1001 Albums Summary

Never a huge Dylan fan, but was more enjoyable than I'd expected. Might give it another listen, but don't expect to be in my normal rotation.

The hits are the hits for the reason. Early U2 was never my jam, and this is no exception. The non-hits are imminently skippable. I made it through, but probably wouldn't listen again, so 2 stars.

Definitely listenable start to finish.

Never realized BBtHC had a singer other than Janis. But even when he did sing one, she overpowered him from the background. Enjoyed this one more than I expected to.

You can say this is timeless in the sense that, to my ear, this could just have easily have been produced today as 1967. But I probably wouldn't listen to it today either. It's not bad for focus music, though. I could put it in the "put my head down and grind this work out" playlist.

Could've shortened it up a bit, Jimi. But the only song I really wanted to skip through was the 10 min. Voodoo Chile. Burning of the Midnight Lamp is on this one. Always loved that song, but forgot about it. Glad to rediscover it.

Did not expect to like this one but for the most part I did.

This isn't available in its entirety on Spotify. Fortunately, I was able to find it through other means. Excellent. Oddly enough, the songs Neil Young sang are my least favorite.

It was....okay, I guess. The songs that everyone knows are the best ones. Nothing else jumped out at me. I still don't really get why people love RHCP so much.

Oof. I'm glad that's over. Safe to say that this wasn't my jam.

Still Dylan. See my previous review…

Is this the first concept album?

Singer had a voice that reminded me a bit of Brian Wilson. Alas, this was not my Pet Sounds. Gets two starts because I was able to get all the way through it, but unlikely to get a place in my rotation.

Some great songs on here, wish there was a 3.5 stars option. Alas, as a whole, this isn't an album I'd put into my rotation so she only gets three. Most of the pieces that I've enjoyed I already knew from Neil Young - Decade.

Sunshine Hit Me Cold.

Spotify only has one song from this album available in the US, but based on that...yeah, no.

Didn't like them then, still don't like them now. IDGAF how acclaimed they are.

I guess there's a reason she's so popular. Cringed when this came up, but found myself tapping my toes and bobbing my head. Wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it, but won't dive for the knob if Shake It Off comes on either.

Not generally a fan of classical style music, but this was very listenable and easy to understand why it's on this list. Will add to my focus music list. Could've done without hearing so many enthusiastic "ohhhhh"'s from the artist, but whatcha gonna do?

Too overproduced and polished to be punk. There's a reason that one song is the only one anybody knows.

Great voice, but she literally did not know the words to the song TWICE. How do you record covers without knowing the words?

I think this is the first one that I've already listened to multple times. 4/5

Yawn. Couldn't get through this. Expected to enjoy it going in, but I was very very wrong.

It's freakin', Tommy. You already know.

Singer has a voice somewhat reminiscent of Pete Steele from Type O Negative. Though I guess these guys were before Type O, so I guess it's not really reminiscent. I digress. This is punk, though. Not like The Hives from earlier this week. Punk, my ass.

More listenable than I'd expected. In my mind's eye (ear?), prog-era Genesis was going to be a group of dudes dressed up in Baroque outfits, making Baroque music. This was only maybe 30% of that.

Did not expect to enjoy this at all, but yet I found it listenable.

All of those things I may have said about prog not being so bad during the Genesis listen....I take back. I made it through the record though, so I guess that means it gets a two.

Unremarkable if unoffensive album. Took me a few minutes to realize it was even over after it ended. 2/5

The hits (first song on each side) are decent enough, but the filler is too Kum-ba-yah folky for me.

Another solid album from Stevie. I think I like this one better than Songs in the Key of Life, personally.

I really have no basis to critique hip-hop. It's the genre I understand and appreciate the least. Having said that, I didn't hate listening to this. It's just incredibly foreign to me.

Definitely a product of the times. Don't hate, but probably will never listen again.

Very Talking Heads-ish sound of the same period. Guess America didn't need two bands with that sound?

Time to Pretend is a great song. Wanted to skip over the rest.

Just a good old-school rocker. Faces were as good as the Stones, should've had a bigger following.

This is awful and have no idea why people like this band. It made me want to break shit. Maybe that's the point.

Seems good as far as Samba (is that what this is?) goes. It could be phenomenal in that genre, for all I know.

