I've heard "Tommy" three times in its entirety and I'll state my case once again that it is a hot, steaming pile of crap. No matter how much Pete Townshend has denied (and denies) it, "Tommy" is a direct copy of "S.F. Sorrow" by The Pretty Things (non-believers, listen to the riff in "Old Man Going"), which is superior.
𝘈𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 Bowie album? I find it absurd there's eight or nine David Bowie albums but only three Pink Floyd albums (the famous "Dark Side Of The Moon", "Wish You Were Here" & "The Wall") that made the cut. Is 1001AlbumsGenerator implying that "Young Americans" and "The Next Day" had a greater influence on music history than "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" - which pioneered psychedelic rock - or is it simply arbitrary? I've heard "The Next Day" before and I can safety declare that, excluding "Valentine's Day", the album lacks any depth and warmth, and we could've gone our whole lives without exhausting David Bowie's entire catalogue. Really makes me question the intention of whomever chose these albums.
Oh lord, he's one of them "misunderstood poets", isn't he? Most of Elliot Smith's songs — though unassuming and even romantic at first — carry a subtle manipulative undertone. Take that how you will. "Ballad Of Big Nothing" is beautiful, "Between The Bars" is powerful and stark, and "Pictures Of Me" is full of zest. Overall, the album gave me an alluring, though icky feel: "Listen right now if you want to feel like crap and question all your life for the next two weeks!" Who needs Morrissey when we've got the original acoustic sad-boy™ right here, amiright? (I still like him.)
A wide range of ringtones trying to pass off as "songs".
I'm maniacally obsessed with Too Rye Ay. And it's not just because of the famous "Come On Eileen". The whole album is beautifully dated.
Day 1 - Franz Ferdinand (2004) I genuinely don't know what's to expect from Franz Ferdinand's eponym. The album, however, is noted to have won the 2004 Mercury Music Prize whilst selling over 3.6 million worldwide, so I'm looking forward to give it a spin :> ── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ── Listening to "Jacqueline," my first impression of Franz Ferdinand is that it is a bit dry and monotonous. It doesn't grab at me and sounds similar to any other 2000s Indies act, let's say The Strokes, but watered down... "Tell Her Tonight" is a bit more upbeat and an overall funky song (♪ I have to tell her, you tell her tonight! ♫) - it doesn't cut it for me though and nor does "Take Me Out." I can't really decipher the vocalist's on "The Dark Of The Matinée" but it's got a good beat. And unlike its predecessors, the song is upbeat and full of life, with a groovy bass riff. Now we're talking! "Auf Achse" seems to be a more mellow, and superior, sequel to "Tell Her Tonight." It starts off with a rather cynical stream of verses ( ♪ You see her, you can't have her. You hear her, you can't hold her ♫) before suddenly exploding into an indulgent frenzy (♪ She's not so special so look what you've done ♫). I've a feeling that Radiohead fans may enjoy this song. And, oh God, "Cheating On You" heads back to the dry and repetitive formula... this time the band brings in a hint of garage rock. "Cheating On You" sounds suspiciously similar to Nirvana, if they were 2000s and nobody cared for their music. Neither "This Fire" nor "Darts Of Pleasure" are particularly remarkable, nor deserve their individual entry. "Michael" is just too much for me; ♪ Michael, you're the boy with all the leather hips, sticky hair, sticky hips, stubble on my sticky lips ♫. It's a bit sickening, really, and sounds like royalty-free rock music, although most tracks on Franz Ferdinand do. "Come On Home" is surprisingly good - the synths and distortions really add depth to the song. It's a bit similar to "Auf Achse," except more angsty, dark-tinged and heavier. If I were to pick a favourite on the album, "Come On Home" would be it :> The closer, 40', similar to most of the album, is a bit unremarkable. Overall, although they're a few bangers in the album, Franz Ferdinand's setlist are spinoffs of similar bands in the indie rock scene. They're not horrible but you won't miss much skipping the album.
Day 2 - Surfer Rosa (1988) So, the Pixies huh? I've heard that they're famous in the alt-rock scene; it wouldn't hurt to finally give them a listen although the reviews are controversial. ── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ── I had initially done a song-to-song review but the review didn't save, so instead I'll be giving a brief overview: Alright, so many of the reviews noted that "Surfer Rosa" is straight up noise - loud, atrocious, directionless noise. And they're CORRECT. "Surfer Rosa" is not alt-rock, it's grunge: and a horrible slice of it as well. To start off, the songs are disjointed, "screamy," the harmonies are weak, no, straight-up horrible and unlistenable and if you don't believe me, just listen to "Bone Machine." A bit ironic for a band called the "Pixies..." In addition to being disordered, the album is repetitive - every song sounds the same (I didn't even notice when "Bone Machine" transitioned into "Break My Body"). By listening to "Bone Machine," you know you'll either 1) enjoy the entire album, or 2) despise it, given that every song has the same formula and arrangements. Unlike Kurt Cobain, another famous grunge vocalist, Black Francis sounds like nails on chalkboard - his vocals are slurred; the lyrics are lazy and completely unintelligible. Occasionally, if he's feeling up to it, he'll even throw in an ear-throbbing wail... Need I go in depth more? The Pixies are comparative to a group of drunk high scholars whom, after a night of partying, decided to record the album in their garage half-wasted. The only upside to the album was that it was only 33 minutes long. Had it been longer, I might've had to rush to the hospital for a cluster headache. The 5 star reviews have got to be trolling. Please, for the love of God, skip "Surfer Rosa." Unless you're INTO noise-metal... Overall, I'm unsure how "Surfer Rosa" was elected into the Top 1000 Albums. I really hope that their debut doesn't define the Pixies as a whole, that would be shameful.
