1001 Albums Summary

Summary: The genre switching and tendency for staccato make this a challenging album for me. There are some grooves on here and it starts strong but quickly falls off for me. I kept waiting for another track that spoke to me but it never came. Prince's style just doesn't really work for me and if this is representative of his catalog, we can part ways with the possible exception of a track here and there. Track by track notes Well... the intro is not my kind of thing but luckily isn't that long. Track 1 - 1999 Are there multiple singers? I cannot tell if Prince has multiple vocal tracks or if there are guest(s). Definitely a groove. I could see this getting on some party playlists. Track 2 - Little Red Corvette Quite the tone shift from track 1, almost a genre change. More of a chill driving song. Decent. Track 3 - Delirious Did we change genre again? This song is charming but goofy. Track 4 - Let's pretend we're married I'll stop commenting on how different each track is. This one has a nice driving beat but feels a bit more raw than previous tracks. The "being nasty" part of this song is a turn off for me. Skip! Track 5 - D.M.S.R. I think I get where this song is going but I kept waiting for it to come together and be less choppy. Not really my thing. Track 6 - Automatic I have to mention the song lengths only because this one and the last few I've looked up to see how much longer they were as I was a bit tired of them after a couple minutes. 7, 8 and 9 minutes for repetitive songs can work but these aren't working for me. Track 7 - Something In The Water This track was... fine. No complaints but forgettable. Track 8 - Free Got distracted and forgot to listen to this song the first time around. It's a nice song. Nothing I would seek out to listen to again. Track 9 - Lady Cab Driver I didn't like it. Another long one as well. Track 10 - All The Critics Love U In New York I got bored and didn't get through the whole track. Track 11 - International Lover This song is probably fine but my ears are tired of this album.

Summary: This was a fun listen. I feel like I learned a lot about Neil Young and his style. I don't have a lot of context for 1969 and whether this was groundbreaking or important to rock music. I cannot imagine a world where this wasn't at least a unique style with the lead guitar doing a lot of the talking. Track by track notes: 1 - Cinnamon Girl Head is bobbing. Chill but with some clear rock feeling. The claps and some of the harmonies almost give me a Beatles hint but with an obviously harder rock feel. Like this one. 2 - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere Little bit of a country rock feel. It's fine. 3 - Round & Round Nice gentle lullaby. 4 - Down by the River The lead guitar gave me stank face (a good thing) in the start. Then it mellowed and got a bit boring but the chorus came in and was powerful. I'm digging this one and would certainly revisit in the right mood. Holy crap I still have >6 minutes to go. It was a good listen but never blew me away. 5 - The Losing End This is a bit too country for me. 6 - Running Dry Poetic and artistic. Not a song I would play a lot but I think I get it. 7 - Cowgirl In The Sand Are we at the last song already? High expectations for the last song of such a short album. The guitar work on this album continues to be stellar. Oh this is a groove...

Summary: This album was a bit all over the place. Some unforgettable tracks that will be mainstays in playlists forever and others that seem like experiments that missed the mark. I love the creativity and courage but if you miss on it, I'm still going to skip the track. I would surprised by the instrumental tracks and even more surprised how much I liked some of them. 1 - Sure Shot: They jump RIGHT IN with a great beat. Head is immediately bopping. It feels like an intro song and will never be a repeater or favorite but I'm invested now. 2 - Tough Guy: Not really my style. Seems like maybe this was an influence to The Offspring which I also don't like. Skip! 3 - B-Boys Makin' With The Freak Freak Not shy of the distortion knob. 4 - Bobo On The Corner Interlude-type track 5 - Root Down Okay... okay... this is fulfilling the promise the first track made. I'm back to bopping along. 6 - Sabotage AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH YEAH! This song evokes a feeling so well. I can even still imagine the music video while I'm listening. 7 - Get It Together Very different and gives me Digable Planets and Naughty By Nature influence vibes. Ooooooooooh roll credits (mentioned the album title at the end) 8 - Sabrosa Got that funk... Holy crap is this all instrumental? I like it. Almost like an intermission with style. 9 - The Update Fine track. I'll probably not listen to it again unless I'm not paying attention. 10 - Futterman's Rule Another instrumental break. I dig this one too. 11 - Alright Hear This It's ok 12 - Eugene's Lament Interesting change of pace. Not my favorite. 13 - Flute Loop Oooooh I like this. 14 - Do It This is got a groove to it. 15 - Ricky's Theme All of the sudden a chill beat... ok... cool 16 - Heart Attack Man I don't like this. 17 - The Scoop I like the way this is put together with the clips and the funky beat. Seems like it was a bit ahead of its time. 18 - Shambala Another interesting instrumental. 19 - Bodhisattva Vow A fine addition towards the end. 20 - Transitions Nice transition out of the album. Relaxing.

Summary: No track by track reactions today... this album just lulled me into a stupor. That isn't a bad thing. I just rode the vibe and it was pretty consistent throughout. I feel like this similar to Prince's style but more to my liking. Quick album. I could see myself putting it on very very infrequently as something chill.

Summary: While I didn't love the whole album straight through, there were some tracks that were just duds for me but there were others that I definitely enjoyed and will return to. If I had a 1/2 of a star this would definitely be a 3.5 but it doesn't quite make it to the 4. Track by track: 1 - I don't really like intro tracks unless they are really funny or necessary to set up the album. Just something I have to skip in every subsequent listen. 2 - Like it a lot. Definitely hear some Wu-Tang similarities. 3 - Don't like it. Just doesn't appeal. This would be a skip in the future. 4 - This one is fine. Isn't blowing me away but also is very listenable. 5 - Love this track. Might be my favorite so far. 6 - Difficult to follow track 5. This one is ok. 7 - Decent track. I don't like the chorus much. 8 - I like the flow. It is almost acapella at times it has so little accompaniment. I'll never seek it out though. 9 - Very Wu-Tang. The flow is great, the beat is great. The chorus isn't impressive. 10 - I like this one a lot. The beat is nice, the groove works.

