514
Albums Rated
2.57
Average Rating
47%
Complete
575 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
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1950s
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Favorite Genre
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Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
9
5-Star Albums
96
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Marquee Moon
Television
|
5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
|
Funeral
Arcade Fire
|
5 | 3.56 | +1.44 |
|
Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
|
5 | 3.83 | +1.17 |
|
In Utero
Nirvana
|
5 | 3.83 | +1.17 |
|
Broken English
Marianne Faithfull
|
4 | 2.88 | +1.12 |
|
Kollaps
Einstürzende Neubauten
|
3 | 1.9 | +1.1 |
|
Tapestry
Carole King
|
5 | 3.91 | +1.09 |
|
Who's Next
The Who
|
5 | 3.91 | +1.09 |
|
Music Has The Right To Children
Boards of Canada
|
4 | 2.91 | +1.09 |
|
Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
|
5 | 3.92 | +1.08 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
|
1 | 3.45 | -2.45 |
|
Sound of Silver
LCD Soundsystem
|
1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
|
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
|
1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
|
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
|
1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
|
Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
|
1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
|
Urban Hymns
The Verve
|
1 | 3.36 | -2.36 |
|
The Next Day
David Bowie
|
1 | 3.3 | -2.3 |
|
Ace of Spades
Motörhead
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
The Slider
T. Rex
|
1 | 3.28 | -2.28 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| LCD Soundsystem | 2 | 1 |
| M.I.A. | 2 | 1 |
| The Verve | 2 | 1 |
| Motörhead | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Beta Band | 2 | 1.5 |
| Eminem | 2 | 1.5 |
| Morrissey | 2 | 1.5 |
| Orbital | 2 | 1.5 |
| Def Leppard | 2 | 1.5 |
| Christina Aguilera | 2 | 1.5 |
| Emerson, Lake & Palmer | 2 | 1.5 |
| Tom Waits | 3 | 2 |
| The Byrds | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| The Beach Boys | 1, 5 |
| Pink Floyd | 5, 2, 3 |
| David Bowie | 4, 3, 4, 1, 4, 2 |
5-Star Albums (9)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Highlights: Stagger Lee, The Curse of Millhaven.
In a nutshell: you wanna hear a cool story?
Take your pick of ten.
I can actually picture Nick sitting in a comfortable chair in a study or home library, reading the lyrics out loud. The espresso shot dark tales of vengeance, woe, loss, fetish and torture are delicious instead of repulsive.
Buckle up, kids. You're gonna love this album or hate it. And if you do end up hating it on the first or second listen, try again in a few weeks.
Overall: 8/10
4 likes
Beatles
4/5
Highlights: Come Together, Something, Here Comes The Sun, Because.
In a nutshell: not a masterpiece, but close.
The last hurrah for the Fab Four. At this point in The Beatles career, producer George Martin had much more to balance. The notable ones are (a) George Harrison was (finally!) taken seriously as a songwriter and granted two majestic songs on this album, and (b) Paul got to indulge in his dancehall/vaudeville fixation (much to the chagrin of the rest of the band. I feel ya there fellas!). We don't need to go into the John-Yoko situation.
Mostly solid Side A. Come Together (the right choice for an opener), Something (delightful), a confusing turn with Maxwell's Silver Hammer (which sounds like it was made for a child). Oh! Darling reminiscent in a way of early Beatles, the goofy Octopus's Garden and the long (but somehow tolerable) I Want You (She's So Heavy).
Great start to Side B, but the road is bumpy after song 10. Going into a medley was an interesting decision. Lyrically, strange. Kinda works.
My biggest criticism, apart from Maxwell's Silver Hammer, is the inclusion of Her Majesty as a secret track. The End was perfect. It tied the bow. By adding Her Majesty, Paul untied that ribbon and slapped one of those gaudy red 75¢ adhesive gift bows instead.
Even with their creative and personal differences, I get the feeling the band put in their all for Abbey Road. Throughout the album we hear triumphant guitars, organ, the symphonic flourishes and vocals.
It's not perfect. It not my favourite Beatles album, but it's close.
Overall: 8/10
4 likes
Einstürzende Neubauten
3/5
Highlights: Jet’m, Tanz Debil.
In a nutshell: taking the genre literally.
I think the mission of the band (at least in 1981 context) is to be weird and deconstruct percussion.
This is an easier listen compared to Throbbing Gristle. Without looking it up, I bet this was creative fuel for Rammstein, Nick Cave and Trent Reznor (spoiler, frontman Blixa Bargeld is a founding member of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds).
Did I like it? Eh. It's chaotic and impressive.
Do I think it’s worth keeping on the list? YES.
Overall: 5/10
2 likes
The Mars Volta
3/5
In a nutshell: Messy. Bloated. Frantic. Confusing. You’ll either love it or despise it.
It’s supposed to be a concept album but I don’t understand the brief. The bass and drums are amazing (the galloping beat, swoon!). Can hear the Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa and Aphex Twin influences; perhaps early My Chemical Romance or early Muse (Absolution was recorded at the same time as De-Loused and released in the same year).
I’d say this is an influential album, just not for me.
Overall: 5/10
1 likes
UB40
2/5
In a nutshell: mellow protest album influenced by reggae and ska.
Sounds more ambient dub than mainstream reggae. Always appreciate a DIY/made on a shoestring album. It’s unfortunate that the variety in the backing beat is missing.
Overall: 4/10
1 likes
4-Star Albums (95)
1-Star Albums (96)
All Ratings
Radiohead
4/5
Highlights: 15 Step, House Of Cards.
In a nutshell: an abstract evolution.
Overall: 7/10
CHIC
3/5
Highlight: Le Freak
In a nutshell: slick but repetitive.
This made for the dancefloor or at a late 70s discotheque. You just need to hear Le Freak, not much else from this album.
Overall: 5/10
Neil Young
4/5
Highlights: Old Man, Alabama, The Needle and The Damage Done, There’s A World
In a nutshell: are you ready for this kind of country?
Neil is better as a solo artist with an accompanying band, NOT in a band. And that he is a cantankerous bastard I'm sure many of us would agree with those opinions.
In my opinion, it has it's flaws (namely A Man Needs A Maid) so it narrowly misses out on being declared a masterpiece. Sorry not sorry Boomers and music nerds.
Overall: 8/10
Rush
3/5
Highlights: all of Side A
Overall: 7/10
David Bowie
4/5
Highlights: Aladdin Sane, Cracked Actor.
In a nutshell: the descent into hell.
Post Ziggy, pre plastic soul. This was the beginning of David Bowie delving further into more introspective themes in his songwriting.
Overall: 8/10
Deep Purple
3/5
Highlight: Highway Star.
In a nutshell: “Can we have everything louder than everything else?”
The Simpsons episode “Weekend At Burnsie’s” kinda ruined “Smoke On The Water” for me. All I could hear was a stoned Homer singing the lines wrong and I couldn’t stop laughing.
Overall: 6/10
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
1/5
In a nutshell: proto-hair metal(?)
Occasionally good horns, drums and guitar; played furiously. Kinda bluesy glam rock. This is album reminds me of "hair metal" and I wouldn't be surprised if bands from that genre cite this as an influential album.
Overall: 2/10
Joy Division
4/5
Highlights: Disorder, New Dawn Fades.
Overall: 8/10
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Highlights: Push It Along, Luck of Lucien, I Left My Wallet In El Segundo, Can I Kick It?
Overall: 7/10
Metallica
3/5
Highlights: The Ecstasy of Gold, The Call of Ktulu, No Leaf Clover, Devil's Dance, Until It Sleeps.
In a nutshell: grandiose but it could have been so much better.
First time listening. It's a mixed bag. BRILLIANT arrangements by Michael Kamen. Fusion genres such as symphonic metal or bands like Metallica may not be everyone's thing.
On stage it felt as if the orchestra was on the side rather than a co-headliner. That said, it's worth listening to this album to appreciate musicians who push their own boundaries.
Plan an intermission if streaming, it's 133 minutes.
Overall: 6/10
The Jam
4/5
Highlights: Pretty Green, But I'm Different Now, Set The House Ablaze, Music For The Last Couple, Boy About Town, Scrape Away.
Overall: 7/10
The Pogues
4/5
Highlights: The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn, A Pistol For Paddy Garcia, Sally MacLennane, And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.
In nutshell: behold! An Irish band in their charming and 'dilapidated glory'
Mixing folk music with punk sounds completely daft if you're unfamiliar with bands like The Pogues. But when you hear a song, it feels right. Top tapping, drunken jig inducing, fun.
The cover of "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" is- I daresay- better than the original (sorry Eric). The band respect the song's brevity. There is no need to be bombastic or "make the song our own". Shane's thick accent accentuates the protagonist's lament. Each time I hear it (even when it's not ANZAC Day), I have to stop what I'm doing and listen to the end. And with that: Lest We Forget
Overall: 7/10
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Highlights- The Boxer, Cecilia, Baby Driver, Bridge Over Troubled Water
You need to be in the right mood to listen to Simon and Garfunkel. Unless my ears are deceiving me, it sounds like Paul is mixed louder than Art in the duets.
I sorely wanted to like this album, but there is something about it that doesn’t stick.
Overall: 6/10
Pere Ubu
2/5
I couldn't finish this one, it's a sensory overload.
Can hear slithers of garage rock and hearty serves experimental rock from the tracks I could tolerate.
Reminds me of J Mascis. Can understand the underground appeal.
4/10
The The
2/5
First thought: I wonder if Hot Chip and The Presets listened to The The in their youth? Although not directly cited as an influence, the synth use and vocal style from Soul Mining reminded me of 'One Life Stand', 'In Our Heads', 'Apocalypso' and 'Beams', only at a different tempo.
Songs were too long. Not my thing. Will revisit this album when another synthpop or new wave title comes up.
4/10
Paul Weller
2/5
In a nutshell: the man from Style Council and The Jam does dad rock/northern soul.
The songwriting isn’t much to write home bout, the guitar work is fine. Although Gomez do not directly cite Weller as an influence, I can hear bits and pieces of Paul’s music in the band’s first two albums (see Sunflower, Country and Has My Fire Really Gone Out then compare to Get Miles and Make No Sound).
Overall: 3/10
The Stone Roses
3/5
Kate Bush
3/5
Highlights: Love and Anger, The Sensual World.
In a nutshell: Soft, moody, sometimes sensual.
Not her best but not her worst. I recommend bookending with Kate’s debut The Kick Inside to see how her trademark sound and songwriting has refined over time. Controversial opinion, but would gladly trade Neneh Cherry’s Raw Like Sushi for The Kick Inside.
Overall: 5/10
Animal Collective
1/5
In a nutshell: unmemorable
Skip this album and listen to Hot Chip, Art vs Science or Modest Mouse instead.
Overall: 1/10
Jack White
3/5
Not bad
The Afghan Whigs
1/5
Sad bastard music meets whiny rage music.
Overall: 1/10
Butthole Surfers
1/5
In a nutshell: background music for reenacting The Aristocrats joke.
Heard of the band name, never heard their music. Was anticipating punk rock based on the short description on here. Nope. Don't let the opening sentence of the album's Wikipedia entry fool you, this isn't the rock music you're expecting. This album is definitely punk. It's more in the experimental noise genre than rock.
Overall: 1/10
White Denim
1/5
Overrated. Might listen to back catalogue. 2/10
2/5
Highlights: Australia.
In a nutshell: a concept album that doesn't hit the target.
I'd say skip Arthur and go to "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society" (a better album that pokes fun at British culture).
Overall: 4/10
The Undertones
3/5
Walked in completely cold. Until it occurred to me the band's early single 'Teenage Kicks' featured in the film Good Vibrations (tl;dr: want to open a record store and foster the underground punk movement in 70s 'The Troubles' era Ireland? Challenge accepted).
Think 80's pop-punk, reminiscent of Madness and DEVO. Maybe The Specials? Can hear influences of early Beatles, Ramones and the Buzzcocks.
Not a repeat listen for me, but I'm thankful to have listened to it.
Overall: 5/10
The Everly Brothers
1/5
Highlights: Love Hurts, Cathy's Clown.
In a nutshell: the blueprint.
I found myself skipping a lot of songs on this album. I knew of an earlier Everly Brothers single "Bye Bye Love" and was hoping this album showed an expansion of their sound. Nope. Just heard more of the same melodies. The Everly Brothers definitely influenced future musicians, especially in the UK. There is too much filler on this album to justify its place on the list.
Overall: 2/10
Keith Jarrett
4/5
In a nutshell: screw it, I'm just gonna play.
If you haven't heard of this album, go to the Wikipedia page first.
I can't believe that the promoter and Keith still went ahead with the show. What could go wrong leading up to the gig DID go wrong. Yet Keith pushed through and pulled off a remarkable performance.
Pretty impressive on a half sized piano.
Overall: 7/10
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Highlights: Junkie Chase, Give Me Your Love (Love Song)
Hearing the title track so many times over the years has unfortunately spoiled my listening experience. It’s a shame, because the backing band is excellent! Mayfield’s lyrics illustrate a dark reality, noticed a narrative arc. Tracks 1-3 could have been shorter or changed into an instrumental. Haven’t seen the movie, so this review may change after watching it.
Verdict: 6/10
Led Zeppelin
4/5
In a nutshell: Zep's most underrated album
Haven't listened to this album in full before, and only familiar with the band's hits. Gotta say, it's good. Starts at a blistering pace then goes into head bopping mode, rarely venturing into boredom.
I always appreciate a band who ventures into different genres on an album while still sounding coherent and familiar.
Overall: 8/10
Muddy Waters
3/5
Highlights: Tiger In Your Tank, I Feel So Good, I've Got My Mojo Working.
My first blues album of the generated list. Waters and the backing band are on fire!
Felt a lull with tracks 1-4, but maybe my ears are more accustomed to upbeat blues? Reckon it's time to listen to Muddy Waters' studio albums.
Overall: 6/10
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Highlights: Natural Mystic, Guiltiness, Waiting In Vain, Turn Your Lights Down Low.
My initial interpretation of reggae was “protest songs with backing singers, groovy bass and subtle percussion”. Today I learned that it is, and also more than that. Albums like “Exodus” weave themes of celebrating progress, unity, love, socio-political commentary, understanding one’s existence, repatriation, optimism, “downpression” (a variant of oppression) and Rastafari life.
Overall: 8/10
Thin Lizzy
2/5
In a nutshell: Live and tame.
Overall: 3/10
2Pac
3/5
Highlight: So Many Tears.
Be right back, crying.
Overall: 5/10
Little Simz
2/5
Highlights: Selfish, Wounds.
Has an air of vulnerability. Feeling indifferent about the album. It’s not my kind of music.
Overall: 4/10
Machito
3/5
Kraftwerk
3/5
Highlights: Showroom Dummies, Franz Schubert, Endless Endless.
In a nutshell: cruise control
You know Kraftwerk when you hear it: synth, sequencers, minimalism, monotone vocals, loops, feels like you're on a journey. It's comfortable, familiar music.
Six of the eight songs are over 4 minutes so it will be a challenging listen for some.
Overall: 5/10
Steely Dan
3/5
Highlights: Josie, Deacon Blues
This would have been a bitch to record and mix, sounds like there are so many components to organise (props to Katz and the music engineers there). Much respect to the session musicians and singers who made an appearance (including Doobie Brothers frontman Michael McDonald, he actually has range!?!), they are on fire.
There's something about Aja that feels off that I can't put my finger on. 'Black Cow', 'Aja' and 'Home At Last' would benefit from pruning. The title track is cringe by today's standards. I dunno? It's not my favourite of the four in the book.
Overall: 5/10
Elbow
3/5
Highlights: Starling, The Fix, One Day Like This.
Went in only knowing one single from this album. It's a mixed bag. Brooding, aching, a bit drab occasionally. Many songs are too long but hang in there as some songs have lyrical gems.
Elbow Frontman Guy Garvey reminds me of Peter Gabriel (one of Guy's inspirations) but with a Mancunian lilt.
Overall: 6/10
Hüsker Dü
2/5
Bob Mould was right - “Warehouse would have made more impact if it was paired down to a single record...”
It feels middle-of-the-road (spot the REM and The Replacements influences) and was a slog to listen to.
Overall: 3/10
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Highlights: Ponta De Lança Africano, Taj Mahal
Pleasantly surprised by this album! It's fun, sensual, chill and get-up-and-go-dance music. I can picture some songs appearing on Late Night Tales compilations. Think funk, soul, light disco and bossa nova, all in Portuguese.
Overall: 7/10
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Highlights: Gotta Get Up, Coconut.
In a nutshell: going hard.
Ahh yes, Nilsson. The guy responsible for the nauseatingly heartbreaking cover of Without You (yep, it’s a cover. Written in 1970, by two members of Badfinger), Gotta Get Up (an absolute banger that experienced a resurgence after appearing in Netflix's Russian Doll) and the catchy jam-fest Coconut (read between the lines, friends). Jump Into The Fire is overplayed on classic radio stations and overused in commercials (groan), promoting cars and adventure activities. Which is a shame because the extended cut with instrumental breaks are fantastic.
I gotta give props to the session musicians and Harry's vocal acrobatics. Supposedly he burst a large haemorrhoid after singing the high notes in Without You. To Harry, it was worth the pain.
Overall: 5/10
Miriam Makeba
3/5
Highlights: Suliram, The Click Song, Lakutsh'n Ilanga, Mbube, House of the Rising Sun.
Overall: *click* (thumbs up)
A delightful fusion of jazz, African melodies and blues. Makeba's voice is one you won't forget.
Overall: 6/10
Donovan
3/5
Highlights: Season of the Witch, The Trip, The Fat Angel.
Part folk rock, part psychedelia, light touch of baroque pop. It’s music you immediately identify with the cliched care-free part of the 60’s.
Donovan was dismissed by critics as “a Dylan clone”. They’re wrong. There is a crossover but no ripoffs here. Many folk musicians- including Donovan and Dylan- would cite Martin Carthy, Woodie Guthrie, Rumblin’ Jack Elliott, Joan Baez, blues and British/Irish folk music in general as their forerunner influences. Donovan even taught John Lennon a different way to finger-pick a guitar and it was incorporated into ‘Dear Prudence’.
Overall: 5/10
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Synth pop is not my thing, couldn't finish this album. However, I feel that Pet Shop Boys deserve credit for the contributions to pop culture and 90s music. I may have more opinions when "Behaviour" comes around.
Overall: 5/10
R.E.M.
2/5
Highlights: It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), Exhuming McCarthy.
I only know of R.E.M.'s hits, so it was a fresh listen for me. It wasn't a boring listening experience, but it wasn't pleasant one either. The sax solo was an odd choice in Fireplace. Michael's voice was screeching while holding some notes (eg in Strange "riiieeeeeeghht"). Many of the songs sound similar to me. I might change my mind when I listen to Automatic For The People or Murmur. At least one R.E.M needs to be on this list. Document isn't it IMHO.
Overall: 4/10
The Specials
2/5
Highlights: Man at C&A, Sock It To ‘em J.B., Holiday Fortnight.
In a nutshell: drawn out album by two-tone/ska heavyweights.
I can hear elements of Northern Soul and avant pop on here. More Specials has some good moments, however not enough to earn a high mark. I’d imagine that The Specials would be incredible live.
Overall: 4/10
Gene Clark
3/5
Highlights: Strength of Strings, From A Silver Phial
A commercial flop upon release, praised by critics, dubbed as "a lost masterpiece" years after Clark's death. Think Neil Young but with blues/jazz/gospel flourishes. Some long songs but they don't feel long.
This will require repeat listens to appreciate No Other. Give it a chance.
Overall 6/10
Jurassic 5
2/5
First thought: is this Australian hip hop? *Checks Wikipedia* nope, Jurassic 5 are from LA. "Alternative hip hop". Okay. I can get into that.
Think A Tribe Called Quest/De La Soul but with the tempo of a heartbeat. I didn't mind it. It wasn't blown out of the water awesome.
Overall: 4/10
Beastie Boys
3/5
Highlights: Sure Shot, Tough Guy, Root Down, Sabrosa, Sabotage, Flute Loop, Transitions.
Overall: 6/10
Talk Talk
1/5
All songs sound 'meh' to me. This must have been a popular album (underground or mainstay) upon release. I just don't dig it.
You might like this if you like Tears For Fears or Joe Jackson.
Overall: 1/10
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
In a nutshell: one of the last great concept albums of the century.
If you’re already familiar with the album, try listening in “original vinyl version” track list order (see the Wikipedia page for details) so you can get a different listening experience.
Overall: 8/10
John Coltrane
3/5
A four track album that runs under 35 minutes got my attention. Pressed play... and I liked it. The vibe goes from chill to frantic then a slow, rousing coda. One or more of these tracks is something that would suit a lazy Sunday morning or while cooking dinner.
Overall: 7/10
De La Soul
3/5
Highlights: The Magic Number, Eye Know, Tread Water, Say No Go,
In a nutshell: old school sampling meets late 80’s hip hop, but not as you know it.
I don’t think anyone had heard anything like this album (maybe Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation…?) at the time. It’s not my thing. I definitely appreciate this album’s importance to music history and I do like the fusion of rap, jazz and sampling. Also, damn you De La Soul for popularising the hip hop skit! (shakes fist at sky)
Overall: 6/10
The Avalanches
4/5
In a nutshell: A work of pure genius.
Sampling and sampledelia is nothing new. But the boys from The Avalanches put a new spin on it. Every song is a collage. The sounds are lifted from obscure vinyls found in thrift shops and pasted together to create a sonic journey. It is an engineering feat to create an (18 track!) dance album in the late 90s with minimal studio interference. And it doesn't sound messy.
Robbie and Darren didn't keep track of how many samples were used. Numbers range between 200 and 3500. Based on the website WhoSampled, I'd say over 800 samples sounds about right. This number includes a handful of samples used throughout the album to tie it all together. It's a nice foreshadowing tool. Example - the horse neighs from Frontier Psychiatrist (Track 13) make an appearance in Stay Another Season (Track 2).
It may not be to everyone's taste but The Avalanches deserve credit for creating a complex DIY album. Brace yourself for a long ride, but a fun one.
Overall: 8/10
Stephen Stills
2/5
I think it’s one of those albums that resonated more in the 70’s and rode the wave of the band’s (Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young) commercial success.
Excellent guitar work by Stephen Stills, as one would expect. Not an album I’d play again.
Overall: 3/10
T. Rex
1/5
It feels like the band relied heavily on the formula that worked for them. Pity.
Skip this album and listen to Electric Warrior instead, a much better album.
Overall: 2/10
Motörhead
1/5
Formulaic hard rock songs. Grew bored after 'Live To Win'.
Overall: 2/10
Common
2/5
In a nutshell: great title, below average album
Nice transition between some songs. Interesting use of samples/loops. But that's about it. The album is laced with hip hop cliches ("one-two", name dropping, self referentials) and IT'S JUST TOO DAMN LONG. It's 77:55?!
This could have been a great album, especially with Common collaborating with genre heavyweights (D'Angelo, Questlove, J Dilla) but it doesn't deliver for me.
Overall: 3/10
The Beta Band
2/5
In a nutshell: Folktronica.
Let that word settle in. How does it make you feel?
The Beta Band play with trip hop, electronica, experimental rock and a touch of folk to make an album "something completely incredible, that didn't sound like anything else..." You have to give the band credit - they succeeded in their brief. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea.
Overall: 3/10
Santana
4/5
In a nutshell: a sweet Latin rock, Chicano rock and blues concoction
Went in only knowing Oye Como Va and Black Magic Woman, left appreciating Carlos and his band. WOW! There's a noticeable flow to it. Each band member's skills are on show. Carlos seems to work WITH the band rather than above the band.
Truth be told, I'd listen to 70's Santana over Eric Crapton anyday.
Overall: 7/10
Marianne Faithfull
4/5
Highlights: Broken English, Guilt, The Ballad of Lucy Jordan, Working Class Hero, Why D'Ya Do It.
In a nutshell: gutsy and sorely underrated.
Challenging. Lyrically iconic. Sonically unique. Marianne Faithfull establishes mood and beat from the get go. Wikipedia labels this as new wave but it waltzes with and away from said category.
The final track- Why D'Ya Do It- is a spiteful, yet eloquent piece reminiscent of an X-rated Patti Smith poem ("When I stole a twig from our little nest and gave it to a bird with nothing in her beak, I had my balls and my brains put into a vice and twisted around for a whole fucking week" And that's the 'tame' lyrics!).
The common complaint of Faithfull is her voice and crass lyrics. Yes, it's not for everyone. Thus the basis of its appeal (am I a hypocrite for complaining about Michael Stipe's voice and not Marianne's? Probably).
There are a few challenging albums on this list. Give it a chance. Go on with an open mind
Overall: 8/10
Ozomatli
1/5
Note: Spotify has pulled all but two songs from this album ('Believe' and 'Love and Hope'), so this review is based on the two songs I had access to.
The two songs I listened to are a jumble of genres including (wince) "rap rock". Not my thing.
Overall: 2/10
Gene Clark
3/5
Highlights: The Virgin, White Light, One In A Hundred, Tears of Rage.
If you remember The Byrds and like Dylan's earlier albums, look no further. It's nice. This is folk rock album you can enjoy while slowly sipping a drink and watch the summer sun set.
Overall: 5/10
Muddy Waters
3/5
Highlights: Mannish Boy, I Want To Be Loved #2, Deep Down In Florida, Crosseyed Cat.
The thing I’ve learned about blues from this project is that songs of this genre follow a template but it’s rarely boring. You can appreciate the solos and the musicians jamming. Some tracks on this album didn’t need to be over 4 minutes - a common complaint of mine is song length- but I’m guessing that it’s a live studio album, so you roll with it (perhaps the band is in one room and does it all in one take? I don’t have a good enough ear to make a distinction).
Overall: 6/10
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Highlights: Date With The Night, Black Tongue, No No No, Y Control.
In a nutshell: meet me in the bathroom.
For context, this album was released in the same month as "Elephant" by The White Stripes. It's difficult to not compare Jack and Meg White with Karen O, Nick Zenner and Brian Chase- two garage rock revivalists blazing their own trails, two albums that sound similar and slightly different.
IMHO, ending the album with 'Y Control' or 'Poor Song' (forgo Modern Romance or relegate it to a hidden track) would be the better choice.
I have a soft spot for the band's follow up album "Show Your Bones", so this may be skewing my opinion.
Highly recommend watching the book and documentary meet Me In The Bathroom which chronicles NYC bands like The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Strokes, etc who cut their teeth in the early 2000’s.
Overall 6/10
Johnny Cash
3/5
"San Quentin, I hate every inch of you."
The audio quality of this album is good given the time and location. Thankfully the banter between Johnny and the audience remains. I can't add more to what is already been said by many. This is an important live recording.
Overall: 6/10
Tracy Chapman
4/5
“You still gotta make a decision- leave tonight, or live and die this way”
A powerful debut album. Go listen.
Now, if buskers can stop performing “Fast Car”, that would be great. Don’t get me started on *that* sped up cover.
Overall: 7/10
Megadeth
2/5
Cool album art.
I got bored after track 3 for some reason. Will take the word of the Wikipedia article and associated references as being an important album for thrash metal.
Overall: 4/10
Leftfield
2/5
In a nutshell: prime candidate for a film or game soundtrack.
Early 90s house with a song played on chillout radio ad nausea ("Original").
Overall: 3/10
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Highlights: Up In The Skies, Spanish Castle Magic, If 6 Was 9, Castles Made of Sand.
Tl;dr: a series of groovy and trippy jams. Don't expect anything remarkable lyrics wise. Just enjoy the drums and guitar work.
Overall: 6/10
Snoop Dogg
2/5
Remember that the album is a product of its time. Some lyrical content is cringe, offensive and/or sexist. Some of it is okay.
