385
Albums Rated
2.83
Average Rating
35%
Complete
704 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Britpop
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Critic
Rater Style ?
35
5-Star Albums
44
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wonderful Rainbow | 5 | 2.28 | +2.72 |
| Logical Progression | 5 | 2.52 | +2.48 |
| m b v | 5 | 2.72 | +2.28 |
| Giant Steps | 5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
| Black Monk Time | 5 | 2.94 | +2.06 |
| The Coral | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| Meat Puppets II | 5 | 3.02 | +1.98 |
| Untitled (Black Is) | 5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
| I Should Coco | 5 | 3.34 | +1.66 |
| Parklife | 5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Stranger | 1 | 3.86 | -2.86 |
| Off The Wall | 1 | 3.78 | -2.78 |
| Boston | 1 | 3.71 | -2.71 |
| The Joshua Tree | 1 | 3.67 | -2.67 |
| Hotel California | 1 | 3.6 | -2.6 |
| My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy | 1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
| Pretzel Logic | 1 | 3.4 | -2.4 |
| Come Away With Me | 1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
| Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs | 1 | 3.33 | -2.33 |
| The College Dropout | 1 | 3.31 | -2.31 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 5 | 4.6 |
| The Doors | 3 | 4.67 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| U2 | 4 | 1.5 |
| Kanye West | 2 | 1 |
| Morrissey | 2 | 1 |
| Peter Gabriel | 3 | 1.67 |
| Pere Ubu | 2 | 1.5 |
| Michael Jackson | 2 | 1.5 |
| Eminem | 2 | 1.5 |
| Steely Dan | 2 | 1.5 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 4 | 2 |
5-Star Albums (35)
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Popular Reviews
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
Phew. OK. This was a nice surprise. My first thought was "ugh, only 9 albums in and I'm going to have to cut my ears off". In my head 'My Bloody Valentine' equals 'Bullet for my valentine' which turns out actually means I thought 'My Chemical Romance'. 'm b v' is none of that. It's a gloriously wonky, fuzzy, buzzy stream of noise that I can fully get behind. I'm not sure what I would classify it as. It reminds me more of trip-hoppy Bristolian stuff. But punkier. And also more ethereal. Really pleased to have discovered it.
4 likes
Prince
3/5
There was a lad in our class at school who was obsessed with Prince. We always thought that was a bit weird.
Even though it was only 10 years prior, it always felt like it had come from a completely different era. A sound so defintitively 80s. A sound that just felt ... old, and not very good.
I can't say my opinion has changed very much. There's no denying that some of his music absolutely slaps ... but I just don't think it has aged very well. It's not organic enough to sound cool like 70s funk, and the technology wasn't there to keep up with the sounds that came in the 90s. It all comes with a very plastic, 80's edge.
So I've always found it hard to get on the Prince hype train.
4 likes
Marvin Gaye
4/5
There’s definitely a comparison here about the strong correlation between this album and actually ’getting it on’. It’s starts very strong. Using its best, time and tested proven moves. That intro that is damn near Pavlovian. It’s just great, gets everything loose, hits the right spots. Then it settles into pure smoothness. Going through the motions a bit, but still nice. Then it almost realises things have … fallen off the boil a little. So it goes back to the same moves of the opener, just a little less effective. Then more, nice, functional, smoothness … and then it just end a little bit too quickly without a satisfying ending. Just me? It’s an album that is our silk, a great background soundtrack. It’s more clearly named than any Ronseal product.
3 likes
Jerry Lee Lewis
1/5
So, with a little of reading, it turns out that Ol' Jerry was an incestuous, paedophilic, (allegedly) wife murdering, racist.
He could perform, no doubt, but bloody hell! There are dodgy tickets on the list and he might have just taken top spot.
2 likes
SAULT
5/5
One of the few bands that have gotten through my middle aged cynic barrier in the past few years.
It's good. Like they've taken the sounds of 90/00s hip and R&B and boiled off all of the superfluous bullshit. Often leaving just some amazing drum production and fuzzy bass. Everything that is left is there for a reason, perfectly judged and full of soul.
2 likes
1-Star Albums (44)
All Ratings
Marvin Gaye
4/5
There’s definitely a comparison here about the strong correlation between this album and actually ’getting it on’. It’s starts very strong. Using its best, time and tested proven moves. That intro that is damn near Pavlovian. It’s just great, gets everything loose, hits the right spots. Then it settles into pure smoothness. Going through the motions a bit, but still nice. Then it almost realises things have … fallen off the boil a little. So it goes back to the same moves of the opener, just a little less effective. Then more, nice, functional, smoothness … and then it just end a little bit too quickly without a satisfying ending. Just me? It’s an album that is our silk, a great background soundtrack. It’s more clearly named than any Ronseal product.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
I absolutely loved MAAD City. Played that a lot, and declared Kendrick the heir to the kingdom of hip hop. From there I just watched from afar, nodding about how right I was without actually ever bothering to listen to any of his other albums. I must have listened to ‘To Pimp a butterfly’ before, but not to any great detail. Increasingly I’m aware that I am not the demographic. But that’s my own unease at getting old. Any way, I forgot how different Kendrick is. There is so much depth and variety. There is the heavy sex and fruity language … but so much more weaving throughout. A lot of it really bumps too. Yeah, he’s good is Kendrick. I need to give his latest album a good go too. He’s getting older too.
The Clash
4/5
This album was the first Christmas present that my wife ever bought me. I was very Clash curious at the time, mainly based on their funkier Casbah stuff but this was very welcome. I can’t remember the last time I actually listened to it. I certainly didn’t remember it was 19 tracks. I think the best thing you could say is that it could have been released at any time in the past 4 decades and it wouldn't sound out of place. There are some absolute bangers, some production that is a bit weird, some tracks that are genre defining, some that are weird rockabilly pastiche. Worthy of its place as legendary, and nice to catch up with it after probably the best part of 20 years.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
2/5
I know CSN are a big deal, but I honestly couldn’t tell you a single song they’ve released. I was thinking listening to this I would at least think “aaaah this is a CSN song!”. But nope. If I was watching a 60s/70s period hippy road trip series on Netflix it’s the kind of stuff that would soundtrack lots of dusty Cali sunsets. And you’d think, yeah this is cool. Outside of that, it’s a no from me.
Nick Drake
5/5
Nick Drake has been on my "I really must listen X properly" list for years. His tunes float up every so often and they're always so haunting and fragile and beautiful and generally lovely. But I've never listened to a full album before. That's why I'm really enjoying this daily nudge. "Alright, divvy, go and give this a proper listen. No excuses, get it done". It's surprisngly forthright. What a lovely album, though. His voice, the arrangements. This album is quite upbeat, for him, but still achingly gorgeous and soft and loads of other adjectives. I really liked it, even the slightly odd second track that's got a coutnry and western vibe I never saw coming. I need to hoover up more.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Ahh Mr Dylan. So many people love you. You have some big tunes, but mostly I’ve always found you a bit … whiny. So I can’t say I was fully looking forward to this. Fortunately it’s starts with one of his big hitters in ‘Non direction home’ and it keeps a lovely pace up. Lots of proper bluesy rock and roll, with minimal whining. I listened to it twice and was tapping away. I liked it way more than I expected. Some of them outstay their welcome, and the last track is more of the whiny Bob I wanted to avoid. But overall I liked it.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Another album I really should have listened to. I have, over the years, listened to a lot of Jack White. It seems that Jack White has listened to a lot of Led Zep. Kicking off with one of the strongest intros in rock history is a solid start for any album to have. It takes a pretty rollicking trip all over the rock map, I prefer it when the balls go out, rather than up inside but it’s all pretty great. I’ve got a lot of time for ‘Gallows Pole’ as a tune. One that I’ve not heard before that I will take with me.
The xx
2/5
On paper, I should love the XX. Jamie XX is one of my favourite producers of recent times. I like Romy’s vocals. I like the idea of their music. I love some acts that do similar things, like Sault. But XX (album and artists) just flows around me. I’ve tried a few times to engage with, but I just can’t love it. It’s nice, I can’t fault it, or say it’s bad, it’s certainly not offensive … I just don’t feel the need to ever actively listen to it.
Randy Newman
1/5
I'm going to be honest, I have no clue who Randy is. It sounds like a demo tape for a dreary musical, penned and perfromed by a frustrated accountant in highly paid, but soul destroying day job. The musical is a one man show about a miserable dude stuck in a highly paid, but soul destroying day job. It is delivered by a man that is absolutely living that role. Because he is. It inludes the original version of "You can leave your hat on" which sounds like a really miserable, midi backed tribute. Miserable. It's all miserable.
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
Phew. OK. This was a nice surprise. My first thought was "ugh, only 9 albums in and I'm going to have to cut my ears off". In my head 'My Bloody Valentine' equals 'Bullet for my valentine' which turns out actually means I thought 'My Chemical Romance'. 'm b v' is none of that. It's a gloriously wonky, fuzzy, buzzy stream of noise that I can fully get behind. I'm not sure what I would classify it as. It reminds me more of trip-hoppy Bristolian stuff. But punkier. And also more ethereal. Really pleased to have discovered it.
Boston
1/5
A hard nope. ‘More than a feeling’ is fine as a sound bed to a cheesy advert. I couldn’t get through the rest. Too clean, too earnest, too serious, too not very enjoyable.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I’m not sure where to go with this one. I know it has its fans. I know it has significance. It’s quite interesting in that it’s more of an art project than a bunch of people getting together and being a proper band. It’s easy to see why it didn’t sell many copies, it’s a perfectly acceptable album of its time. But not amazing. But I get why over time it’s become more than the sum of its parts to inspire other people.
The National
3/5
Lots of people I really rate and trust LOVE The National.
*whispers* / I really don't like The National. /
Maybe revisting them after a few years will help me see my error?
*whispers* / Nope, I still don't like The National /
New Order
3/5
It’s very New Order, even though this is New Order trying to find their New Order sound. I don’t mind it. But it hasn’t persuaded me to explore any further than their hits.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
I have just realised you could legitimately pronounce Aretha as "Ar-thur". Now I can't get the idea out of my head that in a parallel universe there is Arthur Franklin - a Yorkshire coal miner that hit the big time belting out deep Northern Folk bangers about how is Missus has run off wi’ t'butcher. Not only has he lost his love, but also can't get a decent sausage roll without heading to the next town. 17 miles away.
'Sweet sweet pastry (Why did it have to be that bastud?)' topped the UK alternate universe charts for 3 weeks in 1967.
This album? 5 stars. Obviously. It’s Aretha.
Arcade Fire
3/5
There was a time when I loved Arcade Fire. For some reason their music kind of irritates me these days. That’s harsh, irritates isn’t quite the right word … but where it once felt big, and soul filling … it now feels a bit faux and empty. And this isn’t Funeral. Which was always going to be hard.
Beatles
5/5
The Beatles. I’ve heard of them.
Don’t often listen to their full albums, though.
You know what I continually kept thinking on the full listen to this? “I really like the drums.” Throughout the whole thing they are just really punchy and tight.
The whole album is tight.
‘Golden Slumbers’ and the transition to ‘Carry that weight’ is, by any measure, an epic passage of music. For any other band it would a defining pièce de résistance. But, in the context of The Beatles, it’s almost a footnote, a punctuation to sheer gravitational weight. And that’s just this album.
Even their stupid songs, that shouldn’t work, because they’re stupid … well they are great too. OK I’ve been brought up on them … but so are my kids. Octopus’s Garden is the ultimate long term marketing strategy. Draw them in with under the sea nursery rhymes, seal the deal with the meandering bluesy bass odyssey of ‘I want you so bad’.
Just the best.
Alanis Morissette
3/5
My sister, like many of her peers, adored this album. I was surprised how much of it exists as shadows in the back of my mind.
It’s easy to forget how big this album was. As per Wiki “As of 2009, it has sold 33 million copies worldwide. Overall, the album is one of the most successful albums in music history and one of the best-selling albums worldwide.”
