1001 Albums Summary

Not bad. Didn't hear a bad tune, but no bangers that I'll be humming this time next week. Oh yeah - and their front man sounds EXACTLY like the lead singer from Violent Femmes. It's crazy.

Timeless tunes. Great listen. 👍👍

The best thing I can say about this album is, "there's only 8 songs on it". I know it's from 1980, but it's painfully cringe. It sounds like a parody metal album that Tenacious D would release, from the weird song names to the goofy self-titled end track. Yikes. 🤦 Prepubescent me was right back in the day - Iron Maiden are wank. 👎👎

Overall, this album is quite forgettable. Competent, but uninspiring. It would make delightful elevator music, but if some bloke with a guitar started playing these tunes at a house party, you'd want to smash it over his fucking head. "One of These Things First" was the song that introduced me to Nick Drake back in the day. I'm pretty sure I heard it on the "Garden State" movie soundtrack. Easily the best song on the album. 👌

I really wanted to like this album, but I don't think rap hits the same way it once did when I was a teenager. The songs on this album are *way* too long, with each one 5:00+ apart from the interludes and end track. Rap is too repetitive to drone on like this, no matter how witty the rhymes might be. Plus, I think Kanye having so many collaborators on this album was a mistake. Kanye is the only interesting voice on the record. Everybody else just sounds like filler (yes, you too Jay-Z), and I was always waiting for Kanye to take over again. They added nothing of value (in my dipshit opinion). It's undoubtedly a great rap album, but certainly not one that will pull me back into that genre. "Runaway" is a classic and there's a couple of club bangers that I've previously heard in commercials, but I don't get the hype. I appreciate that Kanye is a great lyricists & produces his own beats (avoiding too many samples), but I'm clearly not the target market for his music. Give me Ice Cube's "The Predator" any day. 😉✌️❤️

I listened to this in full again at the gym last night. It's such a treat. Every song is perfect (except "Danny Boy", which has nothing to do with Cash - I find every version of that song insufferable). I'd almost forgotten about Rusty Cage being on this album. Could there be a bigger contrast in pitch between Cash's voice and Chris Cornell's? Brilliant choice of cover. 👌 I've still got this CD in my car. Fucking beauty. 👍👍

Well holy fucking moly. That album sucked so bad. At best, it sounds like an ambient movie score (but for a boring arthouse film that thinks it's way cleverer than it really is). It's fitting that there's a song called "Motion Picture Soundtrack" on this snoozer. At worst, it's a self-fellating & pretentious mess. I realise that music, like all art, is subjective. But I refuse to believe that this album would have received any critical or fan acclaim had Radiohead not already garnered so much credibility following "The Bends" and "OK Computer". Who would dare question the genius of Radiohead at the end of the 90s? They were too cool to criticize. Imagine this was their debut album. Who would truly give a fuck (or even heard of) Radiohead afterwards? Thom Yorke's vocals on this are just lazy & boring. Melody & storytelling is ditched and replaced by mostly humming, moaning & whining. Except the track "Optimistic", where he seems to be doing a weird Liam Gallagher impression. And what the fuck is the point of the song "Treefingers"? Please, somebody explain its existence. Am I too stupid to grasp the brilliance at play here? I've heard more euphonious farts. I fucking loved "The Bends" back in the day. I hate this album just as passionately. ✌️❤️

This album is cool. I can't really articulate why I feel that way, but there's something about the way it hits your earholes. Songs on this album are like a time machine. Some transport you back to the coolest 70s night clubs, while others place you on the set of a classic porno film. Great fun, either way. There's even a weird yodelling track that somehow works too. Plus, ending the record with "Thank You for Talking to Me Africa" is a perfect sendoff. 👌 I can't see this album ever getting a regular rotation, but that's no big deal. "There's A Riot Going On" was an enjoyable listen while drinking coffee & cleaning up the kitchen on this miserable Monday morning. 👍👍

Holy shit. I loved this. It was so close to a masterpiece. Beautiful music - there's no other way to describe it. What holds it back, I felt, is the album kinda runs out of steam near the end, with the last three songs being the worst on the record. Fleet Foxes clearly established "their sound" over the first 8 brilliant tracks, but possibly went back to the same well too many times. Even so, not bad. Was "Ragged Wood" released as a single? If it was, I totally missed it. If not, why the fuck not?! Class tune that's right up there with "White Winter Hymnal". 👌 What a band. I'll definitely be checking out their other albums. Honestly, I can't believe I haven't before now; this is my kind of music. 👌 👍👍

Sweet, suffering Jesus! That was a tedious slog of an album. Billie Holiday has an annoying, child-like singing voice & kitschy delivery. She uses this to barf out cringe lyrics over a band playing the most generic, old-ass Disney film-sounding music ever. They repeated this formula on *all* 12 songs. 12 identical songs. 12 identically insufferable songs. It's mental. I was bored silly for the 40+ minutes I listened to this torturous record, apart from the moments that Billie Holiday's voice made me wish I was deaf. It's an album full of love songs, but the only emotion I felt was seething hatred. 👎👎

Utter shite. This album kicks off with the very forgettable "Smooth Operator" and gets progressively worse throughout. Shit songwriting. It's that simple. Long, poorly-crafted songs. Everything on this record - from Sade's goofy vocals, to the dull persuasion, and the soppy saxophone bollocks - is fucking terrible. This is one of those embarrassing 80s albums. 👎👎

If we offer The Velvet Underground a mulligan for "The Black Angel's Death Song" and "European Son" based on whatever combination of heavy drugs they were consuming at the time, then this is a near perfect album. The raw sound of the guitars is magic. Lou Reed's vocals are effortlessly cool and his lyrics imaginative. Plus, Nico has one of the most uniquely beautiful singing voices ever. Legend. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Will definitely revisit this album in the future. 👍👍

Okay! Alright! Enough of that!... I've suffered through the first track on this album. It literally sounds like music the CIA would use to torture & interrogate terrorists using sleep deprivation. This shit ain't for me. Fuck jazz. 👎👎

Great album too chill out to after a long Sunday night. If I was to be critical, I'd say Belle and Sebastian hit better when they're part of a mixed playlist or compilation album. I love their sound, but I did get bored on a couple of occasions. That being said, "Judy and the Dream of Horses" was my favourite song on the album. So they ended on a high. Cool music. 👌

I almost made it through the entire album, until they decided that the final track would drag on for an exhausting 19 minutes! Probably won't give Love another go, but it was an enjoyable album to blast while at the gym. Not great, but not bad either.

