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Fri Nov 03 2023
The Cars
The Cars
Sonically pleasing album, if a little bit one-note. Influential and oft-imitated I guess - 3.8/5
4
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Sat Nov 04 2023
Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5 great album. Mayonaise is the best song named after a condiment.
5
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Sun Nov 05 2023
Illmatic
Nas
3.7/5
Fave tracks - Life's a bitch, The World is Yours, It Ain't Hard to Tell
4
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Mon Nov 06 2023
Marquee Moon
Television
3.3/5 - fine, but most of the tracks pale in comparison to the title tune
3
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Tue Nov 07 2023
Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
1/5 - most annoying sound ever. Green Onions is an iconic track, the rest of the album sounds like being trapped in a 1950s fairground torture chamber.
1
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Wed Nov 08 2023
Faust IV
Faust
4.1/5 - weird and edgy af
4
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Thu Nov 09 2023
The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
2/5 - just a bit boring really. Expected something more explosive based off the album cover, but just sounds like standard old-timey big band to my 21st century ears.
2
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Fri Nov 10 2023
Liquid Swords
GZA
2.5/5 - don't really get gza or wu-tang, overrated if you ask me. Fave tracks: Gold, B.I.B.L.E.
3
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Sat Nov 11 2023
Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5 - shpooky1
Fave songs: Spellbound, Halloween, Monitor, Night Shift
4
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Sun Nov 12 2023
Red Dirt Girl
Emmylou Harris
4.5/5 - this was really nice, very positive surprise for me
5
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Mon Nov 13 2023
Brown Sugar
D'Angelo
4/5 - so smooth, hard to dislike this album, a little bit repetitive though
4
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Tue Nov 14 2023
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
3.8/5 - solid album, every track has some charm to it, though I don't feel that many stick out. I was surprised to hear how different this is to Pink Moon - a lot more conventional structure and orchestration, not in a bad way.
Fave songs: Hazey Jane 2, At the Chime of a City Clock
4
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Wed Nov 15 2023
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
1.8/5 - in 1970 this might have blown my mind, in 2023 i found it quite boring
Update - went back to listen to Hush and Highway Star after listening to this album, those songs hold up so well in comparison. Strange to me that this album is on the list, generic nothing rock
2
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Thu Nov 16 2023
Scott 4
Scott Walker
3.3/5 - Scott has such an interesting, enigmatic voice, I really do quite like it a lot. Some of the songs here fall a bit flat though.
Fave Songs: The Seventh Seal, Hero of the War
3
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Fri Nov 17 2023
Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
nah
2
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Sat Nov 18 2023
MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
Is this a good album or is it just the last access to Nirvana and thus fondly remembered?
The Man Who Sold The World is such a good song. Gives me chills.
Nice strings on Dumb.
Dumb, Polly and On a Plain are quite similar songs. I like them all but the sequence is a bit repetitive.
Something in the Way is a mood.
Plateau is exciting, I hadn't heard this one before. Oh ok its a cover. Does it detract from this project that the covers are the best bits? The musicianship in the covers has so much more flavour than the Nirvana tracks.
All Apologies is a great reminder after the string of covers that Kurt's got riffs. Beautiful song and rendition.
Fave Tracks: The Man Who Sold The World, Something in the Way, Plateau, All Apologies, Where Did You Sleep Last Night
4.4/5 - as far as live albums go, this is clearly a good'un. Hard to fault the collection of tracks, but I think it is somewhat enjoyed with rose-tinted earphones because of the timing of its release. It is after all a live album basically half made up of covers.
4
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Sun Nov 19 2023
Punishing Kiss
Ute Lemper
not for me
2/5
2
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Mon Nov 20 2023
Devotional Songs
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3 - dont have too strong feelings about this one
3
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Tue Nov 21 2023
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
8:30 into Chameleon - the synth/keys that join are so nice.
Watermelon Man groove is delicious.
Sly is my least favourite track, but still pleasant.
Vein Melter is a woozy way to end it.
4.6/5
5
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Wed Nov 22 2023
Exit Planet Dust
The Chemical Brothers
This was the worst music to try and work to.
Every song sounds the same to me.
I feel like if you asked me to make something that sounds like this it would be very easy as melody is completely neglected.
Chico's Groove the first time there is any respite.
Ok so maybe the whole second half is going to be respite, One Too Many Mornings is much nicer and spacier. Ethereal vocals!
Life is Sweet started in the respite zone but it feels like its trying to break back into the A side of the album. I dont trust it.
Playground of a Wedgless Firm seems a little bit lost.
This album cover doesnt look anything like how the album sounds.
Fave tracks: Leave Home, Chico's Groove, One Too Many Mornings
2.4/5
2
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Thu Nov 23 2023
Hunting High And Low
a-ha
take on me still a banger
train of thought panpipes! (are they synth?)
the synth lines on hunting high and low are cheesey though
living a boy's adventure tale is a bit too melodramatic for me
the sun always shines on tv is so 80s, but it is a bit of a bop
and you tell me almost a bit kate bush-y
love is reason sounds like a christmas song
generally the album sounds like a total pastiche of itself, but the production is mostly quite tight. I didn't find anything here i'd come back to though.
2.5/5 - barely squeaking a generous 3 star roundup.
3
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Fri Nov 24 2023
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz are one of the most overrated bands of the 21st century in my view. This album I think gets a lot of credit for concept over content. Most tracks feel like half-baked ideas, genre-mashes that don't cohere into compelling songs. It's long too. The best tracks are basically just Del the Funky Homosapien rapping over: 1. a preset keyboard riff on Clint Eastwood; 2. John Dankworth's Theme from Modesty Blaise on Rock the House. Upon reflection I feel quite generous giving it a 3. I also listened again to the 2 remixes of the singles, and they both are just better than the originals without changing too much, which I feel is vindication for my viewpoint that this album is a lot of half-baked ideas.
Fave tracks: Tomorrow Comes Today, Clint Eastwood, Rock the House, Slow Country
2.7/5
3
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Sat Nov 25 2023
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
I've never really understood Sympathy for the Devil. It's completely boring to me.
No Expectations is also rather dull and repetitive.
The vocals on Dear Doctor are so annoying. Stupid honky tonk sound pallet adds nothing.
Jigsaw Puzzle is mildly more interesting than the first few tracks.
This album is much more bluesy and folkesy than I was expecting. You wouldn't call it a rock album like some of the work the Stones are known for.
Prodigal Son probably my favourite song on the album so far. Is this someone other than Mick Jagger singing? The voice is way less annoying than normal.
Factory Girl has somewhat more interesting instrumentation.
I won't be rushing back to this one.
2.1/5
2
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Sun Nov 26 2023
Tarkus
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
not my fave style of prog, but not bad. I liked Jeremy Bender, didn't get the point of the last song at all, undermined the vibe of the whole album to me.
3/5
3
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Mon Nov 27 2023
Warehouse: Songs And Stories
Hüsker Dü
These Important Years - good start. Reminds me of Sugar. I expected Husker Du to be more unhinged. EDIT - wikepedia'd Husker Du, the lead singer Bob Mould is the lead singer of Sugar. Good call by me.
I like a lot of the next 7 or 8 tracks too - something in the sound pallet here definitely appeals to me.
But this album is definitely too long.
That being said, the back half is still strong. I like the groove on You Can Live At Home.
4/5
4
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Tue Nov 28 2023
Home Is Where The Music Is
Hugh Masekela
Yes jazz
5
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Wed Nov 29 2023
Bone Machine
Tom Waits
Bonkers
The instrumentals sound like a blind man parading round a scrapyard with drum sticks.
Tom sounds like a deranged lunatic.
Tough one to rate for me, I didn’t really like it bar a few tracks, but I give it some credit for just being so weird and singular.
2.6/5
3
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Thu Nov 30 2023
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
4.1 - solid, smooth, delicious
4
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Fri Dec 01 2023
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4.2 - very solid album. Not familiar with any of these tracks, but all round very clean crisp catchy sound, not what I would’ve expected from their debut.
