Journey in Progress
Discovering music one album at a time
785
Albums Rated
3.14
Avg Rating
65
5-Star Albums
72%
Complete
304 albums remaining
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7
Per Week
783
Days Active
Reviews
785
Written
100%
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vs Global
-0.08
Avg Diff
3.14
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1970s
Favorite Decade
Jazz
Favorite Genre
other
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Balanced
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17
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
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Origin Preferences
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Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triangle | 5 | 2.71 | +2.29 |
| A Short Album About Love | 5 | 2.77 | +2.23 |
| The New Tango | 5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
| Call of the Valley | 5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
| Ghosteen | 5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
| Larks' Tongues In Aspic | 5 | 2.99 | +2.01 |
| Meat Puppets II | 5 | 3.02 | +1.98 |
| The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway | 5 | 3.08 | +1.92 |
| Tubular Bells | 5 | 3.1 | +1.9 |
| Frampton Comes Alive | 5 | 3.19 | +1.81 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Joshua Tree | 1 | 3.67 | -2.67 |
| Blood Sugar Sex Magik | 1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
| War | 1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
| Achtung Baby | 1 | 3.3 | -2.3 |
| Who Killed...... The Zutons? | 1 | 3.15 | -2.15 |
| Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby | 1 | 2.98 | -1.98 |
| Walking Wounded | 1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
| Aha Shake Heartbreak | 1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
| Brown Sugar | 1 | 2.91 | -1.91 |
| Master Of Puppets | 2 | 3.73 | -1.73 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and high weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Bowie | 8 | 4.63 | 4.18 |
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4.8 | 4.13 |
| Pink Floyd | 4 | 4.75 | 4 |
| Neil Young | 3 | 4.67 | 3.83 |
| Miles Davis | 3 | 4.67 | 3.83 |
| Fela Kuti | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Neil Young & Crazy Horse | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 4.25 | 3.71 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 4 | 4.25 | 3.71 |
| Bob Dylan | 6 | 4 | 3.67 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 4.33 | 3.67 |
| The Rolling Stones | 5 | 4 | 3.63 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and low weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| U2 | 4 | 1.25 | 2 |
| Everything But The Girl | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
5-Star Albums (65)
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Popular Reviews
U2
1/5
Alright I'm saying it, if this is music I don't like music.
This album is lame and the title blows. The fake depth of this is almost hurtful.
Mysterious Ways may be the best track, I don't know, I don't care.
7 likes
The Associates
4/5
This is the opposite of U2.
I don't think these guys are as good as I feel they are but I'm digging this. You can feel see Scary Monsters by Bowie on a few of the songs and their instrumental stuff is fun but all over the map. Despite all that I have to say I do dig the singer. He has some moxie and good range.
Fast pace and good energy. I also have to say that cover is something bold.
... So I just did a Wikipedia dive after listening and a cited fan and person who was inspired by this bad was... Bono from U2. He said they tried to rip them off because they like them so much. That is such a miss on the attempt.
I could see myself relistening to this album. I know I'm rating this either a 3 or 4, if I end up picking 3 that's me voting for the quality more than my enjoyment, 4 is the flip. More and more I'm wondering if my ranking is trying to vote for something more objective in quality or how much I dig what I'm hearing.
4 likes
Dolly Parton
4/5
This is a great concept. Three strong artists who dig each other just do an album and crush it.
Great vibe and talent. I'm a bit surprised I'm not feeling a 5 vs what I thought I'd find when I first saw what the album was, but I only gave it one listen and am feeling the 4.
3 likes
Fats Domino
3/5
You have to love that Chubby Checker picked his name as a play on Fats Domino.
Great voice and almost a timeless sound but it was long enough ago that a lot of where music has grown makes this almost seem simple.
It's great music and pushed a lot of other things forward. Bit harder to get lost in today but solid.
3 likes
Faust
4/5
This album felt like two brothers fighting over the radio on a road trip.
That intro song blew me away. Give or take every instrumental I was here for and songs with vocals weren't bad but weren't hitting me the same way.
I'll revisit select songs.
2 likes
1-Star Albums (17)
All Ratings
Femi Kuti
2/5
Some fun instrumentals but all of the songs seem to plod on. I'd expect heavier non-vocal work to drive where the album is trying to go.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Great album, some really strong songs. Love how the bass and her pitch offset each other.
I would've guessed it was earlier in her catalogue but I don't know why.
Beastie Boys
4/5
This album covers a ton of ground. Great listen but almost hard to tell it's one band. Really enjoyed it
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
I feel like where music went is really clouding me here, or maybe it is just that these are so iconic that they are commonplace, but man most of this feels really shallow.
You can almost hear that this was aggressive or intense music in a time where the problems were more behind than ahead for everyone. I wish I had liked this more.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Nice to see an album use stereo well. It's almost weird how manufactured parts of this feels knowing they were an early hippy band.
Can't believe a debut album would have two covers. Their voices and the musical harmonies are great for sure, you can tell everyone was trying to figure out how to blend (beach boys, them, Etc).
The Zutons
1/5
This almost feels like a parody album for something I don't understand. Really disjointed and weirdly amateur feeling. It bounces to so many sounds but doesn't feel like it lands something that works even once. Disliked this
Blur
3/5
I still have a hard time knowing the singer of Blur is the singer of The Gorillas.
This album is better than I expected. Song 2 is like a fight for your right to party in that it's a hit but isn't really what the band is like. They sound way more like pulp on a few songs than I would've expected but they are contemporaries. Not a bad album, it makes me wonder if they ever did anything interesting on later albums as they grew.
The Go-Go's
3/5
Interesting album. I had to look up some of the history because the sound felt a bit wild. Not surprised to hear it was the newer part of a movement since it sounded inventive but not overly flushed out.
I didn't dislike it but don't feel as impressed as I probably should. Glad to listen to it but probably not coming back for more
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
The production quality of this is solid. Fan of the genre or not this was a huge grunge/alternative album and clearly was meant to be a hit and reshape the musical scene at the time.
Lots of development as a band on this one. I do find it feels a bit long at times but you can tell it influenced a ton of later bands.
2/5
I've never listened to PJ Harvey but I know of them. I'm pretty sure they are more an attitude/performance type of artist vs just a band/singer.
I had heard Good Fortune before for sure, not sure about anything else on this album.
Some of the songs and vibe weren't quiet or mellow but they felt so much like background music I was kind of drifting listening to it.
Not especially my jam.
Anita Baker
3/5
Knew some songs, this is a weird feeling of a soul into easy listening which I think it was on the edge of.
Not my favourite album I've ever heard but it's worth a listen.
So I tried to listen to this not assuming U2 sucks. I've always known they felt like some weird easy listening niche that didn't click with me but I wanted to give this a real chance.
I listened to it while driving and when Elevation came on I got cut off by some out of shape dude in his 50s in a yellow Corvette with a custom license plate and it felt strangely fitting. It feels like music that is meant to be technical and deep and sung by a strong singer but it all just keeps adding to like a C-.
I'm not sure if it's just a case of they were already a late game version of their band when I heard them or them sounding so much like grocery store rock, but I couldn't help but see that yellow Corvette and think of the Apple exec loading a U2 album on everyone's device; I left this album knowing that whoever loves this is so convinced that U2 is cool that it doesn't need explanation.
The Associates
4/5
This is the opposite of U2.
I don't think these guys are as good as I feel they are but I'm digging this. You can feel see Scary Monsters by Bowie on a few of the songs and their instrumental stuff is fun but all over the map. Despite all that I have to say I do dig the singer. He has some moxie and good range.
Fast pace and good energy. I also have to say that cover is something bold.
... So I just did a Wikipedia dive after listening and a cited fan and person who was inspired by this bad was... Bono from U2. He said they tried to rip them off because they like them so much. That is such a miss on the attempt.
I could see myself relistening to this album. I know I'm rating this either a 3 or 4, if I end up picking 3 that's me voting for the quality more than my enjoyment, 4 is the flip. More and more I'm wondering if my ranking is trying to vote for something more objective in quality or how much I dig what I'm hearing.
Yes
5/5
Now we're talking.
This is incredible prog rock. It's all nonsense and over the top but the musical skill is insane and they go for it on every song. Seeing this album today almost makes me sad since there's 1,001 albums and if you picked one Yes album you'd pick this one. I hope we get at least one more.
The complexity of this album is fantastic. They use all sorts of sound work and so much range. The stereo work makes it great to listen to on either some good surround or headphones. You can tell when an album had as much time editing and mastering as being performed.
This is a great example of an album to just sit and listen to and notice more each time. I'd understand anyone hearing this and laughing but I can't help but admire a band so clearly trying to do what they want and experimenting. There's obviously some up and down between songs but they showcase the band in this album.
Randy Newman
3/5
I've never heard Randy Newman besides Toy Story.
This is a weird hybrid of like 5% almost Bob Dylan, a chunk of Tom Waits, something almost easy listening like Phil Collins a tiny bit, 2% Paul Simon almost. It's such a strange mix of sound and feeling.
Several parts had me look up what year this was released in. Time certainly changes some of these songs.
The music and feeling and his voice is actually pretty great at several points. I don't know where he fits into music but I can see why he had a career for sure. I almost have a hard time picturing what someone who bought this album looks like. Maybe AP Mike.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
This is a great album. Lou Reed is clearly a major musical influence on a ton of bands that came after.
Pale Blue Eyes is a masterpiece of a song.
R.E.M.
3/5
I know they know what they are doing and play their instruments well and the singer can sing and they clearly write music they care about.
I just can't get into them. I feel like it's I'm missing something more than them. I can't think of myself ever wanting to put this on.
George Michael
2/5
I'm sure this is for someone but that's not me. Everything feels designed to be on a radio and there's no feeling in it.
PJ Harvey
2/5
This is way more about attitude than music.
The Auteurs
2/5
I'm not sure why this is one of a 1,001 albums I need to hear before I die. Didn't really anything unique or inventive. This one goes into the bucket of maybe I missed something.
Jack White
2/5
I listened to this 11 hours into a flight so maybe that was a handicap but nothing grabbed me on this album.
Soul II Soul
3/5
Listened to this after being up for 24 hours on a train from the airport in Japan.
It weirdly hit me in a groove. I have no idea why this album exists or what the story of it is and I don't think it's that incredible but I had fun listening to it. There was one song where the handholds were swinging to the beat and it felt like the right thing to be listening to.
Sam Cooke
4/5
One of those classic performers who shaped so much they almost lost some magic since they are so common to hear.
Great album, great performance, good live energy.
Solomon Burke
3/5
This is back to back soul. I didn't know this that well. He's a good singer and I like the variance of the background instrumental stuff across the different songs.
Cornershop
3/5
This felt a bit long and overly varied. I ended up looking up them more and their biggest song is a remix of one of theirs on this album by Fatboy slim. The pacing improvements made it a lot stronger.
Not an interesting listen but for when this came out this felt more like a sampling of different styles versus doing much new.
Stan Getz
4/5
It's almost surreal to hear the original of The Girl from Ipanema. It's such a common song it never occured to me to look for the original.
Such a good example of an album that has a mood throughout that carries it somewhere better than any individual song could do. Skillful players for sure but this was so relaxing to sit back with. 4/5
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Some good classic rock. It's crazy how much more complex and high energy American Girl is than the rest of the album. For sure worth having on a 1,001 albums list even if it isn't my personal favourite.
DJ Shadow
3/5
Some really great sampling work. Found myself noticing a pretty big range including some Yes.
I'm really glad I listened to this one. Growing up this wasn't my style at all but it was so easy to sit back and vibe to. May give it a second listen today on a train
Pink Floyd
5/5
I can write up this review before even listening. Love this album and listened to it plenty of times.
Shine on you crazy diamond is beautiful and wish you were here has some of the simplest beautiful guitar work in a song. Overall the album showcases a lot of the instrumental work and balance they were famous for.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
I couldn't find anything much on this online and even Spotify was missing a couple of songs I had to hunt around for.
Some good funk vibes going on. I'm curious what this Bollywood movie would be like with this soundtrack. Really fun listen and good variance on instruments and sound while keeping a vibe. The title track and romantic theme are my favourite ones. Other ones pull it down a bit for me but I'm glad I listened.
The Smiths
4/5
Morrissey may be one of the easiest artists to poke fun at but I've always appreciated him.
The musical work and lyrics are great and have depth.
Big fan of the Smiths and this album. Not my favourite of theirs but a great final album.
Prince
3/5
I'm going to pick some fights but I had never listened to this album straight before; after doing so I feel this is completely overhyped.
There's some good vocals and musical work but to call this a perfect album is a stretch.
Some songs are very tight and solid but there are gaps.
Tom Waits
4/5
I'm ready to take my lumps if it's an unusual call but I'm getting to love Tom Waits.
He's got a weird style but this album sums up to my how it works. I wouldn't call this the pinnacle of music or anything wild like that but this is a clear example of executing a vision on all fronts and deciding later if it'll be a hit or not.
All of it plays so straight it almost feels tongue in cheek or skit like, but In The Neighborhood works even if it feels so over the top that it shouldn't. The album has ups and downs but I'm here for it.
Pavement
3/5
This has some moments while you keep listening. It's so focused on being indie that it seems like it has attitude for the sake of it.
I know of the band and know they are big in their circles, not especially loving it even for the genre but they seem like they helped set the trend for later bands I've enjoyed. Doubt I'll relisten but I get why this is on a 1,001 list.
David Bowie
4/5
Fighting my bias to be fair here.
This is so easily a 1,001 album. It's Bowie's first album after being a major star and dove deeper into a glam and pop influence than he had done before. The songs and cover are iconic; I prefer some of his more thoughtful albums but there's no question that the structure, style, musical composition, and singing are a cut above where most bands can get.
The Prettiest Star is a 5/5 song, but other Bowie albums have non-stop 5/5s. With my bias votes though this is easily a 5 album.
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
This parade song made me feel like I lost my mind. I'm almost shocked I've never heard this in anything before.
The duet with the kid has a very unique vibe too, and It's A Lovely Day Today feels like it should've down up in an action movie or something.
Fun and relaxing listen, albeit a little oddball at times.
GZA
4/5
I've never listened to any Wu Tang or side album straight before.
The flow is unreal. Anytime I'm focused on the lyrics they are tight but I find I just want to zone out with it and listen.
Great to see they are big nerds sampling lone wolf and cub.
Steely Dan
4/5
This gives me really weird feelings.
The more I listen to the music the more I get it, and the more I listen to the lyrics the more I don't want to hang with people who like this.
There's a song about playing the sax, drinking scotch, and dying in a car accident that feels odd.
Outside of all of that the production and quality of play is very tight. I don't know if this genre for music is for me but there are incredible tools at work here. My heart doesn't give this a four though.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
This is very tight and technical. I'm digging the samples but the style of the delivery almost feels passive vs something like Liquid Swords. I find this a 7-7.5 and Liquid Swords a 9 but out of five stars it's rough.
I didn't listen to them before but I can see how this is foundational.
George Harrison
4/5
There is a 5 star album in this assortment but it's just too long. If it was more cohesive I'm fine with length but this feels like two albums taped together at times.
What is Life and My Sweet Lord are both incredible. I really like George and think this as a response to The Beatles ending really shows how much of the band he had become.
Decent album, needs edits, some fantastic songs.
Bill Evans Trio
5/5
Likely the best recorded album of the one of the best. You can so easily get lost in the music or any specific instrument.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
So many of these are so famous it's almost weird to rate it.
Superstition is incredible. His voice and all of the playing is so tight and weaves together so well. I Believe is a great example of passion in a song.
Never listened to this album before but will revisit. It's an album that feels like a bunch of pros just working it together at such a high level.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Hendrix is workout a doubt an all timer on guitar work and songs like Little Wing along can keep this album with a decent rating.
The experimental and rebellious nature of Hendrix almost requires the albums to have songs that go left field and while it grows music and influences artists, it can pull back from the specific album vibe.
Queen
3/5
Nothing like listening to a non-Best of Queen since you realize how many hits they had that were padded with some fairly midrange songs.
I'm glad to see this album on here knowing more Queen is coming. The composition and skill (especially guitar and vocal) is world class and the band only grows from here, but there's some chaff on this one.
Queen is one of those bands you can't picture playing a small venue.
Iron Maiden
5/5
This is required listening for metal. Run to the Hills is one of the best songs by any metal band and this whole album brings such a strong energy.
You almost can't get a better example of metal. Great singing, technical and fast playing, over the top lyrics and attitude. It's cheesy and silly but it's straight on it all and rocks it.
John Cale
3/5
I've heard the title track from this before and was a fan. I really dig the orchestral vibe of the album and how the harmonies work.
Far from a perfect album but I'm glad to have heard it.
Love
3/5
This was an odd listen. When they got to some of the really long instrumentals there were parts I was digging a fair amount but overall this didn't blow me away. I'm not that surprised that this is mid-60s since the sound is solid but I can think of other bands who sounded like a tighter version of this; I'm willing to bet this band heavily influenced some of those who came after it.
This is one of those albums where I feel like I may be missing something since it feels bigger than what I'm hearing.
Queens of the Stone Age
2/5
I'm sure there's skill here but man this is not my vibe. I want it tighter or looser or angrier or calmer.
It sits in some middle that just doesn't connect with me. I can't imagine anyone wanting to start a band to sound like this.
Instrumental of You Can't Quit Me Baby I did get into for a bit. They are skilled for sure, I'm just not sure what they're doing with it.
The Spiders song has a good vibe. Maybe these guys should fire the singer and do soundtracks.
Cyndi Lauper
2/5
Odd album. That Betty Boop thing made me realize you're right about how many albums sneak a skit in.
I find this uses vocals more as an instrument versus a standard album. Everything from inflections to the harmonies I can feel the audio engineers layering tracks for the sound more than to tell a story or something.
Not exactly my jam, very commerical sounding. Likely a product of the time that did more than I feel that I'm underappreciating.
ABBA
4/5
Sonically this band crushes it. The vocals, instrumental work, harmonies. It's a taste that could not be for everyone but it crushes it top to bottom for what it tries to do.
It almost feels from a time that is unrelateable now.
The are some duds on the album but way more top notch ones.
Elvis Costello
2/5
Less interesting than I expected.
The vocals and instrumental stuff isn't awful but nothing grabbed me in any direction.
David Bowie
4/5
We're still not at peak Bowie but this album is great. It's Bowie growing as an artist and exploring some and leads into some of his best work.
Wild is the Wind is easily the standout showcasing the depth of Bowie as an artist and Stay really exhibits some of the funk that grew his earlier albums.
It's almost wild to say an artist is starting to really grow on their 10th studio album but that's what is going on here. The 3 after this are regarded as 3 of his best, and I'd say the next 4 are all easily near the top.
Coldplay
4/5
The popularity of some of these songs makes them hard to hear openly but this is a great album.
Vibe is mellow but there's a consistent tone and quality throughout. Instrumentals don't blow me away but they are good and mesh well.
Vocals are great - he's got a unique but good voice especially for the style.
Air
4/5
This is way more solid than I expected.
Great background music and vibe. Makes me wonder what the movie is like.
Nirvana
5/5
It's impressive that this is live and unplugged.
Say whatever you want about pros and cons of grunge but Cobain is a hell of a singer. His cover of Man who Sold the World is so strong and there's a ton of really raw songs.
Great album to include in a 1,001 list. The context of it makes it legendary but it stands on its own without that.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
It's odd how much this just sounds like background music. Maybe it's the vibe is tight and easy to listen to.
I expected this to stand out to me more. I'll add this to the "I may have missed something" pile.
Lambchop
3/5
What a strange album. The singing change in The Distance from Her to There and You Masculine You caused me to stop what I was doing.
I listened to this twice and still don't know what to make of it. This almost has a bit of the vibe of Roger Waters solo work in some ways. I do like the range of instruments they used and how it all blends.
I think a lot of this goes in a direction I really like but the sum of the parts isn't quite what I wanted. Strong 3+ for me.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Hard to review playing this skillful.
Double albums are a bit tiring in this format but the performance is very strong.
The Beach Boys
5/5
This album is stunning. God Only Knows is one of the best songs and the whole way this is weaved together with the wall of sound gives it such a presence.
It blows my mind that this was done before computers played a huge part in sound engineering.
Shivkumar Sharma
5/5
I listened to this straight on a walk and it felt like an odd montage.
Great music, blends effortlessly.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
This was weird and I'm glad it was short.
Glad to see people trying something unique but this didn't land with me.
The Beau Brummels
5/5
I barely know what's going on here but I'll be damned if I'm not digging a decent amount of this; The Wolf of Velvet Fortune is a wild name and a cool song.
I've never heard of these guys and am not entirely sure if this is Bob Dylan attempt or just a style they are going for which lands in the same spot but this is an interesting mix. Nice instrumentals. The title track is solid.
I think I may like it more than it is objectively great.
The Who
5/5
This album has so many hits it's almost hard to remember it's all from the same one.
Baba O'Reily is such a great and unique song. Won't Get Fooled Again has great energy, and Behind Blue Eyes has so much feeling.
A huge band and a huge album.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
I had this on the car but it was background and I didn't notice anything that especially stood out.
Could be how easy listening some of it gets but I didn't get a ton out of this one. May need a relisten.
Peter Frampton
5/5
The gimmick of the talking guitar almost masks how solid the performance is.
Listen to the audience just loving it. I don't think there's a lot of poetry going on here but everyone playing and listening is all about it. Huge fan of the energy.
I don't know what I'd rate this if it wasn't a live album, but it being one adds so much.
Finishing with Do You Feel Like We Do makes the album. The whole talking part going into that crazy breakdown and the crowd explodes. I can see so many people hearing this and deciding to start a band.
The Doors
2/5
Just not grabbing me. I feel like this should be more impactful for how big the band is but I'm either missing something or this is riding on clout.
Boards of Canada
4/5
This is an interesting one. It's so easy to zone out to but not in a background music way.
Haven't heard a ton of albums that get this same impact.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Good vibe, didn't blow me away in any direction but a nice listen.
The Saints
3/5
Is this the grandfather to ska? The horns are going wild.
This is some solid punk. Good all around.
Al Green
4/5
Great voice, great songs, very solid album.
The vocal work and range on How Can You Mend A Broken Heart is unreal.
Daft Punk
3/5
You can't deny the mixing of these French robots. This is such an easy album to sit back and listen to.
There's no poetry or meaning but for the feeling of music, they crush it.
The second half of the album loses me a bit vs the first half.