It's not for me. But if I was invited to hang out with Snoop, I wouldn't say no.
Overall: 3/10
1/5
In a nutshell: a copy of a copy.
Why listen to ABC’s Lexicon of Love when you can listen to a-ha, Duran Duran, Frankie Goes To Hollywood or The Buggles? The production is good though (courtesy of Trevor Horn).
Overall: 2/10
The Cramps
2/5
Frantic surf punk meets psychobilly. I can imagine it being the pre-match music at a roller derby game. It would be an important album in the subgenre, it's just not for me.
Overall: 3/10
Eminem
2/5
"nobody is excluded from my poking fun at. Nobody. I don't discriminate, I don't exclude nobody...If I do something fucked up, I'll make fun of myself - I'm not excluded from this..."
Eminem.
With that said, this was a difficult listen for me. I was in my mid teens when this album came out. My younger sister (13 at the time) was a fan and after hearing her crank The Real Slim Shady to 11 on repeat, I listened to the album myself. I was mortified. How the hell can someone record misogynistic, violent and homophobic lyrics and get away with being released?? Because, controversy sells.
Retrospectively, it's still terrifying to listen to. There is a lot of dated references and cliched hip hop tropes ("mic check 1-2", name dropping, skits on albums). Instead of crossing the line between satirical and offensive, he pissed on the line while flipping the bird. The lyrics are definitely (a) offensive, even though you know the tracks were deliberately created to offend you (and now you're mad that you reacted the way you did), (b) darkly comic, (I didn't find it funny but I bet a small audience will) and (c) are a sharp jab at everyone and everything.
Listen "The Way I Am" first, decide if you're prepared to hear more, then make your own conclusions. I won't be listening to this again, too many bad memories. As for you, brace yourself.
Overall: 3/10
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
Highlights: I Ain’t The One, Tuesday’s Gone, Free Bird.
In a nutshell: the go-to album for a 70’s movie soundtrack. A pleasant listening experience but not spectacular.
Overall: 6/10
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
Highlights: Unomathemba, Rain Rain Beautiful Rain, King of Kings.
In a nutshell: meditative and joyful.
This the kind of acapella album you can get behind - it comes from the heart. The harmonies remind me of gospel, spiritual or church choir music, but they're not preachy. I think these performances were an embodiment of hope in such horrible times.
Overall: 7/10
Fleet Foxes
3/5
In a nutshell: indie folk revivalists that spawned many imitators.
I *really* wanted to like this album, but I didn’t. A friend of mine calls this type of music as “beige”. Many songs sound alike and feel limp instead of stirring. I found myself comparing the album to folk rock/indie artists who came before, at the same time or just after (The Decemberists, Grizzly Bear, The Mountain Goats, Boy and Bear, Bright Eyes, The Middle East). The aforementioned, in my opinion, delivered better albums and are easier to listen to. However, I will give Fleet Foxes some credit for generating a renewed interest in the genre.
Overall: 5/10.
LCD Soundsystem
1/5
In a nutshell: a case of sophomore album blues.
Loops galore, glockenspiel, cowbell, handclaps… I don’t hear anything groundbreaking or new here.
Overall: 2/10.
The Who
3/5
Highlights: Armenia City In The Sky, I Can See For Miles, Sunrise.
In 1967, the public would not have heard music like this before. Compared to the band's debut "My Generation", The Who's third album "The Who Sell Out" embraces the concept album format. Admirers of The Who's mod pop sensibilities will take solace in "I Can See For Miles", "Sunrise" and "Rael 1 & 2". It would have won new fans upon release.
Overall: 6/10
Morrissey
1/5
This "album" is full of crashing bores. The music and lyrics have aged badly. Save yourself the 48 minutes - skip it
Overall: 1/10
Various Artists
2/5
Highlights: The Bells of St Mary.
Issued on a hot Christmas Day. Well played, Album Generator.
Overall: 4/10
Massive Attack
3/5
Highlights: Unfinished Sympathy
In a nutshell: an essential album for anyone new to triphop.
By the way, stunned that Mezzanine isn't on the list :(
Overall: 7/10
The Pogues
4/5
Highlights: Turkish Song of the Damned, Bottle of Smoke, Fairytale of New York, Fiesta, Medley: The Recruiting Sergeant/The Rocky Road to Dublin/The Galway Races, Sit Down By The Fire.
In a nutshell: raise your glass and sing it proud.
The gritty and dirty Pogues make a polished album, one of the best of the decade. I recommend you have the lyrics nearby before pressing play, sometimes Shane's singing voice renders some songs incomprehensible (jury is still out if it’s the thick accent or if it’s alcohol induced)
After you finish this album, Google "Rockwiz Fairytale of New York". This live cover - featuring Tex Perkins, Clare Bowditch and backing band The RocKwiz Orkestra - is sentimental to many Australian music fans. You might just fall in love with Tex, Clare, the backing band or all of the above.
Overall: 7/10
Yes
3/5
Highlights: Roundabout, Cans and Brahms, Five Percent For Nothing, Heart of the Sunrise.
In a nutshell: Virtuoso prog rock.
The band, along with album cover illustrator Roger Dean, build a universe with each song. Without the band’s new direction and the inclusion of Rick Wakeman on keys, rock music wouldn’t be the same. Some songs are long (Heart of Sunrise, America) but will give a free pass because they hold my attention. As for the “one song per member, the rest as a group” concept, it feels fractured to me.
Overall: 6/10
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Highlights: All I Want, Carey, Blue, California, A Case of You, This Flight Tonight, River, The Last Time I Saw Richard.
The lyrics are deep, Couldn't quite dig Little Green, sounds like a cliched devotional to a hippy child. I didn't mind the length of the songs. If the composition and/or lyrics are right, any song over 4 minutes can be exceptional. Joni's vocal range is impressive (some quavering notes, but I forgive this. There is a wide range to cover with complex arrangements). I am swooning at the storytelling and world building lyrics.
It is so close to being perfect.
Overall: 8.5/10
Boston
3/5
Wait, this was all recorded in a band member’s basement studio?! And it’s a debut? Wow. It’s a gear shift in music cannon and it was ruined by commercial radio overplayed the singles. Shame, because the music is good.
Overall: 5/10
Morrissey
2/5
Highlight: We'll Let You Know
Better than You Are the Quarry, but not by much.
Overall: 3/10
The Band
3/5
Highlights: Tears of Rage, The Weight.
In a nutshell: a multi-genre album cooked in a basement studio.
The only exposure I had to The Band was the Jennifer Saunders/Joanna Lumley karaoke cover of This Wheel's On Fire (from Absolutely Fabulous) and this album's hit "The Weight" (one of the best songs of the late 60s and probably the best song about troubadour life that I can think of, probably ever). Music From Big Pink has occasional good moments but I was largely disinterested after track 5.
My main complaint is that the vocals sound whiny. I know that this album is sentimental, nay important, to many classic rock music fans, so I'm not going to write off The Band completely.
Overall: 6/10
Jeff Beck
3/5
Highlights: Shapes of Things, Beck's Bolero.
In a nutshell: straightforward blues rock album full of covers.
Wear your good earphones for this one. The bass and drums sometimes get lost in the mix if you're listening to this album on a streaming service.
Rod Stewart scene steals and shows off his lyrical prowess on most tracks (he definitely sounds horned up). The Jimmy Page cameo is obviously awesome. The applause mixed in on Blues Deluxe was unnecessary, a little tacky IMHO.
Also, isn't there already enough blues rock in the book anyway?
P.S. people cite this album as early heavy metal. I don't hear the heavy metal roots on here. Show me where it is.
Overall: 5/10
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Highlights: Sway, Bitch, Brown Sugar, Can't You Hear Me Knocking, Sister Morphine.
Sticky Fingers is everything you would expect from a Stone's album - a fusion of dirty blues, country flourishes and balls to the wall rock guitar riffs.
I have listened to the opening track dozens of times but didn't pay attention to the full lyrics until it was time to listen to this album. Whoa. Knew that there are slavery references in Brown Sugar (which is a little uncomfortable to hear) but was completely unaware of the real meaning of "tastes so good". Younger me thought it was about interracial kissing. Nope. It is not. How naive I was.
Overall: 7/10
Big Star
3/5
There is something missing from #1 Record and I can’t put my finger on it. It has the markings of the “your favourite indie rock band’s favourite album”. Pleasant listening though.
Overall: 5/10
Carole King
5/5
In a nutshell: a national treasure.
Carole's hits from Tapestry are still hot, the lesser known songs are warm and satisfying listening. Name me five people from the 60's or early 70's who wrote songs for other people then became a singer-songwriter with critical success? I can't name one.
Carole King wrote 7 and co-wrote 4 of the 12 tracks on Tapestry, so it's not really a cover album. Performing and recording aforementioned songs yourself when they are already in the public conscience would be a risky business decision for a record label. But it succeeds because it has energy, charm and composition strength.
Overall: 9/10
Goldfrapp
2/5
A big departure from the glamourous Supernature and synth pop banger Black Cherry (both albums had hits, why aren't either of those on the list?!). I hear a bit of Dusty Springfield in "Clowns" and Katy Steele/Little Birdy throughout (specifically "Some People"). It just feels... beige.
Beach House (self-titled, Devotion), Blonde Redhead (23), Au Revoir Simone (The Bird of Music), M83 (Before The Dawn Heals Us) and The Sleepy Jackson (Personality - One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird) released dreampop-esque albums in the same year or earlier and did it far better than Seventh Tree.
Overall: 3/10
Prince
3/5
Prince deciding to make this a double album feels like a flex. Thankfully this was released as a palatable single LP in some countries.
The hits (1999, Little Red Corvette) still pack a punch. Subsequent tracks are hit and miss, mostly due to the length. The funk driven drums and synth combo definitely have inspired artists to come. Odd choice to include women crying at the end of Automatic or the amused baby noise at the end of Delirious. We can trust Prince to perform each song at an epic scale. Many lyrics range from flirtatious to seductively sinister.
Out of the three Prince albums on the list, this is the front runner for holding its place.
Overall: 6/10
Napalm Death
2/5
In a nutshell: short, fast, loud.
Recorded by the pioneers of grindcore - a sub-genre that fuses punk, metal, industrial, anarchy and the kitchen sink. Not my kind of thing but feel that genre and sub-genre diversity is important for this project.
Overall: 4/10.
3/5
In a nutshell: the origins of punk.
Starts strong then runs out of steam midway.
Overall: 5/10
M.I.A.
1/5
In a nutshell: ambitious and haphazard passion project number 2.
Overall: 2/10
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Second of five Leonard Cohen albums reviewed.
In a nutshell: Leonard Cohen not-really-sings-he-recites-poetry-in-his-baritone-voice about being ready to die.
Again, Cohen is reliable for creating memorable lines. The music arrangement is consistent (the bass, bass synth, melotron, stripped back drums, strings etc) although cliched in my opinion.
Overall: 6/10
Pretenders
4/5
Highlights: Precious, The Phone Call, Space Invaders, Kid, Brass In Pocket, Mystery Achievement.
In a nutshell: rough, brassy, toe tappy rock
You're in for a treat if you only know Brass In Pocket, there are some 80s new wave punk rock/guitar pop bangers on here. I can hear influences of Patti Smith, Iggy, The Kinks, maybe The Police. It's so satisfying to hear Chrissie mumble "fuck off" in Precious.
Overall: 8/10
The Who
5/5
Highlights: Baba O'Reilly, Bargain, My Wife, Getting In Tune, Going Mobile, Behind Blue Eyes, Won't Get Fooled Again.
In a nutshell: get your air guitars ready.
Energetic, chaotic, heartfelt, progressive, skilled. Opens and closes strong, no filler.
Compulsory listening. Enough said.
Overall: 9/10
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Shoutout to Rob from 1001 Album Club when host Birch asked "what do (you) think about this album?". His response is apt: (bangs table between each word): "this album is scientifically engineered for fucking".
Hard agree, Rob.
Overall: 6/10
The Shamen
1/5
If you like EDM or acid house, put on this album, turn off the lights, indulge in substance of choice and let the high take you away.
It's not my jam, however I can see why this album made the book.
Overall: 2/10.
Oasis
3/5
Highlights: Rock ‘n’ Roll Star, Supersonic, Cigarettes and Alcohol.
In a nutshell: in Noel’s words, sung by brother Liam “You’re not down with who I am. Look at you now, you’re all in my hands tonight”.
Decent debut but it doesn’t have that “it still sounds as awesome as it did thirty years ago” feeling for me.
Overall: 6/10
The Mars Volta
3/5
In a nutshell: Messy. Bloated. Frantic. Confusing. You’ll either love it or despise it.
It’s supposed to be a concept album but I don’t understand the brief. The bass and drums are amazing (the galloping beat, swoon!). Can hear the Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa and Aphex Twin influences; perhaps early My Chemical Romance or early Muse (Absolution was recorded at the same time as De-Loused and released in the same year).
I’d say this is an influential album, just not for me.
Overall: 5/10
Kraftwerk
4/5
Highlights: Autobahn, Kometenmelodie 1, Kometenmelodie 2.
In a nutshell: Layered, hypnotic, atmospheric.
Robert Christgau, you were wrong. This is not inferior to Tubular Bells and it's unfair to compare Kraftwerk to Mike Oldfield.
Just close your eyes and picture yourself driving on a local highway for twenty minutes (Autobahn), the car takes off into space; coasting in orbit (Kometenmelodie 1, Kometenmelodie 2), slowly returns to Earth at midnight (Mitternacht) before driving home as the sun rises (Morgenspaziergang).
If you love Air's Moon Safari, you'll love Kometenmelodie 1 & 2.
Overall: 8/10
Blur
3/5
Wooooooo-hooooo!
Overall: 6/10
Motörhead
2/5
Highlights: Ace of Spades, Stay Clean.
In a nutshell: dad rock/hard rock, but live.
If given the choice between this and Motörhead’s fourth album The Ace of Spades, I’d pick No Sleep til Hammersmith. Motörhead sound like a band better heard live and in their prime.
Overall: 5/10
Mott The Hoople
1/5
In a nutshell: bland psychedelic rock.
Overall: 2/10
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Highlights: The Stranger Song, Hey That's No Way to Say Goodbye, So Long Marianne.
In a nutshell: wry heartbreak poetry set to stripped down music.
This is where it all began for Cohen, a Canadian poet who became a singer-songwriter. No baritone singing here, more folk standard singing voice akin to Donovan.
The overuse of "and" as a sentence starter was irritating. Some songs were longer than necessary. BUT, there are fantastic lines within ("you held onto me like I was a crucifix" from So Long, Marianne). It's a decent debut, but not spectacular album for me.
Overall: 7/10
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Highlights: Jacqueline, Take Me Out, The Dark of the Matinee, Darts of Pleasure.
In a nutshell: Sexy, witty, slick and catchy as all hell.
Yes, yes, I get the comparisons to The Strokes, BUT Franz Ferdinand did it better. Jacqueline is an underrated opener. Take Me Out still gets your toes tapping. All this and more from a debut album.
Nostalgia might be tainting my review, but fuck it. This album still kicks ass.
Overall: 8/10
Grant Lee Buffalo
1/5
Uninteresting alternative country that is okay for background music.
Overall: 1/10
Bill Callahan
1/5
I can’t slot this album neatly into a sub-genre. Alternative country? Easy listening folk? It’s not quite country and not quite folk. The deadpan sing-speaking throughout is boring (reminds me of The National’s Matt Berninger baritone voice, but without the charisma). One point for the line “All my fine memories are fucking me down” in ‘Eid Ma Clack Shaw’.
Overall: 1/10
Steely Dan
3/5
Second of four Steely Dan albums reviewed.
In a nutshell: more of the same formula of jazz rock arrangements and strange lyrics. But it works.
Steely Dan released an album a year between 1972 and 1977. Four of those five are on the list (Can't Buy A Thrill, Countdown to Ecstasy, Pretzel Logic and Aja). Pretzel Logic seemed like a last roll of the dice for Steely Dan as Ecstasy did not get traction on the charts. Logic's first single 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number' was a hit.
Any artist with three or more albums on the list will face this conundrum: is there charted growth and/or change in sound between albums? You can see the progress made between Thrill and Aja. I *kinda* see some evidence of growth between Thrill and Logic. It's not the Steely Dan album I'd recommend to a new listener (my pick is Katy Lied, which isn't on the list. Maybe Aja depending on the person). Not terrible, but not as memorable as Aja.
Overall: 4/10
Goldfrapp
3/5
Highlights: Lovely Head, Paper Head, Human, Felt Mountain.
In a nutshell: electro-cabaret mystery tour.
Whimsical, eerie, romantic, experimental. Can see the comparisons to Portishead, Felt Mountain is downtempo and ambient. Touches of 60’s Shirley Bassey. I dig it.
Overall: 7/10
Ramones
4/5
In a nutshell: a starter pack to early punk rock.
The only bummer on this album is the slow track "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend", which sounds like it was played under duress.
Overall: 8/10
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
In a nutshell: groovy British Invasion band from the Midwest that try to sound like everyone else but themselves.
Strong composition, kinda bluesy, kinda psychedelic pop.
Overall: 6/10
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Highlights: Bookends Theme, Overs, Mrs Robinson.
A concept album that haphazardly explores the chaos of life. However, the duo seem to ditch this great idea at the end of Side A. Side B sounds disjointed, even with the inclusion of runaway hit from The Graduate “Mrs Robinson”. The album would have more impact if the duo dedicated themselves to one theme and given more time to overcome their writer’s block.
Is it me or is Paul’s vocals mixed louder on most songs compared to Art’s? I noticed this when reviewing Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Overall: 5/10
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Highlights: Piano Joint, Another Human Being, Living In Denial, Hero, Final Days, Solid Ground.
In a nutshell: a treasure unearthed
Holy hell. Michael Kiwanuka, this album is impressive!
There is something special here. Modern Northern Soul, indie rock, funk and folk rock all thoughtfully blended. Dramatic yet personal. I was reminded of Donald Glover's "Awaken, My Love!" (released under the name Childish Gambino) and Leon Bridges while listening to Kiwanuka. Maybe Frank Ocean (channelorange era?). Yet Kiwanuka doesn't imitate Glover, Ocean or Bridges. He sounds like himself.
I feel that albums need about 4-5 years breathing room before it can be considered as a 1001 Albums inclusion. Hype around release and awards eligibility can hinder good judgement sometimes. At time of publication, this album just snuck in as it was approaching 4.5 years since it's release date. It gets two enthusiastic thumbs up from me.
Overall: 8/10
The Youngbloods
1/5
In a nutshell: uninspiring and mostly bland psychedelic rock/folk/country rock.
This could have been good. It’s not. I don’t hear anything different or new compared to other albums released in the late sixties that can be found on the 1001 Albums list. Save your time. Listen to Crosby Stills Nash and Young or The Byrds instead.
Overall: 2/10
Nanci Griffith
3/5
Highlight: St Olav's Gate
This is how I imagine American country music sounded like in the 80s to early 90s - mellow, tough, delicate. Country with a touch of folk. Perhaps country pop? Nanci described her style as "folkabilly". The charm wore off by track 6 unfortunately.
Overall: 5/10
The Electric Prunes
1/5
In a nutshell:
"The Monkees on acid" YouTube user.
Overall: 1/10
Stan Getz
3/5
In a nutshell: pleasant, minimalist jazz meets gentle samba (is it really bossy nova?).
This is the kind of music you’d hear in a 4 plus star hotel lobby or you would play while cooking dinner. I dig it.
Overall: 6/10
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
I agree with previous reviews of this album - it sounds like a demo. The bare bones of QOTSA's trademark sound are there. The band just needed some experience and time to polish up (which is noticeable on sophomore release Rated R and third album Songs For The Deaf)
Overall: 5/10
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
1/5
Highlight: American Girl, Breakdown.
In a nutshell: clumsy country rock
There are some good elements on this album. Odd choice for the opener. Great closer. In my opinion, Damn The Torpedoes should be on the list instead.
Overall: 2/10
The Smiths
3/5
Highlights: Frankly Mr Shankley, There's A Light That Never Goes Out, Vicar In A Tutu, The Queen is Dead.
In a nutshell: Morrissey (and co)
Lyrics are great, but I can barely hear the guitar on this album, even after switching headphones. Sometimes bass, definitely drums.
I dream of the day where a remastered edition of all the Smiths albums are released. And instead of Morrissey being the loudest, a fairer mix of Johnny, Andy and Mike are heard.
Overall: 6/10
Willie Nelson
4/5
In a nutshell: a country concept album that WORKS!
Stripped back composition. Consistent and engaging story. I’m not a country/western music lover, but I liked this.
Overall: 8/10
UB40
2/5
In a nutshell: mellow protest album influenced by reggae and ska.
Sounds more ambient dub than mainstream reggae. Always appreciate a DIY/made on a shoestring album. It’s unfortunate that the variety in the backing beat is missing.
Overall: 4/10
Orbital
2/5
I don't have much to say about this album, but I do have some trivia related to it.
"Walk Now" features a sample of a pedestrian crossing signal that is used in Australia (not just in Sydney). Finneas O'Connell and Billie Eilish used a similar sample decades later for Bad Guy. Inspiration can come from anywhere.
Overall: 3/10
Herbie Hancock
4/5
In a nutshell: Herbie succeeded in meeting the brief.
Didn't know that Herbie Hancock dabbled in funk.
Up until now I identified Hancock with jazz and their standards. I like that he experimented with different sounds in Head Hunters. Fusing two or more genres can ordinarily lead to a half baked album. Not this one. It feels light and thoughtfully composed. Hancock wanted it to be ‘tethered’. In his words “… I was beginning to feel that we (the Mwandishi sextet) were playing this heavy kind of music, and I was tired of everything being heavy. I wanted to play something lighter.”
Mission accomplished, Herbie. Well done.
Overall: 7/10
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
I thought I would hate ”You’re Living All Over Me” after hearing J.Mascis live. He overused feedback and distortion. But it’s actually okay. It’s kinda, tactile? I think Dinosaur Jr’s music was created for you to feel each note. The guitars remind me of The Ramones and Motörhead. J Mascis with his droning/monotone vocals has a Neil Young touch (J cites Nick Cave as an influence, which I can hear as well).
This is an eighties album that sounded way ahead of its time. Perhaps shaping what was to come with 90’s grunge. It’s not my thing, however I feel that at least one Dinosaur Jr needs to be on the list.
Overall: 6/10
Stevie Wonder
3/5
This album seemed to be an experiment, a departure from the main stable of Motown. I can see why people refer to it as Stevie's Classic era: the delightful backing harmonies, his layered vocals, killer guitars, use of Moog and clavinet. These instruments are not overused and they didn't bore me. Some songs (You And I, Lookin' For Another Pure Love) were too saccharine for my liking. Maybe Your Baby didn't need a 2 minute long "repeat until fade" outro. I feel that this album needed another upbeat funk song to balance the "slow dance" tunes.
Overall: 6/10
Otis Redding
4/5
Highlights: Ole Man Trouble, A Change Is Gonna Come, Down In The Valley, Shake.
Ten out of eleven tracks were recorded in 24 hours. You don’t see that everyday. It is a covers album plus two originals but damn it’s good! Swagger filled, crisp backing ensemble (all-star cast, no spoilers on who). Otis belting with all his might. The cover of Satisfaction was a left field choice. I couldn’t dig it but appreciated the attempt.
Overall: 7/10
David Bowie
3/5
In a nutshell: in the words of the man himself "plastic soul".
It pains me to say this as a Bowie fan- it's not his best album on the list. Title track obviously rocks. Lots of filler. Fame sounded out of place on the album. Supremely talented musicians and vocalists on this album.
Overall: 5/10
Grizzly Bear
1/5
In a nutshell: generic indie folk.
I was only familiar with the first single (Two Weeks) before listening to this album. The swirling blend of chamber pop, baroque pop and indie rock on Two Weeks was a delight. Disappointed to learn that the experimental sound didn’t carry through to the rest of the album. Instead, I heard bland songs I would expect from Fleet Foxes.
Overall: 2/10
3/5
Highlights: Take A Bow, Supermassive Black Hole, Map of the Problematique, Exo-politics, Knights of Cydonia.
In a nutshell: singing stadium rock style songs of dystopia and new world order.
I remember playing this album on repeat for months, and in retrospect... it sounds like a mishmash of Depeche Mode, Radiohead and Queens of the Stone Age (the latter was not cited as an influence). Knights of Cydonia s never gets old for me.
Overall: 6/10
fIREHOSE
2/5
Sound familiar? Two of the three members of the Minutemen started a new band. It's good punk influenced indie, but it's unnecessary to have this album on the list when Double Nickels on the Dime is already on there.
Overall: 4/10
N.E.R.D
2/5
In a nutshell: rap rock meets…jazz?
It’s shown its age but it also shows how talented Pharrell, Chad, Shay and co are. The opening track reminded me of Prince a la Darling Nicky. As to if it’s Pharrell’s intention to sound seductive, I don’t know. Some catchy drumming (noted that Questlove appeared on Maybe) and bass.
Overall: 3/10
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
In a nutshell: sweet dreams are made of this.
So close to perfect. I can only nitpick. The outro to Hummer was too long. Sweet Sweet is nice but only a filler track. I would have placed Luna elsewhere on the album and ended the album with Silverfuck.
This was a first time listen for me, and it was a joy.
Overall: 9/10
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Highlights: Shining Star, Happy Feelin’, Africano.
Most songs are easy to bop your head too. It was jarring to hear mini jams tagged onto the end of tracks (especially the closing song!). These outros spoil the vibe for me.
Good, but not great.
Overall: 6/10
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
Highlights: Jacksonville, A Short Reprise…, Casimir Pulaski Day, To The Workers…
In a nutshell: “Wes Anderson vibes” (my first note when I heard the opening track)
Abstract, spiritual and surreal storytelling, with music likely inspired by Neil Young, Bright Eyes, The Shins, The Polyphonic Spree and Elliott Smith (maybe Belle and Sebastian?) It’s an acquired taste for sure.
Overall: 5/10
Sarah Vaughan
2/5
In a nutshell: live, cosy jazz.
Endearing persona, lovely voice, great backing band. I appreciate it, but it somehow feels…soulless? Perhaps a little flat compared to Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. The only other good thing going it’s one of the earliest live albums on the list. Sorry, Sarah. It’s a no from me.
4/10
Prince
3/5
Highlights: Purple Rain, Darling Nikki, When Doves Cry.
In a nutshell: a genre blending magnum opus.
Purple Rain is a "it's a bit of this, but it's also this" kind of album. It's flamboyant and experimental. Pop but ballsy. Rock with funk. Truly unique.
Everything Prince and the Revolution did on here was a flex and we gushed over it. They're skilled. Although Prince and co did release music of the same calibre from that day on, it could never match the magnetism of Purple Rain. Never. I said what I said.
Overall: 5/10
Pulp
4/5
Highlights: The Fear, This Is Hardcore, TV Movie, A Little Soul, I'm A Man, Seductive Barry, Glory Days.
In a nutshell: the sound of someone losing the plot.
This Pulp as we know it but it's also grown up. The glam era and plastic soul era Bowie vibes, Bryan Ferry crooning, cool Britpop guitars with mood setting synth are still there. The clever, sarcastic and sex-charged lyrics are still there. But it's darker and more cynical than Different Class. Mostly a by-product of Jarvis' mental health and addressing his coke addiction.
This is the comedown of the Cool Brittania era. And perhaps, the seductive yet sobering death knell of Britpop.
Overall: 7/10
LCD Soundsystem
1/5
A bloated final album that needs to cite Talking Heads (see title track) as an influence on top of Berlin-era Bowie.