4
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Sat Dec 02 2023
25
Adele
Hello is rather epic but I feel it deserves to be clowned on, its pretty cheesy.
Send My Love (To Your New Lover) is my favourite Adele song, its a bop. If you gave me the aux and said play an Adele song I'd definitely pick this one.
I Miss You, When We Were Young and Remedy are fine but all a bit bland and slow for me.
Taylor Swift vibes from Water Under the Bridge.
Love In the Dark strings.
Million Years Ago sounded for a sec like it was going Fleet Foxes.
Its just not for me this. Obviously Adele has a great voice, but I would love to hear her turn out more fun or creative songs.
Fave tracks: Send My Love (To Your New Lover), Sweetest Devotion
2.7/5
3
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Sun Dec 03 2023
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
This was good. A slight lull in the middle but very few imperfections. One song kinda sounded like All Saints to me, which was weird but good.
4.2/5
4
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Mon Dec 04 2023
Bert Jansch
Bert Jansch
This was great. I loved it. Better than Bob Dylan.
Fave Tracks: Strolling Down the Highway, Smokey River, Finches, Do You Hear Me, Running From Home
4.6/5
5
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Tue Dec 05 2023
Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
Birth of the cool might be an apt name, but I don't think this is (even close to) Miles' best.
Move, Jeru, Venus de Milo are all fine but have some formulaic elements to them.
Fave track: Moon Dreams
2.7/5
3
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Wed Dec 06 2023
3 + 3
The Isley Brothers
That Lady - great track, feels strange without Kendrick rapping on top.
If You Were There - I like the da da da dra das at the end
Listen to the Music sounds Stevie-esque. The transition to What It Comes Down To is vibey.
Summer Breeze hasn't typically been my fave, but it is a great tune really.
Fave Tracks: That Lady, What It Comes Down To, Summer Breeze, The Highways of My Life
4.2/5
4
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Thu Dec 07 2023
Tubular Bells
Mike Oldfield
I'm going into this thinking I'm not going to enjoy it. I think I have it on vinyl actually but have never listened.
4:25 changeup, nice.
7:25 organ, not feeling this.
12:40 now we're getting Spanish.
14:10 not sure where we're going now but I'm interested.
20:20 grand piano
21:05 glockenspiel!
Side 2 - just kinda nice. Very chilled, medieval folky.
11:50 - what just happened, i love it.
Do I like this or not? I don't even know. I don't know what the occasion to listen to this is, its very much like a piece of art rather than a piece of music.
Listening through this certainly does make me want to check out more of Mike's catalogue.
3.6/5
4
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Fri Dec 08 2023
A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
Hmm not sure I like his voice.
Scott Walker vibes.
This seems like its tongue in cheek, but I'm not sure it is.
Does this guy want to be a horse? Is this an album about bestiality?
Timewatching is so dreary.
So much prefer I'm All You Need. This song is great. He's well into horses though.
Fave Songs: If..., I'm All You Need
2.7/5
3
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Sat Dec 09 2023
The Bends
Radiohead
I prefer the Scroobius Pip version of Planet Telex tbh. Nah actually its kinda an underrated Radiohead song in my book. Chorus is nice.
The Bends is a very 90s tune, perhaps the most Britpop-y Radiohead. It's still a tune also though.
High and Dry is also just such a beautiful song, same for Fake Plastic Trees. The Bends starts so hot.
Bones I guess sounds quite derivative of much other 90s alt rock. Bassline sounds a bit like Green Day, echoes of Oasis.
Nice Dream sounds much more like a Radiohead song.
Just is both a bit overplayed and underappreciated to me. The guitar lines have some of the first murmurings of what OK Computer would do - like the passage at 2:08 or in the verse along the line "One day he'll get to you
And teach you how to be a holy cow".
I'm not a big fan of the My Iron Lung chorus - if you can call it a chorus.
I can give or take Bullet Proof.
Blackstar is a bit of a ditty.
Sulk is kinda boring to me.
Street Spirit is haunting.
The Bends is still a very decent mainstream rock album to me.
4.1/5
4
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Sun Dec 10 2023
Damaged
Black Flag
There will be an end of the spectrum for punk, metal, and possibly some other genres that is gonna be unappreciate-able for me, and this Black Flag album is at that end of the punk spectrum.
Six Pack is slightly more engaging than the first two tracks. But barely.
Oh my days the vocals are so bad, the mixing is so bad. Its not even loud and punky enough.
TV Party is an embarrassment.
This is really hard to listen to. Its so difficult to relate to this noisy angst in 2023, it just gives me angry irrational white man vibes.
Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie maybe the least bad song so far.
My favourite moment of the album was the abrupt stop at the end of Life of Pain.
If you separate context and influence from the music, there is as close to zero redeeming quality to this as is conceivably possible.
0.6/5
1
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Mon Dec 11 2023
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
Needles in the Camel's Eye - I love the wall of sound, and the running guitar riffs. The breaks in the song even have a very singular quality to them.
The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch - first signs of Brian trying to be Bowie. I like where the song goes in the stomping final act.
Baby's On Fire - the ringing tone in the background reminds me of Silver Apples "Lovefingers". Eno's voice has a fairytale goblin character to it.
Cindy Tells Me - nothing particular to say about this one
Driving Me Backwards - seems to be a great example of how Eno values experimentation over song structure and musicality.
On Some Faraway Beach - feels even more Eno-y now. Weird ending to this one.
Blank Frank - this is bizarre, every musical choice here feels strange.
Dead Finks Don't Talk - oh naughty sneaky. This one is weird in a fun way. Then it gets next level weird in the last 20 seconds.
Some of them are Old - nothing particular to say about this one
Here Come the Warm Jets - is this sampled by Injury Reserve? It surely is. That's a crazy sample. Ah I love this one, this is awesome. I prefer the tracks without goofy goblin singing.
Its quite interesting to hear this album which is quite quirky in many ways, but also way more conventional to rock standards compared to much of what Eno would go on to do. Pretty fun album though.
Fave Tracks: Needles in the Camels Eye, Driving Me Backwards, On Some Faraway Beach, Here Come The Warm Jets
4.1/5
4
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Tue Dec 12 2023
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
My expectation heading in is to not like this. But I enjoyed Rehab, You Know I'm No Good and Me & Mr. Jones more than expected.
Tears Dry On Their Own probably the first track that I think I'd like to come back to.
I can appreciate this album without really wanting to dip into it too much myself. I think I have to give it at least a 4 because I don't think there are any bad tracks, but it mostly washes over me. It's impressive how Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson made this album that so clearly riffs on a previous time/style, but is also unique and inimitable. I can't think of any other 21st century albums that achieve this sound with any sort of similar quality.
Fave Tracks: Tears Dry On Their Own, He Can Only Hold Her
3.9/5
4
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Wed Dec 13 2023
Millions Now Living Will Never Die
Tortoise
21 minute 90s alternative song - sign me up. I'm all about this nonsense. 10 stars.
millions/5
5
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Thu Dec 14 2023
Planet Rock: The Album
Afrika Bambaataa
Love the album cover.
You can hear the influence all over this album. But it sounds incredibly dated, not a pleasant listen for me. This is one where I fully understand the inclusion on the list, but I don't enjoy it as a piece of music.
1.8/5
2
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Fri Dec 15 2023
Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
Fisherman's Blues - enjoyable.
I love the way We Will Not Be Lovers starts - this instrumentation combo is super cool, strings and drums, bass. This is the sort of music Bruce Springsteen would've made if he was Irish. That song was really great.
Strange Boat a bit of a comedown afterwards.
World Party piano almost gives me Steely Dan vibes. Hmm then goes in a very 80s direction I'm not such a fan of.
Sweet Thing, Jimmy Hickey's Waltz, And a Bang on the Ear all sort of just passed me by.
I really like the start of this album, but it kinda fades away and drags for me. I could give or take most of the second half.