I had this tape as a kid. Plus, I had "Off the Wall" and "Thriller" on vinyl. I loved this shit when I first got into music. But it's a bit bizarre listening to this album now. Obviously, the well known tracks are bangers. "Man in the Mirror" is a classic. "Bad" has a great beat. "The Way You Make Me Feel" is a cheesy 80s fun. And "Smooth Criminal" fucking slaps. But the rest of this record is almost embarrassingly shite. How can anybody listen to "Speed Demon" and not question the mental health of everybody involved? How did the creepiness of "Liberian Girl" not land MJ on the sex offenders register? How can anybody listen to the vocals in "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" and wonder if music might just be a net negative to society? Clearly, Michael Jackson's hits are worthy of recognition, even if they've all been played to death. But the tracks that fill out his albums are mostly bottom-of-the-barrel sludge. Plus, his trademark grunts & hiccups have aged like old milk.....mixed with cat piss. Does 4 great songs out of 11 give an album "classic" status? I'm not sure it does in my book. 🤔 ✌️❤️

Easily the best gym album I've been suggested so far. Again, I had this tape when I was a kid and fucking loved it. It still slaps today. Three goofy white boy rappers shouldn't be this cool, but Beastie Boys definitely are. The most impressive thing on this album are the guitar riffs. Iron Maiden only wish they could shred like these fellas. Plus, the lyrics are hilarious (even if sometimes a little homophobic, but that's a sign of the times). "I seen her just the other day, Jackin' Mike D to my dismay." Brilliant. 😂 I love everything about this album. 👍👍

Never heard of this band before and didn't recognise any tracks on this album. The actual band is great. However, the singer is fucking dreadful. Whoever is producing that cool, interesting music deserves far better than this boring-ass vocalist. Such a shame. When Skynet eventually takes over the planet and we are mere pets for our Robot overlords, every singing bot on Metaverse Radio will sound like this AI-generated Beach House motherfucker. 👎👎

This album is indefensible garbage. It might be the worst music ever created. I don't mean the worst recorded music - I mean the worse music EVER in the history of the planet. Worse than a grunting Neanderthal banging an elephant bone against a rock. Utter wank, which is an insult to a wank. Most wanks are quite enjoyable. And don't make you feel crippling sadness afterwards. The whiny, nasally vocals. The embarrassing lyrics. The cheap sounding electronic trash instruments. It's fucking hell on the ears, brain, chest, stomach, and arsehole. Painful. I can't believe I listened to every track (in fairness, I spared my senses by skipping a few after a minute or two). Only an insufferable dork like Anthony Fantano - *the internet's biggest music turd* - could be pompous enough to praise these talentless hacks. 🤡 "We're S-H-O-P-P-I-N-G. We're shopping." 🤡 Oh fuck off, Pet Shop Boys. 👎👎

Those Beatles fellas know how to write a song, eh? Fucking brilliant. I know The Beatles and The Beach Boys had a friendly rivalry during this time. I'm probably wrong, but "Here, There, and Everywhere" sounds like they're trying to write a Beach Boys song just to prove they can. If so, I think they've succeeded. Plus, the Chemical Brothers' "Let Forever Be" sounds like a ripoff of "Tomorrow Never Knows". I'd never properly heard this song before, and that Chemical Brothers tune is all I could think about. It's crazy that Revolver is 58 years old and this record sounds as good as anything that's been released since. Heaping praise on The Beatles is par for the course at this point, but these guys were master craftsman. 👍👍✌️❤️

This album took my by surprise, and I really enjoyed it (13-year old me would have loved this shit). Although, it's an exhausting listen. This is probably due to the distinct lack of vocals throughout the album, which doesn't take your focus away from the band of hyperactive lunatics desperately trying to break their instruments. Something tells me that if Trent Reznor had collaborated with these guys they could produce something awesome. "Wonderful Rainbow" is the only track that's in step with the suggestive colourfulness of the cover art. It's like a serial killer politely inviting a child into his van with a bag of candy, only to rip his face off once inside. Absolute chaos. Lightning Bolt's homage to AC/DC, "Crown of Storms", was my favourite song. And while a few of them ran on a bit too long, it was a great album to blast while driving down the M6. Another great band in need of a singer. 👍👍

I love The Magnetic Fields, but back in the day I felt like nobody - absolutely NOBODY - should release an album with 69 songs, even if it's split over 3 volumes. I feel even more strongly about that sentiment today. In reality, there's not 69 songs on this record. A few of the songs sound so similar that they could seamlessly blend together; a few of the songs are merely 30-60 second interludes; a few of the songs feel undercooked and should have been given more time to develop. This really should have been called "25 Love Songs". It's definitely an ambitious exercise that resulted in quantity over quality. That being said, there's some gorgeous tunes on this record. "All My Little Words" remains one of my favourite songs. It's beautifully heartbreaking. Plus, it introduced me to the term "unboyfriendable". Genius. "The Book of Love" is a first class cover. "The Sun Goes Down and the World Goes Dancing" is quintessential Magnetic Fields. And then they change things up with "Long-Forgotten Fairytale" and it hits just the same. Stephen Merrell has such a unique voice & tongue-in-cheek delivery that I could listen to him sing almost anything. Underappreciated front man, in my dipshit opinion. But then he drops "I Shatter" and even fans of Kid A would say, "Bloody hell, Steve, stop smelling your own farts, mate." Fittingly, "Love is Like Jazz" is the biggest turd on the album. I wonder if that was intentional. 🤔 A daily album generating app should not be recommending records this long, but whatever - The Magnetic Fields rule. 🤟❤️