Summary: I am snapping along out of the gate. With very little experience with this genre, I feel like I am skipping right to the advanced class but enjoying it quite a bit. I'm not sure if it is the style or the live nature of the album but I'm not really noticing track changes so no track-by-track reactions today. I feel like this is the type of music that when it is good, I'll tap my foot and bob my head but it will never be more than background music for me.

Summary: All-in-all I very much liked this album. I was surprised by the influences I heard coming from someone that had only ever heard the Greatest Hits albums. The lead guitar was more of a stand-out than I expected as well. Another surprise was the proto-punk on track 6. Where did that come from? Did Queen start punk rock before it was cool and then abandon it? Track-by-track: 1 - Immediately getting a bit of a Beatles vibe I didn't expect (which quickly falls away for the classic Queen sound I am accustomed to). I also didn't expect the lead guitar to go insane. 2 - I was already very familiar with this track. It is a banger. 3 - Wow. This is a very different sound! I hear Beatles, Led Zeppelin... That Queen sound has faded a bit into the background. I still like it but I'm surprised. 4 - Oh I love that multi-layer vocal track that comes in with "Flick Of The Wrist". This almost has a Black Sabbath spookiness to it. I dig it. 5 - Little interlude. Nice in the context of the album. 6 - What is this? The intro to this song is like punk rock before it existed. And... now right back into the Queen sound. Decent track. 7 - Every track seems to have a dramatic introduction of some sort. Some are better than others. This one isn't really clicking with me. Overall this is a future skip track. (Yes Zvazda. I listened to the whole track for this listen through) 8 - What is this?? I feel like I've heard this one before but had no idea it was Queen. Interesting... The track is pretty good. I could see having this on some sort of high-energy rock mix. 9 - A lullaby? After that last track? Are they messing with us? 10 - This one feels like a bit of a throw back rock track. Pretty decent song. 11 - Kind of goofy. Its funny enough to listen to once but I'd probably skip it in the future. 12 - Such a different guitar sound here form the insane lead guitar earlier. This feels like more of a Beatles influence but it also feels like it could have come out as late as the 1990's so it sits in an interesting place. Very progressive while also being reminiscent. Not many bands capable of that. I like it quite a bit. 13 - Extended/Remastered track 7. Still not my favorite even with the "Revisited" version. Cannot penalize the album though.

Overall this album had a lot of what I would call hidden gems. There were a lot of tracks outside of E.R. and Y.S. that I remember but never really sought out. They are some of my favorite tracks as well! Overall, this a very good album that I would listen to most of! Track by track reactions: 1 - I'm immediately bothered a bit by the left headphone heavy mix. I won't penalize the album but I hope it rights itself. I like this track! 2 - OK... well the audio engineer is not my favorite person but I'll stop talking about how this is now right ear heavy. Love this song! Is this one of my top 5 Beatles tracks? I guess we will find out but it is certainly in the convo. 3 - I think I've heard this one before. It is a fine slow head bopper. For a second I got a Smashing Pumpkins vibe. I wonder if this one helped influence some of their more chill tracks. Someone ask Billy Corgan if he likes this one! 4 - Interesting intro. Certainly some instruments on this one that I cannot confidently identify. This song wasn't really my jam. It was ok. 5 - Nice lullaby if you're in the mood for one. 6 - Tough to give this one a fair listen. To me, it has always been kind of goofy and silly. I can't really take it seriously. It used to actually bother me to listen to but now I am more neutral. 7 - A fine track 8 - Oh I like this one but I always forget about it. One of the standouts from this album for sure. 9 - Another one that I am familiar with and like but forget about! Is this the album of forgotten favorites? 10 - This is a nice one as well. I am swaying in my chair. I cannot remember if I've heard this one before but I'd never skip it. 11 - Oh we're rocking now. This one is a groove! 12 - Nice vocals. Did I catch some dissonance in the piano? I didn't like what I heard. I'm sure it is on purpose but the purpose eludes me. It messes up my enjoyment a bit. 13 - Oh I like this one. I almost get a Ben Folds Five vibe (specifically Reinhold Messner). I cannot put my finger on it. It may be the horns along with this general vibe. 14 - Some of track 4's instrumentation is back but more subtle. This song may be a bit too experimental for me but I respect it.

For someone like me that barely hears lyrics (I do hear vocals) unless I really concentrate, I feel like the foreign language does not harm my ability to appreciate the music. OK... I tried to give it a chance. It started out OK but quickly went to a place that I could not follow. Sorry Can. You're just not for me. Track by track: 1 - I like it. Interesting build up. I don't know if I could listen to an entire album like this. 2 - OK... we've stayed on the same vibe. Vocals are so subdued until they are not. They almost remind me of Trent Reznor a bit how he will use vastly different volumes and tones in vocals. 3 - For some reason this has more of a Lynyrd Skynyrd vibe than the previous two tracks which felt a bit more progressive and timeless. 4 - Couldn't help but notice the run time. Well, I used to listen to a lot of Jam Bands so this could be right up my alley. I'll check back in at the half-way point. A little past the halfway point... I am just kinda hanging out jamming along. I don't hate it and I don't love it. A few minutes left of the song and its getting intense and making me a bit anxious. This song is AMBITIOUS but I didn't ever feel the need to get out except that one point possibly. 5 - 1/3rd of the way in and I don't like this at all. It is way too experimental for me. I'll brave it out but my goodness they are asking a lot of us. Oh... I just got to the drum circle section of this song. Funny! 6 - Dude. What the hell. This feels like a troll. 7 - OK this is fine (especially after that last track).