Day 3 - Bat Out Of Hell (1977) Having given "Surfer Rosa," my previous album, 2 stars, I nearly cried when I saw "Bat Out Of Hell," seemingly a metal album. Nonetheless, Marvin Lee Aday, or Meat Loaf, is written as "one of the best selling music artists in history," and known for his "his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows." Can't lie, I'm impressed. Excited to give "Bat Out Of Hell" a spin, it seems promising. ── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ── To start off, "Bat Out Of Hell" is very extravagant and operatic with an Elton-style piano introduction and a shredding guitar. Marvin and Jim Steinman, the composer, really outdid themselves. The song finally slows down as the vocals commence; Marvin has a surprisingly strong and rich voice. From the title and cover, I expected the album to be a lot more heavy, slurred and incomprehensible. The debut track already cements how theatrical, over-the-top and impactful the album is going to be. "Bat Out Of Hell" is nine minutes of pure eargasm: fun and futuristic, a rollercoaster of emotions. "You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth" is strangely theatrical: it starts off with a dialogue, "On a hot's summer night, would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses? Yes." Although the dialogue may seem silly at first, I've a feeling that it's a metaphor for something much, much darker. My theory is cemented as Marvin hisses, "I bet you say that to all boys." The song is incredibly solid and fun as well. "Heaven Can Wait" is a shorter, but more gentle and serene ballad whilst "All Revved Up with No Place to Go" springs back into Marvin's original, loud and pretentious sound. I'm a little disappointed at all the negative reception on the album. Seriously, people need to relax a bit. "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" and "For Crying Out Loud" are more driven symphonic ballads. Overall, the album is a genuine rollercoaster, it has something for everybody. I'm surprised I haven't heard of this album sooner, honestly. The key takeaway is to not judge an album from it's cover! I would've never discovered this fun gem had I skipped the album, would I? :>
Day 4 - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966) 1001AlbumsGenerator.com is really recommending all the classics lately, huh? As a folk-rock fan, I've already heard "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme," although it wouldn't hurt to relisten. I firmly believe that "Parsley, Sage..." is the best Simon & Garfunkel album. It has the famous "Scarborough Fair/Canticle," the catchy and reminiscent "Homeward Bound," and short, bittersweet tracks such as "For Emily, Wherever I May Find Her," which I've got over 100 plays on. ── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ── What I admire most about the band is how Simon and Garfunkel experimented with layering their vocals; it's truly exquisitely beautiful and otherworldly. For example, "Scarborough Fair" paints a quiet and serene atmosphere that distinguishes the band from other folk-rock scenes of the time whilst "Homeward Bound" is beautiful and reminiscent. Even the more "vanilla" tracks, for example "Cloudy" and "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" add a bit more depth to the album. "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme" nicely balanced, it has it's more mellow, vanilla tracks ("Cloudy") but also the dark-hinged and blunt social commentary that was ironically paired with the Christmas carol, "Silent Night." The juxtaposition makes the remarks and message stand out. It also contains genuinely beautiful, well-crafted songs such as "Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall," and "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Me,"I particularly like the tension and emotion in "For Emily..." and how the chorus bursts. TL;DR, "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme" is a diverse album that contains much more than what is initially displayed and I cannot reward it any less than a solid 5/5.
Day 7 - Group Sex (1980) Excuse me, what? 🙂 Should I be more concerned by the album's title, "Group Sex", or the fact that a band called "Circle Jerks" was able to land a record deal? I also remarked that the album has a 2.70 star rating, placing it among the lowest ranked albums... I'll brace myself. ── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ── Obnoxious, directionless, and ludicrous lyrics (listen to "I Just Want Some Skank"), most probably created by a group of desperate virgins. I'd like to delve deeper into the album and give it a thorough review, but there's no actual substance. Terrible record, 1/5. Save yourself.
Don't judge an album by its cover, unless it's an album by The The. Then, you should do exactly that. Deranged and uninspired, I'm convinced that the 5 star reviews are programmed robots. The only reason I'm giving "Soul Mining" 2 stars is because two of the songs are listenable!
Day 11 - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) Sgt. Pepper's is my favourite Beatles album, and although my taste has gradually shifted from classic rock / pop, it remains beloved in my heart. I have a vintage UK vinyl record of Sgt. Pepper's from the 1970s. I've listened Sgt. Pepper's Remastered and Sgt. Pepper's Deluxe so many times that I know every note, word, and arrangement. Sgt. Pepper's pioneered rock music, whether with the brilliant Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, serene She's Leaving Home, or the ethereal A Day In The Life. There is arguably no "weak" song, and even the lesser-known tracks ("Good Morning, Good Morning") add more depth to the album. TL;DR: Sgt. Pepper's is the pinnacle of rock music, and you'd have to be blind, deaf, and even then foolish to not acknowledge its influence.
I've always found Metallica a pretentious band. The "Black Album" fits the umbrella term "all bark and no bite" well. Even the most popular songs, including "Enter Sandman", are boring and substanceless. Watching paint dry would've been a greater pastime than listening to the "Black Album." I do enjoy hard rock, but both Black Sabbath and Nazareth did it better.
W̶a̶s̶h̶e̶d̶ ̶u̶p̶ ̶W̶e̶e̶z̶e̶r̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶a̶ ̶p̶a̶r̶a̶l̶l̶e̶l̶ ̶d̶i̶m̶e̶n̶s̶i̶o̶n̶.̶ Warm and pleasurable, joke aside. "Everything Must Go" is pretentious but not overly bearing. Great string arrangements too. I especially adore "A Design For Life" and "Everything Must Go." I'll probably return to the Maniac Street Preachers in the future.