While "Running Up That Hill" featuring in Stranger Things made Kate Bush a household name (and millionaire), "Hounds of Love" is easily the standout song on this album. In fairness, it's the only song I really knew of her's before this career revival. Plus, it inspired a pretty awesome cover by The Futureheads. After listening to this, Kate Bush has to be one of the most interesting artists of the 80s. I don't know how to explain it, but she feels the opposite of cheesy - even if some of her more experimental tracks don't quite work. "Cloudbusting" is a cool song (even if it could have been shortened to a much punchier tune). And "Watching You Without Me" is the definition of chill. However, there are a few clangers too. "Waking the Witch" sounds like an audio recording of amateur musical theatre. It sucks so bad that I considered giving this album a 1 Star Rating based purely on its inclusion. Artsy fartsy bullshit. Also, "Jig of Life" is the most embarrassing attempt at an Irish tune I've heard from a popstar since Ed Sheeran barfed up "Galway Girl". As a Newfie, this shit makes my skin crawl. Overall, this record is alright. I've got a soft spot for Kate Bush because I think she's cool.....and fit. 👍👍

Fuck the Weather Report. This garbage isn't created for music fans - it's targeted to executive producers in network television in the hope that one of these "songs" will play over the opening credits of a late 70s TV show. This shit is created to grab royalties, not music fans. Fuck 1001 Albums Generator for introducing me to this unbearable noise. 👎👎

Before moving over here, I'd always assumed Supergrass were a one-hit wonder. "Alright" was a hit back home but I don't remember any of their other songs making it across the Atlantic. After listening to this, I find that fucking crazy. This album is brilliant. It would have been well received by me & my mates in the post-grunge mid-90s. I'm 100% certain we all would have loved this shit. In fairness, it still sounds awesome today. "Lose It" and "Lenny" are a great 1-2 punch that are in stark contrast to the genetic pop sound of "Alright". "Time" is my favourite song on the album. The long outro on "Sofa" reminds me of something The Doors would produce. And ending with "Time to Go" made listening to this from start to finish feel worthwhile; the way the band probably intended. "I Should Coco" is as good as anything I've heard from the Brit Pop era. This is a complete album. Supergrass are not the band I thought they were. Holy shit. 👍👍✌️❤️

"Starlight" is a decent song, but that's where the compliments start & end. They almost had something good with "Glorious", but then the singer kicked in and it turned into scuttery crap. This shit sounds like somebody taught Andrew Lloyd Webber to add effects over electric guitars and ditch the piano for keyboards.....and also turned Tory Peer Webber into an even bigger tax-dodging, snooty douchebag. This is Operatic Posh-Boy Emo. Excruciating trash. Just listen to "Hoodoo" & "Knights of Cydonia" back-to-back and tell me those weren't written by cunts. This is music for dorks who are maintaining a firm grip on their virginity. 👎👎

I tried, but there's no way I could stomach this entire album. Jerry Lee Lewis is just too fucking creepy. He kicks off the set with "Mean Woman Blues" where he sings, "She's got ruby lips, shapely hips" and you immediately call BULLSHIT! "Nice try, Jerry Boy, but we all know that shapely women are NOT your type, mate." But then, disgustingly, he follows this with a track called "High School Confidential". HIGH. SCHOOL. CONFIDENTIAL. Yikes. Ew. Gross. Yuck. 🤢🤮 I switched this weirdo off during that song. On this occasion, it was simply impossible to enjoy the art separate from the artist. Fuck Jerry Lee Lewis. 👎👎

This album had a bit of everything. A lot of blues. A little "Graceland" Paul Simon. A little Dave Matthews Band. A little....🤢....jazz....🤮 The problem is, none of it sounds particularly great. It's not shit, but I certainly wouldn't write home about this album. As someone who's attempted to learn guitar, I can appreciate they're talented musicians. However, just because something is difficult to play, doesn't mean it's an easy listen. Just because you can *play* "Eruption" by Van Halen, doesn't mean anybody wants to *hear* that racket (apart from the intro, of course). The only time I can remember enjoying music similar to Ali Farka Toure is during an Oliver Stone film, when it plays over a scene where the characters are tripping on drugs. It's a perfect use of this sound. Other than that, it's boring and forgettable. 👎👎

Thanks to my teenage daughter, I've heard most of these songs many times before. And the ones I haven't, aren't that great (so fair play to my girl for having great taste). "Blank Space" isn't just a brilliant Taylor Swift song, it's a brilliant song full stop. Plus, "Welcome to New York", "Now That We Don't Talk", and "Is It Over Now?" are all songs I enjoy whenever my daughter takes control of the car tunes. The main problem is, there's 21 tracks on this album, which will inevitably mean a few clangers. "Bad Blood" and "Wonderland" are the two that had my finger hovering over the skip button. Overall, Taylor Swift writes excellent pop music for teenage girls (and adults who still believe they're teenager girls). The songs are catchy, some of the lyrics are quite clever, and even though her music follows a fairly generic pop formula - she still feels original. Taylor Swift is doing her own thing, so fair play to her. Most impressive to me is that, unlike many of her contemporaries, she's a proper musician (not just a pretty face regurgitating somebody else's songs). And to top it off, she seems to make the most fragile Conservative fuckwits soil their man diapers, so she's alright in my book. If Taylor Swift is the gateway to my daughter becoming a lifelong music lover, then you can count me amongst her ridiculously massive fan base. 👍👍

This album feels deeply personal to me. As a 90s kid, I was into the grunge scene big time. I loved it. Everything about that time was brilliant. It was new, and exciting, and angry, and it fucking slapped. We all felt like we were part of something, even if it was just a collective love of music & baggy clothes. But, in truth, it was albums like "Born to Run" that truly spoke to me. The moment I heard, "The screen door slams, Mary's dress waves" my ears perked up. This song grabbed me by the collar, jumped into my earholes, and set up permanent residence in my soul. Then when Bruce hit me with, "Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays", and I was mesmerised; instantly a fan for life. "Thunder Road" was a staple of mixtapes & burnt CDs throughout my youth. Last year it was my most played song on Spotify. It's not just my favourite Springsteen song, but it might be my favourite song full stop. The way Bruce delivers "Roll down the window, and let the wind blow back your hair" still chokes me up to this day. The subtle shaking in his voice suggests a little sadness or anxiety as he projects a vision of youthful optimism. The contrast is beautiful. I sing that lyric full blast while alone in my car and, more often than not, my eyes full up. "Thunder Road" is a perfect song. I grew up in a small harbour town in Newfoundland. A dying town due to the Cod Moratorium and lack of industry. A shit hole, basically. I was eager to leave from an early age and "Born to Run" was inspirational to me. "It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap. We gotta get out while we're young" felt like he was speaking directly to me. Songs like this emboldened my inner vagabond. This 8 track album is a masterpiece. It's fucking timeless. Powerful music supporting an expert storyteller. A generational talent at his best. 10/10. Plus, the album art is iconic. Does anybody personify Rock & Roll better than Springsteen? I don't think so. Legend. 👍👍