33 MILLION!
There’s something about witty about being ironic around how things panned out post the album … but who cares? That’s more than enough for several life times of work. It’s more impressive that she never fell in to the trap of just releasing Jagged Little pastiches. Apparently she has had 7 albums since where she had full control of everything. All personal and non-commercial. And, anyway, she is God.
The anthems still hold their own. ‘You ougtha know’ especially still has a pure, vitriolic, raw power. The overall feel of the album hasn’t aged well. It’s a like 90s sonic time capsule. But it’s undeniably important. It’s not difficult to draw a line directly to the ridiculous success of the Spice Girls and all that just a year later.
Joe Ely
1/5
I knew I was in for a slog with a title like 'Honky Tonk Masquerade'. I try to be an open church. I'm accepting of most musical styles ... but I do struggle with Country and Western.
I got through the album. It's not my thing.
U2
3/5
I only know the U2 that is the bloated corpse of an arena show pony.
War is 40 years old, scarily pertinent and full of youthful angst and authenticity. It doesn’t sound like an 80s album. Or, blissfully, the kind of U2 album I expected.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying I liked it. But I thought enough of it to listen to it twice. It’s kind of nice knowing that Bono and the lads had something going on when U2 were a band and not The Brand.
Parliament
3/5
I sometimes think funk only exists for the funking puns.
It is funking great, though. Ahead of its time, more sophisticated and more subtle than I expected. Solid, solid funky times.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
There’s an honesty to this album that I can get on board with. The sound of a rock and roll band having a whale of a time. A bunch of guys playing music that they like to listen to. Like a jam session committed to vinyl. I like that.
A really good cover of ‘Heard it through the grapevine’. Not Slits good, but pretty damn good. It’s nearly all spoiled by the last track on the album. Nearly.
I can see why The Dude liked them.
Röyksopp
4/5
One of the rare beast of albums that I have actually bought. ‘Eple’ was the hook, but every track stands on its own. It gets thrown in with that mad time when Chill Out was an everywhere, but there’s too much bass, and too many good beats for it to be tarred with that brush.
It’s held up really well over the past 22(!) years. I still like it. It’s full of charm, warm hygge and Nordic cinematic sweeps.
XTC
2/5
I wasn’t sure what to expect from XTC. They’re one of those bands that I know definitely exist, and the sort of period they worked in … but that’s it.
Cure-y. Less poppy. I quite like the feel, I like the vocals, some interesting lyrics. It’s not super 80s. There are a lot of ideas going on, at times I found it a complicated listen.
I reckon it would be a grower. With a bit of time it would probably give a lot back. Alas, I’m not sure I can’t see myself choosing to listen to it ever again.
Incubus
2/5
Very Nu Metal. I find it all a bit irritating. Except for the funky turntabalism track, which is actually pretty ace. Mainly because it doesn't have any vocals on it. Or sound remotely like anything else on the album. It gets a point for that.
AC/DC
2/5
Some above average heavy rock guitar continually ruined by an aggravating Geordie shrieking into a microphone. (Harsh, but fair?)
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I preferred this one to the banana one. There's less of a feeling of this being music for arts sake. It's a much more accessible and enjoyable listen.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
I’ve decided I quite like Credence. They’ve popped up twice now and I’ve enjoyed both of them. Does that make some sort of Dad Rock person? I’d certainly choose Credence over Velvet Underground (who have also popped up twice already). Straight forward, slightly sleazy sounding rock.
Stephen Stills
4/5
Stephen Stills? Stephen Stills what? Oh STILLS! Like him off of Crosby and Nash! I have already established I know nothing of their work and the album that has appeared so far wasn’t great. I had zero expectations.
The album cover doesn’t give anything away. A random dude freezing his bollocks off, sitting on a bench that is covered in about 12 inches of snow. Obviously he’s playing a guitar. And obviously there is a small wooden pink giraffe stood next to him. Of course there is.
None of that gives any indication to the whole bunch of tracks that are absolutely dripping in orchestral gospel warmth. Like if Primal Scream had done a whole album like Moving On Up … but better.
I thought this was great. I’m really starting to worry that I’m turning into a dad from US sitcom in the 90s.
Culture Club
1/5
They broke America and got a guest appearance on the A-Team out of this?! Karma Chameleon is a good pop record. I was hoping there would be more to the rest of the album. Some underplayed gems. Nope. Just a continual drone of 80s ness. It not a good sign when you’re googling the name of the backing singer (who’s not even featured on the cover) because they’re the most interesting thing on the album.
Duran Duran
3/5
Another 80s album … but it’s hard not to like Duran Duran. They slap a bit differently to your average synths and warble wallpaper. It’s not all gold (sorry, wrong album) but the big hits are pop crackers.
Funkadelic
4/5
An album that I feel like I should be more familiar. Not the funk workout I was expecting. More of a journey of psych rock fused with funk and jazz. I’m not surprised to hear that copious amounts of hallucinogenics were involved. I very much enjoyed it.
Air
3/5
I've often wondered if the film is as bleak as it sounds. After reading the synopsis on Wikipedia it's actually even bleaker. But this isn't about the film.
I love Air. Moon Safari is one of my favourite albums. I've listened to most of their other work, but for some reason I have never given this a spin. Which is really weird.
It's as gorgeuous as you'd expect. Very Air. The opening track, especially, is just lovely. It's bleak and melancholy but, with underscored with their Gallic warmth and comfort. I imagine it fits the vibe of the film very well.
Billy Bragg
2/5
This process is really showing my lack of musical breadth. Billy Bragg is yet another artist I feel I should really have paid more attention to. Having said that, an album of Billy Bragg doing unrecorded songs by Woody Guthrie might not be the best place to start.
Despite it being quite Country there is something here I could get into. But it would require more time than I’m prepared to give. That’s my problem.
Wild Beasts
3/5
Quite enjoyed this. Having two lead singers meshing over an album is refreshing, in a way. You have one sound like a Millenial Sparks, and another sound a bit like a more sparkly Elbow. None of it explodes, but it is all actively enjoyable.
Blur
3/5
My mates who did albums were all Team Oasis. The first two tracks are pretty stella hits. I don't think I've ever heard the rest of the album. And I quite like Blur. It's feels a lot more Coxon. It's fuzzier and grimier than you'd expect.
De La Soul
5/5
One of my favourite albums. It's everything I want from a hip hop record. Great beats, great samples, distinctive flows - most of all it is fun! Hip hop often takes itself waaaaay to seriously. 3ft is the absolute antithesis of all the gangster stuff that was literally getting people killed. It still sounds phenomenal as it approaches it's 35th anniversary. It's feels very organic and analogue which keeps it timeless. It's just such a positive force and I adore it.
The B-52's
4/5
I'd always suspected that I liked the B-52s. Love Shack is a banger, and I won't take any arguments suggesting otherwise. Whenever any of their other tunes have popped up they tend to have ticked the right ear buds.
What I wasn't expecting was for how this album sounded. It's obviously B-52s. That kitsch 50s/60s surfer rock thing with the unmistakable vocals ... but it's so stripped back and efficient in how it does it. And danceble. Some tracks are like ESG stripped back. Bass and driving rythym being the focus rather than wailing guitars.
I thought I would like it. I loved it.
Elvis Costello
2/5
I know Elvis is really well respected singer songwriter, but I've never really known why. This albumm hasn't really answered that question. It shows some hints, but mostly the whole thing kind of passed me by.
Arcade Fire
3/5
I loved this album. Nearly 20 years ago! Something has changed. Is it me? Or everything around me? It just doesn’t feel the same any more. It used to sound big, and warm. Full of soul and joy. Today it feels hollow, a bit forced … the word I keep coming back to is irritating. I know all the tracks really well, but I just have a constant desire to skip them. Did I oversaturate in its pomp?
David Bowie
2/5
Bowie was a cool dude. I have huge respect for him as an artist and visionary. He seemed so switched on to potential and new things.
But I found this hard work. Should I be more respectful of his last work? I don’t really enjoy listening to it. Sorry.
Taylor Swift
2/5
Taylor Swift is not for me. I’m too old, too cynical, too lots of things. That’s fine Taylor makes banging tunes for millions of other people. A sad, middle aged, balding bloke from the North West of England feeling bewildered by the appeal of fairly bland, quite clinical, sonic wallpaper is not going to make any difference to anyone. ‘Shake it off’ is pop perfection, mind.
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
Badly Drawn Boy played a big part of our early relationship. We went to see him three or four times in the early noughties. He was always interesting. He announced his retirement at two of them. And performed an ad-hoc wedding ceremony at another.
I thought I knew this album. It turns out it was only about 45% that I heard before. His second album, 'About a boy', got played a lot. But I don’t think I ever bought Bewilderbeast. It was the early Napster age, and honestly I think I just took what I could and put them on a CD. My memory is hazy at this point.
This album is great. It's very Manchester at the turn of the Millennium (my fave Manchester sound). With bits of colliery brass, 60s psych, general wonkiness, some great beats (I suspect via Andy Votel), a sort of 70s Philly soul piano and Damons lovely, lovely voice. Loads of instruments, loads of detail and warmth - really happy to have spent some time with the whole thing properly.
Mariah Carey
1/5
Deep breath. I can do this. Be objective. Take it for what it is. Let's not be judgmental.
Who am I kidding. I can't. Sorry. I can't devote 57 minutes of my life to the melodious human dolphin. Not going to lie. I've skipped through. The production is tight. Mid 90s Bump and Grind in full effect ... but meeeeeeh.
It's not for me. It's fine for other people to like it. I get it. Well, no, I don't get it it. But I respect it. A bit.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
A nice change of pace after Mariah Carey. I like a bit of Afro Beat, but Ali is not a name I'm familiar with. Nothing blew me away, but it was nice to have music with a bit of soul.
Coldplay
2/5
It’s been a tough week on this project. I’ve been full of the heaviest, snottiest cold I have ever encountered. The music has consisted of Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey and now … this.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Simply a good album, by a good band, in a good place. No filler. Gutsy guitar music with a glamorous eye on the dance floor.
The Zombies
2/5
“Oohh that’s that one, from that thing”. That’s the last track “Time of the season”. Which has been used on … something. The rest of the album is case study in 60s psychedelic pop. Suffers from not being the Beatles or the Kinks.
The War On Drugs
2/5
Another of those bands that people seem to have huge admiration for, but I totally fail to understand why. Springsteenesque Americana that has been passed through a pale-and-interesting Instagram filter does nothing for me. Having said that, I enjoyed this a bit more than I expected.
Van Morrison
2/5
Moondance is a great track. A lovely loosy, jazzy jam. The rest is fine. There is one that sounds like a cover, of a cover, of a foreign language cove,r of a cover of 'Brown Eyed Girl'.
The White Stripes
4/5
When push comes to shove The White Stripes are probably my favourite noise makers. Get Behind Me Satan is not my favourite album, that’s probably White Blood Cells, but it’s still full of great examples of the Stripes work with several track that could make it on to their Best of. Loads of blues soaked whimsy mixed with fire and brimstone guitar torture. Just how I like it.
The Who
3/5
The British bands of the 60s definitely had that special something. The music just has an edge. You can see why kids in America went mad for it. This is definitely one of those bridge albums that takes the safe, poppy rock and roll and starts the morphing into the harder, weirder sounds on the 70s. It's good stuff.
Pere Ubu
1/5
Interesting. Challenging. Complex. All of those types of words. Which are really just code for “this is a bit shit, but if I say I think it’s a bit shit people will think I’m a pleb”.
50 Cent
1/5
Another one of those albums that isn't for me. There is nothing here for me to relate to, it's not aimed at me. I get it. But I like hip hop and I know really I don't like this. The main reason is that I don't think 50 is very good at his job. A rapper that isn't good at rapping. I'm not Eminem's biggest fan, but his appearance on 'Patiently Waiting' really stands out as the closest this thing has to a highlight. The production is meh, the themes are endless violence and excess ... which I could forgive but we're back to everything just not being very good. Millions of people lapped it up, so what do I know.
