1001 Albums Summary

Listening statistics & highlights

99
Albums Rated
2.9
Average Rating
9%
Complete
990 albums remaining

Rating Distribution

Rating Timeline

Taste Profile

1990
Favorite Decade
Electronica
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Critic
Rater Style ?
5
5-Star Albums
6
1-Star Albums

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Albums

You Love More Than Most

AlbumYouGlobalDiff
Architecture And Morality
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
5 3.06 +1.94
Moon Safari
Air
5 3.57 +1.43
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
5 3.68 +1.32
Triangle
The Beau Brummels
4 2.7 +1.3
Killing Joke
Killing Joke
4 2.99 +1.01

You Love Less Than Most

AlbumYouGlobalDiff
The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
1 3.5 -2.5
Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
1 3.34 -2.34
Winter In America
Gil Scott-Heron
1 3.25 -2.25
Lady In Satin
Billie Holiday
1 3.23 -2.23
Heartattack And Vine
Tom Waits
1 3.06 -2.06
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
2 4.02 -2.02
A Night At The Opera
Queen
2 3.95 -1.95
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
2 3.95 -1.95
Survivor
Destiny's Child
1 2.87 -1.87
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
2 3.77 -1.77

5-Star Albums (5)

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Popular Reviews

Survivor by Destiny's Child

"Is my vibe too vibealacious for you, babe" Fuck this album, even the popular songs (all three were back to back at the very beginning) weren't very good. Afterwards, I felt like I was being tortured during a Crimean underground waterboarding. I would've given them the nuclear launch codes. The album was 1hr and 10min, which is 20 minutes longer than the average album, which was just fantastic. Not only was the music headache-inducing, it was also contradictory, with the girls bragging about being so "Bootylicious" and then going on to bash other women for being sluts in the very next song- "Nasty girl." this shit sucks. T6 - Apple pie a la mode is going on the playlist solely because it's the shortest song on the album. 1/5

Back To Black by Amy Winehouse

"What kind of fuckery is this?" Its.... Amy Winehouse. IMO- people made such a big deal out of her and her character for absolutely no fucking reason, and it's a pretty highly rated album on this website, so maybe I'm missing something, but I absolutely despise "Rehab," it feels very artificial and most of the rest of the tracks off the album feel as if they offered very little that was musically interesting to me. That being said, while I was actively wishing the album to end, the title track, "Back to Black" came on, and I found myself turning up the volume and eagerly awaiting the next hook. Good track, it will be on the playlist. Despite the star track, I can't justify a rating higher than.. 2/5

Bug by Dinosaur Jr.

"Why? Why don't you like me?" After mentally preparing to go into this album completely blind, I was pleasantly surprised to have instantly recognized the very first song "Freak Scene," and this was a clear standout track for the album, rivaling that of the best Sonic Youth and Pixies tracks. "Let It Ride" was another clear standout track that I know I'll be coming back to, with it's hypnotic riff and captivating melodies. I did find quite a bit of this album to be fairly uninspired and without much melodic throughlines to follow. Actually the noisiest and likely most hated track "Don't" had lots of originality, and was super emotionally raw, which made it more enjoyable than most of the second half of this album. Besides the two standout tracks I mentioned, I likely won't be coming back to bug. 🩖🩖🩖

Architecture And Morality by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

This is it. This is the reason that I started to do this one album a day thing. I'm not sure how this album has passed me by thus far, I really enjoyed all of it, and it fits perfectly within the relaxed synthpop 80s sound, along with other artists I love like New Order, Depeche mode, Tears for fears, The cure, etc. Not only would I listen to this album again, I believe that it will enter into my list of albums that I keep coming back to, and that I recommend to my friends. T10 Extended Souvenir was a stand-out track to me (and is the playlist track), but it came on and gave me an intense feeling of nostalgia, and played the part it was trying to play perfectly. Edit: I just realized that T3 (Souvenir) and T10 are extremely similar, and are practically the same song, but I think it was almost genius to do that in the context of an album, and by the time T10 played, I felt as if I had been listening to that song for years. 1hr album, but I found myself melting away in the context of the music, without any desire to listen to anything else at all. I really enjoy the more new-wave albums that are on this list. 5/5

Nowhere by Ride

"her fingers will learn / the lightbulbs burn" Cool album full of walls of psychedelic sounds, and with an underlying sense of urgency about the music. although I can enjoy a bit of something like this, the songs really tend to melt into each other, and it's difficult to comment on them individually. I was listening to this while scrambling to finish some homework before 11:59, and I felt the urgent tone helped that process. T1- "Seagull" has a really sick bassline, and will be the playlist track. Although I enjoy some of the genres this album encompasses, I really need something to be able to catch my attention and to get my head start to bop, it falls short in those places but does offer some great noises. 3/5

1-Star Albums (6)

All Ratings (99)

Beggars Banquet by The Rolling Stones
Oct 06 2023

Iconic sound to usher in the legendary 70s rock n roll scene. Sympathy for the devil has unlimited replay potential, great song that people will recognize but aren't sick of. Nice crunchy guitar thoughout the album, twangy bass with a nice low-end, iconic vocals, and punchy drums! The sound gets a little bit repetitive with the slide guitar sound. Lead guitar can get a little bit too heady. Stand-out songs: Sympathy for the devil (T1), No Expectations (T2), Stray Cat Blues (T8). A good album for both the oldheads and younger listeners, super listenable, and not too demanding. I did find myself wanting it to end by the last track, despite being ~40mins. Really middle-of-the-road album for me, 2.57/5

Joan Armatrading by Joan Armatrading
Oct 07 2023

not my type of music. the funkier stuff was cool, and the last track, like fire had really nice guitar. not bad music by any means, but i wouldn’t ever choose to listen to it. 1/5

At San Quentin by Johnny Cash
Oct 08 2023

definitely one of the albums of all time. idk it was kinda underwhelming, each individual song was shorter or worse than the album version, but its cool to hear something recorded 50 years ago in a prison, and I played folsom p. blues with a band so little bit of nostalgia there. overall kinda boring, but nothing was unlistenable or harsh, so 2/5.

Beautiful Freak by Eels
Oct 09 2023

Good album, felt super cohesive as a piece, and the intro and closing songs both stood out to me, and were experimental in just the right amount. The album appealed to the part of me that likes the Smashing Pumpkins, other similar rock albums, while also being fairly poppy and with a cohesive and uniform sound. Standout tracks: T1 (Novocaine for the Soul), T12 (Manchild).

The Stone Roses by The Stone Roses
Oct 10 2023

pretty great album, never once during listening did I wish that it would end sooner, and each song brought something unique to the album while keeping the overall cohesiveness. really sick funk guitar type sounds, and cool ethereal vocals. One super stand-out track (and the playlist track) is T9- Shoot you down, it has a really nice catchy bassline with the sick funk guitar ontop and a beatles/beach boys type sound on top to create a really addictive track. If someone told me the stone roses were a band from the 60s-70s I wouldn't bat an eye. classic sound with modern melodies. 4/5

Lady In Satin by Billie Holiday
Oct 11 2023

I kinda had to force myself through this album, not my vibe at all. I enjoy jazz music, but I swear to god every single song was the exact same on this album. Whatever, I guess I'm not a romantic. I could see myself enjoying the ambiance caused by playing this album at the right time. No standout tracks, I'm a fool to want you is going on the playlist, I guess. 1/5

The Poet by Bobby Womack
Oct 12 2023

Bobby Womack's funky fresh beats keep you dancing on your feets. Parts of this album were particularly nice and enjoyable to listen to, while others felt like they kept on going without much to offer (T4- Just my Imagination). Playlist track: T5 - Stand Up. Although I would love to hear more from this genre, I don't know if this album quite hit the spot it was trying to go for, for me. 3/5

25 by Adele
Oct 13 2023

Adele was my sister's favorite artist while we were growing up (I know this dates me), so I grew up listening to her (and Adele) sing all of these songs. Although I don't particularly like the style of music that Adele creates, it was really nice to be able to listen to the album and know practically every song that played. I found the overall sound of the album to be pretty boring, and listening to the same vocal range and sound got a little bit boring. No particular stand-out tracks, but I threw Water under the Bridge on the playlist. One song gave me a headache, but overall I didn't hate it. I wouldn't listen to it again if I had the option, so... 3/5

The Gershwin Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald
Oct 14 2023

dooooooon't be a naughty baby. The moment I loaded this album up, I knew I was gonna put it off to the last minute, and I did (for good reason). I did "the very best of..." version of this album on spotify, and I think if I were to do the full 3hr track, I might become braindead. I really didn't think it was actually all that bad, it was very calming, and I found myself smiling at the first track and relating to the lyrics in a strange, yet direct way. That being said, I enjoyed a very little portion of the album, and I'm so bored that I decided to write this review to express my feelings about this track. Whatever, it was better than the Billie Holiday record I just had.