So I'll get my unpopular opinion out of the way first: "Purple Rain" is an insufferable song. Long, tedious, overblown, 80s wank. Its popularity makes me question humanity. Like, maybe a world-ending asteroid or an apocalyptic strain of COVID wouldn't be that bad after all. Shut this dullard species down. Admittedly, Prince is a great guitar player. But everything else about this song amounts to conceited fart-sniffing of the highest order. Prince explained the meaning behind "Purple Rain" in the following quote: "When there's blood in the sky – red and blue = purple...purple rain pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/god guide you through the purple rain." That's the goofiest, pseudo-intellectual, religious horseshit I've ever read. Childish drivel that makes no fucking sense whatsoever. So the rain is blood. But where is this blood falling from? Is it clouds? If so, then there can't be a blue sky. Unless the clouds are also blue, which seems unlikely. Clouds are a mixture of water particles & ice, so if these clouds were raining blood, wouldn't they be red? Maybe pink? Blood would not fall from a blue cloud. And in order for it to rain, the blue sky must be covered by clouds. So where the fuck is this "red + blue = purple rain" bollocks coming from?! There's a reason Prince didn't visualise this concept in the album art. It's so silly that it would look like a comedy record. Something that "Weird" Al Yankovic would produce. Or a total piss-take album cover like Primus' "Sailing the Seas of Cheese". Personally, I think Prince wrote this gibberish to fool uppity music aficionados. It's his Andy Kaufman-esque troll job on the music community. Near the end of the song, Prince sings, "If you know what I'm singing about up here, c'mon raise your hand." Anybody who listened this this nonsense, internalised the words, and still raised their hand, was - and is - a cunt. On the plus side, "When Doves Cry" is a certified banger. A song so good that it justifies all the adoration from the Prince fan base. All the love for "Purple Rain" should be redirected towards this triumph. A masterpiece. Sadly, there's nothing else on this album that hits the same way. I'm sure "Darling Nikki" was edgy and controversial back in the day. But 40 years later it just sounds lame. "Let's Go Crazy", "I Would Die 4 You" and "Baby I'm a Star" are all fun, happy dance/pop songs. Perfectly suitable to a teenage house party; a spirited environment where young guys are looking to flirt with young girls - and vice versa. However, if this shit is playing during any all-male get together, it will only lead to a voluntary recreation of the Human Centipede (with optional, but encouraged, reach arounds). And the rest of this album is shit. Prince is obviously an incredible musician. He's got a killer singing voice, he's a top notch guitar player, and plays every other instrument as well. A true savant. But even with all that talent at your disposal, it's difficult to create truly timeless music. "Purple Rain" is an album full of songs written in the early 80s, for the early 80s, and trapped in the early 80s. It's a musical time capsule of cheese produced by a virtuoso of early 80s cheese. It's not my jam. 👎👎

This album isn't for music lovers. Not music lovers in the traditional sense, anyway. This is an album made by a theater kid with dreams of working in show business, not the music industry. It's an audition for the West End. A beckoning to Broadway. I listen to all of these albums on YouTube. I mainly do this because I like watching the music videos. Each video for The Dreaming supports my "Theater Kid" theory. I don't remember seeing a single instrument being played in any of them. The music appears to be a secondary consideration to whatever the fuck Kate Bush is doing. Her "performance", I guess. Some may describe this album as "experimental". That's just a polite way of saying it sucked ass. Hard. 👎👎

Surprisingly, I quite enjoyed this album. However, it's not the type of music I could enjoy in isolation; it needs to accompany some other type sensory stimulation (for me, it was the gym). - While eating pasta in a Mafia owned restaurant during prohibition America. - While drinking spirits & supporting a late-night erection in a sleazy cabaret bar. - While watching fight scenes in the 1960s Batman series and reading speech balloons with "BOFF!", "THWACK!" and "KAPOW!" Cool music, but nothing on this record will be added to any playlists. Great album art too. 👍👍

This has always been my thing with most Chili Peppers songs: - On the first listen, I think "this song slaps". - On the fifth listen, I think "yeah, this is alright". - On the tenth listen, I think, "I'm not so sure anymore". The Chili Peppers were always a band that I enjoyed whenever their songs played on the radio, but not enough to actually go buy their CD. I've heard this album quite a few times. "Scar Tissue" and "Road Trippin'" are awesome (plus, the video for "Scar Tissue" is legendary). But I'm mostly indifferent to the rest. It's good music, but I don't love it. And this might be an unpopular opinion: I've never really rated Anthony Kiedis as singer. He grates on me after a while. This album is a 3/5 by the most 3/5 band ever. 👍👍

This was a strange album. I was pleasantly surprised and quite liked the first few tracks. None that I would recommend to a friend or play at a house party. I can't really explain it - they were just enjoyable while bombing up the M6. It's probably because I just like the sound of late 90s Hip Hop. Also, he says the line, "She stares me up & down pathologically, And I'm thinking about gynecology." Brilliant. But halfway through, this album goes off the rails. It ditched the Hip Hop and switched to boring instrumental tracks. I genuinely thought that YouTube had skipped off Mike Ladd and put on a Moby album in it's place. It never really recovers after this. Not total shit, but as a complete album it was confused and disappointing.