Jane's Addiction
2/5
Not as ... brash ... as I was expecting. Not heavy hair metal, something very much more thoughtful and idiosyncratic. There's an undercurrent of early grunge and 90s alternative. I found the overall sound a bit weird. Very cold, totally lacking chunky, low and mid range warmth. And the noodling guitar shredding a bit OTT. But I quite enjoyed listening to it.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
It was eye exploding when you were a teenager. It still has massive power over you today. Just a great big, cathartic middle finger to it all.
Various Artists
4/5
Ignoring the spectre of Spector, this album is pretty phenomenal. The quintessential version of that Christmas classic that you’ve got in your head? It’s on this album. Every single track. But Spector … yikes.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
I knew more X-ray Spex than I thought. Quite enjoyed it. The sax as a Punk weapon is a nice touch. I can’t work out if the lead vocals are really irritating, or not. Probably depends on my mood.
Jethro Tull
3/5
Hey Nonny Nonny prog and I’m here for it. At times it all feels a bit Flight of the Conchords, but I like it.
Mudhoney
3/5
Very Grunge. Very enjoyable. An album to come back to. They probably get sick of the inevitable Nirvana comparisons … but here it is any way. They’re like Nirvana without the accessibility of the hooks. All the ethos, but they make you work a bit harder for the enjoyment.
The Police
2/5
When Sting and the lads got together, at what point do you think they decided that The Police was a cool name for band? It says a lot. The album is very The Police. You can take from that pretty much all you need to know.
Soundgarden
3/5
Not a revaltory discovery, I don't feel like I've missed out from never listening to it. But I enjoyed spinning it a couple of times. And Black Hole Sun is, obviously, great.
Big Star
3/5
First thing to clear up up - Big Star are not a naff boy band from the early 90s.
What an intriguing album this is. It's not really an album. It's a sketchbook of ideas for a third album that never happened. Until it did. It's a fancy sketchbook though. One of those nice ones you see instagram posts about.
The sketches are of varying degrees of progress. Some are essentially fully formed ideas. Some are stripped back Beatlesque musings without the art supplies of Abbey Road. Some are little more than stick men. A couple of them are the type of sketches that would have the school ringing your parents to ask if everything is OK.
Like I said - intriguing, in a good way.
Small Faces
2/5
The opening (and title) track is a glorious, psychy instrumental. I wish there was a bit more of that. Vocals are the issue for me here. More precisely, the tracks sung in full cock-er-neeeeee.
Patti Smith
4/5
I will come back to give this album more time. I really like Patti's voice and her general vibe. I've always liked 'Gloria' and a couple of the more obvious tracks ... but the more subtle, poetry led track deserve more of my attention.
The Notorious B.I.G.
2/5
I liked it more than I expected to. But that isn’t saying much. I quite like most of the production, solid old school hip hop vibes. It’s very bleak. Any album that has a track where the artist records themselves enacting their own suicide is in a very dark place.
Michael Jackson
2/5
Era defining. You know it. You no longer feel comfortable listening to it.
Korn
2/5
As much as I quite liked some of tracks, it’s a very creepy album. I couldn’t ever quite shake a picture in my mind. Kids in Matrix coats.
Van Halen
4/5
I got exactly what I expected. All except that I didn't expect was how much I was going to enjoy it. Big haired, bare chested, RAWWWWWK that practically stinks of the late 80s. But it shifts around that formula in different ways and never stops being a fun listen.
Sabu
2/5
Minimal Viable Jazz. There really isn’t much happening. A guy tapping away at bongos. Some vocals that are bit like found sound recordings. And that’s it. I quite like it, in some ways. But I’m not sure of the significance for this list?
The Smiths
3/5
I find Morrisey irritating on many, many levels but, musically, I found myself quite enjoying this. There is the persistent whining and uneccesary gloom ... but it's actually quite a pleasant listen. That would all be Marr's doing, I guess?
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
2007 was a big year. We got married, for a start. There were loads of amazing albums released that year. I was still child free, still trying to be on top of music. I'd slowly started letting guitars into my life. LCD Soundsystem and the whole electroclash-y sound that was everywhere at that time really hit the spot bridging my love of electronica and analogue.
LCD in particular found the sweet spot of minimal, well judged electronic sounds with interesting vocals and analogue elements that is just cool. Sound of Silver is not an album of absolute bangers (LCD do them) but really well judged, head bopping tunes with hits of emotional highs. Really good stuff.
The Shamen
1/5
Where do I start with this? Probably "THE SHAMEN!? WTF!".
Having this album pop up has taught me a few things. Chiefly, this was The Shamen's fourth studio album! Before discovering acid house and ecstasy they were a Glaswegian psych rock band.
Judging by this album, the whole breakthrough rave act thing seems to have happened quickly, and by accident. And has a lot to do with them meeting Mr C. Most of the band were in their 30s when they hit fame.
You have 'Move any Mountain'. That was on 'Smash Hits 91', so I know it very well. Even on a annual pop compilation that I had mainly bought for 'Do the Bartman' (aged 11) it was a bit naff. I had never known it was part of an actual album. For a good reason, the album is awful.
Loads of electronic noodlings that sound like late 80s pastiches of other acts like MARRS and Coldcut, but much worse. There are no less than three different version of 'Move any Mountain' on the version I listened to.
With all the other interesting stuff that was going with electronic music at that time, somehow this half boiled tripe is on the 1001 list. There better be something more representative.
Roni Size
3/5
I'm going to be a bit snobby about this one. I've always thought it's a bit overrated. 'Brown Paper Bag' is a tune, no doubt ... but the rest is a bit meh.
That's the nature of the beast. 1993-97ish was amazing in the way that hardcore rave rapidly and continually reinvented itself time and time again. There was creativity all over the place, going in so many sonic directions. Contantly pushing the avaialble tech beyond it's limits into crazy sounds that still sound awesome.
This album showcased a fraction of that sound to a mainstream audience. It's great that it got the attention, it's great that it shone a spotlight on the scene ... but I've never been convinced it's actually any good.
It suffers from he classic issue of DJ dance music producers by having long intros, and then equally not knowing how to finish tracks. So everything feels long and drawn out. There's nothing really explosive. That jazz infused 'intelligent' sound had been around for a while and had been done better.
It's fine ... but yeah, never loved it.
Nico
2/5
The 1001 proper loves Velvet Underground, huh? I actually knew the first two tracks quite well. I quite like Nico's voice ... but a lot of it is really meadering nothingness with sporadic strings. Strings which she apparently didn't want on the album.
John Lennon
2/5
What a bitter little album. I'll be kind and say that John Lennon is 'complicated'. A song writing genius but, by most counts, a bit of a prick. This seems to be a collection of song where he simultaneously apologises for and confirms it.
Beatles
5/5
It really does seem daft to make notes on a Beatles album. It's awesome. You know that. But genuinely awesome. Like, how did they keep doing it? A mediocre Beatles track would be nearly every other bands lifetime meal ticket. Even the sitar tracks.
Kid Rock
1/5
Wow. It takes something to take the Limp Bizkit template and be unequivocally shitter in every single department. I had low expectations and this dug tunnels under them. Deeeep tunnels.
Slayer
3/5
Musically, I'm into this. Hard, fast, rhythmic noise is very much my jam. But, I have to be honest, the basic Satanism 101 and death vibes leaves me ... bewildered. I don't get it. That aside, I very much enjoyed it.
Hole
4/5
Being Mrs Kurt Cobain was definitely a doubled edged sword for Courtney Love. It brought her fame and attention and I'd followed the narrative of Courtney being a fame hungry wannabe.
But this album is really, really good. Better than most of the other grunge doing the rounds at the time. Courtney has amazing vocal flexibility, the band make a great noise ... yeah, its really good.
Classic patriarchy behaviour that this doesn't get the praise it deserves.
King Crimson
4/5
Increasingly my yard stick for this endeavour is "Would I buy the vinyl album of this?".
Yes, yes I would.
It sits at the junctions of all sorts of musical alleys that I enjoy. Psych, jazz, prog, rock. It never strays too far into the weeds. For 1969 album it simultaneously sounds of it's exact time and the future.
The Killers
3/5
Oversaturated and a more than a bit pompous, but the first 5 tracks are all big, pop rock, wedding floor filling anthems. The rest is pretty crap.
Paul Simon
2/5
Simon and Garfunkel were a staple soundtrack to car journeys when I was a kid. So their voices have a special place in my head. This album? It’s quite apt that it accompanied me on a long train journey. It’s nice enough. Quite sweet, really. But I don’t think it will be on a regular rotation.
Mudhoney
2/5
Solid proto grunge. A couple of tracks tip in to good, most are in the totally fine bracket.
The Kinks
3/5
I really like The Kinks. There's something about their whimsical themes that really chimes with me. This album is no different. It's just a really fun romp of 60s themes with the iconic sound of that British bands absolutely nailed in that period.
I think the tambourine player may have been drunk, though.
Gorillaz
3/5
Gorillaz are a bit weird in the fact that the ones you think you know are probably remixes, and not the tracks on the album.
I had forgotten this was a product of Dan the Automator who is majorly underrated as a producer. I found myself enjoying it more and more as the album went on.
I still prefer Deltron 3030.
Neil Young
2/5
Neil Young is another of my musical blind spots. Another of those legends that people adore, but in my head he gets mixed up with other musical Neils. Like Sedaka or Diamond.
This album hasn't done anything to update me on what I'm missing. It was fine, but didn't exactly raise my attention over background music.
Ramones
4/5
29 minutes of one paced, montone noise.
But, my God, what a glorious 29 minutes.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Interesting. In a good way. I think.
Fragile, but I’m not sure if it’s fragile like the first snow flake of the winter or fragile like the exhaust of a Fiesta XR2i that is held on by 12 month old gaffer tape.
Definitely in the “glad I’ve listened to it” category whilst also being firmly in the “not sure I actually enjoyed it” slot.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
I've always liked the Adam & The Ants hits. They've always struck me as just like they were having an absolute ball. Living their best Dandy lives.
This was their second album, with fewer big hits but very much the same vibe. I enjoyed it. It's just fun music. I love Adam Ants voice, and the music has a dance floor edge to it.
It's ripe for some re-editing and doubling down on the danceability.
Miles Davis
4/5
I've been waiting 91 albums for some proper Jazz, so it was loveley to finally get this.
Miles Davis has been a nut I've tried to crack a few times. I've never had his albums stick. Possibly I was going too early. I really liked this one, I would defintely pick it up on vinyl.
It doesn't really go anywhere. There's no destination. It's like a walk around the block. Probably in New York. It's a summer evening. There are vibes everywhere. It's just a pleasure to be out, soaking it all in. Even if you do the walk hundreds of time you find something new.
Kanye West
1/5
Not going to lie. I didn't listen to much of this. He's not without talent. But he is a bad, bad blert.
R.E.M.
2/5
I've never been a big fan of R.E.M. There was a time when they seemed to win Brits every year, regardless of whether they had released anything or not.
This album hasn't really changed my mind on them. It was interesting to hear their earlier work, but nothing really grabbed me. Still in the "It's fine, I suppose" bracket.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Iggy is great. A man very much with a Lust for Life and great music. The title track and Passengers are pieces of music that seem immune to the passage of time and fashion.
The rest is solid enough, but shows it age more. A couple definitely tell of time with Bowie.
Tricky
2/5
I've never quite gelled with Tricky. One of those producers that critics seem to adore, spoken about in hushed tones of adulation. But I've never got it. It's all a bit sterile, too clean. Even when the lyrics are talking anal sex.
Miles Davis
2/5
It seems I am destined to try and 'get' this album every 5 years or so.
No luck this time. It still just floats over me without soaking in.
The Band
3/5
Quite enjoyed it. Outside of “The Weight” and the Ab Fab theme nothing really stood out. But it was pleasant enough.
Brian Wilson
2/5
I *think* I like the Beach Boys. I hear snippets on the radio or whatever and often note "I should listen to more Beach Boys".
Then I listen to more Beach Boys and realise that I actually find their sound deeply irritating. I don't know why, it's objectively pleasant.
So this is 51 minutes of music that, for some reason, irritated the life out of me.