Architecture And Morality by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
Oct 15 2023

This is it. This is the reason that I started to do this one album a day thing. I'm not sure how this album has passed me by thus far, I really enjoyed all of it, and it fits perfectly within the relaxed synthpop 80s sound, along with other artists I love like New Order, Depeche mode, Tears for fears, The cure, etc. Not only would I listen to this album again, I believe that it will enter into my list of albums that I keep coming back to, and that I recommend to my friends. T10 Extended Souvenir was a stand-out track to me (and is the playlist track), but it came on and gave me an intense feeling of nostalgia, and played the part it was trying to play perfectly. Edit: I just realized that T3 (Souvenir) and T10 are extremely similar, and are practically the same song, but I think it was almost genius to do that in the context of an album, and by the time T10 played, I felt as if I had been listening to that song for years. 1hr album, but I found myself melting away in the context of the music, without any desire to listen to anything else at all. I really enjoy the more new-wave albums that are on this list. 5/5

Fly Or Die by N.E.R.D
Oct 16 2023

"her ass is a spaceship i wanna ride" surprisingly eclectic 2000's rock-rap, featuring Lenny Kravitz. I didn't love this album. Although it fits pretty well into my interests and my previous music taste, I really enjoy rock music, and especially hip-hop from around this era- MF DOOM, A Tribe Called Quest, but this record didn't itch either of those scratches, nor was it trying to. I found myself wishing that the current song playing would end, and then finding myself starting to enjoy it. This happened with T7- Wonderful place, which earned the spot on the playlist, mostly because of the included bonus track, which was vaguely reminiscent of Tyler the Creator, whom I enjoy. If someone played choice songs off this record at a smoke sesh, I wouldn't be mad at all. Not quite my vibe, but it was chill. 3/5

Oct 17 2023

Am I part of the cure? Or am I part of the disease? I was pretty excited to see an album from an artist I recognized, and knew that I've enjoyed in the past, even if it isn't necessarily my "type" of music now. I was really happy to hear that "The Scientist" and "Clocks" were on this record, as my dad had those songs downloaded on his iPod while I was a kid. The first song immediately caught my attention with a very -rock- vibe, but with the coldplay 'feel' that I'm used to hearing in other tracks. The listening experience was super enjoyable, and although certain songs were slower or more dragged out than I would've preferred, I enjoyed this album and would listen to it again. 4/5

Entertainment by Gang Of Four
Oct 18 2023

This heaven gives me a mee-graine I threw this album on in the early morning, and it nearly gave me a mee-graine as well. Upon continued listening, I decided that I was either just not in the mood at the beginning of the album, or that it had a weak first half. I'm a huge fan of the cure, and "Object" would fit perfectly into this album, or certain songs of this album could fit into "Three imaginary boys," so I feel as if I have to reflect my love of the cure by giving this album a good rating. I really enjoyed the guitar throughout the album, and the musical ideas expressed by the guitar. I absolutely despised the vocals at first, until around T4- Return the gift, which I particularly enjoyed. Another stand-out track was T6 - I found that essence rare (playlist track). I'm bouncing between giving this album 3 or 4 stars. I think it's getting 3 stars, and I'm gonna go listen to the cure now to make sure that my musical taste hasn't changed. 3/5

Youth And Young Manhood by Kings of Leon
Oct 19 2023

"Shakin your apple right in my face" I have extremely mixed feelings about this album - and Kings of Leon in general. I really, really enjoy the instruments in this album, and there exists musical ideas that I think rival that of their inspiration- the Strokes. However, I absolutely despise the vocals, and the sub-genre they took the rock music into like Dixie-rock absolutely leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Some stand out tracks T4: Joe's Head (super groovy bass line), T8 - Molly's Chambers (great song, will be on the playlist). This was one of the hardest albums to pick a rating for, so far, just because of how differently I feel about different aspects to the album. I'm just gonna average out and give it a.. 3/5

Black Monk Time by The Monks
Oct 20 2023

"Pussy galore's comin' down and we like it. We don't like the atomic bomb" This album wasn't on spotify, so I had to listen to it through youtube, and leave my phone on. not a huge deal but that was kinda annoying. The album was fairly annoying, and I think that's the best word to describe it. The instrumentals, and rhythms between them, all felt elementary and repetitive. T14 - Cuckoo drove me insane. T4- Higgle-Dy Piggle-Dy was silly because of the language, and T3- Boys... is going on the playlist because it's the only song on spotify. lame album, gave me a little headache 2/5

Cheap Thrills by Big Brother & The Holding Company
Oct 21 2023

“I guess i’m just like a turtle” This album excited me because of Janis Joplin’s name on the album, but after reading the history of this band, how they brought her to the light and she left them in the dust, I have a little bit less respect for Mrs. Joplin. For the first couple songs, I was really enjoying the album, and T4- Piece of my heart was such a great song to be able to hear in the context of the album (playlist song). another notable track is T5- Turtle blues (nice 12-bar blue). After 6 or so songs, everything started blending together with the Joplin vocals, although I really enjoyed the inspired guitar solos throughout the album. Album could’ve been a 4, and started that way, but I know i’d never listen to it again. 3/5

Third by Portishead
Oct 22 2023

"I'd like to laugh at what you said, but I just can't find a smile" esoteric, dark, moody. This album is truly more than the sum of its parts, and listened together, sets out to portray a mood, and succeeds at its job. I listened to this album while in an airplane, before, during, and after take-off. I was describing the album to my mom, and I likened it to the dichotomy of a hospital (sterile, eerily clean) in a bad part of the neighborhood, with a flickering street light. T1- "Silence" sets the mood for the album with a really interesting instrumental line. T4- "The Rip" beautifully transitioned from the esoteric synth landscape into an acoustic singer-songwriter masterpiece, with a great climax within the song, when the drums and synth pick up, it's sublime. T8- "Machine Gun" nearly ruined the album for me, and may very well be the sole reason this album didn't get a 5. It interrupted the flow & vibe of the album with the 808s and distorted drum kicks. T9- "Small"the first half was very disappointing, and confirmed in my head the spot as not a 5/5 for this album, but the second half picked up the slack and turned into one of the album’s better tracks, the trend which continued until album's end. Glad to have heard this album, and to have heard of Portishead. 4/5

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly
Oct 23 2023

"Those natives step beyond. Release the mortal patterns" The album felt like it was over just as it started. I was pleasantly surprised to hear something beatle-y instead of metal like I was expecting with the name Iron Butterfly. No stand out tracks, the last track (namesake for album) was 17 minutes and felt like a fever dream. I think termination will go on the playlist i guess. 2/5

Odessey And Oracle by The Zombies
Oct 24 2023

"What's your name? Who's your daddy? Is he rich like me?" I'm a massive fan of the single T12- "Time of the season," so I was expecting the album to match that upbeat, poppy, yet dated and unique style of rock music that the song provides. With T1- "Care of Cell 44," I was excited because that song seemed to confirm my expectations, with a really great song off of the album that matches the vibe of a later, more psychedelic Beatles song, like "Strawberry fields." The rest of the album didn't quite live up to my standards, but kept with the Beatle-y theme. It all felt uninspired, and it's hard to try and match the style of the Beatles, while having clearly inferior songwriting abilities. I considered giving this album a 4, because of how much I adore "Time of the season" (playlist track), but I couldn't bring myself to do it because I wouldn't want to listen to the track again, as I'm not a huge Beatles fan, and especially not a fan of a knock-off Beatles. sorry Abby, it's getting a... 3/5

Survivor by Destiny's Child
Oct 25 2023

"Is my vibe too vibealacious for you, babe" Fuck this album, even the popular songs (all three were back to back at the very beginning) weren't very good. Afterwards, I felt like I was being tortured during a Crimean underground waterboarding. I would've given them the nuclear launch codes. The album was 1hr and 10min, which is 20 minutes longer than the average album, which was just fantastic. Not only was the music headache-inducing, it was also contradictory, with the girls bragging about being so "Bootylicious" and then going on to bash other women for being sluts in the very next song- "Nasty girl." this shit sucks. T6 - Apple pie a la mode is going on the playlist solely because it's the shortest song on the album. 1/5

