1001 Albums Summary

Sensational voice with a powerful backing. A good variety of differently paced tracks. Favourites this time round? I've been loving you too long Shake My Girl

Wonderful. I was conscious of this album, having heard the famous tracks and although I enjoyed them, I thought they might be too over-dramatic to make for sustained listening. I was wrong though. This was a beautiful listen. Fave tracks: Grace, Lilac Wine, So Real.

Glad to be introduced to this album. It's certainly remarkable playing. It's easy to lose track of whether the piano or the bass are taking the lead. And the drumming is spot on too. It's not easy listening, though, and my attention wandered. Next time I listen it may be a 4, but for now it's a 3. Fave tracks Gloria's Steps (Take 2) and All of You (Take 2).

Such a dreadful record. I hold Oasis (partially) responsible for Brexit. Everyone knows this isn't very good music, but y'know... What the fuck? She's my wonderwall. I tried to listen but it really is too awful. I listened to their first album instead, which is 10 times better! Definitely. (Maybe...)

A great listen. I know it so well, of course, but sitting listening with headphones brought a big smile to my face. The bass! Fave tracks: whichever one I'm listening to at the time.

I'd never heard this before and had no idea what to expect. The songs seem simple yet effective, by which I mean that they don't seem to need lots of overdubs to create an atmosphere. But they didn't excite me on first listen. I think it's two stars for XX, because it didn't annoy me, but it didn't make me interested in hearing any more. The best song might have been Intro

The music is better than I expected but I've never liked the way that Depeche Mode decided to prove they were all grown up by writing about sin, sado-masochism and drugs. I find the lyrics really off-putting. Strangely I don't mind when the Velvet Underground do the same thing.

An album I had meant to listen to for a long time and very good listen it was too. I expect I'll come back to it. Some of the songs sound a bit silly jokey (Phenomenal Cat) but there are hidden depths, and it never sounds pretentious. Fave tracks: Picture Book, Wicked Annabella, Johnny Thunder.

I could have got excited about this if I'd heard it at the time it was released, seen them perform and so on. Hearing it for the first time now, it sounds okay but nothing special. Some good sounds. Fave track: Wear You Out

Ooh it's a bit spicy isn't it? But unlike the Depeche Mode album, which I criticised for being pretentiously 'dark', this album works. The Bad Seeds play brilliantly and Nick Cave gives an impressive performance. Fave tracks: Stagger Lee (nsfw), Where The Wild Roses Grow, and O'Malley's bar.

Just not my sort of music

Childish

I enjoyed this more than I expected to. I think I must have been prejudiced against Richard Ashcroft and a bit sniffy about the faux-orchestration of Bittersweet Symphony. The songs are all well written and performed. A bit earnest perhaps, but 100% better than Oasis. Favourite song Drugs Don't Work.

I hadn't heard of Jasmine Sullivan so this was great to hear. I can see why it gets great reviews. The vocals are impressive. It's more my daughter's style than mine though. Favourite track Pick up Your Feelings

A familiar album that didn't disappoint.

I'm fifteen years old again. Big grins. Appreciated the drums and bass more than ever.

Well crafted sampling and some good beats. But this only works as background music for me.

I'm grateful for having this album brought to my attention. Ive heard other rock group/orchestra combinations that don't work half as well. This seems to succeed in doing what it sets out to do. The sound is epic. But... I don't like Metallica so this wasn't for me.

Some great songs, (Just a Gigolo, Buena Sera, Oh Marie) but this doesn't work as a sit-down listen album for me, and even gets irritating towards the end.

Disappointing. It feels like Dennis didn't play his best game on this Album.

This album will make great background music for cooking and eating etc. That's not meant to be damning with faint praise. I liked it because each riff or solo seemed effortlessly spot on.

Very 1983. Time After Time is wonderful. Girls Just Want To Have Fun is... Fun. Not an album you MUST hear before you die.

This was really good.

Great beats, fantastic bass lines. What's not to like? I'll tell you what's not to like. Repetitive lyrics being barked by lady daleks. That's what's not to like. But overall a good album.

The mystery of Neil Young. Not sure why I like him but I do. Liked songs: cinnamon girl, Everybody Knows... And Down By The River.

