Journey in Progress
Discovering music one album at a time
448
Albums Rated
3.7
Avg Rating
95
5-Star Albums
41%
Complete
641 albums remaining
Rating Speed
6.5
Per Week
485
Days Active
Reviews
448
Written
100%
Review Rate
vs Global
0.44
Avg Diff
3.7
Avg Rating
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How you rate albums
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1950s
Favorite Decade
Funk
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1-Star Albums
5-Star Albums (95)
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Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punishing Kiss | 5 | 2.41 | +2.59 |
| Scott 2 | 5 | 2.64 | +2.36 |
| Triangle | 5 | 2.71 | +2.29 |
| Take Me Apart | 5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
| Basket of Light | 5 | 2.76 | +2.24 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elephant | 2 | 3.86 | -1.86 |
| Licensed To Ill | 2 | 3.56 | -1.56 |
| The Clash | 2 | 3.54 | -1.54 |
| Blood Sugar Sex Magik | 2 | 3.5 | -1.5 |
| Odelay | 2 | 3.46 | -1.46 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and high weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steely Dan | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Yes | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Miles Davis | 4 | 4.5 | 3.86 |
| Led Zeppelin | 4 | 4.5 | 3.86 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 4 | 4.5 | 3.86 |
| CHIC | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Kanye West | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
Popular Reviews
Radiohead
2/5
I really want to like Radiohead, I really do... But holy shit, this is depressing. I know it is unique and important for musical development. Problem is that music developed into a bicycle without brakes rolling down a really steap hill.
8 likes
Pentangle
5/5
Every now and then, you hear an album that you didn't know you needed in your life. This is one of those albums.
It's deeply unique, while still referencing its own time. The arrangements are thought provoking and the playing is marvellous. I am not usually a sucker for folky stuff, but this is amazing!
2 likes
Sebadoh
2/5
This is what it sounds like when kids try to write edgy music when they probably should go to therapy.
2 likes
CHIC
5/5
Why am I only now checking this out? These people manage to do more invention in 35 minutes than most do in a career. This is the First record on here that I wish was longer.
Great musicianship, production that’s almost unheard of and a concise package that never falters from being a danceable call to action for enjoying life.
2 likes
Various Artists
4/5
Cozy Christmas vibes all over the whole record! Also it is incredible to think about how young Spector was when he revolutionized music production.
1 likes
All Ratings
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Some great moments, and happy to experience it. A little too corny at times for my part
R.E.M.
4/5
I appreciate the inventiveness of the album, which bringes 80s pop/rock and the emerging 90s alternative scene. Some moments are brilliant, but it does not resonate completley with me at a deep emotional level. I am However a bigger REM fan now than a hour ago.
Beatles
4/5
Really well produced and innovative, with some of my favourite Beatles tracks. However, it becomes a bit of a chore with to much Lennon-Yoko quirkiness.
Miles Davis
4/5
A study in improvisation an sound painting. Interesting in it’s cultural context, but it has somehow lost its relevance. Also a little taxing in the long run.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
It´s a collection of great grooves and cool riffs. However, grooves and riffs usually goes on for five minutes longer than they should in the longer tracks. The shorter tunes like «Good Golly Miss Molly» makes for worthwhile listening though, and «Proud Mary» is a classic for a reason.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
A great little rock record! Surprisingly heavier than I thought, and I can definitively see the parallells to grunge. The guitar sound on «My My, Hey Hey» is absolutely gorgeous.
The Darkness
4/5
What an amazing nostalgia trip this turned out to be! I grew up with «One Way Ticket», but I never really explored The Darkness fully. This will be a staple in my «gym music» collection from now on. This is also an example that I am not a huge fan of goofy comedy music, but a rather big fan of satirical music.
Doves
3/5
A great album, with interesting ideas in its instrumentals. The vocals are not quite for me, and the lacking dynamics of the record leaves the whole record feeling a bit flat at length.
Aphex Twin
4/5
Interesting and sometimes beautiful textures with grooves that make you bop your head all over this record. The album is a wonderful example of music with a purpose: This is not a progressive artwork that opens for deep contemplation, but it is a selection of sounds that puts you into a pleasant state of mind. A great debut, but it also does lack the coherence and thoughtfulness that more mature artists usually show.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Brilliant album that never hets repetitive or boring. «When the Levee breaks» is a new favourite of mine.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Great classic rock record, with some amazing songs and great variety. The only thing holding it back is some less memorable songs towards the end of the album.
Joan Baez
3/5
Beautiful and charming album, from wonderfully talented young artist. Not quite my cup of tea at length, but a brilliant album and clearly important historically.
Various Artists
4/5
Cozy Christmas vibes all over the whole record! Also it is incredible to think about how young Spector was when he revolutionized music production.
Faust
4/5
I am officially a Krautrock fan! Some of the more pop-edrue songs are a bit meh (The Sad Skinhead), but the actual Krautrock is amazing.
Stephen Stills
5/5
My First «play on repeat»-album! Right up my alley, and this will be a stater in my collection. Awesome songwriting, great musicianship, and a whole album I enjoyed from start to end.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
I am not the right person to jugde this album. The whole thing felt like being in a club, and I think that is where this music fits best. If I walked into a club playing this, I would not be offended. Probably wouldn’t stay too long either. However, there are some highlights towards the end (One too many Mornings and Alive Alone.)
Beck
3/5
The genre blending of this is rather interesting, and some of the songs are good in the context of its genre. It is not really a thing I gravitate towards, but I do understand why its in this book.
SZA
3/5
Great work from the producers, and some nice used of rhythm from the rappers. However, I am not a huge fan of the overly «in your face» sexual lyrics. I know its part of the style, but the lack of subtlety makes it far less interesting than what it could have been.
The xx
2/5
A clear consize nostalgia melancholic vibe all throughout the album. But I don’t get why this album is so highly acclaimed.
Beatles
5/5
This album has some of my favourite Beatles tracks on it, and very little worthy of critique. I am not the worlds biggest Beatles fan, but that doesn´t mean this is not a brilliant album. Rather, this album makes me a bigger Beatles fan every time I hear it.
Doves
4/5
A far better album than the previous Doves record — dynamic and well structured. They stayed in shape in terms of musicianship, but are growing as songwriters.
Shuggie Otis
5/5
This is everything you want from a soul album and more! Amazing!
Blondie
4/5
I am always fascinated when I find an album and think «so that´s what the artist I like have been listening to». This was that kind of album. A part from some charming songs that didn't really fit up my alley, this was a brilliant listening experience that I did not expect liking as much as I did.
Beck
2/5
Some good moments for sure, but I find Beck not living up to the hype. The experimental forms ends up just feeling messy, and taking away from the brilliance that at times shines through.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I like it, but I don’t really get why its such a classic.
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
Cool dark atmosphere! A little short on strong tunes for my part, but a great album over all.
B.B. King
5/5
Live records are fun and all, but this is on a whole other level! Great musicianship and BB showing why he is so highly acclaimed. This album makes me regret never joining a blues band.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Monk is Monk — not quite my cup of tea, but a legend for a reason.
Beck
4/5
This is my third Beck album, and I have disliked the two previous. This, however, is beautiful. The noise experimentation works like a charm, surrounding a gifted singer-songwriter.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Everytime I listen to Black Sabbath, I ask myself «Where did that come from?». After spending some time with this album, I do see how these four young musicians mixed their jazz and blues roots into something heavier than what the world had seen up to that point. It is, however, even clearer to see the influence they have had on what came after them. Brilliant album, that I listen to far too seldom.
Parliament
5/5
Well, this is a party… No, literally!
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Beautiful, down to earth and a good reason to check out more of The Boss
Kelela
5/5
Beautiful songwriting, vocal performance and production! This shows that there are still ways of being experimental without losing track of form, and that RnB and Electronica can provide sublime musical beauty.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
I really love funk, and got my hopes up for this. And it is not bad, just a bit boring.
Fever Ray
5/5
I had absolutley no expectaions going into this, and I was very pleasantly surprised. This is an intriguing electronica record that encapsulates the Scandinavian winter perfectly. That is saying something, coming from a Norwegian listening to a Swedish artist.
And to all my fellow musician — most of our musical pride and joys took their sound from this, some way or another (probably through Highasakite).
The Stone Roses
4/5
I thought this was going Tonje overhyped hipster stuff, but I was surprised. Great tunes, great musicianship and all over a good vibe.
Beastie Boys
4/5
This is a fun record full of brilliant use of samples, cool grooves and immature lyrics. I prefer hip hop when it has some depth to its lyrics, but I liked this one a lot more than I expected to.
Adele
4/5
Adele is one of those artists that’s better than her hits. But her hits are still great!
M.I.A.
2/5
Experimental, but rarely in a good way. It has certain interesting moments, but not enough to make up for it being full of hiphop-clichés and annoying synths.
Could have been a 3, if it hasn’t been for the obvious mismatch between the album and the to last hits that seems to have been put there to save a risky project
Brian Wilson
3/5
This is a quirky, cute and somewhat interesting 60s record, made in 2004.
Guns N' Roses
5/5
Probably the most formative album for me personally, so it is next to impossible to give a neutral review.
However, upon hearing it for the first time in years it’ still holds up. The songs are well written and the arrangements strike me as suprisingly interesting. What always exited me about this is the song forms. It’s not as expansive as prog, but they push a bit further beyond the verse-chorus form and it truly makes the songs Musical journeys, However cheezy that may sound
Linkin Park
4/5
Nostalgia trip day 2!
Of course I've heard all the hits from this album, but I was surprised how well the rest of it holds up. The year 2000 was not necessarily a highlight in music history for my ears. This, however, is an exciting and fresh mix of metal and hip hop without any elements feeling forced.
It ain't a perfect 5 star album, but a hell of a lot closer than I expected it to be.
The Temptations
5/5
Great soul album, with the legendary «Papa was a Rolling Stone» on it. No bad tracks in my book, but a slightly goofy «Run Charlie Run». As opposed to other cringeworthy goofy stuff I've heard, this made me laugh a bit and has a great groove.
George Michael
3/5
This is a pop record — nothing more, nothing less. Very unprovocative, quit dull but not bad in any particular way.
Ray Charles
4/5
Classic album marked by great craft in the waiting and arrangements, as well as the genius of Ray Charles.
Beastie Boys
2/5
I like the instrumentals, and I giggled a bit. But this is just a bunch of immature white boys talking shit. I’ve been one myself, but still…
Sonic Youth
3/5
Influental and interesting in its context, but not really my thing.
Soundgarden
3/5
There are things I enjoy about this record. But it became a monotonous chore to get through. At 30 minutes, I would probably like it quite a bit more.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Sweet 60s vibes with brilliant production, arranging and musical performances. Some songs are better than others, but the album as a whole is solid
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
This is a beautiful place to spend some time – three wonderfully talented musicians (and sadly proof of what we lost when Scott LaFaro died a few days later at 25). As with most standard jazz, it is not something to get into just like that. It demands focus and preparation to get the most out of this record.
As an album being released, it ain't anything ground breaking. It is more an example of somebody that has mastered a tradition and a style. The cool jazz and post bop of the 50s has sort of come to its apex around this time, and this album is part of that.