Fave Track: We Will Not Be Lovers
3.6/5
4
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Sat Dec 16 2023
Lust For Life
Iggy Pop
Never been a huge fan of Lust for Life, I think it's a fine track but it just doesn't do much for me.
Some Weird Sin's intro is fun.
The Passenger guitar riff has a lot of gravitas. This is a much better hit than Lust for Life for me - the vocal is much more effective.
Tonight is pretty good too tbh. Don't mind Success either.
Turn Blue is a bit slow and annoying. I feel like Iggy feels the need to try something different with his voice but it doesnt really work.
Liked this album a fair bit more than expected.
Fave Tracks: Some Weird Sin, The Passenger, Tonight, Fall in Love with Me
3.8/5
4
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Sun Dec 17 2023
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4.1/5
Lots of big hitters on this one. A little bit bloated but I actually really enjoyed the back end of the album. Could be a 5 for me simply by subtracting a few tracks.
4
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Mon Dec 18 2023
Maverick A Strike
Finley Quaye
Quite a strange one, happy to have been exposed to it though I mostly found it quite bland background reggae.
Fave Tracks: Even After All, Supreme I Preme
2.6/5
3
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Tue Dec 19 2023
Guero
Beck
When I was 13 years old I heard Girl by Beck on the radio and became obsessed with it. I don't know why, such a simple tune, but I was hooked, bought this album and played the track on repeat.
E-Pro is a banger. I would presume Beck's most bangliest banger.
I always liked Que Onda Guero. I think it holds up pretty well.
I really still love Girl. So far this album is a lot better than I thought it would be.
Missing, I don't recall this track, but I like it too.
Black Tambourine is the first miss for me, but I like Earthquake Weather.
Hell Yes is corny, I don't like when Beck does the robot futurist thing.
Broken Drum and Scarecrow are both fine but not doing much for me.
Go It Alone and Last Farewell Ride are both quite enjoyable, but by this point in the album lots of tracks are suffering from being a bit too long and too repetitive. You could cram these two tracks together and make one more compelling listen.
I actually love that Chiribim Chiribom sample in Rental Car - that's maybe the most surprising moment in the album.
Emergency Car is bland, Send a Message to Her is just knock-off Devil's Haircut. Chain Reaction is annoying, why bother we such a closer.
I like a lot of the tracks and elements here, but this album kinda wears me down with how repetitive it can be, and how many repetitions of similar themes there are. It feels in many ways less than the sum of its parts, which is a shame. Beck is a really creative songwriter, but perhaps not a great album curator.
Fave Tracks: E-Pro, Que Onda Guero, Girl, Earthquake Weather, Go It Alone, Rental Car
3.4/5
3
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Wed Dec 20 2023
Locust Abortion Technician
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers performed under a different name at every live show. Early aliases included The Dick Clark Five, Nine cm Worm Makes Own Food, The Vodka Family Winstons, Ashtray Babyheads, Ed Asner Is Gay, Fred Astaire's Asshole, The Right to Eat Fred Astaire's Asshole, The Inalienable Right to Eat Fred Astaire's Asshole, Zipgun, and many others.
The silence for the first 15 seconds of the album is unnerving. Who does that. Not surprising then that the album ends with 15 seconds of cows mooing, naturally. I find this album mostly disgusting to listen to, yet I do really admire the chaotic experimentalism of their brand of noise rock. I would be interested in exploring their other work after listening to this.
Fave Track: Kuntz
2/5
2
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Thu Dec 21 2023
Low
David Bowie
Wow, this took a left turn I didn't expect.
After the first few tracks I was already mentally assembling my comments about how Bowie is a great singles artist, but maybe his albums are overrated, but the second half of this album flipped that narrative completely for me. Some tracks like Warszawa and Art Decade I thought were really beautiful in a way I've not heard from this era of Bowie before.
If you played me the intro to Weeping Wall by itself and asked me to guess the artist I'd never get to Bowie. Subterraneans sounds like a The Comet is Coming song, I'm just flabbergasted that this is a DB album.
I love that there are fully instrumental tracks here, even though at times they feel like they could be enhanced even further with Bowie's voice on top. Still, I liked this a lot, particularly the second half.
4.3/5
4
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Fri Dec 22 2023
Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
Ooooof Satanic Reverses goes hard. The production on this is terrific.
2:55 into Famous and Dandy, love the soothing synths that slide in. I really am digging the production on this one. This is like hip hop Gil Scott-Heron. This was fantastic, perhaps my favourite discovery of the 1001 yet.
Fave Tracks: Satanic Reverses, Famous and Dandy (Like Amos and Andy), California Uber Alles
4.9/5
5
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Sat Dec 23 2023
A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
Low key a lot of bangers on this one. Bit too long though.
Fave Tracks: Mama Said, When the Love Light Starts Shining Thru His Eyes, Will You Love Me Tomorrow
3.3/5
3
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Sun Dec 24 2023
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
Colleen Chad Wakerman? The first four tracks are quite ho hum in my books. I like the turn it takes with the instrumental track and Sweetness Follows. Quite good, but also quite simple. I liked the album more after reading through the full Sidewinder lyrics - respect for getting such legs out of a topic as banal as a payphone. Good work generating lyrical discourse.
Fave Tracks: Sweetness Follows, Man on the Moon
3.6/5
4
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Mon Dec 25 2023
Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
This album has a distinct sound.
Darkness and Doubt reminds me of some later Clash.
The tracks feel more like standard country-folk rock fare in the second half and do less for me.
Still liked this overall
Fave Songs: Trouble Down South, Hard To Be Human Again, Psycho Cupid - Danceband On the Edge of Time
3.3/5
3
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Tue Dec 26 2023
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
Phil absolutely killed it with this one! However Christmas music is not necessary.
2
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Wed Dec 27 2023
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
The Byrds
too country for me, very much fine but nothing standout
3/5
3
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Thu Dec 28 2023
Grace
Jeff Buckley
The first 7 tracks of Grace are all flawless to me. There's no other album that is so consistently perfect from the get-go. Jeff's vocal range and the character of his voice are spectacular and unique. The guitar tones are some of the most beautiful ever recorded. The performance is so raw and emotional. There are two of the best covers of all time on the album, "Lilac Wine" and "Hallelujah", two outstanding songs in their own right that Jeff fully makes his own. Anyone with a heart and a working set of ears knows.
5/5
5
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Fri Dec 29 2023
Crazysexycool
TLC
Creep, Diggin' On You, Red Light Special - good tracks.
Waterfalls is a bit too radio friendly for me, but hard to deny its a catchy iconic track.
I'm not a big fan of the interludes, mainly because the Crazy Sexy Cool motif just seems really lame.
I think this is a pretty solid R&B/Pop album.
Fave Tracks: Diggin' On You, Let's Do It Again
3.8/5
4
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Sat Dec 30 2023
Urban Hymns
The Verve
I found myself signing along to Bittersweet Symphony, and tbh I've always thought I hated the song.
So far enjoying this far more than I wanted to. Ok, I didn't hate it.
3.2/5
3
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Sun Dec 31 2023
Virgin Suicides
Air
Not exactly bad, but I don't get why this on the list, didn't take anything from it. I don't really get soundtracks - this might be a brilliant soundtrack to the film, but without the context it was just boring to me.
2/5
2
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Mon Jan 01 2024
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Really quite enjoyed this. I love the sound of the album. Free Bird hits really nicely as an epic closer.
4.3/5
4
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Tue Jan 02 2024
Violator
Depeche Mode
Another positive surprise. I was expecting some hits and a lot of misses, but a consistent (the first half at least) and forward thinking album. Enjoy the Silence is such a great track, another song that I've heard plenty before but only really appreciated now in the context of the 1001. The second half is a decline in quality for me, with a lot of the tracks meandering towards nothingness.
Fave Tracks: Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth
3.3/5
3
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Wed Jan 03 2024
Fuzzy
Grant Lee Buffalo
Going in to this one blind. The Shining Hour is a good start, this feels in my wheelhouse.