Overall: 1/10
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
In a nutshell: killswitch disengage
Can hear the California punk influence, but that's about it. Where are the "punch in the guts" moments users are referring to? The songs are unnecessarily long and don’t lure me in.
I reckon Yank Crime might win over fans of post-punk/post-hardcore, so I'll give it that.
Overall: 3/10
The Who
4/5
Highlights: The Good’s Gone, My Generation, The Kids Are Alright, Please Please Please, I’m A Man, The Ox.
In a nutshell: a solid debut album. And one not made entirely of covers, huzzah!
Overall: 8/10
Metallica
3/5
Highlights: Battery, Welcome Home (Sanatorium), Disposable Heroes, Orion
In a nutshell: master of (thrash) metal
Came into this familiar with Metallica’s live album S&M and of course, Enter Sandman. Metal isn’t my thing…yet this album was surprisingly good. I can see why many teens from the late eighties through to the nineties idolised early Metallica- challenging instrument work (especially the drums!), thoughtful pace with tracks, lyrics of blistering angst… I need to give the band props for their endurance and building an album with little filler. I give Metallica a reluctant pass for the song length. This Puppets was not made for radio.
This needs to be heard at least once all the way through. Or just listen to Orion and see how you go.
Overall: 7/10
The White Stripes
2/5
Highlights: Blue Orchid, The Denial Twist.
In a nutshell: a hard act to follow
The inclusion of a xylophone (The Nurse) and a toy piano (Red Rain) was jarring for me. The ukelele thrash was nice (Little Ghost). What I struggled with most is the lack of variation with guitar, piano and percussion. Does My Doorbell and The Denial Twist sound similar? I swear I heard similar drum beat and piano chords here and throughout the album.
Overall: 4/10
3/5
This sounds like a stripped back kind of punk rock. “Beyond and Back” tends to flirt with rockabilly as well (could this be the origins of punkabilly?). With repeat listens, I know the band will grow on me. It’s nice.
Overall: 6/10
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
The problem with reviewing this album is that it was released in the era when the LP format was still new. It sounds like a compilation and the songs sound mostly the same. But just like The Everly Brothers and BB King, Buddy Holly and The Crickets are important to music cannon. They inspired the next generation of musicians. That in itself gives this album a passing grade from me.
Overall: 5/10
Radiohead
5/5
'With "The Bends", Radiohead found their voice ... No other contemporary band has managed to mix such a cocktail of rage, sarcasm, self-pity, exquisite tunefulness and braininess.'
Nick Hornby - Radiohead Gets Farther Out (The New Yorker, 22nd October 2000)
Highlights: Planet Telex, My Iron Lung, Just, Bones.
Before you listen to this album, play "Anybody Can Play Guitar" and "Stop Whispering" from Pablo Honey. Now start The Bends.
Can you hear the difference? I can. This is a band's charted growth in action. It's a classic for a reason. Each time I listen to this album and OK Computer I debate which of the two are my favourite.
Overall: 9/10
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
Highlights: Chan Chan, De camino a la vereda, Pueblo Nuevo, Amor de loca juventud.
In a nutshell: feel the rhythm, enjoy the ride.
This is the kind of album where you play in the background while preparing dinner and you find yourself bopping along. I dig it.
Overall: 7/10
Supertramp
4/5
Highlights: School, Bloody Well Right, Asylum, If Everyone Was Listening, Crime of the Century.
In a nutshell: think Yes meets 10cc.
There’s nothing sonically groundbreaking on this album (a mixed bag of prog, pop rock and art rock, proto-yacht rock?), but it’s inoffensive. Didn’t mind it.
Not having Breakfast In America on this list is a shame. Someone add it on, pronto!
Overall: 7/10
Beatles
3/5
In a nutshell: It’s not their best, and it’s not their worst.
This was recorded when the band was fracturing so there’s a lot of material that is “let’s mess around and see what sticks”. That’s the vibe I got anyway. John goes bluesy and avant garde, Paul indulges more in self penned ragtime/vaudville-esque tunes. George truly shines with While My Guitar Gently Weeps* (which is easily one of my top ten favourite Beatles songs of all time) and Ringo does a solid job of closing the album with Good Night.
Should it have been a double album? No. I think it could have been a great single LP**. Yet again, we would not have known that The Beatles could still record downright weird and batshit crazy music without LSD.
Overall: 6/10
*If you haven’t seen the 2004 R&RHOF live performance of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, find it immediately. It’s a loving tribute to George on his induction as a solo artist and you get to see Prince shred at the end.
**This is my contribution to the “what if The White Album was released as a single record?” argument. With this cut, we get two George songs, Paul’s strongest tracks are there, a “John with Yoko” track is included and we finish with a Ringo song:
SIDE A: Back In The USSR, Dear Prudence, Glass Onion, Mother Nature’s Son, I’m So Tired, Blackbird, Julia, I Will. (Side A length: 20:44)
SIDE B: While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Happiness Is A Warm Gun, Sexy Sadie, Helter Skelter, Long Long Long, Goodnight. (Side B length: 21:39)
Tracks relegated to singles and B-sides: Birthday, Cry Baby Cry, Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, Don’t Pass Me By.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Highlights: Fuck Me Pumps, I Heard Love Is Blind, No Greater Love, Take The Box, Help Yourself, Amy Amy Amy.
In a nutshell: the cis-female Millennial's companion to love, loss and desperation.
Ethereal high notes (the end of Take The Box, wow!). Smart and crushing lyrics about shitty relationships ("But you made me cry, where's my kiss goodbye? I think I love you"). A vocal style that flirts with ska, soul, hip-hop and R&B.
The reuse of tweeting birds got old quick, as did the split songs (Intro, Cherry). It's not perfect. It doesn't need to be. It's as rough, tough and vulnerable as Amy was.
Overall: 6/10
Tom Waits
3/5
In a nutshell: if a drunk Nick Cave smoked 4 packs a day and sang the blues.
Overall: 6/10
The Monkees
1/5
In a nutshell: from the band that brought you "Head"...
32 minutes of your life gone listening to this mundane album. Skip this. The Monkees are more of a singles band anyway.
Overall: 1/10
Thundercat
3/5
Highlights: Them Changes, Lava Lamp, Day and Night, Show You The Way, Tokyo.
In a nutshell: 3, 2, 1 let’s jam
Smashing electro-jazz, funk, hip-hop, soul, yacht rock and pop into bite sized songs. It's tasty. The flavour doesn't last til the very end (once I reached Drink Dat I found my low point). Definitely read the 'Songs' section of the album's Wikipedia entry as you go to get an idea of what you're in for.
Overall: 6/10
Soft Cell
1/5
You only need to hear their cover of Tainted Love. The rest of the album is just taking the piss.
Overall: 2/10
Hawkwind
3/5
It's difficult to score this live album fairly because this was a visual experience as it is sonic- it featured suspended animation, dancers and light shows. That doesn't always translate into listening the album at home. However, Hawkwind definitely influenced future prog rock/stoner rock/space rock artists (case in point: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard).
Overall: 5/10
Lucinda Williams
2/5
Lyrics are fine, music is same-sounding.
Disclaimer: Americana is not my thing, alt-country can be good if there is depth of sound and some variety with instrument use.
Overall: 4/10
Mariah Carey
1/5
Highlight: The Beautiful Ones (Prince cover)
The problem with Butterfly is that Mariah uses her melismatic style WAY too much. It’s predictable- go low, go high, flutter (pardon the pun) around one syllable. All the songs sound the same, which is a trap many pop and pop adjacent acts fall into.
This album might be on the list largely because it’s a departure from Mariah’s usual style. It embraces hip hop and subtle samples (see Honey). The Prince cover is good, not spectacular.
Sorry, honey. This album has not aged well.
Overall: 1/10
Sam Cooke
4/5
Highlights: Feel It, Twistin' The Night Away, Somebody Have Mercy, We're Having A Party.
RCA thought this was too raw and gritty. They were wrong. The label was gutless about releasing it, wanting to preserve Sam's on stage persona. Sure, the sound quality isn't spectacular (perhaps a single mic job?). You can barely hear the horns and guitar, which sound lush when you get to hear them clearly. Sam's voice is crisp and oh so slick. But in saying that, it's likely to be one of the best live recordings of the early 60's. It's down-to-earth compared to Cooke's tv performances. Crowd is loud, the band is playing mightily, EVERYONE is having fun.
I wonder if James Brown took notes from Sam Cooke...
Overall: 7/10
Pearl Jam
4/5
Highlights: Even Flow, Jeremy, Porch, Garden.
In a nutshell: a pillar of the Seattle sound.
Ten by Pearl Jam is easily one of the best debut studio albums of the 90s. Haunting and piercing are the only words I have to describe songs not overplayed on the radio.
PS. if you have the original CD, you will find a secret track which starts at the end of Release (I miss the days of secret tracks on albums). Enjoy!
Overall: 8/10
The Last Shadow Puppets
2/5
In a nutshell: Arctic Monkeys frontman forms a supergroup… but they don’t play indie rock.
I am flummoxed by this album. The lyrics are great, there is an ambitious utilisation of a symphony orchestra (which I applaud)… it feels thoughtfully made but it’s music I’ve heard before. If you like Morricone, early Bond movie soundtracks and an orchestra presence that rivals Belle and Sebastian’s Dirty Dream Number Two you’ve got a surprise in store.
Overall: 4/10
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
In a nutshell: explosive
The band is slick. Pleasant listening. The Atomic Mr Basie would be a good entry point for appreciating jazz/swing.
Overall: 7/10
Arcade Fire
5/5
In a nutshell: "the game changer" of indie rock
This was my first listen of any Arcade Fire album, only knowing singles from Neon Bible. And why the hell did I not find this album in my twenties??
It's such a unique mix of music. You hear it and you instantly recognise the band. Guitars, xylophone, cello, divine harmonies, Regine's vocal range, strings. Thoughtful, earnest, daring, with a "throw it at the wall and see if it sticks" approach.
Funeral feels like a chronicle of nostalgia and loss. Not via osmosis (because the band were grieving the loss of family members at time of recording). To me, the songs capture that weird time in your life when you mourn the loss of your carefree teenage years, and you realise that shit is getting REAL. But you kinda get a sense of hope that things will eventually will be okay.
I didn't expect this album to be so gripping. This is definitely a classic
Overall: 9/10
Def Leppard
1/5
Production wise way more polished than Pyromania, but it sounds reconstituted and bloated. Songs sound the same, again.
Overall: 2/10
Van Morrison
3/5
Highlights: Into The Mystic, Moondance.
In a nutshell: a step up from Astral Weeks
Van adopts producer duties Moondance, giving him maximum opportunity to fine-tune his trademark sound. This time, trying a soul and R&B focused approach than folk centric. It's good, just not mind-blowing.
Props to Jack Schroer on alto sax and Colin Tilton on tenor sax. Top notch work by you two kind sirs.
Overall: 6/10
Janis Joplin
4/5
Highlights: Cry Baby, Half Moon, Buried Alive In The Blues, Me and Bobby McGee, Trust Me.
“I have to have the ‘umph.’ I’ve got to feel it, because if it’s not getting through to me, the audience sure as hell aren’t going to feel it either.”
Janis Joplin
‘Soul blues’ is the best description for Joplin’s sound on Pearl. I was impressed by this album. Knew the hits, but was not anticipating to be stunned by the whole package. You can feel the longing, the passion, the raw emotions of the band AND Janis. They all go hard.
Overall: 7/10
Eminem
1/5
In a nutshell: welcome to my nightmare.
As much as I abhor Eminem’s amateurish production and cringey lyrics, I feel that one Eminem album needs to be on the list. Eminem shook the music world in the late 90’s. Barely anyone heard music like this before 1999.
If anyone asked me for a recommendation on Eminem, I’d apprehensively say listen to the Marshall Mathers LP. It has *some* lyrical maturity compared to the Slim Shady LP.
Overall: 2/10
Solange
4/5
Highlights: Weary, Mad, Don't Touch My Hair.
In a nutshell: an album dedicated to identity, soul searching and self-empowerment.
I must give Solange praise for making a deeply personal album (pardon the cliche). The self-estrangement, connection and healing process that happens to all of us is unique, sacred and intrinsic. And beautiful.
Go in with an open mind. Concentrate on the lyrics. Neo-soul and modern R&B may not be everyone's taste, but stay with it.
Overall: 7/10
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
Highlights: Jet, Let Me Roll It.
Title track should have been split, sounds like a prelude then the song we know kicks in. Picasso’s Last Words was ruined by the splicing of previous elements (eg Jet reprise).
This listening experience was a mixed bag for me. The hits are hits, the misses are woeful.
Overall: 5/10
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Highlights: The Partisan, Seems So Long Ago Nancy.
In a nutshell: jaw harp enters the room...
WHY the fuck was the jaw harp* used throughout the entire album? One or two songs, fine. But playing it in the background or mixed out front across both sides was distracting. Hearing a violin and banjo (and what else was it- a keys or an organ?) was a relief.
The lyrics are tender and are structurally an improvement from the previous Cohen album in this list (Songs of Leonard Cohen). If it wasn't for the jaw harp, this Songs From A Room would garner a higher score.
Am tempted to swap this album with Different Positions, just to spread it out.
Overall: 4/10
*Jaw harp aka Jew's harp, juice harp, mouth harp, Ozark harp. It makes a twangy, cartoonish "boing" sound.
Incubus
2/5
In a nutshell: the blueprint album of music’s most divisive genre.
Yes, Korn, Sepultura and Slipknot laid the foundations of nu-metal. But we can blame/thank Incubus for shaping it into the messy beast we know today. Occasionally decent guitar-work. Utilises “loud-quiet-loud”. Emo-esque lyrics.
It’s not for me. However, I’d rather have this album on the list than a Limp Bizkit album.
Overall: 3/10
Kanye West
2/5
Highlight: School Spirit.
Kanye knows how to create an effective backbeat. There are a handful of good rhyming couplets throughout. Props for that. But some loops were tiring (eg Spaceship) and some lyrics have aged badly (New Workout Plan, Keep Em High). Don't get me started on the skits...
Can you separate the art from the artist? Yes and no. They are connected and they’re independent. For Kanye, it was difficult to pry them apart. He seems to project himself via his various endeavours (music, shoe fashion, etc), many are bold, ambitious but uncomfortably self-indulgent. It’s obvious on later releases, not so much on The College Dropout imho.
Overall: 4/10
The 13th Floor Elevators
2/5
In a nutshell: one tab of LSD was enough, not a whole sheet.
An early example of psychedelic rock. The consistent use of electric jug was distracting and felt gimmicky. I guess if it wasn’t for this album, forthcoming would sound far different.
Overall: 4/10
Tears For Fears
4/5
Highlights: The Working Hour, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Head Over Heels, Listen.
In a nutshell: a synth-pop new-wave staple.
Lyrically and sonically mature compared to previous album The Hurting. Tacking a live track (Broken) after Head Over Heels didn't feel right. Mel Collins (the saxophonist from the Rolling Stones track Miss You) makes an appearance.
Overall: 8/10
Van Halen
2/5
In a nutshell: glam metal sleaze
So I learned that Gene Simmons produced and financed the demos for this album. No wonder many tracks sound so much like KISS without the braggadocio.
Eruption is a jaw dropper in guitar skills. Signs of Van Halen's unique sound are there. It won't be fully fledged until the 1980's.
Overall: 3/10
Roxy Music
3/5
Highlights: Virginia Plain, Bitters End.
In a nutshell: avant glam meets proto-new wave.
As far as 70s debuts go, it's good. I wonder if David Byrne and Jarvis Cocker were inspired by Brian Ferry's vocal affectations.
Overall: 5/10
Germs
3/5
Highlights: What We Do Is Secret, Lexicon Devil.
In a nutshell: *this* is hardcore.
Punk is reliable. High energy. Solid rhythm. Many songs are under 3 minutes. Thrashy. Depending on the artist, these elements are overused. The music becomes predictable and boring. Germs *just* manages to avoid this. It’s good, but not perfect.
Overall: 6/10
David Bowie
4/5
‘Our conceptual parameters are not that dissimilar. Brian would often set tasks which would define the movements of the day and then we would work according to that plan, which he would redefine in the studio... Brian’s thing is to break the structure from the beginning of the day and enter into a feeling of improvisation from new places.’
David Bowie in an interview with Paul Gormanis, 1995.
Highlights: Speed of Life, Breaking Glass, Sound and Vision, Be My Wife, A New Career in an Old Town, Warszawa, Subterraneans.
In a nutshell: the bleak, atmospheric first chapter of the Berlin Trilogy.
The quote above is necessary context for creating the Berlin Trilogy (Low, “Heroes” and Lodger). David Bowie meeting Brian Eno and Tony Visconti was one of the best things that happened to Bowie’s career. You can hear some of the rock/funk elements that remain (Sound and Vision). I can feel the sense of displacement- émigré - off A New Career In A New Town, Warszawa and Subterraneans.
Low is contemplative. It won’t be for everyone. Give it a chance because Bowie dared himself to try making different music.
Overall: 8/10
Aphex Twin
3/5
Highlights: Xtal, Pulsewidth.
In a nutshell: a new breed of dance music emerges.
Trip-hop, acid house and downtempo were established genres in the early 90’s. There were countless dance musicians/DJ’s who experimented with fast backbeats but there were folks in the scene who asked themselves: “what if we slowed everything down? Make an ambient sound but different to Brian Eno?” Thus IDM - Intelligent Dance Music - was born.
Listeners who say this album is boring are missing the point. In the artist’s words, Ambient Sounds “…were just tracks that my mates selected; ones that they like to chill out to.”
Personally, this is not something I’d reach for, but I wouldn’t turn it down or leave the room if I heard a track from this album.
Overall: 6/10
Erykah Badu
2/5
In a nutshell: brilliant backing, let down by predictable vocal acrobatics.
The drum work is top tier, courtesy of Questlove and Gino Lock Johnson Iglehart. Erykah has swagger on the opening track. Reminiscent of Betty Davis. Then Erykah's voice becomes predictable from track 2 onwards due to limited key exploration and (previouly noted in another review) monotone delivery. This album didn't need to be 71 minutes long either.
Erykah has no doubt inspired/influenced many neo-soul singers: Solange, Janelle Monae, Amy Winehouse. However, I feel that this isn't the best representation of her on the list.
Overall: 4/10
Cypress Hill
2/5
Highlights: How Could I Just Kill A Man, Tres Equis.
In a nutshell: "I wrote this track on weed and speed. My philosophy is ACAB. When hoes see my dick, they concede. Max rhymes, cliches to the extreme."
Pardon the bad attempt at rapping.
I’m getting the vibe that Cypress Hill rode the coattails of Public Enemy and N.W.A. Some witty rhymes, more self-referential bullshit (a pet peeve of mine). Liked the samples used throughout. It was difficult to connect with this album. But I don’t hate it.
Overall: 4/10
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
Highlights: Sherane, The Art of Peer Pressure, Sing About Me I'm Dying of Thirst.
In a nutshell: hip-hop just got a shake-up.
I'm a sucker for world building and storytelling in music. Kendrick does that well. It was great to listen to a rap/hip hop album without skits!
Whatever that brassy drum noise (high hat? Snare?) was on Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe has earned my deep hate. It gave me a headache and was annoying. But that song does have a new favourite line: "even a small lighter can burn a bridge".
Not my thing, but GKMC helped me appreciate the genre more.
Overall: 5/10
Pantera
2/5
In a nutshell: Pan-tallica
I listened to Cowboys From Hell before Vulgar Display of Power...and I think the former is better than the latter. Cowboys is focused and is not overproduced, whereas VDoP sounds more like a group of blokes playing in a Metallica parody (tribute) band.
I didn't like it but I know Pantera is/was a gateway for some metal fans.
Overall: 3/10
Wilco
4/5
"...Melody is king. Songs are ruled by melody. I believe that melody, more than lyrics, is what does all the heavy lifting emotionally. When I write lyrics, or when I adapt a poem to a song, my goal is to interfere as little as possible with whatever spell is being cast by the melody. At the same time, I hope, at best, that the words enhance the song somehow, add meaning or clarify and underline what the melody is making me feel."
Jeff Tweedy, 'Let's Go (So We Can Get Back)'
Highlights: Kamera, Jesus etc. Heavy Metal Drummer.
In a nutshell: indie-rock poetry.
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was recommended to me by a close friend nearly 10 years ago. He said "it took me a few listens to like it. But when it clicks, you’ll fall in love with the album." He was right.
First time listeners will interpret the album as a boring slog. Stick with it. Focus on the melody.
Overall: 7/10
Daft Punk
3/5
Highlights: Revolution 909, Da Funk.
In a nutshell: repetitive but head-boppy.
Overall: 6/10
Dagmar Krause
1/5
In a nutshell: melodramatic
Avant-garde albums are not my thing. I don't mind cabaret. This felt like a loose concept album, one that would have worked much better on stage, not in a studio.
It wouldn't surprise me if Björk and Dresden Dolls were inspired by Krause.
Overall: 2/10
The Who
3/5
In a nutshell: I can’t.
Did not listen. I was forced to watch the film adaptation at 8 years old as a way to teach me "some important facts about life". It did the job - and it traumatised me at the same time. Haven't watched the movie since, never listened to the original recording at all.
With that said, The Who was a pioneer of the rock opera. That achievement needs to be acknowledged on the list. The star rating is just to reflect the aforementioned.
Overall: n/a
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Highlight: Adam Raised A Cain
In a nutshell: Bruce mellows out a bit.
The book described this follow up to Born To Run as “subdued”. Checks out.
Bruce's lyrics are heartfelt and mumbles in most tracks. The E Street Band are as you'd expect - precise and passionate.
Overall: 6/10
Jethro Tull
3/5
Highlight: Hymn 43
In a nutshell: making the flute cool again.
THIS is how you use a distinctive sounding instrument (in this case, a flute) on an album: sprinkle throughout like you were garnishing a meal with salt or pepper.
Prog rock and folk rock with electric guitar, a little blues rock thrown in. Tracks like Mother Goose has a little baroque touch (or was that just me?).
Without looking at Wikipedia et al. Jethro Tull seemed to be a band who were confident in their sound. This conviction doesn’t come off as arrogant to me. Some listeners will think this is pretentious shit, which I can understand, but you gotta give the band points ingenuity.
Overall: 6/10
Beatles
3/5
Highlights: Taxman, She Said She Said, Tomorrow Never Knows.
The band clearly didn't give a shit about making a hit album at this point. They just wanted to make an album and not tour anymore. Fair. I respect that.
Taxman feels like a portal is opening (if that was the goal, nailed it). Tracks like "I'm Only Sleeping" and "And Your Bird Can Sing" sound as if they were offcuts from Help! or Rubber Soul. George pushing himself to learn the sitar (and not appropriate the sound, which is a hard thing to pull off) was a critical component here. Hats off to you, George.
I prefer Rubber Soul to Revolver, but I'm not going to deny how important Revolver is in music history. Revolver is noted for studio technology innovation, inspiring dozens of musicians and spawned new sub genres.
Overall: 6/10
Nico
2/5
Highlight: These Days.
In a nutshell: melancholic and overrated.
This would have been a different -and perhaps better- album if Nico was able to add other instruments. I would have loved to hear a “Nico’s Version” of Chelsea Girl. It could have been a completely wild avant-rock album. She stated that she wanted drums and guitars. Studio said no. She didn’t like the flute and strings. Studio wouldn’t budge. Great songwriters were on board (Jackson Browne, John Cale, etc) but I feel that recording it avant-folk was not the best fit. The flute in most songs create a harsh and cold atmosphere.
Like Donald Fagen post Steely Dan in the 80s with The Nightfly, Nico's Chelsea Girl was too similar to her work with The Velvet Underground.
Overall: 3/10
Marvin Gaye
2/5
In a nutshell: Marvin's diary of love, loss and devastation.
Yep, it's a breakup album.
Marvin maintains self-exploration and vulnerability in his songwriting. Backing band is great. Songs are same-sounding and unnecessarily long. It’s just “okay”.
Overall: 3/10
Mike Oldfield
4/5
In a nutshell: proof that one man CAN be an orchestra.
Overall: 7/10
Nirvana
4/5
Highlights: Lithium, Stay Away, Come As You Are, Smells Like Teen Spirit, In Bloom.
In a nutshell: the Pixies ran so Nirvana could fly.
If you were like me and were only aware of Nevermind’s singles, find Bleach, play Love Buzz or About A Girl then jump into this album. Two years and a new producer made a big difference, didn’t it?
The main criticism I have about Nevermind is that it's front loaded. Polly is okay, I guess. From Territorial Pissings onwards (bar Stay Away), the songs feel like Bleach’s rejected tracks. Nameless, Faceless took me by surprise- absolutely wild noise rock outing. This is something I’d expect from Dinosaur Jr, not Nirvana!
Overall, it’s good. Nevermind has earned its spot in the list. I don’t think it’s overrated. However, I’m not convinced Nevermind is the “number one best album of 90’s”. Too much filler to receive that honour.
Overall: 7/10
The Strokes
3/5
Highlights: Someday, Last Night, Alone Together, New York City Cops.
In a nutshell: a band who revived garage rock in the 2000’s.
The Strokes have an indescribable pull to them. They borrow from Iggy and the Stooges, Ramones, etc. There are some recycled riffs. I still prefer Franz Ferdinand but no love is lost for the band who crafted the sound first.
Overall: 6/10
Bill Evans Trio
2/5
In a nutshell: there is a lot seriously lacking.
Well, this was disappointing. This album makes jazz sound boring, ordinary and pedestrian. In reality, jazz is nothing of the sort. Where is the virtuosity and flair? It feels like Bill Evans and Scott LaFaro were on separate wavelengths.
I’ll check out Bill Evans other work, I won’t be going back to this album.
Overall: 3/10
Frank Ocean
3/5
Highlights: Super Rich Kids, Lost, Sweet Life, Monks.
In a nutshell: "how's the gutter goin'?"
With Tyler The Creator, Andre 3000, Pharrell Williams and more joining Frank, you're certain to have an eclectic debut album. But Channel Orange is a mixed bag. Most of the interludes were unnecessary. Pyramids didn't need to be over 9 minutes. IMHO, Super Rich Kids is one of the best songs of the 2010's. Moreso for the lyrics not necessarily the beat/melody. The electro-funk bass and percussion on Monks is sweet.
This album and Kendrick Lamar's good kid, M.A.A.D City (released just months after Channel Orange) were trend setters. We have a plethora of artists imitating/building on this style to this day. That fact needs to be acknowledged. Even though I'm not into this genre, having Frank Ocean (be it here or Blonde) on this list is a must.
Overall: 6/10
N.W.A.
2/5
Highlight: Express Yourself
In a nutshell: no fucks given.
Irreverent, hell raising, polarising. This is an important album... and it has not aged well (so many misogynistic references).
Side note: One of my favourite stories in music history involves this album. Google "Triple J Express Yourself" to learn more.
Overall: 4/10
Lou Reed
4/5
Highlights: Vicious, Perfect Day, Walk on the Wild Side, Make Up, Satellite of Love.
In a nutshell: transformative.
The singles are excellent. The rest of the album is a mixed bag. A little panto (New York Telephone Conversation), honky tonk piano forward (Hangin’ ‘Round) subtle sarcasm. Perfect Day is iconic. Makeup is an underrated ode to gender confidence and pride. A little front loaded. Still a good album.
Overall: 7/10
Nirvana
5/5
"Of course, they want another Nevermind, but I'd rather die than do that. This is exactly the kind of record I would buy as a fan, that I would enjoy owning."
Kurt Cobain
Highlights: Serve The Servants, Heart Shaped Box, Rape Me, Frances Farmer Has Her Revenge On Seattle, Pennyroyal Tea, Tourette's.
In a nutshell: rough and raw. Just the way the band wanted.