This album was great. If you ignore some of the Bible-thumping lyrics, this music is the definition of "easy listening." It's that laid back folk music that adds a little Country & Western guitar to liven things up. Anybody who loves Johnny Cash for more than his iconic voice, should enjoy this album. Then, near the end of the record, they throw in the songs "Reputation" and "Lazy Days", which sound exactly like early Rolling Stones stuff. Brilliant twist. In fact, the only song I didn't like was the closing track, "Pretty Polly". That sucked, but whatever. Overall, a good collection of songs from a great era of music. 👍👍

Sorry Joe.... Will this hit my 42-year old ears the same way it once did? The answer is - absolutely. Back in the day, I was dumbfounded as to why this album was loved by so many people. In my dipshit option, there were so many better records released around this time. Biggie, Tupac, Beastie Boys, Snoop, Dre, Warren G - were all releasing far more interesting Hip Hop. Hell, even Naughty By Nature's "19 Naughty 3" had more life. Plus, I can't forget my personal favourite from this time - Ice Cube's "The Predator". I still love that record. I owned albums from all these guys and couldn't understand why Nas was getting the same love. For me, it's Nas' delivery that lets this album down. The beats are great, but there’s almost no variety in his rap; his rhythm and flow sounds exactly the same from song to song. If you were to take Nas' vocals from any of these tracks and play them over any other beat on this record, I bet you wouldn't notice a difference. You could mix & match Nas' vocals throughout this album and achieve the same results (pretty much). I was hoping I'd have a new appreciation for Illmatic 30 years later. I'd hear the genius that alluded my teenage brain. I'd have an awakening that led to a rejuvenated love of Hip Hop. That didn't happen. Don't get me wrong - it's certainly not bad by any means, but I still don't get the "Illmatic" hype.

I like music that tells a story. Or has a message. Or just has lyrics that are great to sing along with. This is why Heavy Metal has never been my go-to genre of music. On the other hand, I think Metal is great fun. How could anybody who loves guitars think otherwise? But Metal usually falls in two categories for me: "this rocks" or "this sucks". There's nothing in between. As for Sepultura's "Roots", this album rocks. Big time. This is Metal at it's best. These boys thrash. I've always thought the best Heavy Metal bands have the ability to write amazing ballads. While most of this album is trying to bust your eardrums, Sepultura throw in a 1-2 punch of "Jacso" and "Itsári", which are both beautiful instrumental tracks. I've already added them to my Spotify playlist. These guys are brilliant musicians. But like most Heavy Metal heads, they just also happen to be complete lunatics..... In the best possible way. This rocks. 🤟

Even if you've never heard a Moby Grape song, you've definitely heard a Moby Grape song. Every track on this album is inspired by (or possibly was the inspiration for, who knows?) the best music of this era. There's a great variety of music on this album and it all sounds fucking great. You can hear work from The Beatles, The Who, Velvet Underground, CCR, The Stones, and whoever the hell sang "Radar Love" (although I have no idea when that song was released). There's no fat on this record. Short, punchy tunes that require every beat. It's such a great listen. I had low expectations for Moby Grape's "1969" but this album blew me away. It's one of the most enjoyable albums I've been introduced to by the 1001 Albums app. I've actually listened to it twice through. Moby Grape - shit name, great band. 👍👍

There's probably not much left to say about this album. It's a classic, in every sense of the word. "My Generation" is a timeless rock anthem that sounds like a garage band's celebration of rebellion (especially youthful promiscuity). "The Kids are Alright" is a pop song that could rival any of its 60's counterparts. "I Don't Mind" is one of the slickest covers ever. And the closing track, "The Ox", in an instrumental banger that should be given the same rotation as "Wipe Out". Debut albums don't get much better than this. It's almost 60 years old and still sounds cool as fuck. 👍👍

I've always had the same gripe with Sonic Youth - I think create great music, but have terrible, boring vocals.

I made it to track four, "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off", and I happily obliged. 👎👎

I was first introduced to this album in Australia in 2005. "The Libertines" (along with Razorlight's "Up All Night" and "The Complete Stone Roses") was new to me and heavily featured in the soundtrack to my backpacking adventure down under. This was one of the few albums that genuinely changed my music-loving brain. It was a new(ish) sound. The imperfect duelling guitars that mesh perfectly together. The raw yet melodic vocals. The fucking lyrics. I instantly loved it. This is a complete album. Every song hits. "Music When the Lights Go Out", in particular, is a pure magic; songwriting genius. I still love everything about this record. These boys are exceptionally talented degenerate junkies. 👍👍

Was I a Depeche Mode fan before listening to "Violator"? No. Am I a Depeche Mode fan after listening to "Violator"? Also, no. Emphatically, no. The only acceptable purpose for the existence of this album is as a method of contraception. Nobody is getting the horn listening to this goofy shite. Embarrassing music supporting a truly terrible singer. Just awful. Shit band all round. The only quasi bearable tune is "Personal Jesus", and that's because Johnny Cash's cover gave it a little clout. The feature track on this album is called "Enjoy the Silence", which is exactly where my head was at when this fuckin' cringe was finally over. 👎👎

A band like Air are the NFT salesmen of the music industry. Con artists slapping together lazy, worthless music and packaging it as a valuable commodity. They use a couple of instruments on each song, play a simple chord/note progression ad nauseam, and spice it up with reverb or some other shit to mask the monotony. Random Sci-Fi effects are then added to each track that sounds like they've been sourced off a Windows 95 soundboard. There's no artistry involved; it's gimmicky bollocks. These clowns don't even bother with vocals, they just pick a word or meaningless phrase and barf it up repeatedly. Any singing that does appear on this record is heavily distorted to ensure not a hint of talent could possibly seep through. This album is as soulless and vapid as any AI-generated art you'll see online today. It's the Bored Ape of music production. They're TikTokers cosplaying like they're Martin Scorsese. "Moon Safari" sounds the way Mark Zuckerberg's face looks. I fucking hate this shit. 👎👎

Joy Division are a funny band, aren't they? They seem to have a weird fan base (i.e. phoney baloney posers). I'm willing to bet that more people own a Joy Division t-shirt than any of their albums. I remember downloading both of them on Napster while at university, and being really confused that "Love Will Tear Us Apart" wasn't on either. Joy Division have featured on mix CDs ever since. This album is fucking brilliant. As soon as the bass line hits in "Disorder", you know you're in for a treat. Not every song is perfect, but they all sound great. Amazing rock. "Dead Souls" was on the re-released version of "Unknown Pleasures" that I listened to. It's a top notch banger; what a tune! In fact, the NIN cover that featured on "The Crow" soundtrack (what a compilation!) is what originally got me into Joy Division. I don't own a Joy Division CD or t-shirt, but I might invest in both. 👍👍

I've listened to the first 7 songs. That's enough. Perfectly acceptable rap album. But I just can't get into this shit the same way i once did....