Death In Vegas
3/5
When listening to these albums through Alexa it ‘helps’ by playing related artists when the album finishes. The first time it chose ‘Smack my bitch up’ by the Prodigy. Which is what I expected of the album pre-listen. Second time it chose something from Air’s Moon Safari. That mad a bit more sense after a couple of listens.
I was expecting more of a classic Big Beat sound, but it was probably closer to something like Lemon Jelly. Soundtracky, very Psychy in places. A solid album.
Aerosmith
3/5
My wife is a massive Aerosmith fan, so I know this album well. There are some absolute rock classics. Sweet Emotion, in particular, is just a great record. The original version of Walk this Way is a bit flat compared to the Run DMC collab. The whole “Suck on my big 10 inch” thing is a bit mad, but overall it’s a great rock album.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
It's good stuff. It's very rhythmic and that appeals to my base musical wants. The kind of music that I'm always pleased to hear ... though not necessarily near the top of my 'things I choose to listen too' pile.
Marty Robbins
1/5
Someone must have written a thesis about a direct link of the ‘Old West’ and the American obsession for the right to bear arms?
This is folk music. Like every culture has folk music. Storytelling by song. It’s powerful stuff. This is just a barrage of shooting and killing, normalised by a jaunty beat and friendly voice.
The body is nearly at 50 in one of the songs. It makes Notorious BIG and Fiddy look like complete amateurs.
SAULT
5/5
One of the few bands that have gotten through my middle aged cynic barrier in the past few years.
It's good. Like they've taken the sounds of 90/00s hip and R&B and boiled off all of the superfluous bullshit. Often leaving just some amazing drum production and fuzzy bass. Everything that is left is there for a reason, perfectly judged and full of soul.
Underworld
3/5
Underworld produce some wonderful moments of musical brilliance. They are often fleeting but glorious, hidden inside gorroves, beats and bleeps.
This an album of the grooves, but not so much of the glorious stuff. Lots to like, but not much to adore.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Deserves a bit more time. Has solid 60's psych bones that I would like to get to know better. Some of the tracks had more steel than others that defintely deserve some more listening than I has to time for.
Al Green
3/5
One of the all-time great intros, to an all-time classic slab of soul. The rest of the album is solid, with top class horn section. Excellent weekend easy listening.
Sex Pistols
3/5
I get that it’s important. It must have been a welcome punch in the face for the British youth of 1977. It hit a lot of points in time that worked for it then , I’m not sure that it still works quite the same today. It doesn’t have any real pull over me, I think that’s what I’m trying to say.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
This just left me completely flat. No emotions, nothing. Just flowed over me like I was covered in Grabireilphobic gel.
Scott Walker
1/5
I have heard too many parodies of this type of music that it's impossible to listen to with any hope of enjoyment. A lounger crooners smooth voice trapped inside the heart of lute player, occasionally playing country. I didn't enjoy it.
The Boo Radleys
5/5
The second album to really catch me by surprise. The Boo Radleys are a local band. They're from Wallasey, where I went to school. I knew their album after this one. Wake Up Boo being a proper, bonafide hit.
This was not that.
The other album to catch me by surprise was MBV by My Bloody Valentine. Which was also 'shoegaze'.
It turns out I bloody love a bit of shoegaze.
1 day was not enough to spend with this album. I wil be back for more and more.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Smoother than a babies bottom. That is sat in a silk baby seat. In the back of Roll Royce Silver Shadow. Possibly driving on Crucible snooker table beds.
Which is a bit weird considering it's an album with a pretty bleak theme of PTSD and anger. But that's Marvin's voice.
It's an album that you could chuck on at any time an not be annoyed by. Equally there aren't that many highs to it. Just smooth listening.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Solid AfroBrasilBeatRock. Enjoyed it, would listen again. There’s not much more to say.
The White Stripes
5/5
I've alredy mentioned that this is probably my favourite album, by probably my favourite band. At least my favourite lo-fi noise making band.
This is probably the peak of the classic White Stripes sound. Just Jack and Meg. Just Guitar and Drums. There is 'Hotel Yorba'. There is 'Fell in Love with a Girl'. There is 'We're going to be friends'. And loads of other great tracks.
Some later albums maybe had more flavours ... but the raw simplicity of these tracks is what makes me love them.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
Fun fact: On one of our first dates as an official couple we were given a promo copy of 'Juxtaposed Wit U'. We seriously considered having it as our first dance at our wedding, but ultimately decided that the lyrics "I'm not in love with you, But I won't hold that against you" weren't, perhaps, in the spirit of things. Still, the song holds a special place for us.
I've rarely listened to the whole album, so this was a nice treat. The Furries are probably the most underrated outfit of the 90s Brit Pop era, and I've always liked their more cosmic take on life and music. It's a trip of an album. You get slow ballads, then fairly standard indie, then a bit of Bristolian trip-hop, then some country and western. Oh and we'll throw in a proto-dubstep, Squarepusher techno banger too.
I wouldn't listen to it very often, but one I would definitely reach for when the mood strikes.
Steve Earle
1/5
I have visited Guitar Town. Briefly. I will not be returning.
Eminem
2/5
Meh. My position has softened slightly over the years. But it was pretty high on the hardness scale. There is some good stuff.
But for every good thing, there are 30 totally dum things that undermines them.
Kanye West
1/5
Once again - the man can put a tune together. That does not excuse him from being a massive meff.
Sonic Youth
3/5
It was a pleasant enough noise to noodle through. A band who know what they’re doing, and what they’re about. That’s about the sum of my notes. Solid, but not leaving much of a mark on my consciousness.
Erykah Badu
3/5
High quality contemporary R&B from an absolute queen. I'm not always in the mood for it, but when you require a certain vibe - this absolutely bangs.
Slade
3/5
kind of what I expected, but better. Slade are very Slade. Noddy's voice is about as distinctive as it gets. It's good, honest 70s rock. Tougher in places than I expected. I have a lot of respect for it.
Lou Reed
4/5
I must be averaging a Velvet Underground, or Velvet Adjacent, album at about 1 in 6.
It’s also amazing how many times - when you do a bit of reading up - how often Bowie is in the background.
This has both, and it works. Some genuinely great tracks, mixed with some other solid bit and pieces of various genres.
3/5
I don’t think PJ will ever be one of my favourite artists. But I think I understand her a bit more, these days. I kind of get why critics seem to adore her.
Stevie Wonder
2/5
Not Stevie's best. Not without highlights ... but I really hope there is more of his earlier work on this list.
The Vines
3/5
PAIR.
Perfectly Acceptable Indie Rock.
Jamiroquai
3/5
I enjoyed this way more than I expected. It’s aged pretty well, a very easy to get on mix of styles. More jazzy than I expected. A very solid album.
Common
2/5
Disappointing. I really like his flow, but this just feels a bit clinical. Not quite underground, not quite shiny pop hip hop. Stuck in the middle of ideas .
Nas
3/5
It’s good. Proper, classic hip hop vibes. I’m still don’t love the violent lyrics and grim themes … but it feels more authentic delivered like this.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
It's got California Dreaming on it. Which is just a beautiful, beautifual thing. It's all very pleasant, it brings back memories of being in the car with Mum and Dad. It's a classic for a reason.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I like music when the people making it sound like they are having a ball. Pet Shop Boys always sound like they are having a ball. It's so of it's time, but joyful with it. 'It's a sin' stands out a mile, but I also like some of the Italo Piano house vibes of the first track.
1/5
Crap when it was new. It has aged like milk.
ABBA
4/5
Top tier pop. Not something I would probably choose to listen to in most situations. But if you want to unite a disparate mix of generations with some banging tunes - this is it.
Bob Dylan
2/5
Sorry, I just don't enjoy listening to this. I've tried. Quite a few times. I just find it boring.
The Roots
3/5
It meanders a bit, sometimes feels a bit disjointed, there’s definitely peaks and troughs. Overall it’s good quality stuff. A firm 2.5 rounded … up. I think.
Buck Owens
1/5
The ‘best’ country album so far. Best meaning it didn’t make me want to cleave my ears off after 30 seconds. I actually got through two tracks of not horrible before I wanted to cleave my ears off.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
2/5
Musicians music. Like anything which is appreciated by professionals in their own field. Highly skilled minimalism, paired back, beautifully executed.
Does that mean it’s enjoyable on a more casual basis? Especially on a 24 hour basis.
No.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Taken in small bites this is a beautiful collection of fragile, poignant and powerful songs. But it’s a heavy, heavy salad in one sitting.
Funkadelic
2/5
For a funk band - with funk actually in their name - I would, quite frankly, expect more funk. This is my second Funkadelic and, while both have been solid albums, they just haven't been that funky. There is a lot of proggy rock here, and lots of loose jamming around those themes. I didn't hate listening to it.
The Damned
2/5
It started off well. Really loose, thrashy punk. Then it kind of morphed into the kind of stuff that Jeremy Clarkson would put on his “Powwwwwwer Driiiive” playlist. Lots of guitar wankery. Meh.
Neil Young
3/5
I enjoyed it. The first evidence that this Neil Young fella is worth of his reverence. It’s a warm hug of an album. And it was good to hear the original version of Only Love Will Break your Heart.
The Jam
4/5
The Jam dealt out some really good bass lines. Yeah, I really quite enjoyed this. Way more than I expected. I'm going to round the score up, because I've had lots of really meh albums recently and this is much better than meh.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I enjoyed it, but I think I got more out of III. Stairway is possibly the most overrated track in rock.
Santana
4/5
Really enjoyable. Sits at a nice junction between all sorts of genres. Latin, rock, jazz, psych. A lot less unnecessary guitar wanking than I thought there would be.
Bruce Springsteen
1/5
Sorry, Bruce, it’s a no from me.
Can
4/5
Every time I hear a Can tune I love it. This is no different.
Some music is era defining. Can's music is era defying. It always sounds like the future. But not in a 'Oooh electrnonic' way. The structure, the vibes, the instrumentation ... everything sounds like it was put together after today.
I can even forgive the ridiculously long tunes where they seemingly just couldn't be bothered to stop the tape machine.
New York Dolls
3/5
This album isn't on Apple Music. Which is a shame. I've had to listen via YouTube which isn't ideal. I enjoyed it, though. Raw rock and roll with a bit of an edge. I can't help think of Rocky Horror from the album cover to the general audio aesthetics.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
It bangs way harder than you think Yeah Yeah Yeahs do. High octane, sleazy and generally bloody good.
Radiohead
3/5
I’m still waiting to be put under the spell of a Radiohead album. This hasn’t quite managed it. But it would require more than 24 hours. Some of it is really gorgeous, some of it is vague, at best.
Frank Black
2/5
I reckon if you had caught this album when it was released it could easily be something that fell into regular listening and became on of those albums you remember fondly.
But this is the age of Spotfiy. You can access every piece of music Humanity has ever produced. It doesn't stand up to that sort of scrutiny.
Sheryl Crow
4/5
I knew 'All I Wanna Do' was a certified bop (as the kids say), but that is the extent of my Crow knowledge.
Truthfully, my inital intinct was 'eugh' ... but I really enjoyed it. It's not all great, it gets a bit bogged down in place, but Sheryl's voice is great. Even though it's in that Swift/Adele arc that really isn't aimed at me I found it really easy to key in to and enjoy.
A great example of why doing this thing is great for broadening horizons. I'm rounding up to a 4 for that reason.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Overall, I enjoyed it. I’ve said before I tend to like music that sounds thrown together with enthusiasm. This is definitely that. It’s a bit cluttered in the mix, with the horn section feeling a bit squashed. And it’s not exactly groundbreaking … but it’s noisy, and fun. And that’s ok by me.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
They really don’t make music like this any more. Which is such a daft thing to say … but they really don’t. Who is making silky soul jams for making sweet love to? No one.
That aside your kicking off with Who’ that lady and finishing with Summer Breeze. So it’s hard to mess that up.
Willie Nelson
2/5
Really pleasant. Damning with faint praise, perhaps. But I enjoyed the 37 minutes this was playing. Willie has a lovely, soothing voice. Everything is sparse and has room to breath. It could be horribly sweet and cloying ... but it's nice. I probably won't ever listen to it again.