Side 1 is great. Best songs are Sound and Vision, Be My Wife,

Over the years I've become more accepting of alternative philosophies and can see value in considering ancient mystic mythologies. But I still hate Donovan.

Always good to hear. No duff tracks. Yours is no Disgrace, Your Move, and Perpetual Change were the favourites... This time.

Horrible. Well recorded, but horrible.

This was ok but subject matter didn't appeal to me. To quote her, she's 'a little too much'. Clearly talented though.

Much better than I expected. Stirring stuff.

I suppose it was influential, but it's not great to listen to now. Some good instrumental bits, but better to go back to the sources

Good beats. Filthy language.

This is an album worth hearing. But not often.

I can't be the only one that finds this stuff utterly tiresome, can I? And yet I might have liked it once.

Good to listen to this album and hard not to have a dance. There are some great party tracks e.g 'Its going to be a beautiful night'. I also liked ' I could never take the place of your man' and Sign O' the times. The ballad of Dorothy Parker had a a weird haunting vibe that I'd like to hear again.

A couple of the songs might come across as a bit gauche but there is plenty to like. A Simple Desultory Phillipic was a find.

One of his best.

Patchy, I'd say.

One of those landmark albums that doesn't sound so great anymore. Bleak for bleakness sake perhaps. I was about to write the whole album off, but Shadow play, Interzone and Wilderness all still sound great.

FKA Twigs... She sings very well with a lot of feeling, but somehow doesn't leave me feeling anything. There are lots of interesting sounds an rhythms, but I was bored after a couple of songs. It just felt like a music student composing and performing a piece that ticks all the boxes to get a good grade.... But it don't sound good.

Not for me

Yeah.

Had I heard this when I was seventeen, I think I would have loved it. Hearing it for the first time in my sixties, I can't say it does much for me. The singer is too intense at this distance. The band are really tight though and the song Good Feeling is almost touching.

Not quite as bad as I expected. The light-hearted songs are best. The serious ones sound pretentious.

I've already reviewed one Depeche Mode album. Isn't that enough? Dross

Played loud it sounds exciting and I imagine it was great live... But I can't really go along with all the macho nonsense so it's 2 stars from me.

Beautifully constructed and recorded. So much to entertain the ears. Thom Yorke's voice urges you to rail along with him against all the bad things in the universe... Which is great if that's how you are feeling. It's tougher if you are feeling okay with the world and just want a good tune.

Pretty good. In fact it's probably technically brilliant. Maybe too clever? Anyway, my favourite track was I'm Shakin'

Hovering between 3 and 4 star. The good songs are great but there are a few fillers. But there's something good about having fillers ...

Ok. Quite liked To Be Someone, and Mr Clean. Probably not as good as Sound Affects.

Good stuff. Freaky and fun. I like it. Favourite track: I won't leave my wooden wife for you.

Great album. As good as The Fall! Brilliantly recorded. Favourite tracks: Something against you. I'm Amazed. And Vamos.

I'm the one who likes all their pretty songs and I like to sing along but I don't know what it means. Excellent. Favourite track: Breed.

A once-a-year sort of album. Favourite track this time: Beechwood Park

Not my kind of thing so perhaps I'm not qualified to comment, but this seemed technically accomplished but joyless

Good in parts. Some of the vocals are a bit too plaintive, some of the lyrics a bit too wilfully obscure for my tastes, but the musicianship is good and there are some great songs: The Weight, Chest Fever and Lonesome Suzie

Not a very good album from Wolverhampton's 2nd finest. Mama Weer All Crazee Now was a landmark single when I heard it as a boy. I didn't think music could get more exciting. I was very wrong. (But I still like that song, of course).

Some fabulous grooves. Favourite tracks: P-funk, Supergroova... And the very suspect Handcuffs.

I thought this was great

Stadium punk.

I preferred this to Sign of The Times. The hits are the best for me. I can't imagine many moments when playing International Lover would be appropriate!

An hour of crazy jazz rock... Perfect for when you need such a thing.

Wow! What a sound!

Tighter and angrier than I expected. The blues stuff is good, the more histrionic moments let this album down.

Was dreading this, but then it didn't sound as bad as I expected... Almost good, but then I thought actually, I'd rather clean the toilet than listen to this rubbish. If you could bottle the spirit that Brandon Flowers brings to his work, you could seal it tight and dispose of it responsibly.