There's some decent stuff on this album, but, overall, it's a bit too much like musical theatre for me. Alice Cooper is way more diverse than my preconceived opinion of him and his singing range is quite impressive. Talented fella. Definitely won't be giving this another listen though. 🤷🏼

Obviously Bowie is a musical savant; a creative genius who stands out in a field of creative geniuses. The guy is a legend. I'd be a cunt to pass comment on his music, let alone criticize it. However.... This isn't his best work. "Where Are We Now?" is quite beautiful and "Valentine's Day" had a good vibe, but the rest of this album is forgettable. Not bad, just bland. I think when you get to Bowie's level of fame, success, & prestige, you inadvertently find yourself surrounded by a lot of "Yes Men". Who would question David Fucking Bowie? He's most likely the smartest person in every recording studio. That being said, I think these kind of superstars would be wise to employee a few "Nope Men" as well. Have an arsehole like me hanging around to offer an honest opinion when a song isn't up to scratch. A dummy that keeps the genius from sliding into madness. For example: *Bowie:* "What do you think of "Dancing Out In Space"?" *Me:* "Nope." *Bowie:* "Not good?" *Me:* "Nope." Simple. The biggest problem with this album is the music. It's just boring and uninspiring. It's a credit to Bowie's incredible vocal talent that this album is a decent listen at all, which it is - to be fair. I love Bowie, but once was enough for "The Next Day". Such a shame. ✌️❤️

Rufus Wainwright is my new litmus test for cuntishness. This guy thinks he *way* better than he actually is. You can hear it in every terrible song on this album. And I'm sure his fans are insufferable turds who all think *they* are way smarter than they actually are. People who pretend to love the most obscure, weird, or experimental (I fucking hate that word) shit music. People who direct their criticism towards anything popular, mainstream, or - you know - actually brilliant. Contrarian arseholes. People who's love of music is secondary to their need to demonstrate a superior & more sophisticated musical palate. Peacocking cunts. Wainwright's music is boring, unstructured drudgery. The band is tedious in an improvisational jazz kind of tediousness and somehow manages to avoid performing a single memorable riff throughout this entire album. And Wainwright sings like a Michael Bublé tribute act who's been slipped a Rohypnol. I genuinely don't understand how anybody could possibly enjoy listening to this crap. 👎👎

Teenage me loved this album. I remember the TV commercials promoting it, which featured just a steady shot of the album cover while the chorus for "This Is A Call" blasted though the speakers. My anticipation for it's release following the death of Kurt Cobain was rabid. Almost 30 years later, I have such a deeper appreciation for what Dave Grohl created. To single handedly produce this record - writing every track, stepping up as surprisingly incredible front man, and playing each instrument along the way - is inspiring. The death of Cobain had an entire generation of music fans in mourning. Grohl's willingness to step into the biggest shoes imaginable is fucking bold. It's even more astonishing with the benefit of hindsight. Grohl was the drummer behind one of the true pioneers of rock. And he was fucking awesome. The drum intro to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" might be the most iconic ever (in my dipshit opinion). But it's crazy to think that such a diverse musical talent was hidden behind that drum kit. Cobain and Grohl will go down as one of the greatest 1-2 punches to ever share a stage. Nirvana fans just didn't fully appreciate it at the time. How could we? This album should be cherished. 👌

One really likeable song. The band has a decent sound, but Morrissey's whining vocals are a bit much most of the time. "Some Girls are Bigger than Others" is one of the dumbest songs I've ever heard.

When I met my soon-to-be ex-wife in Australia, she had this album amongst her CD collection. In hindsight, that should have been a massive red flag. Only a fucking sociopath could possibly enjoy this utter garbage, let alone buy the CD. What the fuck are those dumbass skits? Who is entertained by this? I could die from cringe listening to these goofballs. They're the antynom of comedy. Sadly, the skits are not even the worst thing on the album These guys are fucking nerds. If their skits didn't convince you of this, their birdbrained lyrics will. They constantly use children's rhymes in their raps and force in embarrassing "De La" themed play on words. Fucking lame. Once they hit me with "De La Orgee" it confirmed that I was listening to painfully juvenile nonsense. I literally laughed from embarrassment when he said, "If ya like to drink some soda, Let me hear ya say "Coca-Cola"." What the fuck, man? Cunts. They almost had something decent going with "Eye Candy". But then they followed it up with "Take It Off" and I was immediately reminded that "Eye Candy" was a one-off fluke by a group of geeks. De La Soul somehow make everything that's great about hip-hop seem unedgy, uninteresting, and uncool. 👎👎

I've never really listened to this kind of music, so I can't really pass comment on it. There's not much of a Mambo scene in Newfoundland. Plus, I don't have a clue what anybody is saying (they all sing in Spanish). That being said, these are feel good tunes. It's uplifting music. 👍👍

This might be the most loathsome album I've ever listen to. Not because of Fiona Apple. Yes, she's a bombastic weirdo who thinks vocals should be depressing & devoid of melody. And yes, she thinks an offbeat bass drum & randomly smacking a snare drum with a brush stick makes highbrow music. Who cares? Whatever floats her boat. I loathe anybody who *pretends* that this bollocks is somehow profound songwriting. Fuck. Right. Off. It seems that critics love this album, which isn't surprising. Personally, I don't feel critics gravitate to art with universal appeal or familiar brilliance; they seek art that allows them to flex their critical prowess. Art that allows them to utilise their catalogue of empty platitudes; to introduce their unquantifiable measures of greatness; to flout their superior intellect, making us common dullards gasp at their scholarly perspectives. Blowhard cunts. Non-critic "fans" of this shit probably enjoy open mic poetry readings. They probably wear turtlenecks and fucking berets. They're probably freshman arts students who will wax lyrical that Abstract Expressionism has some deep meaning, rather than it being any old shit slapped on a canvas. Insufferable turds. Listen to the long, boring way that Fiona Apple sings "Yoooooouuuuuu" in "I Want You to Love Me" and tell me it doesn't give you a greater appreciation for singers who can creatively hold a note. Listen to the final 20 seconds of this same song and tell me producing that fucking noise & recording it for others to hear is somehow commendable. Listen to the track "Relay" and tell me it isn't the most annoying racket you've ever dumped inside your earholes. Listen to the lyrics in "Heavy Balloon" and tell me there's a hidden message in this ridiculous word salad. Garbage. This album was released during the COVID pandemic, while most of the world was in lockdown. My guess is that many self-aggrandizing arseholes clung to "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" because it served their narcissistic needs. It's the kind of obscure, dreary album that generates groupthink amongst their cliques. The perfect album for a critical circle jerk. I bet those who praises this album also exclude any tracks on it from their Spotify playlists. And I don't blame them. "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" is a tedious slog. 👎👎

Yup. It's jazz. This is game show music. My head hurts.