The Temptations
3/5
After about 20 seconds I thought "Oooh yeah, I'm going to love this!".
But the next 24 minutes just kind of washed over me in wave of 60s soul bass.
Maybe I caught it on the wrong day? I like all of the ingredients, but nothing really hit home. Including a cover of 'Heard it through the grapevine' which I wouldn't have spotted if it wasn't for the track being listed.
Morrissey
1/5
Well, I listened to it. Against my better judgment, I didn’t think it was steaming pile of misery wank. Some of it was quite passable.
But Morrissey is an insufferable weirdo blert.
Fever Ray
2/5
Not that I'm taking a Swedish tundra analogoy ... but ... cold, stark and pretty unwelcoming. I imagine if you spent a lot of time there you would eventually find beauty. Arctic hares and things. But you'd freeze your tits off trying.
Pink Floyd
5/5
100% deserves it's standing as one of the greatest albums ever made.
I don't consider myself a Pink Floyd fan. It most defintely wasn't my era. But I totally understand how it enchanted a generation.
It is simply great music.
Beastie Boys
4/5
I love the Beasties. Like with most of my listening, I have rarely sat down and listened to their albums.
Paul's Boutique is interesting. They've done their "we want to be punks" thing and have realised hip hop is where it's at for them. So this very distilled hip hop. Like they're trying to find that balance of their particular brand of noise.
I really enjoyed it. Very lo-fi, they sound like they are loving the process of it all. It's not wall-to-wall bangers, but it's a very good album.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
The first couple of tracks are absolute corkers. Kitschy, 70's Bollywood funk bangers. After that it kind of settles down a bit. Its all very listenable, but the pace and fun levels drop off ocnsiderably. I'm very glad to have heard it.
The Monks
5/5
I had zero clue about The Monks.
I came out thinking "how the hell have I never heard more about The Monks?!"
This must have been akin to Thrash Metal back in 1966. There's Beatles, there's Doors, there's Beach Boys ... but done at 100mph with everything turned up to 11.
It's a shame it isn't available on Apple Music and I had to listen on YouTube again ... but I will be back for more. I loved it.
David Bowie
3/5
There is defintely a competition on the 1001 list for albums that include Bowie of Lou Reed. I think this edges David in front for me.
It sounds like an 80s record so it's fairly typical of the man that it was released in 1975. It's defiantly the sound of a (very) white man doing soul, but it kind of leans into it.
At first I wasn't sure, but I really warmed to it as an album. It all works and feels like a very complete experience. I don't think I loved it, but I now see it in a completely different light.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I don't dislike Nick Cave. But I do find it it very difficult to key in to what I do like in music. Another of those artists that need more time and patience than I'm willing to give.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
I laughed out loud several times. I'm not sure if that was the intention.
Although the themes are the same of his contemporaries - money, guns, women, drugs - Snoop sounds like he's having a whale of a time rather than being just angry at everything and everyone.
So I enjoyed it quite a lot more than I probably should have.
Love
2/5
Gentle 60s psych. Pleasant, but another album I don’t have any intention of ever listening to again. A 2.5 rounded down.
The 18 minute track to finish the album off is a bold choice.
Prince
3/5
There was a lad in our class at school who was obsessed with Prince. We always thought that was a bit weird.
Even though it was only 10 years prior, it always felt like it had come from a completely different era. A sound so defintitively 80s. A sound that just felt ... old, and not very good.
I can't say my opinion has changed very much. There's no denying that some of his music absolutely slaps ... but I just don't think it has aged very well. It's not organic enough to sound cool like 70s funk, and the technology wasn't there to keep up with the sounds that came in the 90s. It all comes with a very plastic, 80's edge.
So I've always found it hard to get on the Prince hype train.
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
When this is all done people will look back at my stats and deduce that I hate 90s dance music. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is my jam, my era, my thing.
But the dance music albums of the 90s were, largely, shite. So the tokenism of this list isn’t favourable to the genre.
One half decent floor filler with a Skee-Lo sample an album does not make.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Doesn’t feel like a complete package. It’s a soundtrack to something else, rather than being a destination in its own way. Pleasant, but missing something that Dark Side of the Moon has.
Jerry Lee Lewis
1/5
So, with a little of reading, it turns out that Ol' Jerry was an incestuous, paedophilic, (allegedly) wife murdering, racist.
He could perform, no doubt, but bloody hell! There are dodgy tickets on the list and he might have just taken top spot.
George Jones
1/5
One of the thing I like best about doing this is the little buzz of anticipation I get just before clicking ‘Vote’. Oooh what will today bring???
“Oooooohh SHIT. OFF”
The Who
3/5
Is a live recording of a gig an album? A carefully curated document of a band's being that marks many, many hours of toil and craft?
Sure, a gig represents a lot of that ... but it's more visceral, and real time. It's cool to hear, and this one absolutely kicks ... but it's not an album.
Supergrass
5/5
I was all set to give this a 4. It's an album I like, from a band I have a lot of time for. But probably viewd thrught rose-tinted glasses. A solid 4.
Then I listened to it as a whole for the first time in years. It's a very, very good album, from a very, very good (and criminally underrated) band.
Keith Jarrett
2/5
Undoubtedly interesting. The story of it is well worth reading. And it’s a great recording of an absolute master at work.
But it’s still an hour of piano twiddling. Good twiddling, but it is pretty formless music. Which is very jazz … but it’s almost too pleasant for that. I love that music like this exists but I find it difficult to enjoy.
OutKast
2/5
The most overrated band in hip hop? Eeeeeh it’s fiiine. Another hip hop album that sits in that not quite main stream, not quite underground netherland.
The Coral
5/5
Where do I start.
OK. The Coral are from The Wirral, where I live. As kismet has it on the day I go t this album I actually went for a little walk along the Prom in their home town of Hoylake.
It's a town by the sea. Not a seaside town. Most of The Wirral is like that. An urban area (nearly) surrounded by estuaries.
It's probably me reading too much into it, but The Coral's music feels like home. Salt soaked, melancholic, a bit weird, borrowing lots of ideas from elsewhere, but very much it's own thing.
Suicide
1/5
“Ooooh look at us! We’re really provocative. Look at our naaame!!! Hear the track where we basically scream for 3 minutes. Ooooh what will we do neeext?!?!?”
It’s a shame. There is something interesting there. Sitting in that Joy Division crossroads of punk and electronic. But mostly it’s unlistenable tripe.
Björk
3/5
Absolutely timeless until a baseline hits and it’s dated instantly.
I like Björk. Her voice is pretty incredible. So individual. But some of her music (most of it?) is objectively difficult to enjoy. Clever for being clevers sake.
This isn’t too bad, though. Mostly pretty straight, with nice 90s house low key bangers.
Talking Heads
3/5
Angular, punchy, stacatto dancy stuff all backed by the distinct tones of David Byrne. Solid stuff that I thought I would have heard more about in the DFA driven 00s.
I liked it, didn't love it. You could do some good re-edits though.
Foo Fighters
4/5
I'm due to see the Foo Fighters in about ... 48 hours?
You know, I hadn't appreciated that Dave did all of this album himself. He managed to get himself from there to here in the most Grohl way possible. By just being a totally boss dude.
I've seen some of the other reviews "meh meh, they're so vanilla, boring rock blah blah blah".
I kind of get it ... but get on board and have some fun, yeah?
This was rawer than I remember, I think it's great.
Elliott Smith
3/5
It’s pleasant, nice to listen to. There’s a classic tragic singer songwriter story. But it hasn’t made a strong impression. It’s on a might give it another go in the future list. A bang on 2.5 that’s rounded up.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I had 4+ hours of travelling to do. I was hoping for a nice album to relax in to.
Nick Cave was not it.
I enjoyed it more than the one I had a couple of weeks ago. I don’t mind his voice, but I just can’t get in to his music.
Joanna Newsom
2/5
I haven’t got the patience for Joanna. That is a me problem. It’s really quite lovely, but my ears just wander off.
I like that she makes music that sounds like it should have been mastered on wax cylinders.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Meeeh. 'Pump it up' is a really good track. But the rest is all a bit, meeeeeh.
I was a bit surprised by the Afro Beat lite vibes. I thought the Police had the sole ownership of that trope.
Still waiting for the moment of realisation of "oooh that's why people like the scouse Elvis".
Bob Dylan
4/5
Dammit! I wasn't supposed to enjoy this. I was supposed to be writing about an unintelligible wall of nasal mumblings. About how I just don't see the point, or the appeal.
But here I am after thoroughly enjoying my listening time with this album. Dylan at his most accessible and almost relatable. Just quality, folky, bluesy guitar based music.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
I thought I knew this album. I'm sure I listened to it quite a bit when it came out.
But I remember none of it. Which is possibly the problem. It's a bit bland. There are good elements with the different members bringing different things. Miles Kane repping the Wirral vibes (it's amazing how often we're popping up on this list). Turner visibly morphing into young, eneregetic front man, into later 'crooning' lounge lizard front man.
It was fine, but not as good as I remembered/hoped. a classic 2.5 that I'm going to rouuuund up.
Roxy Music
4/5
This process is filling many holes in my knowledge. I had zero idea that Eno and Ferry were the people behind Roxy Music.
I could have had a million guesses and never come up with the title of “Virginia Plain”.
I enjoyed it. It’s the right kind of weird. Sometime a bit too weird, but the kind of weird that would make sense with repeated listens. Good stuff. I need to listen to more
Eno.
Lorde
2/5
I'm giving this a 2. Not because I think it's bad music. It's excellent at what it does.
But what it does is not for me.
It's interstingly put together, more interesting than a lot her peers. But it's still that emotionally charged pop that just doesn't mean anything to me.
That's a me problem ... but these are my scores. For me. They're not a diss.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Hootenany!
I was really enjoying this until the sound of Jools Holland's voice came into my head. Then all I could think about was as alternative universe where they wheel out a bemused 90 year old Muddy on to the Hootenany stage.
Jools banging away at the ivories, Muddy just there mumbling about getting it Hard Again. It would probably slap, to be fair.
David Bowie
2/5
Another Bowie album. He's definitely leading the appearance stats now. Either in title, or lurking in the background.
All solid, but again it left me a bit cold.
I'm yet to succumb to the brilliance of his works. I know he's good, but I just haven't ever been drawn in enough to be enveloped.
A 2.5 rounded down.
Stevie Wonder
2/5
I thought I was going to love this. I did not.
Superstition is a tune that is so good that it has become a bit irritating.
The rest is all a bit lovey dovey and light.
Maybe I just caught it on a bad day.
Beatles
4/5
OK. It's not their best album.
Which is kind of like saying "this isn't the best Ferrari".
My firt tip would be to try and liten to it in mono. The 'stereo' mix is horrible.
Also the covers are ... well, covers.
This is a snapshot of the Beatles as things started to go a bit mental. Coming off the back of the first album, and the mania that followed. This is their difficult second. The one that usually kills bands.
It was released 8 months after the first. This is what you did in the 60s. People apparently forgot you existed if you didn't release at least two LPs a year. They recorded it a series of spare 5 minute sessions in between tearing around the country trying no to be mauled by rabid fans. It's not far off from being a live recording.
So it's patchy, it's raw. But the songs that they found time to write themselves are like little, gleaming nuggets hinting at what is to come. I actually really like George's first ditty 'Don't bother me'.
There is a little video on Apple music that plays after the album. There is a quote in there something like "it's the nearest we've got to knowing what we sounded like before becoming the clever Beatles".
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I sort of knew what to expect. I sort of got it.
The full 80s-ness was a bit of a surprise, but Cohens lyric delivery certainly wasn't.
I sort of enjoyed it. But that depended on how much I listened to it.
I really like the idea of a Jazz Police.
The Flaming Lips
5/5
It's an album will often get the urge to listen to. It's uplifting, wonky, shimmering and lot's of other really nice adjectives that are right in my groove.
It's a great album.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
It’s Aretha. So you know it’s classy. Kicking off with Respect is setting the bar ridiculously high for an album.
I thought I would know more of the tunes. There aren’t many of the bangers. Surprised to see it made Apple’s 100 as it hasn’t left that much of an impression one me.