So it is amazing musicianship, beautifully recorded, but not anything revolutionary. Still an amazing album though, I am trying to pace myself with the 5 star reviews here.
Hookworms
4/5
I have a lot of predjudice towards newer rock artists due to it including some of the most uninspiring music out there. But this is awesome — a nice blend of noise, groove, catchy pop and krautrock. I didn´t think that was possible, but here we are.
Norah Jones
3/5
Beautiful jazzy nostalgia! Would be a great lounge or bar band, but gets as a little dull recorded.
The Pogues
3/5
This is a vibe, but a bit too much of a novelty for me. But It’ll put it it on when I am really drunk.
Hole
3/5
Thought I'd hate it, but turned out its pretty nice! I like it when stuff like that happen.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
I was dreading going into this, but was positively surprised. I truly can't stand RHCPs hits, and there are a lot of them. However, I have always wondered why I don't like them — I am after all a metalhead that went funkier and poppier the older I got. Listening to this whole album made me realize that there are some things that I really like. Basically, the heavier, funkier or sentimental these guys get, the more I like them. Sadly, its too little of all those things and to many zeitgeist hits.
Eminem
3/5
An example of an album that is a great version of what it is. However, I don't really click with the thing that it is.
But how I wish I clicked more with it, cause there are some insane highlights on this record. I have never been so horrified by a song as I was by «Kim». Some of these songs make me giggle, but sadly there is too much «come on, get over with this».
The Bees
4/5
I had no clue what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised.
A beautiful, calm, short and sweet album blending an array of different genres. There are som jazzy brass, soul-esque chord playing on the rhodes, indie-style vocals and an overall aesthetic from electronic music.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Hip hop is by far my worst genre on here, but holy mother of something this album is absolutely insane! I've listened to it casually here and there before, but giving it a bit more attention opens up a whole new dimension. The lyrics are funny here and devastating here. The instrumentals and samples are both amazingly utilized, and the inclusion of the interview at the end is surprisingly beautiful.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
I do want to like this, but lyrics alone just doesn't cut it for me. I would have bought a novel written by Cohen, but I wouldn't buy this album. It isn't particularily bad, just not something that excites me.
The Who
3/5
A straight forward rock n’ roll album — nothing more, nothing less.
Roxy Music
3/5
The more guitar an synths there is, the more I like it. Sadly, there isn’t too much of that.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
So this is the sound of cocaine and statutory rape... Sounds pretty cool (I mean the music, not the other stuff).
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
What I find interesting about music from non-western cultures, is that its ritual function is so much more apparent than others. Sure, you have straight pop music from these cultures. But you also have this, where the music serves a function. It is useful. Given certain views on culture and artistic craft in the west, I think it makes it obvious that we have lost something that connects us. This music isn't just for putting on in the background at a dinner party. It is clearly a musical tradition that serves to connect people in praise.
Might not be something I listen to more than once, but I am extremely intrigued and very keen on checking out more albums like this.
Ray Charles
3/5
Not super exciting, but a beautiful expression of the mainstream jazz tradition. In addition, there is something to be said about the whole blending of soul and country, which must have been pretty radical at the time.
Great performances, great arrangements (its Marty Paich and strings, duh) and a nice way to start the day.
The Clash
2/5
It's punk — nothing more than that! I like The Clash but had never heard this before. And I was a bit disappointed of how bland it was. Looking back, punk didn't really bring too much to music apart from some catchy tunes and an annoying mentality among youth (yes, I do prefer prog, yacht rock and disco). This just sounds like The Ramones, just more drunk.
Steely Dan
5/5
Disclaimer: I already knew that I love this album, and its a given 5 in my book.
Something I've never thought about, is the fact that these two nerds basically invented a whole new musical movement straight out of college.
No, they were not the first to mix jazz with pop or rock. But there were not a lot of people implementing new elements and levels of sophistication into pop music. Whereas most people where focused on making jazz sound like progressive rock, Steely Dan starts implementing harmonies and forms that made them sound more like soul, but also a bit like country.
I know people like to stamp them with jazz pop or whatever, but in reality I think they were more about stepping past genre barriers. As the yacht rock idiom developed, this album became more and more influential.
The Strokes
3/5
A lot better than I expected! Cool guitar riffs and an expressive vokal performance, but a bit too monotonous.
Steely Dan
5/5
The Steely Dan album I’ve listenes to the least, but that’s about to change. This as hard rocking as they get, and I like it.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
This was a surprise! Well-written and quite well-played, with two hits that deserve the hype.
John Prine
3/5
I am not the biggest country fan, but this album made smile and chuckle. I recommend listening to it on a sunny winter's day on your way to the office for maximum impact.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
I am so close to giving this a 5 star. I was so surprised by how beautifully sophisticated this is in regards to harmony and their ability to grasp numerous genres, while still being more contained than most artists. What draws me back is just that it's not the thing that resonate most deeply with my instinctual aesthetic taste (I deserve to be slapped for writting that).
Ah, fuck it... I'll give it 5 stars!
The Style Council
4/5
Beautiful album! Sophisticated and well-made in all aspects. I only had time for one listen yesterday, but this one will stay with me for a while.
Talking Heads
3/5
Once again, I find a great album that just isn't my thing! I can hear the inventive and more sophisticated take on punk, as well as the energy and well-crafted songwriting. It just doesn't resonate with me aesthetically. Some songs are great, and I like quite a bit of Talking heads. But I do think they get better later on (which may or may not have something to do with them collaborating with Brian Eno and King Crimson, who I adore).
But the non-funky attempts at making punk and funk work together just sounds like a bunch of art school kids making an album that is important for the wrong reasons. They were inventive and interesting, but I don´t know if the impact they had and what came after did music much good.
Iggy Pop
4/5
This was good old fashioned rock n’ roll fun with a couple of bangers! Festing another overhyped hipster classic, I was positively surprised.
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
I'll take some of the songs with me into future listening, but all in all an inoffensive album that's quite similar to what I would have expected from a melancholy guitar band in 1991.
Prince
4/5
Not my favourite Prince album, but an interesting listening experience of cultural significance nonetheless.
The Soft Boys
3/5
Interesting instrumentals and at times beautiful atmospheres. But some corny tunes and the «too cool to be sincere» attitude in the vocals put me off.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
Afrofuturism is fun, and this is as afrofuturism as you can get! Genrewise, it is eclectic as all hell. The production, writing and performances are all brilliant. The album felt a bit long towards the end, but a solid record that I'll be revisiting.
(Who would have thought 2010s would be my best decade in here)
Joe Ely
3/5
Sometimes cozy and sometimes groovy country music. Nothing special in my ears, but worth a listen or two.
The White Stripes
3/5
This is basically what it would sound like if a high school garage band went into a professional studio — and I think that's the point. Not my cup of tea, but a great for what it is.
Björk
4/5
Bjørk is pushing boundaries! I wouldn’t necesarilly push all of those boundaries myself, but a great experience that I will come back to.
Jeff Buckley
4/5
Why haven't I listened to this before? Buckley has a beautiful voice, and his guitar playing is a fresh take on the classic singer-songwriter guitar style. The rest of the band is equally brilliant, and the same could be said about the songwritting. If you have only heard his cover of Hallelujah, you've only scratched the surface.
The only drawback is that the album is a bit on the long side. However, given Buckleys tragic faith, we should probablly just be grateful to have so much of his beatiful music with us.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Fun and trippy blues rock, with the iconic Janis Joplin on vocals. Not the most interesting thing I've heard, but I am one listening experience richer.
Peter Tosh
3/5
Nice reggae vibes and the most popular pro-cannabis campaign ever. It's not that I don't like it, but I don't need a full album of off-beat guitars, tom fills and drug-related lyrics
Tricky
4/5
I did not expect to enjoy this, but what an amazing atmosphere this album brings. It is full of soulful vocals, tastefully utilised instrumentals and a dark, erotic mood. It is a bit long, but I wouldn't mind that if I was listening to a CD that I bought.
Deerhunter
2/5
I was so tired of this album that I almost skipped out right before the OK songs. Still...
Portishead
3/5
So, apparently I like Trip hop. Interesting...
The Afghan Whigs
4/5
Atmospheric link between the beautiful melodic of the 80s and the angsty poetic of the 90s
The Prodigy
3/5
Intense, energetic and interesting. But for me this belongs in a club, and not on a Monday morning at the office.
Talking Heads
4/5
This is exactly what I always hope Talking Heads to sound like — energetic and punky, but still somewhat sophisticated. I'm still no big fan of David Byrnes vocal, but this is still an album I'll be revisiting.
Beatles
3/5
Just another Beatles album that don’t really deserve as much hype.
Soft Cell
3/5
The 80s sure had better stuff to offer, but there is something there. «Sex Dwarf» made me chuckle, and «Say Hello, Wave Goodbye» is absolutely beautiful.
Taylor Swift
2/5
From a different artist this might be a four, but I am just so disappointed that I actually haven't been judgemental in not liking Taylor Swift. I so want this to be good, but its just neither interesting, listenable or inventive.
Despite some glimpses of actually very good tunes, this just doesn't justify Taylor Swift being as big as she is.
It's okay for background music, which is how I ended up listening to it. It kind of sound like writing a ton of pop songs, trying to be inventive with a more country-esque sound but ending up sounding like some mediocre hits from the 90s with better production. In my opinion, this is at her best when she embraces being a pop star with a more electronic image. «Gold rush» is brilliant, «Long story short» is catchy, and there are some ballads. But the whole cottagecore thing feels more like a gimmic that drags the album down.
Eagles
5/5
Sign 37 that I am getting ready to reproduce: I now enjoy The Eagles.
In all seriousness — this got so much! The melodic creaftmanship, great musicianship (the riff on Life in the Fast Lane is way to often overlooked), and the ability to craft a cohesive album that works as a whole. I will say that I am not huge on the title track, but listening to this proved that is probably just a result of it being excessively overplayed. Listening to this also shows why it is so overplayed, cause this is brilliant.
CHIC
5/5
Why am I only now checking this out? These people manage to do more invention in 35 minutes than most do in a career. This is the First record on here that I wish was longer.
Great musicianship, production that’s almost unheard of and a concise package that never falters from being a danceable call to action for enjoying life.
The Doors
4/5
At times run-of-the-mill blues rock, at times psychedelic and kinda progressive. All in all good listening experience.
Miles Davis
5/5
There is a limit to how much bad you can say about this record. It was immensely influential, and for a good reason. The modal approach to improvisation as well as the very distinct cool sound ended up affecting all jazz and a lot of other music that came after. The solos are iconic, the songs are well crafted and ALL of the musicians went on to form jazz in their own ways.
The only negative is that I have heard it too many times to be blown away. This, however, gave me a chance to dig even more into the details of how great it truly is.
Holger Czukay
4/5
Weird, wild and oddly beautiful… I like it!
Cypress Hill
3/5
Police are bad, m'kay?
Brian Eno
4/5
Beautiful at times, corny at others! I like it, but mostly because it clearly hints at what was to come from Eno.
Yes
5/5
I knew for a fact that I adore this album, but this was a great excuse to revisit it.