Overall, this album was a welcome surprise! I really enjoyed track 5 which according to YouTube Music was the least played track on the album. I would call it a hidden gem or maybe I was just in the right mood. Track by track: 1 - This is very pleasant. Foot tapping is going strong. Loved it! Great backup vocals as well. 2 - Keep laying this stuff on me. I'm digging it. 3 - Bit of a change of pace. I don't like this one quite as much but it's still fine. 4 - Another change of pace. This is nice. 5 - Ok... I have "Stank face" during the repeat of "Standing Room Only" towards the end of the track. I immediately want to play it again. 6 - This track was pretty decent. Didn't capture my interest too well but I enjoyed it. 7 - This one is nice. Chill but with some building intensity. 8 - What a fun exit track. I feel like this has been a true send-off.

Tale of two album halves for me. Tracks 1-4 are three great songs and 1 complete skip. Tracks 5-8 are all middle of the road. Overall, it is a very good rock album that I would revisit on occasion. Track by track: 1 - I don't know which part is "War Pigs" and which part is "Luke's Wall" but this is a good track that makes an immediate statement on what the vibe of the album will be. 2 - This song rules. 3 - Okay... so we're taking a break from the music. I sense a future skip. 4 - OK yeah... I know this one. I don't know if I can give a fair take but I'll try. The guitar riff is iconic. The guitar solo starting after the 3 minute mark is great and breaks up the repetition well. It is a longer song than I remember but also better than I remember. I sort of expected to be a bit too tired of this to really enjoy it. 5 - This song is pretty decent. Not a standout for me. 6 - Another fine track. 7 - What a name for a song. It was pretty decent. 8 - This album didn't really go out with the bang it came in with but I wasn't skipping anything either.

I've never listened to a Blondie album before and I certainly didn't realize they were in the scene before 1980. I enjoyed this album quite a bit but I was almost just more impressed in the versatility and proto-80's and 90's sounds. Track by track: 1 - I like the simplicity and driving rhythm. 2 - Instantly recognizable. Foot tapper for sure. This song is a classic and I feel like it still gets used today due to it's catchy nature and re-interpretable lyrics. I'm not sure if I've ever heard the end of this song. Lived up to the hype it's a bop. 3 - Loving the layered vocals. Pretty good track. 4 - Getting a Halloween vibe at the beginning. Now as the instruments come in, I'm hearing a Pink Floyd influence. Didn't expect that. 5 - Totally different vibe. More of a throwback. I hear 1950's modernized. 6 - My least favorite track so far. Just isn't really taking me anywhere. 7 - Almost had a Grease/Musical vibe. Its ok. 8 - Doesn't feel like a 1970s song at all. If I heard this I would guess late 80's. It's pretty good. 9. Cute little pop ditty. I can jam to this. 10 - Jumps right into it and grooves immediately. Absolute classic. Can we call this proto-80's pop? 11 - Hard to follow the last track and they didn't. This is bottom 2 tracks so far. 12 - Another mediocre one for me.

I remember hearing this for the first time after my brother in law sent it to me. I was pretty blown away with the unique sound and it was a gateway to a style of music I hadn't been exposed to much to this point. I can listen to this album from start to finish and repeat it again. Track 9 is a little rough, track 3 is filler/intro and doesn't add much but for the most part this is a nice set of tracks around some killer bangers. Track by track: 1 - Starting out with a banger! 2 - A decent follow up. I'm not wanting to skip it except that I know great stuff is coming 3 - Major tone change. Almost feels like an intro track. Everything sounds like it is leading somewhere with no resolution. 4 - Another absolute banger. The chorus gave me stank face. Loving it. 5 - Can't get better than that last track but... wait... it actually DOES. It is no surprise that this song was as popular as it was. 6 - A super tough following spot. This changes tone which is a good thing. It is a decent track for an expectation/tone reset. 7 - This one starts a little rough but comes together in the second half and is really nice with the strings in the background. 8 - I almost hear some Neil Young influence in the chorus of this one. It is a decent track altogether. I enjoyed the ending instrumental. 9 - This psychedelic track is a bit too out there for me. The first track on the album that I would probably skip regularly. 10 - A fine but forgettable final track. A bit of a miss to just have a fine track here and eliminates the possibility of this being in the amazing album range.

Overall, this album was all over the place. There were tracks I absolutely loved and some that I despise and/or won't ever listen to again. Coming from a place of "greatest hits" for The Police, I am happy to go back there without missing out on much. Synchronicity I/II and O My God are probably the best non-greatest-hits tracks to check out. The strength of those plus the trio pushes this pretty high in overall contribution of the album. Track by track: 1 - Unexpected sound to start. Once the rhythms and vocals come in, it settles in more to the sound I expect from The Police. The up-tempo rhythm along with the drawn out, overlapping vocals create a nice contrast. 2 - Very interesting rhythm-centric track. It feels like an interlude and isn't something I'm super into. 3 - Well this is groovy. Was my favorite song so far but the odd horn solos at the end were a little off-putting. 4 - What the hell is this. Trying not to skip. 5 - Anything would be better than that last "song". This is just OK though. 6 - This has some potential based on the first 20 seconds. This song wavers between being a song I'm really enjoying and a song that is just OK. (edit: second listen and I enjoyed it more) 7 - I don't think I've ever heard this song... ... ... in the context of the full album (gotcha there). It is simply a great song. I don't get too mixed up with lyrics so the creepiness doesn't really detract for me at all. 8 - A banger for sure. The latter half of this album is certainly feeling strong. 9 - Another one that simply rocks. Three bangers in a row. 10 - Almost acapella vocals at times. Quite beautiful. Not necessarily catchy but I can enjoy it. 11 - What is this timing? It feels like there are both 4/4 and 3/4 going at the same time. It is certainly challenging but I'm interested. I think altogether it is a fine track but I wouldn't seek it out. Bonus: I tried listening to Synchronicity I and II back to back to see if there was anything extra there. I don't think there was (that I picked up on) but these are certainly some of the better tracks outside of the trio.