Super-inventive jazz, great rhythms.

Dull.

Not great. Sounds like a novelty album to me. The greatest hits albums worked much better. The version of Blue Moon is excellent though.

Pretty good. The hits were the best, but the others weren't just fillers. Pleased to hear a variety of moods and tempos.

Sounded good. Kick in The Eye was my favourite track. Lots better than most of the Goth music that followed it.

'When the Man Comes around', 'Hurt', and 'Send my love to Rose' are all good but the 'I shot a man and now I'm singing a song about it' vibe soon gets boring and in the end I felt the album tended to cynical exploitation.

I like the furrow that Lyana ploughs. Favourite songs: Breaking up Slowly, Dance Till We Die, For Free.

Patchy. I was going to give it 3 stars but Lipstick Vogue pushed it up to a 4.

Ah. American Punk. It has/had it's place, but it's place is not in my music collection. I enjoyed it once though, so it's two stars rather than one.

's'wonderful, 's'marvellous.

I was won over by this. Very inventive and charmingly witty in places. I appreciate the work that's gone into this, but it's not a genre I'm going to turn to often, so only 3 stars. Favourite tracks: 2 Far, Fix up, Look Sharp, Cut 'em off.

I think Jack White is a talented guy, and parts of this sound great. I bet they were sensational live. But after a while I found I wasn't connecting with it and the tracks sounded like demo versions tacked on to a normal album as bonus material.

Brilliant. Except for Stray Cat Blues which always made me uneasy and now is just plain wrong. (Sounds great if you don't listen to the lyrics though). Nicky Hopkins' piano across the album really shone through for me on this listen.

I'd never heard of Big Star, but I've clearly missed out. A beautiful, chaotic album.

In different circumstances I might have described this as a 'difficult listen' but sitting on a train, watching the world fly by, I found it very relaxing and a tonic for the ears

I found this dull. No edge to it

I listened to this after hearing the Travis album 'The Man Who', and I was feeling jaded and cynical. But this album is everything that the Travis one isn't. It has edges. I really liked it. Favourite tracks: Cupid's Trick and Pictures of Me.

I learned to stop worrying that I would never understand what the words mean. Enjoy the music and... even... that nasal, droning voice. It's all a beautiful reaction to the world that Bob was living in at the time. And it's a beautiful reaction to the world now, too.

Very much of its time.

Nothing to recommend

I liked this. The musicianship was wonderful. Favourite track: City, Country, City.

I enjoyed Voodoo Chile (and its reprise) but it felt like there was a lot of filler on this album. So much that by the time All Along The Watchtower came along, I was feeling jaded.

Noisy and unintelligible it may be, but it's still less irritating than the Pet Shop Boys. Respect the chops!

Downbeat but beautiful. Favourite track Kamera

Exemplary horns. A bit too preachy for me.

Entertainment

I remember seeing this on TV in 1994 and thinking it was great. 30 years later... It doesn't sound all that good.

Very good. Tight playing and a lovely sprinkling of flute.Favourite tracks Marcus Garvey, Live Good, and Tradition.

It's not as good as I'd hoped but I do like Lil Darlin'. Sinatra and Basie is better.

Enjoyed listening to this. Jack White knows his stuff.

Imagine you're at the most boring party in the 1970s. You've got a plastic cup if warm German white wine and this album is playing on the stereo. It's nicely recorded though, and the harmonies are good, but the lyrics are embarrassing.

Tedious

Feels like an album from a very mixed-up soul. I can't think of any reason to ever listen to this again.

I tried hard to like this, and I can't put my finger on anything that I don't like. It just doesn't interest me.

The music's fine. The misogyny and violent lyrics are not.

Surprised this was on the list, and then even more surprised that it actually sounded ok. It was Nick Hayward's unbearable grin that repulsed me 'back in the day'. I'm a more tolerant person now.

Great music. Lots of fun.

Just great. You Pulled me Up!

It was pretty good. I mean id be proud of it if I'd created it... But a handful of songs were enough for me. I hope I haven't missed a belter

Loved this. I liked the way that it feels experimental but within limits.