I enjoyed Jupiter and Teardrop also.
Fuzzy is the starred track on the album, but the slower tempo is doing less for me.
The thing this reminds me most of is the inimitable Jeff Buckley (and of course this album predates Grace). Wish You Well chorus is nice.
Ha - I just noticed there is a song called Grace on this album too.
Soft Wolf Tread probably the least interesting track so far, but I like Stars N' Stripes for sure. MURICA.
You Just Have To Be Crazy is fine, but does not really feel to me like the album going out with a bang.
I'm leaning towards a 5 here. Whilst the highs are perhaps not as high as I might want in a 5 star album the floor is extremely high. This feels like a very consistent album that I could come back to fully, and I expect get even more out of, so I am going to be optimistic.
Fave Tracks: The Shining Hour, Wish You Well, The Hook, Stars N Stripes
4.5/5
5
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Thu Jan 04 2024
Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus
Spirit
This is fun. It feels like prog that is both willing to be wild and experimental, but also doesn't take itself too seriously. Maybe I'm just in a good mood but I'm leaning 5 for the second consecutive day.
Fave Tracks: Nature's Way, Animal Zoo, Morning Will Come, Rougher Road, Red Light Roll On
4.6/5
5
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Fri Jan 05 2024
Cupid & Psyche 85
Scritti Politti
What a hideous album cover. I'm familiar with Absolute, but wasn't expecting a new wave pop ska song as the album opener. I don't quite hate it as much as I feel I should.
So 80s.
Fave Tracks: Absolute, Don't Work That Hard, Perfect Way
3.3/5
3
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Sat Jan 06 2024
Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
Its fine I guess. I don't want to revisit any tracks, only to listen as background music. I find the vocals quite annoying tbh. Sigur Ros overrated to me.
2.8/5
3
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Sun Jan 07 2024
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
This is horrendous. The intro has to be one of the worst things ever laid to tape. The isolated Fred Durst vocal at the start of the second track is equally awful. My Generation is at least just a boring song. This is by far the stupidest music I’ve ever heard. Its seriously so dumb. The lyrics are appalling. The singles (My Way, Rollin) are the highlights so far, if you can call them that. The Mission Impossible song is the only actually listenable song actually.
0.4/5
1
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Mon Jan 08 2024
Made In Japan
Deep Purple
Pointless, why is this here. So long, such a mediocre recording.
1
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Tue Jan 09 2024
Arrival
ABBA
2.3/5
For me, nothing more than the singles I’m already familiar with. Except a pretty creepy opening track about jailbaiting a teacher.
2
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Wed Jan 10 2024
Swordfishtrombones
Tom Waits
Second Tom Waits album of the list, much of the same sentiments. Favourite song was the vocal-less piano track at the end.
2.2/5
2
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Thu Jan 11 2024
Very
Pet Shop Boys
I think I maybe hate this. The first two tracks are really cheesy.
Liberation started better, Balearic house vibes. I’m really not a fan of Neil Tennant’s vocals.
Yesterday When I Was Mad probably best track so far, but I still find the sound palette of it incredibly cheesy.
The Theatre is similar, has some decent moments, but then the hideous dramatic strings and vocoder-y synth effects are so corny.
One and One Make Five - jesus, this is bad. They turned in a whole song just for the contrived rhyme of “alive” with “five”.
So “To Speak is a Sin” isn’t even “It’s a Sin”.
Go West is one of the most annoying songs ever created. You can’t make me listen to the hidden track.
This is another case where I don’t think this is the worst album out there, but it’s baffling to me as to why this was included in the list. I don’t hear what is essential or groundbreaking about this in anyway.
1.5/5
2
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Fri Jan 12 2024
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
I've always liked Neil, but he has such a big catalogue I've never dived deep into it. For many years I thought that Crazy Horse was a Native American chief who was also a virtuoso musician and had decided to accompany Neil barnstorming across the US.
Not necessarily the most interesting NY album to me, but its still pretty tasty.
Fave Tracks: Welfare Mothers, Sedan Delivery
3.6/5
4
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Sat Jan 13 2024
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
Great album. The musicianship and mixing is so impeccable.
Too High - wonderfully smooth, but has some edge to it. A bluesy undertone to the "Too High" refrain.
Visions - this is a fine song, but I'm here for the funk and the grooves rather than the ballads.
Living for the City - the main riff of this one doesn't really captivate me, but the way the track builds and the spoken word/foley interlude builds a really compelling song.
Golden Lady is sultry. So earthy.
Higher Ground - iconic. Stevie played all the instruments on this track.
Jesus Children of America - another solid track, but not too much to say about this one.
All In Love Is Fair - again, not such a big fan of the ballads.
Don't You Worry Bout A Thing - this is not my favourite track either, Latin vibes.
He's Misstra Know-It-All - a gentle closer.
I have to imagine this album sounded refreshing in 1973, and it still sounds fantastic today.
Fave Tracks: Golden Lady, Higher Ground
4/5
4
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Sun Jan 14 2024
Ray Of Light
Madonna
Quite generic new age ambient. The title track for example is driven by tactless pulsing synth lines that make the song a generally unpleasant experience. Its aged badly and all sounds quite cheesy, but I think there are some decent undercurrents here - you can hear the influence for instance on All Saints' Pure Shores.
Skin is intense. We've gone from a beach in Thailand to a Berlin rave. Nothing Really Matters tries to pull us back to SE Asia, but Sky Fits Heaven wants to stay in the cloob. Frozen also sounds so much like Pure Shores - they were really riffing from this album.
Fave Tracks: Little Star
2.4/5
2
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Mon Jan 15 2024
All Directions
The Temptations
This album seems like it should be right up my street, but the tracks don't quite click with me as much as I was hoping. I really like the vibe of Papa Was A Rolling Stone, but don't find it as compelling as it should be.
3/5
3
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Tue Jan 16 2024
Tres Hombres
ZZ Top
I love the blues rock sound of this album, but to me it gets very samey and none of the tracks really stand out at all.
3.3/5
3
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Wed Jan 17 2024
OK
Talvin Singh
I'm aware of the name Talvin Singh from some remixes (this beaut for instance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1hyj9yOya4&pp=ygUldGFsdmluIHNpbmdoIGJldHRlciBvbiB0aGUgb3RoZXIgc2lkZQ%3D%3D) but I did not think he would be of the calibre to make the 1001.
Traveller is rather meandering, I think it takes too long to move between themes, and the mix of synthetic and more natural sounds I don't find particularly effective.
I prefer the Asian influence on Butterfly, though again I'm not really a fan of the dancier aspects of the song. I wonder if Jai Paul would cite Talvin Singh as an influence?
I think this album is better when it tries to do a bit less, like in Mombasstic. Decca is just a bit silly isn't it.
Jungle!
O.K. is the first track that pulls me in. Light also more enticing with the intro. As I go through this I think my main takeaway is that the electronic beats used are often pretty tacky, but the blend of eastern and western sounds has an undeniable appeal.
There's something about this music where it feels like I could love it, if one or two small things were different, but instead I find I actively dislike it. It reminds me of when I was a teenager getting into Indie Rock and Pop Punk and the like, and someone bought me a Classic Rock compilation CD and I hated every track. For me it treads the wrong side of a fine line.
Fave Tracks: O.K., Light, Vikram the Vampire
2.8/5
3
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Thu Jan 18 2024
Whatever
Aimee Mann
I'm a bit worried that I'm just falling into a trap where any album that sounds something like this ends up with 4 stars. Nope, you know what, this didn't really capture my attention enough to warrant 4 stars. The ending of the album was funny, I liked that.
Fave Tracks: Say Anything
3.4/5
3
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Fri Jan 19 2024
American Gothic
David Ackles
Scott Walker vibes. I kinda love this. I don't know why at all. I find it very calming.
Fave Tracks: American Gothic, Blues for Billy Whitehead, Montana Song
4/5
4
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Sat Jan 20 2024
Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
I like the upbeat second half of School.