Oct 26 2023

"Dead bodies everywhere, Dead bodies everywhere, Dead bodies everywhere, Dead bodies everywhere, Dead bodies everywhere, Dead bodies everywhere" Korn is kind-of a meme of a band, on the level of weezer, and nickelback, so I was excited to get to experience some of the genius that goes on in their albums. I was actually surprised at how listenable this album was, and I enjoyed some of the songs. T9- "Reclaim my place" has a dope ass beat drop off of "What the fuck!!!" so it's going in the playlist. T2- "Freak on the leash" has a funny ass scatting moment. Decent album, didn't hate it, didn't love it. 3/5

Here, My Dear by Marvin Gaye
Oct 27 2023

"We gon be getting down on the moon. Light years, interplanetary funk" I used this album as background music, otherwise I'm not sure if I would've been able to stand 1hr 10 mins of Marvin Gaye crying about the fact that his wife divorced him. It was very nice as background music. The entire album (predictably) merged together into what felt like one long song. some particular tracks that stood out to me sonically include T4- Anger, with a nice funky beat alongside his usual type of vocals. and T11- A funky space reincarnation (which is the playlist track), which is super funky and I think the lyrics are hilarious. I'm not sure why he felt the need to include the same song three times in this album, and not a particularly good song either. I guess he really wanted to drive home the point that he wasn't sure when his ex-wife stopped loving him, so he included an instrumental and a reprise. Whatever Mr. Gay 2/5

Homework by Daft Punk
Oct 28 2023

"Around the world, around the world / Around the world, around the world / Around the world, around the world / Around the world, around the world" I was initially pretty excited for this record, because I really enjoy daft punk songs, and I expected a lot more songs to include lyrics. I was pretty disappointed in the album after the first half. T3- "Revolution 909", T4 - "Da Funk", and T7- "Around the world" (playlist) were all really good tracks, but basically the entire rest of the album felt like noise. T8- "Rollin' & Scratchin'" was particularly hard to get through. I'm disappointed with this record, but it still had a lot to offer, and showed real potential in the duo. 3/5

Rust In Peace by Megadeth
Oct 29 2023

"Immense in my girth, erect I stand tall" I'm slowly realizing that I enjoy metal music a lot more than I let on (both to myself and to others). In my mind, megadeth was this death metal band with incomprehensible screams and muddled guitar riffs played over crazy time signature drums. In actuality, it's (metal is) just a step up from hard rock music, on the level of metallica. There were a bunch of cool musical ideas in this album, particularly in the form of the underlying guitar/bass riff that repeats. I think I would've preferred the vocals to be a little bit harsher, but I suppose that's part of the appeal of this "level" of metal music. Cool stuff, especially T1-"Holy Wars..." and T7 "Tornado of Souls" (playlist track). 3/5

Station To Station by David Bowie
Oct 30 2023

"It's not the side-effects of the cocaine, I'm thinking it must be love" I think that David Bowie has one of the greatest artistic minds of the century, and any music he creates has great potential, so I was very excited to listen to this album. Quite honestly, I was disappointed by this album. It was experimental in the way that Bowie quite frequently is, and has his great vocals behind each song. However, I didn't find any of the songs to be particularly compelling, and I don't think I would choose to re-listen to this album. T2- "Golden Years" was pretty well done. This might be considered sacrilegious to some, but if I'm being honest with my ratings, it's a.. 3/5

Green Onions by Booker T. & The MG's
Oct 31 2023

This album is a glorified compilation of royalty-free music. It wasn't unenjoyable to listen to, and I even recognized a couple of the tracks, but everything felt so uninspired and robotic. I can only listen to a certain amount of 12-bar-blues variations without any lyrics. T1- "Green Onions" is going on the playlist. What a waste of a spot on this list. 2/5

Phrenology by The Roots
Nov 01 2023

"y'all niggaz on the titty in your formative stages" I haven't listened to any of The Roots' records before this one, and I enjoyed it a lot. The flow on most of the songs was really sweet, and the lyricism was well done. My biggest gripe is the runtime of the album, in conjunction with a good few songs that are sub-par, or have a vocal section that took away from the album for me. A real stand-out track for me was T11- "Quills," it has a really nice backing bassline and the rap flows really nicely ontop of it, playlist track. Other tracks, such as T2- "Rock you" and T13- "Complexity" really hit the spot that they're shooting for, but most of the rest of the album could've been done better, or been cut out. 3/5

Talk Talk Talk by The Psychedelic Furs
Nov 02 2023

"I had to pay the doorman just to let me use the door. I had to use a muscleman to pick me off the floor" I was pretty excited to listen to a Psychedelic Furs album, as I really love the song "Love my Way," and my dad (having been a teenager in the 80s) told me that The Psychedelic Furs were one of the bigger bands, influence-wise, in his high-school, along with the Cure, the Smiths, and others. Upon listening to the album, I was pretty disappointed with what the furs had to offer. There were some songs with fairly good musical ideas behind them, such as: T1- "Dumb Waiters," and T2- "Pretty in Pink" (playlist track). But, much more frequently I found the songs to have very surface-level lyrics that were borderline embarrassing to be listening to, with uninteresting vocals over mediocre music, even if the music is in the genre that I prefer over most others. Due mostly to the genre, the band's influence, and those first 2 tracks, the album will not get a 2/5, but rather a... 3/5

Triangle by The Beau Brummels
Nov 03 2023

"What's this before me, In shadows where no wind blows? A crying, frightened flower without a gentle breeze." This album is a strange mix between genres of music, and sticks true to it's mystical, medieval theme, with great storytelling, and strong country and psychedelic rock influences. I really enjoy albums that can take me to a different world while listening to them, and Triangle fit that bill perfectly. At a run time of <40 minutes, it didn't overstay it's welcome, and I felt satisfied by the end. T1- "Are you Happy?" starts the album with a great guitar backing that reminds me of Neil Young's "The needle and the damage done," which consists of an amazing acoustic guitar. I added this track to the playlist. Beyond the tracks that help to immerse the listener in this fantasy world, I also quite enjoyed T10 - "The Wolf of Velvet Fortune" which is almost chilling at moments, and has a guitar riff to match. A unique album that easily earns it's spot on this list. 4/5

Nov 04 2023

"Mama, just killed a man, put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger, now he's dead" Yeah, it's the bohemian rhapsody album. I was never the biggest Queen fan, and anytime people felt compelled to sing along to that aforementioned song, I would roll my eyes internally. That being said, I was still pretty excited for this album, and hoped it would punish my cynicism with great rock n roll. T1 - "Death on two legs" begun to reward that wish with a great single that uses Mercury's range to compliment a moody guitar/bass melody (playlist). Beyond this track, the album became increasingly tedious to listen to, and reminded me of the reasons that I don't listen to Queen. Through T8 - "Prophet's song" and T10 - "Good company," I was almost forcing myself to continue listening to the album, and then ~the song~ played. enough said. I wouldn't listen again, but I understand it's inclusion on the list. Maybe this is me being petty, but... 2/5

Blunderbuss by Jack White
Nov 05 2023

"I eat sixteen saltine crackers then I lick my fingers" I'm a huge fan of Jack White's work with the White Stripes, and I'm aware that he was the mastermind behind most of those songs, so I was pretty excited for this album. T1-5 were very solid, but the second half of the album pales in comparison. T2- "Sixteen Saltines" gives us a nice, heavier rock sound that maybe a lot of us were expecting from White's musical style (playlist track), whereas T4- "Love interruption" is an acoustic ballad that is still very much rock n roll, but in a very different, more singer-songwriter way. Both these songs were great, but like I said, the second half of the album is far weaker, and because of that, I will have to give this album a 3/5

Diamond Life by Sade
Nov 06 2023

"See the people fussing and thieving, while the sharks are wheeling and dealing" It's the 'smooth operator' album, but it offers more than just a single hit. This is the type of female vocalist jazz that I can enjoy (looking at you, Ella Fitzgerald). I put this album on, and as soon as I knew it, it was over, not due to the run-time, but because it flows really nicely in the background T1- "Smooth Operator" is a really really nice track with an addictive chorus (playlist track). Tracks 2 and 3 "Your love is king" and "Hang onto your love" were also notably good tracks, but not close to the caliber of Smooth Operator. The rest of the album wasn't memorable, and didn't add (or take away) much. Another album with what seems to be a 1 hit wonder with other decent songs around it. 3/5

