1001 Albums Summary

Undoubtely amongst the best albums ever written. I Listended by chance to "Tusk" earlier today, and whilst the musicianship and production might be even better on that record, there is a nerve and consistency on Rumour that speaks much stronger to me.

Garage rock meets James Brown. More polished than Rolling Stones, more fun than Beatles. There are guitar licks here that 2000s Indiebands have copied in dozens, just listen to the chiming chords in "A legal matter".

Jazz instrumentals is not my usual cuppa, but some of the playing on this one made me stomp my feet and bang my fingers on the office furniture. Not sure how much of this is down to the fact of age or the sheer musicianship on play. The guy improvises hooks that a team of songwriters would spend weeks in a studio to create.

Some of the synthy stuff here are quite dark, especially towards the end. Dark and a bit boring. But, any record with Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence is strong enough to be considerered good.

I have to say that I find the gangsta braggadoccio and some of the misogyni in the lyrics stupid and bordering towards irritating. With that said Snoops laidback flow is a style of rap i do like, and the production is excellent. Most tunes are catchy like good popmusic, and listening to the record in Dolby Atmos on Tidal with a good headset is a sonic treat.

My favourite Chilipeppers record, and to me the sound of the summer I was 17, which is the sound of going to the beach and on boat trips with good friends. One of the few records were every song could be a single( and many of them were!). Yes, the lyrics are more than a tad stupid, yes the production lacks depth, but this one gets an extra star based on pure nostalgia.

As comforting and boring as a grey woollen blanket.

This is Wayne too much country for me.

The word swagger was invented to describe the music on this record. Jim Morrisons vocals is so extremely cool and self-assured. The Spy is a song I didn't know, that I really liked.

Some cool percussion and it sounds silky smooth. But it is too close to muzak, and I was kinda bored while listening.

The groove on this one is so immense that I wanna put on platform shoes, flared skinny-fit jeans and a silk shirt, and boogie all night. Coming from a white, Scandinavian middle school teacher in his early forties, that is quite an achievement.

Come on Eileen is a brilliant song. Besides that, this is not my pint of Guiness.

THE record to put on for a road trip across the midwest. ZZ Tops gritty blues and the overpolished eighties production shouldnt really work out, but it does.

The grunge era, Nirvana as a band, and this record where really important to me in my early youth. Th shift in tone from Nevermind to this took me some time to like then, but as an adult I find this record as an album a lot more interesting. Gone are the multitracked vocals an super catchy song structures stolen from power pop. Instead there are angsty whispers and angry screams, and a piece of art that on one hand has mellow and calm songs like Dumb and All Apologies, and on the other hardcore blowouts like Tourettes. And still this is the most cohesive record, and one that I can play from start to finish without skippping, and then want to hear it again.

Jazzy and cool samples. Leans a little towards "okay as background music but not really exciting" to me.

Good voice, well produced, but I rally cant remember any of the songs after listening through it. Not my cup of tea.

I have a feeling that this record is a grower, so I have put it on my "will-listen-again-list". There are some seriously cool guitar riffs here, Kool Thing and Disappearer springs first to mind, but most of the songs are dense and not super accessible. Three stars for now, but with expectations to become a four-star record somewhere later in 2024.

I love the production. Crystal clear guitar sounds and excellent use of stereo gives it a really organic, and liveish sound. The songs are uneven in quality, i dont really fancy the more acid influenced stuff. But Everybody's been burned is an utterly brilliant song, and shows off a darker side than their biggest hits.

"The power of love" is one of the best power ballads from the eighties, and the only song on this record i wouldnt mind hearing again.

I can understand some of the hate this record gets. It is quite juvenile, some of the lyrics have a high school "the world sucks" vibe, and some of the interplay between rap and singing feels forced. But what it lacks in brains it has in heart. The energy and hearts on the sleeve in the vocals draws me in, and takes me back to beeing 18 and angry. "In the end" alone is worth an extra star, it is a brilliant song.

I agree with one of the other reviews who writes that this is music for people who doesnt like music. It is not horrible or badly composed, its just there - without any demands, or, to me at least, without reaching beyond a shallow surface. It sounds cool on the stereo, but it is just that, sounds.

Would sound just as new and fresh if it were released today. David Bowie is without doubt the greatest rock star of my age. No one of his peers have reinvented themselves again and again, and done it with quality and ease(and quite a few kilos of cocaine) like Bowie.