But it’s Aretha.
U2
1/5
I’m travelling down to London. It’s 06:44. I was really looking forward to getting a good one today.
Make it stop. Please.
I don’t know what it is that makes it so detestable. But it is the very definition of detestable.
FML.
Jazmine Sullivan
4/5
I had no knowledge of Jazmine before she popped up as my pick for the day.
On paper it shouldn't work for me. A young, black, American female delivering a concept album about sexuality, relationships ... and the power that sex has in making and breaking things. It's quite power ful stuff.
Is it for me? A lot of the contemporary stuff doesn't come close to getting through my flabby, middle aged ears.
But I thought this was great. I loved the story telling. I loved the honesty of it all. The production is mostly free of grating autotune, Jazmine can sing, the bass is round. I've listened to it a number of times.
It's lacking some hooks, but as a complete body of work I think it's fabulous. The Deluxe version is great too.
Yes
2/5
Yes?
Track 1: No.
Track 2: God no!
Track 3: Not quite.
Track 4: I begrudgingly decline. Sorry, are you still going?
Track 5: Why are you even asking?
Track 6: Ahh you nearly had me ... then you opened your mouth.
Track 7: Is this a new question? Erm, still probably not.
Track 8: Ye gadds, sire. Thrice nay.
Track 9: Blimey. You do go on. Ok, this once. BUT with heavy caveats, and you're really pushing my patience.
Track 10: Why do you have to make everything so complicated? I'm sure someone else asked me this one before. But much more succinctly and elegantly. Nice try, but no.
Track 11: Is this a valid question?
OutKast
2/5
Sadly, even with what feels like three days worth of music, this album has not changed my opinion that Outkast are one of the most overrated hip hop acts going.
Metallica
3/5
My firs Metallica album. I enjoyed it. I'm a sucker for anything played this fast, with that much enthusiasm.
Some times listening to a bunch of dudes absolutely wailing on their instruments is exactly what you need.
But I don't think it could ever be an everyday listen.
Wire
4/5
It strikes me as being a really important album, and it is borderline criminal that I've never heard of it before. It's like looking into the priomordial past and seeing the first organisms dragging themselves onto the shore, ready to birth a million indie bands.
I really enjoyed it. Loads of fun. Short sharp fun. But defo fun.
Queen
3/5
"Oh My God! Why isn't this at the top of every music list ever made? This album is astonoshing. It's massive hit, after masive hit!! It's almost like it's a Greates ... " ...
CLANG
This was the moment the penny finally dropped and I realised I'd fallen into the age old trap of Alexa playing whatever the hell she feels like.
I had in fact been listening to Queen's Greatest Hits Volume 2.
I mean it says a lot that Volume 2 manages to have banger after banger. Volume 1 must be sensational.
This album? It was OK. Truth be told I've always found Queen a little bit itrritating. The band finding on their way to finiding their iconic sound.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Everybody needs a 303. That’s a statement I can firmly get behind. Can I say it’s my favourite instrument? It’s certainly one of my very favourite noises. The more tortured sounding the better.
The album is OK. Better than most 90s dance albums. It’s full of half ideas and DJ tools, but Norm is better than most at those things.
It’s not a great album, but a good snapshot of a time, noting the direction for Fat Boy Slim and delivering more finished thoughts in the very near future.
John Coltrane
3/5
I really want to like, no, love classic jazz like this. I have tried many, many times.
I get that it's good music. I like all the elements ... but there is something that doesn't quite click. I found this all a bit claustrophobic, somehow? There's a lot of stuff crammed in at times, musicians all being individually brilliant ... but at the same time. It's almost too much for my brain to unpack, and becomes a bit uncomfortable to listen to.
So the 3 is my rating. I totally get why it's really a 5. But it's my list, not yours.
Metallica
2/5
It's too clean. Too polished. It's a bit ... whiny?
If this is the Devil's music, it's when he's decided to go corporate and do his work from shiny City skyscrapers. Which is probably about right.
Enther the Sandman is a great pop record, though.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
Me: "Alexa, what did the 80s sound like?"
Alexa: "Playing 'So' by Peter Gabriel."
Me: "Alexa, that's enough of that thank you very much!"
Khaled
1/5
I can’t shake the feeling I’m being tricked into listening to the Algerian Gary Barlow.
Joy Division
2/5
I know being stripped bare is the Joy Division aesthetic ... but I'm not sure I like it.
It's just all very serious. I can picture a hall full of very serious men, very intently getting lost in the intensity.
I would not be there.
The Who
2/5
The opening and closing tracks are very good. I'm not really sure what happened in the middle. Am I supposed to be in awe of thisan album? It was fine.
Deep Purple
2/5
Still undecided with live albums as albums. It’s fine, toe tapping, obviously a band enjoying themselves. But I feel no connection to the live-ness.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
You can hear the emotion, Nick has been through some shit.
Musically I like this more than the many other albums of his that have appeared so far.
But, honestly, I can't helping thinking that the thing that ruins Nick Cave's music for me is Nick Cave. At least his voice. It's like my brain just instantly disengages the second it rumbles onto the track.
Arrested Development
4/5
A nice surprise. I was only familiar with the pleasant, but light, Mr. Wendel. The rest of the album is pretty great early 90s hip hop, with great beats, turntablism and nice, easy flow.
A breath of fresh air in what feels like a real dirgey rut of recent albums.
The Thrills
3/5
Light indie, with occasional bouts of interesting.
Fleet Foxes
5/5
I remember taking a little time to fall under the spell of this album when it was released. But when I did I fell hard.
It's just really, really nice. Gorgeous harmonies, never too sweet and sugary. Just uplifting a good for the soul.
James Brown
2/5
I’m not sure live recordings of dubious quality are good for anyone.
I wish I could leave bloody U2 behind.
Circle Jerks
3/5
Better than I expected. Raw. It’s piqued my interest. One to circle back around to. But I’m not jerking nothing, yet.
Blur
5/5
I wasn't into 'Britpop' at the time. I was into dance music and DJing to an adoring bedroom wall. But my mates lived it. A lot of it sank in by osmosis. I have a lot of fondness for it.
They didn't do Blur, though. But I've alway appreciated them, without ever really exploring them.
I thought I would like the album. It's got a couple of quintessential Blur tunes, but I didn't know what to expect of the rest. And I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Definite Kinks influence, lots of experimentation, styles all over the place. Just more interesting that a bit of Rock and Roll.
I'm xennial biased, but I like it.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
2/5
It's a 2. All day long. Sometimes that feels harsh, but this isn't a 3. But it's not so God awful that it deserves 1.
At times it's gets really textured and surprisingly orchestral. But that's fleeting and it's mostly just that US 70s rock that is mostly fine.
Adele
2/5
I have a lot of respect for Adele. She’s great at what she does and has a wonderful voice. But it’s not for me, I wouldn’t ever choose to listen to it.
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
Better than I expected. I like the weirder tracks. They should have leaned in to weirder.
Public Enemy
4/5
Public Enemy's music is simply alive. Nothing else sounds quite like it. Fast, raw, angry hip hop. And I am here for it.
Gillian Welch
2/5
Country music that didn't make me want claw my ears off. Mostly.
I enjoyed the first couple of tracks. I thought I might be in for an udiscovered gem ... but it settled down into a pretty non desccript capret of softness.
Michael Jackson
1/5
Well, that was a waste of a weekend choice.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Opening the album with the talk of aliens, and then delivering that album in 1967 ... it makes you think.
Even today it still has elements from coming from a different planet.
Giant Sand
1/5
Couldn’t get passed thinking this is an Aldi version of Nick Cave. I don’t like genuine Nick Cave.
Traffic
2/5
Fine. It's a middle of the road 2.5. A solid example of 70s rock with a hint of psych. I'm rounding it down because I honestly don't think I will remember anything about it after finishing writing this.
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
Before Dizzee and the whole Grime thing it’s easy to forget that the even though the UK hip hop scene was a thing … it wasn’t truly our thing. It was an imitation of the US.
There were some great UK acts doing their own thing in the late 90s that paved the way - Roots Manuva comes to mind - but the Grime sound took it to another level. A hodge podge of underground sounds from the UK rave, sound system and club scenes that came before it. Something that properly represented UK inner city youth.
Anyway. This is quite an authentic representation of that. I actually prefer some his later, more mainstream stuff, but this is a great album that captures the spirit of the time.
Depeche Mode
3/5
The singles are great, I didn’t care much for the rest.
Fugees
3/5
It’s solid, but I still think hugely overrated.
Nirvana
5/5
Even better than you think it is.
The Temptations
4/5
A high quality 36 minutes of beautifully constructed soul music. Even if 12 minutes of that is a cover of ‘Papa was a rollin’ stone’ that on paper sounds incredibly dull … but in practice is a phenomenally executed exercise in restraint.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Possibly the Velvet Underground album that I have got the most out of from this list. Having said that, I am glad it finished at 28 minutes.
Iron Maiden
2/5
I didn’t hate it. That’s not a good way to start a review .. but it’s true. It was a bit more folk psychy British concept album that I expected. I liked a lot of the elements, but as a whole I found the whole experience a bit … irritating.
Talking Heads
4/5
I enjoyed this waaaay more than I thought I was going to. Restrained 80s electronica. Loopy, minimal and generally doing a lot of things I enjoy from music.
The Soft Boys
2/5
Sometimes albums are under appreciated gems due to circumstances. Timing, marketing etc etc. Some times the album just isn’t that good.
Fiona Apple
2/5
I just get absolutely nothing from this. I can appreciate why people might key into it emotionallly ... but there is just nothing in it for me.
Norah Jones
1/5
I had a very scathing review of this written out. But it has been lost, and the anger has left me. Safe to say I found it deeply irritating.
The Young Rascals
3/5
One of those albums that is quite pleasant without really standing out. I'm kind of glad it exists. I'm happy to have heard it. But it's not exactly life changing.
Tom Waits
1/5
I had a feeling me and Tom wouldn't get on.
Blondie
4/5
The hits are iconic. It would be mean to say the rest are filler ... but they're not in the same stratosphere. It's all very cool, though.
Queen
2/5
At their best Queen can be incredible. I can also find them incredibly annoying. This hovers in the bottom half of that quadrant. I do like Killer Queen, though.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Another of those albums that needs more than 24 hours. She has a lovely, delicate delivery. But these are songs that need to seep into your bones.
Soft Machine
4/5
"A jazz rock fusion album, recorded live ..."
I'm not sure I could come up with a description that would fill me with more dread. The first few minutes are illegible noise.
Then all of a sudden music starts breaking out, and it's really, really good.
Then there are phases of where it fades away again. The crashed back in.
And, I have to say, I kind of loved it.
The first album in ages to take me by surprise and, if not blow my socks off, it did vigorously tug at them.
CHIC
4/5
High quality disco. There is some filler that is a bit lightweight, but the big hitters are absolutely fabulous.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Really enjoyable. I like the Flaming Lips. The lyrics are a bit ... grim ... in places but I kind of like the way they jar with the lightness of the instrumentation. And the drum production is super crunchy.
Duke Ellington
5/5
Only the second album out 200+ to come along and blow me away.
I’ve wanted to find a classic jazz album that I chimed with for years … I was not expecting a live Duke Ellington recording to be the one.
In parts it like trad jazz you hear in war films. But that is just luring you in. Every so often it just explodes and the crowd go with it and everybody. Loses. Their. SHIT! Like you can tell this is the 50s equivalent of a club absolutely going off.
It’s an incredible journey of a listen and I’m very glad to have found it.
Paul Simon
3/5
I have a lot of time for Paul Simon. I love his laidback style. This is a good album. I can see why people would adore it … and I like it. I really do. But, if I’m being honest I’m not sure I will ever choose to listen to it again. At least not for a good few years. So a 2.5 rounded to 3. I think that is fair.
Merle Haggard
1/5
I’m never going to like country.
This is slightly more palatable that the 5 or 6 country albums that have already come my way via the process. It’s 1.5 in that respect.
But there’s no way I can round that up.
Pulp
5/5
Different class.