Synchronicity by The Police
Nov 07 2023

"Well every girl I go out with becomes my mother in the end" The Police! The Fuzz, Popo, 12, the red and blue, it's not your dad's favorite band, but he'll play the hits. I was excited for my first police album, and T1 - "Synchronicity I" started the album out with a good start. T2 - "Walking in your footsteps" annoyed me, and I hated that song, but if I hated that song, then I despised T4 - "Mother" which was probably one of the most unlistenable songs of this entire project, as of yet. T7 - "Every breath you take" is a classic, and T9 - "Wrapped around your finger" was a really nice hidden gem off of this album (playlist track). Much like a clingy ex-girlfriend, this track was hot and cold, unbearably annoying at times, but the good parts almost make you want to forget about everything else and redeem it. but you can't, because jessica took your dog to the pound when she left. 3/5

"Die little baby screaming / Body, screaming, fucking, bloody mess. Not an animal, it's an abortion" Unapologetically punk-rock, and whatever they want to be- it's the sex pistols (With the closest thing they've released to a self-titled album). The sex pistols are almost a cultural phenomenon by themselves, and their name evokes images of people that listen to them, whom are a lot cooler than myself. I loved how anti-establishment the lyrics were, and some of the musical ideas expressed by the guitar riffs, and the rest of the band, were pretty great. Tracks 3 and 5 "No Feelings" and "Problems" both had very promising guitar riffs at the beginning of their song, but turned out to be lackluster. Tracks 1 and 6 "Holidays in the sun" and "God save the queen" are fairly well rounded tracks, and worth a second visit. Track 2 "Bodies" has a lot of gruesome lyrics about abortion and is super punk rock, so it's the playlist track, and Tracks 8 and 9 "Anarchy in the UK" and "Sub-mission" are super anti-establishment, and anti-PC (with sub-mission having a really funny play on words). The rest of the tracks proved to just add to the noise, and took away from the album (in my opinion) by providing nothing more than the same sound all the other songs have. Despite the homogeneity of the album, it's dope asf and gets a (low)... 4/5

A Girl Called Dusty by Dusty Springfield
Nov 09 2023

"Crayons ready? Very well, begin to colour me." I wasn't expecting to know any of these songs based off of the artist's name and the album, but I knew both of the first tracks! T1 - "Mama Said" Which is good, if not a little bit annoying when someone else can't help but to sing it, and T2- "You don't own me" which is a classic anthem for women's empowerment (playlist track). The rest of the album was a bit of a slog for me to get through, but nowhere near as bad as some of these other albums have proven to be. I will admit that my spotify version doesn't have all of the songs off of the album, and is missing T8, T12, T13, and T14. But i'm not really mad about their exclusion from the album. I can see why it was included in this list, I'm just not a huge fan. 2/5

Fun House by The Stooges
Nov 10 2023

I feel fine, im a shaking leaf The most interesting part of this album is that it was written in 1970. Super influential in the punk rock scene or whatever, but even if it's a super influential album, that doesn't mean it gets a free pass to be mid. It has cool guitar, some good musical ideas, kinda just boring and misses the spot it tries to hit. I guess it had to walk so other bands could run. T1- Down on the street gets the playlist track.

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins
Nov 11 2023

"Time is never time at all / You can never ever leave / Without leaving a piece of youth" The smashing pumpkins is my #2 artist of all time on spotify, so this review is heavily biased. I have listened to this record before, but I don't remember it being 2 hours long, so I may have only listened to the first side in the past. I find it kind-of cringy that Corgan wanted this album to be "the wall" for gen. X, but damn if it doesn't come close. I really, really enjoy the musical ideas behind the smashing pumpkins and their music. And I think this album rivals that of the pumpkin's more accessible album for casual listeners- "Siamese Dreams" T2- "Tonight, Tonight" is an epic ballad about the inevitable passing of time, with a focus on making the most of the moment. Anything is possible tonight. T3- "Jellybelly" provides a heavy wall of sound complimented by Alt-rock vocals. T4- "Zero" has perhaps one of the most hard 'metal'-sounding riffs in the back, alongside emo lyrics that creates a contrarian's anthem. T5- "Here is no why" has a genius guitar riff that blends heavy fuzz with the best parts of mathrock and heavier rock, to preach it's cynical song T6- "Bullet with butterfly wings" complete's the album's run of 5 amazing songs to kick off the album and builds up to a chorus that preaches something that is all-too-familiar for those working the 9-5 rat race. T11 - "Galapogos" is a soft-spoken song of admitting one's struggles, and fears of solitude. Disc 2 offers a lot less in the form of obvious hits, but begins with T2 - "Bodies" and continues a cynical vibe of hopeless romanticism, with the haunting chorus "Love is suicide," which may be a reference to Courtney Love, Corgan's ex-girlfriend, and the woman rumored to have played a part in Cobain's suicide. T3- "Thirty-Three" offers a change of outlook, providing a hopeful wish that "Love can last forever." T5- "1979" is perhaps one of the pumpkin's greatest singles, and is the track that introduced me to the band. It offers an unfaltering wave of nostalgia with the hypnotic guitar backing, and wistful lyrics talking about the "cool kids" sung in the past tense, and ideas that there is little to worry about for these kids beyond something as frivolous as social clicks and their respective rules. 1979, to me, offers a direct response to the other hit track, "Tonight, Tonight" which calls one to make the most of the moment, and damn if that's not exactly what happens in 1979. T8- "Stumbeline" is a depressing track of misspent time, and past wishes, and connects to the album's theme of falling asleep with the last line "come around ruby, I could never sleep alone," and the name reminds me personally of "Thumbelina," a bedtime fairy-tale that recounts a girl, borne of a seed, that escapes an abusive marriage with a mole T9- "X.Y.U" is a very heavy song, with references to "Mary had a little lamb," continuing the theme of sleeping, and bed-time stories with dark background stories. This track offers a reflection back onto a very toxic relationship. The second disk ends the album with a fitting track given the theme of sleeping, saying "Farewell and goodnight" This album encapsulates a reflection of one's youth, and lessons learnt too late, relationships symbolized by fairy-tales, and the depressing realization that time can never move backwards. The entire album seems to suggest the universality behind the human emotion of sorrow, and spans multiple genres from rock, alt rock, grunge, heavy metal, alt pop, and art rock. The two sides (discs) of the album seem to suggest a theme of 'day' for the first, and night for the latter. Upon research from the wikipedia, the vinyl was split into 6 sides, including names like "Dawn," "Tea time," and "Dusk" to describe the first side, and names like "Twilight," "Midnight," and "Starlight," to describe the latter, although the songs are in a slightly-different order. This idea also goes along with the ideas expressed in the album, with more positive (yet sorrowful) memories of youth and nostalgia taking place in disc 1, for day, and more pessimistic ideas, fairy-tales, and other references to sleep happening mostly in disc. 2, night. Although a difficult choice, I'll put 1979 on the playlist due to my personal connection with the track. I love this record, and despite it's length, I never once found myself bored. I would recommend this to any enjoyer of music that has similar tastes to mine, that wants a thorough experience and reflection of music. An easy 5/5

Sweet Baby James by James Taylor
Nov 12 2023

“Now i’m a napalm bomb, baby. Just guaranteed to blow your mind” Cool little album, really not my type of music at all, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying this record. A very relaxing sounding album that i’m sure my grandma would love to listen to, also has the single: “Fire and Rain” on it, which is a great track and is going on the playlist. A high 3/5 although not my preferred music, very enjoyable

Chirping Crickets by Buddy Holly & The Crickets
Nov 13 2023

“My love for you is like a Cadillac” I’m really enjoying these shorter-length albums, and I’ve never listened to Buddy Holly despite hearing no end to his importance in the development of rock n roll. I feel like I always say these words “it’s not my type of music,” and although true for this and many other albums, I always make an effort to listen unbiasedly, and I’m really glad I didn’t have those biases when listening to this record. Genuinely great musical ideas throughout the album despite the release date, and I would listen to many of these tracks again, and I thought of different contexts that I would really enjoy listening to this album. I also feel just like buddy holly, mr weezer. Although I can’t rationalize a 4, it’s getting a 3/5 with strong support from me, and a good replay chance on some of these tracks.