I daresay "A Night At The Opera" is one of the most extravagant, theatrical and brilliant album of all time, with a glamour reminiscent of Broadway. "Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To...)" is a terrific opener (and a powerful exposure of the music industry), "'39" — a song exploring the concept of time dilation in space — is compelling and melancholy (Don't you hear my call though you're many years away? Don't you hear me calling you?'), and "Love Of My Life" is particularly bittersweet. Even the less serious songs, "Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon", "I'm In Love With My Car" are fun to listen to. People need to stop taking everything so seriously. Of course, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is brilliantly crafted — beaten only perhaps by "The Prophet's Song", clocking at 8-minutes-long, and featuring Brian / Freddie / Roger's fantastic three-man-choir.
Ah yes, the album that features "Hurt," which was more famously covered by Johnny Cash. Other than the aforementioned song, the album has little to offer - it's dark, angry and harsh but the songs themselves are superficial.
Powerful vocals ≠ Talent Although I appreciate Adele as a vocalist, and acknowledge that she is one of the most influential female vocalists of her time, "25" is repetitive, with Adele whining about her relationship problems in every single song. Even her most famous tracks, namely "Hello", the monotony rubs off on you after a certain number of listens. I can take on that her songs resonate with lovesick teenage girls, but I do not fall into that category.
"I know it's over, and it never really began, but in my heart it felt so real. And you even spoke to me, and said: "If you're so funny, then why are you on your own tonight?"" Upon my first listen, The Queen Is Dead torn out my heart and had me sobbing. Even now, months later, I still feel the familiar ache when I listen to it. "The Queen Is Dead" is probably one of the most well-crafted albums of it's time, complete with Marr's melodic guitar melodies and Morrissey's poetic woes. An absolute masterpiece, regardless of who Morrissey is as a human being.
Day 27 - S.F. Sorrow (1968) ⚠ Warning: Neurodivergent Yapping ahead — S.F. Sorrow is my favourite album of all time. It is also the first rock opera, and profoundly influenced The Who's Tommy. S.F. Sorrow incorporates a variety of influences, including the Beatles' superfluous chanting in "Bracelets of Fingers," Syd Barrett's psychedelia in "Defecting Grey," proto-punk in the grisly "Old Man Going," and even a hint of R&B in heavier songs like "She Says Good Morning," which dates back to the Pretty Things' early days. The triptych "I See You -> Well Of Destiny -> Trust" is probably my favourite three-song-run from any album. S.F. Sorrow chronicles the story of a single protagonist named "Sebastian F. Sorrow" and his journey towards trust to ultimate delusion. The album was inspired by "Cutting Up Sergeant Time", one of Phil May's short stories based loosely around an ordinary WWI veteran. For those who have not had a chance to read the narrative, here is a "brief" explanation (I can honestly go on-and-on about S.F. Sorrow): Sebastian F. Sorrow was born in Number 3 of a nameless town to ordinary parents. Nobody knew what the "F" in his name stood for but nobody really cared, which is how his miserable life will go. He spends the most of his childhood in the 'greys of his mind'. In other words — maladaptive daydreaming and sex. Phil May portrays him to be an alluring, though sensitive soul (much like himself.) As he grows older, Sorrow falls in love with the girl next door. The two dream of escaping the miserable town and establishing a new life elsewhere. Just then, World War I rolls in and Sorrow is drafted into the army. Once again, he tries to escape the ugliness of war via his imaginations. Unfortunately, it isn't quite as easy as it once was. "See shells whistle Let your mind drift away See shells whistle Let your mind hide away" When the war was finally over, Sorrow takes refuge in a new land called "Amerik." He sends a balloon ticket for his beloved wife to join him. Upon arrival, Sorrow watches as the balloon bursts into flames, which consume the love of his life. The narrator makes a brief remark, "In sadness, she was buried by the spade of his grief." Sorrow grows lonely as he wanders the streets of New York City. Once more, he allows his imaginations to take flight, trying to block out his grief. He dreams of being visited by the mysterious Baron Saturday, a tall man cloaked in black. Baron Saturday magically lifts Sorrow into the sky and heads towards what Sorrow believes to be the Moon (which is symbolized in the rock opera as beauty.) But the true destination was Sorrow's core itself. Sorrow reexaminines himself and sights his dead fiance for the last time. This experience leads him down to depression. Instead of continuing to fight against the world with his imagination, Sorrow resigns to a world where people have given up all emotional attachment to a belief that it would be better: "Finding that their minds are grey And there’s no sorrow in the world that’s left to trust" As he grows older, bitter Sorrow descends into insanity, blocking out light until all is dark. The album ends with the melancholy "Loneliest Person," where Sorrow sings: "You might be the loneliest person in the world Your name it would have to be me" — Sorrow realizes his destiny was implied by his name, and accepts his tragic fate. The CD reissue also includes a few more tracks, most notably "Defecting Grey" and "Walking Through My Dreams." "Defecting Grey" is particularly noteworthy since it addresses the notion that S.F. Sorrow is bisexual, which would make sense given that composer Phil May was one of Kent's rock 'n' roll bicons ("bi-icon"). The idea, however, was abandoned, and the track did not appear on the original S.F. Sorrow. However, it is up to the audience to decide whether: 1) S.F. Sorrow concludes with a disillusioned Sorrow; 2) Sorrow self-actualizing and learning to love again. TL;DR, S.F. Sorrow was well ahead of its time and remains under appreciated even today. If you enjoyed the album, I highly recommend that you listen to "Emotions" and "Parachute", both by the same artist.
Ah yes, Leonard Cohen, the Canadian who composed "Hallelujah," which was later famously covered by Jeff Buckley. Songs Of Leonard Cohen is super chill and sparse — I understand that his songs may be dull or underwhelming for some, but personally, I enjoyed them ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Just make yourself some coffee, sit back and relax with the album.