Bloody Well Right - what a song name. I didn't realise Supertramp were British.
Hide In Your Shell wasn't doing much for me but the song finale is enjoyable.
My least favourite moments are when its just piano and vocals, as in the start of Asylum.
Dreamer does the same thing as a lot of the other songs. I find it boring or annoying at the start, but it builds into something entertaining.
Rudy does it too - it's quite amazing how they manage to deliver this formula on almost every track.
My assumptions looking at the tracklist (and not seeing any hits I recognise) was that I wouldn't be impressed by this album. But I was happily wrong, I find quite a lot of it to be a good fun time. Most songs take a couple of minutes to grow into, but that's something I can tolerate, and it adds an interesting flow to the record.
Fave Tracks: School, Bloody Well Right, Rudy
4.1/5
4
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Sun Jan 21 2024
Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
So boring. What’s with the live albums.
2
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Mon Jan 22 2024
The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
This is a surprising choice. I had this album as a teenager, but never really thought much of it then, was just an Arctic monkeys fanboy.
On relisten The Age of the Understament is a very underwhelming track. But Standing Next to Me is a pleasant surprise, channelling the Scott Walker western vibes well.
I mostly feel quite neutral about the rest of the album. Some tracks like Meeting Place are quite effective, others feel like contrived imitations.
A generous round up 2.7/5
3
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Tue Jan 23 2024
War
U2
There are some top tier U2 tracks on this album. There's a rough rawness to it that U2 lost somewhere in the late 80s.
I don't really have anything negative to say about the album, I think its a good un.
Fave Tracks: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Years Day, Drowning Man, "40"
4.8/5
5
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Wed Jan 24 2024
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Generally I'm not a big fan of the earlier RHCP stuff, though I think on listening to this the funkier album tracks are more engaging than some of the filler on later RHCP albums. The album flows well, though as with most 73 minute albums its too long to sustain the oomph.
Give It Away is another one of those songs I've heard a lot and generally don't feel like I enjoy, but within the context of the album its hard to deny it. The drums are so hard.
This album is kinda losing me the longer it goes on. The musical ideas aren't diverse enough to be continually engaging. The last song is the epitome of that - super annoying, why?!
Fave Tracks: The Power of Equality, Give It Away, Under the Bridge
3.3/5
3
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Thu Jan 25 2024
Suicide
Suicide
Some trepidation clicking play on this album. Is it going to be more noisy incoherent punk rage? Happy to hear it ain't that.
A very interesting electronic industrial droney sound palette - it builds tension, which is enhanced by the slightly nervous whispery vocals.
Weird album, weird is good.
Fave Tracks: Rocket USA
3.5/5
4
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Fri Jan 26 2024
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
It's Dire Straits. It's pretty good.
Fave Tracks: Water of Love, Sultans of Swing, Wild West End
4/5
4
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Sat Jan 27 2024
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
Drum solos are a terrible waste of time.
Fave tracks: Thank You, Ramble On
3.1/5
3
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Sun Jan 28 2024
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
LC has a very unique poetic delivery, but I find it to be too samey at points on this album. Quite a few songs feel like they are diet versions of Suzanne. Tracks like Sisters of Mercy with its Christmassy foley sounds are more engaging to me.
Fave Tracks: Suzanne, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong
3.5/5
4
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Mon Jan 29 2024
The Trinity Session
Cowboy Junkies
This is beautifully produced/performed. Never heard of this band or album but it’s definitely another in my wheelhouse. Only complaints - slightly lacking in variety, and I don’t think the Sweet Jane cover is all that strong.
Fave Tracks: Blue Moon Revisited, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
4/5
4
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Tue Jan 30 2024
Beautiful Freak
Eels
I like the dynamics on the first two tracks, songs segue from section to section elegantly. It’s kinda downhill from there for me though.
Fave Tracks: Novocaine for the Soul, Susan’s House, Your Lucky Day in Hell
2.9/5
3
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Wed Jan 31 2024
Next
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
This is fun. What’s a swampsnake?
In some ways I love this and in some ways I find it deeply offensive. It’s garish, but its still oddly compelling to me.
Fave Traxks: Swampsnake, Gang Bang, Vambo Marble Eye
3.4/5
3
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Thu Feb 01 2024
McCartney
Paul McCartney
Everybody knows that Paul’s best work happened after the Beatles. This album feels like an important stepping stone to Wings (“the band the Beatles could’ve been”), but it feels like a lot of loose ideas without all that much substance. I breezed through this album without really being grabbed by any of it. I do like the cover art.
Fave Tracks: Maybe I’m Amazed
2.6/5
3
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Fri Feb 02 2024
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
I’ve tried to get into DJ Shadow before and not really managed it, but this album listening experience was great to me. The first few tracks are a bit of a slow burn to me, but once the mood is established I feel totally immersed. The album is the soundtrack to walking through a bright but seedy urban landscape at night. It reminds me of Tokyo or Hong Kong. I love the way the Organ Donor motif is teased throughout the album, it’s eerie.
This album really won me over. I see why it’s a classic, it’s groundbreaking and influential and a really interesting listen.
Fave Tracks: Changeling, What Does Your Soul Look Like pt 4, Transmission 2, Midnight in a Perfect World, Scatter Brain
4.6/5
5
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Sat Feb 03 2024
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
I don’t want to listen to Eminem rap about murdering women and impregnating underage girls. I think it was meant to be shocking, but it’s just gross and creepy. The sonics of the album have aged poorly, and none of the tracks really stand out to me. Eminem’s voice is so annoying.
The chorus of I’m Shady was the first time anything grabbed me in a pleasant way. Bloody hell that was track 18.
Do yourself a favour and listen to I Got The… by Labi Siffre instead of the My Name Is instrumental
1.7/5
2
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Sun Feb 04 2024
Slayed?
Slade
Falls into the unnecessary category for me. Not really as annoying as I thought it would be, but also didn’t find any of it catchy (save maybe the penultimate track), just feels very generic at this point.
2.4/5
2
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Mon Feb 05 2024
Kick Out The Jams (Live)
MC5
Another live album that did nothing for me. I was expecting more from this one.
2.2/5
2
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Tue Feb 06 2024
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
Confusing that there are two tracks called El Paso. Quite enjoyed this, mostly just as background music.
Fave Tracks: Big Iron, The Hanging Tree
3.3/5
3
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Wed Feb 07 2024
Phrenology
The Roots
Not as good as Things Fall Apart for me, which I assume has to also be on the list. The tracks with female vocal hooks seem to be my favourite. The instrumentals are all round pleasant, the rapping is a little bit vanilla.
It feels generous but its a 3.5 round up to 4 for me.
Fave Tracks: Sacrifice, Complexity
3.5/5
4
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Thu Feb 08 2024
90
808 State
The album as a whole is not really my bag, but Pacific 202 (or is it called "Pacific State" or just "Pacific"?) is a real vibe. If I understand it correctly this track is the oft-imitated OG; I remember having this on the DDJ having downloaded loads of House/Electronic tracks and I definitely thought it was a modern track.
On the whole though the album didn't do much for me. I want more acidity in my house.
Fave Tracks: Magical Dream, Pacific 202
3.1/5
3
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Fri Feb 09 2024
Fishscale
Ghostface Killah
Very medium rap album. Few standout tracks, but also thought most were decent.
3.1/5
3
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Sat Feb 10 2024
Cosmo's Factory
Creedence Clearwater Revival
I get this impression with CCR that they are capable of making brilliant interesting rock songs (like Ramble Tamble), but at this point in time they were very caught up with churning out blues rock staples and amped up cover songs. These tunes are mostly decent, but don't have much staying power with me. The Grapevine cover is pretty good I guess.
Fave Tracks: Ramble Tamble, Run Through the Jungle, Who'll Stop The Rain?, Long as I can See the Light,
3.9/5
4
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Sun Feb 11 2024
Trafalgar
Bee Gees
Bee Gees are like 1970s Coldplay. I quite liked the first couple of tracks, but then it mostly faded from there. I had an expectation I might find it a little bit insufferable, which I did not, but there wasn't much that grabbed me.