And what an album this is. With a few longer pieces it is at the same time punchy, concise, explorative and vast in scope. The production sounds about five or so years ahead of its time. The musicianship is absolutley insane. If it hadn´t been for the strang guitar pieces in between, this could potentially be a perfect album (and those are not bad, just a bit odd). This is a blast that I need to revisit more often.
Perpetual Change is a new favourite track of mine.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Decent, listenable new wave pop, but not something I’ll revisit. One of many Talking Heads copies.
Radiohead
3/5
I want to like Radiohead, but it’s just not for me. Allthough there are some beautiful and thought provoking Tracks on here, must of it just doesn’t resonate with me. However, I can’t deny how influental this is.
Talking Heads
3/5
Turns out all you need to make Talking Heads my cup of tea is a bit of King Crimson in the mix.
All jokes aside, I feel like they're a band were I have mixed feelings about they're sound. However, for me it comes down to me enjoying the songs on here a bit more than the two previous albums.
TV On The Radio
4/5
This is the most straight forward, and strangest album I've heard on here.
In terms of concept it is a bunch of regular pop songs following the AOR philosophy of having as many bangers on a record as possible. But stylistically, this is all over the place. At times I feel like turning it off, while at others I am feeling deeply touched.
The star rating reflect the album as a whole. To me, 4 stars mean I loved some and hated some of this. Also, it is pretty long, but that's just something we have to deal with as a consequence of the CD age.
Beatles
3/5
Great songwriting, but sonicly stuck in the past. Based on what Else happened this year, I don’t really get the hype.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
I love funk, I love rock, but can’t stand these guys music. They’re good musicians, I just disagree with their idea of what sounds good.
Little Richard
3/5
I don’t dislike it, but I do understand why rock n’ roll struggled with being talen seriouslly before the 60s. It’s a bunch of sexually changed 12 bar blues with sax solos, which is cool, but gets a bit much.
Sheryl Crow
5/5
I am a tall, bearded man with a bald head and a love for powerlifting. And I absolutely adore this album — why on earth has nobody exposed me to this?
Liz Phair
2/5
Just another meh album I couldn’t be bothered with finishing.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Wow! I thought Leonard Cohen wasn't for me, but I was wrong. This is so darkly atmospheric, I was happy it was raining outside while listening to it. The arrangements are sparse but it works wonderfully.
Stereo MC's
3/5
It didn't bother me to turn it off, but I didn't focus too much on it. I feel it is best that way.
David Ackles
4/5
Beautiful and atmospheric Americana. As a fan of musicals and modern classical music, there are some distinct harmonic influence from these places. I also love how it's not all corny story telling, but blending colourful instrumentation with sincere beauty of the musical composition. And the clarity of his lyrical delivery makes me ponder why this guy has become so forgotten.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
The cloudy, dreamy blanket of sound is a great gag that I enjoy from all of my heart. I can't name the different songs or how they differ, and I don't care. I still love this.
Eminem
2/5
I was one of the kids who just nodded along when everybody was obssesed with Eminem in grade 2 or 3, thinking «not quite for me». I was a wise kid.
In all seroousness: It's well-produced and put together with a great delivery. It's just not something worth my time fifteen years after finishing elementary school.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
Ah, meh attempt at making every rnb clichee of the 2020s sound artsy by interjecting supposedly empowering samples that is just adding to objectification of women. So it basically fails at everything it’s doing, apart from sounding not terrible.
If it was only trying to be a collection of singles, it would have potential. On it and The Other Side is pretty cool, but not enough to save this mess.
Iron Maiden
5/5
This is Maiden at their best! Energetic, Melodic, lyrically epic and flat out metal.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Beautiful, nothing else to say!
Ryan Adams
3/5
A nice take on the americana singer-songwriter tradition, with beautfull arrangements and a few rockers. It did not carry my attention all the way through, but its still a good album that I'll give a re-listen.
The Last Shadow Puppets
2/5
You can´t compensate for your own mediocre musiciansship and creative imagination by hiring an arranger and a orchestra...
Femi Kuti
4/5
Obviously influenced by papa Fela, but an amazing rendition of the style. It suffers a bit under being part of the CD age's obsession with filling every single second of disk memory, but I honestly don't mind too much. I just view it as a package of energetic afrobeat, with a ton of songs that sound similar but raise different issues regarding the West African experience in a time where that was sorely needed.
Miles Davis
4/5
This is a pretty interessting album, given that it serves as a connection between bebop and the following cool jazz. Some of it is pure bop, some of it is miles ahead of its time (ba-dum-tss).
The White Stripes
2/5
Alternative title: The White Stripes parodies the 1960s for an hour, and creates the most obnoxious guitar riff in the process.
It has a few moments of beauty, but come on…
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Another album that’s better than its mediocre hits! At its best it’s grooving and beautiful — at its worst it’s Billy Corgan complaining on top of guitar noise.
Nas
4/5
I am not a huge hip hop fan but this is a brilliant example of the times when hiphop really resonates with me: Politically charged and interesting lyrics, as well as intricate beats with creative use of samples. This is brilliant!
John Martyn
4/5
Beautiful, Interesting, but a bit to mumbly!
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
The bad thing about this not being on Spotify, is I have to listen on YouTube and have it being interrupted by ads.
As for the music, its atmospheric and beautiful. It becomes a bit repetitive, but at the same time being contained enough with a short runtime.
a-ha
3/5
I'm Norwegian and I love music from the 1980s, but this doesn't hit me as much as I want it to.
That being said, I want to judge this album objectively. All though it relies on my least favorite tropes from the eigthties (dorky synth sounds and lackluster ballads), this is still an insane leap from the other stuff going on in Norway at that time. On a world wide level, it´s still able to put a distinct period to the early synth pop movement. And the main strength of this is clearly melodies — there being three iconic singles on here, and those doesn't even include the best song in my opinion, goes to show that they wrote great songs. I just don't agree with everything they did in arranging those songs.
However, The Sun Always Shines on TV and Living a Boy's Adventure Tale are pretty awesome.
The Stooges
2/5
Rather dull at length, but no denying this was influental as hell.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Cool, but I like the E Street Band too much.
The Stooges
2/5
Proto-punky acid trip… Kinda weird, kinda boring. Wouldn’t be on here if it was any other band.
Frank Zappa
4/5
This is an absolutly ridiculous album! The opening track is one of my favourites, and the remainder where no less positively surprising. Zappas guitar solos gets a bit masturbatory at times, but his eclectic composition and arranging more than makes up for it. A lot of his guitar playing is also quite tasty, which is more than can be said about many players.
King Crimson
5/5
King Crimson — do I need to say more?
Hanoi Rocks
4/5
The album art makes me cringe a bit, but these guys from Finland are right on top of the developments of Glam Metal. As someone who grew up loving Glam Metal (and still listen to it occasionally), I can't deny that this made me bop my head.
Observation: When your rhythm guitarist is called Nasty Suicide, it shows how tough these guys thought they were. That's pretty funny forty years after.
Pantera
3/5
I appreciate the groove, but it gets a bit monotonous. If they Could have written a few more tunes like «This Love» I wouldn’t mind
Green Day
4/5
It's punk, just played by actual musicians, which is pretty cool! Sadly, I'm too young to feel nostalgic about it and too old for it to resonate with me. However, it did resonate with me when I was younger and I still get why it did.
Slint
3/5
Dark and mysterious — didn’t quite fit my mood, but will revisit.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Cool consept, but it gets slightly tiring! Probably works better in a club when you're high as a kite.
Paul Simon
3/5
Some cool guitar stuff, but he can do better!
Paul Simon
3/5
I appreciate this, but it is not always my thing. Also Paul Simon stole credit for the songwriting on this one from the guest artist, but that’s just him being a dick. Now that I think about it: This would actually be a pretty cool record without Paul Simon.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
Going into this with low expectaitions, but being surprised! The beats are fresh sounding and organic like a farmers market in spring. The lyrics aare as far away from a farmers market as you can get, but impactful on a level that's sadly too rare in hip hop of that era. It does drag a bit, and would probably be a five star album had it been 30-45 minutes.
Wilco
4/5
Great, interesting arrangements and musicianship. A bit monotonous, but will revisit.
De La Soul
4/5
I enjoy the concept and use of samples, but there is a bit too much filler.
KISS
4/5
Nostalgic revisit! The songs are strong, if not always mindblowing. In addition, this is a clear example of where glam rock becomes glam metal, which shows how influental this turnes out to be.
The Byrds
3/5
Melodic record that would somtimes benefit from a bit less acid.
Sarah Vaughan
5/5
Beautiful musicianship, while extraordinarily down to earth. This amazing little album brings you into a true live experience, which contains as much charming personality as wonderful music.
The Cardigans
4/5
What´s up with swedes and creating beautiful melodies? This is brilliant!
Lou Reed
4/5
I was expecting to dislike this album, but put it on in the background! «This is probablly just another overhyped depressed junkie with a guitar and an undeserved record deal».
At some point I started to wonder «Hmm, this sounds very different than what I expected». By the end I had to put all my focus into this, and it revealed itself to be absolutely beautiful. Then I looked at the personell involved, and I was mindblown. This has both Brecker Brothers, Steve Winwood, Bob Ezrin, Tony Levin AND Jack Bruce on it?
Upon my second listening, I now realize that I am a complete idiot. This is beautifully arranged and performed. At times it sounds fresher than anything else of the day, which goes to show Ezrin's talent for production. The album drags a bit in the middle, but never so much that it would be better off if anything was removed. There are things that don't always resonate with my aesthetic preferences, but most of the album hits me straight in the heart.
I know need to revisit every single «overhyped depressed junkie with a guitar», which is far too many for me to list here.
k.d. lang
4/5
This album having less than 3 star average while Radiohead is being praised all around shows the nihilistic down hill society finds itself in. We need more glorious cowboy nostalgia in this world.
Jimmy Smith
4/5
Cool stuff that influenced a whole shitload of even cooler stuff!
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Having an industrial noise rock tune from a depressive album like this become a sex anthem is a pretty good job.
50 Cent
2/5
This album sounds expensive and all, but it ain't for me. In my ears it just sounds like a producer spent a lot of money having 50 Cent talk about bad life decisions and putting an interessting but mostly monotonous collection of samples in the background.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
I honestly can't imagine anyone not liking this album! It's beautifully orchestrated and amazingly performed by band as well as the queen herself. Listening to this 56 years after its release, it sounds mindblowingly timeless. Apart from slightly better microphones today, this sounds like it could hit just as hard today.
Garbage
4/5
Even though this is part of a tradition I usually actively dislike (cynical Gen X bands who spent more time figuring out their image than their music), I can not deny that this is both clearly influential and pretty listenable.
Buzzcocks
4/5
Why does everybody talk about The Sex Pistols? These guys can actually play!
Public Enemy
3/5
The cooler the sample, the cooler these guys are.
Earth, Wind & Fire
5/5
I prefer «In the Stone», and I feel like this is 1001 albums trying to sneak in some Yatch Rock while still feeling cool. But come on, this is still amazing!
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Sometimes I get an album that doesn't fit my mood, even though I know its good.
This was the oposite case: I really needed some beautiful noise in my ears while doing monotonous tasks at work. However, it did go to autoplay and I didn't realize until I had heard five random songs from the same genre. So yeah, its not unique. I still like it though.