Now I kind of get it. Great voice and some all-around excellent songs.

Just not my jam.

It's old blue eyes. My Italian-American roommate in college listened the hell out of these records.

It sounds and feel like one long song and that's not a bad thing. First listen and instantly recognized it as a classic. Won't be for everybody, but it's a beautiful piece of work.

What have I done to deserve this? No matter how much they try, I can't enjoy the 80's.

Not my favorite YYYs album, but serviceable and doesn't make me want to shut it off. Good enough for 3.

At least this isn’t the one Hotel California is on. Doesn’t quite make me hate the f’n Eagles.

Apparently, this is a great synth album. It's lost on me though.

Really starting to question some of these choices. At first, I almost thought it was a parody album. Maybe it's just not being immersed in UK rap culture.

I just could not.

I'm a little surprised I haven't listened to this fully in the past. Quite good.

I'll grant you that this was an unusual concept record at the time, but that doesn't make me like live records or Metallica anymore than I did going in.

Easy to listen to, but not interesting enough to make me a fan.

Classic Neil.

Previous comments about young English white guys doing blues still apply. (Short version: please don't)

Couple of filler level tracks, but generally a solid album all the way through.

Fun little listen. Can't see me putting into the regular rotation, but enjoyable all the same.

The singles are pure 80s nostalgia, but the other tracks realllly do not hold up very well.

The album where the Beatles grew up.

I'm the weirdo who prefers REM's 'Monster' album.

Great record. Perfect bridge between the 80's and the grunge boom in the 90's. Black Francis is a dick, but he's our dick; Kim Deal is the pride of Dayton, Ohio. I want to grow up to be a debaser.

More folksy overall than I'd expected. No real standouts other than the two hits we all already know by heart.

Didn't hit me in the same way that "Dry" did.

Not primal nor was there any screaming. Pass.

This is an album that requires you to be (whether temporarily or perennially) in a gloomy mood to fully appreciate. If you are, it's a 4. If you're not, it's a 2. I'll split the difference.

I do love me some 90s chick rock. Everyone likes to say how Liz Phair peaked at her first album but when you’re first album is a masterpiece, how could you not.

Had to listen on YouTube and kept getting interrupted at odd times for ads. Probably should be a four, but I didn’t get to really experience it properly.

Clearly an influential sound, but not my bag.

Not being an aficionado of this genre, it's for me to say precisely why this is worthy of inclusion on this list. But it does have a good rhythm and some witty lyrics. Not safe for the children, for sure.

the songs you know still get played to death (except You Oughta Know, ironically – I don’t seem to hear that one as much anymore) and the non-singles are utterly forgettable. I haven’t heard this record in full since 1996, and I think I’m set for another 28 years.

Dance dance dance. Not me, brother.

More punkish sounding than I'd expected from the KoL radio songs I've heard.

Soul meets yacht rock.

Remarkably unremarkable

Yep, it's a Bob Marley record. Sounds like all the other Bob Marley records.

Now I know where every Mexican restaurant I've ever been in gets their music from.

Tighten it up to 40 minutes and this would be a 5.

Perfectly serviceable 70s punk.

Better than I was expecting. Was braced for screeching guitars and little else, found that these are actually well crafted songs...with screeching guitars. Kinda get it now.

The jazz album to play for all of those people who make the blanket statement of "I hate jazz music"; damn close to perfect.

Thought that I never liked RHCP, but turns out I never liked RHCP's overexposure. Probably should have listened to this 30 years ago before I talked all that trash about them.

Grunge starts here.

Another album that I've been writing off for decades. Still not and likely never will be a full fledged metal fan, but damn it if this isn't better than I expected it to be.

Sounds a bit like late 90s Tori Amos, but less interesting. Yawn.

I don't get why The Smiths are legendary. Born too late, I guess.

Hell yes.

Kept hearing elements of Rush, Styx, and Queen while listening to this.

My least favorite of the three big Pixies albums, but still a good listen.

Inconsistent in my mind, alternating between excellent pop songs and snoooooooze.

They all sound the same, but at least it's not an awful sound.

I can absolutely appreciate her talent, but not something I'd listen to unprompted.

As a 90's teen, kinda can't believe I didn't know this record already.