Credit where credit is due, "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is an awesome song. Everything about it is on point: the vocals, the lyrics, the guitars, the percussion. This is U2 at their very best. Timeless tune. In fact, the first three tracks on this album are pretty good. But after this, "War" falls off a fucking cliff. The final seven songs are sewer sludge. It's incredible that the same four guys who wrote "Sunday Bloody Sunday" could also produce these turds. Surely, these awful tracks only exist to elevate "War" from an EP to a proper album release. Unlistenable. By the time you've finished the final song on this album, the brilliance of opening track is a distant memory. U2 have left their audience wanting less, not more. Plus, Bono is an insufferable twat. ✌️❤️

Before today, I'd never heard of The Icarus Line. After listening to "Penance Soiree", that makes total sense. I can't recall ever hearing electric guitars sound so unpleasant. These guys may be skilled musicians, but their overindulgence on effects pedals is awful. It sounds like white noise. It's torturous. If you don't believe me, listen to "Spit On It". The one decent song on here is called "Getting Bright at Night". However, they decide to drag this track out for over 9 minutes. Fucking hell, lads, ever hear the phrase, "Don't outstay your welcome"? You can hear their musical influences throughout the album. There's hints of Soundgarden, The Jesus and Mary Chain, NIN, Violent Femmes, and Iggy Pop. So these lads clearly have great taste in music. The problem is, they don't have the creativity to produce that same level of magic. There's nothing catchy or interesting or enjoyable on this album. Give it a miss. 👎👎

So..... Tori Amos is literally just a Kate Bush impersonator. It's quite shocking. Except her USP is ripping off the worst songs from Bush's back catalogue. Amos is the living embodiment of the "We have that at home" meme: -------------------- Kid: "Mom, can I have some Kate Bush please?" Mom: "No. We have Kate Bush at home." *** Mom reveals that what she meant by "Kate Bush at home" is Tori Amos' "Little Earthquakes". Disappointed kid. *** -------------------- "Tear in Your Hand" is a semi-decent song, but the rest of this album sucks hard. 👎👎

This was, by far, the most nostalgic album recommended by the 1001 app so far. I loved "Smash" when I was a kid. I was hooked on it. I listened to this CD from start to finish as much as any record I've ever owned. It never got old. Listening to it today, it hits just the same. This album is awesome. Every song rocks - the guitars sound great, the drumming is memorable, and the vocals are easy to sing along with, due to Dexter Holland's catchy lyrics & limited singing range. It's a legendary album that ranks amongst the best of the 90s. It's a shame that The Offspring followed this triumph by releasing some of the lamest pop punk bollocks ever written. The unquestionable brilliance of "Smash" was quickly overshadowed by the embarrassment of "Pretty Fly for a White Guy" and that "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" ripoff. They became a parody of a punk band and faded away. Rightfully so. But who cares? The Offspring gave us "Smash". It's a classic. And I fucking love them for it. 👍👍

Music fans *really* need to stop using the word "experimental" as a synonym for "acceptable". Labelling something as "experimental" seems to be a shield against scathing blowback. The definition of an experiment is "to demonstrate a known truth, to examine the validity of a hypothesis, or to determine the efficacy of something previously untried". Experiments are carried out in private under controlled lab conditions or amongst a select focus group. The results are only made available to the public after careful consideration & if the findings are worthwhile. Why should music fans waste their precious time & hard-earned money on these narcissistic experiments? Do they think we're fucking suckers with nothing better to do? It's insulting. "Experimental" = not ready for widespread release; a work-in-progress; still shit. Also, fuck Jean-Michel Jarre for wasting such awesome album art on this dogshit album of cheap sci-fi sound effects. Cunt. 👎👎

What an unexpected treat this album proved to be. I can't believe I hadn't heard of Sebadoh before, especially as I loved Dinosaur Jr back in the day. These guys personify the sound of early 90s Indie Rock. There's a little bit of everything on this album. Sure, it's hit & miss across its 17 tracks, but there's a charm to the raw sound & energy this band offers. The entire album sounds like it was recorded on a tape deck in somebody's garage, with each song getting recorded in just one take. No messing around. Guitars, drums, vocals - the essence of Rock. Nevertheless, these guys have produced some awesome tunes. "Soul and Fire" kicks off the record and immediately tells you that Sebadoh know how to write a song. "Emma Get Wild" is just an unapologetic, lovable riot. And "Homemade" is a masterpiece that should be heard by anybody who enjoys Indie Rock. I'll happily listen to this entire album again. Sebadoh have secured their place on my Spotify playlist. 👍👍

I'm sure these guys are great fun; most likely a fucking riot to be around. And they undoubtedly love to party. But there's something a bit too theatrical about this kind of funk. It hits like a musical or comedy album at this point. Personally, it's a groove that is limited to a specific time and place (and with specific chemicals in your bloodstream). Parliament have a cool sound, but it's not my everyday jam. 🤷🏼