William Orbit
1/5
Oh. My. God. It’s so bloody boring.
The worst kind of electronica.
The kind of sonic wallpaper that would have soundtracked a hyped up PlayStation game that spent 30 times the budget on marketing than it did for gameplay and development.
Green Day
4/5
I am very familiar with this album. My wife, and now my daughter, is slightly obsessed with it.
I've always quite liked Dookie. It's my favourite style of music, but I enjoy it. American Idiot never really did anything for me at the time. Especially When September Ends which I've always found annoying.
But I've warmed to it. It's 20 years old and I think it stands up pretty well. It moves bewteen what it does very nicely as an album. Overall it makes my wife and daughter very happy. So that's enough for me.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
It’s fine. I still don’t get the Neil Young fuss.
Love
2/5
I would have said I’d already had this on my list … but it must have been one of Love’s other albums. It’s quite nice psychy pop rock. ‘Alone Again Or’ is a very strong opening. The rest could be a musical stage production. Everything has that clean enunciation. It’s OK but not one I will be rushing to come back to.
KISS
1/5
Bobbins. Everything about KISS and especially this hokum rock.
Happy Mondays
2/5
I sort of get why the Happy Mondays are a thing. It's sort of indie, but it's taken a bag of Ecstacy and went to a house night. Once.
But Shaun sounds off his cake even when sober ... so a really long, one paced album of him singing while actually of his cake isn't high on my list of things to listen to.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
It's a shame Amy's life became bigger than her music. It's a great album, Mark Ronson and the Dap Kings letting Amy absolutely thrive. But there is so much baggage that comes with it ... and a bit of over exposure. A bitter-sweet legacy.
Steely Dan
1/5
There are a few good Steely Dan tracks out there. They are not on this album. This sounds like college boys with cable knit sweaters draped over their shoulders.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
OK. We get it. You love Nick Cave.
It's more accessible than the million or so others on the list. But I still find his vibe creepy and off putting.
Soft Cell
2/5
I'm wondering if Soft Cell were actually a drunken joke gone too far. Surely someone should have noticed at 'Sex Dwarf'? It's a good cover of 'Tainted Love', though.
Fela Kuti
5/5
It's just a phenomonal listen.
Beck
4/5
Not what I was expecting from Mr Sex Laws. I enjoyed listening to it. Probably not one that I will come back and choose - but it's a great album. I love the orchestral sounds and the way a lot of songs just sort of disintergrate. I'm rounding it up to 4.
R.E.M.
2/5
I started actively listening to music for myself about the time this album was released. The singles are burned into my brain. They were practically omnipresent on the radio of the day. I can practically smell the warm radio/turntable set that I'd adopted from my Dad when he moved to CDs.
So it has something on me ... but do I like REM? No.
LL Cool J
2/5
Interesting early 90s hip hop. There's probably a lot you could write about where this sits in terms of the hip hop that came before - and what was about to happen.
It's fine. A bit boring if anything. 'Mama says knock you out' does a lot of heavy lifting.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
Firmly in the 'warrants further exploration' bracket. Deos lots of interesting things ... possibly some droney boring things too. Lots of influences. Sounds like the Fall, or even something like Parquet Courts. Intriguing.
Pentangle
3/5
Pleasant folky fare. there's not much more to say. A 2.5er rounded ... up.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
I should really like Smashing Pumpkins. But they’re never a band I’d reach for. This is good, but the same stands.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Cot. I've never listened to a whole NIN album. It's a bit of a journey. Closer is a filth ridden banger. Dirt and grime is a constant companion throughout. I'll be back for more.
Roxy Music
2/5
It’s just too Rocky Horror. Even ENO can’t save it.
Faith No More
2/5
Some albums are beautiful curated, while piece. This is not that. It’s all over the place. Some times good … some times super heavy … mostly just a bit meh.
Tim Buckley
2/5
It's a big fat 'Meh' from me, Jeff. I mean Tim.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
It's nice. I'm glad to have heard it. The rawness of the live recording is quite charming.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Two tracks of absolute gold in 'Son of a Preacher Man' and 'Windmills of your mind'. The rest is a great showcase of Dusty's lovely voice ... just without much impact.
Otis Redding
4/5
It's bar setter. Solid gold soul. A 5 all day long. Surely?
I mean, yes. But.
Am I ever going to ask "Alexa play that album of Otis Redding singing loads of standards and covers and things" ...
Garbage
3/5
Listening to the album has kind of cemented Garbage as the sort of band that occupies the middle ground of 90s britpop*. Also-there's.
Nothing is terrible. There are a couple of big hits. But they're music is never going to be something at the forefront of my mind.
*I know they're American with Shirley ... but that's never how they were marketed.
Pixies
3/5
I like a lot of what it does. But it doesn’t do it often enough to hold an album. A 3.5 rounded down.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
It's mad that the 'best Stones album' contains zero tracks that I have ever heard before.
I can't help feeling 'best' here is a title given by people trying very hard to be 'cool'.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
I have a lot of time for Janelle. She has the voice and look to be very straightforward pop superstar. And she sort of is ... but in her own very Janelle Monae way.
I've always like ArchAndroid, but not as much as her first foray into the concept. It covers a lot of ground, and it feels a bit too ambitious. But it's it's always interesting and unique.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
It's good. But it falls into that category of rock that it just a bit top end on the levels and I fin it all a bit ... scratchy.
Fred Neil
2/5
A tough one. It’s not my cup of tea. But I didn’t hate it, despite having more than a hint of country. Everybody’s Talkin’ is an obvious highlight. It would need more time.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
1/5
On paper I should like this. In reality it's a complete pain in the arse to listen to.
The Strokes
5/5
Nothing The Strokes did was new or different. But it still sounded amazing. Full of vigour and just cool as fuck, quite frankly.
It was released 23 years ago. Which happened to coincide with when I met my wife and we used to go out and dance. Last Nite was always feature of the soundtrack. Christ we're old. But this is a track-to-track killer album that sounds as timeless and as fresh as it did then.
Eminem
1/5
You know what. I can't even be arsed listening to it. 'My name is' is a good party track ... but so much of his stuff is just peurile shite that I didn't like when I was a jadded middle aged fart.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
2/5
Exactly the kind of 80s sound I find it really hard to engage with. It's fiine, but it's way down the list of things I ever want to listen to. Right at the bottom just above coutry music.
Thin Lizzy
2/5
There's a lot of live albums on this list. I don't know. It's OK, I guess. I have no need to ever listen to it again.
Linkin Park
2/5
Didn't really like it back then, nothing has really changed.
I respect what they do, and they were way more palatable than a lot of the contemporaries.
Deep Purple
4/5
Good, classic rock. Not a lot more to say, really.
Alice In Chains
3/5
I'll give it a 3 for the guitars and general sound. It nearly lost all of them for the vocals.
3/5
As a document of a musically important moment in time, it's quite cool. At least it would be if they hadn't edited out all of the abuse. I think I would have enjoyed that more.
It's fine. I prefer electric Bob.
Morrissey
1/5
You know what. I can't even be bothered.
Johnny Cash
3/5
I can generally leave or take Johnny. I don't care much for live albums ... but this is good fun. It captures what must be a weirdly giddy atmosphere really well.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
Is this boring? I think this might be boring.
Pleasant. Worthy.
But a bit boring.
Oasis
4/5
Oasis were a constant soundtrack to my teenage years. Not by choice, they were everywhere. My best mates adored them. Still do.
That gives them a certain affection for me. A reminder of my youth. I know it all without trying.
Do I actually like the music? No, I don't think I do ... but it's kind of undeniable in it's existence.
Black Sabbath
3/5
I enjoyed it. It's always interesting to hear this early 'heavy' stuff and discovering templates and ideas that have permeated through the ages.
It's not something I will return to, but overall I'm glad about it.
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
Sort of timeless, sleazy rock. Very Josh Homme. Obviously. Not much depth, but not everything needs it. I enjoyed it, I’d listen to it again.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
2/5
We've already established that country and bluegrass and all that is not for me.
There's a honesty to this record. Which is a bit weird in a genre which is all about grit and honesty. But this is just a collection of people coming together to do what they love doing. Nothing more.
I don't need 32 tracks of it. But I respect it.
Neil Young
4/5
The most interesting Neil Young album so far of the several million there seems to be on the list.
There were many tickles of 'I'm sure I've heard this loop before'. It's musically excellent. I love the use of the orchestra, it doesn't dominate, they're used sparingly and to glorious effect.
I'm still not sure I get the Young mystique ... but this is a compelling argument for it. It's a very good album.
DJ Shadow
4/5
I should like Endtroducing more than I do.
It ticks pretty much every single box that I look for in music.
But there has always been something about it that I find a bit … cold. It’s good, but it has never engendered any affection in me. But everyone else seems to think it’s amazing.
I can appreciate the dusty crate driven craftsmanship.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
It’s Christmas Eve, I’m prepping veg for tomorrow. This is the perfect soundtrack. Proper plinky plonky jazz that has been timed perfectly.
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
It hasn’t grabbed me as a classic. Not helped by the slightly cheesy title track.
David Gray
2/5
I remember staying at my cousins student flat after a night out. He put this on to help him get to sleep. It didn't work for me. It was too irritating.
Le Tigre
3/5
The opening track is a stone cold banger. The rest of the album feels a bit like an extended single, and then has a load of musings gaffer taped to the end. So 3.5er rounded down.
Jurassic 5
5/5
A lovely treat for my 300th album beinga fan of the J5. I didn't think I'd listened to this album as much as their earlier work ... but know, I knew most of it. As soon as Charlie 2na and the lads get going. Abley assisted by New Mark and Cut Chemist - it's the good shit.
Beatles
4/5
The first, proper, all-Beatles Beatles album. Absolutely churning them out - the third album in the less than a year? Something lke that. It's not their best, but still manages to have 2 or 3 absolute monster hits. It still boggle my mind how they managed to do all of this and tour almost non-stop. The best to ever do it.
Meat Puppets
5/5
A great example of why I’m doing this. It’s an odd album, kind of all over the place, but I’ve found myself really enjoying it. I’m really glad to have heard it, and I would totally listen to it again.
Is it a 5? Yeah, I think it is.
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
It's a pleasant listen. Gil's voice is just honey. If we're all being honest the Bottle is doing a lot of the heavy lifting. But it's a great album for putting on in the background, just being seductively lulled by the Heron.
N.E.R.D
2/5
Not available on UK Apple Music it seems ... and that always makes it a bit annoying to listen to.
I've never really got the NERD hype. Pharrel obviously has a golden touch ... but the universal love in for NERD always confused my slightly.
It's OK. Expertly produced, poppy, catchy ... a bit bland? It's OK.
Queen
3/5
Not as irritating as most of their stuff. And Bohemian Rhapsody is, undeniably, one of the greatest songs ever created.
The Doors
5/5
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Doors. The mix of blues, the organ work, the sleaze and Jim being a general mad head. All evident here.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
The bookends of the album are great. I'm not going to pretend they're not. The sandwich in the middle is solid blues rock. Does it feel authentic? Not a bit. But I enjoyed it more than most Stones' albums.
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
Falls in to PAIR (Perfectly Acceptable Indie Rock) territory.
It feels very Oasis-y. But the fact that it precedes Oasis and the whole Birt Pop exlosion is quite interesting.
Not as mad as Spin making it the 1991 album of the year. (Ahead on Nevermind and countless others)
Todd Rundgren
1/5
An over blown theatre student project. Not my thing. At all.
Dr. Octagon
3/5
I'm a proper sucker werid, geeky hip hop. I'm a proper sucker for Dant the Automator production. And Qbert on the scratches helps.
I like it. The lyrical content at times is questionable at best, so it loses stars for that.
Deltron 3030 is absolutely a better evolution of this sound from Dan the Automator.
Elliott Smith
2/5
The type of singer/songwriter stuff I just can't excited about it. There is a mystique here, I get that. And there is much more substance than the average ... but it just doesn't float any of my boats.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
I really enjoyed this. It's honest and emotional. I wouldn't have ever listened to it if it hadn't been for this list ... I would now be open to listening to it again.