Beyoncé
3/5
This album feels more about production and attitude versus music.
I'm glad to have listened to this and feel like it's more about the entire product of who Beyonce is versus just the songs.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
I have to kick it off by saying that album cover sets a stage.
Nice vibe from the get go. Some good funk but honestly I liked it a bit less than I expected. It grabbed me strong and diminished the longer I listened.
Good album for sure, but not the best.
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
Coming in hot with horns.
Not really going anywhere. This is a strange a strange synth new wave slight punk feeling going on but I don't feel it lands anywhere.
Not my favourite album but glad to have listened to it once.
Terence Trent D'Arby
1/5
If this guy was half as good as he thinks he is he'd be the best artist of all time.
This is over the top in the wrong ways and missing any substance.
The amount of artists who are miles ahead of him who he is ripping off is wild.
The song Let's Go Forward felt like it was 45 minutes.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Not his best but a solid album and Elvis is a hell of a singer.
Suspicious Minds is incredible. I was struggling between three and four on this. Some songs are a five but there's some gaps on this one.
The Flaming Lips
2/5
I wish the singer had a different sound.
Instruments are a bit all over but not in a bad way. Can't really get into it with his voice and how it works with the rest of it all.
I didn't get a lot out of this one sadly. I liked the energy from the drums on Race for the Prize.
Faust
4/5
This album felt like two brothers fighting over the radio on a road trip.
That intro song blew me away. Give or take every instrumental I was here for and songs with vocals weren't bad but weren't hitting me the same way.
I'll revisit select songs.
Michael Jackson
4/5
The vocal quality and production is stellar. You can tell this album was made to be more about image and presence vs just audio.
Smooth Criminal is so strong.
This is an attitude album for sure but it almost has a "you know I'm the best" attitude vs being overly unique or strong. 3.5 so either a 3 or 4.
Various Artists
3/5
A kind of strange thing to exist but performances are strong.
The outro voice over has a strange energy that I'd expect from Phil Spector.
Neil Young
4/5
This is a fantastic album. Not every song stands out but it all blends well and the guitar work with his vocals mesh perfectly.
Great lyrics. I'm tempted to give it a 5 but there are stronger albums of his and not every song is as strong.
Throbbing Gristle
2/5
Not my style and can't hear a ton that's noteworthy besides a general tone that sounds like opening credits music on an edgy movie or game.
Paul Simon
3/5
This is such a strange album. I know it already but it's Paul Simon getting into world music and doing his own thing with it.
Musically it's clearly very skilled and it's hard to give a note but it isn't a 5/5 for me like on a lot of lists.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
This album is a powerhouse. Songs are great, vocals great, instruments great.
You can listen to it so easily
Bauhaus
3/5
I do like the vibe of some of this. Hair of the Dog instrumentals are cool. The Passion of Lovers almost has a slight Smith's feeling. Kick In The Eye a little Bowie.
I think I like what they're doing here more than I enjoy the total product.
David Bowie
5/5
I love how many Bowie albums are showing up.
Still not a top 3 Bowie album for me but this is a fantastic album. The title track is an all time song; it's so easy to listen to the lyrics that you can miss how much is going on sonically in the background. Sons of the Silent Age is such a unique sounding song.
Love this album.
AC/DC
3/5
The instrumental open of Hell's Bells is a great way to start an album.
For what they do this is some peak ACDC rock. It's almost so generic nowadays that I have a hard time listening to it. Wonder how it wound have sounded as a new release instead of years of these songs being in every movie and commerical.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
From the get go I thought this may be a gem I'd love and come back to. The more I listened the more I realized I did enjoy but this didn't blow me away. Good album, glad I listened, may relisten someday but not sure.
Skilled players. This joins the crew of maybe I missed something or just not the day for me when I heard it.
U2
1/5
Alright I'm saying it, if this is music I don't like music.
This album is lame and the title blows. The fake depth of this is almost hurtful.
Mysterious Ways may be the best track, I don't know, I don't care.
Manu Chao
3/5
If nothing else I could see me using Bongo Bong in some situations.
I do like some of the background to this album. His style and voice mesh well. Nothing has really grabbed me hard but this is decent. I did feel like it went on a long time for only being 45 minutes though.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Hard to hear such an iconic band and imagine it's actually music.
Guitars and vibe are great. Vocals are a perfect fit. Rhythm isn't especially exciting on any track but it's fun and works well.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
This is going to be tough to be fair on because this style and genre is so far from my taste.
It all feels substanceless.
I have the feeling this would connect to someone I don't connect with.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
Feels foundational and some of the beats I've heard sampled 1,000 times.
For the time it is great but not the deepest album or sound.
Duran Duran
4/5
You could entirely miss the bass work going on during the title track with how much sound there is.
Some really solid tracks for what they're doing but there are some fillers here.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
She's got pipes for sure but falls into the 'more performance than song in isolation' group.
This album is long.
Save Me from Myself is fairly unique from the rest of the album and it shows her singing well without showboating all over the place.
Tim Buckley
3/5
This has a real Renaissance fair vibe.
Didn't give it a deep listen so maybe missed something. Lots of instrumental work going on almost more to use it all versus it all fitting perfectly.
I may like it a bit more for what it was trying to do than anything else.
Brian Wilson
2/5
Hard to hear this album without thinking of the story of it.
Clearly not Pet Sounds and way past prime but there is still quality here. It almost sounds a bit zanier and like a circus at times.
Vega-tables shows what happens after a mind is damaged.
I can't give this album a one but isn't the best.
U2
1/5
Ding ding here comes the shit mobile.
U2 blows.
Sunday Bloody Sunday instrumentals are passable.
Holger Czukay
3/5
I liked the first song. It kind of wandered around and I didn't find the vocals added anything beyond that.
A cool listen. Not a favourite. I'll relisten to that first song.
The Vines
2/5
Not awful but didn't overly grab me.
Felt a bit like opening credits movie for a movie at times.
Won't revisit but I've heard worse.
Radiohead
4/5
The instrumental and noise work on this album is great. Every song I can focus on something specific and something else blends and grabs my attention.
I don't know if the vocals are #1 but they fit the sound much better than most artists could. That being said they aren't bad at all and the lyrics aren't a slouch even if there are stronger writers.
The album is a bit over the top moody but there's something strong here for sure.
Animal Collective
2/5
Sure.
I liked listening to this more when I was looking at the cover which is fun to realize.
It's almost hard to explain what this was. Lots of sound mixing together to get a direction and vibe but the lyrics all felt like instruments more than having anything to say.
Not an un-fun listen but I doubt I'll come back.
Big Star
3/5
This was an interesting listen.
I'm a bit surprised by the sound considering how early it came out. It wasn't perfect and at times felt like the vocals and instruments were fighting each other but it did have something strong at the core.
My vote is a bit more towards what I felt vs just hearing it.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
This is doing what is critical in punk in the way it brings the energy.
I can picture this being a fun band to see live.
Wait is this ska? Horns are showing up a lot.
Is this a straight edge band? Is this a band that plays at college campuses?
Is this... doo wop or like... a Beach Boys type band?
On A Rope was fun. Not sure what this thing is but I didn't dislike it.
Beck
3/5
This is one of those weird albums where the performer making it knows they can do whatever they want and they have their demand.
Radiohead
4/5
This was great.
The music and vocals blend so well together for sound and vibe. I enjoyed this a lot to listen to.
Radiohead is without a doubt a band with some chops and they are doing something here.
David Bowie
5/5
This is one of his best. The audio work was game changing when this one first came out and is still so unique.
Listen to this one a few times a year.
Marty Robbins
4/5
How does this exist.
Some of the noodling going on during Big Iron grabbed me right away.
What!? The singer of this became a NASCAR driver?! People used to do all sorts of things. Man he was a bad driver.
This is great music. Not all hits the same but he can sing and the vibe is strong. I wanted to love every inch of this.
The Master's Call helps me realize how much I like a story in a song.
Venom
2/5
I love elements of black metal with how dweeby it feels. I mean look at that cover. Just saying black metal over and over. Talking about witches. The thought that this sort of thing horrified communities feels so funny with time.
Instrumental stuff has some skill but it doesn't add to much. I won't be back but I like that this exists and that people love it.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
1,001 albums is turning into "do I think The Smashing Pumpkins are a real band?".
They clearly have some interesting things to do and their instrumental stuff is a bit wild. I kind of dig it but man do they need a new audio engineer at least on the Spotify version. The drums are muted to a fault and it doesn't sound crisp.
This album is wildly too long and all over the place but I liked chunks of it for sure and they sound unique. Toss this into the bucket of "is this good singing or not". I'm not sure but I do think at least on some songs it fits really well.
Despite feeling like this is too long I did like the audacity of what it is and how broad it goes in style. I don't think it all lands but one of these stars is purely on the artistic push of what this is and how bold a move it was for them at the time.
Traffic
3/5
This is all the best and worst of multi instrument experimental stuff.
The title track has feelings of early Genesis.
This is kind of interesting in some ways but it doesn't get me that excited.
Metallica
3/5
It's tough because overall Metallica sucks but they do have gems. Nothing Else Matters is a good song, Enter Sandman has a killer build and Wherever I May Roam is very tight.
This album has some chaff but some very solid songs.
Simple Minds
2/5
I may have not just been in the mood for this New Wave but it was such background music.
I don't think there's anything that got my attention once.
Mj Cole
2/5
The first thing of this album almost feels like a different thing.
For the genre this is okay but remixing the same song multiple times on an album isn't my normal vibe. I'm not sure why this is on the list.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
If you don't like the style this is going for this album may be a torture device.
I dig what they are working towards here.
I've never asked myself if Cohen is actually good or not. This joins the bucket of I like this but if all music was this I wouldn't listen to music much. That being said, what a pro. The end of this album is powerful. Steer Your Way is a great track.
Sonic Youth
4/5
I've always heard good things about Sonic Youth but never dove in.
Instrumentals seem solid. Good cohesion in this band.
This is a strong album. I'll listen again and I look forward to it.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
One of the most famous albums of all time which is largely known just because of Stairway.
The Battle of Evermore is easy to sleep on but it's great. When the Levee Breaks hits as well.
Zepp is such a connection point for so much music.
And I'll throw it in, Stairway is one of the best songs ever made.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Who do these guys think they are sneaking in I Am the Resurrection at the end? Learning that was originally the last track makes me feel a lot better about their album structure.
What a jam, especially the second half. I was digging this album throughout but that song bumps it up a star.
Adele
3/5
Good singing, good album.
Nothing world changing.
Baaba Maal
2/5
I wasn't able to get much from this one.
Some of the guitar work sounds like it could build into something interesting but I can't point to anything that stood out.
Some of the effect work seemed very out of place.
Talking Heads
4/5
This is a solid album. Lots of complexity and Heaven is a beautiful song.
Probably #3 of Talking Heads albums for me but that's a solid 3 albums. I think this album lacks some cohesion that other works have for them.
Elton John
3/5
I didn't give this one an overly deep listen so I may have missed some gems.
No doubt a couple of songs truly bring it but I thought this would have more for my tastes.
David Bowie
4/5
What a dancing jam vibe Young Americans has.
I'm glad to give this album a more detailed listen. Win has a beautiful sound and some of the soul and funk throughout has a unique feel with Bowie doing it.
Not his best but you can hear the growth from doing this in his later albums.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
4/5
Album is much stronger on headphones - the stereo is great.
The warmth of the sound is so easy to listen to. This isn't perfect but it's a good listen.
This is a light four but it's better than a three.
The Smiths
5/5
It's easy to write The Smiths off as a sad boy band but this is an incredible album.
I Know it's Over is one of my favourite songs. You can make fun of Morrissey forever but I like him a lot, think he's a great singer, and the band crushes it.
The bass alone makes the album worth listening to.
Gorillaz
3/5
This is pretty decent for a first album but they grew as a band a lot in later releases.
Sound Check (Gravity) was one I liked and had never heard before. Double Bass too... Maybe I just like the second half of this album more.
I've always felt I should give the Gorillaz more of a shot. I like what they are doing but have never found a love of them.
Anthrax
2/5
My friends and I used to have a joke when going to see metal bands.
There was always a headliner, and usually an opener who was a band that toured with them and was known. Then you'd sometimes have a bonus local opener who no one ever knew of and they were always called And Guest on the poster.
So we said it was the same band and that And Guest was a touring band and changed their style and look every show but always had the same 100% energy and no real quality vs everyone else performing with them.
These guys feel like And Guest.
2/5
It's so weird that the singer is the singer in the Gorillaz. I'll always say that about Blur.
This isn't a trainwreck but it doesn't really do anything in any direction. Some slightly interesting noise work and instrumental but not much going on.
I don't know what's going on during Chemical World. I may be giving this 2 vs 1 largely due to the train on the cover.
Radiohead
3/5
I enjoyed this. Not my favourite of what we've heard from them but they continue to experiment and have a unique sound.
2+2=5 is a good track to start an album. The song starts light but gets fun.
Keep doing your thing Radiohead. I don't know if I'll ever get them enough to listen often but I can see them being important to some people.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Springsteen probably has a few on this list but this one makes sense to see for sure.
Born in the USA is rightly iconic but a song like Downbound Train is where Springsteen hits for me. His voice and the overall sound has a place with music greats more for the feel than anything else.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
That title track is stunning.
The production and audio work on this album is stellar.
I want to give it a five in my heart but only the first song really pushes me that high. I did really enjoy this listen though.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5/5
Did they have any other albums?
Gimme three steps. Tuesday's gone. Simple man. Freebird.
Heck of an album all around. This easily passes my question of "could I see someone hear this and start a band".
Soundgarden
3/5
This doesn't seem bad but it's so easy to be background music.
No real notes, could be I missed something.
Willie Nelson
3/5
That was a peaceful listen. I'm not sure what else to write on a review for it. The album ended and I almost hadn't noticed any specific song. It all blended together into each other.
Devendra Banhart
3/5
This is an interesting folk album. An easy but not boring listen.
I liked this. I'd like to listen to it again on headphones while walking or something that would let me focus on it more.
I think it's a bit more captivating vs being incredible.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
This is a tough one to review.
Her voice is undeniable. Classic and easy to listen to and understand why she's a name.
Could be the day for me but I can't push myself to a five.
Common
2/5
First time listening to Common.
I like some of the instrumental stuff going on. I'm not a huge hiphop fan so it's tough for me to tell how technically skilled he is but the flow sounds fine.
I'm not sure if this feels like mandatory 1,001 listening but I don't dislike listening. Doubt I'll relisten though and this is too long.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
This is such an incredible album at times.
Lou reed is a great singer, Andy Warhol's influence was so unique on this even if just as a framing producer, Nico is strangely captivating, and the whole album works so well.
Sunday Morning is beautiful and the distant backing vocals really blends well. Not every song is a 5 but Heroin is a really powerful song.
Cat Stevens
5/5
Beautiful album and Father and Son is such a standout.
Hard to say much else to describe how good this is.
The Cure
4/5
I've never listened to The Cure and I feel like a nerd but I really like this.
Plainsong really sets a mood to feel people to listen more or turn this off. I like a lot of the noise work going on behind the scenes on it.
They are a bit too synthy but it was the time, can't overly fault them.
The honest part of me knows parts of this are too long and drawn-out but today I'm here for it.
I really appreciate an album that feels like the people who made it really felt the emotions they are trying to portray.
I could see myself relistening to this when I'm in the mood but likely just as a whole album vs song by song.
Lovesong almost doesn't fit in but also kind of grounds the album. Really do enjoy the feeling of it.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
I've never listen to too much Dinosaur Jr. This is okay but it's not a style that grabs me as much as some.
This is far from inexperienced but that's almost a rawness to this that's interesting. The guitar almost gets into a noise style but the vocals are very clean.
I think this is worth having in the list. Not my favourite but it's good in its style. Don't and Keep The Glove back to back felt like whiplash.
Talk Talk
2/5
This is a weird album to review.
All the songs almost felt like they blended which is odd since there are a few that sound very different.
This is kind of interesting. Don't regret listening, don't think I'll come back to it.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
This starts strong and gets really mellow fast.
Almost a sleepy album to listen to.
That was probably really good. I feel like I missed something.
CHIC
3/5
My first question is SugarHill Gang going to show up or is this the only time we hear the beat in Good Times?
This feels like fairly peak disco but that doesn't mean it's perfect music by any stretch.
A lot of this sounds pretty decent at moments but keeps going and sounds weirdly uniform for how much variety I'm actually hearing in areas like the bass.
Machito
4/5
This is a fun album to walk around to.
I'm a sucker for instrumental albums and this is a good time. This feels really skilled and I enjoyed it.
Aerosmith
4/5
This seems better than I expected.
Some of the almost unique guitar work like parts of Sick as a Dog surprised me.
For the genre and what they are going for this was pretty tight. I'm surprised to give Aerosmith a 4.
The Clash
5/5
This is a great example of a double album that makes sense to me.
There's so much creativity and uniqueness in this one. Lost in the Supermarket and then heading The Guns of Brixton is wild. Such a good example of showing range and variety and the album being more for it.
John Martyn
2/5
The description of this album vs how it sounds is a wild contrast.
I expected this to be something sweeping and inspired but the vocals don't even give it a chance to go there.
Not coming back to this one.
Alice Cooper
4/5
I've heard the intro song for sure but didn't know it was Alice Cooper. This is actually pretty solid. I really like the use of the piano and woodwinds in the background on Hello Hooray.
This is clearly poking fun at people that would take offense to things but it's a pretty great album. I expected Alice Cooper to be less musically skilled and complex. This is a real album.
Joy Division
4/5
Good sound overall, I like his voice.
This is a 4+ for me. The vibe goes into a lot of interesting places. My personal enjoyment of this was a 5.
Steely Dan
4/5
This feels tongue in cheek in a very weird way.
The Boston Rag kind of goes on and on.
I think these guys are very clearly skilled but I'm halfway through the album and am wondering what they are doing.
This is going to be a weird take but this almost sounds like they got their musical ability from a genie or something. Like they've got it down, but there's almost a slight mockingness to do this with their skill. Maybe it makes sense if they got the ability in a way that didn't take work.
This weirdly grows on me some. I feel almost uneasy liking parts of this. Like listen to the guitar work on King of the World. This is incredible. But what's going on.
I'm going 3 since this is a 5 in skill but makes me feel a bit unwell at times.
Ah King of the World is so skilled and weird. Fine. 4.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
We've reviewed three albums with The Girl from Ipanema so far.
This is skilled and so mellow. I think I preferred the other Bossa Nova albums we've heard but this is well done.
Neil Young
5/5
Neil Young is the opposite of prog rock. He's so soulful and direct and his instrument usage is subded but sounds perfect.
See the Sky about to Rain is beautiful. I liked this album a lot.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
This one is such a strong album.
Almost feels pointless to write in detail why. Just listen to it. Instruments, vocals, lyrics, structure. It's all there.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
Interesting to have some glam metal show up. Can't say anything really jumped out to me but this is fine. It all kind of blended together.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I always heard how good Cohen was and this album is showing me what people mean.
Avalanche is beautiful and powerful. The album doesn't stay at that same space the whole time but this is a good listen.
The Who
4/5
The Who are a wildly skilled band. Even just listening to the drums alone on each song is great.
Good live album. Very tight all around. It's almost unreal that this recording isn't from a studio.
Les Rythmes Digitales
1/5
I feel like I'm on the loading screen for an online poker game at the very start of Dreamin' before the vocals hit.
I got bored and changed the playback to 1.5x for a bit and it was interesting. I think this almost works better at 1.25x. Maybe 1.15..., 2.0 is too fast.
From Disco To Disco feels like a gag. I can't help but picture the twin brothers in Baskets opening for this guy. This should not be on the list.
I swear if you give this a 5....
Ramones
3/5
It's a trend setting album but punk is always a weird place musically. Short, trying to be friendly to listen to while the message isn't, it's a niche but is as much attitude as the music (if not more).
They almost have a feeling of submissive Buddy Holly
Ice T
3/5
This is worthy of being on the list just for feeling different.
This is wild energy. It's intense and never slows down. MVPs is just an acceptance speech. The lyrics are nonstop and all over the place.
This is comically too long. It almost has an intermission when they talked about being halfway through the album.
Kate Bush
3/5
Good voice and good use of synth.
This album kind of slides as it goes on.
Merle Haggard
4/5
I listened to this sitting in a coffee shop by myself at 8am drinking a black coffee and for some reason I felt down on my luck.
He's got a great voice, the guitar work is simple but well done and fun. Vibe is there through and through.
I was listen to Mixed up Mess of a Heart and kept just thinking it's a damn shame, and I have no idea what I was referring to.
I jogged across a light when relistening and Drink Up and Be Somebody was on. It weirdly felt like a powerful song in that moment.
The Icarus Line
3/5
Certainly interesting to review a hardcore album after some of the genres recently.
These guys aren't bad. It's a ton of noise but they are decently technical. Not my favourite but for what it is they've done well.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
This is a pretty good album. I remember once I was writing a paper and I hit play song vs playlist by accident and listened to Pump it Up nonstop for hours and went into a weird mental space.
Röyksopp
4/5
Kind of interesting lo-fi feeling album. Some of the sampling fits well.
I kind of zoned out some while listening but in a good way. I'll give this another listen sometime.
Violent Femmes
3/5
That was a better listen than I expected.
They've got some good moves and the bass was fun on the second half of Add it Up.
I could see this being a fun listen but it wasn't the easiest day for me to give it a deep shot.
Thundercat
3/5
What is going on.
Kitty cat song. Then we got Steve Winwood. This almost feels like a hip hop project by Tim and Eric.
There's some nice bass work going on in some of this. Nice funk.
I have whiplash from this album.
Rush
5/5
There is some great stereo usage going on here.
I feel like a dweeb for liking this and I wonder if the mix of prog and Canadian is just too much for me to not feel a bit embarrassed about.
This is a pretty wild album if you give it a chance. The drumming alone makes it world class.
Wilco
3/5
This isn't a bad album. Easy to listen to and feels almost like a soundtrack for a day.
I kind of wonder if there's more here than I heard in two listens.
It comes together so well it's almost easy to ignore which is a bit of a strength and weakness at the same time.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
I almost wish this leaned further into being a bit stranger.
They are playing around with a bit of sound work and the title and art makes it feel like it could be a concept album but it doesn't really lean in. Do You Realize shows a bit of an ability to get grander and have a lot going on.
I don't dislike this album but I almost wish they were doing a collab with someone more out there.