2.8/5
3
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Mon Feb 12 2024
Suede
Suede
Medium.
Fave Tracks: So Young, Animal Nitrate
3/5
3
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Tue Feb 13 2024
Kid A
Radiohead
What is there to say?
I find Kid A to be slightly overrated, but at the same time its really quite hard to poke any holes in it. Idioteque has long been my favourite Radiohead song.
I listened twice through today to ensure I was fully engaged with the album, because I knew this was going to be right on the 4-5 border for me.
Fave Tracks: Everything In Its Right Place, Kid A, How To Disappear Completely, Idioteque
4.5/5
5
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Wed Feb 14 2024
BEYONCÉ
Beyoncé
Surfbword
This album is full of bangers, don’t try and fight it. Not sure there’s a miss on here.
Fave Tracks: Pretty Hurts, Drunk in Love, Blow, Jealous, XO, Blue
4.8/5
5
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Thu Feb 15 2024
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
More MPB, more World.
5/5
5
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Fri Feb 16 2024
The Bones Of What You Believe
CHVRCHES
This album is very nostalgic for me, I listened to a lot of CHVRCHES around 2013. There are some phenomenal remixes of some of these songs. I thought I would find it dated and cheesy, but actually I still really liked this. That being said it’s another one where I don’t really understand why it’s on the 1001.
Fave Tracks: The Mother We Share, Gun, Lies, Recover
3.8/5
4
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Sat Feb 17 2024
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
This is maybe the best Foo Fighters record, and possibly their least Foo Fighters-y record. Easily their rawest record and for sure the coolest one to like. Definitely their least pretentious record and most laid back record. Big Me is so unlike any other Foo Fighters song. It’s weird.
Tbh I liked this even more than I remembered.
Fave Tracks: This is a Call, I’ll Stick Around, Big Me, Good Grief, Floaty
4.6/5
5
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Sun Feb 18 2024
Trans Europe Express
Kraftwerk
Poor man’s CHVRCHES.
I love this album, this is maybe the most essential to the list so far for me, this is what it’s all about.
The value here is in more than the music. The concept is executed like a classical music suite, it’s so unique and unlike other electronic music despite being a massive influence on basically all electronic music that followed. Would there be LCD Soundsystem or Daft Punk without Kraftwerk? It’s so disciplined and German, it’s about a train and it sounds exactly like a train.
I don’t much like the second and third tracks. If this went straight from Europe Endless to the TEE suite then this would be a near perfect album for me.
4.4/5
Fave Tracks: Europe Endless, Trans-Europe Express, Franz Schubert, Endless Endless
4
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Mon Feb 19 2024
Movies
Holger Czukay
YAYAYAYAYYA
I LOVED IT
5/5
Fave Tracks: all of them
5
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Tue Feb 20 2024
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
Gotta love a bit of Jimi, not my favourite album though, some songs feel a bit rough and ready, unfinished.
Fave tracks: Little Wing, Castles Made of Sand, One Rainy Wish
3.6/5
4
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Wed Feb 21 2024
Life Thru A Lens
Robbie Williams
A lot of these songs are offensively bad: Life Thru a Lens, Ego Agogo, Killing Me, Clean. The lyrics are mostly embarrassing, and Robbie's voice has never been a strength.
Angels is ok, else I don't have much anything nice to say about this.
1.8/5
2
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Thu Feb 22 2024
Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
Sounds like a Led Zep sample off the bat to me.
I have two problems with this album, its boring and annoying.
The only songs I enjoyed were Fight For Your Right and Time to Get Ill.
2.1/5
2
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Fri Feb 23 2024
More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads
I'm most definitely a Talking Heads fan, but I'm actually quite indifferent about this album. It's one where I feel like every track is 3 or 4 stars, no standouts, no real flaws.
Fave Tracks: Warning Sign, The Girls Want to Be With the Girls, Stay Hungry, The Big Country
3.6/5
4
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Sat Feb 24 2024
Parallel Lines
Blondie
Some heavy hitters here, and I do think the singles are the standouts. Heart of Glass another example for me of a song that I don't actively listen to because I think I've heard it a million times, but it sounds so good hearing it with a keener ear. Most of all the other tracks just filler for me, but I think the singles carry this one quite a long way.
Fave Tracks: Hanging on the Telephone, One Way or Another, Heart of Glass
3.5/5
4
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Sun Feb 25 2024
Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Another pretty decent CCR album, but it’s not particularly inspiring a selection
Fave Track: Born on the Bayou
3.5/5
4
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Mon Feb 26 2024
Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
solid marv
4/5
4
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Tue Feb 27 2024
Hard Again
Muddy Waters
Blues music is too basic. You have to do something way more interesting to the genre to capture my attention. Were people really vibing to this in 1977 (let alone 2024)? Hard to imagine for me.
1.8/5
2
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Wed Feb 28 2024
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
I actually quite like this album... always have. Axl Rose's voice is annoying for sure, and its all way over the top, but its over the top in an impressive way. The singles are really well crafted pop songs with a stadium rock veneer. Think About You's chorus almost sounds like a new wave song.
Fave Tracks: Welcome to the Jungle, Nighttrain, Paradise City, Think About You, Sweet Child O Mine.
3.7/5
4
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Thu Feb 29 2024
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Raekwon
Really quite bored of Wu-Tang. 3 maybe 4 albums in? Hardly anything has grabbed my attention. Its not bad, but it all feels quite samey. The albums are always bloated.
Fave Track: Glaciers of Ice (maybe)
2.3/5
2
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Fri Mar 01 2024
Smokers Delight
Nightmares On Wax
For an artist called "Nightmares on Wax" this was incessantly pleasant. Good genre representation, thanks.
Fave Tracks: Nights Interlude, Bless My Soul, Cruise (Don't Stop)
4.1/5
4
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Sat Mar 02 2024
Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
So far live albums have been a major source of disappointment for me on this list. This is better - jazz gets a lot more from a live performance than rock imo. Still my favourite track here is probably Take the A Train - always a bop.
Fave Tracks: Take the A Train
3.2/5
3
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Sun Mar 03 2024
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
Quite medium. Technically solid but feels like it’s missing some sort of x factor. I prefer the second half of the album. Acetate Prophets a wild song at the end.
Fave Tracks: Thin Line, After School Special, Hey, Acetate Prophets
2.9/5
3
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Mon Mar 04 2024
Dig Your Own Hole
The Chemical Brothers
Another Chemical Brothers album? I’m not vibing this one either. The first 7 or so tracks are all tuneless and frantic in an unpleasant way. I cant really imagine a scenario they’d be appealing apart from a very specific mood of rave.
The last 3 songs do tickle something within me though, particularly the private psychedelic reel.
Fave Tracks: Lost in the K-Hole, Where Do I Begin, The Private Psychedelic Reel
2.6/5
3
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Tue Mar 05 2024
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Some really iconic tracks here. Great blues rock album.
4.6/5
5
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Wed Mar 06 2024
Abraxas
Santana
I’ve never been a fan of Santana, probably because of that terrible 2000s pop song with Rob Thomas. However, this album was awesome. I liked it all a lot.
Fave Tracks: Oye Como Va, Se a Cabo, Mothers Daughter
4.9/5
5
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Thu Mar 07 2024
Another Green World
Brian Eno
Love Brian. Another fantastic album here. Beautiful blends of pop songs, experimentation, instrumental tracks, ambient elements. Not a bad track on the album in my view. However do think it slightly lacks elite punch.
Fave Tracks: St Elmo’s Fire, Another Green World
4.4/5
4
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Fri Mar 08 2024
Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
Gotta give Aretha her respect, but most of the start of this album is very bland. However my favourite tracks were the last two.
