Not my cup of tea.

Not my cup of tea.

With a couple notable exceptions, snooze.

Has to be one of the strongest ever debut albums.

Another great debut.

Not my cup of tea at all.

A masterpiece by the master.

Legend hits it out of the park

meh. not my cup of tea

I love when artists try something different and unusual. Doesn't always work well, but this one sure did.

A nonsensical mess.

Appreciate the talent and innovation. But not something to just sit and listen to. Better for having on while doing something.

I get the appeal but I find him to be extremely overrated and dull.

Jane’s Addiction were certainly one of the major players in the emerging alt-rock scene of the early 1990s. Some observers consider Perry Farrell to be the Godfather of alternative rock.1 Others label the band as alt-metal or funk metal. Regardless of whatever subgenre one considers Jane’s this record is great rock music. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-ritual-de-lo-habitual?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

What really stands out to me now that I completely missed 45+ years ago is how much this album rocks. The guitar work is fantastic. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-one-nation-under-a-groove?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Midnight Ride has some great songs like “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone” and “Kicks”. I’m just not sure this is a great album in its entirety. There is nothing particularly wrong with it or substandard. It simply does not rise to anything other than well-executed yet fairly pedestrian mid-60s rock/pop. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-midnight-ride-by-paul?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

This is a stunning album. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-ocean-rain-by-echo-and?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

White noise.

Boring mess.

Somebody once said that jazz sounds like if someone took a bunch of instruments and threw them down a stairwell. That description does not fit this masterpiece.

Not for me. Don't see the point.

Recognize the influence and innovation, but just not my kind of thing for casual listening.

Not my cup of tea. I could not relate to this record on any level.

This just isn’t my kind of thing. I found some stuff interesting, but, sadly, I was mostly bored. “Rockafella Stank” and “Praise You” are classic but their brilliance does not elevate “In Heaven”, possibly the dumbest fucking song I’ve ever heard. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-youve-come-a-long-way?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

The Temptations are an American treasure. One of the all-time great vocal groups of any genre. This album is chock full of great songs and every one of them is top tier. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-all-directions-by-the?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Metal Box, for me, was an unpleasant experience. I found it grating, irritating, and mostly very annoying and on the whole kind of boring. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-metal-box-by-public?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

All the cool kids seem to love Kings of Leon. I’ve never been into them. No particular reason. I haven’t been avoiding them. I just didn’t make it a point to ever listen to them. Until today. The cool kids were on to something, and I’ve been missing out. This album is fantastic from start to finish. Even if it’s not terribly original. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-youth-and-young-manhood?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this album. I love Pink Floyd but I find their earliest stuff to be a bit of a challenge. And I’ve heard lots of stories about the eccentricities of Barrett. So, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy this record. There are moments that produced genuine emotional reactions. Most especially “Dark Globe”. https://richcain.substack.com/p/project-1001-the-madcap-laughs-by?r=4ztyq

If your knowledge of Beck is “Loser”, Sea Change will probably surprise you. It’s full of sad songs and dour misery reflecting the disintegration of Beck’s relationship. I rather liked most of it. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-sea-change-by-beck?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Progressive rock can be tricky. Done poorly, it’s a real mess. Done well, as ELP does with Tarkus, it’s magical and powerful. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-tarkus-by-emerson-lake?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

The album opens with a cool and sexy vocal reminiscent of Sade. The rest of the album is similarly cool and at times sexy. The vibe I got was a dark lounge with people sitting on low couches at low tables trying to look cool without appearing to be trying to look cool. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-protection-by-massive?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

This album is packed with amazing songs. Stevie Wonder’s voice never sounded better to me. My favorite is "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away". I think it has such an optimistic viewpoint and is uplifting with a strong statement of faith. Beautiful. https://tinyurl.com/47btbp65

The Pogues are an amazing band and this album is incredible. The energy and passion draws you in, slams you around from pillar to post, and never let’s you go. On top of that their version of “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda” will absolutely break your heart. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-rum-sodomy-and-the-lash?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

It’s right there in the name: Rage. These dudes are pissed about everything. I get that to an extent. But while I like a couple of the songs and there is some really interesting music happening, for me it doesn’t produce a pleasant listening experience. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-rage-against-the-machine?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

This might just be the ultimate chill and make out record of all time. Simply put, Let’s Get It On is “a record unparalleled in its sheer sensuality and carnal energy.” https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-lets-get-it-on-by-marvin?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

The opening track of Being There, “Misunderstood”, epically rocks you and announces that this album is not your father’s alt-country. https://tinyurl.com/mr4aevaw

Even though it’s not my favorite album by Zeppelin, I find it essential. And certainly, anybody interested in tracing the history of hard rock would want to understand the incredible influence this album and this band had on future purveyors of the “dark arts” of heavy metal. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-led-zeppelin-by-led?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

There is no weak song here. All of them are excellent to great to all-time classic.