I find this excruciatingly boring. I hear the musicianship, but it doesnt connect to me, at all. I would give it 1,5 stars, but since i cant i'll give it 2, just because I have to reserve 1 star to stuff that are REALLY crap.

Listening to this from start to finish made me feel sorry for everyone else who is going to do the same in the future.

I like Eminems rapping, and some of the rhymes are funny when in a high school-juvenile mindset way. But the homophobia and violence is to much for me, I mean Kim, that is a white-trash murder ballad i never need to hear again. Two stars because Stan is great story telling, and shows Eminems lyricism can be great with less anger and me against the world attitude.

Speakerboxx is excellent, maybe the best hip hop of the 2000s. The way you move is an all time favourite song. The Love Below is... something different. The singles are cool pop music, but there is too much falsetto and lounge music over all.

This is too jammy for me, and sounds like several afterparties I went to as a kid. I dont remember one single melody after hearing through, and I am probably even more bored than what the musicians performing on the record sounds.

A fresh breath of slick and extremely funky music after a couple of albums I hope I never have to listen to ever again. This record is fun to listen to, with some really cool guitar parts.

Chaotic, messy and quirky lyrics, and a guitar sound that is a bit murky aside; this is so much fun! One singer that manages to sound like three, and songs that twists and turns not to be artsy, but because it suits them, and its fun to throw in stuff like a double guitar solo in a song like Soil, just before it turns into a full on hardcore screaming session. On the other hand Spiders is a clear pointer towards the next three records, who I rate as three of the best metal albums of the 2000s. I was lucky enough to get to see them live in this period, probably on my top 5 list of concerts.

Well played, and well sung. Smooth as silk, and sounds like a million dollars on my headset. But, the lack of resistance also means it leans towards being good background music, more than it is exciting and engaging music to listen to.

A record that has to be on this list, because of how important it is, but as a record isnt especially good. The singles are fun, but the rest is weak material, especially compare to what came later in Elvis career.

I enjoyed this one, to mye own surprise. The production is dark and dense, and the songs have a continous flow that reminds me somewhat of more consept oriented records. I like that the lyrics are a lot smarter than the average 90s hiphop full of bitches and hoes( I am looking at you Grandpa Snoop). Guest lines from fellow Wu Tang-members ensures a nice variety in voices and styles that keeps the record from becoming monotonous. I'll stick this one to my "will listen again"-list.

God damn, this is one angry woman. Why don't you leave the bastard, Loretta? At least it takes two to tango, and as Loretta said herself about her own marriage: "he never hit me one time that I didn't hit him back twice." I'd guess that songs like "The Shoe goes on the other foot tonight", and "I got caught", about a woman being unfaithful, and not being sorry about it at all, made quite some waves in USA in the late sixties. Great lyrics, not my kind of music at all.

Booooooring.

Would give 2,5, but there is a positive vibe to it, so i'll give it the benefit of my doubt. Probably best enjoyed while stoned, not when cleaning windows.

Love the arrangements, perfectly matches Dustys smoky, soulful voice. A record I definitely will listen more to in the near future, and an example of why I love a project like this.

Ok, I acknowledge that it sounds quite timeless and obviously was something very different in 1977. But, seriously, this is more sounds with feverish barking and wailing on top of it, than it is music, and it is definitely not for me.

A decent pop record when they dont try to be Genesis.

I like the album Born in the U.S.A. a lot better than the song Born in the U.S.A.

Too much fuzz for me. Sounds a bit like some of my friends rehearsel room jams in the middle to late nineties.

One of the most important records in the history of music, no doubt. Would also be a sure Five star record with ten songs less. Why anyone would think it was a good idea to put Revolution 9 on the same record as While my guitar gently weeps and Blackbird, two of the most beautiful songs ever written, is beyond me.

As opposed to Rumours who is a cohesive masterclass in popmusic, this record sounds a bit all over the place. Some of the songs sounds like not quite finished demoes, whilst others are really great, Sisters of the Moon is a great example. I really dont feel this record, even though most of the music is well crafted.

Yes the lyrics are at times misogynistic and at times quite violent. But, I find that whilst the Marshall Mathers LP was angry, bleak and almost uncomfortable to listen to, The Slim Shady LP has a more cartoonish tongue in cheekness to its lyrics. I also like the production better on this one, I fint that it leans more towards classic 90's rap, which to my ears are a good thing.

