1001 Albums Summary

I knew the hits from this one, but had never listened to the album. Such a vibe he creates.

Great vibe, feels of an era with Donny Hathaway Live and Bill Withers. Feels like a great album to have on in the background

I would have been more into this record as a younger man. Aside from Here Comes Your Man, this isn't bad background listening for a certain mood, but doesn't make me want to hear more.

I remember really wanting to like this album when it was so popular. I love the sounds and vibe, but just don’t connect with the songs.

Wow. I wish the whole record was as strong as the first two tracks, but the whole thing feels so good and you can't stop boogieing. There's a reason he was the King of Pop. 5 stars for “impact” and importance of the first Quincy collaboration but 4 stars for getting weaker as it goes.

I'm not deep into hip-hop, but DAMN. Pun intended. Smart, brash, bold, and a complete album. I've spent more time with To Pimp a Butterfly and DAMN, but this one is so good.

I feel like I was supposed to like the Smiths when I was a teenager. I like morrisey’s voice but the music doesn’t do it for me.

So many hits take attention away from a solid album. Torn between a 4 and a 5. Let's call it 4 and a half stars.

I knew of the Pogues, but I can't believe I hadn't ever heard this record before. Great fun. 3 stars for the songs, 4 stars for the energy and longevity.

This is the opposite of timeless. Its sounds dated to exactly its era, and it has not held up. Sounds like the meanderings of a kid who just got Garageband on his mac. Or the soundtrack to shopping in a shitty clothes store at the mall. Over-hyped drums, no song structure. It's Fat Boy Slim but without the hooks and catchy parts.

I like the White Stripes in small does. Smaller doses than a full album. I appreciate the aesthetic and generally like garage rock, but it gets abrasive after a few songs.

I spent time with the Doors as a teenager, but not a lot of time with their albums. This was a solid if not great album that felt like songs the band enjoyed playing in a roadhouse more than the hits. Morrison’s voice was always magic.

Aerosmith was a good rock band back then.

So 90s it hurts.

De La was always fun

Zappa is always an interesting listen for me. I love his creativity but it feels like a firehouse of musical ideas sometimes. Hot Rats being mostly instrumental helps this one.

This was better than I expected, pleasant if background music.

Leonard Cohen wrote such wonderfully deceptively simple songs. The super-80s production here serves these songs in an way that works very well. First, we take Manhattan....

It was okay I was mostly aware of the album cover more than the music. It was interesting, and I can see the influence they had but this isn’t my jam.

This was a delight. First album in this challenge that was a new discovery I intend to revisit.

Great arrangements and 70s production. Enjoyed it, just not my jam.

Not my thing.

I enjoy this album and a lot of the songs. The noise elements are too much for me. Wilco is always a band I want to like more than I do.

This was fun. Always heard of them, but hadn’t ever listened. No standout songs but a great album.

I appreciate Elvis Costello more over time, because I can hear the bridge his music and energy was between the 70s and 80s. This is just a great record.

Where’s the catchy bits? This was fine, I guess, other than not holding my attention in any way. No thank you.

I really enjoyed this. Political, powerful, honest.

Discoveries like this are why I’m doing this challenge. This was lovely, exactly the kind of music I love to have filling the house.

I always want to like the Stones more than I do. This record is an example of why. It’s so close to something I want to listen to, but it’s not.

Not Paula’s best record, but just the title track and Train in the Distance make it worth the ride. The 80s production combined with a few songs not up to his usual standards are the weak points.

Radiohead is one of those bands I always feel like I’m supposed to like more than I do. I hadn’t heard this one before and it was pleasant background music if not attention grabbing.

This was more fun than expected. LL always felt like a sell out, but he sure had a hit on this one. The rest of the record has a fun swagger, and you can hear the early influences and the flavors of boom bap. Not my favorite hip hop of the era, but fun to hear more than the title track.

A true classic, especially if you like bass solos.

I can appreciate the foundation Sabbath laid for future heavy rock, but it’s just not my thing. Changes is a great song.

What a voice. Amazing how she can own these standards, make them hers.

A masterpiece. Too bad Van the man turned out to be such a political asshole.

One of Bob’s better efforts, certainly the era where he had a better voice. Some great songs here

I enjoyed this. Got repetitive for me in the way that Afro beat can. But I still enjoy it

A true classic. Great songs, great arrangements and production. Every songs a singalong.

What a voice. An amazing record just for Preacher Man.

So much more than Hallelujah. Leonard was a treasure.

I like Mingus, and this album has its moments but it is also a cacophony, I think maybe deliberately different voices given the album title. A jazz classic I like but don’t love.

This got worse as it went, and it didn't start out well. Reminds me of what might have been playing in the background at a "cool" record shop, back when we had record shops. At least there's tits on the cover.

I feel like I should have heard this record before. How have I never heard this record before? Both dated and timeless.

He debuted as the best roots songwriter, and then just kept getting better.

That guitar tone is still a benchmark. The vocal tone doesn’t hold up quite as well for me, but, still, what a sound.

Intellectually, I want to like Bowie. But every time I listen to an album I’m more like 🤷‍♂️

I can hear the influence Big Star had, but didn’t hold my interest

No thank you

Classic. I knew Let’s Stay Together but hadn’t listened to the album. Felt great

This was a great discovery for me, I'd never branched out to any of CSN's "solo" projects. This felt both of its era and contemporary to me -- so many festival bands still chasing this sound.

Really wanted to like this one after the review said it was the “first alt-country” record. Couldn’t make it through 3 songs.

Enjoyed revisiting a classic.

A classic. Too bad Neil won’t put it on Spotify 😂

Disco era fun. So if it’s era, but still feels good.

Not really my thing. But I did enjoy his flow and style.

Some great songs here, but the Eagles always feel so sanitized to me.

In small doses, I completely adore the Beastie Boys.