The first 7 tracks or so were too experimental for me to consider this even a good album as I don't believe they were successful experiments for the most part. The last few tracks started to build something more listenable but there wasn't enough there. This one is not for me. track by track: 1 - Well this is pleasant. It does get a little overwhelming almost with the amount of layers going on. Decent track to start us out. 2 - This feels like a throw-back. It's fine but not really my jam. 3 - I can be down for a ballad but this just feels like it is being played on 75% speed. I cannot get into it. 4 - Intro makes me feel like we are in a western movie. Now we've transitioned into some sort of blues? I don't mind it. 5 - What IS this album? I mean... this is fine. There's a jazzy feel and the rhythm is catchy. Is that a digeridoo? 6 - This is pretty. It isn't catchy or memorable but it seemed very earnest. 7 - Another song that feels experimental. I'm sensing a pattern. 8 - OK... I like the way the backup vocals come in on this one. 9 - Feels like the best song so far. I wouldn't seek it out but it delivers on what it promised. 10 - This song feels a little familiar but I'm not sure. It's just fine. 11 - Another decent track. I'm glad we have put together a few listenable tracks in a row. 12 - Certainly sounds like an ending track. I'm ready for this to be over too. I do like the gentle build though.

It has been a while since I was "into" metal but there was a time when I would have claimed it as my primary genre (read Megadeath/Metallica era). I don't know if I've changed or if this is generic stuff that has nothing to offer but nothing stood out and I'll never listen again. Track by track: 1 - Semi-generic metal. It's fine. 2 - Didn't realize the track changed tbh. 3 - Get to the music! Oh that wasn't worth the wait. 4 - Is this whole album a trick? I couldn't help a snicker. I also cannot tell if this is just early metal still trying to figure it out or if it is generic on purpose. So far, there's nothing here I want to revisit. 5 - The instrumentation is completely fine and possibly excellent in some ways but I just am getting nothing from this. 6, 7, 8... I'm still listening. I don't hate it, I just don't really care. 9, 10, 11.... I'm so done.

Up front I should mention that I have listened to this hundreds of times and owned it since it came out. I know all the lyrics and for a lot of the covers, I heard it here before hearing the original. Overall, this a no-skip album that has some amazing tracks and it only gets better with the interludes and the video accompaniment. Track by track: 1 - Great track. 2 - At least as good as it's non-acoustic counterpart (and that's saying something) 3 - I think this is the weakest track for me. I took a quick detour to listen to the Vaselines version. I like the Nirvana version better. I think this will be one amazing throughline in the album; that the version on this album is as good or better. 4 - Several of these songs were the first time I had heard them (shame on me). I love this track. The cello and how it plays with the lead guitar... incredible use of the acoustic instrumentation. 5 - <3 the chatter. It's almost like we are at rehearsal with them. The song itself is not the strongest on the album but it is never a skip and Kurt somehow pulls it off solo. 6 - This track just comes right in grooving. The cello again is really playing a key role. The rhythm is at the perfect level. Great track. 7 - Kurt saying Polly is essentially the same song as Dumb cracks me up. I'll certainly take more of both of these. The bassline of this one really drives everything as the drums are almost non-existent. 8 - Just a great track. Really rocks out towards the end. 9 - A personal favorite. I don't know anything about tempo but it almost feels like everything comes in just a little late. Somehow it adds to the feeling of dragging and longing. 9a - I forgot we had guest musicians on this next track! Oh my... the shenanigans crack me up! 10 - Such a grooooooove. You can tell Kurt is struggling vocally on this track but somehow it makes it better? I went to the Meat Puppets version which is also nice but I'd put them at about equal. 11 - Glad the Meat Puppets are hanging out for another of their tracks. This one isn't quite the groove as the last one but I still like it. I also confirmed I like the Nirvana version better. Gotta give props to the original artist on "Formulate infinity deep inside me" such a good line. Am I going to leave this listen and need to seek out more Meat Puppets?? 12 - This one is special. The strained vocals, the groove, the little playful guitar riffs... 13 - Probably the best song on the album? It is certainly one of the most memorable for me. 14 - This is another one that is just fine. I'm not skipping it but I'm not seeking it out.

What an interesting listen! Up here in Central NY we have a phrase; "If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes" and for this album you only have to wait two minutes. It was a bit all over the place for me to love it but there were parts I loved and parts where it was abrasive. Not knowing anything about Pixies before this, I hear a clear influence on one of my favorites Weezer so I must give credit there. I think the vocal style turned me off a bit at times but also showed it could be appealing to me on Wave of Mutilation and others. The bass and female background vocals were consistent standouts. Track by track: 1 - The head bobbing started right away. Groovy bass. Ooooh... the vocals are kind of an immediate turn-off. Let's see if I get used to it. 2 - The bass again! The vocals again... :( 3 - Oh I like this one. Sounds a bit like a Weezer track. I wonder if there is an influence there. 4 - This is a little chaotic for me in the morning. I think there are redeeming qualities but they are being drowned out. 5 - Wow what a different sound! Starts out with a throw-back feel like this song was out of the 1950's. I dig it! 6 - A little on the chaotic side for me but I liked the guitar parts. 7 - What an odd track! I can dig it though. Am I going to be singing "This monkey's gone to heaven" later? 8 - Shrug. Couldn't hold my attention. 9 - Got my attention in a bit of a bad way. 10 - Fine track. 11 - I'm into this. Some of the vocals aren't my favorite but I can get past it. 12 - It's fine but I'm not revisiting it. 13 - I really like the "we're chained" part with the female backup vocals. It makes the whole track for me. 14 - Tone shift! I'll probably skip this in subsequent listens. 15 - Oh I like this one. Again the bass is a standout and really drives the track.