Even a novice-to-jazz ear like mine recognizes that there is something special happening here. Bitches Brews sounds different to me than other jazz albums I’ve listened too. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-bitches-brew-by-miles?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

It has a clean sound with pleasant melodies and some fine new wave singing. You could do worse than to pull this record off a shelf and give it a spin. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-pelican-west-by-haircut?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

t the same time U2 was becoming the world’s biggest band, the Waterboys were creating music in a similar vein, so I am not sure why they didn’t find much of an audience in America. In any event I’ll be adding them to my regular rotation. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-fishermans-blues-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

I love this album. I’m not sure there’s a better vocal performance on any record of the twenty first century to date. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-21-by-adele?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

This album is beautifully sung and played by an artist who had a very short life and by many accounts a very troubled life. It’s hard to listen to these wonderful songs without thinking about how the man’s life ended. For me a melancholy record made me quite sad upon initially listening. Nevertheless, I very much enjoyed this album, and I hope, if you’ve never heard it, you’ll give it a listen. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-five-leaves-left-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

This is a hard pass for me. I like a lot of the music, the guitars and drums, etc. I even like the hyper speed. But the singing style, sometimes described as puking into the mic,1 is unenjoyable in the extreme for me. I just can’t get past it. Full kudos for inventing grindcore though. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-scum-by-napalm-death?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

This album is fine and dandy, but I didn’t find it especially appealing. It’s ok. Some good moments of high energy and some good lyrics. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-whatever-people-say?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

There is a certain airy-ness permeating throughout the record. I like that aspect, and I really enjoy the lovely vocals of Elizabeth Fraser. While this is not something I’d go out of my way to spin, I respect the craftsmanship. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-heaven-or-las-vegas?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

And I applaud any artist who tries to do something different and interesting like Shankar is doing here. This is something really wonderful and special. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-ananda-shankar-by-ananda?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

This album is impressive. Lots of cool soundscapes and some really interesting concepts within the songs. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-modern-kosmology-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

This is a truly exhilarating album even after four decades. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-hounds-of-love-by-kate?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

I found it difficult to fully appreciate the uniqueness of this album because I’ve heard all the later artists they ifluenced first. But that didn’t stop me from thoroughly enjoying the album. It’s a lot of fun and there are many excellent songs that I think many listeners will find make for pleasurable listening. And there is value in understand what shaped some of our favorite artists. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-1-record-by-big-star?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

when hip-hop is good, it’s as good as anything else. And Fear of a Black Planet is hip-hop at its finest. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-fear-of-a-black-planet?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

While not a major achievement, this record is a really nice listen if you’re in the mood for some early 70’s rock. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-a-nod-is-as-good-as?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Put this on for a terrific throwback experience to share with your best gal or guy and let the good love vibes flow over you. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-songs-for-swingin-lovers?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

I am thrilled they popped up in the rotation today because I really enjoyed listening to this album. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-street-life-by-the-crusaders?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

OK Computer is a good album https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-ok-computer-by-radiohead?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Good for hoofing and not much else. Not my cup of tea.

I love this album. There is no filler. All the songs are really good. Some are even excellent! Count me as a fan. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-its-blitz-by-yeah-yeah?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

This live recording is a lot of fun and full of crazed energy. It offers a great sampling of the Jerry Lee Lewis ‘Killer’ experience. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-live-at-the-star-club?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

What can I say other than Achtung Baby is one of the best albums of the ‘90s? https://richcain.substack.com/p/project-1001-achtung-baby-by-u2?r=4ztyq

If you’re looking for something to spin while you and your dance partner mambo the night away, you’ve come to the right place. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-dance-mania-vol1-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