A Hard Day's Night by Beatles
Nov 14 2023

"You could find better things to do, than to break my heart again" First Beatles album of the list- and third album from their discography. I appreciated the short length of the album, and although I know how influential the Beatles were for practically all of modern music- I couldn't find myself really enjoying most of this album. Each song blurred into the last, and ironically, the song that I enjoyed the most was the one that I recognized because of the Cobain cover (and I like his cover better, lol) Looking at the track lists for the albums after Rubber soul, It's pretty clear to me that this album is just kind-of a nothing sandwich, especially in the context of the other Beatles records. T1- "A Hard Day's night" is going on the playlist because although I enjoyed T5- "And I love her" more, it just leaves me wanting to listen to Cobain's version. looking forward to the first Beatles record that's full with bangers (Abbey road???!!!) 3/5

Nov 15 2023

"Sad eyes, crooked crosses / in God's country" I had a grudge against U2 ever since Apple forced us to download their shittiest album on itunes. I later realized that I really enjoy very specific songs of theirs- "Sunday bloody sunday," and can tolerate U2 songs when they come on in the dentist's office, or get played on the radio (those are the exact people that listen to U2). The album starts with three of their most commercially-viable songs, and I enjoyed the opening riff of the album quite a bit. T2 - "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" is listenable, if not overplayed. (playlist, i guess) T3- "With or without you" is dad-rock to its core, and the epitome of a radio song, but there exists still good musical ideas at the root of the song. T10- "Exit" has some Joy Division-esque sounds within it, and I enjoyed that aspect of the song. U2/5

All Hope Is Gone by Slipknot
Nov 16 2023

"Mother nature is a coward, mother nature is a whore" As compared to "Rust in peace," by Megadeth, which I reviewed a couple of weeks prior, this album sucks. Although metal riffs are hard to make bad, and I enjoyed all of the pinch harmonics used, I didn't hear any super unique or interesting melodies in the guitar of this album, and the lyrics were pretty mediocre and sound like they're trying too hard at times. I also find it funny that the two most-played songs off the album: T4- "Psychosocial" and T11- "Snuff" are both the most poppy and parts sound more like My chemical romance than anything that would be considered metal. I don't consider myself a metalhead, and i'm not trying to call anyone a poser or bash anyone's music tastes, but it's kind of funny how the majority of "Slipknot fans" listen to stuff that hardly sounds like Slipknot. All of the songs blended together, and at 1hr 10mins, I split this album into two listening sessions, which probably saved me a headache. At the end of the very last song, I felt particularly tired of listening to it, and I feel like this album could've done with some more trimming. 2/5

Nowhere by Ride
Nov 17 2023

"her fingers will learn / the lightbulbs burn" Cool album full of walls of psychedelic sounds, and with an underlying sense of urgency about the music. although I can enjoy a bit of something like this, the songs really tend to melt into each other, and it's difficult to comment on them individually. I was listening to this while scrambling to finish some homework before 11:59, and I felt the urgent tone helped that process. T1- "Seagull" has a really sick bassline, and will be the playlist track. Although I enjoy some of the genres this album encompasses, I really need something to be able to catch my attention and to get my head start to bop, it falls short in those places but does offer some great noises. 3/5

Nov 18 2023

"'cause, i'm free as a bird now, and this bird you'll never change" besides giving us the only get-out-of-jail-free card for speeding, and the world's most requested song, This album, the band's debut (and closest to self-titled) gives us a stellar tracklist, and with no skips. Beyond being the epitome of bar/uncle music, Lynyrd Skynrd gives us an album full of great guitar riffs, soaring solos, and groovy drums n bass. "I Aint the one" showcases the band's ability to write groovy licks, and to match the vocals perfectly to those grooves. "Tuesday's gone," and "Free bird" give us rock ballads, with the latter having one of the most cinematic sequences in the history of rock n roll. "Gimmie three steps" is the band's (successful) attempt at creating a southern-rock song that you could get up and dance to, and "Simple man" is clearly inspired by Bob Dylan, giving us a emotional track, with a hard rock twist. I really wanted to give this album a 3, but there's no way I could justify that in my head, so it's getting what it deserves, with a... 4/5

B-52's by The B-52's
Nov 19 2023

"somebody went under a dock, and there they found a rock. it wasn't a rock, it was a rock lobster" Weeeeeeeeird album. but it doesn't take itself too seriously, either. it's like the wacky conspiracy theory aunt of albums, maybe it's like the bar that has some crude humor as wall art. i found myself hating it just as often as i found myself somewhat enjoying it, but it did give me a headache, and i don't think i would listen again. that being said, if i found this record on vinyl at a vintage store, i'd probably end up picking it up. Parts of 52 Girls was good, but the lead singer's voice is super nasally and headache-inducing. Rock lobster is a classic, but overstays it's welcome (playlist). There's a moon in the sky (called the moon), is such a funny title for a track, and is listenable. beyond the annoying nasal voice, the guy that just like talks into the tracks gets super annoying as well, I can only stand 1 B-52 song at a time. 2.5/5

Suede by Suede
Nov 20 2023

"shame on the girl, she's got a big black dog in her" I really enjoyed this album upon my first listen, but in hindsight, I think I enjoyed the first 2 songs very much, and kind-of zoned out during the rest of the album. I'm glad to have heard of Suede, although this album had some very strange themes going throughout it, like bestiality, and having sex in cars. So Young has an addictive chorus with the phrase "let's chase the dragon" and will be my playlist track. I also very much enjoyed Animal Nitrate, and the super distorted guitar riff ringing in the haze throughout the track. My percieved rating for this record has jumped all over the place from a 4, to potentially a 5, and down to a 3 upon re-listen, but I'll stick with my gut and award Suede's debut, self-titled, album a 4/5. It reminds me a lot of Bowie, the Smiths, the Cure, and other New Age and Indie rock sounds that I enjoy.

Queens of the Stone Age by Queens Of The Stone Age
Nov 21 2023

"if you're not blind and deaf, how can we pollute your head?" I'm a pretty big fan of some of the stuff that the queens of the stone age put out, especially a lot of the stuff from "songs for the deaf." this album started off insanely strong with 3 bangers in a row... then it just sucked the rest of the hour. By the third song, I thought I might've found another 5 star, or 4 atleast, and by the end, I think this album will be lucky to get a 3. Regular John is getting added to the playlist, and has the queens of the tstone age sound that I've come to expect. As does Avon and If Only. The only song that has any promise beyond those first 3 tracks is Mexicola with a really nice riff and drum breaks. 3/5

"birds never look into the sun before the day is gone" I'm not sure what I expected out of this album, but I knew it probably wasn't going to be my favorite album from the recent history, and it wasn't. Very soul-y, and there are even tinges of what I would call influence from Michael Jackson, which I enjoyed, but overall, although I'm sure this album is a top 5 for those who enjoy this specific genre, it wasn't written for me (literally and figuratively). I often reference the amount of 'plays' a certain track has on spotify to gauge how well my personal tastes match that of the rest of the population. My favorite track was T8- "Rain," which has the second fewest plays out of any song on the album, is funkier, and has a cool, (egyptian-esque?) electronic synth in the back with a nice bass line (playlist). Lots of passion and clear talent in this album, but it didnt speak to me. This is probably blasphemy in certain communities but... 2/5

Aladdin Sane by David Bowie
Nov 23 2023

"Who will love Aladdin Sane? Battle cries and champagne, just in time for sunrise" My second Bowie album! As always, Bowie is very listenable, and I put this album on in the family room TV when visiting home for the entire family to enjoy. I was expecting a bit more out of this album than what it gave me, however. Lyrically, this album is probably close to perfection, but musicality is far more important to me. 'Watch that Man' has such a nice hook that I needed to add it to the playlist, great example of good Bowie. the other stand-out track to me was 'The jean genie' although a bit overplayed in Bowie's discography, it offers a nice interpretation of bluesy-country songs, and this album having been considered what would happen if 'Ziggy stardust goes to America,' it's very fitting, with most of the other tracks. All that being said, I wouldn't come back to this album, so by my own criteria, it cannot earn a 4/5, although I appreciate the mastery behind Bowie's lyricism, thematic choices and musicality.

Songs In The Key Of Life by Stevie Wonder
Nov 24 2023

"They've been spending most their lives, Living in a pastime paradise" I feel so sorry (and stupid) for thinking Coolio could create the melodies (and hook) for Gangsta's paradise. Stevie Wonder is undeniably a musical genius, and this album does show his heightened sense of hearing. That being said, I wouldn't listen to this record again, and found myself wishing the current song would pass by quicker than it did, and if I have to listen to "Isn't she lovely" again, I might go insane. "Sir Duke" is a bonafide classic, and I was glad to have it ripping through my eardrums upon listening to this album, I wish the rest of the album kept as funky fresh as this track was (playlist). As per my rating promise, if I wouldn't put the record on again, it gets no higher than a 3- so that's what it gets, sorry Mr. Wonder.