No idea what to expect! I've never actually sat down and experienced Bowie. Overall, I really enjoyed it and was surprised by the funky sound. The album was short with no need for skips. The live sound really contributed to the groove very well. This has to go into the rotation for when I'm wanting something a little funky. Track by track: 1 - Certainly has a live vibe. High energy and seemingly some improvisation. I can get into this. 2 - It is so Pink Floyd and yet not at all. I dig it and love the hints of brass. 3 - Certainly a groove. Feels like a mix of psychedelic and funk? I don't know genres but I like it. 4 - Brass is a little more prominent here. That background chorus is powerful. 5 - Another groove. This has been a really consistent album! 6 - I know this one! I hope that "I prefer The Beatles version" is not too much of a critique. This is still very listenable. 7 - Not my favorite track but it's not a skip by any means. 8 - THIS IS A BOWIE SONG? I had no idea. Liked it a lot!

Disclaimer: I've literally never paid attention to Kanye. Not before or after he did/said whatever he seems to have said. Couldn't name a single song (until someone told me Gold Digger was his). I'm as blank of a slate as you can be. Please don't hate on me if I make any positive comments. Overall, this is a hip hop album that is more on the pop side than I usually prefer (hip pop). It isn't really my thing but there are certainly some nice tracks. I totally get why it is (was?) popular. It does not lead me to believe that I would like other Kanye albums. 1 - Useless intro. Auto skip in the future. 2 - Fine track. Had a beat. I don't really pay a lot of attention to lyrics. 3 - Annoying interlude. Auto skip in the future. 4 - The female vocals are nice. The beat is catchy. Best track so far. 5 - I won't even comment on further interludes if I don't think they contribute positively to the album. At least this one is musical. 6 - Tried to get into this one but didn't really like it at first. Later on it gets a bit better with more of a swing beat and backing vocals. 7 - Interesting beat with the low vocals; very militaristic with the snare. Never really developed into something I liked. 8 - This has a nice sound to it. Another favorite for this album. 9 - Immediately not really a fan of this as a whole. I cannot identify which guest artists is which but the first one's flow was really nice. 11 - The autotune section towards the end of the track with the simple 4-on-the-floor actually kinda worked for me. 12 - The intro detracts from it and then there isn't anything special about the track either. 13 - Nothing special here. 15 - This is kind of a jam. Probably the 3rd best track? 18 - This is a fine track so far. 19 - The chorus is good but I'm honestly not sure why this is so popular. It's fine. 20 - This beat just doesn't work great for me. Honestly it sounds a bit sloppy/off. I'm sure it is just an off-beat thing I wouldn't have the vocabulary to describe but I know I don't enjoy it. 21 - Well this started off stupid (maybe it's supposed to be funny?). These tracks that mix music and interludes don't work for me. If I wanted to listen to an interview, I'd listen to an interview. Holy shit I can't believe he's still talking/complaining... can I skip to the end? No? Shit.

Overall, I can see the appeal but I don't think it appeals to me. It is a light, airy, live sounding (is underproduced a word?) vibe that I could see having as quiet background music but I'll probably never choose it. Worth noting the 2nd half of the album was better. Track by track: 1 - Feels like an intro. The vocals and light accompaniment gives me a musical vibe. 2 - That was OK. 3 - Another track that has a live sounding, light sound. It's fine but so far it isn't grabbing me. 4 - Maybe I'm just not in the mood. This is putting me to sleep. 5 - I didn't really like it. 6 - More of the same 7 - Picked up the tempo but I still am not intrigued. 8 - More of the same 9 - This is a little different. Some nice "lounge piano" to kick us off. Has this been lounge music the whole time? 10 - Don't get me wrong, the vocals are impressive. This may be my favorite track so far. 11 - We are a little funky here. I've liked the last couple tracks more than the first nine. 12 - The vocals continue to be fantastic but the music as a whole just isn't in a super listenable for me. 13 - An OK track. Not really my thing.

I had no expectations coming in to this (not even a genre). It was definitely less pop than I expected. I really enjoyed some of the tracks and others were not really to my taste. It seemed like there were some very bold choices and I learned what Uilleann pipes are. Tracks: 1 - A Bop. I'm not sure if I'm seeking it out to put it on any general playlists but I bet a lot of people are. 2 - I kept waiting for this build up to break into something else and it never did. 3 - This song was really good! 4 - Another fine track 5 - Oh This is interesting. That rhythm seems like it is building to something. 6 - So gentile and peaceful. Wasn't expecting a lullaby. 7 - Did this inspire the first track on the Frozen soundtrack? (that's a joke) This was an interesting listen but not something I'd revisit much. 8 - Started out nice and now I'm frightened. 9 - Kind of strange but still quite listenable. 10 - The groove on this one is great. Foot tapping commenced. I cannot break down the instrumentation very well but I'm loving it. 11 - Interesting 12 - Really enjoyed it!

Coming in completely cold without even an inkling of the genre. After listening, I still don't know the genre really but I certainly heard things that I feel like influenced music I listened to in the late 90's/early 2000's (specifically Jam bands). Upon doing a bit of research, it seems that along with The Grateful Dead and Cream, Zappa was pushing the boundaries of rock in the direction of long, improvisational tracks. The sound was incredibly unique. Track reactions: 1 - Interesting... instrumental and very full of different sounds that somehow decently mesh together. Thumbs up! 2 - Oh I like the funky guitar. The vocals are not impressive by any means but I can tolerate them. I had to look up if this was pre or post Grateful Dead and it seems like they were around the same time. I was curious if the jam-band-like improvisation and extended tracks were coming from Frank to TGD or vice versa. Doesn't seem like it. I'll do a bit more research to see if there is a common ancestor. 3 - Is this just going to be a 9 minute exploration of what a guitar an do? I'm in for it. Did the tempo just change around the 4 minute mark? Seems like it sped up a bit. I'm here for that too. 4 - I feel like I'm in a lounge all of the sudden. I'm no Jazz or Blues aficionado but there has to be some influence here. 5 - Stank face engaged from the sax work here. This is really impressive. Would Boyd Tinsley have done what he did for Dave Matthews Band without the solo around the 4.5 minute mark? I really enjoyed the whole track. 6 - This track might have gone a bit over the experimental line for me at times. Not really my favorite.