Christine and the Queens
4/5
I love 80s pop too much to not like this! It is a bit on the dragging side, but a great listen all in all.
Radiohead
2/5
I really want to like Radiohead, I really do... But holy shit, this is depressing. I know it is unique and important for musical development. Problem is that music developed into a bicycle without brakes rolling down a really steap hill.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
This is moody in all the best possible ways.
The Byrds
4/5
One of the better albums I've heard from a decade and set of genres I don't really care too much for. Crosby's songwriting is brilliant, and the others are enjoyable. Also pretty cool to see two South African jazz legends on here.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
This was a wild ride! It didn't quite fit my mood, but definitivly worth a listen.
Ramones
4/5
I have never tried hard drugs, but I imagine listening to 14 songs in 29 minutes is somewhat reminiscent of doing cocaine.
Anyways, iconic record!
Bert Jansch
3/5
Great guitar player — need to revisit this when walking in the woods!
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
This is basically The Beatles, just with better production gear. That's great and all, but they struggle to bring anything new to the table.
Joan Armatrading
4/5
Funk and beauty — all in one!
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Come on, its Aretha Franklin!
Foo Fighters
3/5
Foo Fighters was a central part of my musical upbringing! There are some early signs of the greatness that is to come, but they are still lacking in the song structures and dynamics within each piece — both being central aspects of the band at their best.
3/5
This is the kind of stuff where I respect and appreciate the artistic idea, but I can't imagine a time where I would listen to it. Going to a show — sure. But listening to it on record...
Keith Jarrett
5/5
Don't really need to listen to this, but if you insist!
Sonic Youth
3/5
The playing is interesting and it creates an intriguing dark mood. But I am having a pretty good day, so not quite my taste.
Queen
3/5
As a fan of prog and Queens hits, I should love it!
However, I feel like the dynamic range of Queens pop hits is lacking here. So is the adventurous writing of the prog greats. The album lacks dramaturgical developement and sadly ends up sounding just like most stuff in the early 70s — straight grooves, standarized guitar playing and lyrically focused vocals.
I don't really dislike any of these things. However, it just seems disapointing when Queen is doing something more prog-like. The sad thing is that parts of the album is brilliant. Father and Son, Ogre Battle, and Seven Seas of Rhye are all great. Funny How love is and Some day One day are also beautiful at times. But this is also where they try to explore things that separate them from other rockers of the time. Sadly most of this album is relying to heavy on rock tropes that were already explored before this record. Queen did the tropes well, but the album ends up feeling very «meh».
Dr. Dre
3/5
I aknowledge that this is good and all — its just not my thang.
Kraftwerk
4/5
So this is what you get when you combine a bunch of young intellectual types, synthesizers and a liberal national drug policy? Sounds pretty neat.
Also: Thumbs up for basically inventing a new genre, and being an influence on everything that came after it.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
Apart from the opening track, this just sounds like the same stuff he was doing in the 40s, just with better gear.
Elvis Presley
4/5
Undeniably amazing voice, but slightly more mature than the rock n roll from the 50s. And he's got the musicians to back him up — Scotty Moore is one of the criminally underrated guitar players of music history.
Radiohead
4/5
After 28 years of being a human, spending 5 of those years studying for a Master's in Musicology, I finally had my first pleasant experience of Radiohead.
It's still depressive and all, but at least this wasn't an overrated waste of time. It is actually almost as interesting as people say the other records are supposed to be.
It's still way too long though.
Throwing Muses
4/5
Punk made by people who can actually play and write… Pretty cool indeed!
Björk
3/5
Weird, but not really bad
Alice In Chains
4/5
Dark, heavy and grooving… Did not expect to like this album as much as I did!
Soul II Soul
3/5
I feel like this could be a piece of seamless background music, which has its purpose. That is until you get the spiritual pompous MC-style babling on top.
Ute Lemper
5/5
Why is this record so hated on? It's a little bit dated in its production, but the performance and arrangements are glorious!
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
A part from a few cool sax solos, this is pretty annoying.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
Straight up rock and roll, well done — nothing fancy, and it doesnt have to be!
Kings of Leon
2/5
Luckily they got better
Ray Price
4/5
This is giving me serious David Lynch vibes — I love it!
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Some of the tunes drag on for a bit too long, but come on… This is Curtid Mayfield! Beautifully orchestrated with simple measures, and a vocal that Prince just ripped off (Prince is still awesome though).
The Fall
3/5
The production on this is so dated and it's a pitty, cause I sort of like what they've written.
Pulp
3/5
This is almost good!
The songs are well structured, but they're stuck in basic chords and melodies.
The lead guitar playing is interesting, but the guitar sound is horrible.
The lyrics are great and audible, but sang in a monotonous voice that I can't stand.
And they don't solve most of these problems until the last song!
Ride
3/5
Beautiful collection of pretty noise — I don't mind that at all!
Kanye West
5/5
Almost forgot Kanye is an immensley talented producer… This is outstanding!
Fiona Apple
3/5
Interesting avant-garde pop! There are very few instances where I listen to this stuff, but I do like it
Solomon Burke
3/5
This is pretty cool!
Kanye West
5/5
Hip hop is my lowest rated genre, but holy smokes this is great! More progressive rap please — and some mental health care for Kanye, while you're at it.
White Denim
3/5
Old school rock n'roll!
The Divine Comedy
4/5
Despite it becoming a bit of a novelty at times, I enjoy this! Harmonically exciting, lushly arranged and full of a old school cabaret aesthetic that I really like in a strange sort of way. If he wrote a novel in the same aesthetic, I would probablly rate that 5 stars.
(I deeply dislike the cover though)
Sade
5/5
The only bad thing about this is the endless copycats that have tried to copy it. But this is gold!
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Not my thing, but an iconic hit parade nevertheless!
Spacemen 3
2/5
Yeah, doing drugs don't make you worthy of an album.
The Only Ones
3/5
The song ideas are interessting, and somewhat decently executed. But the vocals…
Taylor Swift
3/5
So this is basically a synthwave record with a few mediocre singles put into the mix… I enjoy the synthwave part though, and I now finally understand the hype: Taylor Swift exposes people that have no interest in music to her version of great pop music styles. Sadly, quite a few of this people are music critics.
Meat Puppets
3/5
Am I the only one that think this sounds like Morty from the sci-fi animated show in a garage band?
Ravi Shankar
4/5
Educational and inspiring — words I reerely use about records on here!
Alanis Morissette
5/5
Probably the most fun I’ve had listening to a woman being pissed off.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Feels like what you'd hear in a quite town around 1875!
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Making funk sophisticated, jazz accesible and inspiring the ecclectism of the decade to come! Brilliant!
Michael Jackson
5/5
The best example of a musical legacy where a vocalists personal life and his music is best separated!
ZZ Top
4/5
Riffy Rock n roll that you want to have a beer with! I dig it!
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Bossa magic! Not an every day kind of thing, but definitivley perfect when the occasion requires it
Suede
3/5
This is basically the better version of pretentious glam indie that tortured the 90s and 2000s. Not too bad.
Devendra Banhart
2/5
I kind of understand the appeal for people trying to rebel against over-produced perfectionist music. But it's not for me.
Duran Duran
5/5
Just about everything that was good about the 80s — catchy choruses, exciting arrangements, eclectic writing and beautiful musicians with great chops.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
They are basically what Beatles would have sounded like with American passports.
Sonic Youth
3/5
This is the kind of thing that I fully respect and kind of respect as an artistic expression, but being a somewhat well-functioning and generally optimistic adult makes me never listen to this.
David Bowie
3/5
First half is the epitome of what inspired the next generation of dad rock (90s and 00s bands going back to their roots), second half is refreshing «rock musician tries going experimental».
I don´t dislike this album, but why on earth does everyone talk about Bowie? He was talented, but not that talented.
Billy Bragg
2/5
Not quite my type of nostalgia.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Dylan doing the blues is cool, but not for an hour and 12 minutes.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
On being questioned if I prefer The Stones or The Beatles, I always want to say Stones. They wrote some of the most iconic songs of the sixties, and I would say they were more daring than their british counter part.
However, that's due to their hits — Gimme Shelter, Satisfaction, Sympathy for the Devil and Paint it Black. Beyon that, they are just a meh bluesy rock band. I just wish that they put as much effort into every single song, as they did in their singles.
Peter Frampton
5/5
Imagine how I felt finding the live version of «Do You Feel Like We Do?» on YouTube when I was 13, right as I started playing guitar. I mean, just the transition from the talkbox part to the solo — holy shit!
And then a full album of stuff like that!
Yeah, this is awesome!
Khaled
4/5
Fun crossover album, and now I want to check out more Algerian music! This is why I love 1001albums!
(But why on earth did they have to put Imagine on this album)
Skunk Anansie
3/5
This album swings from meh to wow the whole way through! The more orchestral tracks are clear 4 or 5 star tracks, but the heavier stuff ain't for me (not in general, I love heavy stuff, but just not Skunk Anansie's heavy stuff).
The Doors
3/5
Pretty cool dad rock that is best enjoyed with a side of drugs.
System Of A Down
3/5
At least, it has aged a lot better than most other nu metal.
Happy Mondays
2/5
Proof that horrible vocals can destroy an okay record. At times the songwriting on this is pretty interesting, and although its usually less than mediocre, the musicianship could have been saved by a sincere singer that actually bothered developing his craft.
The 80s were such a brilliant decade for music — how the hell did this make it on here!
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Not only is this a beautifully melodic jazz record, it explored odd time signatures with a sophisticated and tasty way that is rarely seen outside of the greatest progressive rock albums. I keep forgetting how much I like this record between each listen (it is also an album that my girlfriend enjoys, which doesn't happen too often on this list, so that is a major bonus point).
Minutemen
2/5
This album is at times both funky and beautiful. But most of the time it's ironic, noisy without a reason, and just like every other punk that should have better ways to serve society.
I wish it was the other way around.
The Kinks
2/5
There are moments here, I'll give it that! But the only thing separating this from american music in the 40s is a british accent, more expensive tech and the pretentious instinct to call it baroque pop because they used harpsichord on a couple of songs.
I'll give it 3 stars as it isn't really bad, just uninteresting in hindsight.
Common
4/5
I am a bit disappointed with this record, because it promises so much! Common himself is a brilliant musician (like everybody else in the Soulquarians). J Dilla was and Kanye is an amazing producer. Even John Mayer and John Legend is featured on this.
And although the album itself is good, I am left being slightly underwhelmed. The lyrics are not as interesting as say Kanye or Kendrick, and the tracks could have been more creatively developed (I mean, its not like this guy doesn't know a shit ton of outstanding musicians). That being said — its still better than the last ten or so records I hava had on here.
Metallica
4/5
I have a mixed relationship with Metallica. Every demographic quality I have says that I should love them (white male born in the mid 90s, music educated guitarist, book lover and eager weight lifter). However, I have always loathed «Enter Sandman», while I love «Nothing Else Matters».
I think what it comes down to is my love for dynamic song structure as well as responding well to melodic and harmonically interesting moments. Exploring different tonal or dynamic ranges, new textures and melodic passages is something a lot of metal bands skip out on, in favor of heavier riffs and angry delivery of lyrics. Metallica falls into that trap to often.