I will start off by saying that I do enjoy electronic / experimental / trip hop (Poison Girlfriend & Portishead are some of my favourites.) As long as it's good music — I'll rock with it. Here in lies the problem: Björk's music is genuinely not good. Her over-reliance on digital tool, paired with her mediocre-at-best voice (Björk fans find her jarring vocals "endearing", I do not) makes Björk's albums feel more like an art installation than music intended for enjoyment. In addition, her albums lack cohesion and focus. Unless you're big on avant-garde, I recommend you to skip today's album.
Love that guy — his solo career (outside of Wings & "Ram") is rather weak.
Although some disagree, I genuinely believe "Wish You Were Here" is Pink Floyd's best album. It was written and performed at the height of their creative power, as well as David / Roger / Rick's penmanship. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part I - IX) is possibly the most beautiful Pink Floyd song. Cloaking at 25-minutes-long, every second of it is worthwhile. The song ending with Rick's organ on "See Emily Play" is an especially charming touch — bittersweet acceptance. "Welcome To The Machine" comfortably sits among my favourite Pink Floyd songs. It is a fantastic exposure of unforgiving underbelly of the music industry ("What did you dream? It's alright we told you what to dream".) In addition, there is a fantastic use of synth (unlike when synth is later reintroduced in "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason", 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.) "Have A Cigar" has among the most iconic Pink Floyd guitar riffs. Hats off to Roy Harper — one of Pink Floyd's only guest vocalists. I particularly love his delivery of the line: "We call it riding the gravy train-nnn-nnn!" Addictive stuff. The title track, while not as ambitious nor daring as its predecessors, servers as a stirring ode to Syd Barrett. It also makes a great introduction to the band and those who're intimidated by Pink Floyd's complex arrangements (it was actually my introduction to Pink Floyd.) Overall, I think everyone, regardless of music taste, should listen to Wish You Were Here at least once in their lifetime. It is an experience that has changed my — and not just mine — outlook on the world.
The album was a total let-down given it's title as 'One Of The Greatest' of all-time. There was no actual substance in the album. I'm not a fan of hip hop in the first place, and although she was spitting bars, Ms. Hill put zero effort in the actual melody.
The personal Bible of lonely teenagers in the late ‘70s, and nevertheless as relevant today, "The Wall" is the culmination of Roger Water's creative epiphany. A highly introspective album (only to be beaten by its successor, "The Final Cut"), The Wall paints an accurate — though terrifying — saga through Pink's (Roger Waters's spitting image's) psychological trauma ("The Thin Ice"), sexual repression ("Young Lust"), isolation ("Hey You"), and eventual disillusionment ("Waiting For The Worms"), due to losing his father in Anzio, being coerced to 'mask' his poetic self by his abusive Schoolmaster, and trauma sustained from his his overprotective mother and unfaithful wife. Pink is eventually placed on a mental trial for his imagined crimes (disillusioned, he holds a fascist rally in his head), with each of these people serving as witnesses. The judge (the embodiment of a literal posterior) ends up sentencing Pink to "tear down the wall" (which represents Pink's psychological barriers) in "The Trial". Pink's fate remains unknown as the album ends with "Outside The Wall". Roger Waters reminding the audience that they're loved more than they know: "All alone, or in twos The ones who really love you Walk up and down, outside the wall Some hand in hand And some gathered together in bands The bleeding hearts and the artists make their stand And when they've given you their all Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy Banging your heart against some mad bugger's wall ..." Although many argue that the album is too "self-indulgent" or "pretentious", I believe it is an excellent social commentary on mental health, and it certainly made me (and not just me) feel less alone when I was a lonely 14-year-old.
I find it hilarious how dramatically other users described the album :') It's nothing remarkable but nowhere as bad as some users have portrayed it to be.
I didn't even bother today's album. It is absurdly explicit, violent and misogynistic. Shame that many "popular" hip hop albums (e.g. the aforementioned album, "The Chronic" by Dr. Dre, "Fear of a Black Planet" by Public Enemy...) are super anachronistic and do not sit well among most listeners, me included.
⚠ I have heard the album before on a different occasion — rating a George Harrison album w/o actually listening to it is an unkind thing to do. Today, I had neither the time nor energy to sit through two full hours. Therefore, I will be doing a short review on "Cloud Nine" — George Harrison's superior album — instead. Shoutout to Badfinger, my favourite guest band though! When I eventually finish my project, I will be sure to add "Straight Up" to 1001AlbumsGenerator. ── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ── To begin, "Cloud Nine" is the eleventh studio album by George Harrison, and undoubtably one of his best. Although most people remember it only for "Got My Mind Set On You", it has a wonderful assortment of tracks. "Just For Today" is melancholy and heartfelt, both "This Is Love" and "Someplace Else" are irresistibly charming and beautiful ("I need you now to be beside me while all my world is so untidy!"), while "When We Were Fab" offers an immersive dive into George Harrison's salad days with The Beatles. The whole album ties together neatly and has a familiar Beatles-esque sound, though there is less energy and more lush sophistication.
Horrible.
I kept waiting for the 'grand moment' but nothing happened. The entire album is drowsy guitars and occasionally, half-hearted vocals. What a waste of an hour.
The album reminded me why I despise rap music.
Underwhelming and uninspired. Sounds like a watered-down Disney soundtrack.
No.
STOP. GIVING. ME. THESE. MOTHER-FUCKING. HIP. HOP. ALBUMS. "It Takes A Nation Of Million To Hold Us Back" is essentially a compilation of background noises you hear at a sport stadium. There's absolutely no substance to it.
Objectively one of the "weaker" Beatles albums, inferior to it's predecessor, "Please Please Me". Not even the Beatles are foolproof. I'll give credit that it's got a few good numbers, "All My Loving" and "Till There Was You", though you won't miss anything by skipping. The second half is a difficult listen. "Roll Over Beethoven" is horrid. The people who rate this 5/5 are trolling themselves.