She has an amazing voice, but I never felt compelled to listen to this album. After listening, that instinct was correct. The source material is all derivative and frankly a bit boring. This did inspire me to go back and relisten to Little Broken Hearts, a Jones album about ten years newer and much more interesting.

If every song on this album was "Conduit for Sale!", this would be five starts. Regardless, essential listening for any 90's kid.

Prefer some of Dan's other work, but nothing wrong with this one.

Well I finally got through that one. The third attempt at listening was the charm. The key is that you have to be sufficiently distracted and not give it your full attention.

What in the actual f*ck did I just listen to? I kept waiting for Austin Powers to do a cameo. Certainly amusing. 3 stars just for the cheekiness.

Not a bad place to start, but the next few records are better.

Classic.

A few cases of filler but the good songs here are great.

A perfect encapsulation of why I don’t listen to new music. Every time you hear “pussy” take a drink!

Non-descript, Non-offensive 60s pop songs. Lead singer sounds vaguely familiar...

Went in skeptical, appreciate it more than I expected to.

All reggae sounds the same and it's not a good sound. Fight me.

"Money" feels a little out of place (an opinion originally offered by a friend, but she's right so I'm stealing this) but this album is a top notch otherwise.

Went down easier than it did when current, but still don't see what the fuss is about with this one.

Honestly expected this to be better. Not a huge JLL fan, but I expected him to be at his best on a live album. That just didn't come through.

The quintessential Xennial breakup album, but admittedly not for everyone.

Enjoyable old school rap.

While I like some of the Kinks work, this one just didn't appeal to me at all.

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would

The older you get, the less open you become to discovering new artists. Generally, when discovered...I'm okay with that. A lot of new artists just don't appeal to me. While his voice sometimes sounds like Beck to me, the songs are angry in a smooth folksy way. Going to be exploring more of his catalog.

Definitely something you'd need to be in a certain mood to be into. Not bad as focus music, could be useful if trying to recreate a 70s NYC cop movie in your head, or even if you're just tripping balls.

The National is a band that I really feel like I should like and I really want to like. But I just don't. I can't put my finger on why. I think all of their songs sound basically the same, and the one word I'd use to describe that sound is "plodding", which is not an adjective I generally would use in a positive sense.

Better than the sum of it's parts. I could go my life without hearing "Wake Me Up When September Ends" or "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" again, but the rest of the album fits together well.

Holy autotune. Found nothing redeeming about this album.

You either like classic country or you don't, and it doesn't get more classic country than this.

I wouldn't call myself a folk music hater, and in fact like some (I gladly listened to the Spotify suggestions that followed this album for quite a while); but this album left me cold. Wasn't very inspiring. Much prefer Bookends.

No such thing as a bad CCR album, but not their best.

'What Is Life' is one of the great rock songs of all time. The rest of this (including 'My Sweet Lord') is lackluster in comparison.

I enjoy this album far more than the me before I ever heard it would expect me to. Can't even explain why, it's just eminently listenable.

The singers strange affect got on my nerves by the end of the second song. At first, I thought it was some sort of ironic joke that I wasn't in on, but evidently that's just how he sings. Not a fan.

Not a huge fan of live albums, the 70s in general, or Cheap Trick in particular, but this wasn't a bad listen. I wouldn't seek it out, nor would I race for the knob if this were to come on in my presence.

MC Shadow and Tom Waits had a love child and begat this album.

I’ve known this was an acclaimed album since the early 2000s and remember listening to it then. It didn’t get under my skin then and it still doesn’t. It’s fine, but eh.

Never a huge Beasties guy, this didn't change that. Sure Shot and Sabotage are great songs though.

This may have been conceived as the soundtrack for the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I hated the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

How many Bob Dylan albums are on this list anyway?

Seeing the word "Morrissey" on the screen, usually strikes me with fear, but this one wasn't so bad. Maybe I'm finally warming up to him?

The best the Cure ever did. And that's a shame.

Ok as focus music, but I'd rather listen to DJ Shadow.

I read recently a theory about how the Black Crowes (particularly after this album) got overlooked because they didn't fit in with the grunge movement. I suspect that's pretty accurate. Solid album and band.

Oasis-lite.

As good as blues gets.

Can't make me like reggae, no matter how many times you make me listen to it.