Elvis Presley
3/5
I had no idea London Calling modeled the album cover off of this.
It's almost a bit of a boring album nowadays but for the time it was setting trends and needs to be looked at through that lens.
Elvis himself almost seems to play a smaller part on this album vs his later works. Not surprising but interesting to hear where he was at from the start.
Portishead
4/5
Really great vibe.
There's better instrumental work than I would've expected with this sort of sound. They could've laid back more on the vocals to drive but some nice string work and synth blending.
I liked this one. Cool listen. Could easily see a relisten.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Man Peter Gabriel is such a weirdo in a positive way.
Most people hear Genesis and think of Phil Collins but this dude was leading some real out there prog rock and dressing like a giant sunflower doing it.
This album is experimental feeling and doesn't land everywhere but it's a great addition to this list.
Games Without Frontiers just sneaking in as a radio friendly song feels so strange, especially with what it's singing about.
I find Family Snapshot a great example of what I like about this album. The vocals are so earnest, instrumentals are fairly complex and variable throughout the song, lyrics are strong. It's not a constructed song to follow a structure and does something unique.
Great album. The mixing and engineering alone are better than most artists ever reach.
Also, sick cover.
k.d. lang
2/5
Not bad singing skill but the whole album feels a bit bland or generic.
If you told me these were all covers I may believe you.
I wish I had liked this more. Maybe it was the day.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Join Mitchell sings with such emotion and earnestness for her space.
This is a hallmark album in this genre and makes total sense to have on the list but it isn't a blast to listen to.
Tori Amos
2/5
I've never listened to Tori Amos.
As a debut this is a very solid sounding album.
She's got a good voice and knows what she's doing. I don't see a ton outside of that going on but it could be me missing something more here.
It feels a bit like the songs are written and performed for a musical. There's an attempted depth here I don't feel really lands.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
I've never listened to Emmylou Harris but apparently she's a huge name I just never crossed.
These past three albums we've listened to all have a similar vibe and all sing with a lot of depth about subjects which aren't carrying the same weight.
Band the Drum Slowly felt personal. I do like her voice but nothing is really standing out.
Bob Dylan
4/5
This must've been wild to hear when it was new.
It's almost turned into a joke or trope sound in albums but Dylan was working a lot of feeling and story telling into his songs.
Half of the lyrics feel more mood than making sense though.
The Kinks
3/5
I feel like this may not be their top album but I don't know them that well.
Some good sound but not the tightest album.
Sunny Afternoon is a classic.
The Clash
4/5
They for sure got better but this is a pretty solid first album.
They sound well put together and meld almost perfectly for being so early in their career.
Ananda Shankar
2/5
This feels like a dream I'd wake up from and be sad I couldn't go back to sleep and keep dreaming it but mostly because of how strange it is.
What a weird mix of sounds and such a odd attempt at an album.
I don't know if this is great but this 100% should be on the list.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Hearing this I just picture some producer walking by a bar and going "what's that sound!" and having his mind blown.
I know this isn't that old in the scheme of things but it's got a great soul vibe. Great musicianship and vocals.
John Lee Hooker
2/5
This whole album feels like someone stalling on stage waiting for a missing band member.
It's repetitive to a fault and doesn't really go anywhere. Could be missing something but I didn't find this noteworthy.
Great voice. I wonder if other albums by him I may prefer. This seems to be a later career one for him.
Kings of Leon
3/5
The last two songs got me to reconsider this album a bit.
It's not really my style and it doesn't blow me away but there's some talent here and they are pretty tight on some tracks.
This is a middle to strong 2 getting a 3/5. Talihina Sky was a nice song.
Nirvana
4/5
Nirvana was getting interesting. Every album was playing into a different direction and this one followed by unplugged live shows a path that they may have done something really unique.
Nice to hear something less polished and more wild. Cobain's voice is unreal. Very solid album.
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
This sounds amazing for being live.
Whole thing is one big jam that blends together. Not always my style but I enjoyed it today. Clearly great at what they are doing.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
This was a good listen. She has a great voice and the songs have some good energy.
Free Man in Paris is great.
Cream
3/5
May just not have been my day for it but this was fine.
Skilled playing but not a ton of excitement while listening. Could be how foundational Cream was in building a style that has been built upon.
I have a hunch on a relisten on another day I may give this a 4.
The Pogues
3/5
This feels a bit too long and the songs don't really blend to feel like an album but I did enjoy listening and the genre of music makes me want to enjoy it with people.
The Shamen
2/5
I was about three seconds in and I had a vibe that I was going to be hard in one direction on where this went.
This first song is some real Dennis Reynolds shit.
I listened to this on a run that felt hard. I went into a fugue state and a tiny bit of this made sense. That saved it from a 1.
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
This felt like such background music I don't know if I can really feel like I heard any of it.
May have missed something but not sure why this is on the list.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
This album is wild. It almost feels like it could just run forever with one song.
The lyrics are so casual and then so poignant all over the place. I could see a dozen very different people all love this for different reasons.
Masterful album but I'm putting it at a strong 4 vs weak 5.
Bobby Womack
3/5
This feels skilful and slightly unhinged.
Secrets is what McGruff The Crime Dog lifted for their album for sure.
Girls Against Boys
2/5
This kind of stinks.
Can't see why this is on the list. Some instrumentals were fine enough and the droning parts weren't the worst if that's what they were aiming for.
Black Sabbath
4/5
I love how Ozzy is The Prince of Darkness but also sings Changes.
Good metal has range and emotion and Sabbath is great at it.
Björk
3/5
I had only known Björk via parody but man that parody was on point.
I feel this is the music of a girl who would intimidate me in high school half because she's alluring and unique and half because I'm just so genuinely confused as to what's going on.
This is odd but makes sense to be on the list.
Brian Eno
3/5
I feel like I want to vote N/A on this.
It's certainly skillful and Eno is a name for a reason, but it's almost hard to tell what type of album this is or the role this plays in musical development.
It's beautiful and balanced and flows perfectly but it's almost devoid of something by design.
I think this may make sense to be on the list but I'm not sure what to do with it. It feels like it could be meaningful at the right time but forgettable outside of that.
My vote is middle mostly due to indecision.
Kraftwerk
3/5
I was in a bit of a daze all day and this didn't get me out of it. I barely know what to review this as.
If it blended so well due to the design of it all, this is really impressive, but I have no idea how much of that vibe came from my listening state.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
This isn't my favourite Zeppelin album but partway through I had to remind myself to hear it as an album in its own right.
Great vocals, great guitar work, great drums. They had some better before this and got better after but if it was another bad, this could easily be their best album and they'd be known for a reason.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
This seems all over the place but not in a good way. I could've just not been in the mood and missed something better here but I'm not sure about the quality of this one.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
This is from such an earlier time that it almost feels basic or weird but you can see some of its influence on a lot of bands.
I probably don't have the musical depth to get everything out of this that's there.
Green Onions is a classic song.
Tito Puente
4/5
Really easy to listen to but almost to the point of hearing it all blend into one big experience.
Maybe it's because of the language barrier but this feels more like a mood to me than anything else.
Good playing and singing for the genre.
Radiohead
3/5
I don't care what everyone else says about this album, you can't replace the vocals with a trump and suddenly just change the game. The vocals and style are a critical part of the sound and it blends great.
I would like to see some more trumpet overall but I must say that three times a day.
This album was pretty good. I prefer some of their other work but liked the listen.
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
This feels like the music teacher forgot to lock up and someone decided to use everything just because it's there.
I'm torn but I don't think good makes sense to be on the list. Either way, I didn't like this one much.
Carpenters
3/5
Her voice is beautiful. Very traditional sounding warm pop from the time but it was a hit for a reason.
The amount of covers is always a bit surprising on a big album but they weren't huge song writers.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
This is a great album but not their single best.
The singing and musical skills are strong but the energy is how it really shines.
Nina Simone
4/5
She makes you feel the emotion.
Breakdown is a great song that I feel almost no one else would put anything real behind.
I could see myself giving this some relistens.
OutKast
3/5
There is some real charm and skill in here but this needs some editing.
B.O.B puts a floor on how low this can go; what a great song and incredible energy.
Makes sense to be on the list but not my style enough to go back to.
Donald Fagen
2/5
This is like music where the main character in something dystopian and wanders into a strange idyllic seeming town that ends up not being real or something.
Clearly skilled but this almost makes me feel like the world isn't real. It is so far from something like Nina Simone in how it does everything and doesn't get an emotion out of me outside of loose confidence that this guy grew up with money.
Van Halen
3/5
Hair metal is as dumb as the day is long but this is some of the best of it.
I can't say it's a masterpiece but it brings the energy and playing and fun and style it's trying to. I could 100% see people learning to play a guitar after hearing this. That's easily the standout instrument.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
It's so interesting to see how Rufus Wainwright evolved his style after his childhood hit "I'm a Running ".
Lots of depth and complexity of sound here.
The vibe change from song one to two is a bit extreme, and two has a Radiohead feel in some ways. The longer it went the more I missed the vibe of the first song. This is good but I almost want something more bombastic after where we started.
If he has any albums that are the vibe of the first song the whole time, point me towards it.
Sheryl Crow
2/5
This is very hollow feeling. It's like an expression of emotion that's so muted that people can zone out and feel like they relate to it.
I have no idea what I'm meant to find in this.
5/5
An easy five. One of the best albums from one of the best artists.
If this wasn't new and inventive it would still be incredible.
Five Years alone is better than most albums and is such a strong way to start the album.
Soul Love has so much texture in the percussion and bass.
Moonage Daydream is unreal; the outro to it is world-class. I could sit and listen to an hour extended jam of just that. Starman is iconic for Bowie. I'm not going to write for everyone song but you could on this album.
Tom Waits
3/5
Tom Waits is such a character but also weirdly doesn't feel like one.
I enjoyed the album.
The Ocean is a great example of what Tom Waits makes work that no one else could.
Queen Latifah
2/5
I'm sure I'm disrespectful in ways I don't understand but none of this grabbed me. It's not awful but I can't see a ton in here that's great.
John Lennon
3/5
The person sucks but the art is incredible at times. Imagine is such a beautiful song. Jealous Guy has a good sound.
Lots of filler songs here. The ego project kind of falls apart.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
This album is wildly long. It's almost hard to review since it has so much content.
Some of it is clearly 5/5 but this could be tighter but I'll add this to the list of it may have just been the wrong day for me.
Sir Duke is wildly good, especially the instrumental stuff going on. I can barely keep track of it all and it jives perfectly.
2/5
I think this mostly stunk. Felt like someone was trying to hypnotize me with no chance of success.
Not sure why this made the list.
Hole
3/5
This feels like fairly strong alt rock. Doesn't blow me away but it's fine and at times has a good energy and sound.
Not sure I'd miss never hearing it again but I think it makes sense being on the list.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
The album isn't perfect but the amount it inspired and shaped music is undeniable. This completely belongs on the list and there are other 5s I prefer listening to, but this isn't a 4.
Iggy Pop
3/5
I thought this would be more my style. The Bowie influence is clear but it's still figuring out where to go.
Not a bad album and some really cool instrumental work but this feels in progress vs complete.
Beatles
3/5
There's too much going on here. You can feel the lack of cohesion in the band.
There are some incredible songs here but the influence of everyone creeps in one by one resulting in some great, some okay, and some pretty bland songs.
The Coral
2/5
I was kind of digging the vibe despite this being a strange like... gypsy pirate sound.
I recognize Dreaming of You from some movies or shows or something.
I kind of enjoyed listening to this just since the sound was a bit different from what we've gotten from the list recently, but I don't know if this is especially noteworthy in any direction.
Nice it wasn't too long. Second half of it probably could've been mostly cut.
Paul Simon
3/5
Paul Simon has a ton of great skills. All the instrumentals and mixing and stereo work here is fantastic. I miss the impact that Garfunkel brings. For a debut solo album it has some solid work and he does get better in future releases
Minor Threat
3/5
This may be the shortest album we've hit so far.
I did like the energy and could see this being fun live.
I still don't love hardcore but this is some of the better stuff I've heard. I'm battling between 2 and 3. Maybe they got me on a day when listening was easy.
FKA twigs
2/5
This was interesting. Some okay mixing and looping, decent voice and a decent shot of the vibe she was going for. Not exactly my style.
It almost vaguely feels like it's trying to influence the mood of the listener versus being direct on anything.
I doubt I'll relisten. Not sure if this makes sense on the list.
The Doors
2/5
What a drunken mess.
Half of this album sounds like people who could perform in a different situation all putting something down because they're meant to.
Riders on the Storm has a good vibe.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
This goes for a vibe more than anything, which is good because the rest doesn't do much.
Instrumentals are bland, the distortion washes everything out, and the vocals barely show up.
I know it's what they're going for and that's what keeps it from a 1, but this isn't great.
MGMT
3/5
This is a good example of a popular sounding album. Good album, nice sound, easy to listen to. I wasn't overly blown away but they clearly know what they're doing.
I wish I could have picked out a specific moment or song but most of it weaved together.
Marianne Faithfull
2/5
This feels more like someone who is popular for a story or associations vs just the music.
1001 is a lot but not sure about why it needs to be here. Could be missing something.
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
Great at what it's doing but this is such teenage edge.
This sounds like a kid who grew up with their parents listening to 80s Peter Gabriel while they argued and the kid played video games.
I think this should be on the list for his it influenced a genre but it's nothing magical. It sounds like what someone puts on when they slam their door after being told they need to start paying their own phone bill.
AC/DC
3/5
It's so hard to hear AC/DC as music. Maybe when it came out it was different but it's such Marvel and grocery store rock now it feels paint by numbers.
It has some fine technical moments but I don't feel I can give it a fair listen.
The Cure
3/5
They do get better further into their career but I do find myself liking listening to The Cure more than I expected.
Yesterday was hectic so I couldn't give it a deep listen which I wish I could.
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
Pretty solid for a debut album. On one or two songs I swear I vocally hear Thomas Dolby for a couple of seconds but I could be off.
The sound is solid, they mesh everything well. I understand why they got popular. Some decent energy.
This Fire is a fun song. Fairly crisp overall. Not a ton of depth but well put together. Hard album to review.
The Go-Betweens
3/5
This has a decent feel and some good lyrics but it didn't blow me away.
A bit bland or boring feeling at times. Could be me missing something.
Funkadelic
3/5
Funkadelic is always worth a listen. You can't help but love musicians that are incredibly skilled and just doing their thing the way they want to.
Great vibe and skill. Maggotbrain is a stronger album but this is a great listen, despite having a few less impactful moments. This isn't a listen I'll go back to but I'm glad it exists.
David Holmes
2/5
I guess.
Not sure what I missed but this wasn't overly impressive or interesting in any way.
Beatles
4/5
It's earlier Beatles and they don't have the depth they get to get but it's impossible to deny how much they popularized different aspects of music.
The drums could easily just be a session player but vocals, lyrics, and especially lead guitar give such a memorable album.
One thing that easily catches your attention on slightly older albums is just how short some songs used to be.
Also, two songs telling women not to fool around with other guys. Was this an epidemic at the time?
Bad Brains
2/5
Vocally I heard the smallest part of Ozzy. We're talking like less than 5% but I heard it first on House of Suffering.
This feels a bit all over. Could be missing something but I wouldn't miss it if it wasn't here.
Megadeth
3/5
Megadeath ain't music for the thinking man but it leans it's what it's trying to do.
Not a masterpiece, but Tornado of Souls has some good instrumentals. Fun band live.
Fats Domino
3/5
You have to love that Chubby Checker picked his name as a play on Fats Domino.
Great voice and almost a timeless sound but it was long enough ago that a lot of where music has grown makes this almost seem simple.
It's great music and pushed a lot of other things forward. Bit harder to get lost in today but solid.
Julian Cope
4/5
This was way better than I expected. Great instrumentals, the vibe was solid, good lyrics and energy throughout. Lots of variability in the sound across the album.
Never heard of this artist but I may look into them more.
It's very possible this just caught me on the right day and mood.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Such a landmark band for developing the psychedelic sound and getting it popularized.
It's a really pretty solid album. Some timeless songs like White Rabbit and Somebody to Love.
It's nuts that this band one day does We Built this City.
Elton John
5/5
Listening to Elton John it always feels so odd that he didn't write his own lyrics; the songs feel so cohesive.
There's no question many songs on this album are iconic and Elton's musical ability and showmanship are unmatched in his style.
This hits all the marks it tries to and sounds natural to do so. The intro song's instrumentals really start off bold and strong.
There's some chaff that should've been cut here but there's too much gold to be weighed down by Jamaica Jerk off.
Electric Light Orchestra
5/5
Keep it down anyone who is swinging on this album.
It's a unique sound, covers a ton of ground, is creative and uses a lot of instruments well, and is fun. That album art slams and I'm biased as hell but this should completely be on the list and is great to listen to in its entirety.
Nas
3/5
I wasn't feeling this today but the flow on Halftime did grab my attention.
The skill is undeniable. Wish i was in a different mood when this one came up, think I would've got more out of it. If everyone told me this was a 5 and was world changing I wouldn't be surprised, but I didn't hear it.
The Only Ones
2/5
For the time this feels fairly unique but man do some of these choices not really mesh.
Not a trainwreck and there's some talent but this doesn't do it for me.
Janis Joplin
3/5
Janis Joplin has some real vocal talent, range, and pure passion.
Her ability to sing gently and fiercely so close together is remarkable.
The rest of the album has strengths but it's impossible not to focus on her vocals.
The talent more than the sound alone gets my ear.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
This album isn't Bridge Over Troubled Water but it is beautiful. Not every song is at the same level but Scarborough Fair is stunning.
The vocals and harmonies always defined Simon & Garfunkel but the instrumental choices blend so well.
Great album. I also always liked Patterns.
Solange
2/5
Ohhhh it's Beyonce's sister. I was wondering what I was missing on why it was on the list.
This isn't great.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
I listened to this on a long and hot run. It somewhat turned into a fever dream and I got lost in the vibe and something about a spaceship or spaceman.
I'm not too sure that this is great but I did go somewhere with it.
1/5
The best album of the worst band.
Maybe if they had broken up after this I'd have a chance to like them a bit more but it's still not there.
The album talks about wanting to find the mythical America and it feels like that turned them into wanting to be a mythical band.
All U2 albums talk about sociopolitical issues but then you listen to the lyrics they are so bland. I can't see any of the depth or complexity I'm meant to here. This is poetry for people with live, laugh, love on the wall.
U2 blows.
Shack
2/5
This is incredibly forgettable. I can't figure out why this is on the list.
Glad to hear some violins and other instruments show up a bit.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
This is incredible for a debut album.
The instrumentals on every song are solid and his flow blends with it so well.
The intro song got my attention, second started and I thought it would lose me but it kept finding me back in different ways.
He Say She Say felt like it was going to be corny halfway through but the repetition with a different focus really did add something.
Kick, Push is a great song and the callback later in the album with Kick, Push II is great.
Very solid album.
The Killers
3/5
The album doesn't carry the strength through but there are some great fun songs on here.
I was weirdly finding myself enjoying some of the minor drumming choices on songs. It's not that it felt masterful or really inventive or anything, it's just I felt it could've gotten away with being blander and no one would've noticed so hearing some minor unique moments was cool.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
I'm not saying I'm right, but I did prefer Songs in the Key of Life and Talking Book.
This is a solid album and the funk is incredible.
If this got me on a better day when I could've listened more clearly I wouldn't be surprised if I could've found more but it's a great album.
Primal Scream
2/5
Yeah sure, this was a bit unique versus other things I've heard so far on this list but it's not my style.
Not a ton I can even think to write about it.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
You can't walk down a city street to this. You'll just want to start a dance or a spin on a lamppost.
All of these songs have such a similar feeling that it almost feels like one song that plays forever. Good thing is it works and has a great sound.
The legacy stuff wants me to rate this higher but what I'm hearing is my vote.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
I'm not surprised but there's more chops here than the tabloid view of her suggests.
The vibe she's grabbing is older but she's doing it really well. Tons of feeling and the instrumental work has all the flourishes to accent what she's bringing so smoothly.
I always like an artist who feels real and this album carries emotion. Great vocal talent too, especially in her ability to go from almost silent to powerful in the same bar.
I'll likely listen to this again.
The Thrills
2/5
Another one for my list of "not sure why this is on the 1,001". It's fine in areas and consistent enough but I don't see anything special here.
Metallica
2/5
Metallica is the sleepiest metal. One is the best song on this album but there's so much better out there.
The best of Metallica is when they do slightly classical-direction riffs but they aren't a tenth as good as their popularity claims.
The Stooges
3/5
The guitar work here is pretty great. It's an early precursor to a lot of punk.
Good and unique style. Other music sounds better but that's not the only thing this was trying to do.
New Order
3/5
I was hoping to get more out of this. I do appreciate the skill and vibe they bring. I listened twice but couldn't think of a lot to comment on.
Strange to read the above and still like it enough for a three.
Teenage Fanclub
2/5
Could easily be missing something but this felt bland.
Last song was at least a bit interesting but I didn't latch onto anything.
Tracy Chapman
3/5
This is the type of album I'd almost want to hear sung by someone else just to really hit home how much her voice and passion carry it through.
The lyrics are poignant, and Fast Car is a classic for a reason.
I'm almost a bit disappointed I'm not rating it higher but I do think on a different day or with more listens I could find more.
OutKast
2/5
This thoroughly blows.
What an overly long and disjointed mess. The story of it being two albums helps make sense of it but it doesn't excuse the terrible call to slam then together.
This runs way too long and ruins any chance to find something in individual songs.
Culture Club
2/5
That cover screams 80s.
A very strong album of an album of its time. There's some good synthy type work and his voice works with it. Not a masterpiece but it makes sense to have things like this on the list showing where music goes.
It's fine. Karma Chameleon shines so much brighter due to the harmonica.
4/5
This album in isolation is very solid but with context of what music was sounding like before it's a huge achievement.
You could spend an entire review talking about the experimental nature with rebranding the band and the cover, but the music alone does enough.
Great instrumental work that stays forward enough to all stand out when it needs to. Also the amount of instrumental complexity across the album is fantastic.The songs are some of their best, but lyrically and vocally. The only real downside is there isn't a ton of consistency throughout the album, which feels like a gap when the first song pitches it as an experience.
Anyone who says this is the best album may be overselling or overgeneralizing some, but anyone who says it's awful is so clearly wrong.