That being said, this has a lot of greatness about it.
«Nothing Else Matters» will always be close to my heart.
I also enjoyed «My friend of Misery» a lot, with a really cool bass riff, the harmonic change into the chorus, and a atmospheric middle eight leading into a very non-Metallica solo that I love (Before Kirk turns Kirk again...). «The Struggle Within» is also a new found love. Short and sweet, but with an almost Maiden-esque intro and a solid chorus riff.
«The Unforgiven» and «Don't Thread Me» are also great with their references to western soundtracks and musical theatre, respectively.
«Don't Thread Me» together with «Wherever I May Roam» also has choruses that break away from the E minor riffing in such a satisfying way.
The same goes for «Of Wolf and Man», which also has one of the better guitar solos I've heard from Kirk (That opening lick, MY GOD)! The solo on «The God That Failed» also has a really cool open string lick that I will definitely be stealing.
Funny enough, I went back to «Enter Sandman» and «Sad But True» after finishing this. And I think the big thing I dislike about this, is that they rely to much on the same textures. Hetfield's angry lyrical delivery, bottom string riffing, back beat with crash cymbals, and lazily structured lick-based wah-wah solos.
All of this makes them sound very Metallica and they've really honed down that aesthtic, so my criticsm is very subjectiv. Objectively speaking, this is a solid well-crafted album. I still like Metallica of the 80s far more than this, so there is that.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
This record was probably not intended for sober white guys in the gym on a Saturday morning. Still, can't say I dislike it — reggae just isn't quite for me.
Fats Domino
3/5
There aren’t a lot of rock albums that Could be described as jolly. But this is very jolly!
Nick Drake
4/5
Beautiful and timeless — hard to believe it was made by a 21 year old in 1969!
Terence Trent D'Arby
5/5
Somewhere between Sade, Michael Jackson and Prince, we find this little gem. This album is soulful, atmospheric and with a sleek production that'll make anyone in LA blush.
The only reason why I am not instantly in love with this thing, is because it is not quite what I feel like today. But I give this 4.5 stars and keep it in my back pocket for a sunny day BBQ.
Note: If you ever want to hear how cool a really stupid easy guitar part can sound, the intro to I'll never turn my back on you is it.
Judas Priest
5/5
This is a nostalgia trip from my days as a longhaired NWOBHM fanatic. I was more keen on Iron Maiden and Def Leppard, but I was slightly familiar with JP.
Back then I only listened to the singles, and listening to this as a whole make me realize how good it is! The playing is brilliant, Halford is a true Heavy Metal God, and they have more variety in this album than most metal bands in their career. The glorious anthem of United, the groove of The Rage, and the majestic light-prog of Red, White and Blue. And that is excluding the bangers Living After Midnight and Breakin' the Law.
Didn't think this would get 5 stars, but here we are.
The B-52's
2/5
Just another quirky punky new wave record... It is basically Talking Heads, just worse.
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
Atmospheric and beatiful, with just enough grit and punch to make it interesting.
Queen Latifah
3/5
Some great instrumentals, and I like her flow! But I will probably never listen to this again.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
This record sounds amazing — the production is really ahead of its time. The songwriting is stellar, as is to be expected by a beatle. The melodies are beautiful and the arrangements are well-crafted.
However, the songs feels like they drag on for too long. It sounds like McCartney wanted to make a prog record, without the dramaturgical abilities to make a well structured prog song. In the end it feels a bit boring and messy, apart from a few really good tunes.
4/5
I was kind of expecting something else, and at the same time what I got was exactly as expected. A great little piece of psychedelic soul, even though I prefer the more progressive song structures of the title track
Gary Numan
4/5
I've always been fascinated by futuristic music. I find it interesting to explore artists visions of what the future will sound like. And while Numan wasn't spot on (this album sounds distinctly like 1979, or maybe 1981), it is still a fascinating exploration of a possible musical future.
Traffic
4/5
I love Steve Winwood, so of course I am going to like this! It's picking up the pieces of everything that was happening in the 60s, and making a great concise expression out of it. The songs tend to be a bit to long, without any good reason for them to be so long.
I will also say that Winwood got better as he aged, but this is still an objectively great record.
Drive-By Truckers
5/5
Something I would never have discovered on my own, but I am glad I did. And while it is lacking the musical interest of the musicals, rock operas and prog rock epics that I love, the storytelling brings something fresh to the classic southern rock aesthetic.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
I like Thin Lizzy, but I am too young to have seen their original line up live. This is as close as I get, even though I am generally not a fan of live albums. A lot of the experience gets lost, and especially in a genre like this where high energy showmanship is part of the experience.
But yeah, I'll give it 4 stars because Thin Lizzy deserves more recognition. Also, bonus points for having a young Huey Lewis on here.
Cat Stevens
4/5
warm and cozy like a cup of cocoa in the winter.
CHIC
5/5
This is what you want to put on at a house party!
Miles Davis
5/5
Everbody talks about Bitches Brew, but I feel like this has had just as much impact in the development of fusion. While Bitches brew is clearly taking as much from free jazz as from rock and soul, this is more of a natural step forward from what Miles had done before. Sometimes the magic truly happens in the small changes, like adding a guitar or experimenting with more keyboard players and amplified keys.
Also: Holy smokes, this line-up is wild!
Le Tigre
3/5
I probably would have loved this if they were not trying to purposefully underproduce the whole thing, as a political statement. They write beautiful melodies, and have a sense of song structure that many highly acclaimed artists lack.
All in all I am glad I know that this exists, even If I am not going to revisit it.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
I never realised how angry this record is, despite the nostalgic 60s sound! The production is a beautiful remaking of the classic soul aesthetic from the hayday of Motown. At the same time, it clearly shows the troubled front woman who died far to early.
Traffic
5/5
Yes, this is what I've always wanted from Traffic! I've checked out a few of their earlier albums but nothing really impresses me. And then this comes along, showcasing the genius of Steve Winwood in all his glory. It's harmonically intriguing, melodically sublime, well-crafted in all aspects and just a really exiting record.
5/5
I already knew I loved this, but its always a nice excuse to revisit an old favourite!
Upon this listen, I find myself realising how well-crafted this thing is. First of all, the album starts three timeless hit singles IN A ROW. And then there is the music itself. The Edge is probably the most underrated guitar player in regards to influence on others, even though he is still very highly acclaimed. Bono is a almost perfect front man — charismatic, gifted and a great lyricist.
And there is the two unsung heroes — Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen. The rhythm section is truly what differentiates U2 from those who have tried to copy them. The bass is driving and powerfull as any metal bass player, and the drum grooves are often unique while making perfect sense. Those two things are very often underestimated, but U2 shows why they are important.
In terms of songs, this is ecclectic, energetic, atmospheric, beautiful and interesting on so many levels. It is truly incredible to see what this band is able to do with only four components. Yes, there is some synth from Brian Eno, but that is surprisingly subtle and the band shines perfectly well regardless.
Yeah, this is a favourite that I don't listen to often enough.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Cool gimmick, but this noisy indie record does feel very much like a gimmick! It's like saying «this is the feeling of being a popular kid with angsty thoughts, and these are a few ways of making that sound».
Kraftwerk
4/5
Kraftwerk being Kraftwerk — nothing to complain about!
Janis Joplin
4/5
Okay, so I am generally sceptical to these larger than life rock stars and especially from this period (late 60s, early 70s). Usually, they were more a case of cult of personality with image being more important than their talent.
But this is awesome! Janis Joplin was undeniably an image driven front woman, but she was also a brilliant singer. And the writing and playing on this is on a whole other level. It is virtuosic, energetic and eclectic in all the best possible ways.
I just want to get of work, go home, and play the guitar now. That's what a good rock album should do.
The Beta Band
4/5
Now I know where Jacob Collier got his vocal tone from!
Jokes aside, this was a pleasant surprise. Beautifully atmospheric, sonically interesting and refreshingly out of time at a time when music was generally pretty shit. I love this!
Led Zeppelin
4/5
I have a strange relationship to Led Zeppelin. There are tons of brilliant moments here and there — atmospheric psychedelic sections, iconic riffs and grooves like no other white band. And then I am trying to figure out why I never listen to them on purpose?
The answer, I think, is that Robert Plant rarely sings a traditional melody. He is a brilliant front man, and when he sings melodies they are often beautiful. But for me, it is a central aspect of what separates brilliant bands from lesser bands. As an example — The chorus to The Rover is awesome, but I don't really care for the verse.
Another thing, that they sometimes gets right but not always, is exploration in longer tunes. Just because you like jamming high volume blues riffs for ten minutes, does not mean you should (In my time of dying).
And then there is Kashmir, where they just get things right! The same goes for In The Light — these are two long songs that deserves the time spent.
Also some of Page's riffs gets a bit same-same, which I think is why many Led Zep copycats suck. Just because Jimmy Page wrote some of the most iconic riffs of all time, don't mean all his riffs are great.
However that opening riff on Wanton Song is amazing. And there are tons of amazing guitar parts — usually when he departs from straight blues material. The opening to Ten Years Gone are beautiful, and again: KASHMIR!
So all in all an objectively good album that thought me quite a bit and gave me a few new tracks to listen to in isolation. However, this would have been better as a single disc record.
Raekwon
2/5
While some of the samples are nice, this is... Like, come on, I am a well-functioning adult. I don't have time for this.
The Doors
5/5
The Doors are probably not underrated, but they are under-hyped. This album is one of the best debuts I've ever heard, even though it's not a style that I gravitate toward.
Jim Morrisson is a rock n' roll icon for a reason — great voice, clear lyrical delivery and a brilliant charisma that even shines through on a recording.
And then there is the band! The guitar playing of Kreuger basically sums up guitar playing before Hendrix, while still bringing a fresh legato style playing on The End that I think far too few are aware of being influenced by. And the use of organ is something that will dominate the music of the coming decade, be it in soul, prog or early metal. On top of that you have a solid drummer that ties it all together.
Sigur Rós
5/5
Sigur Rós is always a five, but this was a nice opportunity to check out their debut. Beautifully orchestrated to capture an ambient yet intense atmosphere.
Pearl Jam
5/5
I used to say I don't like grunge. Now I say that I really like grunge, I just hate Nirvana.
Pink Floyd
5/5
I have heard all of these songs at some point, but I didn't realise until today that I've never listened to the whole album. Why I haven't is hard to say, because this is an amazing album despite all the people saying its an amazing album.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
Surprisingly fun and well-made, but not something I imagine myself drifting towards.
Bob Dylan
3/5
I am in a group of people that read books or watch movies when I want a story to be told, and I prefer music that relies on... Well, music. And while I appreciate Dylan as a storyteller, this becomes a bit to much of the same gimmick.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Usually not a fan of singer-songwriter, unless they have a great band backing them. But I need to start reading these lyrics immediately, cause they hit.
Nirvana
3/5
I hate Nirvana! Not the people — Kurt seems like a tragic genius that I would enjoy having a beer with, while Krist and Dave seems like suprisingly down to earth. I just don't agree with the musical idead that these three men came up with.
Still, well-crafted and solid performance — just don't like the songs.
