are. Multiple times through this album I was cringing to myself, thinking "Oh no, this is bad", and begging for the session to be over with. I started out with a tentative hopefulness thinking maybe this is just what the 60's and 70's were like. Even The Beatles dipped their toes into this sort of Indian vibe pretty heavily. But I was quickly met with seemingly pretentious lyrics, unbearable vocals, and experimentally unpleasant compositions. I just couldn't recommend this to a single person with good intentions.

It's like the album generator knew it had to reel me back after yesterday. This is one of the most without-a-doubt 5-star albums I've come across so far. If it wasn't for the slight hiccup on the first side with The Battle of Evermore, it would probably go down as the best side one of all time. And even still it's probably in the conversation. I'm not going to act like I know how influential the music is, or how masterful the lyrics are, but what I do know is every song had me singing along or banging my head or both, and if that's not an absolute win then I don't know what is. Highlights: Black Dog Rock and Roll Stairway to Heaven

For 1966, I can't see how this album wasn't WAY ahead of its time. Is there some psychedelia here? Yes. But I'm not sure that's the best way to describe this group, or at least the first half of this album. I'm also not really sure what to describe a rock group that uses this much harpsichord, but nevertheless I had a good time with half of this album. If you just never flipped it over, it'd be a perfectly serviceable, edgy and somehow unabashedly nerdy collection of songs. Highlight: ¡Que Vida! Lowlight: Revelation Surprise Hit: Orange Skies Surprise Hit #2: Seven and Seven Is