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
Some decent energy, it was fun to listen to on a run.
I don't know if this is a masterpiece or I'm just missing something here. It didn't bother me and I had a good time listening but doubt I'll come back.
There were a couple of moments that made me wonder if I should though.
The Kinks
3/5
Waterloo Sunset has always been a favourite of mine. The intro to the song has such a tight sound and a warm feeling.
The album doesn't hold to that level and does meander some. It was influential and deserves some respect.
Queen
4/5
Bohemian Rhapsody makes this album hard to review. Queen may be one of the best examples of incredible bands who released some very mid songs and have no albums that are perfect, but a best of queen may be.
This may be their best release and has a lot of strength and showcases them all well. Songs like I'm in Love with my Car bring it down some.
Death In Vegas
3/5
This grew on me a lot more than I'd like to admit.
It feels more like a mixing/DJ album vs something that feels larger but I enjoyed listening. I think this is a case of an album catching me on the right day vs being overly great and I'm not sure if I'll look it up again.
Fela Kuti
5/5
This is a great groove and falls into the list of "I can't believe this is live". The drumming adds a lot of great texture.
I enjoyed listening to this and could see me coming back. Huge performance.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Not bad, I prefer one of her other albums we reviewed that I forgot the name of and am too lazy to lookup.
She's good at what she's doing but it's fairly similar throughout her career from what I'm hearing.
Sparks
3/5
I listened to this driving and kept not picking up on anything noteworthy but listening to it on headphones found more.
This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us is a good song and great opener. Interesting style to say the least on this production.
I felt that this sounded like Rush meets Bjork, and then read that Bjork said this album changed their life.
I don't know if I'll come back often but I'm glad to have heard this and I'm glad I gave it another shot on headphones.
Prince
2/5
I've never really figured out Prince. Reviews fell me I'm missing something and he's an all time great, but while I enjoy it I don't hear that level.
This isn't his best album and kind of meandered some. I'm glad that people love this but I don't all that much.
Suicide
1/5
I did like some of the stereo usage but when that's the compliment I find for an album it's not a great sign.
The best part of this is probably how short it is. I do think this makes sense being on the list due to it being fairly unique but I can't really say I enjoyed almost any of this. It's an experience.
Christine and the Queens
2/5
I guess.
I'm not sure what I'm missing hearing that makes this noteworthy.
Nick Drake
4/5
Definitely a moody album but Nick Drake has a great voice and has some of the warmth in his playing you'd hear a bit more in the 60s.
Great album and easy to enjoy. Some nice instrumental variety across this one too.
Metallica
2/5
I may have groaned when I saw this come up.
Metallica are the U2 of metal. There's so much projection of being the best without a ton to back it up in this. I do think there is some talent in the band but I dislike what they do with it.
The instrumental song gets this away from a 1. I was thinking during it that it's hard to tell what makes Metallica suck more, the lyrics or singing.
Beach House
3/5
Nice vibe, didn't have a ton of attention for it but didn't dislike the listen. Likely a limiting or generous vote based on my day for it but no idea which.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Nick Cave can sing the most ridiculous lyrics and make them work.
Great band and performer. This isn't my favourite album of theirs but I always like hearing them.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Arcade Fire kind of feels like it only does one sound but they do build energy and a bit of a grandiose sound fairly well. I often hear them and wonder if there's more going on that I'm not hearing.
I enjoyed their later album that Bowie worked on with them but as an earlier career release this isn't bad. From what I hear about their popularity I'm missing something that everyone else is hearing on this one.
The Avalanches
2/5
I think there may be something great here but it drones on and repeats itself so often.
Could be a good album to drift off to a bit but it didn't overly grab me. I didn't dislike the one listen though.
Joan Baez
3/5
This was a strange listen. Great voice and feeling behind it but it almost felt like it eventually didn't go anywhere. I didn't dislike songs but I don't think I'd want to listen to the entire album again.
Makes sense to be on the list.
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
I do have to admit that this coming out in '79 surprised me since it sounded more experimental in a way than I would've thought at that time. The rhythm section on Poptones feels a bit like someone is trying to hypnotize me.
Man, the more I'm ignoring listening to this as a normal album and letting myself focus rhythm first and the rest to round it out the more interesting it is.
I almost hate that I'm saying this but I could see myself wanting to hear this again and seeing if I find something else.
The Band
4/5
The vibe and feel The Band is great.
The hits are clearly timeless and I think they're important to hear and be on the list.
There's a ton of merit to them but some songs are duds.
I'd like to hangout with them and I'm sure they were great live.
Stephen Stills
3/5
Stills is someone I enjoy listening to and I can't help but wonder if he'd be lame to hang with.
I like a lot of the feel and texture of this. The playing and arrangements are solid. I don't know if this needs a double album since some draws on but the skill is there.
Worth a listen for sure. CSNY are better than all of the solo work besides Young. I'm torn on a 3 or 4 here.
I feel like The Treasure should've ended the album (order, not needing to get rid of Blue Man).
Pixies
3/5
The Pixies inspired a lot but this album has some lows on it.
Cool experimentation and some really strong songs but it isn't a masterpiece throughout or anything like that.
Lauryn Hill
3/5
When we had a Missy Elliott album, this is why I was disappointed. There's some real chops here.
Her voice is great but man this album goes on for a bit.
Not a masterpiece. Good to listen. I think if this was tighter it could do more.
Traffic
3/5
I like the warmth of this but honestly thought it would grab me more.
Could have been the wrong day. Some good talent here but I weirdly didn't find myself wanting to listen to it.
Could very well have been on this one.
The Cardigans
3/5
I'm not sure what to do with this.
I think it's clearly well done but I can't explain how. I enjoyed the listen enough but don't think I'd ever put in the effort to come back. If it was on I can't imagine I'd put in the effort to turn it off.
Likely a day thing more than anything for me.
Kraftwerk
3/5
When the first song ended I thought I had been in a trance and that was the entire album.
The age of this for this sound is kind of wild. I feel there must be a ton of nuance and skill in how this was made back then.
I'm glad I listened, don't know if I'll come back but I enjoyed it and don't regret the time. Only got one listen so it could have more I missed.
Miles Davis
4/5
It's interesting to hear Miles Davis transitioning with the time.
The skill of the performers here is wild. You can't predict where anything is going to head but when you hear it you know it works there.
I gave this one a listen and knew I needed a second one to lean in closer.
This album feels like it it was a continual song and ran forever you'd keep hearing interesting moments without it feeling repetitive.
The Who
3/5
They clearly got better with time but there is something to this as a debut.
If they hadn't evolved this likely would've disappeared but My Generation is a great song and helped make the album feel like it had something more in it.
Not their best, based on what they become this is a fun listen to hear their roots.
2Pac
2/5
I thought I'd like this more.
I'm glad I gave Dear Mama a second listen. This album does have some heart and feeling behind it, but it isn't my favourite and does feel like it goes on.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
The Rolling Stones have such a tight sound. I had never heard this album and I dug it.
Hard to give notes. Some iconic songs here, some like Street Fighting Man I've heard covers of before. I often like some of the unique instrumental work on a Stones album.
Good listen. Makes sense to be on the list. I enjoyed it and could listen again.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I think this is better than his other work I've heard but I didn't love this one.
It's too long and has some duds for sure. I think the instrumentals with a different singer may have a chance but this almost feels like the music in a musical. Like it's trying to accomplish something else so it ends up not being that great at being music.
Maybe I'm missing something.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
I'm not entirely sure what just happened to me.
I hate to admit I didn't dislike that and I do wish the artist success.
I'm concerned if I heard this drunk I'd give it a 5. This vote is almost entirely just feeling.
Bob Dylan
3/5
I feel like I had the wrong day for this one.
I wouldn't be surprised at all if there's more I'd find here on a revisit.
This feels heartfelt and honest. Nothing in particular stood out but that may be the listener this time.
I'll check it out again sometime with more attention.
Neil Young
5/5
It's wild how popular Heart of Gold made this album. The song suits Young perfectly and just works.
There's an honestness to Neil Young that really shines through in his lyrics and singing.
Great example of why music matters.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
I did like this more than another we listened to. The album feels more personal.
It does feel a bit long and repetitive but I liked having it on.
Could just be me but I think I'd enjoy just having this on versus really actively listing.
Destiny's Child
2/5
This is such commercial late 90/early 20s content.
It sounds fine enough for what it's doing but this feels like the goal of releasing it was to make money and that's it. It's soulless and if this all music was I'd never listen to any.
Bon Jovi
3/5
This is a hit machine for what it's trying to do.
No notes, not my fav but don't mind listening to it, makes sense to be on here and be liked by people.
The Prodigy
3/5
This paragraph alone makes me interested to hear this:
The album is largely a response to the corruption of the rave scene in Britain by its mainstream status as well as the United Kingdom's Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, which criminalised raves and parts of rave culture.
I can't say it's a masterpiece but I listened to it on a run and it was easy to get lost in. I enjoyed the listen a lot. Strong 3 moving towards a 4 if all the songs were tighter together.
Lana Del Rey
2/5
Lana Del Ray has a stunning voice and air to her performance but I'm not sure if this is the one I'd pick out of all albums to be on a list of 1,001.
There's some interesting instrumental moments but this feels like an album for people who are already fans.
D'Angelo
1/5
This sucks right? Am I missing something? What am I meant to do with this?
Duke Ellington
4/5
There is a great frenzy going on during this.
Nice jazz, fun to listen to, very skillful.
I'll listen again sometime.
David Bowie
5/5
The context of this album being finished and released just before Bowie's death adds a weight to the whole production, but Blackstar presents an understanding of mortality that would've been just as poignant even if he had lived longer.
Blackstar is an incredible song but Lazarus feels heavy and personal.
The final song being I Can't Give Everything Away is beautiful. The richness of that song is one you can get lost in. The part that grabs my attention the most is the minor moment partway through when the instrumentals fall back and it's just Bowie singing with a simple bassline until everything else rebuilds. The way it balances harmony and outbursts and rising and falling feels incredibly purposeful and I feel pretentious for writing this but it hits me as a reflection on what it feels like to experience a lifetime.
Bowie's my favourite artist and this album feels like one I'll listen to for years and keep finding intriguing.
Production, instrumental work, and mixing are all stunning; the vocals are masterful.
Jethro Tull
4/5
Aqualung completely makes sense to be on the list but is such a strange album to give a star rating for.
The instrumentals are great, vocals are good, concept is a bit all over the place.
I enjoy listening to it and think everyone should give it a shot at least once.
Go on flute, go get it.
Norah Jones
3/5
This back-to-back with Aqualung is a unique experience.
If they hadn't lined up I'd never have noticed they were opposites.
This is easy to listen to, makes sense, you can drift in and out of, and does nothing wrong. Aqualung is a bit all over the place and if anything gets confusing to listen to at times.
I prefer Aqualung but I get why people want to listen to this. She can sing and it's peaceful. There's talent here for sure but I'm now blown away.
Iron Butterfly
2/5
This isn't awful and I appreciate the sound but it isn't great.
Everything But The Girl
1/5
Very forgettable. I listened to it and found it so bland that later in the day I listened to a few songs again and instantly forgot those.
No idea why this madentheblist
k.d. lang
2/5
Not bad, kind of nice to listen to.
Good voice but didn't find a lot of depth.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
All About Love is great. I love when older songs take a minute to give you advice or a pep talk.
Great sound. Great vocals and instrumental complexity. Enjoyed this one a good bit. Bit of a battle between a 3 and 4 on my vote. The pep talk brings me up.
The Strokes
3/5
This is a good listen. They clearly have skills and know what they're doing putting together hit songs that aren't just earworms.
I don't think I'd hunt it out myself but I wouldn't hate it if I was somewhere and this was playing.
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
Nice album to listen to.
Her voice is great and the performance is very solid. Hearing some of the levity of the live performance gives it a comfort that elevates it.
Deep Purple
4/5
Just crushing it. What a great album for the genre.
This almost feels like it should be a greatest hits.
Highway Star is an incredible opener and even if it isn't the most complex at times, the rhythm section is constantly strong and puts a great vibe to the album.
100% people heard this and started to learn instruments to play it.
Sade
3/5
Solid popular album. Smooth Operator is a great song.
Can't think of a ton to type but makes sense to be on the list and it was easy to listen to, even if I did feel like it was all blending a bit.
The Yardbirds
4/5
I've got to start this by saying I miss bands having dumb names for albums based on weird drawings that the whole band probably didn't even want to use.
Beck is a killer guitarist and the vibe on the album is great. Enjoyed this listen and will give it another shot soon.
I've meant to look into The Yardbirds for a while. Glad they're on the list
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
God help me but I enjoyed that.
I think this may be one of the best examples of something that doesn't make sense for everyone but completely makes sense to be on the list. It's going places musically and in style that are unique while blending a lot of more structured genres.
Musically this sounded like a bucket of water being dumped on a sandcastle and watching all the structure melt into itself.
Pulp
3/5
This is one of the better examples of Britpop.
I love the feeling Pulp brings in some of their songs and I like a decent chunk of their work.
Common People is a great song.
The Boo Radleys
2/5
I heard this and thought "this must be something foundational to be on the list" but seeing it came out in '93 I'm confused.
This is too long and doesn't really do a ton. Possible I missed something but I'd like this tighter or more out there.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Sonic Youth has a good sound and put out some interesting stuff. I didn't get to listen to this enough but will try to give it another shot.
Otis Redding
3/5
I was excited seeing an Otis Redding album but was surprised that it seemed to be all covers.
His voice is one of the best and the instrumentals are solid throughout. Worth being on the list and hearing for sure but honestly thought I'd like it more than I did.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
The Killing Moon is a standout on the album.
On a first listen this was alright but I find a relisten helps it. There's a fair amount of depth here and it's a bit surprising how early it came out.
Good example of good music but a vibe that pushes it up.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
2/5
I was interested when this first popped up but it didn't catch me at all.
I can't hear what is apparently in here.
The Triffids
3/5
I don't even know what this did to me the day I listened but I loved it more than it's actually good.
Radiohead
4/5
What a solid album. This feels like an accessible album for Radiohead and has a great energy and sound.
I can see how this helped their career and how this was a kicking off point for them to get more experimental.
Slint
3/5
I almost wish I could've heard this in a few different ways to pay attention to the mixing. The vocals are overpowered constantly but it's clearly a design choice and gives a good texture to it all.
I liked hearing this but don't know if I'd come back much. Was more of an experience vs something that blew me away or seemed to be incredibly skilled. This is a strong two or weak three.
Fugazi
4/5
There's some great playing here. I'd never listened to Fugazi before but I had heard of them.
Solid album and really great energy and execution. I can see me relistening to this.
Pixies
3/5
This album has some 4s for sure but not everything is as strong.
Great listen, skillfully done, fun to listen to.
Deep Purple
3/5
This is some classic sounding metal.
I enjoyed the listen but there are better examples of the sound.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
This was weirdly more accessible than I expected.
A good level of complexity and blend here. Nice to listen to and a bit challenging if you're listening in for it.
Kanye West
4/5
This was a bit sad to listen to know where Kanye went.
Great album, very tight throughout. Power has such an incredible vibe and I remember hearing a pull from King Crimson in it and wondering where Kanye was going to keep going musically.
Lorde
3/5
There's very solid production, some good skill, and a strong level of intentionality to this.
It's not an album that's speaking to me but for the right person at the right stage of life I could easily see this be foundational.
Don't regret the listen, makes sense to be on the list.
Haircut 100
4/5
You can just feel that this album was made in a time when life was easier.
Fun vibe, good bass, enjoyable to listen to and doesn't really go anywhere but it was a blast the whole way through. Part of my vote here is having a good time.
The Modern Lovers
2/5
I didn't hear what others are finding in this one.
None of it grabbed me in a positive or negative way. After it was finished I put it back on since I had no attachment and didn't know what to review it. After the second listen I'm in the same place.
Kanye West
3/5
That last song is an insane thing to have on any album.
For a debut this is good and it's a shame where Kanye went.
The B-52's
2/5
I don't even know what to do with this.
This album started a long conversation of are the B-52s a paradoy band. They for sure aren't playing it straight, and they also aren't going deeply artistic.
Strange listen. I kind of wish I had never heard them before just to be shocked at a first time listen on the list.
The Style Council
2/5
This started strong and got odd. When You're the Best Thing came on I realized why it got on the list.
I wish this had picked a direction and went for it.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
This is a wild thing to listen to but is so good to have on the list.
You had three stellar musicians who decided they wanted to get really experimental on everything they did and one of their albums is just a classical work in a prog style.
The encore is the nut cracker suite. This barely makes sense and it's great.
Pretenders
3/5
This got better and better as the album went on. Good listen. I enjoyed some parts a fair bit. I could see a relisten. I wasn't wowed but this has some solid work
Taylor Swift
2/5
This is the other side of the coin of guys listening to heavy music and fantasizing about saving someone.
This is so purposefully built to be successful it isn't even music anymore but it makes sense to include something like this on the list.
In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep there's a device that people can select emotions on and then for the duration they fell them. It's to show how hollow the world became and how even the strive to experience was taken as a dosage vs something organic. Listening to these tracks feels like each song is a button on that machine.
Moby Grape
3/5
Didn't blow me away but nice 60s rock with that warm sound of that time. I likely could've given it a deeper listen and picked out more but for what I heard, I liked it but don't know if I'd hunt it out again.
The Verve
2/5
It makes sense these guys are one hit wonders.
They aren't terrible and I think they're trying to do their own style but it feels like it never really goes anywhere that adds a lot.
Don't regret the listen but won't come back.
Dolly Parton
4/5
This is a great concept. Three strong artists who dig each other just do an album and crush it.
Great vibe and talent. I'm a bit surprised I'm not feeling a 5 vs what I thought I'd find when I first saw what the album was, but I only gave it one listen and am feeling the 4.
Meat Puppets
5/5
I was listening to this and really enjoyed Plateau but it wasn't until Lake of Fire until I realized Nirvana was covering these guys during their Unplugged set.
Great complexity and an album I had never heard before. I'm glad I gave it a second listen and found a lot more as I went further in.
I feel a strong 4 right now but something tells me if I had the time for another listen it would bump it up, so I'm going for it.
Beatles
5/5
This is one of their best.
Musically it is so complex but blends so well. Great songs throughout and showcases them at their best.
Not a lot I can think of writing, just listen to it.
Moby
2/5
This is a weird thing to hear.
It's not got a ton of cohesion but it's because it feels like a craft project vs an album. Lots of gutting and gluing and glitter.
I think Moby is probably pretty lame. Some of this is catchy though.
Tricky
3/5
It didn't blow me away but I didn't expect this sound from '95 and it makes sense to be on the list. Interesting content but not that exciting overall.
Songhoy Blues
4/5
This feels weighty. I love the sound and how tight it is but without being able to understand the words I'm forced to sit back some.
Reading the history of this band was interesting. I'll relisten to this for sure. Great blues work.
Johnny Cash
4/5
I remember this coming out.
It's wild how iconic Johnny Cash was at this point in his career. Almost all of these are covers but they feel like they go to new places just by him doing them. Not everyone works at the same level.
Great listen, showcases him and a lot of great songs well, and is easily worth a listen.
Portishead
3/5
This was a good listen and had an interesting style but it grabbed me less than I expected.
Gave it two listens wondering if I'd find more but didn't really.
Dennis Wilson
3/5
This really feels like a parent saying "Brian! Let Dennis play with the guitar!".
It's not a bad album but it's a bit far from what made some of the Beach Boys have a lasting impression.
This album has some strength but doesn't feel like it's treading into especially new territory vs trying to recreate a solo version of what worked for the band. I do like some of the instrumental choices and this is worth a listen, but it didn't blow me away.
The Police
3/5
The hits of The Police are well known but man their duds are pretty easy to forget.
The Police and Sting are more popular than the should be but it's not an awful listen. Probably makes sense to include on the list but not something I care to listen to that much.
Not unskilled or unfocused. Just a bit uninteresting
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I always battle if this album is too long or not.
Not every song shows up at the same level but the skill and balance across genres really showcase how the band grew and what they could do.
Kashmir is one of the best songs of all time. The worst Zeppelin is better than almost any band and this is some of the best Zeppelin. Ten Years Gone is such an easy song to get lost listening to. In The Light is the song I still feel I have the most to unpack in.
Primal Scream
3/5
A band called Primal Scream sounding like this is wild; I assumed they were going to be hardcore.
This is a really strange album to think of giving a rating to. I haven't heard it before and it went all over the place. It's not the most skillful thing I've ever heard but it does what it's trying to well. The age of it is a bit surprising and is likely a big part of why it's on the list.
Shine like Stars had a really nice feeling, I don't think it was the best song but I enjoyed it. Great way to close the album.
The Slits
3/5
This has a unique feel.
The drums aren't the most complex but are very tight and caught my ear on every song.
The singer has a great style to catch your attention. Good use of stereo to play around with noise and feel on this. Good one to have on the list
Bob Dylan
4/5
You can feel why Dylan got hate for changing up his style from traditional folk to more electric.
The second half of the album is more where he was coming from and the front half where he was going. His growth as an artist was important as he changed with the times.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
This may be the review I spent the most time thinking on.
It's very unique but I'll be damned if this isn't artistic. I don't think it's perfect from a purely musical point of view but the rawness, honesty, and connection to what someone is going through is what music and poetry are meant to bring.
This is the opposite of the hollowness but clean sound I've heard on many top albums on this list that seem focused on how to get an audience to be successful. This is an expression and the more I listened to it the more I appreciated it.
It may be the last album I'd put on with a group, but as a solo listen on headphones where you're paying attention, this is beautiful to listen to.
The Fall
2/5
This did a lot less for me than I thought it would.
There could be more to this than I thought but I didn't find much of anything. Some mood work but it felt like it didn't have a ton of substance.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
For sure an album of its time. Very experimental and chaotic.
It makes sense to include this on the list to see where music goes and and a lot of other things were influenced from, but I prefer their first album and where Lou went with the rest of his career.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
This is a great sounding album and the title track is timeless.
There's a warmth and complexity to CSNY that is missing from a lot of music. Helpless is so clearly Young doing what he does best.
Not everything on this one is equally good but you can see why these four were a huge influence, especially Young who is clearly the standout.
Little Richard
3/5
This is so weird to review.
Clearly skilled and influential and changed the course of music. Heading it almost feels like background noise when the songs are so commonly known.
Great for a debut album and completely makes sense to be on the list, but it isn't something I would want to put on often.