Another completely new artist for me! I should mention that when people use to ask me "What kind of music do you listen to?" I used to answer "Everything but Country" so this album has an uphill battle for me. I'd like to think that I can appreciate good music across the board but we'll see. Overall, as far as country music goes, it was sweet and pleasant. I just would never seek this out. I wouldn't complain and ask it to be changed if someone else put it on. If you had just played this and not told me what it was, I would have guessed Dolly Parton. I respect it but it isn't for me. Track reactions: 1. For some reason the first 5 seconds made me think of Adele - Rolling in the Deep. Anywho, moving on the actual song. Certainly has a country or more specifically Dolly Parton sound. 2. Very sweet song. Not really something I would gravitate to personally. 3. Another sweet song (this time a duet). Exact same reaction from me. 4. I like how aspirational/hopeful the tone is. 5. Such a gentle sweet tone. If I had a baby to put to sleep... 6. OK. Now this is the country that I really don't like. That simple repetitive strumming just gets on my nerves. It feels like every song like this is the same song. 7. Another gentle sweet one. 8. I think this is a cover. I like it just as much as the original I think so kudos there. 9. Definitely a cover. I know a Beatles song when I hear it. This is an interesting take. It would probably work well on a movie soundtrack for an appropriately toned scene. 10. I like how this one picks up the tempo and gets you foot tapping about 2/3rds of the way through. 11. Another example of the type of country that turns me away. 12. A fine track that's got a bit of blue-grass feel with some banjo. I dig the banjo.

What an interesting one! I don't think I would put it in the rotation but it is mostly because there are now better options. Back in 1978 this must have sounded insane. I wouldn't flinch if this were a soundtrack on a throwback style video game that came out this year. Track reactions: 1 - It was actually pretty catchy but quite repetitive. Kind of funny. 2 - Sounds like chiptunes a bit in the beginning. I mean... it is pretty generic but it did feel like flying through space. 3 - Another tune that's pretty simple and repetitive but I had zero desire to skip it. We have our first lyrics! They didn't add much. 4 - This one is pretty goofy. I could see it being very meme-worthy in kind of a good way. 5 - For a long song, this one kept my attention for quite a while without me getting tired of the repetition. 6 - Another decent track. Repetitive. Sounds like it should be in a video game.

Another Queen album and we're going backwards in time. The last one they were just finding that "Queen sound" so I'm interested what this proto-Queen-sound album will be like. It turns out that it is fine in a lot of ways and perfectly listenable all the way through. Tracks 2 and 9 stood out a bit for me but overall it is never going to be one of my favorites. Track reactions: 1 - Fine intro track that makes sense going into track 2 2 - I like the build up to the vocals. The do-do-di-di-di's are not what I expected. 3 - A nice gentle tune. Its ok. 4 - Such a tame tune for Queen. Fine track. 5 - Almost sounds like a Beatles song that is more on the hard rock side. It's fine! 6 - Well this one is a little wild and gave a bit of that classic Queen sound with the vocals. 7, 8 - A couple quick and just fine tracks. 9 - This one rocks a bit. 10 - Not my favorite style. 11 - Another fine track :)

I had no experience with Lorde except for that one song. This album kind of blew me away based on my low expectations. It started off really strong and then ended with some bangers as well. Supercut feels like an all-timer. Track reactions: 1 - When this one kicked into gear at the one minute mark, I was into it. Starting out with a banger. 2 - This is certainly a groove. 3 - Pretty good track flows well from the previous. 4 - Nothing special but not a skip either. 5 - Such a gentle pleasant track. 6 - Interesting track. I don't see me replaying it a lot but it was a good listen. 7 & 8 - More chill background music 9 - This is just an absolute banger. 10 - There's a reprise?? Nice. 11 - Another really nice track. What a finish!

Coming in fairly fresh to Beck. I have heard some of the overplayed hits and never was motivated to seek out more. Overall there are some banger funky beats but they are scattered among some mediocre stuff for me. Track Reactions (not comprehensive): 1. Immediate head bop. This is a nice one. 2. Funky and fun. 3. I could see this being popular it is just a bit generic/boring for me. 4-8. Not really a fan. 9. Back to a funky fun feel. 10. Keeping that good momentum going. 11. And we lost it... 12-13. Went out with a bit of a whimper.

I only know one song by Simple Minds and that was just because it was on The Breakfast Club soundtrack. That one is definitely a banger. Overall, this was quintessentially 80's with some generic stuff and a couple nice tracks mixed in. Track reactions: 1 - Straight into that 80's sound. I can dig it. 2 - A bit of a drop-off but I can listen to it. 3 - Nothing special, just some OK background music. 4 - More of the same. 5 - Instrumental track? It's actually quite nice... 6 - Favorite track so far. Nice ethereal vibe I can get lost in. 7 - Fine generic 80's music 8 - This one got better as I listened to it. 9 - Ended with just an ok track.