3/5
Better than most mainstream hip-hop, worse than most metal. Still... No. However, I understand that this hit home with angsty white teens in Y2K.
The Mothers Of Invention
3/5
This is what you get when the only sober guy in the band is Frank Zappa — kind of funny at times, kind of beautiful at times, never really engaging the way I wish it was.
Dire Straits
5/5
An example of a record where you've heard the songs too often to give it a neutral rating.
That being said, this is so eclectic and diverse that you almost wouldn't believe how many massive radio hits are on here. At the same time it's hard to categorise any of the songs. It's jazz, it's country, it's soulful, it rocks. It feels very American, while Knopfler is obviously British. All babling aside, this is a really solid album.
3/5
The least country-sounding country album title ever.
Ice T
2/5
Like most gangsta rap, this could be a great instrumental album.
Bauhaus
4/5
This album is at its best when they embrace the more sincere, dark atmosphere that they do so well. However, there tends to be a bit too much «We are punk and to cool to be sincere»-foolery.
Adele
3/5
This is kind of like extreme metal for me: I like it, but there are very few situations where I feel like listening to it.
Adele is a great singer who work with talented people. The ideas for the songs are usually pretty interesting, but the ideas are never developed as much as they could have been. The majority of these songs contain about as much creative material as a 30 second section of a Genesis or Yes tune.
Slipknot
3/5
A heavy and slickly produced record that feels nostalgic without quite being my thing.
But I can't really listen to Psychosocial without hearing a bit of Justin Bieber (Youtube will give you answers to why).
The Go-Betweens
4/5
Melodically beautiful and well-made, but I miss a sense of drama. It ends up feeling a bit flat. Still pretty good.
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
More like «Layla and a bunch of okay blues tunes»
Layla still hits though, and ensures this one extra star.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Tim Buckley is one of few artists that did more good to music by having unprotected sex than by making actual music.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
Just to point something out — this is classified as «punk blues» on Wikipedia. That is interesting. Not good, but interesting.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
An amazing piece done with an interesting interpretation. I prefer the modern studio version that came out in 1994, but it is ELP doing what they know best.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
At times brilliant, but it ends up being a bit too much of folky noodling.
Underworld
4/5
In the 21st century, hypnotizing background music has a place, and this is a brilliant example of that music.
The Jam
3/5
This is quite a well-made version of an ironic style of punk that I don't really care for.
Queen
4/5
Queen is prog with less chops and expensive production.
Rush
5/5
This is one of my absolute favourite albums ever, and it probably has been since I bought it on CD at 13 years old!
Now, 15 years on, I am amazed at every nuance that comes through on each new listen. As an example, I only recently started listening seriously to the lyrics (cause the music contains more than enough food for thought). And my god, Neil Peart is a brilliant writer, in addition to be one of the most complete drummers in popular music history.
Geddy Lee masters every his three roles with ease. While someone critics his voice, I find it is so clear that the lyrics don't get muffled (as they often do in music with this thick of a sound). And once again, that serves the music well. And come on — just his bass playing and ability to make bass lines that are as virtuosic as they are a perfect fit for everything else going on.
And then there is Alex Lifeson. As a guitar player myself, I owe so much to this canadian baby-faced man. His amazingly unique chordal playing, solos that are everything experimental rock bands have tried to be ever since, and still manages to restrain himself in service of the bigger picture.
For the album itself — three huge radio hits, one of the most virtuosic unison pieces in all of prog, lyrics that still ring eerily true today and one of the most clever album covers of all time.
WHY IS THIS NOT IN THE TOP TEN ON HERE???
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Interesting and unique aesthetic, and it's well-produced, but why do they have multiple records on this list?
An observation: This is what Chicago would sound like if they were British and a bit less chopsy.
Joy Division
3/5
I love a lot of things that take inspiration from Joy Division, but I can't seem to completely fall in love with this.
I can compare it to my feelings of much classic literature — there is something there that I want to explore, but my aesthetic reflex does not allow me to sink as deeply into it as I want to.
Nick Drake
5/5
Rarely have I heard such an impactfull album with so few elements. Singer-songwriter often suffer from a tendency to be story teller while not caring so much about the instrument in their hands.
However, Nick Drake is an exception. He cares as much about creating beatutiful melodies and soundscapes with his guitar as he cares about his lyrics. This album made me happy to be able to enjoy beautiful music, and sorrowful that this talent was taken away from the world far too early
Johnny Cash
4/5
I like the idea and how it is executed, even if I usually prefer the originals.
George Jones
3/5
Cozy country vibes that I'll keep with me in case I move to a trailer park at some point.
Metallica
4/5
Where Queen is prog with less chops, Metallica is prog metal with less chops. Its not bad, but it is just a bit pretentious at length.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
An impressive debut, but I feel like it becomes a bit tedious after a while. Most of these songs are one or two minutes too long.
10cc
3/5
This is basically the worst part of a lot of really good bands — the flat ballads of Alan Parsons, the boomer blues of Toto and the overly quirky showtunes from ABBA. It came before all of them, so thank you for almost ruining my favourite bands.
Still a well-made record though, but it wouldn't hurt to take yourselves a bit more seriously.
Gang Of Four
3/5
Funny how many big rock bands in the 21st century just sounds like a more vanilla version of this. While it is not something I drift towards, I appreciate the inventiveness of this.
Van Halen
5/5
While I am not sure if it is Van Halens best album, that just goes to show what an incredible band they are.
First and foremost, there is the musicianship. Eddies solos are insane, but I feel like he don't get nearly enough credit for his rhythm playing — much like Hendrix. Just listen to Panama, especially the mid section, or the riff to «Girl Gone Bad» or «Drop Dead Legs». Or the rhythm guitar parts on «Jump», for that matter.
Then there is the rhythm section, and it is probably one of the most underrated of all time. Granted, Michael Anthonys bass playing is more virtuosic on other records, but it is still perfect for what is needed on this album. An Alex Van Halen truly reminds you that there isn't only one person behind that last name. Few drummers do so much to fill out a soundscape like he does.
Bonus point: Eddies keyboard playing is wild. Listen to the comping for his guitar solo on Jump, it is wild. And obviously the solo right after is amazing.
Then there is the songwriting. «Jump» is a cocaine rock anthem about a guy considering suicide, an intriguing idea with just enough of the macabre to make it interesting. I literally can´t listen to «Panama» while driving a car, cause I would be fined for speeding in an instance. «Hot for Teacher» and «Drop Dead Legs» are a bit sleazy in hindsight, but well-crafted rock tunes none the less. «Top Jimmy» is a fun throwback to early Van Halen, while «I'll Wait» is a beautiful anthem which hints at what's to come with Van Hagar.
Speaking of Hagar, I actually prefer Sammy Hagar to David Lee Roth. That being said, he is still the perfect peacock-frontman and has a crispness to his delivery that would suit a band with a more lyrical focus. Speaking of vocals: Michael Anthonys and Eddie Van Halens range as background singers is insane.
I love this album, not least because it reminds me of a time in my life filled with beautiful childhood memories. So yeah, five stars!
Suede
3/5
A bit to lazy for my taste, but far better than what I expected. One of thos bands who sound kind of mediocre, with certain moments of pure brilliance interspersed in their music.
Richard Thompson
4/5
A lot of guitar players would benefit from listening more to funk and country. For country listening, this is a pretty good example.
Lou Reed
3/5
I see why this hit so hard in the 70s as it truly embodies the zeitgeist of 1972 more than any other album, mixing artsy glam rock with singer-songwriter and Wings-esque melodies. But it does not really hold up, and seems far to dated to be interesting in the 21st century. That last point is also impacted by me not really caring for this dated aesthetic.
Sonic Youth
3/5
I appreciate the innovativeness of this, and for that it is a great musical statement. But I would much rather listen to something else... I might not be that depressed, after all.
The Thrills
4/5
This was actually a huge surprise! While there are things I don't really care for about this (song structure and lead vocal performance), this was a refreshingly dynamic record that is both well produced and well-crafted from an arranging standpoint.
Bill Callahan
4/5
This is unique and aesthetically pleasing — two things I can't say about many albums on here. Love it!
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Sophisticated and badass — two words rarely used together, but fitting for this amazing album!
Fleet Foxes
4/5
Not a very interessting album, but perfect for putting on in the background on a cold winter day.
Kate Bush
4/5
While Hounds of Love is my favourite album by Kate Bush, that says more about that album than about this. This quirky beautiful record is an acquired taste for sure, but I somehow like it quite a lot.
Bob Dylan
4/5
51 minutes of Bob Dylan is quite a lot, but I prefer electric Dylan to his earlier stuff.
Pentangle
5/5
Every now and then, you hear an album that you didn't know you needed in your life. This is one of those albums.
It's deeply unique, while still referencing its own time. The arrangements are thought provoking and the playing is marvellous. I am not usually a sucker for folky stuff, but this is amazing!
5/5
Not my favourite Yes Album, but that's like saying chicken is not your favourite pizza topping. It's still pizza.
Korn
3/5
This is a hard one! It is unique, well-crafted, and the guys can really play.
But I absolutely loathe the aesthetics of this — visually as well as sonically. So a subjective 2 and an objective 4 gives this a 3.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
While I don't dislike Back to Black, this album made me realize what all the Amy Winehouse fuss is all about. The songwriting and playing is peak neo soul, while still not sounding like a copy of the Soulquarians or any others. And Winehouse singing is brilliant, full of soul and charisma.
This will definitively be revisited!
Sex Pistols
4/5
The irony of this not being the originator of punk but the commercialisation of it is really funny.
They basically took the musical ideas from the likes of The Ramones, and made it very easy to market and sell to audiences.
Still... It sounds pretty good, and the songs are catchy as anything.
The Sonics
4/5
I'll be honest: I am a sucker for nice production and impressive musical craftsmanship.
But I also love music that embraces life and which is truly full of energy. And it has been a really long time since I heard something as full of vitality as this album right here.
Beautifully connecting rock n roll to punk, I don't understand why more people are not talking about this.
Radiohead
4/5
With most bands or artists that I dislike, there is one album that makes me see them in a new light, where I realize that I might be mistaken about thme. The Bends is that record for Radiohead.
Sure, I prefer many singers to Thom Yorke. But on this record there general nihilism is put aside, and you can actually sense that they are able to feel positive emotions. I quite like that.
Also, this is an album where Johnny Greenwood shows that he has a great sence for melody, as seen in his soundtracks for PTA. This has some of his most beautiful guitar work on it.
I also think this is their most influential record, seeing how much Coldplay and their peers took from this. There is even a bit of The Bends in early 2000's U2.
Morrissey
3/5
This is basically Morrissey, who was part of one of the most inventive bands of rock history, copying the generic sound of early 00s rock. So its Morrissey without the things that makes him special.
It's still a well-crafted record, but I wouldn't spend too much time on this if I were to explore Morrissey and The Smiths.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
I feel like these were really talented songwriters that felt too cool to sound nice.
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
I don't do much drugs, but I can understand that this would pair well with quite a number of different narcotics.
Dire Straits
4/5
Okay, now I really get why they call this dad rock! It's not bad in any way, just really dad.