Taking the "punk-ish" approach to recording and enlisting Steve Albini (vale you fucking legend) was the right decision. In Utero is a confronting and unintentionally personal album.
I'm glad I was oblivious to grunge and Nirvana's fame as a youth (I was 10 when Kurt died) because I appreciate their music more now than I would have back then. In saying that, I prefer this album over Nevermind, as it feels more authentic.
Overall: 9/10
Norah Jones
1/5
In a nutshell: soulless acoustic blues-pop.
Skip this album. Listen to her "Live in New Orleans" recording from 2003 instead. You'll get a better idea of what industry pros saw in her, and what *should have* been captured in the recording studio. The studio album sounds so... beige. I don't really understand how Come Away With Me was a hit, but it was.
Overall: 2/10
The War On Drugs
1/5
In a nutshell: music for a PG teen drama.
This was an unpleasant listen. Unnecessarily long tracks. The drum beat is recycled. Predictable use of other instruments. The vocalist, Adam, is obviously channeling Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty.
I can't find something I like about this album.
Overall: 1/10
Ryan Adams
1/5
In a nutshell: Ryan, not Bryan
There is not much contemporary country I like, so we are already on the back foot. This sounds manufactured and inauthentic. I can't really hear the background music, mostly Ryan. We don't need Tom Petty, Elliott Smith and Gram Parsons hybrid sounding performers. Be you.
Oh, and don't be a dick.
Overall: 1/10
Baaba Maal
2/5
In a nutshell: music to zone out to.
It’s soothing, droning and simple. Not a bad thing. Struggled to find information on how the album was made and an English translation of the lyrics, which is a shame. I want to understand this album more. That said, I’m basing this rating on the music composition and the vibe.
Overall: 3/10
Cocteau Twins
2/5
In a nutshell: and you thought The Cure was goth…
Treasure is a blueprint album. I bet many artists who align with shoegaze, dream-pop and ethereal wave would draw inspiration from Cocteau Twins (artists from the 4AD label, Jesus and Mary Chain, Aldous Harding, The xx, etc). It feels like Kate Bush meets Siouxsie and The Banshees but in a medieval/baroque style. They’re songs that you’d hear in an 80’s indie movie (Allison from The Breakfast Club would play this album on repeat for sure).
It’s not my thing, but I get why it’s important.
Overall: 3/10
Tom Tom Club
4/5
Highlights: Genius of Love, Tom Tom Theme, L’Elephant.
In a nutshell: fun, boppy, quirky, wild.
This side project allowed Chris and Tina to really cut loose. I’m glad they did, cos this album is a banger.
Overall: 7/10
Billy Joel
3/5
Highlights: Movin’ Out, Only The Good Die Young.
In a nutshell: all aboard the yacht of rock.
Some surprisingly fun jams and reflective world building songs. Many are great, an handful are cheesy. It’s strange that this is the only Billy Joel album on the list. No 80’s Billy Joel. Glass Houses or A Innocent Man should be on here too!
Overall: 6/10
Beastie Boys
3/5
Highlights: Fight For Your Right, Slow Ride, No Sleep Til Brooklyn.
In a nutshell: TU0 T1 KC3HC-HC
As far as hip hop debuts go, it's good. But their best was yet to come. I like their cheeky sample use here (from Viva Las Vegas to Low Rider).
Overall: 5/10
George Harrison
3/5
Highlights: I’d Have You Anytime, My Sweet Lord, Let It Down, All Things Must Pass, Isn’t It A Pity (Version 2).
In a nutshell: the best post-Beatles project. Fight me.
It is long but stick with it. You’ll here an early example of loud quiet loud in “Let It Down” and skilled mates helping out on backing instruments.
This is a double album plus a bonus disc (which can be skipped). Can it be trimmed to a single LP? Yes, but I’m not going there. It sucked that George was undermined as a song contributor in The Beatles, especially in the later years of the band’s run. Yet it worked out in the end - we have All Things Must Pass.
It should be listened to at least once.
Overall: 6/10
Steve Winwood
1/5
In a nutshell: sterile soft rock/synth pop.
Look, Steve. I know you were trying to do something different in the 80’s but this was a clusterfuck to listen to. I couldn’t hear anything redeeming on this album.
Overall: 1/10
Nina Simone
4/5
Highlights: Four Women, That’s All I Ask, Black Is The Colour of My True Love’s Hair.
In a nutshell: thoughtfully arranged, diverse, powerful.
I can understand why Warren Ellis was enchanted by Nina Simone. Brilliant pianist, warm yet gracefully commanding vocalist. Nina sounds like she’s giving it her all with each track, each take. The backing musicians (especially the horns) are excellent. There is an absence of flow to the tracking but it’s a small complaint.
Regardless, it’s good.
Overall: 7/10
Steely Dan
3/5
In a nutshell: inoffensive and unremarkable debut.
Donald and Walter knew from get-go what they wanted their albums to sound like. Sometimes to a fault with their overzealous perfectionism. Or maybe I'm just a Millennial who doesn't get it.
Reelin' In the Years is good. The rest of the album varies from "it's fine" to forgettable soft jazz rock. So many long outros and solo jams that it enters cliched territory.
Nice attempt, fellas. You got better with age.
Overall: 5/10
The Verve
1/5
Highlights: Bittersweet Symphony, Sonnet.
In a nutshell: rein it in, boys.
Showing restraint as a musician isn’t always a bad thing. Restraint is what the album needed. Save the extended jams with little payoff for the live shows. You made the same mistake with the last album. This album does have some good lyrics, but it’s not enough to bump the rating higher.
Overall: 2/10
Michael Jackson
2/5
In a nutshell: two bangers, eight whimpers.
Michael is vocally talented. But the pop disco beat was overused and the funk/R&B elements were borrowed heavily from Stevie Wonder et al. Is it me or does the album feels kinda chaste?
Tracks 3 to 10 didn’t do anything for me, yet I understand why the album was popular.
Overall: 3/10
Christina Aguilera
1/5
In a nutshell: sounds less like Christina and more like Mariah.
I shouldn't compare Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey, but it's difficult not to.
The Midas touch of Mark Ronson et al made this album a hit. In retrospect, it's a typical Christina outing: tries to be fun with pop and R&B, repetition, plain backbeats and too much vocal acrobatics (eg the Mariah flutter).
Overall: 2/10
The Hives
4/5
Highlights: Hate To Say I Told You So, Supply and Demand, Die All Right, Outsmarted.
In a nutshell: suit up, let's rock.
Note: This is one of two compilation albums in the generator and therefore ineligible for retaining its place. It will receive a review from me as the album featured in the first edition.
Ahhhh. I miss the heady days of rock and indie music ruling the airwaves.
The rhythm and length of most Hives songs are textbook punk rock. Short, loud, energetic, catchy. Despite the repetition, the songs are never boring. You can't help but cut loose. It packs a lot into a 28 minutes album.
It's a decent compilation, but we need to swap it with a studio or live LP. Give "Veni Vidi Vicious" a burl.
Overall: 7/10
Circle Jerks
3/5
Highlights: Operation, Live Fast Die Young
In a nutshell: unpretentious AF.
Simple, fast punk. If you like Pennywise, NOFX, Anti-Flag and early Amyl and the Sniffers, and you have not heard of Circle Jerks before, you’ll wonder why you haven’t heard this album earlier.
As for the people not into punk, listen to the drumming and guitars. Think Sex Pistols meets Ramones.
Overall: 5/10
Wu-Tang Clan
2/5
In a nutshell: a "fuck you, watch me" album.
"[Tommy Boy Records] made the decision to sign House of Pain over us. When they dropped me, I was thinking, 'Damn, they chose a bunch of whiteboy shit over me.'"
RZA, The Wu-Tang Manual
Not completely into it. The skits were distracting; the beats and loops were repetitive. HOWEVER, I can't be too harsh on this album. It's popular, influential and iconic. There will be a legacy with Wu-Tang Clan. C.R.E.A.M. will always be a banger.
Overall: 4/10
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Highlights: Sympathy For The Devil, Stray Cat Blues, Salt of the Earth.
In a nutshell: The Stones find their groove- rock and country blues, but a little dirty.
Beggars Banquet is in part a reflection of the music styles which influenced the band - blues rock with a bit of rock and roll flair. Also, it raises the question over appropriation - if you acknowledge your source and actively "give a leg up" for the minorities and/or underappreciated who inspired you, is it appropriation? I'm unsure. I'll have to think it over.
Although the blues rock and roots rock songs crammed in the album were tedious for me, there are good songs on here. I can hear the origins of their trademark sound; the sound we identify the band with today. And the best is yet to come.
Overall: 6/10
Yes
3/5
Highlights: Yours Is No Disgrace, I've Seen All Good People.
In a nutshell: entry level prog.
I'm not really a prog person, but it's cool. Most would be familiar with the Rick Wakeman era of Yes (Fragile, Close To The Edge and later). Tony Kaye is fine on organ/piano/Moog, no complaints.
I'm actually surprised that a Yes live album isn't on this list. The band would have been amazing live.
Overall: 6/10
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
In a nutshell: cut-copy-paste swamp rock
CCR is already on the back foot because of oversaturation. They would be fantastic live in a dingy blues bar seeking respite from the humidity. That live bar band vibe carries through to the studio recording. I do not like John's voice at all. Fake accent, one trick vocals. There are occasional nice guitar solos, I can see them from a mile away though. Many songs feel similar to me too. Formulaic. It's not necessary to have one or two covers on each album either, guys (eyeroll).
Sticking to their lane served them well. IMHO, the band should have merged the tracks from Green River and Bayou Country then cut the fat to make a single LP.
Overall: 4/10
The Monks
2/5
In a nutshell: wild noise.
Cool guitars, obnoxious organ, sweet drum rhythm. Think MC5 meets Devo. It’s surreal garage rock with a avant-garde twist . A YouTube user described it as “Dadaistic rock” (accurate). Perhaps the album could be proto-Krautrock as well as proto-punk.
It won’t be for everyone. I can see why it’s on the list though.
Overall: 4/10
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Highlights: I Want to Take You Higher, Sex Machine, Stand!
In a nutshell: lifting me higher and higher.
Social commentary and soul funk jams never sounded so much fun. Rest in power Sly.
Overall: 8/10
Culture Club
2/5
In a nutshell: a lot of style, little substance.
Many of us know Karma Chameleon. Most UK listeners would recognise the singles or the whole album. It is crooning soul meets light new wave pop. Helen Terry's backing vocals were great.
Music by Culture Club, Soft Cell and Frankie Goes To Hollywood represented a cultural retaliation. The UK was a mostly despondent nation under a Tory (conservative) government and emerging from a recession in 1983. It's not my thing.
Overall: 3/10
Alice In Chains
2/5
In a nutshell: “fuck my life, fuck the world” grunge.
Emo grunge sounds like a contradiction, but I can’t find an adequate descriptor for this album. To its credit, Dirt encapsulates depression accurately. The riffs are what you would hear on Guitar Hero. It’s one of those “albums that defined an era but doesn’t really hold up now”
Overall: 3/10
Brian Eno
3/5
Highlight: Needles In The Camel's Eye
In a nutshell: an intro to avant pop
It's weird, it's random and it's dizzying, but it works. Listen closely - some elements reappear in Bowie and Talking Heads albums (and not just the albums Eno co-produced with aforementioned).
Overall: 5/10
The KLF
3/5
Highlights: Madrugada, Justified and Ancient.
In a nutshell: warehouse rave staple.
The early 90s was when Eurodance, rave and acid house was ripe. Got Underworld, The Shamen, Pet Shop Boys and early Massive Attack (Blue Lines was released one month after The White Room) vibes. Any of these songs would have been shortlisted for the nightclub scene in Trainspotting, for sure.
Not my thing. Can see how this would influence upcoming artists within the electronica/acid house genre.
Also, read up on the band. They were notorious for their alternative art publicity stunts, their dramatic break up at the 1992 BRIT Awards and pissing off ABBA.
Overall: 5/10
The Adverts
2/5
In a nutshell: non-aggressive punk.
First thought: "is this what Dexys would sound like if they made a punk album?". Nice riffs, disengaging lyrics.
Compared to other punk and punk rock titles on the list, it's not really adding to the genre. In 1977 alone- pre-dating this Adverts debut- these albums were released:
*The Damned's "Damned Damned Damned" in February then "Music For Pleasure" in November (label mates of The Adverts)
*The Saints "(I'm) Stranded" (released in February, but the title track was recorded in June 1976 and this Brisbane band may not even heard of The Damned at the time, let alone The Ramones)
*The Clash's self titled debut (April)
*And the famous "hit and quit" Never Mind The Bollocks (October)
Check it out if first wave UK punk rock is your thing. Otherwise, skip and try "(I'm) Stranded" or an early album by The Damned.
Overall: 3/10
Kanye West
2/5
Highlight: Lost In The World
In a nutshell: maximalist hip-hop.
There is a lot of copy-paste song format here: find a sample or beat you like- even if it sounds similar to another track you've laid- and loop it. Add anything that sounds shit hot- synth horn, hand drums, vocoder, a Gospel choir, piano. Get your mates involved. Go apeshit. Make it regal, big, unapologetic. Keep shaping it til it sounds perfect. Repeat.
I sense a mania in the music- in production and execution- that I didn't hear in The College Dropout. It's definitely bloated, half the songs are over 5 minutes. One has an (unfunny) skit outro featuring Chris Rock.
This sounds like one of those albums an artist needed to make to redefine and refine themselves. Kanye is an expert at shaking up shit.
I appreciate the ambition, it's not my thing. But it's worth a listen. It's unique and a product of its time.
Overall: 4/10
Pere Ubu
2/5
In a nutshell: abstract, bizarre avant-garage
Sounds like Fear of Music era Talking Heads, Public Image Limited and Captain Beefheart smooshed together. Cherry picks post-punk, krautrock, avant-garde and garage rock into a package John Peel would’ve frothed over.
The surf guitar in (Pa) Ubu Dance Party was cool. I don’t think two Pere Ubu albums on the list is necessary.
Overall: 3/10
Paul McCartney
2/5
In a nutshell: half baked is an understatement.
Like a wide-eyed beginner given the skeleton key to a studio and granted free reign to record whatever they want, McCartney is a mess. For an accomplished musician, I'd expect more. Some nice instrumental stuff but it needed A LOT more direction instead of making it the Paul and Linda Show.
Overall: 3/10
Beastie Boys
3/5
Highlights: Egg Man, Hey Ladies, Shadrach.
In a nutshell: writers, poets, and geniuses. And they know it.
Overall: 5/10
Donald Fagen
1/5
In a nutshell: jazz rock. How groundbreaking 🙄
Fagen's solo album sounds like any other Steely Dan album (ie well produced and backed by a tight band)...which is exactly its problem.
The level of self indulgence and mediocrity was sickening here. And that's just me.
Overall: 2/19
Eels
3/5
"Life is so full of unpredictable beauty and strange surprises. Sometimes that beauty is too much for me to handle. Do you know that feeling? When something is just too beautiful? When someone says something or writes something or plays something that moves you to the point of tears, maybe even changes you."
Mark Oliver Everett - Things The Grandchildren Should Know
In a nutshell: warts and all.
It's good but E's best is yet to come. I'd start with Daisies of the Galaxy and Electro-Shock Blues first.
Overall: 6/10
Leonard Cohen
2/5
In a nutshell: somethings change, some stay the same.
Compared to earlier releases in the book, Cohen’s album-making approach had a little shakeup. Cohen’s voice has deepened and he embraced synth.
I’ve resigned to the fact that Cohen is simply a great poet with a predictable approach to arrangement. To me, he is the Wes Anderson of contemporary music: same approach, different colour palate, new location. The breakneck pans get boring after a while. As does Cohen’s decision to utilise backing singers and instruments with little style variation on this album. We got that element overload with the juice harp on “Song From A Room”
The best way I can sum it up is to quote boygenius: “…I am not an old man having an existential crisis at a Buddhist monastery writing horny poetry…”
Overall 3/10
4/5
Highlights: Roll With It, Don't Look Back In Anger, Some Might Say, Morning Glory, Champagne Supernova.
In a nutshell: an album that defined an era.
Overall: 7/10
David Bowie
1/5
In a nutshell: "adult contemporary art rock"
I had flashbacks to Morrissey's solo albums and Berlin Trilogy era Bowie while listening to this. David's vocals on Dirty Boys had a Jim Morrison/Josh Homme flair to them; a song that could appear on a Peaky Blinders episode.
The Next Day overall felt weak. Some reviews on here say he "lost his edge" for this one. Accurate.
Overall 2/10
Violent Femmes
4/5
Highlights: Add It Up, Promise, Blister In The Sun, Gone Daddy Gone
In a nutshell: is this cow punk?
I think Confessions sounds half country, half acoustic punk. It’s not often that my attention is held with an album that recycles chords. Damn you Gordon and co (glares and waves fist in the air).
Overall: 7/10
The Crusaders
1/5
In a nutshell: easy listening boredom
Adding vocals to the other tracks would have changed my mind about this album. The band is skilled, the beat is repetitive. This is music I'd hear while on hold to a utilities provider.
Overall: 1/10
The Zombies
4/5
Highlights: This Will Be Our Year, Care of Cell 44, Time of the Season
In a nutshell: the band that should've been bigger.
Odyssey and Oracle is one of those great albums that was lost in the wash. Divine harmonies, cool organ. Lovely balance of psychedelic, baroque, pop and rock.
Overall: 7/10
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Highlights: Right Here Right Now, The Rockafeller Skank, Gangster Trippin', Praise You.
In a nutshell: the great 1998 copy and paste job.
At time of release, You've Come A Long Way Baby was a juggernaut. Retrospectively, you can tell Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) found a winning formula after years of DJing and applied it hard throughout.
Overall: 6/10
Hanoi Rocks
1/5
In a nutshell: uniquely 80s
Sounds like a mashup of New York Dolls, Sweet, Mötley Crüe and Poison. Could be inspiration for The Hives. Not for everyone.
Overall: 2/10
Tori Amos
3/5
Highlights: Crucify, Leather, Me and A Gun
In a nutshell: strong female singer-songwriter
Tori's music is in the same echelon as Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell and Tracey Chapman - unashamedly vulnerable songs with a curated sound.
Have a copy of the lyrics nearby. Soak it in. Her voice and piano composition may not be for everyone, but she deserves a chance. It's a debut, and she gets better from here. Follow up with Under the Pink (not on the list but it should be).
Overall: 6/10
Neu!
4/5
Highlights: ISI, Hero.
In a nutshell: cosmic and ambient krautrock.
Mellow and hypnotic.
It could be argued that the roots of the ambient genre can be found here in NEU! 75. Mainly in "Seeland" and "Leb' wohl". Brian Eno is credited for inventing the term "ambient" but Eno didn't record his first experiment in ambient music- Another Green World- until July 1975. Neu! 75 was released in February of the same year.
I like Air and early Kraftwerk, so this was a winner for me.
Overall: 8/10
Os Mutantes
3/5
Highlight: A Minha Menina
In a nutshell: weird- but in a good way- psych rock
Overall: 5/10
Sex Pistols
3/5
Highlights: God Save The Queen, Anarchy in the U.K., EMI.
In a nutshell: Trademark punk.
Drums and guitar are excellent. I was expecting more vitriol in Johnny’s voice compared to the lyrics (see No Feelings, Bodies). Unless time and over-saturation of Anarchy in The U.K. has dulled the impact.
Didn't hate this album but not fawning over it. It's a "you need to hear it at least once" release for sure.
Overall: 5/10
The Band
2/5
In a nutshell: Drag Mama Drag
I agree with some reviewers on here - there's something lacklustre about this album compared to their debut, Music From Big Pink. Felt drawn out. The band members can jam. The lyrics are good. The singing, hit and miss.
Overall: 4/10
Alanis Morissette
3/5
Highlights: You Oughta Know, All I Really Want, Ironic.
In a nutshell: retrospect can be a bitch.
Tween me was unprovoked. Before 1996, I never heard a woman swear in a song or sing about an ex with vitriol. It was cool, and powerful.
Looking back, You Oughta Know still retains its venom as a diss track. All I Really Want is a decent opener with great lines ("...did you long for the next distraction?"). Ironic has nice vignettes and musings. But the rest of the tracks blend into each other. I wanted to give this a higher score but won't as there is too much filler.
Overall: 5/10
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
In a nutshell: a clumsy prog-rock symphony
Emerson Lake and Palmer should have committed to the bit. You either go full on, multiple suite concept album like on Side A or “traditional format” from Side B. There are interesting sounds on Side A. Doing things by halves, so to speak, wrecked a potentially good prog rock album.
Overall: 4/10
The Beach Boys
1/5
In a nutshell: a weak prelude to Pet Sounds
This album has two lukewarm singles and a tonne of filler. Some hints of Pet Sounds can be heard here but it doesn't have much else going for it.
Overall: 2/10
The White Stripes
4/5
Highlights: Black Math, The Hardest Button to Button, Hypnotise, Girl You Have No Faith In Medicine
In a nutshell: Jack and Meg at their peak
The album where The White Stripes perfected their formula of catchy riffs and hypnotic drum beats. Not flawless, also not bad.
Overall: 7/10
Beatles
3/5
"(Paul and I) were just writing songs à la Everly Brothers, à la Buddy Holly, pop songs with no more thought of them than that – to create a sound. And the words were almost irrelevant." John Lennon, interviewed by David Sheff (1981).
Highlights: A Hard Day's Night, And I Love Her, Can't Buy Me Love
In a nutshell: “it’s only the beginning…”
A Hard Day's Night is an example of how popular music and contemporary music came to be. You just cherry pick what you like and tweak it from there.
It's fine. Great singles, mediocre filler. I prefer Help! and their later albums. That where The Beatles were at their best.
Overall: 5/10
Van Morrison
3/5
Highlight: The Way Young Lovers Do, Astral Weeks.
In a nutshell: the ramblings of a drunk.
Great backing band. Good lyrics and storytelling. Ambitious fusion of jazz and folk. Curated sound that replicate a series of jam sessions. Meandering and repetitive. Madame George didn’t need to be over nine minutes.
Overall: 5/10
Pentangle
1/5
Highlight: Springtime Promises
In a nutshell: medieval sounding psychedelic folk.
I could see this band opening for Donovan or The Mamas and The Papas in the 60’s. The band members are talented, no doubt about it. Too much falsetto, glockenspiel mixed too far forward, sitar was an odd inclusion.
Overall: 2/10
The Icarus Line
1/5
Highlight: On The Lash
In a nutshell: homogenised post-hardcore
I mean, it’s fine? I like garage rock. Don't mind post-hardcore. Sounds like The Stooges meets Fugazi and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Great riffs and distortion. HOWEVER... it's not groundbreaking. The Used, Mclusky, Shellac and Refused predate The Icarus Line. None of the aforementioned are in the book and performed a hell of a lot better than these wannabes.
Overall: 2/10
Amy Winehouse
4/5
"This time I was like, 'fuck it, I know what I’m talking about'. You definitely get a self-belief. Whereas before you’re like, 'well, the record company must know what they’re talking about' They do know what they’re talking about from a marketing standpoint..."
Amy Winehouse "Life and soul". Interviewed by Craig McLean from The List (circa 2007)
Highlights: Tears Dry On Their Own, Wake Up Alone, Love Is A Losing Game, You Know That I'm No Good, Me and Mr Jones.
In a nutshell: the millenial queen of blue eyed soul*
Songwriting was cathartic for Amy. She wasn't afraid of being vulnerable or looking stupid, both in her career and personal life. All packaged in a crooning 60's soul/Motown sound. With Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi on producing duties, this was the makings of a Classic Album™.
I can't find anything to dislike about this album. Even the looped sample of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" didn't deter me from its charm.
*Dusty Springfield was publicly dubbed the "(reluctant) Queen of Blue Eyed Soul". Bestowing Amy that title is justified. Yes, she released two albums in her short life (a third album was released posthumously) yet her impact on the music landscape was phenomenal. How can that be ignored? She did more for music than Adele did.
Overall: 8/10
The Charlatans
1/5
In a nutshell: it's a British thing.
The Charlatans are one of those bands that were big in the UK but had limited success elsewhere. Think Oasis meets Blur meets Dexy's. It's different from Britpop but for me it is inessential when we have the aforementioned, Pulp and Suede.
Overall: 2/10
Grateful Dead
2/5
In a nutshell: kick out the jams
I'm sceptical of live albums on this list. The sound quality is variable as years go on. And it's so hard to capture the vibe the audience felt the night the concert was recorded. Which is partly where Live/Dead is unconvincing. The guitars are sharp, sometimes the drums. The vocals, not so much. It jams longer than necessary.
Deadheads and psychedelic rock affectionados should love it. For me, it loses direction quickly. It's not that I don't like meandering jams (I like Khrungabin and I don't mind jazz). Maybe it's because I'm not *with it*. Or not high.
Overall: 3/10
Dead Kennedys
4/5
Highlights: Kill The Poor, Forward to Death, Chemical Warfare, Holiday in Cambodia, Viva Las Vegas.
In a nutshell: picking up where The Sex Pistols left off.
Dead Kennedys is punk you should introduce your kids/neblings to. See if it gently stoke the anarchic embers inside.
Fuck, this was a fun listen.
Overall: 7/10
a-ha
1/5
Highlight: Take On Me.
In a nutshell: still looking
The opening track is an eternal classic. The rest of the album was so-so. I found myself comparing the band to Simple Minds, Tears For Fears and ABC.
Overall: 1/10
Nas
3/5
Highlights: This World Is Yours, Halftime.
In a nutshell: the shape of hip-hop to come.
There's something unique about Nas' delivery that sets him apart from his peers on both coasts. It sounds softer but still packs the punch (I don't know how else to describe it).
As said previously, hip hop isn't my thing. But I can tell that Nas has influenced dozens of hip hop artists. Some of them I've encountered in this project: Kendrick Lamar, Lupe Fiasco and (possibly) Tupac.
Overall: 5/10
Paul Simon
3/5
Highlight: Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard
In a nutshell: dabbling in a bit of everything
Paul puts folk rock from Simon and Garfunkel on the backburner and tries out blues, roots and light reggae. It doesn't sound like he's appropriating the genres either. It's good, just not his best.
Overall: 5/10
The Specials
3/5
Highlights: A Message to You Rudy, Concrete Jungle.
In a nutshell: head bopping protest songs.
Some good songs, some absolutely jarring songs. Stupid Marriage and Too Much Too Young were uncomfortable to hear with 2024 ears. Message to You always nice to hear.
Always appreciate hand claps in songs.
Overall: 5/10
Pink Floyd
5/5
I don't need to wax lyrical about this album. Instead, I'll share David Gilmour's POV on the Wizard of Oz rumour:
“We listened to it… Polly [Samson, Gilmour’s wife] and I, years ago. Somebody said you put the needle on at the third roar of the MGM lion. And there are these strange synchronicities that happen ...There are these strange coincidences"
Source: The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, November 7th 2024.
Make of that what you will.
Overall: 9/10
Gram Parsons
2/5
In a nutshell: justice for Emmylou Harris.
Great lyrics. Gram sounds vulnerable and sincere, albeit twangy. Quite impressed by Emmylou’s contribution to the album. It’s a shame that she didn’t receive the proper credit at time of release because of Gram’s jealous widow.
I don’t like country in general, but based on the backstory I can see how it’s important to the development of the genre.
Overall: 3/10
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
"Rage Against the Machine is like the ring in Lord of the Rings. It drives men mad. It drives journalists mad. It drives record-industry people mad. They want the thing, and they’re driven mad.”
Tom Morello via Rolling Stone Magazine (2023)
Highlights: Killing In The Name, Bullet In Your Head.