Inoffensive though not especially compelling.

Pre-grunge that clearly influenced a lot of great bands and that I just couldn't get into.

Enjoyed this more than I expected. Curious whether it just landed in my feed because it was St. Patricks day week.

Some of these songs were so completely unavoidable (read: massively overplayed) in 1989, and yet they've seemingly disappeared altogether. I'd completely forgotten them. All in all, a better listen than I would have expected going in. Holds up better than a lot of pop from that era.

Didn't find it particularly interesting, but I suppose if you're actively humping it might fit the mood.

Enjoyed more than the last Arctic Monkeys record I listened to.

Ok. Not loving it. Now of the opinion that Interpol shamlessly stole their sound from them.

Not something I'd actually listen to unprompted, but wasn't eagerly waiting for it to be over. Way more interesting version of soul than that Marvin Gaye album I had to sit through earlier this week.

Hoo boy, that was a tough one.

Odd but inoffensive instrumentalism.

It's like early 2000s Nick Lowe made an uninteresting album of ballads. Stick with Nick.

Listenable, but not nearly as solid or engaging start-to-finish as Back to Black.

Enjoyed the sparse, stripped down sounds. Ironic this was what we got right before Born In The USA.

Early 70s heavy glam metal ain't my bag, but fine for what it was.

Inoffensive modern folk, good background music.

I feel like I need a shower. My playlist recommendations are FUBAR'd now.

Yawn. Though the noise jam ten minutes into the closing song did make this album from simply boring to annoying enough to shut it off.

I like Willie, but this one was a snoozer.

Well produced and easy to listen to, but not especially compelling.

God damn it, this is a great album. The Pixies time on this earth was too short.

Bob just ain't my jam, and it feels like 10% of the albums on this list are his.

I don't really love any of these songs, but damned if I didn't know every single one of them from having them crammed into my ears anytime I was near a radio over the last 45 years. As a collection, it's classic rock in every sense.

Pretty Good and Illegal Smile are two of my favorite old folk/country songs. Much rather listen to Prine than Dylan.

The issues being sung about here seem quaint in hindsight, but this is a thoroughly enjoyable early 90s hip-hop record. Should have had more attention.

The second listen wasn't as painful as the first (while driving, I had to shut it off ten minutes in for fear of falling asleep), but I still would never ever ever choose to play this. Maybe if I were tripping balls. But that's it.

Wish I could give 3.5 stars. Since I can't, I guess I'll give it 4.

A suppose as a cultural touchpoint for the late Reagan era, this album is essential listening. But it's really not very good. It wasn't then, and it hasn't gotten better with age.

Better than the other EBTG albums I've been subjected to here.

The best hard rock album of all time

I couldn't tell if this was an album of songs or just one song for 60 minutes.

I'm on record as sharing the opinion of The Dude when it comes to the Eagles. It's hard for me to give an unbiased opinion of this album when all of the hits have been jammed into my ears endlessly for the last 50 years. This is the first I've heard some of the non-single tracks, and it becomes obvious why these were not singles. At least they let Joe Walsh sing one.

Fun little record.

I just couldn't get through more than one track on this one. Each attempt to do more was met with a skip button or my headphones coming off in frustration.

Sounded like early 2000s Nick Lowe albums, but less interesting.

Dolla-dolla bills, y'all.

Another day, another Radiohead record

Feels like it should be playing during the planning montage of a heist flick.

A proggy live album. Fuck me with a rusty razor.

Inoffensive background music. Not sure who this genre actually appeals to.

A record and a band that's grown on me over the last 30 years. Would have been a 2 in 1996.

The Bjorkiest band that ever Bjorked

Have to say that was more enjoyable than I expected it to be. Some if it was a bit over the top, but all in all, not a bad listen.

Unexceptional Brit-pop that seems interchangeable with all other 80s Brit-pop. Not sure why this is essential.

All instrumental - no denying FZ is a good guitar player, but missing his lyrical wit here. 3/5

I respect Bruce, but have never been a huge fan. That theme continues with this album. I respect and appreciate what this album is trying to do, but I never attached to it the way I'd like to. Having said that, the title track is one of my favorite songs from this era. Perhaps this record just went on a bit too long. Dropping three or four of the weaker songs would have helped it a lot.