I cannot defend "Morrison Hotel" as fan of the Doors' earlier albums. It is definitely one of the "weaker" Doors albums. Other than a few numbers like "Blue Sunday", the album is skip worthy.
"...This boy's too young to be singing the blu-uu-ues, ooooh..." A classic. Best songs are "Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding" (what an opener) and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road."
05/05/2024, Berlin Note: I actually listened to the full album today though it was a DIFFICULT listen. "Berlin" (1973) is essentially Lou Reed's interpretation of "Hamlet". The songs themselves aren't spectacular but the macabre, gruesome content makes up for it. The album explores a couple's moral descent into prostitution, substance abuse, domestic violence and eventual suicide. Fuck, "The Kids" contains snippets of children wailing for their mother who can no longer provide for them. "Berlin" isn't an album anybody WANTS to listen to, it changes your perception on the world. But I believe that it is a necessary album for ANY music enjoyer.
05/06/2024 Difficult to judge, "Hail To the Thief" is less cohesive than "OK Computer" and "Kid A" and there is nothing particularly noteworthy about it. Although it was a fairly simple listen, the album drones on and on. Best songs are "2 + 2 = 5", "Sail To The Moon" and "Where I End And You Begin".
05/07/2024 Imagine Franz Ferdinand and The Strokes had a child, but the child was defected. That would be The Libertines. "Music When The Lights Go Out" is good.
05/08/2024 Probably one of the most "iconic" rock albums! Up there with "The Velvet Underground & Nico" and "Abbey Road". Practically, "In The Court Of The Crimson King" is fantastic. "Schizoid Man" is among the most futuristic numbers at the time, and the title track contains great arrangements and wonderful vocals from Greg Lake, whom later went on to form Emerson, Lake & Palmer. "Epitaph" is mind blowing too, it is a really strong song and conveys deep meaning with simple words, "Will no one lay the laurel wreath when silence drowns the screams?" The Achilles' heel of the album is "Moonchild - Including The Dream and The Illusion", which is incohesive and drowses on. But that doesn't stop me from rewarding "In The Court..." a solid 5 star.
05/09/2024 Really brief review today. Despite their ridiculous album cover and band name, "Groovin'" is a surprisingly solid album. Very poppy and catchy, and it reminds me of the early Beatles and the Byrds. Standouts include "A Girl Like You" and "I'm So Happy Now."
05/10/2024 I'm not sure why Nick is portrayed as a "tragic hero who's flame burned out too soon" here. He lacks the talent of comparable artists such as Pete Ham and Kurt Cobain, and I understand why he achieved minimal success throughout his brief career. "Five Leaves Less" was boring and substanceless. Bite me.
05/11/2024 😴🤢😴😴
05/12/2024 D̶a̶t̶ ̶a̶s̶s̶ I've only heard their top hits, but after hearing the album, I'm genuinely disappointment at how "hyped-up" The Strokes are. Don't get me wrong, "Is This It" has got some good Brit pop. Some songs are warm and catchy; "Last Nite" is especially pleasant. My complaint though is that majority of "Is This It", excluding the "famous" songs, follow the same arrangements. The album ends up being monotonous with little diversity.
05/14/2024 You cannot call this... monstrosity "music." It is laughably absurd and too 'experimental' for even electronic music today. What a great day to have ears! People who genuinely enjoy this album should be lobotomized.
Please, please, tell me that there won't be more Pixies albums.
05/20/2024 I was pleasantly surprised to be recommended a David Bowie album today. While most people cast their attention to "The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust..." and "Alladin Sane", Bowie's early work is innovative and plentiful too. "Hunky Dory" is an all-in-one package. In addition to the famous "Life In Mars", it contains the classics "Changes" and "Oh You Pretty Things." I've got no complaint about the album in general.
05/28/2024 Haven't heard much Kate Bush beforehand, and gosh, her voice is so darn angelic and heavenly. "Hounds Of Love" sounds like an opera.
Oh gosh - the best part of the album is when the music stops.
Brilliant and mesmerizing - you can definitely hear the psych influence in the album. Grace Slick is a terrific vocalist.
Never saw the hype in Kendrick.
06/02/2024 The surprise to open 1001AlbumsGenerator.com and find that I'm already listening to my assigned album? (I’m on my way to my nine-hundredth play, actually.) ── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ── I'm going to say it now, loud and clear: Queen II is Queen's best album. Although Queen II is neither as glamorous nor eclectic as its successors, the songs synchronize into one another and offers the foundation of Queen's sound. Queen II is a semi-conceptual album based loosely around the theme(s) of fantasy and love: The White Side (disc 1) offers a range of melodies — the powerful “Father To Son”, the folksy “Some Day, One Day” (iirc, Brian May’s vocal debut), the stark “The Loser In The End”, and more outstandingly, “White Queen (As It Began)”, a testament to the beauty — and sting — of love: “My Goddess hear my darkest fear, I speak too late — It's for evermore that I wait! Dear friend, goodbye No tears in my eyes So sad it ends, As it began” The Black Side (disc 2) is even more alluring, featuring Queen’s six-minute-long operatic masterpiece (no, I am not referring to “Bohemian Rhapsody”.) “The March Of The Black Queen” definitely paved way for Queen’s later theatrical experimentations. The transition b/w “The March Of The Black Queen”, “Funny How Love Is” and “Seven Seas Of Rhye” is among the most beautiful things I heard, and leaves me thirsting for more. Be it "Father To Son", "White Queen" or even the ditty "Nevermore", you can distinguish Queen's later influences in Queen II. This album's rawness and imperfection is genuinely so beautiful and everything falls into place like a jigsaw.