Brian Eno
5/5
Nothing happens in this album and that's why its beautiful! There is so much emotion conveyed in the ambient spaces and sparse musical material of this wonderful recording that I will always be in the mood for.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
This sounds so 60s it almost makes you high!
Louis Prima
4/5
Fun, jolly album that I would never put on, but I wouldn't mind if somebody put it on for me.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
This sounds so much like a parody of old school hiphop that you forget that these are the guys they are parodying. And while I think they are able to do a lot with very little in terms of sample, inspiring Beastie Boys don't get you too far in my book.
The Cramps
3/5
A bunch of punks got depressed and bought a hollow body guitar... The result isn't half bad, but I will be fine with one listen.
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
Now, I am not normally a gangsta rap fan but there is something appealing by the laidback flow and the groove of the tracks. It sounds really good!
That being said., I am a white European middle class kid who has become an adult — this was not written for me, was it?
Anyways, I'll give it a 4 even if I will probably not listen to it again.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
First of all — this is amazing, and proves why we still talk about Hendrix!
That being said, double albums are weird. As a marketable product that somebody is paying money for it makes sense. But as a listening experience in the day of streaming they often don't hold up. This album has very few week points, but even someone as brilliant as Hendrix gets tiresome after a while.
Still going to give it a 5 — just wanted to philosiphize about music economy on this grey monday morning.
Can
4/5
Not so much a series of great tunes, as a stream of sound containing interesting moments.
Some might say it risks becoming background music, but I find it is just this type of music that truly shines in our overstimulated culture — monotonous enough to be played in the background, interesting enough to command attention from time to time, and rich with atmosphere.
Megadeth
5/5
This is everything that all metal bands want to be, but few are — aggressive while still being dynamically virtuosic, with a political sophistication few others can match.
Yes
5/5
While Roundabout is one of my favourite Yes tracks, I feel as if Fragile falls into the same category as Closer to the Edge for me. The records are brilliant and deserve the hype, but I am curious how they became the quintessential Yes albums.
The way I see it, their strengt is the combination of complex prog forms and beautiful melodicism with a hard hitting energetic sound. While this comes through. And while both of these albums have loads of that, so does Time and Word, The Yes Album and their later 70s stuff. I even love Yes post 90125, while it is a very different band.
This comment is not so much to hate on the two records in question, but to ask why the other albums don't get as much hype when I would say they are at a possibly even higher artistic level.
But yeah, 5 stars!
Spiritualized
3/5
While this album belongs to the whiney indie rock that ravaged music in the late 90s and early 2000s, this was a ratjher pleasant listen. The orchestration is interesting and adventurous, with at times really beautiful songwritting.
Probably won't listen to the whole thing again, but might add some selected tunes to a playlist.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
I enjoy the sound of this album, but it is rather gratuitous as an artistic statement. Once again a potentially really good album suffers from being way to long and over-stuffed.
It's still better than a lot of other albums on here!
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4/5
I've heard the first few songs here multiple times, but what comes after shocked me. I mean it sounds the way you expect, but I did not expect a synth poppy Springsteen or Bacharach.
The album as a whole is also fascinating. I love almost every song, but as a coherent listening experience it is a bit tiresome. Once again I believe that this could have been better structured and shorter. Side 1 and 4 is amazing, while the two in the middle have ups and downs.
All in all I am officially a fan, but I'll be selective in my revisits with this album.
Elvis Presley
5/5
The only bad thing about Elvis is that he is so iconic he completely overshadows the amazing band backing him up. Scotty Moore deserves more praise!
Alice Cooper
4/5
Sounds like a rock musical, which somehow is both really surprising and not surprising at all. However, it is pretty cool.
Little Simz
3/5
There are some really cool tracks here, but the British accent is best utilised by movie villains and politically incorrect stand up comedians.
David Bowie
3/5
I sort of understand why this is so hyped, and it is truly an inventive and interesting album. But I still find David Bowie less of a musical genius, and more of a rock star that had the resources to experiment with technology.
The result is something that sounds experimental in a dated way, lacking the timelessness of focused songwriting in favour of experimenting with the newest toys on the market.
The Stranglers
4/5
This album is features great songwriting as well as arrangements and performances to make the songs sing. However, I think the cheap organ sound takes too much away from the experience of the album. There are also a few filler tracks here and there, but all in all a cool record.
The Modern Lovers
2/5
Sounds like The Doors with a very slight touch of proto-punk. I like The Doors, and I like Punk. I don't like this.
They are basically imitating two interesting expressions, riding them of all that makes those influences brilliant — the charisma of Jim Morrison, the virtuosic playing of Ray Manzarek and the punky energy.
OutKast
4/5
This is ambitious, well-performed and the production sounds fresher than a lot of more recent albums. It's not even close to being my kinda thing aesthetically, but I respect the accomplishment.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Raw blues energy! Could have kept it a bit shorter, but I am not really complaining.
Hugh Masekela
5/5
I worked in South Africa for a year, and going to jazz shows was a weekly must. And this is the godfather of the unique aesthetic that I've come to love.
Jack White
3/5
A perfect example of a person that I deeply disagree with in terms of aesthetics, but who I respect for their musical craftsmanship. Interesting and well-produced, while the songs sadly don't resonate with my taste.
Elliott Smith
4/5
An ambitious feat with great performances, production and writing in spades. The four is purely personal taste — a bit too mellow and undramatic simple for my taste.
LL Cool J
2/5
Like many hip hop albums from the 90s, this would be magnitudes better if Cool J just kept his mouth shut.
The Beau Brummels
5/5
Why do everyone hate on this? It's amazingly atmospheric and fascinatingly varied (something that don't happen too often in the folk scene). It also sounds a lot more well-produced and the performances are far superior to a lot of things from 1967. I am a fan!
Nirvana
4/5
I have and always will dislike Nirvana's musical choices. However, You can't deny neither the influence of this album nor the unique sound they create. They are in no way overrated or unworthy of their status. It just does not resonate with my taste.
The Band
3/5
I see a lot of people commenting that this sounds like old people day drinking. I absolutely agree.
However, I don't know if that's a bad thing.
The Pretty Things
4/5
This is a band that probably influenced — directly or indirectly — a lot of the music that I love from the prog rock-era. For that I applaud it, but like most things it should not be a double album. Or it might just be that I am currently not in the mood for druggy psychedelia.
Ryan Adams
3/5
Decently well-produced album but nothing special.
Santana
5/5
This is so close to a perfect album! It has the melodicity and to-the-point-ness of pop, the exploration of prog, the virtuosity of jazz and the energy of hard rock. The production is also absolutley outstanding. Love it!
Dwight Yoakam
3/5
Music for those who are a bit too fond of their cousin.
I don't mind it though. The music, that is.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
This has everything going for it but still it manages to disappoint. I am a huge fan of both Steve Reich, who Stevens is frequently compared to, and progresive music. A pop album with lush production taking inspiration from modern classical music and pushing boundaries on instrumentation sounds like a perfect match for me.
And while it is far from terrible and I will give it a high rating, it does not reach the heights it could. The comparisons to Reich is a stretch, and while the album explores possibilities, it lacks the energy and vitality that would make it interesting. It also lacks variety and musical courage which makes the longer tunes feel repetitive.
I will revisit it as I feel the lyrics might have something to listen out for, and I might come to love it. But on first listen I am disappointed.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
This ain't for me but I understand why it is regarded as a masterpiece. 5 objective stars and 3 subjective stars makes 4 stars!
Stereolab
3/5
A fun album that becomes a bit too much of a good thing in the end but absolutely worth a listen.
Stephen Stills
4/5
Sounds great but double albums feel a bit overkill in the age of streaming. Still, I am a fan of Stills!
Public Enemy
3/5
Very rarely you'll find an album where it changes for the better halfway through, but here we are. However, side A is so mediocre that a few good tunes on the other side can't really save it. It just feels gratuitous as a whole.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
While I am not the biggest fan of Billy Corgan, this sounds awesome. Especially the more tender tunes are beautiful.
Blur
4/5
I truly hate Oasis and «Song 2», so I was dreading this. But I was pleasantly surprised. It is a bit too quirky and British at times, but the album as a whole is a charming record that I am happy to know.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
This an intense package full of really good music and terrible politics.
Gram Parsons
4/5
A lot of really impressive music and wholesome vibes that I, as a European, have no way of relating to.
Lucinda Williams
3/5
This album has a cool sound, but that sound is the same throughout the whole thing.
The Pogues
5/5
I don't know if it's me getting older, not having had a beer in a while, or if I am turning somewhat Irish, but I officially like The Pogues. Just in time for Christmas!
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Influental, energetic and iconic for sure, but not quite for me.
Sister Sledge
5/5
Once again I am forced to ask «why on earth do so many hate on disco?»
The Stooges
4/5
I think this is my 3rd Stooges album or so, and now I get it! This is the high energy proto punk I was expecting, and it honestly sounds almost 10 years ahead of its time.
The Cure
5/5
Didn't need another listen to know I love this, but I don't mind having a reason to give this treasure a listen.
Lightning Bolt
4/5
This is refreshing… in small doses.
Rod Stewart
4/5
Grooving, rocking and beautiful all in one! I did not expect to like this as much as I did.
Crowded House
4/5
Nothing life changing but a surprisingly interesting pop album
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
I would smile if someone put this on at a barbeque but that someone probably wouldn't be me.
Billy Bragg
4/5
Bringing the angry political singer into the age of the electric guitar. Powerful and engaging record!
Willie Nelson
4/5
Calm, quiet and relaxing but surprisingly not in a stoner kind of way.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
Jazzy, funky, synthy and all that good stuff!
The Specials
2/5
I sort of appreciate this being weird but it is weird.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Most of the songs starts of in an interesting place but stays there until it becomes tedious and goes well beyond. Proof that good ideas don't make a great songwriter.
Queen
5/5
I know Queen is celebrated for their epics and anthems, but my god could these guys rock! Also the variety of this puts most bands to shame.
Elastica
2/5
Tiresome and obnoxious in a way that could only have been successful in 90s Britain.
Boston
5/5
I´ll take any excuse I get to listen to this gem!
Stan Getz
5/5
As a musician, I enjoy playing Bossa. However, I don't feel like listening to it very often. Hearing this album back-to-back, after listening casually to most of the songs for years, has probably changed that!
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
Loads of energy and great songs but this is rather a collection of songs than an album. As a listening experience it gets a bit boring after a while. There is also something about the harmonic choices that I can't fall completely in love with but I will revisit this.
Richard Hawley
3/5
Pleasant but nothing special.
T. Rex
3/5
T-Rex was more image than substance at a time when image was all that mattered
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Experimental, affecting, accessible, political and filled with bangers all at the same time! Gabriel is a genius and this is among his best
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Beautifully atmospheric and well-crafted in all aspects. Love it!
Led Zeppelin
5/5
This is basically the album that all cheezy 70s rock tried copying. Also, probably one of the best sounding albums of the 60s.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Just the singel alone is decade defining in so many ways, from the snare drum to the anthemic delivery of really serious lyrics — something that was surprisingly common in the 80s. And then the rest of the album is just onw great song after another, with great performances, songwriting and production all over.
Screaming Trees
4/5
A great rock album — nothing more, nothing less but its enough!