3.1/5
3
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Sat Mar 09 2024
Pretenders
Pretenders
A lot of meh for me. The guitars sound awful mostly, I prefer the songs that sound new wavey. Ah this Brass in Pocket track is familiar. My takeaway from this album is that (the) Pretenders are better being poppier.
2.8/5
3
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Sun Mar 10 2024
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Loved it, loved it all. Great blend of rock and jazz elements. The Satie bookends are beautiful, can’t go wrong there.
4.8/5
5
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Mon Mar 11 2024
Junkyard
The Birthday Party
I’m really glad this album is on the list. I listened to it 2.5 times so I could fully appreciate it. If Tom Waits and Nigel Spackman met at a Napalm Death concert and took a load of coke and went back to Tom’s basement and decided to make art I think it would sound something like this.
Fave Tracks: Several Sins
1.3/5
1
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Tue Mar 12 2024
Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
Funny and soulful protest record. Crazy that this guy went on to play Rambo.
Fave Tracks: Stand, Somebody’s Watching You, Everyday People
4.2/5
4
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Wed Mar 13 2024
Reggatta De Blanc
The Police
What in the name of the sweet baby Jesus was that?! The first half is so good, I thought we were heading for a 5. Then the second half sounds like it was written by a child, offensively bad. I guess we’ll split the difference.
Fave tracks: Message in a Bottle, Regatta de Blanc, Walking on the Moon
3/5
3
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Thu Mar 14 2024
Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
Liked this a lot, the whole album was beautiful.
4.7/5
5
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Fri Mar 15 2024
Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
Interesting comparison having this a couple of days after STAND! Everything that album does well, this one lacks. “Black Is” isn’t bloated so to speak, but lacks punch. To me the first few tracks were interesting and then Wildfires was the only other with strong redeeming qualities. That being said the album on the whole js a very nice mellow listen, there isn’t much bad on any specific track apart from being a bit boring. “Free” from the other SAULT album of this year was one of my absolute favourite tracks of 2020 - it’s a shame nothing on this record gets close despite a very similar sound palette.
3.1/5
3
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Sat Mar 16 2024
Pearl
Janis Joplin
I've always struggled to get into Janis and this listen was no different. I can't really find much to criticise but it also just doesn't grab me at all. Whilst she's objectively a fantastic vocalist I just don't seem to enjoy listening to her sing.
2.9/5
3
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Sun Mar 17 2024
Trio
Dolly Parton
Maybe this is a classic for country music fans but I found it very slow and boring. Just couldn’t find anything interesting in it.
2.3/5
2
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Mon Mar 18 2024
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
I like Bob. I respect his poeticism and his compositions, his legacy and influence, but for me this album is too scruffy. After listening through I find there aren’t really any tracks I want to go back to - my favourite is Girl from the North Country, for which I much prefer the duet with Johnny Cash.
Fave Tracks: Girl from the North Country, Corrina Corrina
3/5
3
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Tue Mar 19 2024
Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
This is kinda fire. Wasn't expecting much based off the album cover, but this is the sort of thing I'm very happy to see on the list.
Fave Tracks: Soubour, Al Hassidi Terei, Nick
4.6/5
4
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Wed Mar 20 2024
Connected
Stereo MC's
Not a baggy man myself. Didn't really hate this, but did find it a bit annoying, and very little grabbing me.
Fave Tracks: Creation
2.4/5
2
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Thu Mar 21 2024
Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
It's another CCR record, its pretty good, what more do you want from me?
3.7/5
4
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Fri Mar 22 2024
Orbital 2
Orbital
Halcyon and on and on and on and becomes a loop and on becomes a loop and on and on a loop and on becomes a halcyon loop a halcyon loop and on a halcyon loop and on and on and on and on and becomes an on and becomes an on and on and becomes an on and on and on becomes a Halcyon loop.
Fave Tracks: Lush 3-1, Halcyon and On and On
3.8/5
4
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Sat Mar 23 2024
Station To Station
David Bowie
I find the long opening track to just be a bit boring and meandering, but the rest of this is pretty solid, especially Stay.
Fave Tracks: Golden Years, TVC15, Stay
3.8/5
4
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Sun Mar 24 2024
Stardust
Willie Nelson
Very pleasant and very well produced, but tbh the whole thing was sullied for me knowing it’s all covers. It’s not bad at all but I don’t really see the point for this list.
3.1/5
3
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Mon Mar 25 2024
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Genesis
The piano at the start of the album gives me slightly cringey over dramatic vibes. But then I kinda just love Peter Gabriel's voice - the way he sings "on broadway" is tasty.
This prog feels particularly nerdy. I think the proggier aspects don't really add that much, and the best music here is just the pop songs hiding underneath, like the choruses of Counting out Time and The Carpet Crawlers. Perhaps this is why I generally just prefer Peter Gabriel's solo stuff to Genesis overall.
Maybe it was also just a deluxe version or something, but the album is bloated for sure.
Fave Tracks: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Broadway Melody of 1974, Counting out Time, Here Comes the Supernatural Anaesthetist, The Light Dies Down on Broadway, It
3.1/5
3
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Tue Mar 26 2024
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
I've got into Steely Dan in a big way the last couple of years, and I've got this record on vinyl, but that being said, its not close to my favourite album of theirs. There are some catchy hooks, and to me its also the point where they are really starting to hone their polished studio sound. But there are also some rather corny moments, and the attempts to experiment with arrangements or styles outside of their typical wheelhouse mostly just fall flat to me.
Though I still think its a pretty decent record I don't think its very necessary for the 1001 list.
Fave Tracks: Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Night by Night, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Pretzel Logic
3.7/5
4
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Wed Mar 27 2024
Fifth Dimension
The Byrds
Really scruffy and sonically uninteresting. I don't know what I expected here but I thought it would be something better than this.
The best track for me was the Bonus Track "Why".
2.5/5
2
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Thu Mar 28 2024
Music
Madonna
Nobody's Perfect is one of the worst tracks I've heard on the 1001 so far.
Why is Madonna's outfit and all the branding for this album giving off Americana country vibes, and yet the album is autotune electro-pop.
The second half has a few highlights, but still this really is one of the most baffling inclusions in the list for me.
Fave Tracks: Don't Tell Me, What It Feels Like For A Girl
1.9/5
2
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Fri Mar 29 2024
Behaviour
Pet Shop Boys
I just seem to struggle with the Pet Shop Boys so much. I find a lot of this album, like the previous one of theirs we listened to, to just be straight up bad. I think this is slightly better than that one - a couple of tracks "Being Boring" and "My October Symphony" I'm ok with, but the rest just ain't doing it for me.
2.3/5
2
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Sat Mar 30 2024
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
Honestly just a very pleasant time.
Fave tracks: America, Mrs Robinson, A Hazy Shade of Winter
4.3/5
4
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Sun Mar 31 2024
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
Some fine tunes on here, I really like I Want You and there’s nothing quite like the way Bobby croons “to be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again”. The barbs on Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat are quite phenomenal.
A bit disappointed that I didn’t really take too much from the tracks I was unfamiliar with, and generally Bob needs to calm the fuck down with the harmonica, but overall a pretty cohesive album that’s stood the test of time well.
Fave Tracks: I Want You, Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again, Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
3.9/5
4
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Mon Apr 01 2024
evermore
Taylor Swift
I don’t see what all the fuss is about here. This sounds to me like Taylor Swift cosplaying as a folk singer to very mediocre effect. I don’t think it’s bad, just banal and not a logical 1001 inclusion.
2.5/5
3
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Tue Apr 02 2024
After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
I've been teetering on the 4/5 edge here for a while. I'm a big fan of NY, and I have a feeling this maybe my favourite of his albums, but something keeps me from confidently giving this a 5. Don't Let It Bring You Down is transcendently brilliant, and the rest of the album is solid, but doesn't really come close to that level.
Fave Tracks: Tell Me Why, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Don't Let It Bring You Down
4.4/5
4
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Wed Apr 03 2024
Rising Above Bedlam
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
Funny one, feels like another strange inclusion. Not bad per se, but also struggling to see what differentiates this dub album from any other dub album.