Cee Lo Green
1/5
This stunk the place up.
I have no idea why this is on the list, besides maybe it's the first one where I've heard an artist try to sound like half a dozen other people who have distinct styles are are more successful.
Childz Play sounded like such an Eminem copy, even down to the skit feel.
This was not good.
Pixies
4/5
Great album, you can see how it influenced a lot of early grunge.
It's almost nonsense lyrics at time but the energy and feeling pulls it together well.
Great album to put on the list and full of experimentation. I've heard plenty that sounds tighter but that's not the goal of all music.
Gary Numan
4/5
This is a great cover and an album that is very tight.
M.E was my favourite song from it and I weirdly loved how many songs were one word.
Good one for the list.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Oh I know Genius of Love.
This album has some interesting instrumental and background work going on pretty much the entire time.
Feels fairly unique but it's in a genre I don't listen to a lot so I may be missing what influenced it and who it influenced.
Worth a listen. Wouldn't run to turn it off but wouldn't go out of my way to put it on.
Os Mutantes
2/5
A lot of people are saying this cover was inspired by The Munsters and they're probably right.
Hard to review. Cool sounds at times. I'm not sure what I felt listening to this. Good to have on the list.
Fugees
4/5
I was struggling to crack this one but the more I paid attention the more interesting some of the samples on this went went; there's a 3 second sample of The Day Begins from The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed. That's such an interesting call for the very end that almost leaves the song hanging. Then they use a sample from Knights in White Satin from the same album to end The Mask.
There's a great energy throughout this. This feels like it's a bridge between a lot of things but I don't know hiphop at this time well enough to me able to see it all.
Cool listen. This is the type of thing you could pay attention to and get something or zone out and get an entirely different experience. I know it was of the time but the skits don't land. Their voices work together really well.
Slipknot
2/5
Man this is angry music.
I can't criticize the quality of the playing but this doesn't have a ton of depth, just expression.
It makes sense to have on the list but it's not great.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Often argued as the best album of all time for good reason.
The sound engineering and quality of music alone are unreal, but the lyrics and topics covered is what connects.
I love how the album loops. It's a small touch but shows how purposefully this was built as an album and not a collection of songs.
The cover is incredible. This album is in a league that almost no one even gets close to.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
This is another example of an album that makes no many other albums sound like they don't even have the same tools to make music as these guys.
The playing, mixing, vocals, it's all so cohesive and high level. I don't think I can pick a better double album to listen to it and barely notice a song to stand out. It all works so well together and almost demands to be listened to straight.
Easy 5/5. If I was forced to pick a song, Shine a Light is fantastic.
Talking Heads
4/5
It's a good album but it grabs me less than some of their others.
Psycho Killer is easily a standout and the band is great to listen to. Knowing this is on the 1,001 list I'm looking forward to knowing at least 2 more of theirs must be coming up.
Taylor Swift
2/5
Man this blows. I do like the singer from The National but everything Swift does is built to be commercially emotional.
This feels like the fall of art. Fully customizing every heartstring in the simplest form with the laziest symbolism and the most generic lines to remember.
I'm glad people find meaning in this but the pretend depth is brutal to hear. I do think Swift should be on the list, but if music wasn't a way to be rich, there's no way this would exist.
Production is strong.
Dire Straits
4/5
Great sounding album and some strong songs but it does meander around.
This is a 5/5 for some people and that's fine, but it's not tight enough for me to get to that rank.
Good album to have on the list.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
This is a transitionary album for Young and you can hear it.
The way the album bookends My My, Hey Hey with Hey Hey, My My and adjusting the clean acoustic with the electric that's full of reverb and sounding like it's almost falling apart.
This album isn't a hit on every track but seeing him grow as an artist and expressing new themes in his writing helps give this album weight.
His ability to take two guitars and make it sound so strong is something missing from a ton of overproduced music.
If someone rates it lower I understand and don't hold it against them.
Beck
3/5
Easy album to listen to. I've never paid much attention to Beck but this is decently done.
Hard to give it notes. I'm not the target but I can't see anything wrong with it.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
There's obviously skill here and this is influential, but I found less than I expected to.
Could have been me or the day since I only had time for one listen.
Nick Drake
3/5
This was a really melancholy listen. I gave it two listens and instead of picking out songs or instruments I more just got his with the feeling the entire way through.
Really well done and put together. Good to have on the list but his other albums are stronger.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
This hit me a lot less than I expected when I saw who it was by.
Not a bad listen but honestly, a bit boring.
Gotan Project
4/5
This has a great feel throughout and really easy to get lost in on headphones.
Totally makes sense to be on the list and I'll revisit.
Pere Ubu
1/5
What am I meant to do with this?
It's doing what it wants to decently well but what it wants to do doesn't give a damn.
Cool to do your own thing. Not for me to come back to.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
A great album throughout. The drumming on Moby Dick is worth having the album on the list by itself. Ramble On is a great song.
Thank You is one of the best love songs.
Queen
4/5
Queen may be the best example of a band where you need to listen to greatest hits.
Each album has a few 5/5 songs and then a ton of chaff.
Now I'm here, Stone Cold Crazy, and Killer Queen are all great. Brighton Rock is strong.
The Police
4/5
I feel a bit bad that this album happened to me.
I've always kind of felt Sting sucked but this album has some really great moments. Some songs like Mother are clearly a mistake for anyone to do but some of the instrumental work is pretty damn stunning. Lots of interesting flourishes and choices all over the place.
I don't know what it is. The instrumentals and composition and editing are great. His voice is actually solid. It can't just be lyrics (and they aren't all awful). I listened to this one three times trying to figure out how I was giving The Police four stars. Still a mystery but if I had never heard of this band I'd think they needed to get rid of half of the songs on this album but the other half was tight.
Cocteau Twins
2/5
Not too sure what I'm missing but this quickly feels like background music.
It's not awful and I don't really regret hearing it but I doubt I'd come back.
Could be that this is great and I'm missing something, I'm just not finding it if it's there.
John Martyn
2/5
This is well done in some ways and all over the map.
I did a double take on the jelly roll song.
Skillful playing without a doubt and nice to hear experimentation but nothing about this grabs me enough to come back.
Genesis
5/5
Peter Gabriel is wacky and makes wacky nonsense. You can't look at Genesis without admitting that.
With that said, this is a great album. Concept albums almost always get a little fanciful and out there and this one does that in spades. Most of it being based on dreams and having a loosely disjointed thread is so great to see in an album.
All the skill and talent are here and they built something they wanted to do in their own way, knowing it would be weirdly received by critics at best.
Not all music can be like this but I'm really glad some is.
John Lennon
3/5
The singing on this album is pretty incredible.
Lennon has some truly great songs in his solo work. He as a person sucked but the talent in the performance is undeniable.
It's an interesting album and worth a listen for sure, but it's a bit high on itself.
Dire Straits
4/5
This is wild for a debut album.
Instrumentals are very tight, they've got a unique sound and are doing it really well.
Great one to have on the list. Strong band.
The Undertones
3/5
This was a fun listen.
I enjoyed it but didn't have a lot stand out. Could've been me and the day for listening to it.
Good to be on the list.
Boston
4/5
Now this album is hitting me with a question.
Is an album that does nothing wrong a 5/5?
It feels like nearly every song is a hit. Good instrumentals, blends with the vocals really well, fun lyrics and energy.
It's almost built to be easy to enjoy listening to. I don't think it really has any depth but it's perfect surface dad rock.
For me, it's great but not a 5.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
That is a hell of an album cover for how this sounds. Really skillful playing and composition. Cool listen.
Kind of crazy how so shortly after this music changed so radically and this sound almost entirely disappeared. Good one to have on the list.
Massive Attack
2/5
Interesting enough electronic. Goes to some different places throughout the album.
I listened to half of this on a train and it fit that vibe well. Not the best thing I've ever heard, won't be coming back, and not overly sure it's needed on the list but it isn't awful.
Hot Chip
2/5
I don't think this should be on the list but it isn't incompetent.
Not coming back but it could've been worse.
Mercury Rev
2/5
This was a strange listen. Heard it twice but couldn't pick out one song.
Didn't dislike the experience but nothing really stuck. May have been me today
Pink Floyd
5/5
The defining prog rock concept album in terms of popularity.
Incredible engineering, performance, and introspection throughout the album.
This is a great album and then the guitar work on Comfortably Numb starts. Just stunning.
Easily worth being on the list.
Justin Timberlake
1/5
What horrendous garbage.
The Pogues
4/5
This got me on the right day but I loved it.
It's a clear look into a world and cultural feeling. The performance is full of emotion.
I'll revisit and think this is exactly the type of thing that should be on the list. The exact way that Call of the Valley makes sense to be.
Def Leppard
4/5
This is the most refined rock in terms of being pop music.
It's so easy to listen to and had endless singles for a reason, but it feels more built than made.
Exceedingly well done for what it's meant to be and makes a ton of sense to be on the list, but there's a hollowness in this despite it being fun.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
Beautiful singing and feels very authentic.
Almost hard to give notes. It's a great country album. Listen to it. Appreciate what it is doing and understand that world some more.
Bill Callahan
3/5
I think this makes sense to be on the list because it's good but kind of odd.
His style is unique and a bit easy to feel old but it wasn't a bad listen.
At the same time I liked it more and less than I would have thought.
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
I thought this would grab my attention in some way but it was pretty bland.
I didn't give it a huge amount of focus but for what I did, I didn't get much out.
Drive Like Jehu
3/5
Lots of noise. Decently we'll put together but the style isn't my favourite place to go.
I think this does make sense to be on the list. I could see this being incredible if it was what I was looking for.
4/5
This was a great listen.
I love when an album uses stereo properly. It can add so much depth to the listening experience.
Enjoyed it a lot. I'll listen it it again.
Good to be on the list.
Spiritualized
4/5
I was fighting around on what I thought of this and then No God Only Religion came on. What a brutal and powerful song in the best way. The opening track works for sure. Parts of this album are fairly low-key and well done but didn't blow me away, but there are some grandiose moments in here that click.
Black Sabbath
4/5
It's almost impossible to hear most of this as music anymore. It's all so popular and ubiquitous that it feels like it has always existed.
Some clearly great songs and skill but the music is so overly consumed it loses some magic.
Makes sense to be on the list for sure. A defining heavy metal album.
Big Black
2/5
Tons of noise, could've been the day for me but I didn't find much here.
Happy not to listen to it again.
Serge Gainsbourg
4/5
This has a great feel to it. Five and a half minutes in when the instrumental started to build and then ebbed in not the vocals and a more somber and subdued background, I knew this was going to be a cool listen.
Great example of why to listen to this list. I'll come back to this one.
I listened to it three times and liked it more each time.
Looking into what the lyrics are saying took a star off
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
Not a bad album. Good sound throughout and solid cover of Sweet Jane.
Didn't give it a huge amount of focus on my listen but it's good. Feels like a real band vs something incredibly commercial.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Was alright. Good for the vibe it was going for. Kind of felt like background music but it may have been my day.
American Music Club
2/5
I didn't have the day or headspace to give this a deep listen.
It sounded fine but quickly felt like background music.
If I found out this is actually great and I need to revisit, I wouldn't be the most surprised. One of my worst listen days so far
Suede
2/5
This feels a bit like how Hugh Grant's character in Paddington 2 wants to do a one man show. It's got some talent but is clearly so deep into its own thing that it can't really make sense or be good.
I always appreciate someone going for it but considering the things that must have inspired this, it doesn't feel like it's treading any especially new ground.
I really hope they enjoyed making it and if I heard they had other things like this I'd give it a chance to see if it grew. May not be the best thing to have on the list. Still Life got fun at the end when it got orchestral.
Alanis Morissette
3/5
This needs some work in a ton of ways but you've got to admit the style and attitude hits.
This isn't made for me but I can appreciate the hell out of it and for the people who this was perfect for it must've been the only thing they listened to.
Cool album. Totally makes sense to be on the list. Not perfect, but great at what it wants to be
The Charlatans
2/5
This didn't feel great but it was fine. The last song at least did a cool build up at the end.
Didn't really grab me. Felt a bit generic in ways. Could be replaced on the list.
3/5
This is tough because I'm reviewing this as an album.
I think if I was at this show it would be an easy 5/5. The energy is clearly wild and you can feel the passion.
Especially for when it was made it must have been unreal.
Musically it's tight but the recording isn't carrying that through overly well. A good listen and should be on the list but held back by not being there.
David Crosby
3/5
Not a bad album but knowing it comes off the back of Deja Vu it can't help but feel a bit bland.
Not that much unique about this versus his other work. Good performance and production. For sure an album worth hearing but not the strongest.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
The entire time I was hearing this I was like "I swear I know this band". Come on Eileen started and it clicked.
Fun album, good thing in their own style, not a masterpiece but good to listen to and Come on Eileen is clearly catchy as hell.
I'm sure they'd be fun live.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
He's not a bad singer but it really isn't my style.
That aside, they clearly have talent and a unique style and direction and make sense to be on the list.
Rhythm section is sold. Otherside has a strong standout energy.
Sugar
2/5
This felt generic. It's possible I'm missing something but I'll forget I heard this and don't see why it's critical listening.
Coldcut
2/5
This went way too long and the Tarzan yelling was distracting as hell.
There's an album in here I like more than a two but it needs to be edited to that.
Fun at times.
James Brown
3/5
Cleary skilled and knows how's to work the audience until a frenzy.
Fun listen but would've been a hell of an experience live.
This is almost 50% music, 50% style or showpiece.
Michael Jackson
3/5
This makes sense to be on the list and is a great example of a pop album.
Good energy, fun, strong talent. It's not the deepest content but it's a great listen.
Shuggie Otis
4/5
Funky.
Cool album. Hadn't ever heard it.
Easy one to get a bit lost in at times. Rainy Day is a great example.
I liked it. Good one on the list.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
This was an incredible listen.
The lyrics are tight and his flow is great but the instrumental work and way is all blends is wild. Lots of cool genre work through it.
I don't know if it's the best song of the album but King Kunta is so easy to keep listening to.
What the heck was Drake thinking.
The Temptations
3/5
I didn't find what I thought I would in this one.
Obviously incredibly skillful but I couldn't hear a ton of depth here.
Likely me today.
Tina Turner
2/5
Tina Turner has such a distinct sound of the time.
Good singer and composition. Makes sense to be on the list. Easy to hear but don't think I'd ever really hunt it out.
Kate Bush
3/5
Decently done. You can tell this inspired a lot of more recent artists.
Not the deepest listen. Good style and vibe. Good to be on the list. Didn't blow me away.
Erykah Badu
2/5
This feels like it should be impactful and I should be wowed and find something in it, but it just fell flat for me.
I'm surprised it isn't clicking more for me. There's clear talent and it flows together really well. Something is missing or not hitting it for me.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
Well this is having fun with itself. Kind of mindless, sounds easy to listen to, decent instrumentals.
This is the other end of artistic rock where it's just wanting it to be a good time. Will never be a masterpiece but there are days for this and I get why it exists and it's as good an example of this style as anything.
Makes sense to be on the list.
Tom Waits
3/5
It's kind of hard to call this an album. It does a great job of capturing the feel of the performance though.
Worth being on the list. Can't imagine I'll come back often but I'd like to be in a room where this was happening.
Björk
3/5
Skillfully done, didn't dislike listening, but you don't need two Bjork albums on this list.
Billie Holiday
4/5
This is so easy to just listen to.
Beautiful singing, instrumentals blending so well.
Talented puts it too lightly and the feeling in her voice is unreal.
For sure makes sense to have on the list.
Goldfrapp
2/5
Not awful but I don't know why this is mandatory listening.
It sounds nice to listen to but the second it's done I couldn't tell you anything about it. If you told me this was built by a robot and looped forever I'd believe it.
Coldplay
4/5
This is a more recent and better U2. Trying to be overly poetic and thoughtful, decent sound at times but not mind-blowing in any direction.
It does a good job being catchy and mellow. Totally makes sense it's popular and I do think it belongs on the list but not something I'd hunt out to listen. It feels more like an album for singles to have radio play vs something that is designed to be listened to as an album.
There is something decent here for sure even if it isn't your jam.
Finley Quaye
2/5
This was pretty forgettable. I'm not sure why it's on the list. It's not awful but if there is something worth your attention here I couldn't find it.
Alice In Chains
4/5
I always loved how hard Alice in Chains is meant to come off but they have such solemn sounds. Like Down in a Hole, Rain when I die. These are emotional songs not tough guy songs. I know a ton of it is about struggle and addiction but it's an interesting approach when you consider the rest of the sound and how they're a metal-grunge band.
Then you get a song literally called Angry Chair.
It's a well done album, could do with some editing, but there's skill and good composition and they're doing what they are aiming to.
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
Now this was a strange listen. I was doing a lot of driving so I ended up hearing it four times. The second I started the first listen I was like "Okay what's going on here" but the more I gave it a chance the more genuine and heartfelt this seemed.
It's not easy listening and isn't the most accessible but it feels honest and like the project had a purpose.
I was more won over than I thought. I think it makes sense to have things like this on the list but if the entire list was like this I'd never last 1,001 listens.
Bee Gees
2/5
This was a lot more mediocre than I expected. Nothing really grabbed my attention and I'm not too sure what they were going for.
This feels more like "the studio says we have to make an album" vs it being an artistic passion.
Spacemen 3
1/5
Pretty droning. Not really sure what I'm meant to find in here. The whole album feels pointless and easy to ignore. I have no idea why this made the list.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
When this hits, it sounds great. But man does this get repetitive and have some misses.
For the genre and style it was doing a lot with some key songs.
Calexico
3/5
This is like an indie mariachi soundtrack machine. I've never heard of them but this is pretty skillfully put together.
I found it an easy listen and did enjoy it. I'm not sure I could see me hunting it to put on again but if it was on I wouldn't mind at all.
Probably could've give them a deeper listen but I lacked the time for more than one.
Van Morrison
4/5
I half forget Van Morrison did more after being a more pop-focused success.
This is an interesting album. Great vibe and instrumental choices. It does have a similar sound thoroughout that almost gets repetitive but especially for when it came out this is really well done. Makes sense to be on the list.
Gang Of Four
4/5
This was a cool listen. The composition and instrumentals are great. Not all songs are equal but none are bad.
I was a bit surprised it was late 70s and even more surprised it's a debut album.
Solid sound and production. Worth a listen for sure. The album cover is cool.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Thunder Road is a great first track and Born to Run is incredible but the rest of the album spends more time meandering versus showcasing.
The style and influence of Springsteen is undeniable, but for how full some of the songs feel like they're trying to sound it does come off a bit more distant than I'd have thought. I bet hearing this album live in the 70s was unreal.
It speaks to a version of the US that doesn't exist anymore but has a lot of similarities to today; the album has charm and parts of it are timeless.
Fiona Apple
3/5
A great debut album with a solid vibe. It's honest and skilfully done.
Doesn't blow me away but solid album and worth a listen for sure.
The Pretty Things
3/5
Interesting. I'm glad I read the wiki on this one. It's a bit all over but seeing they were going for a rock opera makes sense for some of it being disjointed.
I feel like this was done better by a lot of other bands but they must've been an influence on some of them.
I'm glad to have listening to this but I doubt I'll be back much. Good to have on the list.
Gram Parsons
2/5
Great voice and feeling. The fact that Emmylou Harris isn't mentioned is wild considering how all over the album she is.
Worth being on the list. Didn't blow me away but good example of country.
Screaming Trees
2/5
This was pretty bland. At times some of the instrumental work was interesting and a few times I was enjoying the vocals a bit but it never really added up into anything that told me it was a necessary listen and should be on the list.
I doubt I'll listen to it again.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Even with some reused material it's hard not to find something in an album with songs like America on it.
Paul Simon is clearly a driving force but when they split the separate results did lose out.
Worth hearing for sure. Some big songs but also smaller but reflective ones.
Madonna
2/5
This kind of stinks.
Madonna isn't my style and later Madonna doesn't seem to do anything that hasn't been done better before.
Also the bonus track of American Pie is brutal.
Wilco
2/5
I thought I would've liked this more but it felt pretty forgettable.
I think it's entirely too long for what it's doing.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Just a great voice and sound.
Didn't have as much time as I would've liked to give it a second listen.
The Darkness
3/5
It's wild that this isn't from the 80s. Clearly they were going for a style and they did a hell of a job with it.
I believe in a thing called love is such a well built song to be a hit.
This doesn't go anywhere new but it takes all these parts of earlier bands and does something fun and tight with it.
Good to be on the list. Not a masterpiece but a nearly perfect execution of 80s glam/cheese rock.
Roxy Music
4/5
I dug this more than I expected and think a lot of it is due to the instrumental work being pretty full in the background.
I think I'll come back to this one for more listens. It may have just caught me on a good day but I dig what I'm hearing more than their last album I heard.
Basement Jaxx
3/5
Sure I guess this is kind of cool and well done. I don't think it's a poor execution and having some things of this style on the list makes sense but I don't know if this is the best pick; I'm probably not the best judge for that one though. Didn't hate listening to it but doubt I'd come back.
Arrested Development
3/5
This was a cool listen. Felt like a different style for the time and it's well built.
XTC
2/5
This is a weird album for the 80s. There's a lot of 60s influence and it is a bit creative here and there but it feels pretty unfocused.
I feel like there's a few strands here that could go into interesting places but nothing really came together for me.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
The feels like someone with no depth trying to dig deep.
Cool to go for it but it doesn't payoff anywhere. I had a hard time finding a way to even listen to this which made the experience all the worse when I tracked down each song one by one and found none of them worth the time.
Token 2 since it's good to experiment and I couldn't listen to it closely enough to deem it a 1.
Rush
4/5
The feels like someone with no depth trying to dig deep.
Cool to go for it but it doesn't payoff anywhere. I had a hard time finding a way to even listen to this which made the experience all the worse when I tracked down each song one by one and found none of them worth the time.
Token 2 since it's good to experiment and I couldn't listen to it closely enough to deem it a 1.
The Lemonheads
2/5
Sounds like it's time but not awful.
I can't really notice anything that stands out but it could be that this influenced a lot of things that ended up sounding really similar.
Don't regret listening but won't go back.
Miles Davis
5/5
This is an incredible album and belongs on the list.
The quality of playing is one thing but the improvisation and way it all blends is stunning.
People can say they hate jazz and rank this poorly if they want but there's no question it's a masterpiece.
Deee-Lite
3/5
Good energy, good sound, that cover is great.