In a nutshell: furious minds
We need more left leaning anarchists like RATM in the world. Play Know Your Enemy to the spawn in your life. Teach them media bias, to question everything and call out bullshit when they see it. Once that's done, stand back and hope they will grow up to think for themselves.
Korn, Pantera and Slipknot are known pioneers of nu metal, but it could be argued that Rage Against The Machine unintentionally contributed to what would eventually be the nu metal sound.
Overall: 7/10
Faust
2/5
Highlights: Krautrock, Läuft...
In a nutshell: surreal psych prog.
I dunno about this album. The track order didn't have a natural flow to it, like when you play a CD from an artist you don't know well and forget to deselect shuffle mode. Not as hypnotic as Kraftwerk's Autobahn, which was released the following year. I suspect Devo (maybe Talking Heads) and Stereolab listened to Faust. It's considered a krautrock classic, which I don't get as it sounds more psych prog, experimental and avant garde. And this is an album from the band who adopted the term krautrock with pride.
Overall: 4/10
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
Highlights: Plastico, Buscando Guayaba, Ojos, Siembra.
In a nutshell: I dare you to keep still.
This album was fun! Willie and Rubén trick you with a disco/funk intro on track one then they change gear and launch into funk salsa. If I wasn't dancing in my kitchen, my booty was wriggling in time with the beat while seated (my friend calls this "chair dancing").
This is why I'm doing the project - to discover new-to-me music. I can't wait to learn more about this genre now.
Overall: 8/10
1/5
In a nutshell: fuck this band.
This album is a mashup of rap cliches, abhorrent record scratching and 'fuck you, fuck the world' lyrics.
For better or worse, Limp Bizkit is part of the zeitgeist. Nu metal assisted millennial teens in finding their rage/self-loathing when Rage Against The Machine, Placebo and Korn didn't click with them.
It was unpleasant listening for me then, and it remains unpleasant to hear today.
Overall: 1/10
D'Angelo
1/5
In a nutshell: fuckboy music
D'Angelo tries to vocally flutter like Mariah and croon like Prince. With minimal success. It sounds bland and try hard rather than sexy.
If I was of dating age in the mid 90s and the gentleman taking me back to his place drops the needle on D'Angel's Brown Sugar, I'd make an excuse to leave. Call me shallow and judgemental - I don't sleep with people who listen to boring music.
Overall: 2/10
*Music is a topic I love to talk about. You have my attention if our tastes align, you stoke a passionate debate or you pique my curiosity about your playlists/collection. Never underestimate the power of melolagnia. If you're in luck, you might pick me up ;)
Dexys Midnight Runners
1/5
In a nutshell: must be a British thing.
I grumbled at Kevin and co several times for taking so long to get to the point. The ship had already sailed with this kind of blue eyed soul/new wave style. I was offended at the band ripping off the Werewolves of London riff (it took until 1997 to give co-writing credits).
The band should be represented in the list, but this ain't the album to represent them.
Overall: 1/10
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
In a nutshell: industrial performance art.
This was a hard listen. I haven't heard anything like this before. If your only exposure to noise is Nine Inch Nails (like me), then you're gonna be in for a shock here.
For anyone who liked Kollapse by Einstürzende Neubauten or Psalm 69 by Ministry, this could be right up your alley.
Will give two points for ingenuity.
Overall: 2/10
SAULT
2/5
Highlights: Stop Dem, Wildfires.
In a nutshell: it's lacking something
It's supposed to be an album about self empowerment, experiences of racial oppression and being proud to be black. I quickly picked that up with Solange's "A Seat At The Table" and "Things Fall Apart" by The Roots (why is that Roots album not on the list?). The aforementioned albums "hit me in the feels". I didn't get that with Untitled (Black Is).
The loops bored me. The spoken word tracks interrupted rather than bolstered the tracklist. Excellent lead and backing vocals though.
Overall: 3/10
1/5
In a nutshell: Part atmospheric industrial, part cult ceremony soundtrack.
It's weird. It's conceptual. It's definitely experimental. I made the mistake of listening to the YouTube playlist, because when the video for "There's Always Room on the Broom" came on, I was convinced that the band made the album while on a bad acid trip.
Yeah, nah. I couldn't get into it. There has to be better noise/industrial/experimental albums to put on the list.
Overall: 1/10
The Thrills
1/5
In a nutshell: really bad 2000's indie movie soundtrack.
It combines elements of The Shins, The Polyphonic Spree, Granddaddy and Badly Drawn Boy...yet it sounds completely bland. Ugh. What a let down for a Mercury nominated album.
Overall: 1/10
Sepultura
3/5
Highlight: Ratamahatta
In a nutshell: innovative nu-metal.
Yes, you read correctly. Innovative nu-metal. It includes tribal music and some lyrics are in Portuguese as well as English. In 1996. Wow.
I gotta give props to the band. Playing instruments and singing/growling/shouting with this kind of ferocity requires endurance. The energy is always up, I didn’t hear it dip at all.
Do I like it? Not really. The riffs were repetitive and I’m not into nu-metal. Does it need to be heard? Absolutely.
Overall: 5/10
The Verve
1/5
Highlight: Brainstorm Interlude
Part Britpop, part psych rock. Occasional great guitar work, mediocre and long-winded as a whole compared to the glut of Britpop albums by other artists. And this is coming from someone who likes Britpop.
Overall: 1/10
The Young Gods
2/5
“When Charlotte touches herself, the sky opens its mouth. And when her hands stretch out, she lingers there. All the children watch when her back pearls... When Charlotte touches herself. And when I leave Charlotte remains speechless but the sky nosedives...”
Charlotte, The Young Gods (translated from French via Google Translate)
In a nutshell: strange and unusual
Please do yourselves a favour and find the lyrics, even if they are in French. It’s dark and adventurous. It’s industrial cabaret. Don’t take it too seriously. Just listen.
Overall: 4/10
Big Star
1/5
In a nutshell: messy and apathetic
This is not the same band who made #1 Record, literally and figuratively.
It's experimental in a haphazard way. Stark strings, covers and lots of weird arrangements. It's soulless. I can hear the defeat and insouciance in Alex's voice. It sounds like no-one wanted to record this album.
The band had so much faith in themselves from the beginning and truly thought they had a great debut album. With Third (aka Third/Sister Lovers), the love is gone.
Overall: 1/10
Madonna
1/5
Sorry, Madge. Light Years by Kylie Minogue is WAY BETTER.
Overall: 1/10
Travis
1/5
In a nutshell: purveyors of Scottish sad bastard music
Bland and boring. I wouldn't be surprised if this album influenced Coldplay when recording Parachutes.
Overall: 1/10
Taylor Swift
2/5
Highlights: Blank Space, Wildest Dreams.
In a nutshell: ambitious
Not putting this album on the list would be foolish.
Taylor set herself up for success by working alongside production and songwriting guns such as Shellback, Jack Antoff (St Vincent's MASSEDUCTION and Daddy's Home, Lorde's Melodrama, Lana Del Rey's NFR!) and Max Martin (credited for making 27 number one hits in 26 years. What in the fresh hell? How?!?!!). The songwriters make lazy and weak lyric choices such as rhyming "love" with "done" and "we never go out of style"? But pen awesome lines like "I'm a nightmare dressed as a daydream".
I hope Taylor expands thematically with songwriting after 1989, because she sings about dreams and love too much.
Overall: 4/10
Mj Cole
1/5
In a nutshell: yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah…
So. Much. Needless. Repetition.
This music is a product of its time. A genre made popular by Craig David’s “Born To Do It”. Which from memory was a more charismatic album compared to this handful of nothing.
Overall: 1/10
Julian Cope
1/5
“Now, how much does it take to go down on someone - someone that you hate?” is a line that will be living rent free in my head for a while.
Overall: 2/10
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Highlights: Stagger Lee, The Curse of Millhaven.
In a nutshell: you wanna hear a cool story?
Take your pick of ten.
I can actually picture Nick sitting in a comfortable chair in a study or home library, reading the lyrics out loud. The espresso shot dark tales of vengeance, woe, loss, fetish and torture are delicious instead of repulsive.
Buckle up, kids. You're gonna love this album or hate it. And if you do end up hating it on the first or second listen, try again in a few weeks.
Overall: 8/10
Sabu
3/5
In a nutshell: these congueros are on fire.
I’m not drummer or a musician, but there is excellent percussion on here! I think it was recorded to sound like a live show. It doesn’t quite capture that vibe for me. Conversely, the technology was in its infancy…
It’s good, but I’m unsure if this is the best example of this genre.
Overall: 5/10
Everything But The Girl
1/5
In a nutshell: drum and bass Lite™
Going in only familiar with Missing (the Todd Terry remix), which is a "chillout classic". I was hopeful for some dynamic downtempo tracks paired with Tracey's soothing voice. Nope.
I agree with the masses here - the tracks blend with each other. The backbeats are reused. Tracey's vocal range sounds deliberately minimal, perhaps capped at a few notes. I was hoping to hear her branch out a bit.
It's a product of its time. And it's nothing to rave about now.
Overall: 2/10
Television
5/5
Highlights: See No Evil, Friction, Torn Curtain.
In a nutshell: the birth of post-punk
1977 was a bumper year for music: Animals, Pink Flag, Rumours, Aja, Exodus, Out of The Blue, Bat Out of Hell, Lust For Life, Low... and Television's debut Marquee Moon.
It's unlike anything heard of before at the time. Punk rock guitars, jazz drums, experimenting with melody and counter melody.
The critics frothed (and probably climaxed repeatedly) over this album, issuing high ratings across the board. It struggled in sales and on the charts. Didn't chart well in the U.S. Gained some traction in the UK. Not a commercial success overall but it's one of the most influential pieces of music from the late 70s.
This the source text (or cheat sheet depending which band we’re talking about) of 90s indie rock and early 00's garage rock revival. In 1977, this was a new sound in the making: post-punk…
And it was bloody wonderful to listen to.
Go find a copy NOW.
Overall: 9/10
Minutemen
3/5
In a nutshell: great for what it is.
The only complaint I have for DNOTD is that it's a double album. 43 songs is a lot, no matter the track length. I kept checking the playlist to see how much time is left. But that's just me.
That criticism aside, these guys are skilled. You can tell by the recording they're having fun in the studio, and that rapport got me through to the end.
Overall: 6/10
Simple Minds
3/5
In a nutshell: the superior 80's synthpop album.
Overall: 6/10
The Teardrop Explodes
1/5
In a nutshell: surreal
The lyrics are woefully written. The combination of post-punk and psychedelic synthpop doesn't work. It is something I'd expect to hear in the background of a shitty 80s soap who couldn't get the rights to an ABC or Simple Minds track.
Overall: 1/10
Holger Czukay
3/5
In a nutshell: an unexpected journey.
The co-founder of Can takes a mic, a radio and a tape recorder and goes on a sonic safari. A strange one.
This could be the earliest example of sampledelica on the list. It reminded me a lot of Since I Left You with the sound grabs and thematic tunes.
Fun. Not for everyone.
Overall: 6/10
Elastica
2/5
Highlight: All-Nighter
In a nutshell: false advertising.
Anthony Leaver from BBC Music in 2011 declared that Elastica's debut was "a blueprint for what Britpop should sound like." Mate, this is more Veruca Salt than Blur.
Great riffs and drums, although repetitive. Justine and Donna's vocals reminded me of Debbie Harry and Shirley Manson (Garbage), maybe Courtney Love(?). I can see the connections/rip off allegations between Elastica and Wire and Buzzcocks.
I feel like a traitor to my gender by not enjoying the music of a mostly female identifying band on a list lacking in said bands. Sorry ladies :( It's not you, it's me.
Overall: 4/10
Gary Numan
2/5
In a nutshell: Kraftwerk's #1 fan.
One music critic described Gary Numan as "part androgynous Bowie meets Kraftwerk robot". Appropriate.
There are variations in some arrangements, such as strings on Complex. For the most part, there is limited range to the analogue synth and Moogs. It sounds monotonous when the same notes are recycled through the album.
IMHO, it's good, but it's more of 1001 Songs submission (for Cars or Are "Friends" Electric from Numan's previous project Tubeway Army) than a 1001 Albums entry.
Overall: 4/10
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
2/5
Highlights: Penguin Cafe Single, Giles Farnaby's Dream.
In a nutshell: the soundtrack of a penguin wandering around a field.
This is close as we'll get to a classical album from this list, so we should cut the editor some slack. It's instrumental, baroque, chamber pop(ish), avant garde, kinda folk? It reminds me of VU&N, Sufjan Stevens, and a little bit of Mike Oldfield.
Overall: 4/10
Ministry
2/5
In a nutshell: songs for the apocalypse.
I was hoping for this album to grab me by the tits. Instead, I was bored. The samples/audio grabs (especially in Psalm 69) were overused. But there were moments of impressive drumming and shredding.
This isn’t my genre. But it’s in the book because it was a hit.
Overall: 3/10
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Highlights: Brilliant Corners, Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are.
In a nutshell: five challenging compositions.
Monk. One of the biggies of bebop and jazz in a studio with the best in the biz at the time: Max Roach, Ernie Henry and Sonny Rollins on sax and Oscar Pennington on bass. They made magic here.
Wasn't into the xylophone sounding celesta on Pannonica (sounds childish instead of quaint). Didn't know about Max Roach before today and damn, he is sensational on the drums here!
Jazz has the reputation of being boring, same sounding. What I've learned with albums that are potentially disengaging is to focus on the parts that make the whole. Do you like drums, horns, piano, the beat, bass when listening to music in general? Concentrate on those instruments or components and see where the album takes you. No guitars and no lyrics doesn't necessarily mean it sounds like shit. I sound like a hypocrite based on previous reviews but my point still stands.
Overall: 8/10
Gorillaz
2/5
Highlights: Rock the House, M1 A1.
In a nutshell: new millennium aesthetic
A virtual band was a unique concept in 2001. It has some nice beats, the loops bored me quickly. The album versions of Clint Eastwood and 19-2000 are suprisingly sluggish. M1 A1 reminded me of Autobahn (no pun intended).
The book had to include the debut but I'm wondering if Demon Days or Plastic Beach should be on the list too as a point of comparison.
Overall: 4/10
Sonic Youth
3/5
Highlights: Schizophrenia, Stereo Sanctity, White Cross.
In a nutshell: chaotic good
Sonic Youth are less avant garde and more noise with album number four. We get a spit-shine, not a polish. Definitely better than EVOL, not quite as good as Daydream Nation.
Overall: 6/10
Peter Tosh
2/5
Highlights: Burial, Till Your Well Runs Dry
In a nutshell: new sounds secondhand
A question I ask myself throughout this project is: does the album expand the genre if it doesn't define it? For Legalize It, not really. Peter's mates from The Wailers chip in with backing instruments.
Like Steely Dan and Donald Fagen's The Nightfly, it's redundant to have a solo album that sounds a lot like the band they were a part of.
Overall: 4/10
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
Highlights: Strange Meadows Lark, Take 5.
In a nutshell: the album that made jazz hip again
Sophisticated, yet casual. I was enjoying this so much I stopped taking notes during Take Five.
Overall: 8/10
The Byrds
2/5
Highlights: 5D (Fifth Dimension), Hey Joe, Captain Soul.
In a nutshell: stuck in the middle.
It seems that The Byrds are trying to leave their Mr Tambourine Man era with this album. Instead they straddle both worlds - their legacy and the evolutionary. It could have been good. It's not, it's just...fine.
Overall: 4/10
Hole
2/5
Highlight: Celebrity Skin
In a nutshell: formulaic AF.
The problem with 90s albums is that many reuse riffs and chords. So many same sounding songs are on here. The album begins with a bang then from Awful onwards I find myself asking "what happened? Why are we in cruise control?"
I just think this isn't the album to represent Hole. That said, there is no love (pardon the pun) lost from me towards Courtney. She - along with Shirley Manson, Fiona Apple and Kathleen Hanna - are the unapologetic female role models us 90s kids needed in our lives. Flaws and all.
Overall: 3/10
Nirvana
4/5
Highlights: Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam, The Man Who Sold The World, Plateau, All Apologies.
In a nutshell: sincere, authentic, stripped.
Love them or loathe them, Nirvana on MTV Unplugged is the trio's best performance.
Overall: 8/10
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Highlight: Avalanche
In a nutshell: same, but different
More of the same (using "and" as a sentence starter, reliance on one instrument to set the mood) but it’s not insufferable. Diamonds in the Mine was unexpected - we hear a different emotion vocally expressed from Mr Cohen, hallelujah!
Overall: 5/10
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
Highlight: Obatala
In a nutshell: the great hip hop and world music swindle.
This album is influential and problematic. Influential because it introduced the UK to hip hop. Problematic because McLaren the directionless twat broke the Apartheid boycott AND did not credit all contributing artists. Not just performers from Africa - worldwide. Music critic Robert Christgau aptly pointed this out in his review for the Village Voice, adding “…Culture may be collective, but (in this culture) wealth ain't.” (August 30 1983).
I personally didn't care for this album, but can see why it's in the book.
Overall: 3/10
Sugar
1/5
Highlight: Helpless
In a nutshell: dark and poppy
Very 90s sounding. Pixies meets Lemonheads. Helpless would be perfect on a tv/film soundtrack set in the 90s.
I'm not sure if it's "essential listening" though. It sounds bland and trying too hard to be the new Nirvana. This isn't NME Album of the Year content IMHO.
Overall: 2/10
Lorde
2/5
Highlight: Liability
Lorde always reminds me of early Lana Del Rey. I wonder if she was muse for Chappell Roan?
Overall: 3/10
Dolly Parton
4/5
Highlights: Coat of Many Colours, Travelling Man, The Mystery of the Mystery, The Way I See You, Here I Am.
In a nutshell: America's national treasure.
Country, just like blues, is a heavily diluted genre. You need to take a step back and see it in context; what it was like to hear the album in the year of its release. Dolly's songwriting, storytelling and charm is what makes her stand out. She is singing from the gut and from the heart. You do hear the pedal steel guitar and standard guitar/banjo, yet it doesn't sound hackneyed to me.
I'm not a country music person, but after hearing Coat of Many Colours I will make time for Dolly.
Overall: 8/10
The Offspring
3/5
Highlights: Nitro, Genocide, Come Out and Play.
In a nutshell: show me the mosh pit...
This is entry level skate punk. Not a bad thing. It's fast, fun, loud and encourage you to cut loose. Disappointed that we will not get Pennywise, Blink-182 and NOFX :(
Overall: 6/10
Genesis
2/5
Highlights: Hairless Heart, Lillywhite Lilith, Anyway.
In a nutshell: another bloated concept album
I don't know what to make of Lamb Lies Down. It's unconventional, weird, experimental...the definition of prog. It is a strange mix of Pink Floyd prog meets Brian Eno meets Yes. There were a few WTAF moments (specifically in Counting Out Time) and I struggled to pay attention from Track 9 onwards. Again, just because you can make a double album doesn't mean you should.
That said, this provided the blueprint for Peter Gabriel's solo material, which is worth exploring.
Overall: 4/10
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Highlight: Just Like Honey
In a nutshell: needs more noise.
The beginnings of shoegaze can be seen here. Maybe there is some audio-osmosis going on because I think Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr were playing around with noise rock around this time.
Overall: 4/10
The Residents
2/5
Highlight: The Booker Tease
In a nutshell: Halloween music.
It's like the lovechild of Captain Beefheart and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - weird and dark. I wonder if you could call this into proto-industrial because some elements remind me of industrial music.
It's not something I'll listen to again but full credit to the band for doing something different.
Overall: 4/10
Robbie Williams
1/5
In a nutshell: the ego has landed.
This is only on the list for two reasons:
1. Robbie's fanbase exploded after leaving/being kicked out of Take That (a ridiculously popular and overrated British boy band of the early 90s).
2. It was part of the 1990s zeitgeist, mainly in the UK.
What I will give to Robbie Williams is that he followed in the footsteps of George Michael: he upended the pop star stereotype. Robbie was pop's "bad boy"... who also likens himself to a "performing monkey.
Overall: 2/10
Scissor Sisters
1/5
In a nutshell: one trick pony.
Raise your hand if you had a heated debate with someone about whether "covering Pink Floyd should be illegal"
It's outlandish and disposable music. Top 40 radio fodder. The falsetto gets boring early. In retrospect I think some listeners see this as an album with guilty pleasure singles on it.
And in some countries, you can say "tits" on the radio.
Overall: 2/10
Beach House
1/5
In a nutshell: shoegaze come undone…
Tom Hughes from The Guardian said what I was thinking about this album: “… oddly icy and melodically a little ineffectual”. Teen Dream lacks melodic breadth. It feels cold and indifferent. There is a lack of variation with the backing instruments. Lead vocalist Victoria sounds like a watered down imitation of Tracey Thorn of Everything But The Girl.
I share the same complaint as other users: a Yo La Tengo album should be here instead. We already have a better example of this genre from this era on this list too: The xx’s debut (a little more indie rock/electronica, but listen to tracks like VCR and you’ll hear dream pop perfection)
Overall: 1/10
Tricky
3/5
Highlights: Aftermath, Abbanon Fat Tracks, Brand New You're Retro.
In a nutshell: shapeshifting triphop.
You can tell that Tricky was relishing the opportunity to go deeper into the hip hop/dub side of triphop. More than he would ordinarily could with Massive Attack.
It's dark, occasionally sexy, moody. The album loses steam for me towards the end of the album though.
Overall: 5/10
Sonic Youth
2/5
Highlight: In The Kingdom #19
In a nutshell: noise-goth.
In context of albums in the book, this lays the groundwork of noise rock. Right up there with Dinosaur Jr and Pixies. Pavement and Teenage Fanclub cite EVOL as an influence on their work, and it's noticeable. Kim Gordon allegedly called this “the goth album” of Sonic Youth’s discography. Accurate.
It has it's moments, but it's not their best.
Overall: 4/10
The Beta Band
1/5
In a nutshell: sleepy time.
A bit synth rock, a bit psychedelic, a bit indie rock. You know, the kind of music you heard overly keen musicians in the 20s rehearse for an upcoming Battle of the Bands heat. It was so drony I dozed off a few times and had to restart some tracks.
Overall: 1/10
The Triffids
1/5
In a nutshell: nauseatingly melodramatic.
I'm not a Triffids fan but I can safely say on behalf of many Australian music lovers that "Born Sandy Devotional" should be here instead. Fans adore it. Critics rate it highly. It inspired many indie rock/indie folk artists of the 80s through to early 90s.
On Calenture, the lyrics are deep and the delivery hymnal (just like Nick Cave). David McCombs' crooning is irritating though. The production feels too clean. Too polished.
Overall: 1/10
Suede
3/5
In a nutshell: the media whores of Britpop.
I say "media whores" Suede's management pimped them to every media outlet long before an album was released. It paid off. Just as Blur and Oasis were gaining traction, Suede were chugging along nicely.
As for the music, excellent drumming and guitars. Loved them! Shame about the frontman's voice. Brett is intense and dramatic. I think he's trying to be a crooner but to my ears he lacks nuance. He wails and whines. That shrill falsetto (shudder). And I don't think it's Brett's accent either.
But the Brits lapped this up. I can't deny that Suede holds an important place in music history, so I'm giving this a pass.
Overall: 5/10
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
Highlights: For Free?, Institutionalised, Alright.
In a nutshell: “this isn’t an album. This is an experience.”
Compared to Lamar’s second album Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City, this is jumping up a few levels in production. Definitely experimental. And that album cover! Wow.
Overall: 6/10
Moby
3/5
Highlights: Honey, Run On.
In a nutshell: taking and running with it.
It’s obvious Moby read from Fatboy Slim’s playbook: find samples you like (in this case blues vocals), add loops, stick to a template. Repeat. Porcelain is universally recognised as a chill-out radio “classic”. Body Rock would’ve been on a gym playlist.
Overall: 5/10
Air
4/5
Highlights: la femme d'argent, Talisman, Ce matin-la.
In a nutshell: un voyage spatial fantastique
A fantastic space voyage. Sweeping, dreamy, sexy. It is front loaded, but stick with it. You need to hear the full album at least once before you die, because Moon Safari gives you an idea on how electronica evolved in the late 90s (same can be said with fellow French duo Daft Punk).
Overall: 8/10
Green Day
4/5
Highlights: Chump, Basketcase, Welcome to Paradise, Sassafras Roots.
In a nutshell: spit-shine skate punk
I went in only knowing three songs- Welcome to Paradise, Basket Case and When I Come Around. The outro on Chump is magnificent, neatly transitioning into the next track (Longview). Pulling Teeth is nice but detracted from the vibe of the album for me.
Front loaded, but still kicks ass.
Overall: 8/10
Antony and the Johnsons
2/5
In a nutshell: emotive, smoky, overworked.
As a sound, A&TJ is blue-eyed soul meets jazz meets chamber pop. It's a mix that can work. Anohni’s voice is reminiscent of Nina Simone and Boy George - two of Anohni's music heroes. I agree with many users on here - Anhoni's vibrato, although impressive, overpowered everything. The songs need room to breathe. The lyrics range from schmalzy (You Are My Sister) to introspective and anthemic (For Today I Am A Boy).
It's lacking something to make this memorable.
Overall: 3/10
Randy Newman
2/5
In a nutshell: satirical Dr Seuss.
Randy Newman is a little like Leonard Cohen - a fantastic songwriter with a horrible singing voice. But compared to Cohen somehow Randy's voice has barely aged between this album and recording the theme for Toy Story in 1995.
In context of the 1970s, Sail Away is an evolution of orchestral pop. It's removed from the likes of Henri Mancini and Bobby Darin.
Arranged beautifully, lyrically dark. The album is a smidge over 30 minutes. Randy's voice is what is stopping me from giving this album a higher rating.
Overall: 4/10
Beatles
4/5
Highlights: Come Together, Something, Here Comes The Sun, Because.
In a nutshell: not a masterpiece, but close.
The last hurrah for the Fab Four. At this point in The Beatles career, producer George Martin had much more to balance. The notable ones are (a) George Harrison was (finally!) taken seriously as a songwriter and granted two majestic songs on this album, and (b) Paul got to indulge in his dancehall/vaudeville fixation (much to the chagrin of the rest of the band. I feel ya there fellas!). We don't need to go into the John-Yoko situation.
Mostly solid Side A. Come Together (the right choice for an opener), Something (delightful), a confusing turn with Maxwell's Silver Hammer (which sounds like it was made for a child). Oh! Darling reminiscent in a way of early Beatles, the goofy Octopus's Garden and the long (but somehow tolerable) I Want You (She's So Heavy).
Great start to Side B, but the road is bumpy after song 10. Going into a medley was an interesting decision. Lyrically, strange. Kinda works.
My biggest criticism, apart from Maxwell's Silver Hammer, is the inclusion of Her Majesty as a secret track. The End was perfect. It tied the bow. By adding Her Majesty, Paul untied that ribbon and slapped one of those gaudy red 75¢ adhesive gift bows instead.
Even with their creative and personal differences, I get the feeling the band put in their all for Abbey Road. Throughout the album we hear triumphant guitars, organ, the symphonic flourishes and vocals.
It's not perfect. It not my favourite Beatles album, but it's close.
Overall: 8/10
Einstürzende Neubauten
3/5
Highlights: Jet’m, Tanz Debil.
In a nutshell: taking the genre literally.
I think the mission of the band (at least in 1981 context) is to be weird and deconstruct percussion.
This is an easier listen compared to Throbbing Gristle. Without looking it up, I bet this was creative fuel for Rammstein, Nick Cave and Trent Reznor (spoiler, frontman Blixa Bargeld is a founding member of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds).
Did I like it? Eh. It's chaotic and impressive.
Do I think it’s worth keeping on the list? YES.