Too much sitar

This was the first cd I bought with my own money, along with the Soundgarden single Pretty Noose. Yes, there are to many tracks, Corgan overindulged in his own talent on this one, but still, the talent is doubtless. The variation sometimes makes the record less coherent, but on the other hand it kind of wakes you up as a listener. Even if its not the record that has aged best from this decade it still is a 90s classic.

Not my favorite Bowie record, as it probably is one of his least accessible. But still, as a last word , literally from the grave as he died before it was released, it still has a haunting presence. What it does to a great extent, is show how Bowie even til his last breath was evolving and changing his style.

Really middle of the road all inn all, would give 2,5, if it werent for Angels, which I have to admit is a really great pop song.

This record could never be anything else than five stars to me. It is not flawless, but it takes me back to a sweet spot in life where MTV actually played music with guitars, and my biggest worries was how to get someone to by me beer in the weekends. Would probably put half the record on the playlist if I had to pick 200 favourite songs, and most definitely put it in the suitcase as a desert island album.

The musical equivalent to a Coffee table book. Its just there.

Smooth like velvet, and it sounds great in headphones, but it is so extremely boring. There is literally now dynamics in his vocals, it just flows along like tap water. Give me some waves and rougher waters!

Have to give Five stars, one of the most important records of my formative years. Its not as diverse as Superunknown, as catchy as Nevermind, or as mysterious as Dirt, but its still a damn good rock n roll record.

Its fresh is a really cool opener, love the bass and the horns. Scorpio is plain irritating. The rest of the album is ahead of its time production wise, but the songs seem to never end.

One of the best debut records ever, if not the best. Captured a time, anger, and created their own genre.

If I ever considered rating this higher, the screaming cats on the final track killed that thought.

Added to the list of records I'll listen to again. Like the voice, the sound and the duets with Emmylou Harris. The ultimate version of Love Hurts makes this a four. Would give three and a half if possible.

Would never be on this list if it was recorded by someone less famous. Not crap, utterly boring, and not important in any way.

Bordering on irritating, which is what I reserve one star ratings for. Some jangly guitar parts and sweet harmonies makes it a one-and-a-half, and thus the weakest two stars of the first 150 records on this project.

I dont get this, but the musicianship and production values are too good to be one star.

One of the best records I didnt know before this project. Would sound new and fresh if releasen in 2024, and listening to it on Tidal is a sonic fast to the ears. The production on this is just as brilliant as the musicianship.

To strange for me, but the musicianship is to good to warrant only one star.

This is fun, as music should be. Not perfect, but tons of charm.

It doesn' t much whiter than this.

Guitar play and production is excellent, but the songs doesnt do anything for me

I dont know if this is one of a thousand records you must hear before you die, but I really liked this.

I am having a hard with music that has no focal points, no riff or anything that repeats itself. I might too be stupid, or not musical enough to catch this, but I dont.

Still dont get this kind of improjazz.

The ballads are ace, the rest is mehhh.

This record reminded me of the Nirvana song Moist Vagina.

Grandfathers of britpop, jangly and eclectic, and one with Sunny Afternoon, one of the best pop songs ever. Damon Albarn took notes while listening.

There is something extremely british in the way Neil Tennant expresses feelings in a subdued nuanced way, instead of belching them out like a white man version of Mary J Blige. God forbid. Somehow this resonates in my cold Scandinavian heart, and makes Pet Shop Boys a sort of camp, guilty, left wing pleasure to me.

Look up "Background Music" in the dictionary.

Sounds like someone pressed record in the rehearsal room full of drunks. I really dont get the greatness of this.

If you ignore the fact that Chris Martin married a woman who sold scented candles with the smell of her own vagina, and betale the second coming of Bono, this record consist of excellent pop songs. Probably one of the best debuts in the early 2000s.

She is such an excellent story teller.

Sounds like a million dollars, and some of the guest performances are great. My biggest issues are the length of most of the tracks, which seems to drag on beyond the date of expiry. Prodigy took notes, and manage to create radio friendly rave music with similar sounds, but more oooomph.

The person Kanye wouldnt get a single star, he seems like a first class douchebag. The rapper Kanye is quite alright, with a little help from his friends it works. The producer Kanye is what makes this record. The soul and Motownsamples hits a sweet spot for me, that gangstarap never will.

Some very cool instrumental parts in several songs, but as a whole it lacks good songs, and the vocals annoys me more than it pleases me. At the Drive-In took this formula and sound, and added what lacks here, which makes this record important in an evolutionary sense, but this is not a record id want to listen to again.

Still dont get jazz.