I like Kurt — I do believe he is talented and has one of the most remarkable voices in rock 'n' roll music history. However, loud ≠ good. "Nevermind" greatly oscillates between genuine talent ("Smells Like Teen Spirit") and noise ("Territorial Pissings", sorry.) It seems that Nirvana's objective here was to give their audience tinnitus (even more prominent in "Bleach".) Not sure whether it made the 1001Albums list but "In Utero" is superior, in my opinion. 3 stars because I've a soft spot for "Lithium" and "Drain You".
Electronic and ambient-ish Bowie album. Definitely drifts away from his early work. I do enjoy it though, it brings a new angle to his music. Favourite songs include "Sound and Vision", "Always Crashing in the Same Car" and "Be My Wife" (truly catchy tunes — 'Please be mine, share my life. Stay with me, be my wife!')
I don't give a flipping fuck about the music. It could be a French sequel to Dark Side Of The Moon who all I care, and I'm still rewarding it one stars. When I was listening to 'En Melody', I did a double take because it had snippets of a young girl screaming in pain. I did a quick search and apparently this 'concept album' is about a middle aged man "falling in love" with a 14-year-old, Melody, and raping her. My adolescent ass is ASTONISHED an album glorifying pedophile made the 1001 Albums list. Serge Gainsbourg himself was probably a closeted pedophile expressing his sexual fantasies with his work. He is also a ‘neo-Nazi’? I genuinely don’t comprehend how the French people condemn his work. I’d give the album zero stars if I could.
Not sure why 1001AlbumsGenerator decided to include a one-hit wonder album. "Seven Nation Army" was great, and rightfully so, but the rest of "Elephant" was self-indulgent, pitiful and uncomfortably hollow. The website could've easily included "Meteora" instead and it would've been more meaningful.
Awful — I was introduced to the eccentric and grisly Scissor Sisters at the ripe old age of eleven by one of my childhood friends. It boils down to whether or not you enjoy listening to National Geographic™ tapes of wildcats moaning in heat, because that's about as close as I can get to describing their album in words. Also, the Scissor Sisters's cover of "Comfortably Numb" was so unholy that no amount of David Gilmour's Strat solos could cleanth my ears.
Wasn't good, wasn't terrible. The album sounds like a late 90's soundtrack music.
Oh lord, he's one of them "misunderstood poets", isn't he? Most of Elliot Smith's songs — though unassuming and even romantic at first — carry a subtle manipulative undertone. Take that how you will. "Ballad Of Big Nothing" is beautiful, "Between The Bars" is powerful and stark, and "Pictures Of Me" is full of zest. Overall, the album gave me an alluring, though icky feel: "Listen right now if you want to feel like crap and question all your life for the next two weeks!" Who needs Morrissey when we've got the original acoustic sad-boy™ right here, amiright? (I still like him.)
First time hearing about the "mod revival" subculture: I haven't got much to say about the album except it's very 'safe', which prevents it from being slander-able but also from receiving a five star. I'd recommend a spin if you're a mellow gold enthusiast, or if you're drinking a beer and watching the sunset.
Exactly what you'd expect from a band who calls themselves "The Butthole Surfers"... Horrible noise music — I think there's a clear distinction between 'avant-grande' and being wasted.
I enjoy "Breakfast In America" and "Even In The Quietest Moments" but there is nothing interesting in "Crime Of The Century", sorry. If anything, Supertramp sounds like a (poor) Pink Floyd cover band in the album.
Psych and ambient - probably the earliest example of 'ambient music' I've been recommended so far. The album is relatively 'safe' for what it is, so I'm not sure how to rank it properly. It's nowhere near bad but doesn't "grab" at me and cannot be compared to similar bands of the time, like Jefferson Airplane and Strawberry Alarm Clock. Probably a good thing the band broke up when they did.
Disappointing compared to it's successors "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and "Don't Shoot Me..." It feels hollow and substanceless dismissing the famous "Tiny Dancer."
All downhill after "Take On Me" — the rest of the album felt considerably lazier :'(
I'm going to be honest here — I'm not the biggest fan of progressive rock. For years, I tried to get into King Crimson catalogue but many post-1970 albums never 'clicked.' The band seemed to experience a sudden lack of creative power after Greg Lake left. While milking out on old material and needlessly extending every song might've worked for Pink Floyd and Genesis, King Crimson's "Larks" came out as unfinished melodies from earlier albums mish-mashed together. It feels quite lazy and uninspired. I believe 1001Albums should've included "Red" instead. (Seriously, why isn't "Red" on here? "Fallen Angel" and "Starless" are some of the best songs in their genre.)
S̶p̶i̶c̶e̶ ̶G̶i̶r̶l̶s̶ ̶r̶i̶p̶o̶f̶f̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ ̶t̶i̶m̶e̶.̶ If you're going to make bedroom music, at least put effort into it. This album is guaranteed to give anyone who listens to it an erectile dysfunction. I don't find slurred-rapping and making out with the microphone 'crazy', 'sexy' or 'cool.' It just makes me self-conscious.
Thom Yorke? Is that you? Other than the fact I cannot distinguish a word from Mr. Wainwright's whining, the album was surprisingly pleasant despite having a 2.9 star rating. "Want To" offers a grand assortment of genres - every song had something new for you, and the album was quite exquisite overall. Favourites include "The One You Love" and "The Art Teacher."
Soo-ooo boring.
I honestly don't get the appeal, and don't get me wrong, I adore folk, whether it's Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, or even David Blue. Sure, Nick Drake's life was tragically cut short, and he did have an alluring, mystifying charm, but too me, he is the human equivalent of a soggy slice of bread.