I’ve been ambivalent to Bowie all these years, but this album moves me closer to being a fan. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-station-to-station-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Project 1001: Seventeen Seconds by The Cure I dig you, you dig me / We dig each other / That's groovy, oh yeah Rich Cain Nov 3 READ IN APP I wonder how many fans of the Cure who came by their fandom via the big hits of the mid-80’s like “Just Like Heaven” or “Friday I’m in Love” have listened to this remarkable album. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-seventeen-seconds-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

this album is terrific. It’s got all you want from a punk rock record: the attitude, the raw guitar riffs, the high energy tempo. And they give you a bonus horn section https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-scream-dracula-scream?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Evaluating an album like this presents certain difficulties. It’s been over 50 years since this record’s release. Countless artists and records have been influenced by King Crimson. So, trying to listen to this in a vacuum is impossible. All those subsequent offerings color my perception of this record. So, I don’t want to be too harsh in my evaluation. But I found much of this album to be dull. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-in-the-court-of-the?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

For my money the Doors may be the most underrated band from the classic rock era. I love this album from start to finish. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-la-woman-by-the-doors?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

I ended up enjoying the heck out of this record. Not only is MC Solaar’s flow smooth, but the beats are excessively appealing. They keep you moving and bobbing without pounding you into submission and provides an eminently listenable and pleasant experience. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-qui-seme-le-vent-recolte?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

While being familiar with some of the songs, today is the first time I listened to Rubber Soul and it is a delight. A truly excellent album. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-rubber-soul-by-the-beatles?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

after listening today for the first time in a few years I can say that it holds up fairly well. It’s definitely dated but it still sounds great. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-license-to-ill-by-the?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

I do hear a lot of things here that show up in later artists’ work in genres like new wave, hip hop, industrial and even alternative rock. Afrika Bambaata sampled some of the beats here on “Planet Rock” in 1982. It’s good stuff, just not something I’d personally reach for in most cases. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-trans-europe-express?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Another fine example of Afrobeat music. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-femi-kuti-by-femi-kuti?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Regardless of its bleakness, I rank this album right up there with the best of its era. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-dirt-by-alice-in-chains?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

This is a strong representation of English synth-pop/new wave from the early 80s. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/penthouse-and-pavement-by-heaven?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

This is a great album! Nina Simone is one the great American singers ever. “(T)he euphoria pulsing through her voice spoke for itself. Simone could channel every facet of lived experience.”1 What a voice! Do yourself a favor, find this record and listen to it and enjoy it. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-wild-is-the-wind-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

In 1971, Marvin Gaye gave the world this beautiful album. The music and the vocals are uniformly amazing. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-whats-going-on-by-marvin?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Fast, unrelentingly fast. That’s Sepultura on Arise...It all adds up to an amazing album without any weak spots. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-arise-by-sepultura?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

This is a really good album, but I can understand why it wasn’t embraced by the record-buying public three decades ago. It’s solid but rarely reached greatness for me. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-fuzzy-by-grant-lee-buffalo?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

Arcade Fire never lit my fire. Nevertheless, they are an excellent band and this is an excellent album. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-the-suburbs-by-arcade?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Dirty is an apt title for this Sonic Youth album. It sounds like it’s being performed in some filthy back alley you wouldn’t want to be in at night by yourself. That’s not a bad thing. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-dirty-by-sonic-youth?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Other than the title track and “Season of the Witch” I didn’t find much I liked on this record other than a bunch of meh. I’m chalking up my ambivalence to this being one of those albums that you needed to be there at the time to fully appreciate it. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-sunshine-superman-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

I found Felt Mountain an interesting endeavor but lacking in energy and excitement. That doesn’t mean it isn’t good. It’s very good. Allison Goldfrapp is an excellent singer and a highly capable lyricist. I enjoyed a lot of this record, but it didn’t grab me in any meaningful way. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-felt-mountain-by-goldfrapp?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Every song is very good or excellent with a couple of all-time favorites in “Who’ll Stop the Rain” and “Up Around the Bend”. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-cosmos-factory-by-creedence?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

All in all, a formidable example of 80s indie rock including an amazing cover of “Just Like Heaven.” https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-youre-living-all-over?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

I remember the hits off this album, but I didn’t appreciate them much at the time. Mainly because I was a kid. I’m not sure children can fully appreciate the music of Steely Dan. As an adult and, I like to think, as a more mature connoisseur of music, I very much appreciate Steely Dan. And this album is a gem. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-aja-by-steely-dan?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

Appetite for Destruction is one of my all-time favorites. It came rushing out of the Southern California hard rock scene like a speeding Nightrain. For my money it is one of the greatest rock records ever. https://tinyurl.com/55pbcea7

I remember Sinéad O’Connor being a sensation when “Nothing Compares 2 U” came out. I’d never listened to this album, however. O’Connor has a truly wonderfully expressive and beautiful voice. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-i-do-not-want-what-i?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web