Really good. I liked the stripped back jazz feel

Interesting... But not for me

Dreary stuff.

Can't argue with this really.

It's a grower. I wonder though whether the best thing about it is the way it crosses genres. Is there anything uniquely good about it? Best tracks: Sweet life, Crack Rock, and White.

Hard work for little reward. Found Caroline Says II good though.

Glad to hear this. I found the recorded street dialogue wearisome, but i suppose it adds ambience. The tunes were great though. The guy clearly knows what he's doing.

'Coffee table LPs...' sometimes do please.

I wasn't impressed

It gets a bit much. I guess you had to be there. Twisting the Night Away was good though.

I wasn't tempted

A very pleasing album. I hope I enjoy it as much on a second listen.

I know it's good but I don't like it, alright?

Great stuff. Better than I expected (and I already thought it was good).

The swagger sounds laboured and false. Not my cup of tea.

Great film music but not an album id return to for casual listening. (A bit preachy)

What a voice. Nice production

Lush. Favourite track was Lovely Head. I just wonder however. Some albums feel like 'look what we can do' albums. Is this one of them?

Disturbing. I can't quite point to what I don't like about it and I really tried to be positive and listen without prejudice. But something about the perfect pop sensibility, the crystal clear vocals, and most of all the inoffensiveness really bugged me and I hate every note of it. But so many people love it. It makes me think about some 60's sci-fi horror film where the world has gone slightly mad about the latest demagogue and only our hero can see through them. 'Can't you all see? There's nothing there! There's nothing there!'

Interesting to hear them finding their way before their later stuff. I like Killer Queen

Great guitar sounds and a good cover of You Really Got Me, but really this is just pompous nonsense.

Nice to hear. Favourite track Just a Giggalo, which feels different when it's a woman singing about a man.

Enjoyed this a lot. I'd say it's probably as good as, or better than Odyssey and Oracle, which it sounds a bit like.

I enjoyed listening to this. My enjoyment peaked around Backdrifts and Go To Sleep, but then it waned. I'm sure I'd get more into it if I listened to it more, but I can't imagine putting this on often. It feels like hard work.

I can't condone Kanye West so this gets a 1 star. Actually the music was better than I expected but still....

Impressive. Would have been great to see live. Fave tracks: Bullet Proof Cupid, Billy's One Stop

I'm torn. I enjoy the freedom he's allowed himself but I didn't find that he ever found a groove.

Reasonably pleasant, but surely not a Must-hear album.

Excellently recorded, virtuoso playing, and the vocalist isn't as screechy as I remembered. But I have no space for this in my life.

Not as good as 21, but still a great talent and 'Hello' is still impressive. I suppose her audience demand these big production numbers but I'd prefer some more stripped back, intimate songs. Still, I don't expect she'll read this, so ...

Not very interesting

A good showcase of his work, so an interesting listen but I shan't be returning to this

I'm sure it was good at the time and it's well done. Only two stars from me because it's one of those albums I would never find a reason for playing again.

Makes you realise how good Nirvana were.

Loved this. Excellent recording and the band are as tight as a chicken's lips.

There's a lot going on in this album and it has infectious energy. Beetlebum, Song No.2 and Essex Dogs were standout tracks for me.

Maybe it was influential in the 60s, but it sounds rubbish now.

Imagine. The patient is nearing the end. Doctors say it's time to unhook the life support but someone says, 'Wait! He hasn't heard Bandwagoneseque by Teenage Fanclub yet. So the inevitable is delayed for an hour longer. At the end of it all, the patient jerks into life and utters his final words. "Well that was a waste of fucking time then". A fun record of guitar based fun but NOT one of the albums you must hear before you die.

I keep hoping this album will be better, but each time I hear it I'm disappointed.

Not for me thanks. I recognised the extra emphasis on the music, but the rapping was the usual...

Won me over completely. Raucous. Fave tracks Wail and R.L. Got Soul.

The title track is good and George Jones voice is great throughout, but the album feels like it's a bit production line-y.

Disappointing.

Easy on the ear. Not an essential album though

Enjoyed hearing this album again. Not their best, but Fireplace is a gem

Great fun. Favourite track: Pearl's Cafe.

I wanted to like this, but it's dull. Dull, dull, dull.