Doesn't matter whether or not she can sing — her music is overbearing (and boring at times), so that's that.
Best Stones' album. Through years of gaslighting due to societal conformities (and because I own a Japanese pressing on CD), I actually don't mind (and even enjoy) listening to "Let It Bleed".
Ethereal — I love the raw passion Jeff Buckley provides in his music. The album makes me feel a series of emotions: "Last Goodbye" and "Lover..." are heart-wrenching, "Eternal Life" is raw and angry, "Corpus Christi Carol" is angelic. Even the outtake "Forget Her" was a marvelous listen. Mostly, the fact that he cemented himself into musical history with one single album (and a few compilations) is a testament to the potential Jeff Buckley had. His flame burned out too soon.
𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘩. The Doors are one of the bands that are a hit-or-miss. Although they've created among the most catchy ("Light My Fire") and ambitious ("The End") music pieces, many of their later albums don't reach their earlier glory, especially after Jim Morrison spiraled down to alcoholism. Dismissing the essential chart-hits ("Love Her Madly", "L.A. Woman" and "Riders On The Storm"), I find L.A. Woman to be quite hollow and lacking and I'd be dishonest to reward it a high score, despite my love for the Doors.
Use to be huge on David Bowie and I've heard all his records. Gonna be honest here, I've grown out of late 1970's Bowie, and "Heroes" was an tedious listen. I'm aware that Bowie's experimental era is heavily acclaimed but it all sounded like white-noise in my ears. Bowie seemed to have exhausted his creative power in 1974 and majority of the album, disregarding the title track ("We can be heroes, just for one day!") was repetitive and mundane.
A bit disappointing honestly - sounds like a knockoff of the early Byrds. The Everly Brothers' objective seems to be making every single song as monotone as possible. "Love Hurts" was nice although I prefer Nazareth's cover.
A wide range of ringtones trying to pass off as "songs".
1001AlbumsGenerator, please stop recommending me an hour and half long albums. I'm not familiar with the Yardbirds but I presume they were a psychedelic act, akin to spinoff band Cream. The album is a bit dated (unalike other "famous" albums of the time which are still prevalent today) and the mixing is satisfactory. I dig the band's melodic and simple sound though. In addition, the guitar was killin' it! Sending love to Jeff Beck. Overall album is a high 3 but I'm rounding to a 4.
Not a Taylor Swift fan (nor huge on any contemporary acts, honestly) but I cannot stand his music. Kanye West — despite his acclamations — has a genuine lack of talent in songwriting. Paired with his antisemitism, I find little appeal in him as a general artist and person.
I love her song "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" but her debut lacks the density that her top hits do. She still had a lot of growing to do, and her cover of "Wishin' And Hopin'" is low-key awful.
As a Smiths fan, I tried to dig The Cure. But be it Disintegration, Wish, and well, Pornography, it all sounded the same: dreary and soulless.
As a David Bowie fan (really just the past-two-years), I said it before, and I'm going to say it again: He should've just stuck with glam rock.
Foo Fighters? More like, the uh, Poo Fighters! Dave Grohl's "confession" gave me yet another reason to dislike the band. I'm not big on Nirvana (the "parent" band) to begin with, and Foo Fighters is even more loud and substanceless.
I'm maniacally obsessed with Too Rye Ay. And it's not just because of the famous "Come On Eileen". The whole album is beautifully dated.
𝘈𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 Bowie album? I find it absurd there's eight or nine David Bowie albums but only three Pink Floyd albums (the famous "Dark Side Of The Moon", "Wish You Were Here" & "The Wall") that made the cut. Is 1001AlbumsGenerator implying that "Young Americans" and "The Next Day" had a greater influence on music history than "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" - which pioneered psychedelic rock - or is it simply arbitrary? I've heard "The Next Day" before and I can safety declare that, excluding "Valentine's Day", the album lacks any depth and warmth, and we could've gone our whole lives without exhausting David Bowie's entire catalogue. Really makes me question the intention of whomever chose these albums.
Took a look at global reviews— people seem divided on her music. In my humble opinion, she's trying to create an avant-garde, misunderstood artist persona, when reality, it's an attempt to cover up her lack of talent (her work suffers nonetheless.)
Awesome live album. Love Nirvana's rendition of "The Man Who Sold The World". Unplugged In New York 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 drag on for quite a bit though!
Great album. One of the Beatles' best "early" albums, I daresay, along with Help! "In My Life" is especially beautiful and bittersweet.
(Among) the most mundane albums I've heard up to date 😴😴🤢😴 I don't know how soul is meant to be 'nerve calming' or 'therapeutic' in any way. I felt apprehensive for a thrill that never came when listening to "What's Going On".
Utterly offensive in the name of music. I'd chose to listen to John and Yoko's wedding album over whatever 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 is eight days a week. Laughable how actual people recorded "D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle" at a recording studio, the album got mixed and edited by professionals, and not one single person thought that it might've been a bad idea.
Heard it about three times in the past four year— still mostly rubbish in my opinion. 1001Albums should've included "Between The Buttons" instead (I I know it sounds like an attempt to emulate The Kinks, but it actually demonstrates how poor The Stones were in their own genre.)
The Kinks are a band I actively tried to get into for a couple of years but their sound has always been a "hit-or-miss" (like the Stones'.) Sometimes, they're fantastic, other times, you're wondering how they're one of the most renowned '60s acts. "Face To Face" is their most adequate album, I daresay. A bit dry at times, but fun nonetheless, with the iconic "Sunny Afternoon". Unfortunately, I never found the motivation to explore further for the band.
As plan as porridge. Tell me what I'm missing, guys.
I've heard "Tommy" three times in its entirety and I'll state my case once again that it is a hot, steaming pile of crap. No matter how much Pete Townshend has denied (and denies) it, "Tommy" is a direct copy of "S.F. Sorrow" by The Pretty Things (non-believers, listen to the riff in "Old Man Going"), which is superior.