Overall: 5/10
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
Highlight: Georgia
In a nutshell: Kraftwerk 2.0 (and that's a compliment)
When compared to other synth-pop acts who released albums after Kraftwerk's The Man-Machine, OMD's Architecture and Morality sounds like the first synthpop album. Synthpop as we know it now. Perhaps more thoughtful synthpop compared to the calculated and danceable synthpop of The Pleasure Principle by Gary Numan.
I liked it.
Overall: 6/10
Richard Thompson
2/5
In a nutshell: a little bit rock, a little bit folk.
It’s definitely of it’s time. Think acoustic Pogues. The harmonies are good. The spirit of traditional British folk (ie Celtic folk) is live and well here without sounding too cheesy.
Not for me, but I think it’s one of those albums that was culturally important in the UK.
Overall: 4/10
Marty Robbins
4/5
Highlights: El Paso, Big Iron, The Master's Call.
In a nutshell: rolling rolling rolling...raw-hide!
You can't help be drawn to Marty singing tales of the Old West. It's kinda romantic and it doesn't shy away from telling us how rough that era was.
The composition is repeated throughout (I guess that was the style at the time) but focus on the lyrics. They are magnificent.
Overall: 7/10
Chicago
3/5
Highlights: Saturday In The Park, Beginnings, I'm A Man.
In a nutshell: all together now.
Before studio micromanagers Steely Dan took over the airwaves, Chicago was the easily identifiable jazz rock (at its roots) outfit. This kind of album would be tricky to pull off as a live take or even in its individual parts, to produce a quality album. The energy and skill of the musicians, specifically the drummer and horn players, are bewildering.
It's intended to be an album you sit down and actively listen to. It's not background music. Which can be a good thing.
Not perfect, but still good.
Overall: 6/10
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Highlights: Race For The Prize, The Spark That Bled, The Observer, Sleeping on the Roof.
In a nutshell: "the limits now are none"
Although some Beach Boys fans would scoff at the idea of other bands having "the Pet Sounds of (insert decade here)" moniker, critics were right when it comes to The Soft Bulletin by The Flaming Lips. My interpretation of this is any album that is "considered a landmark work for its innovative sound and influence on later music." (citation needed). The key word here is innovative. The Soft Bulletin intricately layered, synth-phonic. Joyous, hopeful and melancholic at the same time.
If you are ever invited to a Flaming Lips show, go. I went to their Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots album tour in January 2025 without knowing much about the band. It was dazzling. It's not just a gig, it's an experience.
Overall: 8/10
MGMT
2/5
Highlights: Time to Pretend, Electric Feel.
In a nutshell: monotone indietronica.
The singles are excellent. Decent first half. After Kids, the tracks lacked definition and were forgettable. Was craving catchy hooks and melodies but was left disappointed.
Overall: 4/10
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Highlights: Used Cars, Atlantic City.
In a nutshell: The Boss - Unplugged
If you're only familiar with Born in the USA, Nebraska will be a shock to the system. The lyrics deeply introspective, perhaps more than previous releases. As a listener, it was a tedious and depressing experience for me. I don't think Bruce intended to mimic Neil Young or Bob Dylan but it sadly came across that way.
Nebraska is touted as a masterpiece by fans. I'll take their word for it.
Overall: 5/10
Justice
4/5
Highlights: D.A.N.C.E., Genesis.
In a nutshell: sticking to the B.E.A.T. is as easy as A.B.C...
Cross by Justice continues the French electronica legacy that began with Daft Punk and Air. I feel like I'm playing a 90s video game or listening to an OST for a Tron spin off (even though Tron Legacy wasn't released until 2010)
Overall: 8/10
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
Highlights: Death To Everyone, Madeleine-Mary.
In a nutshell: folk-emo
Don’t know why but these songs remind me of Jeff Tweedy, but mournful. Earnest. I wonder if Bonnie “Prince” Billy was the muse of Bon Iver and Father John Misty, because his arrangements are reminiscent of early works of the aforementioned.
Overall: 6/10
Ms. Dynamite
1/5
Instead of paraphrasing, I'm going to directly quote a review from the cranky but sharp witted music critic Robert Christgau of The Village Voice. Dated October 21st 2003:
"If all beats are created equal, then Niomi Daley's [Ms. Dynamite] spare garage is as strong as Kimberley Jones's [Li'l Kim] thick hip-hop. If flow is as flow does, then her earned plasticity is as fresh as Lauryn Hill's easy liquidity. If singing is basically a matter of sincerity, then her straitened cadences express as complexly as Erykah Badu's high-flying scats. If conscious is enough, then "Tell me how many Africans died for the baguettes on your Rolex" will educate as deep as "Black like the perception of who on welfare." But good music isn't the same thing as a catchy feature story, and this Mercury Prize winner has less flavor than a plate of mashed. She's biracial and the eldest of 10 children and manifestly good-hearted, and when she goes ragga on the way out I wish she hadn't been groomed for something bigger and blander. But she made her choice. C+"
Ouch.
Going in only hearing Dy-Na-Mi-Tee on the radio in 2002, I thought "the rest of the album could be a promising British twist on the hip hop lyrics we know from elsewhere with a touch of soul". My hopes were too high.
Overall: 2/10
Roni Size
2/5
I dunno what to make of New Forms. Drum and bass is a genre I'm unfamiliar with. Do all early drum and bass record reuse the same backbeats for over 50 minutes? Because that's what I heard and it distracted me from the sounds layered on top. Pity really.
Overall: 3/10
Milton Nascimento
4/5
Highlights: Clube Da Esquina Number 2, Me Deixa Em Paz.
In a nutshell: dreamy Brazilian music
If you're a lyrics person and don't know Portuguese, have Google and a translator website tab open so you can get a better idea of the sentiment behind the songs.
Part pop (ie Música popular brasileira), part jazz, part baroque pop, part Bossa Nova. It's nice.
Overall: 7/10
Skepta
1/5
A little EDM, a little rap, a little dancehall shoved in. The fact is, I don't see how this sonically builds on Dizzee Rascal's foundations (his debut album Boy in da Corner is also on the list). They are siblings rather than spawn of. Also, I thought the days of skits on albums were behind us?!
Overall: 1/10
Pink Floyd
2/5
In a nutshell: (Krusty the Klown voice) "What was I on?"
Syd must have been dropping some strong acid while Pink Floyd was recording this album. This debut presents their instrumental prowess, refined in albums to come. In saying that, I shouldn't give the band a free pass because "this is where it all started".
It's surreal.
Overall: 4/10
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Highlights: Thrasher, Hey Hey My My.
In a nutshell: "rock and roll will never die"
I always resented that this was marketed as a live album. Any live recordings with dominant overdubs should be marketed as a “live studio album”.
That aside, this album is good. Not quite a concept album yet it follows a loose storyline. The closer is *chef’s kiss*
Overall: 7/10
The Pharcyde
2/5
Clever rhymes. Some catchy loops. I don't know if it really builds on what ATCQ and De La Soul have already released though.
Overall: 4/10
Björk
3/5
Highlight: Stonemilker
In a nutshell: the sound of breaking up.
One of the magical things about making and listening to music is experiencing incidental catharsis. This album is a good example of it. Björk was in fact going through a break up at time of recording Vulnicura. It was a healing experience for her. The title itself- when translated from Latin to English- explains it all: vulnas (wound) and cura (cure). Therefore "a cure for wounds".
The mix of electronic beats and an orchestral arrangement might be off-putting for some. That's Björk's jam. BUT there is an alternate version for those who don't like the breakbeat/glitchy noises. Look for "Vulnicura Strings".
It's a challenging listen if you're only used to Post. I didn't mind it but I don't think I'll go back to it in a hurry.
Overall: 5/10
Björk
4/5
Highlights: Frosti, Undo, An Echo A Stain, Harm of Will.
In a nutshell: because the night...
Vespertine: "Occuring, relating to or being active at night".
This album establishes a vibe and sticks to it. And it is a cinematic experience. You need to be in the right mood to listen a Björk album, especially when she gets experimental. Here we have ethereal sounding choirs, synth use reminiscent of Radiohead's Kid A, a tune you would hear if opening a music box...
We don't have many - if any- albums on the list that incorporate modern classical elements. So at the very least we should give Björk and her producers some credit for trying something different.
Overall: 7/10
Footnote: Yes, Björk is wearing *that* swan dress from the Oscars on this album cover. The swan illustration veiling the photo was a good choice IMHO.
Beck
3/5
Highlight: Paper Tiger
In a nutshell: guess he's doing fine?
Beck's mix of rock, folk, country, chamber pop and his trademark synth flourishes is surreal. It's a change of direction for him. And somehow it works.
Overall: 5/10
Genesis
2/5
In a nutshell: baroque rock?
It's prog rock with medieval (maybe baroque?) elements. A strange mix. At least it's not as long or as goofy as their next album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.
Overall: 3/10
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
A quick scan of Sawhney's Wikipedia page indicates that he is prolific in the UK as a composer, producer, collaborator *and* performer. Too many milestones to list here.
The concept of mixing downtempo with Nitin's influences from Asian culture is an interesting concept on paper. Back in 1999, this would be a revelation for listeners. Stevie Chick of NME wrote "It's movingly anti-sentimental, political without being polemical. It's beyond stereotype, and careening close to sublime."
Political without being polemical I get. Beyond stereotype, maybe at the time? It's not now. Unfortunately it doesn't sound as fresh in 2025 as it was in 1999.
Overall: 4/10
Dizzee Rascal
1/5
Highlight: Fix Up, Look Sharp.
In a nutshell: grime boy.
Anyone remember the track "Bonkers" from the late 2000's? Same bloke, different albums.
Skepta's album came up on the generator a few weeks ago and it gave me an idea of what grime is. I really don't like the genre. Boy in da Corner is lyrically okay in parts but the loops and beats were irritating on most tracks. It's deliberately brash.
That said, just because I hated it doesn't mean it doesn't belong on a "must hear" list. There is a place for it.
Overall: 2/10
Marvin Gaye
4/5
In a nutshell: "when will people start getting together again?"
Bam. Right in the feels.
"What's Going On" could be an incidental concept album (as inspired by Marvin's brother): troop returns from Vietnam. We walk a few miles in his shoes as he tries to process how dramatically the world has changed.
Over fifty years on, we are in an eerily similar state of events. What is going on indeed.
There are some similar sounds and melodies reused throughout the album but I think there are some variety within them to not sound boring. Also, I wonder if we can draw a line from Marvin Gaye to Kendrick Lamar...
Overall: 8/10
Christina Aguilera
2/5
In a nutshell: Y2K girl power.
In retrospect, I can't believe how close-minded we were in the 90s and 2000's. This is feminist millennial pop. It's a sharp turn from her innuendo ladden hit Genie In A Bottle, instead taking cues from Lil Kim and Alicia Keys.
It didn't need to be a double album. The songs didn't need to be over 4 minutes. I didn't like it that much. But it was the album young women doubting their worth after a one night stand or being called ugly needed in the early 2000's.
Overall: 4/10
Elis Regina
3/5
I like it. Post-Bossa Nova and MPB with a bit of jazz and disco thrown in.
This album is a compilation, so unfortunately it might not appear in some editions of the book.
Overall: 5/10
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Led Zeppelin
2/5
John Prine
3/5
Highlights: Hello In There, Pretty Good.
In a nutshell: the Dylan of country folk?
Great lyrics. Bleak, witty, comically dark, real. The songs have a cliched country music composition (steel guitar, standard chords on an acoustic guitar, fiddle), but as much as that type of music annoys me, it makes the lyrics stand out more. Prine said that he didn't see himself as a protest singer or political lyricist. He just wrote and sang about what he saw around him.
I think there is a place for this album on the list amongst country/folk stalwarts Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash.
Overall: 6/10
David Crosby
1/5
In a nutshell: folk rock cartharsis*
*Carthartic more on David's part, not mine. He wrote most of the songs after the sudden death of his girlfriend. It was his way to grieve and to vent.
This was popular because of Deja Vu's success. If this factor was removed from the equation, the only thing going for it are the backing musicians. But it's not enough to make it a great album.
Overall: 2/10
David Bowie
4/5
Highlights: Queen Bitch, Changes, Fill Your Heart, Kooks, Life On Mars?
In a nutshell: the man who stunned the world.
Overall: 8/10
Fiona Apple
2/5
In a nutshell: on she goes.
Dear Pitchfork staff.
I think it’s time for a retrospective review of this album. At time of writing, it’s been five years since you gave it a 10 (a rare high score for those playing at home). I agree with your observation of FTBC being “a wild symphony of the everyday”. It’s a departure from Apple’s earlier work. As for “an unyielding masterpiece”, you may want to circle back on that.
Cheers
Overall: 3/10
Def Leppard
2/5
In a nutshell: heavy metal's made-for-radio cousin.
It is what it is: a formulaic AF "rock on" music. Some good riffs though.
Overall: 3/10
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
"This is some weird shit" doesn't even come close to summarising this album.
Overall: 2/10
The Boo Radleys
2/5
In a nutshell: a big old mess.
You know when you’re cooking a meal, and you get carried away with “adding a bit more of this” or “let’s try a bit of that”? This is the product of that experimentation.
I can hear Stone Roses, Suede and My Bloody Valentine. There are genre mashups here that could work but don't quite. It's messy and not in an endearing way.
Overall: 3/10
The Incredible String Band
1/5
In a nutshell: medieval fair vibes.
As soon as I heard the jaw harp I knew this would be a difficult listen. And it was.
I think this is in the book due to the high profile artists it influenced, such as Robert Plant. Not much else.
Overall: 2/10
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Highlights: Sunday Morning, Run Run Run.
In a nutshell: deliberately freaking out the squares.
Overall: 6/10
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
In a nutshell: when session musicians make their own album...
The first time I heard Booker T. & The MG's was on The Sandlot, where Smalls and Benny's mates have a roast battle with the rival (ie cashed up) junior baseball team. Iconic.
I like an instrumental album, but there is a lack of variety on here. Specifically with the Hammond organ. Title track, brilliant. Some covers are okay.
Overall: 5/10
Jeff Buckley
3/5
Highlight: Last Goodbye
In a nutshell: the muse.
I have a big chip on my shoulder about Jeff Buckley. Talented, for sure. He created a thoughtful combination of folk, jazz and alt rock. It's an album that you instantly identify with the 90's. What spoils the experience of Grace for me is that:
(a) Jeff stretches songs longer than necessary. Key example: Hallelujah didn't need to be nearly 7 minutes. Cohen's original is 4:39. There is 90 seconds of unnecessary noodling on Buckley's version.
(b) Jeff's style spawned SO MANY imitators. Bad ones, at that.
I will go back to this album in a few months to see if I shake off this grudge I'm holding.
Overall: 5/10
Lana Del Rey
2/5
Highlight: Let Me Love You Like A Woman
In a nutshell: dreamy Americana.
I'm more familiar with Born To Die, which is more dream pop/trip hop Lana. She maintains the dreamy disillusioned lyrics, but when Lana sings she sounds a bit more like Taylor Swift than herself (specifically on White Dress, Dark But Just A Game and the title track). That sing-whisper instead of the throaty and sultry serenade. The world building game is still strong though.
This isn't the best representation of Lana. I recommend listening to Born to Die first then Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Overall: 4/10
Fred Neil
1/5
In a nutshell: moody folky blues.
Fred, are you okay ? Because your songs sound like you are a chronically depressed Donovan.
Introspective music is okay, but not this. Many songs could've been cut in half and it's lyrically disengaging.
Overall: 1/10
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Orbital
1/5
In a nutshell: more ambient techno.
I wonder if any Gen Xers who went to warehouse raves in the 90s are having flashbacks by listening to this.
Like Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works, it's meant to be background music. But that's where the comparison ends. Because it's not IDM. All I hear is random vocal samples with bleeps and bloops. Yes, it's not my thing.
Overall: 2/10
Saint Etienne
2/5
Highlights: Carnt Sleep, Girl VII, London Belongs to Me.
In a nutshell: poppy trip hop.
I like the 60s pop touches (especially in Spring) but I don't hear enough to set this album apart from other trip hop/alternative dance releases. Massive Attack released Blue Lines mere months before Foxbase Alpha. Sarah Cracknell's voice reminded me of Shara Nelson (who performed on Massive Attack's Safe From Harm), early Goldfrapp, maybe Isobel Campbell?
Cool band name, the music is very hit and miss for me.
Overall: 4/10
KISS
1/5
In a nutshell: trying to keep the party going.
I think Kiss is one of those bands that you can get away with listening to a "greatest hits" compilation or a live album. Once you’ve heard one Kiss song, you’ve got the gist of what others are like.
Overall: 1/10
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
In a nutshell: easy listening Americana.
Bonnie Raitt reminds me so much of Shania Twain. As to if it's a bad thing, who knows?
Didn't enjoy this album, but I didn't hate it.
Overall: 4/10
Digital Underground
1/5
In a nutshell: get your freak on.
Overall: 1/10
Boards of Canada
4/5
Highlights: Olson, Wildlife Analysis, An Eagle In Your Mind.
In a nutshell: a new era of IDM.
Why a new era? Compare this to Brian Eno's Ambient series and Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works Parts 1 and 2. This is evolution, friends. It's definitely a textured album. What I noticed on this listen was the loops are repurposed. Not recycled. Beats are built on or tweaked slightly to keep things sounding fresh. I admit that some tracks could have used some trimming to get to 4:30-5:00 minutes but electronica is more about vibe; letting the track take its course.
It doesn't surprise me to read that Boards of Canada cite My Bloody Valentine as an inspiration for the record too.
Overall: 7/10
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Highlights: Mirage, Helter Skelter, Suburban Relapse.
In a nutshell: inspiring goths and post-punk bands since 1978.
Siouxsie’s staccato and droning vocal affectations took a few tracks to warm up to. Once I reached Carcass, I was in. The drum beats and riffs hold my attention, kinda Wire inspired(?).
I can see why people were entranced by S&TB - enigmatic allure of Siouxsie Sioux, you can tap your feet or bop your head to the music.
What a debut.
Overall: 7/10
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
In a nutshell: that was then, this is now.
We know it's dated, cliched etc. Let's put those observations aside.
I doubt people heard anything like this on the radio or on MTV in 1984. This is nothing like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five or the maximalist monstrosity that is Duck Rock. This is simple, stripped back hip hop. It was the inspiration for hip hop and rap artists to come. The good and the bad.
I didn't like it, but i acknowledge it's the prototype of the genre.
Overall: 3/10
The xx
4/5
Highlights: Intro, VCR, Crystallised, Shelter, Infinity.
In a nutshell: haunting and low key sexy.
"...I've done things in small doses. So don't think that I'm pushing you away when you're the one that I've kept closest...go slow. Go slow."
Crystalised, The xx
A few months ago, I wrote in a review that if a guy brought me to his place and played D'Angelo, I'd make an excuse to leave. But if he put The xx's debut on, I would know he was trying to seduce me and I'd see where things would take us.
The album is full of soundtracked moments. For instance, Intro could be set to the moment when two awkward teens who are clearly attracted to each other make the brave decision to talk and they share a kiss. Shelter could be about your first summer fling. Infinity reminded me of a synth drum reimagining of Wicked Game.
Maybe this is all projection and it's a sign that I'm chronically deficient of love and sex in my life?
File this under: "evolution of electronica and benchmark of dream pop"
Overall: 7/10
Billy Bragg
4/5
Highlights: Ideology, Greetings to the New Brunette, Levi Stubbs' Tears.
"They must declare their interests but not their company cars. Is there more to a seat in parliament than sitting on your arse? And the best of all this bad bunch is shouting to be heard above the sound of ideologies clashing."
Ideology by Billy Bragg and Bob Dylan.
Honestly, I'd listen to Billy Bragg over Morrissey any day.
ANY. DAY.
Overall: 7/10
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Highlights: The Chain, Go Your Own Way, Don't Stop, Gold Dust Woman.
In a nutshell: an obscure breakup album...
...Which has sold over 40 million units worldwide since 1977 and streamed over 12 billion times on Spotify (as of 23/5/2025).
Wow.
Opening with Second Hand News was an odd choice. You're easing in rather than hooking people in with a banger. The hits still hit, the songs between are fine. Not a fan of Oh Daddy. Closing the album with Gold Dust Woman was the best choice. What a hidden gem.
Overall: 7/10
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
Highlights: Stars of Track and Field, Dylan In The Movies, If You're Feeling Sinister, Get Me Away From Here I'm Dying.
In a nutshell: standing on the outside looking in.
Belle and Sebastian IS NOT sad bastard music.
If anything, Belle and Sebastian songs are wide ranging. They're introspective. Low key horny. Joyful. Obliquely spiritual. Relatable. They capture the disconnection between reality and own reality. The universe they craft is part La Nouvelle Vague fever dream part 60s tele-drama.
The lyrics- especially from the Belle’s early albums- resonated with people who in some way has been isolated from everyday life and observing from afar. Stuart (Murdoch) wrote these songs during his late teens and throughout his twenties during a long M.E. (ie Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) flare up. Stuart didn't have the physical energy to do things that other people his age did- travelling, dating, full time uni, having a job, etc. So all he could do is stay at home until his body was ready to face the world again.
So, what do I have to say about “If You're Feeling Sinister”?
It's good. The sound quality is better here compared to Tigermilk. The album could do without The Boy Done Wrong Again. I am convinced that the piano in Seeing Other People (which is either played by Stuart or Chris) is a nod to Peanuts. Sarah's violin and recorder does sound harsh at times but I assure you she gets better on subsequent albums.
Belle and Sebastian isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but there are people out there who like S&M and Bible studies too.
Overall: 7/10
Frank Zappa
4/5
Highlights: Peaches en Regalia, Son of Mr Green Genes
In a nutshell: hot jams
This goes down smoothly compared to the Mothers of Invention album "We're Only In It For The Money" I had a few weeks ago. More prog blues and jazz fusion tunes than avant garde rock here.
Also, Frank looks like a stoned clown peering out of the empty pool on the album cover. And if you go to the official YouTube playlist, some tracks have this creep playing peekaboo to the music.
Overall: 7/10
Peter Frampton
1/5
In a nutshell: Boomer bait.
Early Boomers would go weak at the knees for this Peter Frampton album. As a Millennial who only knows of Peter Frampton from The Simpsons episode Homerpalooza, my response is "meh".
The book entry by Tim Jones says that it "epitomizes post-Vietnam escapist sunshine rock". There was a post-Vietnam malaise, sure but sunshine rock? It's more soft rock mixed with prog and psych rock wankery. It's because of Frampton and others of his ilk (*cough* Eagles) we have classic rock radio fodder.
I mean, the crowd clearly loved it. They were hooked by a "talking guitar" and a veiled rip off of "Listen to the Music". Sold 16 million albums. Technically very good as I can't hear many overdubs. But it's not powerful or charismatic like other live albums on the list.
Overall: 1/10
Cat Stevens
3/5
Highlights: Sad Lisa, Miles From Nowhere.
In a nutshell: the folk storyteller.
Yusuf Islam suffers the same affliction as Randy Newman and Leonard Cohen- brilliant songwriter, limited vocal range that can be disengaging. There is some variety to the compositions though.
Overall: 5/10
Venom
1/5
In a nutshell: the genre had to start somewhere (shoulder shrug)
Can definitely hear the Motörhead influence. Is it me or does the frontman (Conrad) sound like Otto from The Simpsons?
Overall: 2/10
Billy Bragg
2/5
On my first listen (about two years ago at time of typing), I felt that the album's concept was a good idea on paper which falls flat with its execution. Today- a week after pulling Billy Bragg's Talking to the Taxman About Poetry (solid folk punk album by the way)- I return to Mermaid Avenue.
My second listen: it's fine. Opinion stars the same. I like Wilco. I appreciate Woodie Guthrie and Billy Bragg. All three write great music separately.
Overall: 4/10
Michael Jackson
4/5
Highlights: Billie Jean, Thriller, Human Nature.
In a nutshell: a synthpop/post disco guilty pleasure
“I told Michael that we needed a black rock 'n' roll tune — a black 'My Sharona' — and a begging tune for the album… [Michael] came back with 'Beat It' and Rod [Temperton] came back with 'The Lady in My Life.' Rod also brought in 'Thriller' and Michael sang his heart out on it. At one point during the session the right speaker burst into flames, which none of us had ever seen before. How's that for a sign?"
Quincy Jones, “Quincy Jones blogs about working with Michael Jackson” by Eric Ditzian (MTV.com published 30/6/2009)
Michael has decent songwriting prowess here and powerful vocals, but the bulk of the praise has to go to co-producer Quincy Jones. An in-studio genius.
Overall: 7/10
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
Highlights: Shalimar (Title theme), Countess’ Caper, Naag Devta, Hum Bewafa Hargiz Na Thay (Happy).
In a nutshell: a groovy official soundtrack.
Part funk, part mod rock, part classical folk, part fruit salad of sounds for this (checks Wikipedia) bilingual Bollywood survival-of-the-fittest jewel heist movie. Cool!
Watching the film or at least looking up the plot/reviews is recommended AND the translations of the song titles for context. This is the early era of Hindi cinema (Bollywood et al). Also, Rahul Dev Burman has soundtracked over 300 films. That deserves acknowledgment in this book. Any artist who uses samples in their music would have a field day here!
Overall: 6/10
Suicide
2/5
Highlight: Johnny
In a nutshell: synth punk performance art.
"Suicide was never supposed to be entertainment" Alan Vega.
Touche, Alan.
Overall: 3/10
Miles Davis
4/5
In a nutshell: electrified.
Jazz critics: what the hell is this? This isn't jazz! There's no electric instruments in jazz!
Rock music critics: It's not jazz, but it's not quite rock, but I think I dig it.
Steely Dan: hold our drinks.
Me: Miles and his band went electric? Let's see what it's like...
*40 minutes later* okay, I'm sold.
The boundary pushing, genre shaping, artist defining albums is what I'm here for. This is a masterpiece, a classic for sure. I rarely say 'the other c word' in reviews, but this is warranted.
Overall: 8/10
The Byrds
1/5
In a nutshell: Gram Parsons hijacks The Byrds.
I get why this is in the book- it's the progenitor of country rock. But it's boring. It didn't captivate me like Wilco, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton did.
Overall: 2/10
Jungle Brothers
2/5
Highlight: Feelin' Alright
In a nutshell: the shape of hip hop to come.
Compare the pair- RUN DMC's self titled 1984 album to this 1989 release by The Jungle Brothers. Evolution. Based on album entries in the book, hip hop was morphing. 3 Feet High and Rising (De La Soul), All Hail The Queen (Queen Latifah) and Paul's Boutique by Beastie Boys were released in the same year!
I didn't mind it. I can see why it's important. Give it a spin if you're curious about "Golden Age hip hop".
Overall: 4/10
The Birthday Party
2/5
Highlights: The Dim Locator, Several Sins.
In a nutshell: sowing The Bad Seeds
Raw and unhinged punk-blues. Venomous and demonic. I'm thankful Nick Cave and Rowland S. Howard refined this music style after the band's break-up and by forming The Bad Seeds. Learning some compositional restraint helped too.
If you liked Nick Cave when he went in hard on Murder Ballads (ie Stagger Lee and The Curse of Millhaven), you might like this.
Overall: 3/10
U2
2/5
In a nutshell: gear change.
Ahh yes. U2. A divisive band in rock music culture. To me, their early work is trying to be sincere but it comes off as self-righteous. Great guitar chops. Bono’s songwriting ranges from great to downright embarrassing.
Achtung Baby is indeed a departure. Especially compared to Rattle and Hum. I think Brian Eno coming on board as co producer helped. Still heavily thematic (this time the reunification of Germany, cheers Wikipedia).
The album got me thinking about the art of deciding the singles. For U2, went with the everyday sandwich approach: the bread is plain, the filling is satisfying. Personally I would have led with Mysterious Ways and dropped The Fly altogether.