Back To Black by Amy Winehouse
Nov 25 2023

"What kind of fuckery is this?" Its.... Amy Winehouse. IMO- people made such a big deal out of her and her character for absolutely no fucking reason, and it's a pretty highly rated album on this website, so maybe I'm missing something, but I absolutely despise "Rehab," it feels very artificial and most of the rest of the tracks off the album feel as if they offered very little that was musically interesting to me. That being said, while I was actively wishing the album to end, the title track, "Back to Black" came on, and I found myself turning up the volume and eagerly awaiting the next hook. Good track, it will be on the playlist. Despite the star track, I can't justify a rating higher than.. 2/5

Surfer Rosa by Pixies
Nov 26 2023

"He bought me a soda and he tried to molest me in the parking lot" This is an album that I've listened to before, and upon the initial listen, I think I convinced myself that it was a really good album (probably mostly due to whatever website ranked it as top 10 alt rock albums of all time). I am a big fan of Pixies, and I was worried that albums like this one were going to flood my 5-star rankings with stuff that I already knew I liked. I was surprised that after listening to it today, I didn't really feel any sort of strong connection, and despite my premonitions telling me it was going to be a 4 to 5 star album, it fell pretty short of that. Compared to Doolittle, Surfer rosa has very little to offer in terms of stand-out tracks, with "Where is my mind" being the only huge hit off of this album. I decided to add it as the playlist track for this album, despite it being overplayed. This album reminded me a lot of going to see Pixies live, lots of noise and what felt like songs that they wanted us to hear, but that nobody in the crowd actually wanted to hear. Then they played "Where is my mind," everyone freaked out, and subsequently left the concert. I'm pretty disappointed with this album, mostly because of how much I hyped it up in my head, but also because of how directly influential this album and band was on Nirvana, the Strokes, Radiohead, etc. I wish I could restore the way I viewed this album after my initial listen, but as it stands, this album is getting my most surprising 3/5 yet.

Nov 27 2023

"They'll bury Flo tomorrow, but they're hanging me tonight" I remember having listened to "Big Iron" for the first time a while back, and I had that song on repeat for the rest of the day. Because of that, I was looking forward to hearing anything else this album had to offer. In terms of catchiness, "Big Iron" has the rest beat, and I love the storytelling behind it, as well as the repeated phrases "1 and 19 more," "Big Iron on his hip," etc. (playlist track). I wasn't particularly a huge fan of the rest of the songs mostly due to the style, but as a 1959's record goes, this is as good as it gets for me. After reading through the lyrics, especially on "Running gun," I realized a running theme between a couple of the songs off this record. I initially thought "running gun" was the reverse POV of "Big Iron," both the outlaws have 20 notches on their pistols, and get shot before their gun leaves the leather, with onlookers watching their death. However there are some differences with who shoots them (Bounty hunter vs. Arizona ranger, and Agua Fria vs. Amarillo). Both these songs tell a similar story to that in "Billy the Kid" where he has 21 notches on his pistol, and is shot by a sheriff, maybe has something to do with a divine similarity in the deaths of those who live the outlaw life, like it says in Running gun, "And I knew that where I lie today, he too must lie some day." Cool record with a good underlying theme of cowboys and outlaws in the old west. 3/5

We Are Family by Sister Sledge
Nov 28 2023

"my creme de la creme, please take me home" If I never have to hear the track "We are family" in my life again, I would be glad. Not sure why they needed to put all 3 different versions on the album. I wasn't expecting much from this album but it sent me to a very funky place, and I didn't dislike it. "He's the greatest dancer" might be one of the most danceable tracks that has ever graced my ears, and I think that's the main draw of this album - something to get down n groovy with. (playlist track). "Lost in music" has a really nice chorus with a funky guitar backing, I could really hear someone like daft punk sampling this track. Beyond these starter tracks, I was let down by this album. 3/5

Soul Mining by The The
Nov 29 2023

"Well, you didn't wake up this morning / 'cause you didn't go to bed. You were watching the whites of your eyes turn red" I once thought about it for a while, and I decided to pick a 'favorite track of all time,' because although my current favorite song constantly changes, I wanted to decide on a song that I would always connect with. I came up with "This is the day" off of this track as that song. Because of this choice (which I stand by), I once decided to listen to this album in it's entirety, and I remember being pretty disappointed. It was probably caused because of my inflated perception of that one track, so based on that experience, I went into listening to this album today expecting to be disappointed again. "I've been waiting for tomorrow" began and confirmed my internal bias to prove me right. I dislike the loud, obnoxious drums overwhelming the track, and the beginning minute 30 of the track, and the vocals coming in didn't help at all. The bass and other instruments made it bearable, but this was the toughest 6 minutes of the album. "This is the day" is a divine track, and the dichotomy of the terrible sounds that preceded it made me question if it was the same band who wrote both these songs. The synths, drums, chimes, buzzing chorus, and vocals all come together in this track beautifully to create a bittersweet song full of hope, that I relate to very fond memories. Much like the pumpkins' hit track "Tonight, Tonight," the underlying message is about realizing that the past is forever unchangeable, and dealing with that realization. But despite that, maintaining hope that the best is yet to come, and with the idea of living one's life to the fullest, I really enjoy this message. "The sinking feeling" was beginning to disappoint, and then the drums and bass came in. Super groovy track, I enjoyed it a lot. "Uncertain smile" is the record's second stand-out track, and lands directly in the kind of music that attracts me, in the intersection of the cure, the smiths, and david bowie, and holds it's own standing against those idols. "Giant" is really the only other track worth mentioning, and serves as an epic, morphing wall of sound to carry the album out to it's end. I also listened to "Perfect," which was only included in one of 3 releases of "Soul Mining," but I can see why it wasn't included in the rest, pretty lackluster track, but has a cool island feel. I didn't know until today that The The is a solo project of one Matt Johnson, and later joined by Johnny Marr (guitarist of the Smiths)! Cool addition to the group, but the stuff they put out was pretty lackluster, unfortunately. I'm glad my favorite song 'of all time' was joined by an album that wasn't as terrible as I first perceived it to be. 4/5

Tarkus by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Nov 30 2023

"were you there to watch the earth be scorched?" I listened to this album like a week ago, before I'm doing this review, sorry for any inaccuracies. This album consisted mostly of the first song (20/38 total minutes). It truly felt like an experience that I went through. At best, showed similarities to Pink Floyd, and at worst, embodied all of the worst parts of jazz and rock. Infinite space went on the playlist, idk why. 3/5

Highway to Hell by AC/DC
Dec 01 2023

my thought process listening to this album: "highway to hell": hell yeah this is gonna be a dope AC/DC album full with bangers. at this moment, I am expecting to, at some point, hear back in black, thunderstruck, dirty deeds, or any combination of the top AC/DC tracks. "Girl's got rhythm" to "Touch too much": there haven't been any super killer AC/DC tracks other than "thunderstruck" thus far, but these tracks all maintain the energy, provide killer riffs, and allow me to think that this album is still 4/5-5/5 range. "Beating around the bush" to "Get it hot": I am now desperate for a recognizable track, or anything resembling a breath of fresh air. Every song now sounds the same, and I'm sick of Scott's screaming vocals that offer no dynamics "If you want blood" to "Night prowler": all hope has been lost. I have succumbed to the AC/DC sound, nothing can save this album at this moment. 1 good track (and 9 other identically-sounding tracks) cannot make a good album. Any of these songs on their own could make their way into a dad-rock playlist, but I'm convinced that this album simply is not made for front-to-back listening. I juggled with different ratings, but if I'm being honest, it really just deserves a... 2/5

Paul Simon by Paul Simon
Dec 02 2023

"I'm living on gatorade, planning my getaway" I enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would, which is always a pleasant surprise. I found myself smiling, and in a relaxed trance while listening to it, and I think it came to me in the perfect moment. It's cool to hear some solo work from the notorious Simon of Simon & Garfunkel. Really pleasing and soft voice, paired with nice acoustic guitar and round bass lines, and soft drumming. Lots of the songs are groovy, and I particularly liked "Run that body down" for the reasons aformentioned (playlist track). I disliked "Me and Julio down by the Schoolyard" because of how poppy it sounds, and it reminds me of a Jack Johnson song (not a bad thing, but not what I want from a song). I also disliked "Paranoia Blues" because of the screeching slide guitar. In an ideal world, this album would get a 4, and although I could imagine myself throwing it on after a tough day, I don't think it quite deserves that rating. 3.4/5

Modern Kosmology by Jane Weaver
Dec 03 2023

"threads, i'll make it meta" I had no expectations at all coming into this album, and although the songs have strong parallels to bands and styles that I enjoy: crumb, melody's echo chamber, portishead, I found myself remarkably uninspired by most of these songs. Although there existed some cool synth lines or rhythms within certain songs, I didn't think this album deserved it's spot on this list. "Modern Kosmology," the title track, got it's place on the playlist. I did enjoy listening to this album, and would far prefer putting this on over metal, or most other genres for that matter, but I didn't think it did very much. 3/5

Moon Safari by Air
Dec 05 2023

I loved this album, it was full of cool synth parts, and has great vocals and cohesion. reminds me a lot of portishead and mort garson’s plantasia.