Excellent. Best tracks: Autopsy, Who Knows Where The Time Goes, and Si Tu Doos Partir.

You can't argue with this album, really. It's not one I choose to listen to much because one hears it so often anyway.

Lightweight.

Yeah, well. It's clever I guess but essentially it's a novelty record, isn't it?

Better than Eminem's Slim Shady LP, which was the last album I reviewed. I suppose I have a soft spot for heavy metal, even if I don't play much. Some cracking riffs. Appalling schoolboy lyrics (Like Slim Shady, then really...)

I wanted to like this, as I love 'Dry The Rain' but although there were lots of good ideas, well executed, nothing really grabbed me. Perhaps it's a 'grower'.

Just excellent

Great. (But not The Overload)

An amazing album. Would need more listens before I could award it four stars, but I could imagine it growing on me. My favourite tracks after two listens are the opener, Tudo O Qué Voce and San Vicente. Clube da Esquina nº 2 is pretty good too, and I swear I've heard it somewhere else.

Not keen. Too earnest.

Very clever.

Neither fish nor fowl.

Just can't get on with Berg Orton's voice. My fault, not hers. That said, Joan Armatrading had better be on this list somewhere...

A real treat to listen to on headphones and concentrate on.

Pleasant, not very exciting. Nice singing, reminiscent of Fleet Foxes melodies. But if this was the best album of 2010, then that must have been a musical low point. (Possible)

Really not in the mood for any more of this gangster swagger and tortured rhymes about a rapper's prowess. Such a waste of good beats.

Very good.

I can't quite believe the Geordie crowd's excitement when he shouts, 'We're gonna give you Pictures At An Exhibition!'. Personally I'd have wanted my money back.

Great. I always thought it would be.

Some great songs... But it goes on a bit

Enjoyed every note and especially enjoyed the sequencing of the tracks.

For me, the sixth-former lyrics don't match the quality of the tunes. But somehow he is still an endearing presence and there are a couple of great songs. Enjoyed listening to Le Noise afterwards. Much better imho

Nice. Stands up well against Neil Young's Harvest.

Amused to see so much hate for this in the reviews. I suppose if you can't get on with the voice then you can't get on with the voice. For me, Elvis is at his best when he's effortlessly churning out workman-like pop, such as Just About Glad and Tripped at Every Step. There are a few fillers but it's a great album

I'd hoped that Outkast might be one of those hip-hop acts that would offer something a bit more than the usual stuff... And they do... But not enough

Always good to hear. (And always a tiny bit disappointing on side 2)

Okay. Preferred it to Prince in a lot of ways. Not an album I'll return to though.

Reminded me of Sparks. Enjoyed listening to the album. Favourite track Electric Feel

Nope.

There will probably be a time in my life when I give this 5 stars, but it's not yet. Favourite tracks were All I Want and Little Green, but they'll probably change too.

I embarked upon this exercise to challenge my biases and give everything a listen. But The Who give me the ick and I couldn't get past track 3. Don't know why I bothered...I won't get fooled again.

Interesting but not for me

Outstanding. Favourite track. Trash

Very interesting album. Uncomfortable to listen to in parts but the guy knew what he was doing and the music is of a high standard, for my money.

Must have been great at the time.

It's good, it's got one of my all time favourites (wait in vain) but I'm only giving it 3 stars. Oh, go on then. 4

More fun than I expected

Great album. Favourite track Rosalie

I liked the consistency of this album. Best tracks: Young Americans, Fame, and (new to me) Right.

Great. Perfect purple pop from the prodigious Prince.

Loved it.

Not interesting.

Good to hear. Favourite songs All The Way From Memphis and Honaloochie Boogie

A reasonably decent sound, could listen to this driving around and it wouldn't be distracting. But in the end it's just clichéd shoegaze.

Completely won over by this album. Great fun

Sounded like an album I would make (if I could play an instrument if course 😜)

When this album appeared on the list, I was so horror-struck that I gave up on the 1001 albums challenge for nearly four months. I couldn't face listening to Sting's whiney voice and the band's fake music. I listened to it today though, and I have to say, I was quite right. It's utter twaddle.

Better than I remembered.

I'm a grown up.

Good singing, good beats, but it got tedious

Punchy