Still dont get jazz, but this one is dark and unhinged enough to earn an extra star.

Probably the least pretentious and folkiest Bowierecord. Contains two of the best songs ever written in Life on Mars? and Changes.

To dark and gloomy for me.

To artsy and jangly for me.

Good record, great live band judging by the concert at the back end of the deluxe edition. Tight band, great classic rock vocals.

This is a good pop record, and would be a great record if it was 20 minutes. Aguileras voice is so powerful, and shines on the ballads, particularly on Soar and The Voice Within. I really wish she would make a gospel record, that would suit her voice like a glove.

I dont like Sex Pistols, but their songs at least doesnt go on and on, and on with no real purpose. Bookending your record with two of the most annoying tracks in this whole project so far doesnt help either.

The musical equivalent of conditioner. Bright, shiny and soft.

Funky, indeed! Impossible not to get a little hippier listening to this.

Like a punkier version of Velvet Underground, albeit with decipherable lyrics. To chaotic for me.

This was enjoyable. Fun, great guitar parts, and the use of horns makes it stand out in the crowd. Sounds like a cross between Blondie and The Clash to me

As british as it gets

Extremely important as a work of art. As a piece of music it is bloated, and would be a much better listening experience without half of the tracks. But the other half contains some really brilliant songwriting, and one of the best songs ever written in Comfortably Numb.

This one kind of annoys me, as I find it is more sounds and production, than actual songs. Would give 1,5 star, but since it clearly has qualities far beyond records I actually have given 1 star, it gets 2. But I hope I never have to listen to any of these "songs" again.

I really like the first half of this records. Brilliant popsongs, with an otherworldly quality. The second half is too artsy for me, even if her voice still keeps me interested.

Sounds like Bee Gees if they were bored and depressed.

They are probably great at what they do, but this is not for me.

Skin is a brilliant singer. By coincidence I had a little revival of Skunk Anansies music a couple of weeks ago when I discovered an acoustic record on Spotify. An underrated 90s band in my opinion.

I like Dave Mustaine the guitarist, I dont like Dave Mustaine the vocalist.

If I were an old school DJ i'd definitely used this record. Too scattered to be a really good listening experience, but some of these guitar licks would still sound good on a Vampire Weekend record in 2024.

First track: Frustration. That kind of sums it up. Tainted Cell is a banger, apart from that I hope I never have to hear any other song from this record again.

Production has a distinkt nineties sound to it, songwriting and drumming is stellar.

One of the coolest records in this project that Ive never heard before, so far. Eclectic songwriting, cool instrumentations, and a rock record that still sounds quite fresh in 2024.

It sounds nice, but I still dont quite get jazz.

Borderline annoying, and absolutely no songs I ever need to hear again.

Jesus H Christ these guys can play, I just wished they bothered to play songs instead of sounds. This might be the shit in this genre, but to me this is the punk/trash equivalent to free jazz. There was a point during the second song I thought I might be able to find a second star, but in total this annoys me, which is my criteria for giving one star.

There must be 1001 better albums released in 2004 alone. Avoids one star because a couple of songs at least sounds like they are having fun.

R.e.m. is one of my favourite bands, but being born in the early eighties, it is the nineties version of the band i fell in love with. I have listened to some of the older stuff, but I think this is the first time in ages i listen to this record from start to finish, and I think it is a brilliant piece of poprock. R.e.m. is in some ways the indierock version of Madonna, in the sense that they seemed to always incorporate the sound of the age the records were release, and at the same time sound like themselves. One of few bands that kept going for decades, without ever releasing a weak record.

It's a good thing they didn't tune the instruments, so it matches the vocals. I've never done mushrooms, and if I would want to I kind of guess I'd have to find another part of the woods than where these guys recorded this record, cause it cant be anything left there.

This annoys me more than i want to admit, especially as i quite like other records by Daft Punk.

Beck goes Nick Drake, and he does it quite well.

I dont care how dadrock and uncool Eagles and this record is. There only good songs on it, and both the riffing and vocal harmonizing are pure gold. Love it!

Take away half the songs, and this would be a great record.

It might be because I am norwegian, and understand the kind of layers of irony in the lyrics, and that my lack of english understanding makes the lyric a little less cringeworthy(because they are, and you might say that it is a kind of double standard that I have trouble listening to gangstarap with the same ethos). Anyways: this album is first and foremost fun, and 90 percent of this is because the guitarist is a fucking genius.

If you could turn a Womanizer into a record, this is what it would sound like.