Tea for the Tillerman by Cat Stevens
Jan 25 2024

oooooh baby baby it’s a wild world - some guy named cat

Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel
Jan 27 2024

I enjoyed the Paul Simon solo album far more than I did this album. Felt like music for people that genuinely enjoy church music. Frank Lloyd Wright reference was crazy tho

Kenza by Khaled
Jan 28 2024

Not on spotify- had to find a random version on youtube that I think was missing a track. Props to the book author for including a record like this in the listings, but I couldn't figure out why this particular record was included. It didn't feel unique to any of the other middle eastern music I've heard. Some cool musical ideas in tracks like c'est la nuit. I enjoy the middle eastern a-a-a-a-a thing I heard a bunch, but overall it kinda felt like a drag.

Hail To the Thief by Radiohead
Jan 29 2024

2+2=5 is the only redeeming song off of this album, and this album is a far cry from the records that Radiohead gets its cult following from.

Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette
Jan 30 2024

Alanis wrote the song of the summer for like all of the early 2000s with this one album. Everything makes so much sense after listening to this record. + I like it when she tells me to be a good boy

Feb 15 2024

An absolutely iconic album. It has candle in the wind, bennie and the jets, goodbye yellow brick road, and saturday night's alright. The first song had a crazy synth intro, and felt like I was listening to an electronic album, which was absolutely crazy. The album ran a bit long at 1hr 16mins, and I wasn't the biggest fan of the other filler songs in the album (apart from jamaica jerk-off), but given the fact that this is album contains half of elton john's greatest hits, I can't rate it lower than 4/5.

Axis: Bold As Love by Jimi Hendrix
Feb 16 2024

Great album, I enjoyed it even more than the previous jimi album. Full of guitar mastery and psychedelic melodies

Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
Feb 17 2024

Cool folke-y type album, not my cup of tea, but it was really chill listening too. I enjoy Mykonos from this band, which wasn't on this album.

Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby by Girls Against Boys
Feb 18 2024

is this really an album i NEED to have listened to before i die? basic grunge album, very few standout noises, all felt pretty basic

Tidal by Fiona Apple
Feb 20 2024
Dire Straits by Dire Straits
Feb 22 2024

sultans of swing extended version

The Bends by Radiohead
Feb 23 2024

great album, #2 radiohead just behind rainbows IMO

Buena Vista Social Club by Buena Vista Social Club
Feb 24 2024

Cool little album, some songs were a distinct step-up from the basic mexican mariachi type music I hear at restaurants and the like. I was also eager for this album to end, so 3/5

Cross by Justice
Feb 25 2024

Daft Punk vibes. Wayyyy too much saw wave synth. Genesis started the album off with a hype and cool beginning. The rest of the album used the same drum beat and saw synth, making it really boring. I avoided listening to this album for months, it wasn't too bad.

I See A Darkness by Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Feb 26 2024

"Death to everyone is gonna come and it makes hosing much more fun" Getting back on the album reviewing grind! This album was slow, sad, and milquetoast. I didn't mind any of the songs, but I wouldn't be purposefully putting them on to listen to either. This album offered very little unique value. Although the whole thing was unoffensive, I don't think that it quite warrants a 3/5 because of the lack of replayability. 2/5

The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest
Feb 27 2024

"Hip hop is living, can't yank the plug / If you do the result, will end up kind of bugged" I'm a Big fan of ATCQ, and this is an album that I'm already very familiar with, and it's one of their stronger albums (though I prefer midnight marauders). The Low End Theory provides rhythmic, rhyming, stripped-down, jazzy, and catchy hip hop beats throughout the album, and has multiple stand-out singles with high replayability- such as: Excursions, Buggin' Out, Butter, Show Business, Check the Rhyme, Jazz (We've Got), and Scenario. Due to its funky rhythm and captivating lyrics, "Jazz (We've Got)" will be added to the playlist. With a 50% hit rate on this album, I can't justify any rating lower than 4-stars. But because the album feels very repetitive (due to the same stripped-down bass, drums, vocals only that give it charm), it won't be receiving a 5-star rating. 4/5

Killing Joke by Killing Joke
Feb 28 2024

"Motives changing, day to day / The fire increases, masks decay" I haven't heard any Killing Joke before, so this album was completely new to me. The strarting track, "Requiem" slaps. It sets the tone with a very punk song, with a captivating riff, IMO this was a perfect opening song, and one of my favorites from the album. My favorite track from the album, and the one that earned its spot on my playlist was "The Wait," It has a clear chorus, with a captivating riff that really hits the spot. The album had a very strong second half with a super heavy "S.O.36" and was IMO one of the sleeper songs from the album. And to finish it out, I felt "Change" was another standout track that didn't slow down the pace, finishing the album off on a strong note. Overall a very solid offering from Killing Joke's self titled debut album. It's a very Clash-inspired album, with more raw energy but similar british charm. I enjoyed the meshing of Industrial Punk with a sort of alternative New Wave energy, and I can see how it's influence has spread. Very ahead of its time and holds up well today. 4/5

War by U2
Feb 29 2024

"How long? How long must we sing this song?" I had high hopes for this album (despite it being U2) because of the inclusion of "Sunday Bloody Sunday," Which was (and still is) my only favorite U2 song. I was disappointed to hear that U2 has always sucked otherwise, nothing interesting or unique behind this album beyond its opening track. Overall a boring album that didn't change my opinion on U2. 2/5

Winter In America by Gil Scott-Heron
Mar 01 2024

"And there are 3,000 shades, And if you take these 3,000 shades and divide them by 6, you will come up with 500 Meaning there are at least 500 shades of the blues" I really disliked this album, it was tiring at times, distracting at others, and overall the sound did just not mesh well for me. I enjoy instrumental jazz as much as the next guy, but adding vocals ontop can really ruin the listening experience for me, especially if they're slow, pervasive, and not melodic. 1/5

Abbey Road by Beatles
Aug 21 2026

"You never give me your money / You only give me your funny paper" A quintessential album by a quintessential band. I was both dreading and looking forward to this review because of the caliber of the material and the mythology surrounding it. I'm very familiar with the individual song on this album, especially from the first side (who isn't?) but I wanted to go into the listening with an open mind. The first half feels more like a best-of compilation than a cohesive album, perhaps reflects the band's mental separation at the time. I did enjoy the songs on an individual level, and the inclusion of Maxwell's Silver Hammer didn't detract from the experience too much. The final song from this side- "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" has been on my individual rotation for a while now, and I think it deserves unique praise from this side. Moving to the second side, I recognized fewer of these songs by name, but I did especially enjoy "Because" and "Sun King" for their return to psychedelia, and a more prototypical LSD-laced Beatles experience that the album would have lacked without their inclusion. A standout "new" track for me was: "You Never Give Me Your Money" I loved the melody it began with, and it is especially experimental with its crazy transfer from ballad to boogie woogie and making that choice feel and sound intentional. This earned it's spot as the song from this album to be added to my 1001-albums playlist. After doing some research on the album after-the-fact, I now know that this track started the "Meledy" portion of the album, where the tracks were mixed to intentionally flow into one another, which I included in my listening notes as somthing I was hoping would happen more often throughout the album, giving it some necessary cohesion the first side lacked. To finish out the set, Carry that Weight was a shockingly beautiful song, and Her Majesty was quite a silly little short song, cool song but not deserving of the final track slot in such an influential album. No album is perfect, and I felt as if a lot of the songs were overproduced and included excessive brass/instrumentation that, at times, distracted and detracted from the well-built core of these tracks. As well as a bit of a lack of cohesion especially from the first side as I mentioned before. All of that being said, I have been flip-flopping between a 5 and a 4 for this album, and despite not wanting to pander to the popular opinion, I truly think Abbey Road has deserved its spot as a 5/5