Overall: 4/10
Stan Getz
2/5
In a nutshell: kicking off a craze.
Thought I'd like this because I liked Getz's collaboration with João Gilberto (Getz/Gilberto). I just thought it was just okay. But it would be an adequate entry point for the genre.
Overall: 4/10
Pulp
4/5
Highlights: Mis-Shapes, Common People, I Spy, Sorted For E's and Wizz.
In a nutshell: nice one, geezer.
Cheeky, sexy, creepy, danceable and quotable. Everything you need and want from a pop album.
Perhaps Jarvis was right all along- Pulp isn’t Britpop. Pulp is pop music that sounds different from the rest.
Overall: 8/10
Mike Ladd
1/5
I get where Mike was going sonically- abstract, spoken word, hip-hop soundscapes. The execution sounded disjointed and amateurish to me. Where is the flow?
Overall: 1/10
Tim Buckley
2/5
In a nutshell: pensive folk jazz
Like father, like son.
Reminds me of Nick Drake, John Cale and Todd Rundgren, but with long-winded compositions.
Overall: 3/10
The Beach Boys
5/5
Highlights: God Only Knows, Let's Go Away for Awhile, Sloop John B, Wouldn't It Be Nice, Pet Sounds.
In a nutshell: the definitive Beach Boys.
"It's been said that, although hardly anyone bought the Velvet Underground's records, those who did ended up being inspired to start their own bands. In the case of the Beach Boys' 1966 opus Pet Sounds, it's likely that each of its 13 songs inspired its own subset of pop offspring [...]"
Jeff Straton, Broward Palm Beach New Times, October 26th 2000 "Bandwidth- Pet Sounds".
Asking The Wrecking Crew and the Sid Sharp Strings to be the backing band = genius. Ethereal and spine tingling harmonies. Brian and Mike with Carl and Bruce writing the songs.
Apart from the clown bicycle horn on You Still Believe In Me (unnecessary and childish inclusion), this album is close to perfect.
Overall: 9/10
Iron Butterfly
1/5
In a nutshell: ridiculous acid rock.
Just listen to the radio edit of the title track. If you are prepared to listen to the original 17 minutes and 5 seconds of the title track, be my guest. The rest is forgettable.
Overall: 1/10
Tangerine Dream
2/5
In a nutshell: komische musik to soundtrack an alien kidnapping.
Overall: 4/10
Fugees
2/5
Highlights: Killing Me Softly With His Song, Zealots.
In a nutshell: the music that the refugee bring
The Score has all the things I like and dislike about hip-hop. I like the sample use and the vocal acrobatics by Lauryn (pardon me, Ms Lauryn Hill). Dislike the tracks that stretch over 4 minutes, skits and intro/outro monologues.
I think you can get away with listening to Zealots and Ready or Not instead of the whole album. Then if you like what you hear, keep going.
Overall: 4/10
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Highlights: Going Up, Villiers Terrace.
In a nutshell: jangly emo post-punk
Note: the UK LP has ten songs and the US LP edition has twelve songs. Your experience may vary. I listened to the US LP.
As a debut, it's good. Is it distinctive compared to their peers also appearing in the book (The Cure, S&TB, etc)? Not really. Worth a listen though.
Overall: 7/10
The Style Council
3/5
Highlights: Mick’s Blessing, Head Start for Happiness, Dropping Bombs On The White House.
In a nutshell: “it’s been done”
Note: The Wikipedia page is misleading. Cafe Blue is a mix of genres- blue eyed soul, soft jazz, pop *and* sophisti-pop.
Could this be a supergroup instead of a collab, as The Style Council are members of The Jam and Dexy’s? There are some nice pieces but it doesn’t feel cohesive and it’s confusing. Pretty sure I heard some Chet Baker and Elvis Costello influences on here. Definitely Dexy’s with Mick Talbot on board.
I wonder how many times The Style Council has featured in movies…
Overall: 5/10
Jamiroquai
2/5
In a nutshell: enter space cowboy.
Monumental in exposing acid jazz to the masses. Okay as a debut. Personally I would have put Travelling Without Moving in the book instead as it refined Jamiroquai's style.
Overall: 4/10
Duran Duran
3/5
Highlights: Rio, Hungry Like The Wolf, Hold Back The Rain.
In a nutshell: 100% 80s.
Compared to other synth-pop/new wave floor filler albums of that time, Duran Duran’s Rio holds up. I feel oddly nostalgic while listening to it, even though I wasn't around in the early eighties.
Overall: 5/10
The Vines
2/5
In a nutshell: lightning in a bottle.
Highly Evolved is likeable garage rock. I remember buying the CD when it came out and loved the droning swampiness of the guitar.
It's only in the book because the UK press gushed over it just as The Strokes and The Hives were taking off. It reached platinum in Australia and won an ARIA…
But speaking as an Aussie elder millennial who straddled the airwaves of youth radio and commercial radio for decades, I don’t believe this is the best example of indie rock from that era. Many Australian music aficionados wouldn't rate this in their top 10 Australian rock albums from the 2000’s.
Instead of listening to Highly Evolved, I encourage you to find albums by artists that gave The Vines a leg up: You Am I (Hi Fi Way and Hourly Daily), The Living End (self titled) and Grinspoon (Guide to Better Living and New Detention).
Overall: 3/10
Public Enemy
3/5
Highlight: Louder Than A Bomb
In a nutshell : “yeah boiiii!”
I’ll echo what other reviewers have said. What is cliched now was original and earth shaking at time of release. In context to the list, it’s an improvement on the albums by RUN DMC and Grandmaster Flash. Also, N.W.A. Released Straight Outta Compton the following year so this would be a watermark.
Overall: 5/10
Drive-By Truckers
1/5
In a nutshell: charmless alt country
The Drive-By Truckers sound like an in house country band made up of Steve Earle, Don Henley and Kid Rock wannabes who idolise Lynyrd Skynyrd. The singers have a distinctive twang, trying hard to act like cool and worldly. This is the kind of country I fiercely dislike (I prefer the humble and heartfelt approach).
What is worth noting is that this could be the earliest example of a Crowdfunded album (from Wikipedia): "The album was financed by issuing promissory notes in exchange for loans from fans, family and friends of the band (Citation needed)." Props for going the non traditional route there fellas.
Overall: 1/10
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
“[it] came to be regarded by many rock critics as a classic of the psychedelic era.” (Source: Wikipedia)
How? How? I don’t understand how this folk/country/rock malange is a classic. It sounds like it lacks collaboration, that the members worked separately then only came together to record. The track list doesn’t have a natural flow to it either.
Overall: 3/10
Black Flag
3/5
Highlight: Rise Above.
In a nutshell: snarl, shout, destroy.
I was expecting Damaged to be punchy and angry (it is), but it was also... emo(?)
Decent hardcore punk album.
Overall: 6/10
Fiona Apple
4/5
Highlights: Sleep To Dream, Shadowboxer, Slow Like Honey, Never Is A Promise
In a nutshell: “I’ve got my own hell to raise”
The comparisons to Tori Amos and Alanis Morrisette are fair but Fiona holds her own on Tidal. Self-penned songs, skilled piano, alternative orchestral pop meets jazz. It was great to revisit this album.
Overall: 7/10
The Byrds
3/5
Highlight: I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better.
In a nutshell: the American band that challenged the Brits.
A checklist for inventing a new genre in the 60’s:
✅ adapt the British Invasion sound (think early Beatles or Gerry and the Pacemakers without the orchestra)
✅ The Wrecking Crew
✅ Dylan covers
✅ harmonies
✅ jangly guitar
Result? Folk rock. The genre popularised by The Byrds.
A little formulaic at times, but still good.
Overall: 6/10
The Saints
4/5
Highlights: Know Your Product, Lost and Found, No Your Product, Orstralia
In a nutshell: fun punk rock.
When asked on r/1001AlbumGenerator how Australians learned about The Saints, one user said: "Maybe it's an age thing, but that [is] similar to asking how you learnt about INXS, AC/DC, Jimmy Barnes etc. You didn't learn about them, they just were..."
The Saints were one of a handful of 70s bands that fostered generations of Aussie musicians. Too many to name. What some may not know, they can safely lay claim for recording the first punk rock song- (I'm) Stranded- after the Ramones released their eponymous debut.
To quote our mate Molly Meldrum, "do yourselves a favour..."
Overall: 7/10
Lambchop
1/5
In a nutshell: an acquired taste
The only way I can describe this album is part Wilco, part Elbow. Combining these sounds was catnip to the UK press. For me, I like these artists separately. Nixon isn’t my thing, but I give the band some praise for ingenuity.
Overall: 2/10
Missy Elliott
2/5
In a nutshell: flip it and and reverse it.
Hi Missy.
Clear something up for me please- why you gotta say "this is a Missy Elliott exclusive" on most tracks? I get why hip hop artists name drop on tracks, it's part necessity and part tradition. But I'm twitching over the grammar- a track ain't an exclusive when *everyone* has access to the track. Saying your name is enough.
It sounds like I'm hating. I apologise if it sounds like I am. I'm still struggling to ditch my hang ups about hip hop. You worked hard to get where you are too, so I hafta cut you a lot of slack. I found bits that I liked on this album. Your flow is great, I appreciated the sex positive lyrics (specifically Pussycat) and I like some of the loops you used.
Be mindful of grammar, k?
Thanks
Overall: 4/10
Brian Eno
4/5
In a nutshell: music for airports, savasana and insomnia.
Overall: 7/10
Randy Newman
2/5
In a nutshell: a spoonful of sugar...
Randy used the same schtick as Sail Away: predictable orchestra and piano compositions. The satirical social commentary remains, and it gave me a lot to think about.
Now, here's my two cents on the opening track, Rednecks. It was uncomfortable to hear and read the lyrics. I also understand the point Newman was making- he was pointing out institutionalised racism while mocking a racist bigot. Could Randy have written the song differently (ie without using racial slurs)? Yes. He didn't, because a racist redneck like the one in the song is unlikely to use other words to describe the people they loathe. As to if Randy himself has said the n-word outside of lyrical context, who knows?
Does it make it right for a white person to use a racial slur, regardless of context? I still don't know. It's a complicated argument. If it sounds like I'm defending the use of racist slurs, it is not my intention. I don't use the n-word. It is not a word for me to say.
Newman's song Rednecks wasn't the last time a racial slur was sung by a white person in music. Elvis Costello used the n-word in Oliver's Army (Armed Forces, 1979). In other media, the creators of South Park approached the use of the n-word in "With Apologies To Jesse Jackson" (S11 E1).
As for the album as a whole, I don't connect with albums that stick to the cut copy music formula (Leonard Cohen is another offender). Sorry Randy.
Overall: 3/10
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4/5
Highlights: Ferry, War, Relax, Two Tribes, San Jose.
In a nutshell: take it all in.
Maximalist and cheeky synthpop. With Trevor Horn, Anne Dudley and J J Jeczalik helping record, this was destined to be a hit.
Overall: 7/10
Talking Heads
4/5
Highlights: Born Under Punches, The Great Curve, Once In A Lifetime.
In a nutshell: how did we get here?
The signs of a sonic transition appeared on Fear of Music. On this album, the metamorphosis is complete. We get the familiar (new wave and art rock) and the new (worldbeat, afro-funk and more). And I love it. I can't put my finger on why, I just do.
If you liked Remain In Light, you might like Tina and Chris's side project Tom Tom Club too.
Overall: 8/10
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
Safe As Milk or Trout Mask Replica?
I’d pick Safe As Milk. Shorter and more accessible. This album has the backbone of garage rock/blues rock/rhythm and blues and it’s fleshed out with psychedelia and avant-grade weirdness.
Not my thing, can see why it’s in the book.
Overall: 5/10
R.E.M.
3/5
Highlights: Pop Song 89, World Leader Pretend.
In a nutshell: from college radio to adult radio.
It feels different compared to Murmur and a little different to Document. Less jangly. It’s alright. Production is an improvement compared to Murmur. The riff from I Remember California reminds me of The Bends era Radiohead (ie My Iron Lung).
What's interesting to note is Discogs labelled this album as “AOR” (ie Adult Orientated Rock). In terms of the book, this could be an example of an artist “aging out” of a market (industry concept, not mine). They started their career in the college radio rotation, now they’re playing on commercial radio. Sellout move? Maybe?
Overall: 5/10
Ghostface Killah
3/5
Highlights: The Champ, 9 Milli Brothers, Kilo.
In a nutshell: the gathering of the rap tsars.
"We got a history, full of lightning victories/
Conceptual breakthrough/ it ain't no mystery/ Long vision, from giants in every way/ Rap czars, magnificent flows for every day/ From the east to the ville, from the west to the hills/Incredible rhymes, encouraging skill..."
GZA, 9 Milli Bros
Impressive rhymes and storytelling, expert flow, good use of samples...but there are skits, ugggggghhhh 🙄 At a staggering 64:01, it is a lot to take in for hip hop learners like me.
Fellow Wu-Tang Clan mates GZA, SZA, Raekwon and Method Man have their own albums on the list too, so as to some or all are essential remains to be seen.
Overall: 5/10
Frank Black
2/5
In a nutshell: thoroughly unremarkable.
This is more of a sidestep from Frank's work with the Pixies than a leap forward. Not a unique sound. The first word that came to mind was Morrissey for some reason. Points for short songs, but should have kept the album under 40 minutes.
Overall: 3/10
Overall: 3/10
Meat Loaf
3/5
In a nutshell: full throttle rock.
Theatrical. Excessive. Iconic in the eyes of many. Always played loud. Props to the backing band.
I still feel icky after listening to I Can See Paradise By The Dashboard Light for some reason.
Overall: 6/10
Beatles
2/5
In a nutshell: the beginning of the invasion.
The Beatles, love them or loathe them, are part of popular music cannon. These four charming lads took the world by storm mere weeks after this album was released. Their influences/inspirations are on show here- The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, blues standards, Motown...
But it's not great. Some of the covers are weak, despite the energetic input. The OG songs are lyrically clumsy in parts. We know John and Paul get better. I think you can skip this and go straight to A Hard Day's Night.
Overall: 4/10
Underworld
2/5
In a nutshell: instant 90’s rave music.
The same duo who brought you the iconic closing track to Trainspotting- “Born Slippy .NUXX” (which only appears on the reissues).
It’s kinda like interval training but for electronic music. You have the techno/breakbeat stages to dance to then you have the ambient/downtempo stages to cool down to.
Overall: 4/10
Hot Chip
2/5
Highlight: Flutes
In a nutshell: Copy-paste
Gotta hand it to Hot Chip for being sonically consistent on here. But it is lacking something that earlier albums like One Life Stand and The Warning had. What’s the word…Magnetism? Rizz? Allure?
Overall: 3/10
Serge Gainsbourg
3/5
In a nutshell: the Lolita album.
How come can one describe Serge Gainsbourg and his work to a new listener? Let’s see… Subversive. Hypnotic. An enigma. Creepy. Horny. Constantly evolving. Creative. Witty. Lost in translation. Confusing. “Oh no, he went there”. “Wait, did he just…?” Insouciant. Questionable. An absolute dick.
The History of Melody Nelson is a concept album about an older man falling in love with a 14 (or is it 15?) year old female after his Rolls-Royce hit her bicycle.
My first thought: Lolita. This is a Lolita situation.
Then I thought: "wait. French New Wave films are known to push the envelope (hell, even Jules et Jim was about a throuple). Maybe music from that era is the same. Perhaps relationship norms are different in France? Could I be missing some context here?” I'm not French. I don't know what the cultural norms of sex and relationships in France, nor the laws associated with it. So I looked it up. The age of consent in France is 15 for heterosexual people and has been since 1945. Today I learned.
Melody is about to turn 15 in this story ("14 springs, 15 summers" Serge croons). There are no lyrics indicating forced coercion. I didn't pick up any signs of grooming in the lyrics either. The songs imply that Melody's feelings are mutual and in "L'Hôtel particulier", the sex was enthusiastically consensual. So despite the ick factor, it's legal in France for an adult to have a relationship with someone who is 15 years old or is about to turn 15.
This also raises the argument of if Serge is playing a character or not. I think he is playing a character and is running with it.
Does that make me a pedophile apologist? No. I felt the need to educate myself first before making a conclusion. What is considered illegal in my country is fair dues in another culture. And music is art. I had to see if I could separate the art from the artist. Even if the concept feels ick.
Also, if Melody Nelson wasn't recorded by a French artist, this might be an interpreted differently. I mean, how would this go down if Melody Nelson was covered by Jarvis Cocker or written by artists like Nick Cave? Serge’s music influenced so many musicians, even if the content to most ears is questionable.
As for the music, I dig it. Funk guitar, choir, strings. Great combo. This combination will pop up repeatedly throughout the generator project.
Overall: 5/10
Kid Rock
1/5
In a nutshell: the adventures of the "redneck pimp daddy"
Kid Rock insisted that this album is not nu-metal. Bruh, IT IS! I noticed the RUN-DMC style rap rock and country touches, but come on. It's nu-metal too. Seedy and try-hard at that.
I think it's in the book because it sold 14 million units and the album was a mix of genres that somehow worked.
It has its fans. It's not for me.
Overall: 1/10 (a point for enthusiasm and commitment)
3/5
In a nutshell: sticking to their lane, and having fun while doing it.
Overall: 6/10
Air
4/5
Highlights: Bathroom Girl, Highschool Lover.
In a nutshell: growing pains.
Doctor: What are you doing here, honey? You're not even old enough to know how bad life gets.
Cecilia: Obviously, Doctor, you've never been a 13-year-old girl.
In mid 1970s Michigan, Cecilia Lisbon attempts suicide. No-one knows why. The mostly reclusive Lisbon family- specifically the five Lisbon sisters- is the fixation of four teen boys, intrigued by the five sisters they only see in school. Based on the book by Jeffrey Eugenides and the film by Sofia Coppola, this is The Virgin Suicides.
Air portray this mystique with haunting beauty and their trademark atmospheric soundscapes. Perfectly capturing the vibe portrayed by Coppola.
As a standalone album, it's a good downtempo meets ambient score. It's what you'd expect from Air. As a warning, the last track is a spoiler for the movie overall. I recommend watching the film or reading the book first to appreciate the soundtrack more and to avoid said spoiler.
Overall: 7/10
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Initial reaction: oh gawd, more prog?!!! 😩🙄
(Finishes album): that was disappointing.
Transforming Romanticist classical compositions into symphonic prog was going to be a challenge. I give ELP points for enthusiasm. It needed more umph to make it more engaging.
Skip this unless you’re *really* into prog rock.
Overall: 2/10
Black Sabbath
3/5
Highlight: The Wizard.
In a nutshell: the founding fathers of heavy metal.
No-one heard anything like *this* in 1970.
We can all agree that rock music and metal WOULD NOT be the same if Black Sabbath didn't exist. On this self titled debut, I could hear a little blues rock and hard rock as well as the roots of metal on here. The dark and unsettling vibes were established from the get-go.
I'm thankful that Black Sabbath got to perform one last time in their hometown of Birmingham a few weeks ago. Perhaps Ozzy knew his time on earth was nearly up and wanted one last show to thank his fans and the band. Just like when David Bowie released Blackstar shortly before his passing.
Rest in peace Ozzy.
Overall: 5/10
Van Halen
3/5
In a nutshell: synth rock with swagger.
Overall: 5/10
M.I.A.
1/5
In a nutshell: ambitious and haphazard passion project number 1.
Overall: 1/10
Mudhoney
3/5
Highlights: Chain That Door, In 'n' Out of Grace.
In a nutshell: the EP that changed it all.
Mudhoney guitarist Steve Turner considers this EP to be a studio album. Music writers and critics would argue that this is an early- not if THE FIRST- grunge album. So I'm still going to review it like an LP.
I was anticipating Dinosaur Jr loud. Yep. Was expecting Sonic Youth distortion. Sometimes (Daydream Nation was recorded and released at the same time as SFBM). Loud-quiet-loud made famous by Pixies. Uh-huh. But it's different.
This was a first time listen for me. SFBM has a unique intensity and a sound which was fine tuned and diluted after its release. If you love noise rock and grunge but haven't listened to a note of Mudhoney, stop and change that. For other listeners, go in with an open mind. SFBM is the roots of grunge and it showed the world a new way to use guitar effects pedals.
Overall: 6/10
Slint
2/5
In a nutshell: emo post-rock.
Nice guitar loops and riffs. Brian's mostly spoken word delivery is creepy. It was more of a bummer to listen to rather than an introspective experience.
Personally, I'd recommend Mclusky and other bands over Slint as an introduction to post-rock. But other notable post rock musicians have sung Slint's praises (members of Mogwai, Pavement, Sebadoh to name a few).
Overall: 4/10
The White Stripes
3/5
Highlights: Fell In Love With A Girl, I Think I Smell A Rat, Hotel Yorba.
In a nutshell: back to basics.
A little blues guitar with good ol' rock. Some songs are serviceable, the hits indeed hit. The White Stripes were of many bands who lead the way with the 2000's garage rock revival. Remember that.
Overall: 6/10
Sparks
3/5
Highlights: This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both of Us, Amateur Hour, Talent Is An Asset.
In a nutshell: kimono over/come on-a over.
It’s glam rock but with better songwriting.
Try to give this two listens. First round: take in the music (if Russell’s falsetto annoys you, hang in there. The band is great, especially the bass and drums). Round two: read the lyrics as you go along. They have a warped sense of humour that can be indistinguishable with the vocals. It should click after a few goes.
The list of artists who were inspired by the Mael brothers justifies this album’s place in the book: from They Might Be Giants to Johnny Marr. You can hear the beginnings of new wave and future genres like indie pop here.
Still unconvinced? Watch The Sparks Brothers, a documentary directed by Edgar Wright. Then we can chat about it over a cuppa.
Overall: 6/10
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
Highlight: Bubble and Slide.
In a nutshell: "empty dancehall"
According to Sean Cooper of All Music Review, this is “the first techno concept album”. I’m confused how one creates a techno concept album as the genre is predominantly sans vocals. Plunderphonics, yes. But techno?
It helps to have good headphones while listening. Personally the loops, bleeps and bloops took longer than necessary to build up tension or lead somewhere. To me, it sounds like a CD the trio sent to the Wachowski’s for consideration for the first Matrix soundtrack. And was rejected.
If someone can explain to me why this is important to the genre beyond making it to a NME’s Best Album of 1994 list, I’m all ears.
Overall: 2/10
Tom Waits
1/5
In a nutshell: you only get one chance for a second impression.
Good thing I listened to Nighthawks at the Diner beforehand. It gave me an idea of how Tom's style has evolved. Which it has.
The sound is definitely avant garde blues. The mixing decisions are atypical. Vocals are pushed back most of the time, reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen and Frank Zappa (a bit of range this time, bravo!!). The percussion is louder on some tracks (is this what's called "mixed forward"? I hope I'm getting the terminology right?). Sometimes his arrangements lulled me to sleep. Why do you have that power over me, Tom. How???
Definitely not my thing. I won't go back to it in a hurry. But this album reinforced something to me- Tom Waits is one strange cat.
Overall: 2/10
Jeru The Damaja
1/5
In a nutshell: mid-hop
Overall: 2/10
Deee-Lite
1/5
Highlight: Groove Is In The Heart
The lead single is great (which I discovered on the Charlie's Angels soundtrack when I was a teen. Forever a bop). It's *made* for the dance floor. The remaining tracks are forgettable.
It's better suited for the 1001 Songs list.
Overall: 1/10
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
Highlights: Back Home, The Bottle, H20gate Blues.
In a nutshell: poetry with power.
Gil Scott-Heron succeeded here where early Leonard Cohen failed: (a) variety and (b) purpose. Gil presents social commentary with a backing band, said band made up of organ, flute and simple percussion switch up the tempo on each song. As for Cohen, well, just don’t get me started on the Jaw harp again.
This is an important recording, as is Scott-Heron's album “Pieces of a Man (featuring the hit track “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”). The sentiment of H20 Gate Blues alone is as relevant now than what is was in 1974.
Overall: 7/10
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Highlights: Sir Duke, Love’s In Need of Love Today, I Wish, As.
In a nutshell: a culmination of greatness.
I am generally adverse to double albums, because they’re fraught with filler. Stevie and the band start strong, get wobbly on Side B and Side C and finish strong on Side D with "As" and "Another Star". A lot of jamming to fill out the side length...
But that is the only criticism I have. SITKOL is a legacy album and its influence spreads far and wide.
Overall: 7/10
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Highlights: Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, You Don't Have to Cry, Wooden Ships.
In a nutshell: where it all began.
Soft and melodic folk, rock and blues. I got lost in the guitar solos a few times (top notch work there).
Overall: 5/10
Garbage
3/5
Highlights: Stupid Girl, Queer, I'm Only Happy When It Rains.
In a nutshell: "I know it's good for you"
My introduction to Garbage was #1 Crush, via the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack- the OST many 90s teens worshipped.
Over 30 years on, Garbage still resonates, and still rocks.
Overall: 6/10
Mekons
1/5
Adam Sweeting from The Guardian writes in his 2004 review of the Mekon’s Best Of album release:
‘Fear & Whiskey first appeared in 1985, its ragged folk-country sound drawing inspiration from America but informed by the horrors of the miners' strike. It earned the band the tag "the godfathers of alt-country"’
Godfathers of alt-country? Nuh-uh.
Alternative country pre 1985 is more in the vein of the Jayhawks, Gram Parsons and Townes Van Zandt (from the late 1980’s onwards- Uncle Tupelo, Wilco and Lucinda Williams). Just because you add a fiddle, slide guitar and harmonica to your punk band doesn’t mean you transform into an alt country band! 🙄
There is a lack of cohesion on this album I can’t even begin to elaborate on. It made me irrationally angry.
Overall: 1/10
Korn
2/5
In a nutshell: oh, it's on alright.
It was very hard to not compare Jonathan's vocals to Trent Reznor. All in all, I agree with critics - it's a landmark nu metal album.
Overall: 4/10
Bee Gees
1/5
In a nutshell: ambitious but rubbish.
Odessa is an example of a failed attempt at a concept album. It's meandering, whiny, melodramatic "so this is a story about..." set of songs with a bleating sheep on lead vocals.
Overall: 1/10
Bauhaus
2/5
In a nutshell: your Halloween warm up album.
Are there too many 80s albums with goth vibes on here? Perhaps. But this one is different. It's more experimental in my opinion.
Overall: 3/10
The Killers
2/5
Highlight: Smile Like You Mean It, Mr Brightside.
In a nutshell: the Achtung Baby of the new millennium.
Over twenty years on, Hot Fuss is still poppy and bombastic. Also, a let down. There is so much filler surrounding two (maybe three) tracks! Mr Brightside still resonates, as does Somebody Told Me (despite both being overplayed at sport matches worldwide. I can do without the latter). The Killers also remind me of early Muse and The Strokes for some reason.
Overall: 4/10
Prince
1/5
In a nutshell: let's go crazy.
Prince tries too hard to be cool here. His lyrics combine social commentary, despair and wild libido. The music is what you would expect from him- rock with R&B, soul and gospel stylings, Fairlight CMI, drum machines, etc... Which makes this boring.
Perhaps Prince isn't for me.
Overall: 2/10
MC Solaar
4/5
Highlights: A temps partial, La musique adoucit les mœur
In a nutshell: flow is universal.
A YouTube user (shout out to thug2ryde) posted the in the comments "flow has no language". They're right. So as long as you get the technique right, hip hop can still resonate even if you don't understand French, Polish, English, whatever language it is.
Overall: 7/10
Ian Dury
1/5
In a nutshell: Britain's guilty pleasure
I really don't know what else to say about this album. I'm literally flabbergasted and exhausted by it.
Overall: 1/10
Portishead
4/5
In a nutshell: trip hop noir.