Killing Joke
4/5
I didn't really know what to expect. I'd heard of Killing Joke, but other than not really liking their name I knew nothing.
I really enjoyed it. Musicallyit great, driving, grimy ... dancey. It's got a stripped back, bass driven, ESG energy. I'm not always a fan of the main vocal, and the 80s-ness sometimes is a bit too prominent. But overall it was really nice find.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Smash Hits 1991 was probably the first music thing I spent my own money on. I must have been 10/11? 'Do the Bartman' was probably the biggest draw at the time. Although the gatefold double vinyl was filled with absolute dross there were a couple of traks that left an indelible mark on my music tastes. 'Can I Kick It' was one of those. (Charly by the Prodigy was the other).
I didn't understand it. But I knew I liked it.
Have I ever actually listened to this album as an album?
It was one of those that I was constantly trying to Napster/Limewire/Torrent ... but I'm not sure I managed to catch them all.
Anyway ... it's better than I remember and pretty peerless. A stone cold 5. Q-tip is an undeniable all time great.
The Slits
4/5
Stripped back, raw, a bit ragged and often brilliant. There's nowhere to hide, and it's not all killer, but I enjoy it all.
I know 'Heard it through the grapevine' wasn't technically on the album ... but it's truly one of my favourite cover versions of all time.
Lauryn Hill
2/5
It's not for me. Too smooth. I understand why people like it. I don't quite understand why people think it's one of the greatest albums ever made.
ZZ Top
3/5
Surprisingly enjoyable blues rock. I'm not sure it will ever be something I choose to listen too again ... but I enjoyed listening to it and wouldn't turn it off it comes up on rotation. It's a solid 2.5er that I'm happy to round up.
PJ Harvey
2/5
One of those albums that is just too … cerebral for me. Too much to think about to enjoy. I’m a basic bitch.
Fishbone
1/5
I don’t want to be mean … but I keep coming back to the thought of “it’s like a drunk driver careening down a packed party street destroying every genre it touches.
Eagles
1/5
I’ve been putting this off. I don’t get it. It’s out of the way now.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
Like the backing track to a 90s US sitcom.
I quite enjoyed it. But found it hard to engage with beyond a very superficial level.
What an album cover, by the way.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
I know Bob is someone I'm supposed to like. It's not that I don't like reggae ... but there's something that stops me from loving Marley albums. This was a little easier, but there's still something that doesn't click.
Wilco
3/5
I warmed to it. There’s more going on behind the scenes than I thought there was going to be after the first track. I’d listen to it again. Not destined to be a regular, but I enjoyed it.
CHVRCHES
2/5
The thought that kept entering my head wa "this is music that Taylor Swift fans listen to in their leater teens".
That's not meant as a negative. It's just not for me.
Peter Gabriel
1/5
The 80s. Peter Gabriel. It's just not my sound.
The xx
2/5
I've said it before. I love Jamie XX. I think Romy's voice is great.
But I just don't like the XX very much.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
It's a shame Amy's voice became the victim of many, many poor imitations.
Violent Femmes
4/5
I find I am naturally drawn to stuff that sounds like it's been thrown together in a shed. Especially if the people sound like they have enthusiasm for what they're doing.
This has this in spades. Obviously I knew 'Blistered in the sun' but there are loads of tracks here that deserve way more playtime than they get.
It's not all killer, but there is more than enought there for me to come back to and give the time it deserves.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Memory is a curious thing. I can't remember what I had for breakfat, but I can remember the tunes to songs a listened to a few times nearly 20 years ago.
Not the words. No one knows the words to early Kings of Leon.
Like a drunk Bob Dylan on speed. I much prefer it to their later, overly produced stuff.
Madness
2/5
I've got a lot of time for Madenss. But, honestly, if I hadn't seen that 'Our House' was coming up I would have bailed on this way earlier. It's just not that fun, and that's what you want from Madness.
Magazine
2/5
I feel a bit harsh on this one. It sounded fine.
I've never heard of them. the listening didn't grab me enough to find out more. It's a classic 2.5 rounded down.
4/5
High quality everything. It's just very, very good.
Steely Dan
2/5
Steely Dan do excellent things in snippets. But you have to wad through some pretty mudance and ordinary stuff to get there.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
Such a vibe. I appreciate it. It's lovely. But do I love it? I like hearing it ... would I choose to listen to it?
Frank Sinatra
2/5
It gets very boring, very quickly. Which is a real shame after the jaunty start.
Neil Young
2/5
My 4th? 5th? 17th? Young album. None have a left any real impression. It’s fine, but I still dont get the reverence.
Billy Joel
1/5
I’m not into anything that sounds like a secondary school musical production. Especially things that aren’t a secondary school musical production.
Air
5/5
A very easy 5. One of my very favourite albums. Lush, warm, groovy, evocative. A proper trip of an album. So very French. ‘Easy listening’ done perfect. Always great to have an excuse to devote some time to a full listen.
Lightning Bolt
5/5
Knew nothing about it. Loved it from about 15 seconds in. Listened to it three times in a row. Formidable noise.
The Cars
2/5
I didn’t hate it. But I won’t be rushing back.
Hüsker Dü
2/5
Some proper Americana type indie. There's something about the way it's mixed/produced that makes it hard to key in to. It's fine? I guess?
Beatles
5/5
You don’t need me to add more thoughts on a Beatles record. It just PHENOMENALLY good.
Sister Sledge
5/5
Way more understated than you think. And all the better for it. Niles Rodger’s knows what he’s doing.
Rod Stewart
2/5
I've put it off for days. It's not as awful as I feared ... but it's not my thing. At all.
LTJ Bukem
5/5
I cannot strees how important it is that you seek out the actual 1996 release - NOT the one that is on the streaming platforms.
The original, the one that is in the 1001 list, captures the sound of jungle as it morphs into the drum and bass sounds that hit the mainstream. There's a rawness and creative energy to this era of music that was kind of sepcial. And incredibly worthy of the 5 stars I'm giving it.
The version on the platfomrs is much cleaner, sanitised version of the sound. That is just a bit boring.
The Pogues
3/5
I'm not sure I would ever choose to listen to it. BUT I found myself quite enjoying it. Maybe it's my Irish blood? It's a 2.5 rounded up.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Smooth. Curtis' bong player doesn't get enough respect. And the dude can sing.
The Doors
4/5
Dire Straits
2/5
I’ve already given Hidden Pleasures a 2 tonight.
The Youngbloods
3/5
Enjoyed it. Really pleasant. Nothing that stands out and grabs you by the lugs … but solid, tasteful music.
The Byrds
1/5
I just can’t.
Muddy Waters
5/5
It s just great. When Muddy is rocking it’s infectious, blueprint of musical funtimes.
Joy Division
2/5
It must be hard to be too exuberant when the music you make sounds like you’re trapped in a well.
Pere Ubu
2/5
It started off OK. A nice DIY feeling. But I just found myself becoming increasingly irritated by everything about it.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
Meh. It's not on Apple Music so it'a already a bit of ball ache before we get going.
There something about a lot of this early 90s stuff that is a bit sterile. Production techniques?
I won't lie. I've put zero effort into to giving it a proper listen.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I didn’t expect to enjoy this so much. It’s so very well crafted. It meanders, but always comes back. It’s just a great bunch of musicians exploring their sound. Not bad for an early effort.
Sisters Of Mercy
1/5
I can’t deal with the 80s at the best of times. The words gothic do not help. Very not for me. On many levels.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
It’s quite skill for a band to be objectively good at the whole music thing while simultaneously wholly, yet intangibly, irritating.
Like an itch that is sort of satisfying to scratch, but still makes you want to flay your own skin off the bone.
Elvis Presley
2/5
Whatever ‘it’ is, Elvis had ‘it’ by the bucket load.
That doesn’t mean I want to listen to ‘it’.
Talk Talk
1/5
Music from the 80s really is the oil to my water ears.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
Considering it's in the ball park of hip hop that I tend to enjoy the Clan remain an underexplored blind spot.
It is more raw than I expected, a little bit patchy, a really enjoyable journey.
The Kinks
4/5
Very Kinks. Very enjoyable. I'm giving it 4 because I haven't got time to get to know it.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Joni has a wonderful voice. Excellent vibes for a lazy Sunday soundtrack. But not the sort of sound I yearn for on the regular
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
Very noughties. I never got around to listening to it Sufjan. I know people ADORE Sufjan. I liked it. With a bit more time I think it could really seep in. It was fine.
Mott The Hoople
2/5
The kind of 70s rock that just bounces off me like a long distnace Nerf dart.
The Doors
5/5
I know lots of people have very strong anti-Doors feeling. I am not one of them.
This is a debut album that could easily be a Best of. Break on through being a hell of an intoductory track.
I love the mad mix of vibes. The crazy organ, the shotgun percussion ... a jazz blues fusion that sounds horrible. The psuedo-weirdness of Jim. It just the sort of woozy cocktail I get on board with.
An easy 5
Jeff Buckley
2/5
I still think the mystique is bigger than the music ... but I enjoyed it way more than I expected. But it was a low bar. If anything, Hallelujah does him a massive diservice.
It's still a 2. Perhaps creeping to a 2.5.
Pearl Jam
4/5
It has stood the test of time reall well. It's still not exactly my 'thing' but it does what it does expertly. The big tracks are still top tier anthems.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
2/5
I ... I ... I am not sure what to do with this. It's fine. Nothing bad. I'm struggling to work out why it's included in a list 1001 of albums you have to listen to. I guess it sounds like AI amalgamation of 1001 generic 70s rock albums to create the supreme generic 70s rock album?
The Cardigans
4/5
Honestly one of the most refreshingly surprising albums I've had. Yes 'Love Fool' catchy, overplayed, pop smash. But the rest of the album is nicely all over the place and fresh, a bit weird and overall just enjoyable. It's a 3.5 but gets rounded up because it was way better than I expected.
Meat Loaf
2/5
A high school musical production get way out of hand. 2 stars.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
I’m getting a little board of noting my dislike of the 80s sound. It’s so bleak and joyless. I endured this more than most because they have a Scouse pass.
MGMT
3/5
I could have swore I’d listened to this album quite a bit but I didn’t recognise a single track outside of the hits.
It’s fine. A lot of padding around the bangers.
1/5
No
Grateful Dead
3/5
I’m in a generous mood. It has been a good background to cooking Sunday’s tea. I will never listen to it again.
The Go-Betweens
2/5
Ahhh. The 80s. We meet again.
It's fine. Just a million miles from the kind of thing I want to actually listen to.
System Of A Down
4/5
It defintely wouldn't be a daily driver, but I throuoghly enjoyed it.
Derek & The Dominos
2/5
This was surprise. I was fully expecting a reggae album. It's such a reggae band name. What I got was 70 American rock that was so middle of the road I nearly crashed on the motorway.
Willie Nelson
2/5
The first country album that hasn't made me want to claw my ears off. It's a low bar, but it managed it. 2 stars.
Stan Getz
4/5
I’ve thrown faint praise around for albums being nice in the past. But this is Niiiice. Not in a jazzzz sense. Well, a bit in a jazzzz sense.
You could describe most pillows as ‘nice’. But some pillows are just a different gravy. Whether it’s a fancy hotel pillow, your own pillow on your own bed … or that £149 space foam job is you saw in John Lewis that is both preposterous and weirdly tempting.
Anyway, this is really good nice.
The Clash
4/5
Criminally, I don't think I've actually listened to this whole album before. As ever it is way more interesting than nearly all of the US equivalent 70s rock on the list. There is just a different vibe.
I think I will always prefer 80s-when-they-discovered-hiphop Clash. But there is no doubting this is a great album. I might even prefer it to London's Calling in some ways.
Don't take my 4 stars as a diss.
Crowded House
3/5
They really do have more songe than you think.
There are moments of pop genius, intertwined with bits of padding. You can't deny the highlights.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
Oohh that’s who did that song! They should have let Grace sing more often.
T. Rex
3/5
Extremely T Rex. Except for a couple of tracks that seem to come from the future. It's Ok.
Baaba Maal
2/5
I’m sure it’s great once you key into it.