Raising Hell by Run-D.M.C.
Aug 22 2026

"George Washington Carver made the peanut great" I'm a fan of old-school rap, typically Boom Bap from the 90s, especially due to intelligent lyricism and captivating basslines. This album had neither. Rather, it has a recently-elevated-by-tiktok "It's Tricky." God I fucking hate Its Tricky. Although I did think the alternating rapper gimmick was interesting, it increasingly got overplayed as the album went on. The songs that lack any bass or guitar really drag, the rapping is grating and uninspiring. On a brighter note, "Walk this way" always slapped and continues to slap, making it the clear highlight of the album, and the song included in my playlist. "Raising hell" also has a nice guitar riff. (Guitar in general elevates these tracks from unlistenable to just bad). It's like if the beastie boys sucked and only used elementary school rhyme schemes and cut out any riff that sounds cool. 2/5

Nixon by Lambchop
Aug 23 2026

"I don't wanna freak / But the tongue erodes each time we speak" An easy-listening album that I didn't mind sitting through. The instrumentals throughout the album were blissful, and the lyricism was well-done (though at times pseudo-intellectual). I especially enjoyed songs with a captivating melody, like "You Masculine You" and "Nashville Parent," the latter of which was included in my 1001 albums playlist. The vocalist uses his "head" voice really often, and it often detracts from the musical quality of the song, it doesnt mesh well. I much prefer his deep chest voice in songs like "Nashville Parent." Overall, a non-offensive album. 3/5

Lazer Guided Melodies by Spiritualized
Aug 24 2026

"Slide through the back door with your life strings attached (I can see the heavens on my back)" I enjoy dream-pop and atmospheric albums with dreamy guitars and space to take in the tracks. although its also important for me to have a melody to follow throughout the track, and some sort of pattern to cling onto. "Run" fit this bill had a nice melodic loop that was almost hypnotizing, nailing exactly what I look for in a track of this genre, and will be added to the album. At it's best, the album can almost encapsulate a mix of the stone roses, dreampop, and the velvet underground. Although the slower ambient tracks like "Symphony Space," while 'cool' and contributed to the vibe and ambience of the album, overstayed their welcome and detracted from the overall experience. By the end of the album I wasn't left wanting more, nor was I disappointed in having listened to it. 3/5

The Number Of The Beast by Iron Maiden
Aug 25 2026

"Black holes in his golden stare / God knows, he wants to go home" I didn't find this album particularly compelling. And that's not because of the subject matter, nor is it for the genre. The songs largely didn't have great overarching choruses, and the verses were very wordy. I enjoyed "Children of the damned" for its heavy riff and titular line. Beyond this, the real standout track of the album was "Run for the hills," which leans rock-n-roll, and has a great chorus as well as instrumentals, and will be added to the playlist. Despite its short length, I found myself wishing the album would end sooner, and the vocals contributed to a low-level headache. 2/5

Protection by Massive Attack
Aug 26 2026

"Hell is round the corner where I shelter / Isms and schisms we're living helter-skelter" I was hoping for a bit more substance from this album. Although the songs were non-offensive, I wasn't captivated by any singular song on the track. Although I enjoy both electronic music and reggae music, it was a bit jarring to hear that transition in the album. I wouldn't choose to listen to this album again, nor would I choose any individual track to listen to. Although non-offensive albums might deserve a 3-star rating, for its pure lack of anything substantial, it recieves 2/5

Trio by Dolly Parton
Aug 27 2026

"I'll always love you, little darlin' / Until the day they lay me down" Today was the day after Dolly Parton died, and I was coincidentally assigned my first album of hers. I'm typically not a huge fan of country music, but today I had a bit of a soft spot for Dolly. I found the music to be relaxing and not overly basic in their subject matter. Multiple times in the album was a mention of ideas like "Until I die" which really hit quite hard listening to them today (Aug 26, 2026). Although there wasn't anything too special about this album, I'd venture to say it was quite a good country record due to the quality of the vocalists. It's not something I'd listen to again, but neither is it something I'd be mad at listening to, especially in the right context. 3/5

Aug 28 2026

"The time has come for you / To shoot your leaders down / And join forces underground" This album was one that I was excited to listen to today, as I'm familiar with Starlight, Supermassive Black Hole, and Muse in general as a band via. their biggest hits. The album starts very strong with a very sci-fi sounding intro in "Take a Bow," straight into the album's biggest hits, "Starlight," and "Supermassive Black Hole." Although I did find the rest of the album to be somewhat boring and derivative. "Assassin" and "Knights of Cydonia" both have quite cool riffs, but don't nearly amount to enough to prop up the second half of the album on their own. I came into this album ready to give it a 4/5, but after a disappointing run of tracks, it'll get a 3/5

My Aim Is True by Elvis Costello
Aug 29 2026

“There is a vacancy waiting in the English voodoo / varving ‘v’ for vandal on the guilty boys head” One of the albums that deserves to be on the list, probably very influential. Highlights: No Dancing, Alison, Less than zero. Some songs were quite boring: Welcome to the working week, Blame it on Cain, Watching the detectives. It also strangely sounded kinda like sublime at times lol. I was driving to the beach in a convertible listening to this record, and it fit the vibe quite well. Not unenjoyable at all, but definitely not an album I’d put on again. 3/5

Aug 30 2026

"It didn't matter in the end how old they had been / Or that they were girls / But only that we had loved them" I love AIR, especially "Moon Safari," which I was introduced to through this 1001 albums project, so I had equally high expectations for this album (despite it being a film score). I knew "Playground Love" was in this album, but I was under the false conception that "Cherry Blossom Girl" was as well. I found the album to be very underwhelming, and filled more with atmospheric scene-setting tracks rather than fully fleshed out songs like those of "Moon Safari." I actually decided to watch Coppola's Virgin Suicides today as well as a result of this album's random generation of the day. I noticed how key the soundtrack was in the movie, but also that only about 6/13 of the tracks made an appearance. More prominent in the film than most of the album's tracks (Besides "Playground Love") was AIR's ce matin la from Moon Safari, 10cc's I'm not in Love, Heart's Crazy on You, and Styx's Come Sail Away. Sloan was also prominently featured in the film, and the frequency of their songs may rival that of AIR in the film. The album was disappointing, but because of "Playground Love," as well as the sheer quality of the Virgin Suicides movie, coupled with my love for AIR, I can't justify any lower than a 3/5

Heartattack And Vine by Tom Waits
Aug 31 2026

"Boney's high on china white, Shorty found a punk / Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk / Well this stuff will probably kill you, let's do another line" Tom Waits sounds like a tone-deaf Louis Armstrong. This was a tough album to get through. I was reading through some of the lyrics to pick an opening line for this review, and found some surprisingly poignant lyricism. Which is such a shame given the complete lack of annunciation given to them by Waits. Each song was the sonic equivalent of a wet rag hitting a microphone in a blues bar. The instrumentals themselves weren't bad either, which makes this another case of an album which would be more digestible as an instrumental. This type of music may do it for some people, but certainly not me, 1/5

Low-Life by New Order
Sep 01 2026

"I looked into her hand and I saw the telegram / Said that I was a brave, brave man, but that I was dead" I love New Wave, and New Order definitely is a pioneer of the genre, especially with its Joy Division past. This album isn't their strongest work, but remains very listenable and high-quality nonetheless. "Love vigilantes" is a top-tier New Order track with its catchy melody and captivating lyrics. "Elegia" is another standout track with an awesome atmosphere and synth-heavy track. I think this album truly stands the test of time, and although its not their best, it deserves atleast a 4/5

Bug by Dinosaur Jr.
Sep 02 2026

"Why? Why don't you like me?" After mentally preparing to go into this album completely blind, I was pleasantly surprised to have instantly recognized the very first song "Freak Scene," and this was a clear standout track for the album, rivaling that of the best Sonic Youth and Pixies tracks. "Let It Ride" was another clear standout track that I know I'll be coming back to, with it's hypnotic riff and captivating melodies. I did find quite a bit of this album to be fairly uninspired and without much melodic throughlines to follow. Actually the noisiest and likely most hated track "Don't" had lots of originality, and was super emotionally raw, which made it more enjoyable than most of the second half of this album. Besides the two standout tracks I mentioned, I likely won't be coming back to bug. 🩖🩖🩖

Critic

Average rating: 2.90 (0.46 below global average).

Other

Album origins are grouped into three buckets: US, UK, and everything else. “Other” means the artists you rate highest are from outside the US and UK.