Worth a listen, worth being on the list. Don't need an endless amount like this but it's a good example.
Sebadoh
2/5
This is not my style but the ways it's driving me nuts are more style related vs them being inept.
Deep Purple
4/5
That was a really fun listen. It's nice to have some live albums and feel a bit more character.
Songs are good, energy of the band is great.
Stereolab
4/5
This was pretty great. So easy to listen to and some good variety throughout the album.
I liked it and see why it's here. Fighting between a high three and low four but it got me on a good day for it.
Ravi Shankar
3/5
This was an interesting listen. Clearly skillful and fun to have him explaining what he was doing at the start and between the songs.
Good to listen to and worth being on the list. Not sure if I'd go back.
Elvis Costello
2/5
This is a pretty boring album. Elvis Costello could have a better chance for me to appreciate him if there weren't six albums of his on here.
He isn't awful. Kind of interesting at times. But this is way too much.
The Prodigy
3/5
This album has some hits with Breathe and Firestarter but it doesn't hit as well as Music for the Jilted Generation.
The Prodigy are such a band of their time and the sound screams 90s.
These two are good to have on the list but I doubt we need more Prodigy than that here.
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
It started off decently but didn't go anywhere too exciting.
I enjoyed the time but wouldn't hunt it out again. There's better examples out there.
The Residents
2/5
I mean, I gotta give it to them, they went for it.
What a hot mess. This sounds like music to go insane to but like, it's your choice to go insane so you're kind of cool with it happening.
This should be on the list because it's a place to go and 1,001 should explore how music evolves, but man this was a weird as hell listen.
Joy Division
3/5
This is clearly well done. It's got a dark vibe and an aura that carries it well.
Totally makes sense to be on the list and with more attention I could see this having a chance to fight to a 4.
3/5
You can say they're lame all you want but you can't deny that this is catchy as hell. Wonderwall, Don't Look Back in Anger, and Champagne Supernova are all such clear radio hits.
It's a bit muted sounding at times but there's some talent and creativity here.
Not my favourite. Makes sense to be on the list. I hope we don't get a ton of Oasis.
SAULT
3/5
What a unique listen. I'm really glad it was on the list.
You need to listen to it as an album versus singles and hearing it straight while running helped it click.
Good to have something like this on the list. I grew some listening to it.
Kings of Leon
1/5
This should be better. Poor singing and doing very little that could be noteworthy. Maybe this got me on the wrong day but this isn't good and shouldn't be on this list.
I don't know who this is for.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
That was a great listen.
It was thoughtful all over the place. During Television when he talked about pop stars turning into soda pop stars and it all being fast food, then layering in that the only drink he'd want in that area is a COLA clause I was blown away.
Clearly an intelligent album trying to discuss a range of important issues. Good flow and sound too.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
This covered a fair amount of ground but I did find it an interesting listen.
It felt a bit long and could lose a couple of songs but I got more from this than I have from some others.
Doubt I'd relisten but glad I heard it once.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
I mean, you have to love him.
Some songs are so bright and beautiful and built to impress and some sound like strange messes off in the corner.
That's the beauty of Peter Gabriel. He's always willing to go for it and experiment and give it a shot.
Great for a first solo album post-Genesis.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
This album is incredibly strong. The Rolling Stones have a lot of talent at building songs that just sound like they couldn't have been done any other way.
Wild Horses is my favourite on the album. Great album to include on the list.
Faith No More
3/5
You do have to love Mike Patton. Some of his later work got more fun but Faith No More is a great introduction.
It's not the best music but it's of the time, was fun and had good energy, and did something. Woodpecker from Mars is cool. This influenced a lot of crappy music
The Divine Comedy
5/5
I'm going for it.
This album is the sort of thing I love about this list.
It is kind of weird, very direct, full of passion and its own style, and is great to listen to.
I was fighting between a 4 or 5 but after my fourth listen I realized I was fighting it down because it felt odd to give it such a great rating; I'm doing it the same way they did. Putting something down that feels right and makes me smile even if other things could be better or more fitting. Great voice.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
I do love an album that pays off on the promise.
It's almost silly in how direct it is but you can't help but love the style.
Not my favourite album from them but they rarely just miss. I'm battling between three and four. The album does have weaknesses but I do enjoy it.
Travis
2/5
"We've got Radiohead at home"
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
This isn't awful and I enjoy the horns showing up but I'm not sure why this is critical listening. It Goes On had some interesting instrumental stuff going on.
Could've been the day for me.
Dusty Springfield
2/5
.I don't know why but when I saw the album pop up I assumed it would be great.
It's just kind of bland. It isn't awful but nothing really jumped out to me.
Sleater-Kinney
2/5
Not poorly done but not great and not my style. If this is mandatory listening I missed something in my listen.
Arcade Fire
4/5
It does get repetitive but it is a really solid album. Good harmonies and instrument choices.
It's got a charm to it and for a debut album, it's wildly well put together.
If it was further into their career I may bump it down one, but it performs really well; if I hadn't ever heard of this band and heard this album when they were new I'd keep an eye out for their second.
Neu!
4/5
This was an awesome listen.
I never knew Kraftwerk had a fracture that led to this side band.
The intro track's piano opening that works into a lot more complexity is a great way to start an album.
This felt really experimental for anyone but especially for '75. I could see me telling people to check this out.
It's not a perfect album but most albums need more of what makes this work. I feel like there's a fair amount of 5 star work here but not all the tracks work at the same level.
Great one to have on the list.
Paul Weller
2/5
This was too long and boring.
It wasn't awful all the time but I can't understand why this made the list.
Green Day
3/5
This is a great album for exactly what it's trying to do.
Of the times but very honest and speaking from the heart.
Good instrumentals and some creative riffs.
Makes sense to have on the list and is a fun listen. Production is a bit lacking.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Timeless for a reason.
You can never find it difficult to listen to Bob Marley; it almost is something you just drift through.
It isn't my favourite type of music but the feeling and skill is undeniable and it makes total sense to be on the list.
Oasis
2/5
Imagine if Oasis was your favourite band.
It's fine at what it is going for and Live Forever is a good song but it's not much of anything.
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
This felt like one of those fabels where someone wishes to know everything and losses their mind for knowing too much.
Stunning voice and performance but man it's long. I'm not sure how this can even be rated of of it could be called an album. They could've repeated songs and I wouldn't have noticed. There was one about slapping the bass, another about being British. I know it's a songbook but this was wild to include in the list considering there's an album that is the best of this.
The KLF
3/5
I liked this more than I expected at parts, but some of it was a slog.
I don't know enough about this genre to know if this is especially unique or inventive but it was new to me and I dug parts of it.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
This album cover is pretty great and this almost feels like strange folk gospel music.
Kind of odd, worth hearing once.
Scritti Politti
2/5
What is going on here.
Ever wonder what would happen if you liked Michael Jackson less?
Should not be on this list. There's worse music but this doesn't do anything others haven't done better.
TV On The Radio
3/5
I didn't dislike this but I'm a bit torn on why it's here.
I can hear some strong influences but that tells me why those artists are on here more than this album.
Not a waste of time to hear and some cool direction but I don't think this is mandatory as the things it was built on. Shout Me Out got pretty interesting in the second half.
Dr. Octagon
3/5
I hadn't heard of this but I was pretty excited when I heard Dan the Automator was involved.
This was alright but it did less than I expected. A bit experimental feeling but also a bit flat. Didn't dislike listening to it but doubt I'd come back.
Aimee Mann
2/5
Good for a first solo album. Consistent vibe and energy.
Didn't grab me and felt a bit long but I could see this being right on the money for some people. Decently well done, probably makes sense to have something just like this on the list but I doubt I'd relisten.
The Beach Boys
4/5
This was a lot more than I expected. I knew the Beach Boys still did some stuff without Brian after Smile fell apart but I never heard it.
This isn't the level of Pet Sounds but it's still got a lot going on. The album cover is also a really cool choice.
The last three songs take this to a pretty interesting place. I'd listen again and am glad I heard it.
The Fall
4/5
I enjoyed this more than I expected to. The vocals are an interesting style vs the rest of the sound but it works.
I can see them experimenting because they're wanting to and not really caring who cares.
Glad I heard it. I'll look into them some more.
Iron Maiden
4/5
It's a brutally good first album. Maiden is one of the best and while this one has some rough edges, the way they grow and smooth it all out is wild.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Without You is such a strong performance.
My Mom always loved this album so it's hard to be objective. There's that classic warmth to music from this era. Great voice, some interesting musical composition. Worth a listen for sure.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
With time it doesn't sound as impactful as it was. That being said, there's stronger actual blues. This is more the pop culture version of the blues that got people listening to things they would've missed otherwise.
Big Mac blues. Coca Cola blues.
The White Stripes
3/5
This is kind of interesting at times.
Some blues, maybe the smallest dash of funk once or twice, and a vocalist adjusting their tempo to sound less like a lyricist and more like an instrument.
I can see it making sense to have this on the list as a style. Doesn't blow me away but worth hearing once.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
Post-Beatles albums by the members of The Beatles are so interesting.
Paul McCartney always reminded me a bit of Paul Simon in how his solo work showcased that he was probably the member who had the best chance at commercial success and understood making creative music that was accessible more than their counterparts.
Band On the Run is a great song and the cover for the album is weirdly solid.
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five has a weirdly captivating sound.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Weird is a word.
This isn't especially great to listen to or deep in any way. It feels more like a decline than a showcase.
This feels like the act of the movie where the protagonist has lost their way and needs a redemption to become something more.
This is a less depressing L.A Woman by The Doors.
Common
3/5
Great flow. Good background singing and instrumental. Strong lyrics and delivery.
I liked this and feel it had a strong base and did a lot with it but I can't point to anything specific that I loved.
The Specials
3/5
I have to give them points for a vibe here. I can tell that were enjoying making this.
Pretty unique, clearly speaking to a crowd of outsiders. Not really my style but I can appreciate what they were doing and think it's good to have heard. Low three high two.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
This was better than I expected. Good vibe and feel to it.
Easy melodies to get lost in.
I enjoyed listening to it. Good one to include on the list. I'm not sure I'd relisten. Fighting between a 3 and 4.
Buck Owens
2/5
This is strange thing to have to give a rating too. It's clearly from another time and hits a style really well. I liked Act Naturally. Something tells me this is really influential and makes sense being here but I don't know enough of the country world to really tell. Won't be back much, didn't hate the experience.
Gillian Welch
2/5
Good voice, seems heartfelt, I can see why some people would like it a lot.
Didn't hear a lot that felt unique or new. Doubt I'd relisten.
10cc
2/5
Was the project to write an album where every song is a new genre?
Strange listen. I don't think this is good but it isn't done poorly.
I don't want to relisten.
Bob Dylan
5/5
It's a tough album to write about besides just saying listen to it.
My favourite album Dylan made. It's got depth and honesty and emotion.
Beautiful album and worth including on the list for sure.
Slayer
3/5
For thrash metal you have a hard time being much better. That doesn't mean it's great music but it's doing a great job of it.
Raining Blood is a great song for angry music.
Great playing, vocals are what they want to be.
Worth being on the list. I preferred listening to it when I was 17 vs now.
Alice Cooper
4/5
Alice Cooper is way better than I thought.
This is a well put together album. It had a lot more complexity than I expected and was skilful throughout. Blue Turk is so wildly different from School's Out.
Great listen and worth being on the list for sure. I'm surprised I found this album interesting.
Saint Etienne
2/5
Nothing Can Stop Us was nice to listen to.
Good vibe throughout, easy to listen to but didn't do a ton for me overall.
They know what they're doing and it's an okay album but I wouldn't say this is one needed on the list.
Megadeth
3/5
Megadeth is one of the most straightforward bands there.
The name, the album art choices, the sound. They know what they want to do and do it well. It's far from anything deep but it shreds and is heavy and is fun.
Thelonious Monk
5/5
Tough to review someone so far beyond anything I can fully understand in terms of talent.
Clearly a masterful performance. Great listen and makes total sense to be on the list.
Reading about all the other players getting frustrated playing the title track due to the complexity is funny.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
This has a cool sound. The cover of Helter Skelter was much better than I expected.
This feels very influential and the style is a bit hypnotic. Interesting one.
3/5
This is worth listening just for the slice of life of a world that's gone.
Good voice and consistent throughout. Not a masterpiece but it's good to hear as part of a list trying to capture a huge swarh of what is music.
CHVRCHES
3/5
This music sounds like being 20.
Easy to listen to. Better on headphones. Mostly music to drift to.
Not sure how to review it but I had a nice time.
Hüsker Dü
2/5
I do like parts of the album but it goes on too long for how similar it is.
I do like some songs that Husker Du puts out. I wanted to enjoy this one more.
Paul McCartney
3/5
Baby I'm Amazed puts a floor on how low you could rate this.
I've never heard the album and was surprised how early it is. Him doing it all himself is so interesting especially where their careers all were at that time.
Not a masterpiece but a worthwhile listen for sure and you can see ways he wanted to grow from this one.
The Sugarcubes
3/5
"Oh an Icelandic band. Oh this sounds a lot like Bjork. Oh it is Bjork. I guess that makes sense".
Kind of fine. Interesting to hear Bjork with some more structured music.
Supergrass
2/5
I listened to it twice feeling like I must've missed something.
Pretty generic sounding. If I missed something I'm going to likely keep missing it.
Giant Sand
2/5
What is going on here. Why is this noteworthy? I've heard worse things but I can't find a single thing about this to make it worthwhile to hear or revisit.
They know how to play instruments.
Neneh Cherry
2/5
Sure I guess. Maybe this is just of the time but it feels pretty hollow.
Pulp
4/5
The Fear is a great intro track.
As a faux Bowie Jarvis brings a really good vibe to what he does.
Good album and anyone who wants to just write off genres can do this but it's an interesting album and is well performed.
The Undertones
3/5
First time hearing these guys and they do a good job of what they're going for.
The number of tracks vs total album length is hilarious.
I enjoyed hearing it and can tell why people would be fans but I doubt I'd come back often. I could see this being influential to future artists.
Strong 3.
Bee Gees
4/5
I only ever knew the Bee Gees as disco; that a great surprise of an album.
This was interesting throughout. It was long but covered a huge amount of ground in tone, instrumentality, and focus.
I'm glad to have heard this and think things like this being part of the list is important. It doesn't land it on every song but the ambition is fantastic. I'm glad they took the shot even though you can half hear it falling apart throughout the album.
Lou Reed
5/5
A stunningly strong album. Bowie and Ronson can be heard in it but Lou Reed takes the album to places no one else could've.
Satellite of Love, Walk on the Wild Side, Perfect Day. The Velvet Underground were an important step establishing and growing Lou Reed but he put our such powerful work and this is likely the best of it.
An instrumental only of this album would be an incredibly unique record. Reed on top pushes this to an easy 5.
The Everly Brothers
2/5
I want to hear the modern versions of these same songs.
Like what is the 2025 version of "Donna, Donna" where someone is singing about a tease and him being pissed even though it's really just entitlement.
There's such an old sound to these guys considering how much music changed over the next 10 years. Good sound but of its time.
Fela Kuti
5/5
This may be the wildest Wikipedia page for an album on this list.
Zombie is a hell of a track to kick an album off with. I really enjoyed listening to this and found more depth on a relisten.
Cool example of why you listen to all of these albums. It's something I wouldn't have found otherwise.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
Big opening. I was enjoying some of the vibe but it went all over. I feel like if this clicked it would be an album I couldn't stop listening to but it wasn't clicking and I don't think could for me.
I like the moxie and there's a lot of skill here. Do another 100 albums like this and one of those is a masterpiece for sure. High 3 or low 4.
Living Colour
3/5
This has some decent skill and sound. I'm enjoying a dash of funk in the songs.
Not the deepest but a good debut album and well executed.
The Temptations
3/5
Papa was a Rolling Stone is a great song.
This album wanders around some but the skill and sound is undeniable. I feel like The Temptations are the type of band that has some really strong peaks and some valleys that are still pretty solid due to their skill.
Richard Hawley
4/5
The Ocean really got me. I was driving in a light rain and it just had a really beautiful energy for the moment.
This feels thoughtful. This is either a strong 3 or weak 4 for me. I think it got me on a good day. For sure better on speakers by yourself or headphones.
I liked the listen.
Love
5/5
Always cool when a band puts extra focus on listening in stereo. This is so well arranged.
It has the warmth of that period but there's a fair amount of musical complexity going on.
Something I found myself having an easy time focusing on or zoning out to.
I'm buying this album.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
This is one of those albums where even if you're sick of every song you can't deny it crushed it for what it was trying to do. The fact that it's a debut album is wild.
If this was all that music was people would like it but it wouldn't be much of an art form. Doesn't change the fact that this is the top of this specific game. Not every song hits but the ones that do put a floor on how low I can rate this.
New York Dolls
3/5
I've known a few songs from this album but never heard it.
It's well put together and had a cohesive sound. I almost feel like I'm downplaying it with my rating but I don't feel a four.
I feel like I should have more to say on this one but nothing comes to mind.
Mariah Carey
2/5
Great voice, not that inspiring or doing much for me. Good example of something I wouldn't go out of the way to hear but represents part of where music goes.
Makes sense to be on the list but don't need a lot of this.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Another entry on the "this is an unreal debut album" list.
The energy of Rage would be enough to get it on the list but the fact that they're actually good makes it a great listen.
I remember buying this CD and ended up looking up the image from the album cover.
Tom Morello is a sick guitarist. There's some creative use of funk. I could imagine being at a show of their would have had unreal energy.
Tom Waits
3/5
On The Nickel is a good example of why I can't help but like Tom Waits albums.
There's a yearning and honesty in the delivery I almost don't know what to do with. I feel like he's a Christmas ghost telling me a story but it doesn't always work out just because it's Christmas, ya know?
This isn't my favourite of his but I enjoy the listen.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
This is a relaxing listen on a drive. Good flow, easy to zone out with.
Didn't blow me away. Some great samples used throughout the album but I'm more impressed by the bands they're sampling like Funkadelic.
Strong 2 weak 3. I think the day I was having while listening to it gets it the bump up.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
I had heard a few songs from this album before. They're good but the style makes it all sound really similar.
I thought I'd like this more than I ended up with.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Poledo gave me whiplash and made me want to give it a second listen. This feels like the best result for something that most people wouldn't make or like.
I'm torn on a strong three or weak four but I appreciate that this is on the list. It's a good example of where music can go and isn't just focused on what's easy listening.
Laura Nyro
4/5
God damn what a clean voice. This is so easy to listen to and appreciate.
I was surprised how old it was but am a fan and this makes total sense to be on the list.
I do wonder who Eli is.
Grant Lee Buffalo
2/5
Pretty forgettable. Not sure what I was meant to find here.
Not awful.
Skepta
2/5
I feel like with another listen I could find something I'm apparently missing here, but I didn't get it on the first pass.
Decently solid flow but didn't sit with me.
Minutemen
2/5
When the theme from Jackass came on it helped get my review into words.
There's some good groove here; something like The Glory of Man is showing it off well. Man there's so many songs here and they don't all do almost anything.
This joins the review of "this is perfect for what it's trying to be but what it's trying to be isn't the best".
I feel like this is rebellion music for suburban kids who gave their parents speeches about how they didn't want to get a job and be a cog in the machine before asking or borrow the car.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
I don't know much about salsa music but these guys clearly do.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Really genuine and emotional. I could easily see this getting you at the right moment in your life and being foundational.
T. Rex
4/5
I've loved the song Cosmic Dancer for years and can't really explain why. This album has a consistent feel.
It's a cool listen. Listen to it sometime.
Nick Drake
4/5
A stripped down and personal sounding album.
You can dislike the style of music but Nick Drake did an incredible job conveying a feeling that's hard to put a label on.
Cool cover too. It has a feeling like you should listen to it by yourself on headphones on a walk.
a-ha
3/5
Take on me is great. The album overall has interesting moments and I do feel like they put a lot of themselves into making it.
Not a masterpiece but a good example of something that should be on the list. You just don't need a ton of this.
Jeff Beck
3/5
This joins the group of "wild this is a debut album". Instrumental work is unreal and you can hear how this influenced a lot of bands over the years.
It's more of a showcase vs an album. Really inventive stuff but it doesn't feel like something I'd want to put on over and over.
I just realized I didn't pay attention to anything besides just the instruments on this one. I relistened to a couple songs and think maybe this should be an instrumental album.
Ice Cube
3/5
I listened to this and liked it more for who Ice Cube seems to be vs the music.
He strikes me as someone who never lies. I could be completely off base but he's so direct, maybe it's partially his flow and cadence.
I'm not saying who he is or what he's saying is right, but he has something he's putting out that feels real. Feels as much a personality as a musician.
LL Cool J
2/5
Pretty boring album. Can't see what I'm missing and why this is on the list.
There's 100 things missing from the list that could easily replace this.
Mr. Good Bar is brutal. Mama said knock you out saves this from a 1.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
This album took two listens for me to rate. I felt another 3 at first but giving it more attention there's a fair amount going on here.
If you were the ideal age this could be a hugely influential album. It's cool, has a lot of fun, and it easy to turn up loud.
Glad to have heard it.
Keith Jarrett
4/5
This almost feels like it could go on forever.
Cool story about the piano being wrong and him calling an audible and improvising it all.
I enjoyed the listen but am surprising myself vs all the acclaim that I don't hear the 5/5 in it.
May be one I come back to and find more in later. Good one to have on the list.
Scott Walker
3/5
I'm a bit disappointed that I was digging this.
It feels pretentious but I was in the mood for something weird and over the top the day it got me.
Not awful but I feel like if I came back to this in a month I may wonder what I was finding in it.
Who knows.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
1/5
What brutal garbage. This shouldn't have existed. I have no idea how they took off.
Good bass playing.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
I'm not a noise guy but I do think this pushes music to places other people don't do as much.
There's expression here and that's important but it's not something I want to listen to.
Michael Jackson
4/5
It's undeniably catchy. There's some gems in here that are the pinnacle of pop at the time.
I don't know if it's a masterpiece but it makes total sense to be on the list and it's fun to listen to.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
Was kind of interesting at times but I expected to find more in it. Gave it 3 listens but didn't have anything stand out enough.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Rating this one is tough. There are parts that caught my ear and were pretty interesting. There were parts where I was hoping this would end.
90 minutes is wildly too long but I do like when someone gets out there and experiments with what they want to do versus just what would be popular.