Back in the day, I was a prolific creator of mixtapes and mix CDs. I made them for everybody. I received just as much joy from sharing my favourite music as I did from listening to it. If you were anything like me, you'll understand that a worthwhile mixtape not only had a great collection of songs, but the order in which the songs played was vital. I believe they call this "sequencing". It needed to have the correct balance and flow. With this in mind, The Stooges' decision to place "We Will Fall" immediately after "I Wanna Be Your Dog" (an all-time banger!) is completely misguided. "We Will Fall" is a 10-minute snoozer that derails the momentum of the opening two tracks. Plus, they run the risk of people abandoning this album before ever reaching "No Fun" and the remaining gems that follow. It's completely out of place. At a push, "We Will Fall" should have been the closing track on this record. Otherwise, it should have been excluded altogether. It's the only low point in this kickass collection of songs. But like Meatloaf said, "7 Out of 8 Ain't Bad". The Stooges knocked it out of the park with their debut album. It's fucking awesome. 👍👍

This album started off promising. The first few tracks had a cool, bluesy rock vibe and "I Can't Make Your Way" is a great little singsong. But after track four, The Yardbirds start to grate in the old cabeza. From long instrumentals that are ear-piercing to the song "Farewell", which is like a weird Christmas carol. Joyless noise. There's no goodwill left by the time this album wraps up. "What Do You Want" has a decent Rolling Stones sound, but then they end the record with "Ever Since the World Began" and you're immediately reminded that The Yardbirds seem to have contempt for their audience. Not the best the 60s has to offer. 👎👎

This was such a strange collection of folk songs. The album was all over the place. Odd choice to kickstart with "Walt Whitman's Niece", which is a truly annoying song to consume. However, they quickly offer up "California Stars", which made carrying on with this album feel worthwhile. "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key" sounds *exactly* like a 90s Newfoundland folk song. Plenty of Newfie bands sound like this. It reminded me of home. "Hoodoo Voodoo" is another annoyance. Not good. But, once again, they follow with a pretty tune, "She Came Along To Me", and all is forgiven. The two closing tracks - "Another Man's Done Gone" and "The Unwelcome Guest" - are just beautiful. Easily my favourite Billy Bragg & Wilco songs. It took a while, but ending on such a high slapped a goofy grin across my stupid face. Not every tune hits and this doesn't feel like a coherent album. Nevertheless, there are some lovely songs that warrant a recommendation (with a disclaimer). 👍👍

Arcade Fire are probably the most frustrating band I've ever heard. I think these guys write excellent music and the vocal melodies in their songs can be quite beautiful. However.... I hate the lead singer's voice. I hate it SO MUCH! More often than not, I find it unbearable on my eardrums. A different front man (or woman), with this band, singing these songs, would be fucking awesome. Arcade Fire have all the ingredients for a kickass rock band, but that voice sucks. Although this song isn't on "The Suburbs", check out the Foo Fighters' cover of "Keep the Car Running". No significant changes have been made to the song, but Dave Grohl's voice alone improves it to no end. That cover is a banger. Arcade Fire have the best back catalogue of potential cover songs ever! My favourite track on "The Suburbs" is "City with No Children", which is a brilliant song that's perfectly suited to the lead singer's delivery. Credit where it's due - that song is amazing. The problem is, most Arcade Fire tunes have incredible music with disappointing vocals. This is showcased on The Suburbs whenever their female singer takes the lead; the best example being "Sprawl II". Her gorgeous voice elevates that song. She should be promoted to the full-time position. I desperately want to love "The Suburbs" and Arcade Fire in general. This music is right up my street. But that voice does my head in. Shucks.

Alright! This was an unexpected toe-tapper. Apart from a few of his well known songs, I haven't heard much from Elvis Costello. "My Aim is True" is a great little Pop-Rock album. Costello is a fantastic songwriter, combining short, catchy tunes with savvy lyrics. He's a clever bloke. "Mystery Dance" seems to be a weird Elvis Presley tribute track, which isn't surprising given the album art. But that stinker gets a pass based on everything that surrounds it. I really enjoyed this. Happily listen to any future Elvis Costello albums this app has to offer. 👍👍

This is the second Depeche Mode album I've been recommended. I gave "Music for the Masses" three songs. I can't take any more. I'll never be a Depeche Mode fan. This shit sucks. 👎👎

First things first, this album is too long. It's runs for almost 83 minutes, and feels even longer. Check out the length of these songs: "In My Time of Dying" - 11:09 "In The Light" - 8:48 "Kashmir" - 8:38 "Ten Years Gone" - 6:35 Fucking hell. "Kashmir" is a legitimate banger that just seems to bang on forever. The others could be fantastic 3- or 4-minute tracks if their fat was trimmed off, especially "Ten Years Gone". While "Physical Graffiti" tests your patience, it also treats us to the irrefutable guitar majesty of Jimmy Page. Particularity in "Bron-Yr-Aur", where his brilliance is placed front & center. This instrumental is simply beautiful. I enjoyed the second half of this album much more after hearing it. "Bron-Yr-Aur" lifted my mood. "The Wanton Song" rocks, "Down By the Seaside" & "Black Country Woman" are effortlessly cool, and "Boogie With Stu" comes way out of left field; it sounds like Little Richard possessed Rod Stewart. It's fucking great. Led Zeppelin are undoubtedly a legendary band. Each member is a special talent and the sound they create is quintessential 70s Rock. These guys are great at their craft. I respect Led Zeppelin, I just don't always enjoy their music. Even though I happily listened to this entire album, I have no desire to give "Physical Graffiti" another bash. I felt the exact same way about every other Zeppelin record I've heard. I can't really explain why. The best I can offer is this: Plant, Page, Jones & Bonham are legendary Rock & Roll killers, who also give us too much unnecessary filler. It's too much of a good thing. ✌️❤️

Fucking hell. 🤦 This shit is for any sad fucker who's still rocking out to TLC's "No Scrubs" or Janet Jackson's "Again" or Destiny's Child's "Bills Bills Bills". Outdated dross. Unoriginal & boring from start to finish. This is music made by committee. Mass produced, assembly line R&B garbage. Cookie-cutter banality that I've heard 1000 times before, and will undoubtedly hear 1000 times again. Kelela has the most generic 90s/00s voice, singing the most generic 90s/00s lyrics, over the most generic 90s/00s computerized instruments. This is an exercise in mediocrity. An album I'd expect from the winner of The X Factor, and the corporate parasites who run that show. I can only imagine two sincere reactions to Kelela's "Take Me Apart": disappointment or indifference. 👎👎