Coming in I had no idea what to expect. I knew the name Kendrick Lamar but knew absolutely nothing about him. This album started out really rough for me and made me really considering just abandoning ship. I'm glad I didn't as tracks 11-16 were definitely the best part for me. Track reactions: 1 - Well... singing along is right now. Oh that's George Clinton. Love that funk. Ooof... this is difficult to listen to. There's a lot going on and I don't like much besides the beat. 2 - No comments on interludes unless I like them which I generally don't think they add much. Since this is a story-telling album I understand why they are here so I'm neutral on them unless otherwise mentioned. 3 - This one was OK. 4 - What the heeeeeellll is this? No thanks... 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 - I'm questioning whether I should bother continuing to listen... 10 - This actually seems like a track I could listen to. "Fine" is now a stand out track for me. 11 - Might be my favorite track so far? It's fine+ 13 - Another fine track. 14 - Forgettable 15 - New leader in the clubhouse? This one kinda slaps. Best song for sure but I could definitely lose the ending monologue. 16 - This has a good flow.

I feel like I've listened to some Public Enemy before but they are certainly not a group I've listened to a lot of. Overall, this album delivers some great jams, a decent amount of filler and mediocre tracks but certainly maintains the a steady vibe and I'm not surprised it is included in this list. Track reactions: 1 - I don't really need the intros. Whatever. Future skip. 2 - No question this is a jam. 3 - Another recognizable track. I'm into it. 4 - Decent track. 5 - Not my favorite 6 - Future skip! 7 - Sounds like we're back to the proper jams. 8 - Love the 70's sound in the instrumentation. No idea what that's called but I dig it. 9 - ... 10 - Not really my favorite 11 - Another fine track 12 - Nothing special. 13 - Instrumental... interesting. 14 - Not my favorite. 15 - It's fine 16 - Very repetitive for such a short song.

A somewhat meh album all the way through with no standouts.

Such an amazing set of classics. Certainly can listen straight through and there are some incredible stand-outs.

High expectations for a Stevie album! I love some of his tracks that I know. Oh boy this one started off pretty rough for me with the first 3 songs. Luckily it really picked it up with the 4th and the second half of the album. Track reactions: 1 - There's something going on with the tones that don't work for me. Hard to put my finger on. Not a fan. 2 - Better track but still not really catchy. 3 - A sweet song but not really moving me. 4 - This one certainly has a groove! 5 - Not great for me. 6 - OK... the funky beat is back. I can dig it. 7 - Another fine ballad. 8 - Quite enjoyed my first listen of this song. I'm not sure it is one I would repeat a lot but it gained my respect as a song. 9 - Pretty good track 10 - This is another pretty good groove with some gospel feel.

No previous experience with the artist or this album. The album starts out with an alt-pop-rock feel that feels pretty raw almost like They Might Be Giants. Nothing blowing me away in the first half of the album. Some of it is a little annoying and most of it is just fine. In the 2nd half, "Slideshow At Free University" stands out a bit too me it has sort of a DJ Shadow feel to it and I happen to really enjoy that style. The whole album flew by and I'll probably never revisit any of it.

I didn't form any strong connection to the album or any of the songs but I respect the artists. It seemed pretty solidly put together.

What a beautiful journey. I'm having trouble coming up with a comparison but at no point was I looking to skip ahead. I was just content and relaxed. Enya and Pink Floyd come to mind but still aren't a great comparison.

A fine classic rock album! TIL that Ben Folds Five song Barrytown is a cover of Steely Dan!

This is really not my style of music. We will see how it goes and if I can find any hidden gems I would have never heard because of the genre. I thought it was country but it's listed as folk. Later on in the record it feels like world/chanting at times. Quite far out of my comfort zone.

A fine album that didn't really turn me off at any point. It really reminded me of a lot of 1960's/70's rock that I enjoy so I have to presume there could have been some influence there.

Near perfect album from top to bottom. I could listen to it on a loop.

I liked this album straight through! I found it much better than the other Prince album I have listened to (1999). It lacked the hits that album had but was better throughout.

Come on... what are we talking about here? I don't get why we need to acknowledge this as a "top album of all time". I mean... it's fine, has a big hit and there's some interesting instrumentation on it but I'm not interested in putting the whole album on again and I'm not discovering any new favorite tracks.

I'm very familiar with this album but haven't listened to it in a long time. Starts out with an absolute banger then settles into some really good follow ups. Down in a Hole is a huge stand-out and cannot be ignored as a track that transcends and threatens to be on "greatest songs of all time" lists. Sickman is my least favorite track so far which is a shame because I know another favorite is coming right behind it. Rooster is another all-timer that even people who don't like the rest of AiC may enjoy. The follow up tracks are very good again! Every song up to the end are bangers!

This album immediately hits a nostalgia bone. While it isn't actually my top Wu-Tang album, I would definitely understand why someone would have it at the top of their list for Wu-Tang, 90's hip-hop or all-time hip-hop. Such a great group of unique styles that combine with incredible beats and hooks to create an incredibly listenable album. Highlights: Starts incredibly strong with track 1 and 2 Tracks 7-10 are great Lowlights: Clan in the Front & 7th chamber were never my favorites and the interlude parts go on too long

I immediately got into the groove of this album and never got out of it.

It's the best Jazz album I've ever sat down and listened to! I certainly recognized "Take Five" and observed an interesting sequence of notes in "Kathy's Waltz" that reminded me of All My Loving by the Beatles.

I'm very familiar with the starting banger here but I'm looking forward to see what else is on this unfamiliar album. Really good album from start to finish! Not my favorite (taste) but I could certainly queue it up and be happy to have consistently good rock going in the background.

Very familiar with this album and I expect to enjoy it from start to finish. Roll With It takes an early lead as "least favorite track". I've always loved the strings in Cast No Shadow and it is my hidden gem of the album. I don't have to say too much about the great tracks so I'll pick on She's Electric as another kinda meh track for me. Overall, super high quality album and I have to nit-pick to get it down to 4 stars.

This being the second Jazz album that I've really listened to all the way through, I couldn't really pick out anything particularly stand-out in the music. It was fine background music, the musicians are obviously incredibly talented but it wasn't really up my alley.