Aerosmith
4/5
This is a very fitting title.
Coldplay
3/5
All logical reasoning says that I should like Coldplay. They write beautiful melodies which are well-performed and well-produced. However, I feel kind of meh. For the longest time I thought I just disliked Chris Martins voice but he proves me wrong whenever I hear him outside of Coldplay.
The reason I don't like them, are because they usually lack a sense of drama. I am not talking about drama as in stage presence — I don't care for gimmicks and acting. I talk about musical moments that awaken you and force you to pay attention. This is something they have become increasingly better at. However, there are also moments here where they succeed.
God Put a Smile on My face is brilliant piece of dynamic rock music that reeks of a band that dares to explore what they can do with their sound. The intro of Clocks is beautifully atmospheric. Sadly, these all drown out in the dull mediocrity of The Scientist, or the almost interesting In My Place.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
I put this on while cooing dinner for my self and, for the first time in a long time, listening to this was all I did while eating.
This is close to perfect! Amazing songs, touching lyrics, great performances and arrangments that are far more sophisticated than what they get credit for. No fillers, just 39 minutes of the best possible Americana you can imagine. I am very mad about Bruce Hornsby not being on this list, but this almost makes up for it.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
4/5
Wow, people on hear really don't like Clapton!
Anyways, clearly an insanely influental album — great playing and tons of soul. Blues is best served live but I am still glad this is on here.
Elton John
5/5
This is 1001album at its best — taking artists you think you know, and proving you wrong! I was a fan of Elton John but not as much of a fan as I am after listening to this!
Wild Beasts
4/5
Not a bad album at all but I struggle to embrace the indie aesthetic. The band is solid though, even if the main vocalist sounds a bit whiny.
The Incredible String Band
3/5
Acid Folk — a genre that could only come out of the 1960s. I don't mind it though.
Fela Kuti
4/5
This is African music inspired by funk, a genre that is itself inspired by African music. A weird musical spiral or just cool? Why not both?
Steely Dan
5/5
The drum and sax solo is one of THE coolest moments in music history, and the rest of this album matched that level of greatness.
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
Poppy, nostalgic, beautiful and well-crafted — a nice surprise on Saturday morning.
Scott Walker
5/5
Did not expect this! A sort of dirty, sort of beautiful collection of musical stories with the some of the most wonderful arrangements I've heard in a while.
Fela Kuti
5/5
Funky, energetic, meditative and fun! I am often less of a fan when it comes to live albums, but in this case it totally makes sense.
Julian Cope
3/5
This is a collection of sometimes groovy, sometimes weird, sometimes kinda beautiful music that I don't know if I like. At least I don't dislike it.
Anthrax
3/5
Not in the mood for Thrash metal these days, but these guys can play!
The Libertines
3/5
Absolutely hate the cover art, the playing is sloppy, but I don't mind the songwriting that much. Still, probably won't re-listen.
Cyndi Lauper
5/5
I often find albums on this list that are way too long, but this is the first I felt was too short. That's not bad in any other way than that I wanted thisurprisingly sophisticated pop masterpiece to keep going. Oh well, one can always press «repeat».
John Cale
3/5
A nice surprise of an album
The Monkees
3/5
A nice collection of cute tunes — not necessarily a completely good thing, but I don't dislike it.
David Bowie
4/5
I've always been a bit on the fence when it comes to Bowie. He feels like one of those artists who are more iconic than great, in the sense that his image carries much of his influence on music. However, this is still a solid album — catchy, groovy and sonically interesting in a tight 38-minute package.
Orbital
3/5
At times beautifully atmospheric, at times annoyingly obnoxious. I'll give it av 3 out of 5.
Cornershop
2/5
It is very well-produced but extremely inconsistent. One minute it's annoying jangle pop, one minute traditional indian music, one minute it's Allen Ginsberg in an Indian parade, rambling about penises. I am fascinated but also tired and annoyed. So nah, not for me.
Bebel Gilberto
4/5
Beautiful reimagination of a classic Latin Jazz Sound.
Incredible Bongo Band
5/5
Makes me wanna bongo some more!
David Bowie
3/5
As with many other albums on here, I see why this is important and highly acclaimed. However, Bowie suffers from a time when music was more focused on image and concept than actual music. And while the album is well-crafted and produced, that says more about economics than skills.
I can't help feeling this is just a pretentious album that is praised primarily because its artist was more famous than other people doing more inventive and impressive things at the same time.
Black Flag
3/5
Albums like this makes me realize I have a pretty happy life, all things considered.
A personal 3/5 but an objective 4/5 in terms of innovation and historical importance.
Love
4/5
Not my cup of tea but surprisingly pleasant. Really well-crafted in all aspects, even if I probably won't revisit the album.
Arcade Fire
4/5
I had no expectations but I was pleasantly surprised — a short and well-crafted pop record from an era I like to call «The musical dark age».
TLC
4/5
This was a surprise! Seeing a hip-hop record from the 90s usually makes me sigh but this has a nice vibe. Felt a bit weird between all the prog metal that was fuelling my work day but this is absolutely something I would like to revisit when the time is right.
Ian Dury
3/5
The band sounds pretty cool, the singer does not.
Steve Winwood
5/5
Groovy, melodic, well-produed, diverse and just plain amazing! Steve Winwood is frighteningly underrated, and it's a crime that this is his only solo record on here.
I am now going to listen to his whole discography as a protest against everyone hating on this gem (and not at all because I was looking for an excuse to listen through Steve Winwoods entire discography).
Ministry
3/5
Interesting sound but, as is often the case with extreme metal, they don't utilize enough of the variety that exist in the sound world they're exploring
Bobby Womack
5/5
This is amazing! A beautiful eclectic album that will please both mind and hips.
1001 albums seem to be a bit squeamish when it comes to AOR and Yacht Rock adjacent records, but this makes up for a few left out legends.
Beth Orton
4/5
Folktronica is a genre I never knew I needed
The Associates
3/5
I so want my stats to reflect how much I loved 80s music but I keep getting oddballs like this. Not horrible, but 1982 could do a hell of a lot better.
Randy Newman
4/5
I just started shock laughing in a crowded office space. Love it!
But yeah, this would never pass today — even if its satire.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
Fascinating but not my style
Fairport Convention
4/5
Drugs with a side of country living
Sam Cooke
4/5
An album most musicians should listen to, if only to learn how to interact with an audience. Also an amazing energy!
Isaac Hayes
5/5
I feel too white to listen to this but I also don't care. Cause this makes me feel like a baaaaad son of a something.
Antony and the Johnsons
4/5
A bit dull at times but for a certain sad boy-day, this would be absolutely perfect. I did miss some guitar but then the solo on «Fistfull of Love» made me regret my wishes.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
It's Sinatra — how bad can it be? Not the most mindblowing stuff in the world, but a beautiful relic from a time when craftmanship was a central part of pop musiz.
Tina Turner
5/5
Absolutely amazing! But I can't help imaging the producers bopping their head with an uncomfortable look on their face listening to pop bangers about domestic abuse. At least that's how I reacted.
Big Black
2/5
Can't deal with this! This is probably influential in the same way mental disorders are defining for today's society: Just because it is true, doesn't mean that it is good.
Sebadoh
2/5
This is what it sounds like when kids try to write edgy music when they probably should go to therapy.
Bad Brains
5/5
Did not know what to expect but this was a pretty fun surprise. Dynamic, energetic, groovy and all other things that makes metal great. I usually prefer more melodic and epic stuff but this tics tons of boxes.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Not going to compete with the top comment here!
Supertramp
5/5
It doesn't quite have the same range and edge as «Breakfast in America» but in addition it has a atmospheric prog sound that I quite enjoy. In terms of playing, writing and production, this is solid.
Elis Regina
5/5
Amazing playing, great writing and yet another jazz star who left us too soon.
Van Morrison
4/5
A pretty and well-made record that I'll keep in mind for cozy summer evenings.
Hüsker Dü
3/5
One decent high-energy song repeated with slight variations for an hour... Yeah, this isn't quite my thing.
Def Leppard
5/5
This is one of the most stunning achievements in popular music! Amazingly crisp production, multiple iconic pop hits and arrangements that still have more details to uncover almost 15 years after my first listening.
Even if my musical taste has developed quite a bit since then, this is still one of my personal favourites purely from how much of an impacted me when I first discovered it.
R.E.M.
3/5
This is an example of how important arranging is, in that their dull playing spoils the chance of pretty interesting melodies turning into great songs
Super Furry Animals
4/5
This is like Bowie — I don't dislike it as much as I just disagree with the details. Still pretty good though!
The Beta Band
2/5
I took a break from Steely Dan for this? Ah well, they have a fun cover... Now, back to Steely Dan.
The Icarus Line
3/5
Listening to this on YouTube lessened the experience slightly, but it's not not horrible. Yet, I had to skim this — I still think I got the gist of it.
Dennis Wilson
4/5
A pretty little record that's neither amazing nor boring.
Q-Tip
5/5
Groovy, fascinating, wonky, melodious! As somebody who rarely find hiphop I enjoy, this album shows the vastness of opportunities that exist within this genre.
The Gun Club
2/5
Funny how this album manages to sound outdated, trying to innovate by mixing blues with punk. Like come on, that's literally reverse engineering rock music in some really weird way. Anyways: Not bad, but not special or interesting in any way.
The Teardrop Explodes
4/5
I am a bit surprised of how much I like this! I was expecting some drugged out mumble stuff but this is quite a beautiful and interesting album. They have a bit too much of an ironic distance for my taste but I will keep this album in mind for later.
Calexico
4/5
I was expecting not to like this but I was proven wrong. Yet another failure in my life.
The xx
4/5
Atmospheric, well-produced and packed with interesting moments. However it does feel a bit underwhelming and at times down right boring. As an album to have on in the background, which sadly is the context it was written for, it's perfect.
I'll remove one star as a protest of the way the world is moving.
Mike Ladd
4/5
This took me by surprise — far more industrial and melodic than expected, and those two qualities rarely go together.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Like most hip hop I enjoy the instrumentals more than the rapping, and this album is no exception. What differs it from a lot of other hiphop is that the instrumentals are amazing, much thanks to having Ron f'ing Carter on bass.
Also the rapping is pretty cool but I didn't have time to investigate the lyrics in depth.
Baaba Maal
4/5
Probably not something that I will visit frequently but I enjoyed it. A couple of the tracks even made it into my playlist.
Syd Barrett
2/5
For a brief moment, in the 1960s and 70s, the word «genius» was mistakingly made synonymous with being a drug addict with mental health issues. We still deal with the horrible aftermath of this linguistic mishap.
Anyways, I'll stick with post-Barrett Pink Floyd.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
So the thing is that I like Rumours, and I like Fleetwood Mac. But is this one of the greatest albums ever? Well...
It is not particularly inventive in terms of production or songwriting. The musicians are great players, but I would actually argue that «Tango in the Night» is a better album in terms of musicianship.
The only argument I can find for this being so highly rated is that it was a hit in 1977. However, I must sadly say it is one of the more overrated albums of all time. It is still 5 star material but I can come up with quite a few better albums on this list.
So 4 stars is more as a protest because this album overshadows so many other brilliant albums.