Fave Tracks: Bomba, Ungodly Kingdom
2.9/5
3
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Thu Apr 04 2024
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
I definitely thought this Blister in the Sun riff was a Blink 182 song. And Gone Daddy Gone - I remember that from the Gnarls Barkley cover/sample... didn't expect that to turn up 9 tracks into this album.
Weird one. I didn't really like it.
2.4/5
2
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Fri Apr 05 2024
Berlin
Lou Reed
I really wanted to like this one, but sadly I didn't get all that much from it. I listened twice through and both times round my main takeaway was that Sad Song is by far my favourite track here.
Fave Tracks: Lady Day, Sad Song
2.6/5
3
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Sat Apr 06 2024
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
I like the style of this album much more than I like the actual songs or songwriting. Rock-jazz rather than jazz-rock.
Fave tracks: Peaches en Regalia
3.1/5
3
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Sun Apr 07 2024
Young Americans
David Bowie
Feels like another solid David Bowie album, but missing the big hits. I’m not particularly into Young Americans or Fame. Considering how many entries he has on the list, is this one really necessary?
Fave Tracks: Right
3.1/5
3
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Mon Apr 08 2024
B-52's
The B-52's
I enjoyed this a lot.
Fave Tracks: Planet Claire, 52 Girls, Rock Lobster
4/5
4
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Tue Apr 09 2024
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
A really nice friendly album, I can't pick many flaws with it, but I think it just slightly lacks some of that special sauce that Paul Simon is capable of.
Fave Tracks: Mother and Child Reunion, Armistice Day, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Peace Like a River
4.2/5
4
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Wed Apr 10 2024
Da Capo
Love
I'm looking forward to Forever Changes, which has a couple of great songs on. This one not doing so much for me. I guess for 1966 it was quite progressive, but I don't think its adding much today. No real standout tracks for me.
2.7/5
3
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Thu Apr 11 2024
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd on LSD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_az91rgENc
Fave Tracks: Pow R. Toc H., Take Up The Stethoscope and Walk, The Scarecrow
2.8/5
3
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Fri Apr 12 2024
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
Too samey, just very musically uninteresting for me.
2.2/5
2
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Sat Apr 13 2024
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
This record hits pretty hard at the start, I like the beats, the production overall and the style. But it tails off for me and many of the middle tracks become very samey. The last 2 are more of a return to form for me.
3.3/5
3
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Sun Apr 14 2024
Who's Next
The Who
Baba O'Riley and Won't Get Fooled Again are two of the most epic rock songs of all time, they almost carry this album to a 5 by themselves for me. Only almost though, I don't quite vibe with the rest of the tracks in anywhere near the same way.
Fave Tracks: Baba O'Riley, Won't Get Fooled Again
4.3/5
4
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Mon Apr 15 2024
Younger Than Yesterday
The Byrds
I like the wacky breakdown in CTA. "Why" was a bonus track on the last Byrds album we had, and it was my favourite track on that - still a bop. In turn I really quite like the bonus tracks on this one too ("It Happens Each Day", "Don't Make Waves"). The Bob Dylan cover is nice too, though I don't suppose it really adds much on the original.
This is a weird one - its really quite similar to Fifth Dimension, but I think this album is miles miles better.
Fave Tracks: So You Want to be a Rock n Roll Star, CTA, Time Between, My Back Pages, Why
4.4/5
4
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Tue Apr 16 2024
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
Keep the Car Running intro gives me chills. So simple but so good.
No Cars Go does something very similar, chill-inducing for me - has always been one of my all-time favourite songs.
I had this album on CD when it came out, I still really like it.
Fave Tracks: Keep the Car Running, Intervention, Black Wave/Bad Vibrations, No Cars Go
4.5/5
5
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Wed Apr 17 2024
A Seat at the Table
Solange
I was quite familiar with this album already, and in my head I came in thinking solid 4. But I listened very actively as I walked the quiet streets of a Lyon industrial area and I concluded this deserves more, it’s a great album. The interludes are so well woven, the flow of the whole album is impeccable, 21 tracks never drags, and there are some real highlights too - what more can you say about Cranes in the Sky.
Fave Tracks: Rise, Cranes in the Sky, Don’t Touch My Hair, Don’t Wish Me Well
4.6/5
5
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Thu Apr 18 2024
The Poet
Bobby Womack
Incredibly easy listening I thought. But not in a good way. It was a very generic blur in my ears.
2.7/5
3
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Fri Apr 19 2024
Aha Shake Heartbreak
Kings of Leon
Not going to win any cool points here, but I think this is a really quite good album. I remember renting it from the library and ripping it to my computer and then listening to King of the Rodeo on repeat.
I just can't fight it, its so hard not to singalong to The Bucket.
Fave Tracks: Slow Night So Long, King of the Rodeo, The Bucket, Day Old Blues, Four Kicks
4.2/5
4
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Sat Apr 20 2024
Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
Drop some new music please Frank.
This album's pretty great, I liked a lot of the songs I was less familiar with, though I don't particularly like any of the short tracks/interludes, they just feel like a waste of time and disrupt the flow. The album in general doesn't flow well for me at all. Pyramids into Lost just feels wrong.
Because I love Blonde so much, and this album pales so much in comparison its hard to even consider a 5, but there are so many great pop songs on this one - it delivers something different to Blonde that is still a great listen but for different reasons.
For me though something about the album feels disingenuous - instead of the vulnerability and raw emotion that Blonde has, it has shiny synths and stories about strippers, mosh pits and wet tits and rich kids living in LA. With hindsight it doesn't feel right.
Fave Tracks: Thinkin Bout You, Super Rich Kids, Pyramids, Lost
4.3/5
4
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Mon Apr 22 2024
Tommy
The Who
12 tracks of preamble to Pinball Wizard.
Pinball Wizard.
9 more tracks of mostly filler.
OH MY BLOODY CHRIST WHAT THE HELL IS TOMMYS HOLIDAY CAMP.
1.5/5
2
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Tue Apr 23 2024
Since I Left You
The Avalanches
Such a great ride. This album is crazy in the coconut. The Avalanches are fantastic.
Fave Tracks: Since I Left You, Tonight May Have to Last Me All My Life, Frontier Psychiatrist, Summer Crane
4.8/5
5
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Wed Apr 24 2024
Life's Too Good
The Sugarcubes
I loved this. A wild ride. So many great quirky tunes.
4.8/5
5
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Thu Apr 25 2024
Screamadelica
Primal Scream
This was an interesting surprise. I was expecting a lot more of the "Movin' on Up" indie rock and roll, but it turns out to be a wild ride across genres like dub and acid house. Sometimes it hits, and sometimes it sounds awful. I could understand if you loved or hated this album - Come Together embodies this for me, delicately toeing the line between euphoric and tacky. For me the album on the whole drags - the second rendition of Higher Than the Sun (there's that Jah Wobble fellow again) is painfully mundane, you'd really have to be higher than the sun to endure it.
Fave Tracks: Slip Inside This House, Loaded
3.1/5
3
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Fri Apr 26 2024
Meat Puppets II
Meat Puppets
I’ve had the Meat Puppets’ Plateau on rotation since hearing the Nirvana Unplugged cover. Great song, and I like parts of this album, though some points a bit too raw for me.
Fave Tracks: Plateau, Aurora Borealis, I’m a Mindless Idiot
3.2/5
3
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Sat Apr 27 2024
Dummy
Portishead
I’ve never really got into Portishead before, but being forced into it, I can definitely see it’s merits. The production is really clean and the mood of the album is great. Missing perhaps some highlights beyond Glory Box.
Fave Tracks: Glory Box, other songs too but I didn’t see the track list whilst listening
4/5
4
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Sun Apr 28 2024
Me Against The World
2Pac
I think 2pac is rather overrated. I’m mostly ambivalent to this album, not many stinkers, but barely anything that caught my attention. RIP.
Fave Tracks: Old School
2.8/5
3