Good one for the list since it had me thinking, but I can't say I enjoyed all of this. Part of the rating is a + that it is being inventive, part is a - for how it felt listening to it all.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
All Along the Watchtower puts a floor on how low you can rate this album.
Hendrix clearly has a place on the list and his skill and sound were unrivaled.
This album is a bit indulgent but it's worth listening to.
Pearl Jam
4/5
Great debut album. I'm surprised how solid this is.
Great voice, great playing and style.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Unreal voice. Hard one to review. Give it a listen.
Sigur Rós
4/5
"I remember this band's name, I think they were already on the list. Oh.. it's Icelandic... and isn't Bjork? Maybe I don't know this"
Poor Iceland. Always assumed to have Bjork.
I gave it a half focused listened in a car at first.
I'm glad I gave this a second listen on headphones. What an interesting album. The instrument usage gave me loose late Bowie vibes at times. This is compelling to listen to. I really enjoyed it.
Great one to have on the list, I'd never have heard it otherwise. I'll try to listen to this again in the future.
Lightning Bolt
2/5
I struggle with noise music. If it comes together in some way I can work with it easier but I can't help but feel this is deeper into doing things as a form of experimentation versus being especially purposeful.
Far from an expert and I could just be missing something here but I don't know what I was meant to dig out of this.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
Decent album, I liked It's Blitz! from them more. Not surprised this is a debut.
Maps is catchy. I feel like if they didn't get better after this then this wouldn't be on the list but it's alright.
ZZ Top
3/5
You have to appreciate a band with three guys and two of them have huge beards and the other guy doesn't have a beard and his last name is Beard.
La Grange is the quintessential ZZ Top song and works great. I'm glad this exists and whoever this is for loves it. Not a masterpiece by any stretch but it's decent and not hurting anyone
The Adverts
2/5
Apparently this is a cornerstone punk album; can't say I really understand why.
Pretty forgettable. Could be me missing something but I gave it more than one listen.
The Magnetic Fields
2/5
Alright - getting this part out of the way; it's long as all hell and is a dumb idea. Reading out it, they thought of doing 100 love songs and decided that would be too long so they did 69. This is a dumb thing to do to anyone.
I'm sure there are some okay songs in here. As a personal challenge or quest I respect someone for putting in the work and creativity to do this. It doesn't mean it's good.
I listened to this in batches the same way someone would get through exercise or studying.
Sonic Youth
3/5
This one got a lot better on headphones.
Really cool sound. It took more than one listen but I'm glad I did. High three low four.
Ice Cube
3/5
Does what it's going for well. Good flow, good lyrics. Doesn't blow me away but good to include despite being of its time.
Not too sure what to do with the album but it makes sense to be on the list.
The Band
3/5
This is a solid album and something I wouldn't have an issue with being on, but I don't see myself being excited to put it on.
Warm, sounds effortless, great debut album. Makes sense to be on the list but this has all the pros and cons of being laid back sounding.
The Incredible String Band
2/5
This one I have to review focused on A Very Cellular Song.
This feels like maybe the world ended and you're a traveler. You come upon an old castle that probably meant something but now is inhabitanted by a strange group that have clearly lost their mind.
They tell you how fortunate you are because today the boy king is unveiling his musical masterpiece. An epic of song and string the likes the world has ever known.
Then they ramble on into madness and there's also a song about a minotaur where they're really excited that they keep finding words with bull in it.
Not bad to listen to. It's like The Beatles and Moody Blues were brothers and they also had a third brother who didn't really do anything the other two hadn't done better.
Jeru The Damaja
2/5
I feel like this guy loved Dragonball Z.
Decent flow and some okay lyrics but he comes off as a nerd.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
This is a great example of prog.
The cover is bananas. The skill is through the roof but for almost no one in the way it is expressed. It's impossible to defend that this isn't a passion project for those who want to make it. If this was meant to be popular you'd change almost everything.
I heard a Keith Emerson quote on a book once. He had broken his ribs while playing a solo and the doctor asked if people usually break ribs playing the organ. Emerson replied "it depends how you play them". That's summing up prog. It takes it to places no sane person would and it's almost for no reason, but that makes it pretty incredible to hear.
Makes sense to be on the list, makes less sense that it exists. Fourth star is sheer bravado and the cover.
Barry Adamson
3/5
This was pretty out there. I didn't expect it all from the album cover.
It was interesting to listen to the entire time and I enjoyed it. Felt like pretty active background music. Don't need a ton of this but something like this on this list is a tough one. I get that it's unique vs what else is on here but 1,001 cuts out a lot of stuff. I'm rounding up to the 3 but it's fighting a 2 to 3
LTJ Bukem
2/5
I guess something like this should be on the list, but less for what it is as an album and more an example of this style of music.
Painfully long but this type of stuff is meant to be zoned out to. Probably skillfully done for what it is.
I took one second and adjusted the playback speed to see if it made a difference. 2x was insane, 1.5 was missing a ton of nuance, 1x was the best sounding, and 0.5x was brutal. So at least it isn't purely random
Fred Neil
3/5
Great voice, nice sound throughout.
Everybody's Talkin' is a great song. Nice listen
Bob Dylan
5/5
This is an incredible album. Just Tombstone Blues alone takes it to places most albums can't get to, and that's not even the strongest song.
The lyrics are what takes this album up to another level but it presents them with a complex and unique sound. This album is much better than my review, so listen to it.
David Bowie
5/5
This album came out a decade after his last one when at the time it wasn't clear he was going to do more. Big statement to take the cover Heroes and slap a title overtop of it, especially when it was released as a surprise.
I remember when this one came out and I told someone there was a new Bowie album and they said that late Bowie was junk. He hasn't had a major hit for a bit and a lot of people thought his best work was behind him. This bucked that expectation hard and then Blackstar obliterated it.
This album does so much in so many different ways and is catchy and poetic and powerful and restrained and thoughtful all at the same time.
There's something unique about an artist who had nothing left to prove but was still pushing to relearn and reinvent themselves in the face of their death. Maybe part of me is voting with the entire narrative of it but while Bowie has stronger albums, this had a statement that continued to define his style that further enriched everything he had done. Blackstar is a five with another star at the end.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
It's a Sin is a jam and puts a floor on this album of a three. It didn't go a ton of better places for me but I enjoyed listening and it's a good example of a sound of the time.
Pink Floyd
4/5
This album is a unique one. Floyd went on to become a world changing band but the lineup shift between this and their career was material.
There is a lot of talent and creativity here but it's far less focused than they got with Gilmour and as they grew as a band.
Still very interesting to listen to and a big album for the time.
The Hives
2/5
It's not bad and is catchy but it doesn't feel like it's doing anything special. Also a compilation album isn't a regular album.
Tom Waits
4/5
It's tough to review Tom Waits as a fan. It's all weird as hell and unique; that doesn't mean it's good but I have a hard time saying it isn't.
Clap Hands has always been one of my favourites of his. This is a good album. You probably don't need so much Tom Waits on the list but I like when it shows up.
Jacques Brel
4/5
I loved the feeling of listening to this.
There's a charm in the performance I don't often find.
Don McLean
4/5
Great voice. There's something about the way this was recorded that really feels like it captures everything in the recording. There's an easiness of listening to that a lot of albums don't find.
This one gets flack for having a couple of songs people focus on but it has strengths throughout.
TV On The Radio
3/5
Cool for a debut album.
Easy to listen to and pretty catchy.
Didn't blow me away but was good atmospheric music and interesting at times.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Maybe I'm missing something here.
Not a bad sound and there's some interesting mixing and instrumental choices but the gap between this and Pet Sounds is huge.
Likely a stepping stone for them and other bands and more of the evolution of a sound versus this being on the list just because of what it is by itself.
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
Joins the list of unreal debut albums.
Hearing more Wu-Tang, the thing that grabs me more than anything is how much it feels like they just know what they're doing.
It can be unique and interesting but it seems like it's all old hand to them and they deliver it so comfortably and casually. It gives a lot of the strength of what makes it stick.
The Voltron analogy; how do they pull that off and make you nod your head without it just sounding like lame trash.
Reading into it, this was hugely influential and I can see why. Da Mystery of Chessboxin' feels like it could keep going seamlessly for all of time, maybe in an evil ghost sorcerer's lair.
Django Django
3/5
These are catchy and easy to listen to, but it does it to a fault where it's forgettable. I enjoyed listening but it was more of a general mood vs enjoyment.
There's a 10/10 talent in parts of this that needs to partner up with someone, but I'm not sure who.
I enjoyed listening but I don't know if this mandatory. It's doing something good but not in a way I feel I'd miss out on if I didn't listen again. I'm fighting between a strong 3 and weak 4. If it was tighter it would get the 4.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
I had to read up on this album to understand some of the sounds. The drum work is really cool and Taj Mahal is a great example of the unique sounds found on this album.
Waylon Jennings
4/5
This is almost annoying in how relatable it is. The sound is so down to earth that I hope it's genuine and that this guy isn't a sham.
Reading up on it, I love that he had an unknown songwriter for the album and people kept having issues with it so he kept firing them and making it happen.
Great album and representation of this style of country. Nice listen and doesn't overstay its welcome.
The Who
3/5
I'm a fan of people trying things in concept albums but this one feels uphill.
I Can See for Miles puts a floor on how low you ran rate this one.
The fact that they got sued a bunch by brands and advertisers is probably the best part. Knowing they were messing around gives it something. Far from their best but The Who are pretty great at anything they're doing.
Fighting around a three or four.
Ozomatli
2/5
Yeah I can see this being on the trailer for hot tub time machine.
Makes no sense to be on the list. There's fusion going on here but this is so forgettable. Maybe Vin Diesel would find this cool.
The National
4/5
Good album from a good band. The vocals are moody but fitting, the instrumental work is complex where it needs to be, and they're paired well.
The National is great at building intensity in their songs and this is probably their best album.
I like this album a lot and having one album by The National on the list makes sense.
Kate Bush
2/5
I saw a few reviews comparing this to Bjork in some ways and I can kind of see it.
She's got a great voice but this album feels loose. The instrumentals aren't doing a lot to elevate her sound. There are some good elements but this feels like far more missteps vs hits.
Would love to hear what I'm missing and why this is on the list. Her other album was fine to have on.
This Woman's Work is a good song.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
How many albums does he have on this list. I'm going to give it a shot but that's what crossed my mind the second this came up. Maybe I've just gotten a lot close together.
For the first time in my life I've heard an album and gone "did this influence the boomtown rats?". Seems like they were contemporaries to this album so it could go either way.
This is pretty interesting on the sound choices. It's got an upbeat vibe while also trying to sound a bit more grandiose in moments.
I like this more than some of his other work. I don't know if it's incredible but it's good and there's a lot it is doing right.
Johnny Cash
4/5
I've heard of this album for years but never listened to it. Live albums can miss on sound quality but this one holds it together great and the energy is fantastic.
It's kind of an interesting call to do this and Folsom on the list though. If you only get 1,001 it can't just be really good albums, they all need to add something and I'm not sure if this does much beyond what Folsom did first.
Great listen, really enjoyed it, awesome show, but not quite as strong as Folsom.
That being said, what a damn showman. He connects with the audience so effortlessly and is so earnest.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4/5
I'm digging this a lot. Lots of interesting sound work and experimental stuff going on.
I almost hear some Bowie Warszawa on Sealand. There's a strong feeling of something like Kraftwerk as a baseline that is built on. Cool album, I could see myself coming back to this.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Not a bad album but I preferred their debut and am not convinced you need a lot of them on the list.
Lot of good sound and fun. Very easy album to enjoy and I could see this be something that is well loved by the right crowd. Go West is great. I'd likely enjoy this album more if I was more fun.
Underworld
3/5
I listened to the first third of this on a flight and it was weirdly hitting during the landing.
This has some okay moments and it's fairly easy to get lost in but that didn't make it feel important in any way. I didn't dislike it and the plane vibe was cool. Two to a three.
Guided By Voices
2/5
I've got to join in with everyone saying this feels more like a demo tape than an album.
Not bad, has a good spirit, but didn't move me. Sounds like it could turn into something more but the style they're going for doesn't want to, and that's fine.
Always Crush Me had my interest.
Turbonegro
2/5
Great intro to the first track.
Nothing that's a masterpiece or even overly well done here, and the further the album went on the worse it got. Cool album cover. I wouldn't be surprised if this fell off the list; this is very juvenile.
Man this is too long. I had to relisten to the intro of the first song to avoid a 1. I'm glad this one is over. This feels like it would've been on the American Pie soundtrack.
Morrissey
3/5
I do like Morrissey. He's pretty poetic and doing his own thing and is a bit of a dweeb but he cares and it shows.
Interesting album. Didn't change my life and the first song feels like a roast but it's worth a listen.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
This is too long but it's an alright pop album. I can see the expressionism being a big selling point and the rebranding of her career but anything in this vein always feels half manufactured vs purely artistic.
Motörhead
3/5
You've got to love Lemmy. This album has no real polish or intelligence but it's a great energy.
Some of it sucks hard but Ace of Spades is a perfect opener.
Good to have on the list. A classic but not perfect.
Incredible Bongo Band
5/5
It's a bit unreal how good this is.
I saw the title, thought okay here we go, and within a couple of minutes on the first song went "wait did Bowie sample this on The Next Day". What a rabbit hole to see how much this influenced and shaped so much music.
Cool sound, but the creativity all over won me over a lot more than I expected. This is probably a 4 but my heart is voting today.
Sonic Youth
4/5
This album is very solid. I'm usually not the biggest fan of noise rock but almost every song on this album does something interesting. Teen Age Riot is a huge intro, Silver Rocket has a great riff that sticks with you, the vibe of The Sprawl pulls you in.
Not going to walk through every song on the album it's strong enough that I could. Good listen and good to be on the list. Don't know everything about Sonic Youth but I think this is my favourite album of theirs that I've heard.
Ryan Adams
2/5
This is a bummer to review. It's fine everywhere but feels like it doesn't do anything. Like it almost tricks me to think "this sounds fine" when it's really dull.
Too long and I feel like there's nothing behind this in terms of emotion.
The xx
3/5
I wish I was writing a different review but this feels a bit boring.
It's like candy; it is well built and easy to enjoy but there isn't any real substance that keeps you going.
Well done in that space. Could be me missing something. I didn't dislike it.
The Byrds
3/5
This is weird as all hell.
I'm all for experimenting but this sounds nothing like what made The Byrds work. Makes sense considering the amount of personnel changes but this isn't especially noteworthy in any way I can see besides maybe a chapter in a book about the band.
Not sure why this is on the list. It's fine but doesn't seem to do much that stands out besides being a divergent step vs where they came from.
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
Great voice and a very distinct look and vibe. The amount of background strings and orchestral work to support her singing is great.
I listened to this three times because I was worn on how to look at it. It's clearly personal but it's a protest album at times.
Interesting album and worth having on the list for sure. I'm still not quite sure what to make of it and I think that's saying something about why it is worth a listen.
Blondie
4/5
Cool album cover.
Some of the hits like Heart of Glass are such good pop turnes. They are so catchy and easy to listen but not as basic as a lot of pop became with time.
Fun album to listen to and really well performed. Iconic for a reason and good one to have on the list.
N.W.A.
3/5
It's funny to have Sinead O'Connor two days ago and say it's a protest album and this comes up and I realize some similarities.
The message is bold and direct but is telling things the way they are and at the time it was unheard of. I hate to say it but it's pretty simplistic. I understand how it set a lot of groundwork but it feels dated as hell.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
I didn't know this band existed. Piece of my Heart is iconic and so is her voice.
Weird cover and I like the way this album goes. Cool listen. You can feel the cultural shift in this type of album.
3/5
This is a great album name and cover. Their approach is unique and sets a bar and tone for sure.
I'm not as blown away by it as I expected but it's worth a listen.
The Youngbloods
3/5
I enjoyed the start of this a lot but it kind of lost me a bit as it went on.
Seemed interesting. Wish it kept it up.
Jeff Buckley
3/5
Great voice, I've heard songs but never listened to one of his albums before.
This is a hard one to review. It's a weak four or strong three. I can feel how much this inspired and got built on. The softer folk approach really does work for him.
His cover of Hallelujah is famous and sounds great.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
This is one of those albums that you listen to and think "this band is just better than most bands".
Gimme Shelter is such a good intro for the album. Interesting instrument choices, catchy riffs, good guitar work throughout, great vocals and lyrics.
The whole album hits throughout.
As good as Gimme Shelter is for an opener, You Can't Always Get What You Want is an even better closer. Incredible work in every stage and makes complete sense to be on the list
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
This really feels like a level of parody and criticism that may have hit harder at the time.
It comes off as someone telling everyone how they're stupid and how this is highlighting that.
It's not incompetently done but it doesn't do anything. I have no idea how this is mandatory listening. Maybe I'm an idiot they're talking about.
Rod Stewart
2/5
I don't know what to do with this.
Is this good? Where did this come from in terms of inspiration? What year did this come out? Did this inspire other things?
It's not bad sounding at all but it's just kind of sitting there. I don't know where I'd even expect to hear someone playing this.
Distinctive voice that does sound good. I guess it makes sense he's a star. Is Gasoline Alley a burger chain? It feels like it should be the name of a burger chain.
I wish Young Turks was on this album. That music video has a good wink and a bunch of street dancing.
2 stars.
Orbital
2/5
I enjoyed listening but this falls into the common grouping of 'why is this required listening?'
I didn't dislike it but don't know why I'd miss anything not hearing this. Largely background music. Hearing these guys were on the Mortal Kombat movie soundtrack makes sense.
Spiritualized
2/5
This is really long and kind of just drifts around.
I tried twice and mostly zoned out and didn't notice it either time.
It wasn't awful, but it was forgettable and I don't know why if I could only hear 1,001 albums, that I'd pick something forgettable.
Jean-Michel Jarre
4/5
That's a cool album cover and this got pretty spacey but in a fun way. I feel like this did the same thing as another album on the list tried to do, but this one made it work. I was entranced by this and I'm not sure why.
I listened to this six times in a row. This got me into a weird mental state but I really liked the listen. I'm buying this album.
Kacey Musgraves
2/5
This is dull as can be. 100% should not be on the list unless the list is saying "let's find an example of everything music can do".
This has the depth of Starbucks.
Man, this is so generic it finished and I didn't even notice it had moved to shuffle similar music and had gone through four other artists. All five of them sounded the same in every way.
Robert Wyatt
4/5
I feel a bit like when I first listened to Brian Wilson presents Smile.
This artist clearly has what it takes to use noise and instruments to make what he wants to, and if he wanted it to be popular I think he'd have a pretty easy time. That being said, he clearly is looking to express himself in a style that is intentionally not easily accessible.
This is an interesting listen but it is far from enjoyable the whole time. It almost drifts into Nursery Rhyme feeling at times.
This is one of those "brilliance and madness aren't far apart" albums. Free Will and Testament really makes me feel like there is something in here. I listened to it five times after listening to the album twice and some of the high points of this guided the overall rating more than the parts I couldn't connect to.
King Crimson
5/5
Anyone who hates prog is probably right, but King Crimson is one of the best and this album is incredible.
Considering the turnover the band had it's wild that the album carries such nuance and experimentation vs where they started. Easy Money isn't my favourite but Larks' Tongues in Aspic Part I and II and The Talking Drum are unreal.
There are so many songs that can grab your attention if you give it the time and attention. Truly an album that you find more in the more you listen.
3/5
As soon as I hit play I felt like I was in a martial arts film and walked into a room where 100 guys just went all out trying to kick the shit out of me. Just dodging kicks and flipping two guys into each other while fists are flying.
That was a great thing to have heard but man that was intense. I would love to see this live. I tried playing around with the playback speed but this is 100% at the right tempo.
I don't even know what to say.
Arcade Fire
3/5
It's a style that got really popular and all turned into background noise but this album helped set the stage for it and was pretty inventive.
Good usage of instruments and a good vibe.
I think this has a place on the list even if it isn't something I'd reach to put on much.
Mekons
2/5
This wasn't awful but I didn't really get anything out of it.
PJ Harvey
3/5
This may have gotten me on the wrong day but I just don't understand what I'm missing with PJ Harvey.
There are other things I like a lot that are apparently the same vein but an album like this I just can't find the depth I'm apparently meant to.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
This feels a bit like what Steel Panther was trying to do.
It's fun and I give them credit for covering a song and changing it a lot. Not sure why this is mandatory besides maybe the fact that no one else was doing something in this vein in the early 2000s.
Sounds good. It's on that 2/3 line for me.
Fishbone
4/5
God help me. I started the first song and laughed but by the end of it I wanted a relisten.
This is fun and funky and goes all over and it's a great example of music and it gets a way higher rating than I expected. I'd love to see this live.
There's smarter music but this is a blast.
Silver Jews
2/5
This is a miss and is forgettable. Every song finished and I couldn't tell you anything about it 20 seconds later.
Doesn't make sense to be here.
Not incompetent, just not noteworthy.
N.E.R.D
4/5
I just started listening and I thought this kind of sucked but Drill Sergeant isn't bad and got me to give it a shot. Wait, what? This is Pharrell? It's crazy that he was doing this before the Arby's hat. I'm kind of amazed how much I wasn't hearing by background listening to it.
What is going on. Why is Lenny Kravitz in here.
This does make sense to be on the list. It's interesting and for sure is trying to be unique in the approach.
This album led to a rabbit hole and now I'm a huge fan of Pharrell as a person. The Nardwuar interview talking about Carl Sagan is better than this album.
David Ackles
2/5
This is going to be a weird review.
So this album gave me a feeling that a good friend told me that someone they knew was doing a one man show and they had to go but really didn't want to and asked if I'd join so they didn't have to go by alone.
This feels very much like the artist is loving what they're doing and that's pretty much where it feels like it ends.
Digital Underground
2/5
This is insanely long, the skits need to go, and the Humpty song being six and a half minutes is madness.
Fine enough to listen to and of its time but don't think this is mandatory.
4/5
Interesting listen. Makes sense. Wish I had more to write.
The Waterboys
4/5
The second Fisherman's Blues started I felt warm.
This is very genuine feeling and I love the strings on this.
I don't know if it's a masterpiece but I really enjoyed listening to it and it was consistent. Could this go somewhere more? I hope it did and I hear more from them someday. I'm not going to look for it - I'm just going to keep living and see if we find each other.
Dion
2/5
This feels like it's looking for something it isn't finding.