One of the best debut albums of the 90s.
A reviewer from NME mentioned "post-ambient" which checks out. It emits an enigmatic coolness without trying hard. In my opinion, a level up from their peers Massive Attack. Trip hop is one of those genres where you need to be in the mood for, so I can understand why it has detractors.
If you dig this, listen to Roseland NYC Live. Portishead added a ten piece orchestral ensemble to the mix. Compared to Metallica's S&M, the ensemble and the Bristol trio bounce off each other. They compliment rather than being "the backing band".
Overall: 8/10
Klaxons
2/5
Highlight: Two Receivers
In a nutshell: E N E R G Y
The band must have a lot of pent up creative energy before heading into the recording studio, cos it shows on this album. Kinda early Arctic Monkeys tried indie synth pop.
Overall: 4/10
Lenny Kravitz
1/5
In a nutshell: foreplay music for a movie
It’s as if Lenny is a mix of Prince and Sly Stone. The funk/soul stylings, a sensual voice (for the most part), multi-instrumentation. Speaking of, I find it amusing that the Personnel entry on the album’s Wikipedia page lists Lenny’s credits as “lead and backing vocals, all other instruments.” All other instruments. Good for you.
Overall: 2/10
Eric Clapton
1/5
In a nutshell: limp blues rock.
Blues standards can be covered respectfully and charismatically. Eric Clapton DOES NOTHING OF THE SORT on this album.
Overall: 2/10
Public Enemy
2/5
Highlight: Nighttrain, Can’t Truss It.
In a nutshell: fight the power
It didn't do anything for me compared to "It Takes A Nation of Millions..." but it maintains the quality one would expect from Public Enemy- some good loops, scathing political commentary, etc.
Overall: 3/10
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Highlights: Sledgehammer, Big Time, In Your Eyes.
In a nutshell: "this will be my testimony"
Out of all the albums Gabriel has released in his life, “So” is the one that he will be remembered for. Not just for the music videos. It’s progressive yet accessible. Art pop with soul.
Like Talking Heads before him, Gabriel embraced world-beat but in a way that didn’t misappropriate the sounds. To quote Jon Pareles of The New York Times "[he] doesn't just add on African drums or Indian violin to ordinary songs; they are part of the foundation."
Innovative at time of release; a legacy recording for today.
Overall: 7/10
Janet Jackson
3/5
Highlights: Miss You Much, Rhythm Nation.
In a nutshell: "it's time to give a damn"
I can't believe this was released in 1989! It has such an early nineties sound- that R&B infused pop. The title track is punchy and a call to arms. Livin' A World (They Didn't Make) could've been covered by Stevie Wonder. So heartfelt yet ends tragically.
Kinda odd that Janet or The Velvet Rope isn't in the book either. Someone rectify this by adding both or either on the user list please and thank you.
Overall: 5/10
Soundgarden
4/5
Highlights: Let Me Down, Superunknown, Head Down, The Day I Tried To Live, Black Hole Sun, Kickstand.
In a nutshell: “easily the best—most galvanizing, kinetic, sensational, catchy—Zep rip in history" Robert Christgau, Village Voice, April 5th 1994.
Coming from the POV of “I only know the singles” and after listening to the album, I concur with Christgau. Soundgarden borrowed heavily from Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath here (namely the guitars). Hell, you can argue that Black Hole Sun is the “Stairway of Grunge”.
But you gotta admit, this album IS a big deal.
What makes SG different is the songwriting, the epic drumming and of course, Chris Cornell. Many songs express moods of alienation, depression and despondence perfectly. Almost uplifting. I think that’s why it was a comfort album to many teens and twenty-somethings at time, and still is.
Overall: 7/10
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
Highlights: Things Done Changed, Warning.
In a nutshell: a softer kind of gangsta.
On Ready To Die, Biggie proved that a rappers don't need to be brash on a hip-hop album. You can still connect with listeners by the songwriting, the flow and the beat. Lines like "There's gonna be some slow-singing and flower-bringing if my burglar start ringing" (Warning) are genius!
Tracks could have used some trimming (cringed at the intro of One More Chance). But that's my only complaint.
Overall: 5/10
Throwing Muses
2/5
In a nutshell: a strange and unusual mix.
NOTE: The album cover you see here (titled "In A Doghouse") is for the 1998 reissue, which is technically a compilation. Tracks 1 through to 10 appear on both releases. See Wikipedia for more information.
I consider this to be another "nineties sounding album that was recorded in the 80s". It is a scramble of so much stuff: alt rock, folk punk, The Go Gos, Siouxsie Sioux, a jangly R.E.M, The B-52's, loud-quiet-loud music... all with surreal and honest lyrics.
It must be said that Throwing Muses contributed to alt rock history. As others have said here, it kinda foreshadows the music that came out of Olympia in the 90s (Bikini Kill, Sleater Kinney, etc). We have Throwing Muses to thank for the popularity of label mates the Pixies. They toured together in 1988. Also, Tanya (guitar, backing vocals) later co-formed the Breeders with Kim Deal.
Personally I'd listen to Breeders or Pixies over this, but I can't deny the influence of Throwing Muses.
Overall: 4/10
Sheryl Crow
2/5
Highlight: Strong Enough.
It was a revelation at time of release. Now, it’s just okay.
Most of the lyrics on the album (composed by the songwriting collective Sheryl was part of) are fantastic. Music however, shaky. I hate the pre-programmed synth drum beat. It’s mixed too loud and recycled throughout. Pedal steel, guitar and piano are good. Sheryl’s voice is perfect. Strong Enough is an evergreen classic. All I Wanna Do was killed by over saturation. The stomp-clap rap akin to We Didn’t Start The Fire (The Na-Na Song) is cringey. The closing track would be the perfect episode or series closer of a soapie.
It’s serviceable
Overall: 4/10
Fats Domino
3/5
Highlights: Blue Monday, Blueberry Hill.
In a nutshell: bridging the gap.
Record companies and artists started the transition from pressing singles to releasing albums around the 1950's, so I'll cut it some slack for most songs sounding the same.
Part R&B, part early rock and roll, but smooth.
Overall: 5/10
The Smiths
3/5
Highlights: I Want The One I Can't Have, Nowhere Fast, Barbarism Begins At Home, How Soon Is Now.
In a nutshell: what he said.
Note: listened to the US release, which included HSIN.
If Morrissey had reeled in his moaning interludes on some of the songs, we'd have a tidy record here. But restraint is not part of Moz's vocabulary. Indie post punk candy. Fantastic bass, guitar and drums, especially Andy's bass on Barbarism.
The title track is truly disturbing.
Overall: 6/10
Le Tigre
2/5
Highlights: Decepticon, Hot Topic.
In a nutshell: riot grrrrrl power.
Bands like Le Tigre are a sonic encapsulation of a movement. A middle finger to misogyny and boy bands. Self agency. DIY culture.
It’s not going to be everyone’s thing. I didn’t mind it
Overall: 4/10
Mudhoney
2/5
In a nutshell: every grunge band deserves...
Thrashy, fuzzy, excellent guitars and drumming, muddy vocals... and so easy to compare to other grunge acts. Got a little slacker punk vibes. Also, did anyone else notice that some songs were a grunge take on Led Zeppelin? Something So Clear sounded like a reinterpretation of Whole Lotta Love.
It was okay, but I preferred Mudhoney's EP Superfuzz Bigmuff.
Overall: 4/10
Love
3/5
In a nutshell: love forever and ever amen.
I am a sucker for orchestral pop. Mixing the genre with psychedelia and folk rock? Sounds strange on paper, but it somehow works. And the band Love has fans across many genres - Led Zeppelin, The Stone Roses, Primal Scream, Belle and Sebastian, The Doors, Teenage Fanclub, Yo La Tengo.
Checks out.
Overall: 5/10
The Slits
3/5
In a nutshell: dub punk.
It's more textural than expected. Staccato foreshadowing Björk. Boppy guitar. Post punk meets reggae and dub. I like it.
Overall: 5/10
Koffi Olomide
2/5
In a nutshell: do the rumba- Congolese style.
From the (scarce) information I've gathered, Olomide is a godfather African pop music and has a catalogue that rivals King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Okay...
The production sounds impressive. Rhythmically good. A little corny sometimes. The track length and the template format is what's holding me back from enjoying this album. Pity that Olomide has a history of being a jerk.
Overall: 4/10
Dennis Wilson
3/5
Highlight: Dreamer.
In a nutshell: Dennis- all grown up.
Did Dennis listen to a lot of Fleetwood Mac, The Band, Lindsey Buckingham songs and all of Dark Side of the Moon before recording this album? Cos that's what it sounds like.
And it's good. Perhaps better than his brother Brian's solo album, Smile. Dennis created a good mix of the pop melodies we know from The Beach Boys with yacht rock, a choir backing, horn arrangements and more. Very 70s.
No wonder it's a cult hit.
Overall: 5/10
Manu Chao
2/5
In a nutshell: viva la resistance.
Lyrically, interesting and compelling. Not keen on some of the recycled sound bites throughout the album (specifically the one that reminds me of a video game character falling to their death).
Overall: 4/10
Depeche Mode
2/5
So you like synthpop but want it darker? Try this album by Depeche Mode.
I'm not into this kind of darkwave leaning synthpop, but one can't utter synthpop or 80s music without thinking of this artist.
Overall: 4/10
Steely Dan
2/5
In a nutshell: dad (or granddad) soft rock.
I consider Steely Dan to be more of a "Best Of" band. Many of their singles are excellent, the rest of the tracks are just... blah. Layered vocals and harmonies in the chorus, again? A strong riff to open up. Ugh. The mundane format derails my attention from the lyrics, which are usually satirical. It feels like an inside joke I don't get.
Good to hear a slide guitar on this album (Razor Boy).
Skip this and go straight to Aja.
Overall: 3/10
Minor Threat
3/5
In a nutshell: just another punk band? Think again...
Washington DC presents, the band that popularised the anti-excess lifestyle of straight edge: Minor Threat.
What I've learned about punk production from this project is that low quality recording doesn't automatically mean bad. Recording a punk album is simple approach - just hit record and keep up with everyone in the band. It's all energy. Fuck being perfect.
The whole kit and caboodle of Out of Step is what we will hear in skate punk, hardcore punk and even pop punk to come. I could hear bits of The Offspring, early NOFX and maybe early Green Day.
It's not the punk I gravitate to but I get why it's in the book.
Overall: 5/10
Method Man
2/5
Thank fuck there are no skits or interludes on here, only audio grabs. Good loops, reliable flow. You'll be satisfied by this release if you like East coast hip hop and Wu Tang Clan. For me, it's mid.
Overall: 3/10
The Prodigy
2/5
In a nutshell: go hard and don't go home.
Have I entered The Matrix? I feel like I've been pulled deep into an alternative space full of pleather clad humanoids. And this album is the boring four-to-the-floor breakbeat filled soundtrack. What it lacks in backbeat diversity makes up for in attitude and skill (performing this live would be a mammoth task).
PS. spot the vocal grabs from films.
Overall: 3/10
David Bowie
2/5
In a nutshell: a parting gift.
David is an Artist. Capital ‘a’ intended.
Instead of declaring to the world he had The Big C, David Bowie continued to live his low key life and worked an album. Not as a means of distraction, more as a way to harness a creative energy, a new muse (ie. impending death).
Part experimental jazz, part EDM, part art rock. It’s a weird combination drawing on different influences.
Overall: 3/10
Pink Floyd
3/5
Highlights: Goodbye Blue Sky, Hey You, Run Like Hell, The Trial.
In a nutshell: the story of a lad insane.
Lemme save you 81 minutes and 3 seconds:
(A young Pink approaches his mum, he's upset)
Pink: Mum?
Mrs Floyd: Yes, Pink.
Pink: I hate my life. Dad’s gone. School is a living hell. I’m thinking about making a wall to protect myself. How shall build the wall?
Mrs Floyd: like you would build a house, darling - brick by brick… (slowly turns away from Pink and looks towards the audience) By ruminating on your trauma and being a colossal asshole. And Mama’s gonna make your nightmares come true…
Pink: what?
Mrs Floyd: nothing! ☺️
Here’s the plot summary if you want it:
Pink, your life story will go like this... Your father dies at war. Finding out your beloved daddy is dead hits you hard. Your mum will smother you. She just wants only the best for her little boy. You’re paranoid about being bombed on. Your school years will be torturous; a teacher will abuse you and your classmates to no end. You grow up hardened and cynical.
You’ll get married, but you don’t treat your wife kindly and she will unfortunately cheat on you (your Mum suspected it). Your relationship with women is problematic. Women to you are nothing but “dirty” and only good for sating your young lust.
You’ll grow up to be a rock star. Touring life will be rough on you. You become depressed and violent. You cut yourself off from human contact; a manifestation of your trauma. Before too long you pass out in your hotel room. Your band mates break in and call for help. A paramedic gives IV drugs to wake you up. And when you drag your broken ass on the stage, you will have the worst hallucination of your life. You’re not a rock star. You are a racist, queerphobic, neo-Nazi leader. The fans are your followers. And it’s time to cause a riot...
When the drugs wear off, you realise the mess you’ve made and the state you're in. You feel guilty and you put yourself “on trial”. Your conscience accuses you of “showing feelings of a *human nature*”. The witnesses testify that you’re a despicable little shit. That inside this man is a lost little boy that needs his Mummy to take care of him. You conclude that you’re crazy. And since you have revealed your vulnerabilities and despair to the world, the only option is to tear down the wall you’ve built around yourself. You’ve hit rock bottom. You wake up and conclude that you are a difficult person to deal with. Things have to change.
Time will tell if the cycle will begin again or if the tide is turning…
The Wall is definitely a drawn concept album. I can see why critics thought that the album is self indulgent, pretentious, etc. Perhaps that was the point(?)
As for the music, it’s what you’d expect from Pink Floyd. Instantly recognisable prog rock with a subtle disco beat on some tracks (see Run Like Hell). Dave Gilmour reinforces that he is one of the best guitarists EVER.
In my opinion, it works so much better in a concert format. Specifically, the 1990 concert. Instead of Roger et al, his band are joined by the ol' all star lineup. You'll hear Joni Mitchell cover “Goodbye Blue Sky” (heartbreaking), Sinead O’Connor perform "Mother" (perfect choice), Bryan Adams shred on “Young Lust” and a musical theatre (perhaps slightly campy?) version of "The Trial", complete with Tim Curry as a solicitor. It's longer than the original album but there is enough content to keep you engaged.
Overall: 6/10
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
In a nutshell: a love everlasting.
Quick lesson on Qawaali: The root word of Qawaali is Qawl, which means “utterance” in Arabic. Someone who recites Qawl is a Qawwāl. Qawaali are songs of love, joy and devotion in Islamic culture. They can be steady, fast, trance like or all of the above.
I like it. This kinda reminds me of raga.
I’m going to take the opportunity to raise a talking point about international music and western audiences.
India Uncut writer Amit Verma interviewed Nusrat’s nephew, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, about his uncle’s music. Verna asked “(did) he adapt his music for Western Audiences? Was there a difference between the music he performed in Pakistan and that abroad?” “There had to be,” says Rahat. “The music he performed abroad had much more of classical content. Foreigners didn’t understand our language and our lyrics, so the music had to work harder.” (Source: https://nusratonline.com/blog/music-intro/)
The music does work harder here. Sitar (or is it an oud?), hand drums (tabla). But it doesn’t detract from the vocals.
Overall: 5/10
Pixies
3/5
Highlights: Something Against You, River Euphrates, Where Is My Mind, Brick Is Red.
In a nutshell: building up.
Surfer Rosa is the album which laid the foundation for the band and added some bricks to the 80s alternative rock shrine.
Guitar and drums are fantastic. As for the lyrics, well, Surfer Rosa is more about the music than the lyrics. And oh boy there are some doozies here. There are questionable lyrics "his teeth are as white as snow" (Gigantic), kinky (maybe Lynch-ian?) lyrics such as "Bloody your hands on a cactus tree, wipe it on your dress and send it to me" (Cactus) and downright odd lyrics "you're so pretty when you're unfaithful to me!" (Bone Machine).
My go to Pixies album is Doolittle, but it's nice to return to Surfer Rosa, their (full length) debut studio album.
Overall: 5/10
Megadeth
2/5
Highlight: Devil’s Island.
In a nutshell: “go faster. We must go faster!”
Ahhh yes. The band that formed as a “fuck you” to Metallica. As a non metal head, I know Megadeth is a band that’s important to metal cannon. Especially thrash metal.
What stands out is the prowess of the band. Gar Samuelson on drums, Dave Muscatine and David Ellefson sharing guitar duties, Chris Poland on bass. Sometimes you are surprised by an intense riff, wild shreds or an enviable drum beat. Mustaine’s lead vocals are weaker compared to releases by contemporaries in the same year (eg Slayer’s Reign In Blood, Metallica’s Master of Puppets). To me, the vocals lack grunt. No oomph. The endurance is there but I feel nothing.
Overall: 4/10
Dire Straits
2/5
Highlights: Walk of Life, So Far Away.
In a nutshell: he play the gee-tar.
NOTE: try to find the original release to get the best experience. The LP running time is 9 minutes shorter (around 45 minutes) than the CD and streaming version (55 minutes). All have the same tracks, just the CD/streamed version has extended cuts of tracks 1 through to 5. Shout out to SebaVinilos on YouTube for providing the goods. Your playlist sounds great.
I spent a long time avoiding Dire Straits as their catalogue reminds me of my first ex. Let's just say the first cut is the deepest. But today, I faced the music. Instead of being overwhelmed, I was underwhelmed. Four of the five singles do the heavy lifting on here.
So Far Away is an odd choice for an opener. I would have placed it at the end of Side A. Walk of Life is still fun. Your Latest Trick has a pretty good sax performance that can be an earworm if you're not careful...
Money for Nothing is ruined by over-saturation. Many would have heard the radio edit, which omits verse two. And my golly that verse is jarring. I learned that Mark based the song on an employee he met at a home goods store (quote) “…I wanted to use a lot of the language that the real guy actually used when I heard him, because it was more real…”. After justified backlash, Mark swapped the offending word for queenie in all performances after the album’s release. If the replacement word is any less offensive, I dunno.
Why Worry for me was a downer to close Side A and a primer for Side B. This could be a thinly veiled concept album if you consider the lyrical content found on the second half.
Overall: 4/10
OutKast
3/5
Highlights: So Fresh So Clean, B.O.B.
In a nutshell: a fresh formula
"Everybody's been doing music like they all have the same formula — e = mc2. They get a beat, an MC, somebody to sing the hook, and go platinum. Where's music going to go when everybody's trapped in this same repetitious flow?"
Big Boi, Billboard Magazine (September 2000)
Hip hop and rap sounded moody, flat and predictable for much of the 90s. Stankonia changed that in 2000. It is a refreshing fusion inspired by Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Little Richard, Funkadelic and Parliament. Light on the samples, frenetic BPM, positive vibes, danceable...and someone is *singing*!?!
The interludes annoyed me, yes. Some lyrics are a little cringe. Could have been shorter. What made me overlook these flaws is how random it is. Andre 3000 and Big Boi have great flow too.
In my eyes, this is one of the best albums of the genre. Why? It doesn't retread the same path.
Overall: 5/10
k.d. lang
2/5
Highlights: Still Thrives This Love, Constant Craving, The Mind of Love.
In a nutshell: "post-nuclear cabaret"
I think what makes kd lang so compelling to listeners is how she projects the songs with emotion, not just volume. She feels the lyrics and the music.
This type of jazz/folk/country combo doesn't do much for me. The impact lang made on music culture, specifically in Canada, cannot be ignored.
Overall: 4/10
Slayer
3/5
Highlights: Postmortem, Jesus Saves, Altar of Sacrifice.
In a nutshell: Satan Saves.
Overall: 5/10
Fugazi
3/5
Highlights: Brendan #1, Merchandise.
In a nutshell: post-hardcore, but make it a little grunge-y.
Overall: 6/10
Tom Waits
2/5
in a nutshell: jazzy slam poetry
Overall: 3/10
Charles Mingus
3/5
Highlight: Track B- Duete Solo Dancers
In a nutshell: concept jazz.
This is ain't the pedestrian jazz. It's the seedy, noir, exploratory jazz. A plunge into Charles' frantic mind.
I highly recommend reading the linear notes (there are transcripts and photos online) to give you more of an idea of where Mingus was going with this album. Because I won't lie- it will be challenging to listen to if you're new to this type of music. Flute and jazz percussion? Flamenco guitar with horns? Random tempo changes? Who woulda thunk it?
A little bummed Mingus Ah Um isn't on the list but you can't have them all.
Overall: 6/10
System Of A Down
3/5
Highlights: Suite-Pee, Soil.
In a nutshell: scream if you're with me.
Fast drums. Juicy bass lines. Quiet-loud-quiet format at times. Thrashy. Serj's vocals took a while to get used to. He changes up his approach: throaty, high pitched, screamo, unintelligible, whispering.
It's a little different to their contemporaries Korn and Rage Against The Machine. It's better than Limp Bizkit, that's for damn sure.
Overall: 5/10
The Kinks
3/5
Highlights: Holiday In Waikiki, Sunny Afternoon.
In a nutshell: just fine and dandy
I dunno how The Kinks do it. They make 60s baroque pop tolerable, they still rock out as hard as The Who and they are good at writing songs. We are still in the era of record companies forcing artists to churn out two albums a year.
It's not my favourite Kinks album, as it's too cookie cutter poppy, but still good. Sunny Afternoon is one of the best songs of the 60s. Full stop.
Overall: 5/10
ABBA
1/5
In a nutshell: the inferior double divorce album.
It’s rough to compare The Visitors to Rumours, but it’s hard not to. The music composition and lyrics definitely reflect the mood of the band at the time. I can feel in-studio awkwardness and tension. It’s “ABBA the band are struggling to deal with human problems and this is the end. So to our fans, we love you, and goodbye”
Overall: 2/10
Sade
3/5
Highlights: When Am I Going To Make A Living, Smooth Operator, Cherry Pie.
In a nutshell: sleek, sophisticated jazz
I think we have Sade to thank/blame for 90s and millennial neo-soul. Two of the four singles- Smooth Operator and Hang Onto Your Love- are key examples.
Also, I'd be miffed at Ed if he threw my copy of Diamond Life at zombies. Good call for chucking the Batman soundtrack though.
Overall: 5/10
Neneh Cherry
2/5
In a nutshell: pump up that funky beat.
Neneh is already on the back foot with me because I learned that she’s a nepo baby (her step-dad is renowned jazz multi-instrumentalist Don Cherry). She had four powerhouse producers at hand- three of which were involved in Massive Attack’s Blue Lines-to record Raw Like Sushi. And it's hip hop, a contentious genre for me.
At the time of release, this album was refreshing for UK listeners. A pop centric hip hop album from a confident whippersnapper. But now? I found it to be cringe. It's definitely music of its time. Creatively and visually frivolous. One of many pieces of music that were a creative response to the highly conservative times the Brits were living in.
PS, to the British press and anyone who rang the BBC to complain about seeing a very pregnant Neneh perform on Top of the Pops in 1989- shame on you.
Overall: 3/10
The Modern Lovers
2/5
In a nutshell: straight-edged Velvet Underground.
It’s geeky proto-punk with a bit of art rock thrown in. Monotone vocals, simple chords, constant tempo.
What’s stopping me from giving this a lower rating is the legacy. I hear The Modern Lovers all the time at indie DJ nights. Musicians do cite the band and/or Jonathan Richman as an influence.
Overall: 4/10
Weather Report
3/5
Highlights: Teen Tower, Palladíum.
In a nutshell: four seasons in one day...
Jazz fusion requires patience and sometimes it pays off here. Emphasis on sometimes. This 1977 composition wavers between intrigue, cliche and boredom.
Joe, Wayne and Jaco are three incredibly skilled musicians. The commercial appeal of jazz infused music running out of steam (I blame Steely Dan for this). The YouTube comments praised Jaco more than Wayne (sax) and Joe (keys). Which is unfair. The fretless bass dominates most of the tracks and I firmly believe it is the most pretentious instrument of them all.
Overall: 5/10
Beyoncé
2/5
Highlights: Rocket, Blow.
In a nutshell: baby, let me blow your mind.
Beyoncé is an album is what you’d expect from a mainstream pop artist with writing collaborators, multiple producers and has a brand/reputation to maintain: obscure alliteration (eg rhyming shit with equivalent), familiar (ie predictable) vocal range, synth beats. However, what sets this title apart from Taylor Swift’s albums from this era is the lyrical content.
I was anticipating fourth wave feminist lyrical themes, which I got. I was not expecting a sex jam on this album, which I was impressed by.
This doesn’t change my mind about one thing- I would still add Lemonade to the list.
Overall: 4/10
Madonna
3/5
Highlights: Nothing Really Matter, Ray of Light, Skin, Sky Fits Heaven.
In a nutshell: rave music, without the drugs.
This was Madonna's most ambitious album to date. Mystical, layered, complex technopop. Easy to digest new age vibes.
If three quarters of the songs were trimmed to under 4:30 then we'd have a tidier record here.
Overall: 5/10
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Highlights: No Action, (I Don't Want Go To) Chelsea, Lipstick Vogue, Pump It Up, Lip Service.
In a nutshell: this year's new wave model.
All Elvis needed to level up in the 70s was change bands. Clover was serviceable for Elvis at the time. The Attractions were a better fit. It gave the songs that punk rock bite. Pete Thomas is a fantastic drummer and I am appalled that his name is not regularly mentioned in music critics "best drummers of all time" lists.
What needs to be said is this: criticism about Costello's lyrics wil be a sticking point for his whole career. What some listeners interpret as offensive, others will see as satirical observations. Case in point on this album: This Year's Girl.
If you pulled any of the later albums from Costello's discography first, the generator did you dirty. Any of the first three albums are the better introduction to his work.
Overall: 7/10
Don McLean
1/5
"This song alone should be enough to put it on the list"
🙄
We have a 1001 Songs book for a reason.
Overall: 1/10
The Fall
2/5
Highlight: Mansion
In a nutshell: "it's been done" George Harrison
Could this be the album that killed British post-punk in the 80s? Perhaps. It borrows heavily from Wire, Television, The Cure and The Smiths.
Great bass though.
I'll revisit this album when I pull the other two by The Fall.
Overall: 3/10
The Flying Burrito Brothers
2/5
In a nutshell: if the Everly Brothers made a country album.
After comparing notes between Sweetheart of the Rodeo and Gilded Palace of Sin, I think this is the better album. Guilded Palace feels less forced, more natural compared to Sweetheart.
Gram was not a good fit for The Byrds. Making a side project with Chris Hillman should have been the answer from the jump instead of Gram commandeering an established band for which he was a new member.
As my track record shows, I’m not into country music and many of its varietals. I didn’t like this album but to get an idea how country has evolved I would recommend this first before Sweetheart or Gram’s solo works.
Overall: 4/10
Massive Attack
3/5
Highlights: Protection, Weather Storm.
In a nutshell: smooth fusion.
A bit of downtempo and dub, a lot of trip hop. It's smooth. It's not their best album but it's certainly not their worst.
Someone please add Mezzanine to the user list NOW.
Overall: 5/10
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
In a nutshell: intentionally weird.
Of course Frank Zappa was behind this 🙄
Just play it. Even if you skip tracks you don’t like, because how can you know what you don’t like if you don’t try listening to different shit?
Overall: 3/10
Fela Kuti
4/5
In a nutshell: fight the power.
Now this is my jam. I love an album with songs that make you think twice. The tracks have an engaging beat then when the lyrics kick in, they take you by surprise. It's meant to be a protest album yet it doesn't force the fact. The music speaks for itself.
Overall: 8/10