Certainly never have heard of The The. Pleasantly surprised by track 1! This has some promise. Track 2 started out a bit rough but ended up in a really nice place with the strings and backup vocals. There's a quote in the wiki article about track 3 and how the front man talks about how its the best song he ever wrote and about the social commentary... Well... I didn't really like that track much so... yeah. Sorry you poured your whole soul into the social commentary. I would focus on making the song good first. Track 7 Twilight of a Champion reminded me of a proto-version of a much much MUCH better song. I'm not really sure exactly why. NIN - Kinda I Want To There were some other decent tracks and on the whole the album was fine. Nothing I feel like I have to revisit.

That was an enjoyable "Funk Friday" selection! I'm into it from start to finish but it is probably middle-of-the-pack when it comes to an all-time album list for me.

The first half of this album felt like I was being trolled. Then the second half hit and I was sure I was being trolled. The cover of "Heard It Through The Grapevine" was fiiiiiine I guess?

Albums released around this time were in my music collection for reasons we won't talk about. So I'm familiar with this album and vividly recall loading it up on my MP3 player while working (painting). The vibe is really consistent and the layers of different vocals and other instrument tracks really keeps your brain busy. There's no possibility of getting bored. That speaks to the really consistent quality here with some major bops mixed in (Crawling, In The End). If I'm going to call out some slightly weaker inclusions for me, I would point to By Myself, and Cure for the Itch. No real hidden gems to speak of because the whole album is mostly gems.

Overall the album is a groove I'm into. It starts out with some really nice ear candy with Everything In Its Right Place and probably peaks with Optimistic but there are no skips. Solid and pleasant.

Definitely never listened to this as an album! As you probably know, I'm not a huge fan of skits in the album unless they really add something. So far, all I learned is why Gin and Juice started with the sound of a dude peeing. I think I'd prefer just the music. Sick beats so far though! This is a really interesting blend/transition between the old school 80's hip-hop that was more stripped down and the late 90's/early 2000's hip-hop to come. Overall, it was pretty good! There was a good amount of fluff in it and the lyrics don't really appeal to me but the beats were great and the flow was nice. One last minor nitpick would be that the beats were all quite similar feeling and kinda blended into each other.

This album just kind of washed over me. An artist I've never heard of with a album name that intrigued me. It started off kind of rough, it got better in the middle and then I was really ready for it to be over by the end.

This whole album just sounded like The Beatles or The Monkeys to me but in a good way. No major standouts but generally pleasant listening all the way through.

Never heard of or listened to this band before. Oooooooooooooooooooh.... so "Joy Division" is an ironic/sarcastic name... I get it. It's interesting, I'll give it that. I can certainly hear some parallels with The Cure which should be a compliment. Shadowplay was a good track. I don't know enough to call it a hidden gem. There were a few tracks I kind of wanted to skip (Wilderness, I Remember Nothing).

Fantastic album. Even saved some of the best tracks for the last few. Starts on a high note, ends on a high note. It isn't one of my personal favorites but I cannot see giving it less than 4 stars.

An album I'm incredibly familiar with. One of the first 5-10 CDs I owned as a youngster (back in my metal days). It's a quality album all the way through with some stand-outs like Walk.

When I was growing up Madonna was absolutely considered at the pinnacle of pop (save maybe Michael Jackson). I have a lot of experience with her Immaculate Collection album but haven't gone back to listen to the originals. Starts off with two absolute bangers! The next three tracks are not my kind of thing and the one with Prince was actively annoying to me. Cherish is a nice rebound. Dear Jessie is an interesting song that gives me musical theatre vibes. Oh father from those first few piano chords is an absolute masterpiece. Keep it Together, Spanish Eyes and Act of Contradiction are nothing special for me.

What an album for 1983! Starts off with a banger and just keeps it rolling. The final track (Good Feeling) is such an appropriate change of pace.

Another album I don't even have to listen to. I know the whole thing front to back and back to front. Praise You is one of the low points of the album (and always has been). Starts with two absolute bangers. Track 3 is a meme before memes that I remember saying "Where is he?" "What's he doing" between the lyrics with my college housemates. Core memory unlocked. Overall this was one of the best albums I had ever heard at the time and was part of the small set of albums that drew me into the genre.

I have to admit, I expected more. I didn't recognize an of the tracks, there was certainly some great instrumentation but nothing that made me want to come back for more.

This album was... fine.

Fantastic album! I don't even know if it is my favorite AF album as I really enjoyed The Funeral but I cannot find too many faults here. I suppose Month of May is a tempting skip a decent amount of the time.

I enjoyed it! I knew Heads Will Roll and I like that track quite a bit. Listened straight through with no desire to skip but also didn't pick up on any stand-out tracks that I had to put on repeat immediately.

For an album that should be right up my alley as an electronica fan, this one was too repetitive and a little boring for me.

Pretty good! Has some hits and no real misses.

Fun little hip-pop album.

I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. It's interesting to hear the hits in context of the album but in this case that didn't make them better or worse and they were the only stand-outs.

A solid 3 stars! I wasn't a huge fan of the one song on this that I knew from Greatest Hits but the whole album flows pretty nicely. Would listen again but wouldn't really seek it out.

I know Oasis fairly well but my listens of this album were very few. All-in-all it's pretty good but probably won't make it into the rotation. Live Forever is a really nice track. Slide Away is a nice track later in the album.

I get why people like Kanye and put his music on all time lists. I never sought it out before but it is certainly good stuff. I don't think I'm going to add it to my library though.

Fantastic album that is just relaxing and puts a smile on my face. It doesn't quite have enough stand out hits to be 5 stars but Chicago is great.

Some great hits and some major misses for me.

It was listenable which is more that I thought I would say given the bravery of the experimentation and the genre I don't seek out.