The sound is full but not doing that much and his voice is good but not really going anywhere.
I wish I had liked this more. It seems like it was something that had the tools to turn into something more and didn't pull it off.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Album was good but didn't hang with me much.
Hard one to write a detailed review on from my listen. May have been the day.
Astor Piazzolla
5/5
This is unreal for a live album. Very unique and very well done.
I felt like I was living a far more dramatic life the second the album started, and a few songs had me feeling like I was about to bargain with a trickster god.
Koffi Olomide
2/5
This isn't bad and is kind of fun but it's pretty easy to ignore unless you're really enjoying it.
It almost feels like this is an institution and the performer knows everyone is meant to be digging it. Good voice but I didn't find a ton which surprised me.
Mylo
2/5
Pretty forgettable techno. Rock & Roll is probably safe.
Funkadelic
5/5
Incredible album. The title track has some of the best guitar work I can think of.
Funkadelic is amazing and this is on the list for a reason. Go listen.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I don't know if this is a review of this album anymore but there's way too much Elvis Costello on this list.
Not giving it a second listen to do a better job.
Sepultura
3/5
Technical playing and makes sense to be on the list as an example of some thrash metal, but I'm too old for this now.
Didn't regret hearing it once and no notes to make it better, I'm just not looking for this. Subtraction had some good moments.
Black Sabbath
4/5
The influence in helping start a genre makes it worthwhile to be on the list alone.
What a moody album cover, it's awesome for the sound and vibe being so unique.
Peter Tosh
2/5
"We've got Bob Marley at home"
Small Faces
2/5
I must've just been in the wrong place but I couldn't latch onto this at all.
Very well could've been me today but I can't remember a thing after I finished listening.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Good for a debut but clearly on the list because of who they became.
Interesting to hear but their later work blows this away.
Kanye West
2/5
Kanye lost his mind and was coming off as interesting because he has previously done interesting things; if anyone else had made this they would've been laughed out of the mall they were playing in.
This is a descent into madness if the person it was about had no personality and was just obsessed with how they see themselves.
Other artists did what they could to make some of this stand out in some ways, but the vision here is awful.
Everyone should watch this, it's my actual review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxIvg0y6vCY&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD
Ray Charles
3/5
Great voice and playing, and I'm a bit shocked this is my review, but the album felt a bit more hollow than I expected.
Ray Charles should be on the list for sure but I wonder if this is the pick.
M.I.A.
2/5
This felt painfully repetitive. I assumed that paper planes song would be on here and then found out this artist has two albums on the list.
That's insane. I have no understanding how that happened. This has some semi-unique elements but I can think of 1,001 albums not on this list to go ahead of at least one of the two of this one.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Worth a listen but didn't change my day. Interesting to have heard and I can see why it would be on the list to round things out.
Wish I could think of a more interesting review - it was alright.
Ray Price
3/5
Really nice to get a welcome to the album. I kind of do want to reach out and tell them I enjoyed it.
Unique vibe and slice of another time. Well executed and worth a listen.
Eric Clapton
2/5
Fine enough, doesn't really do anything special but sounds okay.
Baaba Maal
3/5
Interesting listen and not something I would've found by myself.
Enjoyed it but doubt I'd come back.
Richard Thompson
3/5
Could've been the day for me but besides thinking this sounded nice I couldn't find a ton to grab into.
Clearly singing of what they knew and did a good job with it. That's about all I could note.
The Young Gods
2/5
What's even going on here.
This sounded like a lame angsty French carnival.
They did make that sound as good as anyone could, but why did this happen.
The Streets
3/5
This is like a strange modern version of trapped in the closest, but it kind of works.
I feel weird saying this but I kind of like this. It's better than I thought at first and I gave it a second listen and enjoyed it.
This isn't masterful but it does take you into a world and does it in a style that's unique.
This is a strong three or weak four.
Ian Dury
2/5
What if Bowie sucked, the album.
Why is this here.
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
I feel pretty lame for loving this, but this is great.
Some of these songs I was like "where the hell did this come from?!" and then saw it was Jim Steinman and that makes sense.
Moody and intense and weird and a good listen. I'm here for it.
Elis Regina
3/5
What a nice listen.
Frank Zappa
3/5
I like this more than the rest of the Zappa I've heard on the list.
He's an artist I can't really get. The playing is without a doubt skillful and it's creative and interesting, but it has something else going on I struggle to click with.
Not a bad album at all but it doesn't do for me what I'm sure it does for some.
R.E.M.
3/5
R.E.M is a weird band to review.
Clearly influential and this is a great debut album, but I don't find it's something I love hearing.
This rating is more of a reflection on what I get from it vs what it may objectively be. High three low four. Of the list so far this is one of the harder ones to grade.
The Stooges
3/5
This is a very strong debut and was influential for sure, but it isn't gold throughout.
100% should be on the list and worth hearing, but it had great moments vs was a great album.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
I mean, he's really good at what he's doing.
I listened to it three times and nothing stood out in a moment but I enjoyed the entire listen each time.
Likely a good one for headphones.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Great album and joining the list of this being an insane debut. Babe I'm Gonna Leave you is such an incredible sound and it following Good Times Bad Times starts the album off so strong.
This is a tough one since there's better Zeppelin and they didn't invent their sound but the way they merged styles and brought a huge change in music has to take into account on the rating.
Tears For Fears
4/5
Once at a party the host put shout on loop and waited for anyone to notice. When I did he gave me an expression of "don't say anything". From there I slowly went insane for about half an hour while everyone else just lived their lives without noticing they were hearing shout over and over and over again.
It's a great song and perfectly sits in the background but not in a diminishing way.
Great album and representation of the time.
Mike Oldfield
5/5
Tubular Bells is incredible.
Part 1 has a great sound and vibe but when they start announcing the instruments they take good to great.
Going from "two slightly distorted guitars" to an excited "mandolin!" I always picture someone in the audience going "I can't believe they got mandolin!!!". Then they go "Tubular Bells!" and everyone melts down.
Part 2 gets a bit weird at times but it's such a unique album and has a really cool place in history on how it effectively launched Virgin Records.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
There's a crazy amount of covers and this is too long.
Relax is a definite 80s vibe.
Sure. Put it on the list. Not a masterpiece.
Roxy Music
3/5
I was missing something here. Listened twice, not sure why this is really known or what I was missing.
Sounded fine, a bit experimental.
Skunk Anansie
2/5
I don't know what I'm missing that everyone else is finding.
Felt forgettable. The messaging was better than the music but even that it felt like a band to see live vs listen to.
Billy Joel
4/5
This album is almost non-stop hits and it's easy to listen to and enjoy.
It's likely the best you get in this area but I always felt Billy Joel was kind of lame.
Makes sense to be on the list. Well done for what it is meant to be.
The Stranglers
3/5
Sounds good, well put together, doesn't blow me away but I can see why this would be known.
Wish I had more to say but not on this one.
Slade
2/5
I mean, it does live and represent a genre well.
Decent sound but not great. Sure, have it on the list. I'm not listening to it often.
It's good for when it came out and clearly influenced a lot of stuff, but is more fun than smart or especially good. Bar rock
Incubus
3/5
Good sound, catchy. Not overly complex but plays around with sound some.
I remember Drive getting radioplay.
Sure, put it on the list
Parliament
4/5
What the hell?! Parliament is the same band as Funkadelic?! I had no idea.
This is pretty fantastic. The inventiveness and originally make the spot on the list but it also sounds great.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
Good flow and it makes sense to be on the list but it's not a masterpiece.
I never realized how deep he went on the bit of being a dog.
Joanna Newsom
3/5
This felt like someone was trying to distract me. Like it was captivating and skillful but it kept going where I wanted to turn around and see if maybe they had someone else trying to break into my safe and were buying time by elaborating in the music.
Interesting listen.
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
Not a bad album all over and an interesting listen but I'm not sure what's going on here.
Could be me and the listen I gave it. Maybe it would be stronger with headphones. I don't know.
ABBA
4/5
It's always a bit weird to review ABBA because clearly it's meant to be commercially successful pop music but it also feels like it has some character to it.
Good sound and harmonies.
Radiohead
4/5
This was pretty incredible. It was disjointed and felt really fractured at times but in a meaningful way.
I got lost into listening to this one. I don't think I'd want to hear it often but anytime I do I know it will be with focus.
Weirdly cool cover too.
Steve Winwood
3/5
This sounded shockingly like Peter Gabriel.
I expected higher love to show up.
Not badly done but not foundational.
Sabu
2/5
I'm not sure what I missed from this.
It didn't really grab me, didn't feel overly inventive, and won't hang with me.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
This was a pretty nice listen. I found it peaceful and full sounding.
It's interesting and I see why to have it on the list. Can't imagine I'll remember it and put it on, but if someone did I think I'd smile.
Hole
4/5
This was way better than I expected. There's a lot of good angst and anger, especially in Violet.
Hard not to be that common review and say, man you can hear some Nirvana in this, but you can, and that's not a bad thing.
I don't think you need two albums by Hole on the list, but I'd agree you should have this one.
The Byrds
3/5
Not bad, but not great.
You can hear why it was influential but why they were falling off (that and the personnel changes).
Elbow
3/5
This felt like someone trying to do a unique take on Coldplay
Beatles
3/5
If this was the only Beatles album I feel like you'd never hear of them too much but it's solid at what it's doing.
Easy to listen to, hits the beats.
Burning Spear
4/5
Sometimes on reggae I try to just listen to the instruments since the vocal style is so distinct that it pulls my focus.
There's a lot going on here and it's an interesting album. Good to have on the list
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
What it is isn't necessarily great, but it's effectively perfect at what it's doing.
More laser beam sounds than I expected.
I like Prodigy more but it's the same vein.
William Orbit
3/5
We've got several albums like this near each other and it's putting me into a weird headspace.
I got lost listening to it and hit the general vibe you'd expect, but it doesn't especially move or grab me.
John Coltrane
5/5
This is technical and beautiful and really well done. Great album.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Into My Arms is one of their best songs. Such a powerful opener for the album.
This album showcases Cave with ballads which is where he's at his best.
The style isn't for everyone and it's unique with pros and cons, but I really enjoyed this album. It doesn't feel commercial at all and it truly feels honest.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
5/5
This is a really solid album. They were all very established musicians so I don't know if it counts as an incredible debut album, but Judy Blue Eyes, Wooden Ships, and Helplessly Hoping are all great songs.
This and Deja Vu is about as good as they get and later in life they all kinda sucked.
Neil Young was the best part of them once he joined but this is still worth being here. Great instrumental work and harmonies.
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
This album feels effortlessly cool. The political stuff at the end I'm not against but it did change the vibe of the album.
Really well done and put together. Surprised I've never heard it.
Suede
3/5
This is a decent album and comes with high energy and a consistent sound. I get the comparisons to The Smiths.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Really technical and a good listen. Hard to comment more after one listen but didn't have time for more.
The Pharcyde
2/5
Seemed okay but didn't grab me in any direction.
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
His voice and style of music feels like he'd be in a movie as a love interest, and if it was a movie for teenagers he'd come off as a really cool and deep guy, but if it was a movie for anyone older he'd be the current boyfriend of the love interest and he'd be so obviously lame. Both characters would be played exactly the same way.
It's not awful but it just makes me want to listen to other artists that did it better.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
This was a touching album.
Say whatever you want about liking it or not but it's honest and earnest and you can feel the artistry in it.
Good one to have on the list and I'm glad I listened to it as an album versus just random songs.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Alright vibe and good voice. Feels like it needs work but not bad.
Elastica
2/5
I mean, sure. Why not put everything on the list.
No idea what I'm meant to find here.
Missy Elliott
3/5
Decent attitude and flow but it isn't really my style. I feel that this is exactly what she wanted to make and I can respect that.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Clearly on the list for a great reason but Dylan went far beyond this with time.
Depeche Mode
4/5
This was interesting for sure. Lots of theatrical and grandiose soundwork. Worth a listen for sure. Not something I'd go back to often but it's worth hearing.
The Monks
4/5
This was miles better than I expected. I can't believe how early this is and that they are German influenced.
Really interesting listen and one I would've missed without the list.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
The album is really well done but feels a bit inconsistent. Could have been the day and I didn't give it enough focus but when it came up I thought initially I'd rate it higher.
Kid Rock
1/5
So that's how you spell bawitadaba.
It's like he rhymed every monosyllabic word so he had to make up another word to fill in the spare time.
What abhorrent garbage. This album is an argument for eugenics.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
That was fun to listen to. I feel like it isn't a style of music I really know how to critique or truly appreciate but it felt as good an example of the genre as I could imagine
Blur
4/5
I found the album strong but start to lag in the middle but To the End weirdly got me and I relistened to it a few times.
Feels definitive for what it is.
The Black Keys
3/5
Easy listen, good at what they do, makes sense, doesn't ever really grab me much.
Supertramp
4/5
This is the suburbs of prog rock. Does nothing wrong and makes sense and you get why it's popular, but it misses some of the highs and lows of more depth.
That being said, it is still good.
Supergrass
4/5
Another on the list of "this is a great debut album".
Fun, well done, and a cohesive sound throughout. Good listen.
Todd Rundgren
4/5
I kind of loved this at times.
It feels like it has all the talent and resources to do pretty much anything and clearly just does whatever it wants to.
The fact that John Lennon called him Turd Runtgreen killed me.
Lenny Kravitz
2/5
This was just more boring than I expected.
I bet he is more interesting as a person than this is as an album.
Miles Davis
5/5
Some albums just sound like a soundtrack for losing your mind. I listened to this half distracted on speakers and was coming up with a three but I gave it another shot and listened to it attentively on headphones.
It's not even the same album. This comes through in ways I can't believe I didn't even start to notice. The drum is a grounding line throughout the entire first disc and everything interplays so uniquely it almost feels like a insane mix. As it builds into itself it showed so much more.
Unreal album. It is long and likely could've been two releases but it is strong throughout.
Kelela
2/5
Felt well produced but bland throughout. I feel like this is meant to have something deep and purposeful going on but I couldn't find it.
Elvis Presley
2/5
Pretty bland. Reading on it I get it must've had an insane amount of hype due to the army break but there's nothing on this that feels mandatory.
Brian Eno
3/5
This is really high concept and out there.
It's pretty inaccessible but it is interesting.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
The amount of funk going on here is wild. It's groovy as hell and Herbie Hancock 100% belongs on the list.
This album brings it. Just hang out in it.
Brian Eno
4/5
This is experimental probably to a fault but there's a lot of interesting soundwork going on here.
This is pretty much a masterpiece at what it's going for, but it also should rightly be poked fun at for being so conceptual and exploratory.
I like listening to this and anyone who doesn't is justified. It's well done.
Can
2/5
I found myself wanting to rate this higher.
It didn't really grab me or click in any special way.
Maybe it was my day. I'm as surprised as you are
Leonard Cohen
4/5
This is a beautiful album and his voice and style do move you somewhere else.
Not his finest album but it is great and worth listening.
The feeling of The Partisan is the best on the album.
Stan Getz
5/5
It sounds great. Very hard to give detailed notes or comments to.
I put it on three times and each time didn't even notice the time pass.
Happy Mondays
2/5
Not awful but couldn't be less mandatory.
Bert Jansch
3/5
Really straight forward but nice sounding folk album.
Didn't change my day but didn't make it worse.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
This album is tight as hell and helped build out a genre.
Several heavy hitters with Tricky getting a ton of airtime.
Good one for the list and worth hearing. Strong three weak four.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
This doesn't sound bad and I do really appreciate the orchestral stuff. Don't regret hearing it but didn't really change my day.
Japan
2/5
This is kind of interesting considering when it came out. It must've been fairly early for this synth pop style and it does sound decent. I don't know if this invented anything.
Khaled
2/5
Not bad but man Khaled, make this two albums or edit this, it's so long.
The Monkees
3/5
It really sounds like The Monkees had fun doing this and that's a good thing.
Fever Ray
2/5
Is this Bjork? Is there a thing that ten albums on the list have to sound like Bjork?
Easy to zone out to but don't know why this is great. Strong two weak three.
Drive-By Truckers
2/5
This feels like something they loved to make.
I don't regret hearing it but I don't think this is mandatory by any stretch.
More "you should hear about what my buddies band was able to pull off".
It's like a rock dive bar band instead of a rock opera.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Kendrick's flow and aura is wild.
Backstreet Freestyle is so stripped down but sounds great.
I feel like if I took more time on the lyrics this is more complex than it sounds.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
This couldn't be less mandatory.
It's fine but I wouldn't have this on a list of the 2,002 mandatory albums
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
4/5
This is a a great album to have on the list.
It's got a ton of skill and style and shows off a huge range. If you wanted something in a time capsule to encompass music, this covers way more ground than most albums.
Painfully long, but I didn't dislike any of it. Very strong four.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
This album is a great intro to Neil Young. It's stripped down and carries his depth and mood, and if you hate that you'll probably dislike everything he does.
This is a great album.
The Blue Nile
3/5
This is strangely easy to listen to.
Heatwave is my best example of it. I can't say it's a great song but it took me somewhere listening to it.
The United States Of America
2/5
This sounded a bit all over the place to the point I think I must've missed something.
Gave it two listens and don't know what that is.
The Dictators
2/5
I feel like this is the type of thing that is somehow really nuanced and clever and satirical and I missed it all.
The La's
2/5
Sure. Why on the list though?
Red Snapper
2/5
Not awful but does feel like it goes on a bit long. Fairly ambient and interesting at times. Not incredible.
The Byrds
4/5
Such a warm sounding album. The first song is the best part but it's a great debut and helped define a sound.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
I can't really imagine this not being part of music.
Everything feels like a hit and all of the choices feel so obvious that it almost sounds simple.
Hawkwind
4/5
Long, overwrought, kind of all over and barely makes sense, gets lost in groves and almost a weird jazz element, all while being a live album.
You can't say it's perfect by any stretch and this isn't the first Hawkwind album I'd put on but it's great and should be heard.
Slipknot
2/5
Debut album that is too long and more about mood than anything else.
Hearing this as an adult it's kind of hard not to just say it sucks, but knowing things connect in different ways at different times I can see why this could be on the list.
Not loving it, Wait and Bleed is pretty much the only thing that got radio play because it's the most conventional song, but they went all in on their direction, costumes and all. I'm sure an angry kid who wants to get punched in a pit loved this.
Big Star
2/5
I agree with the reviews saying this is good and has a lot of solid parts but it doesn't really build into enough to stick with you in any way.
808 State
2/5
Sure
R.E.M.
4/5
I always have a hard time with REM. They're good at what they're doing and sound very tight and deliberate. The tragically hip being the Canadian REM always feels fair when you listen to either of them.
It's not my favourite way for music to sound but I wish more bands were this good and purposeful in their own direction.
Ignoreland had a vibe that kept my attention.
4/5
This is some peak prog nonsense and it's great.
You get lost in it, it's way over the top and overly complex, and everyone should hear it if they enjoy it or not.
Soft Machine
4/5
This is experimental and really out there but I focused on it and just drifted along. It's really well compiled and is not an easy listen but it has a lot in there.
Justice
4/5
This album is so tight and I love the bass guitar usage.
I remember it coming out and finding it effortless to listen to and enjoy.
Great headphones or car speaker while driving album.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Really nice vibe and good listen.
There's an optimism in the sound which is great. I wish I could think of better things to say but it's great and especially cool for the time.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
Really peaceful and nice listen. Can't say I noticed anything besides just vicing with it.
Beatles
4/5
This album has a floor on how low it can get rated due to the strength of several songs, but it isn't that tight and has some real meh moments.
A classic for a reason and has a history and importance all its own, but it's not a 5/5 and they have better albums.
Björk
4/5
I'm glad I gave this a second listen and a half-hearted first try.
I read up on the history of the album and thought fine, I'll give this Black Lake one more listen and pay attention. It's got a ton of depth. The soundscape is powerful and the lyrics are personal and compelling. Halfway through when the music builds it really turns into something more and reminds me of Ghosteen by Nick Cave.
The rest of the album has more variability but that one song feels important to have heard.
You only need one Bjork album on here but it should probably be this one.
Van Morrison
3/5
I'm surprised I'm not wanting to rank this higher. It is good sounding but it feels a bit dry. Maybe I just know it too well so it blends into a background when it doesn't deserve to. Into the Mystic is the best on the album.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Okay hear me out, Kings of Leon are like ranch dip.
Like it's fine and goes with a lot of things. It has things that standout and it blends well. It comes from multiple good sources to make something cohesive.
It's just pretty generic and doesn't do a lot by itself. I can completely see why they are successful and it isn't even that there isn't any heart in this, but it's just, ranch.
Le Tigre
2/5
May have been the day for me but found it dry and forgettable.
Sex Pistols
3/5
Punk and prog are opposites, but The Sex Pistols are trying to take a punk attitude and put more structure to it which feels anti-punk.
Sounds decent and they're one of the more foundationally popular punk bands for a reason. Worth a listen.
Miriam Makeba
3/5
Sounds nice, didn't find a ton out of it. Only had time for one listen.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
It's alright, there's a lot of talent involved here but it feels weaker than the sum of the parts.
The Jungle Line reminds me we don't always need to fully encourage creativity. Or maybe the fact that I remember it means we do.
Dagmar Krause
2/5
What in the hell was that. Not awful sounding but I feel like I watched a play in the lobby.
2/5
This feels like a concept album that I missed finding out what the concept was.
Heard worse things. This isn't mandatory listening.
Flamin' Groovies
2/5
It's alright but isn't mandatory in any way.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
Cool sounding album. Interesting to hear they wrote Renegades of Funk. I don't know if it's masterpiece but it had a good vibe.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
First song is great but this kind of just goes around and doesn't hit anywhere else. Not bad but easy cut from the list.
The Doors
4/5
The Doors are raw in the way that eating an entire onion is. It's powerful, impossible to ignore, made a whole lot of other things better, but also kind of jarring and went too deep down itself.
You can't ignore the influence and creativity of this album.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
This was decent but I liked other albums more.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
They just sound like music that is successful and easy to listen to.
Well done, makes sense, no notes.
Ute Lemper
2/5
Pretty forgettable cover album for the majority of it.
Cool cover.
Television
3/5
Didn't blow me away but the guitar in Marquee Moon stuck with me. Kind of cool.
T. Rex
4/5
T Rex just knows how to make music that's easy to enjoy and listen to. It's such a vibe anytime I put them on.
This isn't my favourite album of theirs but I enjoyed it.