"The White Album" is a sort of a mixed bag, in my opinion. There are songs that are simply marvelous, including but not limited to "Happiness Is A Warm Gun", "Sexy Sadie", and of course — "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", George Harrison's creative masterpiece. But then, there's other songs like "Wild Honey Pie" and "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill", true testaments of hallucinogens' influence on The Beatles. And who can forget the infamous "Revolution 9" (can we even call it 'music'?) I know John Lennon was trying to be "avant-garde", similar to Yoko Ono, but he should've just kept to Paul's granny music. Then there's all the numbers that are simply insignificant or downright filler. Songs like "Piggies" and "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey" are prime reasons why I — despite my love for The Beatles — have only heard "The White Album" about 3 times in its entirety. Side C and D are a particular drowse (except for "Long, Long, Long", I love that song and state my claim that George Harrison was a fantastic songwriter), and frankly, unnecessary. The ambiguity of the album vexes me but it does bring about a level of charm. If you have an hour and a half to spare — I definitely recommend settling down and giving "The White Album" a spin. Who knows? You may be delightfully surprised, severely disappointed or maybe both!
I use to 'dislike' "The Velvet Underground & Nico" because of Nico's controversy and the general drowsiness of the album. However, over the years, I have acquired a taste for Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground, and I adore the nonchalant, peaceful essence of the album. "Sunday Morning" is fantastic. This is one of the few albums in the generator that I own on vinyl. (By the way, I still think Nico is crap.)
Oh gosh, another Stones album. Pretentious bullcrap.
Convenient that I got 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 album for Christmas! ── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ── The album was alright — better than the usual crap they have at Macy's around the holidays, but there was nothing particularly noteworthy about it. If I were in charge of 1001Albums, I'd have included "Elvis' Christmas Album" instead but to each their own. Also, fuck Phil Spector.
Although Pink Floyd was the band that brought me down the rock music pipeline, I had initially viewed "Dark Side Of The Moon" with disdain and found it to be a pretentious work-of-art. Avant-garde soundscapes did not resonate with me. It's the sort of album a music snob would claim to be their favourite. Even today, I find "Dark Side Of The Moon" to be massively overrated and subpar to "Wish You Were Here" and "Animals" but I can appreciate it for the impact it's had on musical history. The score is rewarded based on the importance of the album rather than my listening pleasure.
I prefer "Daisies of the Galaxy", what the fuck is this —
Although "Disraeli Gears" is Cream's most acclaimed album, it can compare to a weak Beatles album at best. There are a couple standouts admittedly, and "World Of Pain" is a fantastic example of psyche. However, the songwriting and musicianship of the album is underwhelming overall.
Actual crap.
I was wondering when I was going to receive either: 1) Another Smiths album (I received "The Queen Is Dead" nearly a year ago), or... 2) My first Morrissey album Despite the general disdain 1001AlbumsGenerator has for The Smiths in general, I 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 The Smiths: I possess all their studio and compilation albums on vinyl, I've a Morrissey poster above my bed, and—gah, I'm gushing again! As I ponder about it, my infatuation for The Smiths is probably the reason why I haven't been asked out in the past two years, although I am funny, clever, entertaining and good looking. Anyways, from the lush and intense "A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours", to the swaggering "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish", and the devastatingly melancholic "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me", this album pushed me lower when I was an already lonely 16-year-old. Do I still recommend it? 𝘈𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺. Morrissey may be a pretentious prick, but he is my pretentious prick.
Heard "Blue" some eighteen-month-ago. I don't remember anything other than the album being overly underwhelming — ironic, considering critics hail it as intensely personal and brimming with raw heartbreak and loneliness. Since "Blue" is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, I’ll give it a re-listen and see if it changes my initial 3-star impression. ── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ── Here’s my take: For something to be truly "emotional" and "heart-wrenching," it needs a few key elements — 1) Powerful, raw vocals (think "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths) 2) Heartfelt arrangements (like "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)" by Pink Floyd) 3) Poetic and wistful verses (see "Lover, You Should've Come Over" by Jeff Buckley); 4) A dramatic, harrowing crescendo or drop (e.g. "I Don’t Love" by Have A Nice Life "Exit Music (For A Film)" by Radiohead) "Blue" doesn’t meet any of these standards. To start, Joni Mitchell is no Morrissey. From track 1 ("All I Want"), her voice comes across as overly shrill, and she practically yodels through the album. The unnecessary trills, paired with the weak harmonizing on tracks like "Carey", makes the album unaccessible to most listeners right off the bat. Y'all call Mariah Carey over-the-top for her vocal deliveries when Joni Mitchell is the original exhibitionist. Even if Mitchell’s lyrics were as heavy as Shakespearean tragedy, it wouldn’t matter because I can barely understand what she’s singing. As for the album itself, calling it "melancholy" or "heartbreaking" doesn’t feel right. Sure, there are some somber moments (like "Little Green"), but the general atmosphere is more upbeat. Hell, Mitchell even sings about California in one song. If you want to hear depressing folk, go listen to Sufjan Stevens. The songwriting and arrangements are decent but simple and, at times, boring. There’s no actual passion — just Mitchell yodelling and rambling on. Honestly, I feel misled by Rolling Stone’s praise (But, then again, they've always been full of crap.) In conclusion, "Blue" definitely doesn’t live up to its "greatest album of all time" status. If I had to sum it up in one sentence, it sounds more like an indie folk demo where the singer is trying a bit too hard — and failing hilariously — to be introspective. If you're going through a tough time and you want to support woman musicians, skip Joni and listen to "Dummy" by Portishead instead.