1001 Albums Summary

Good background music while I concentrate on admin. Some rather nice guitar, bass & percussion work, with fun harmonies. Vocals a little hollow and floaty for me but feel very late 80s/early 90s so a little nostalgic. Nice to float through without focussing on.

As a female who plays bass and loves tempo experiments, this album has been a favourite for years now. I've tried today to analyse why. It's Blondie's 3rd album, and it shows in its confident production and aural layering. Thematically they're still experimenting, not settling on one emotion or vibe for too long. Listening through headphones I can hear multiple understated stabby guitars & sparkly synths. The bass has a really fun bouncing energy in most tracks (which is guaranteed to hook me). Several of the songs have a schoolyard teasing vibe ("nyer nyer!"), especially noticeable in One Way Or Another after the lyrics change from "I'm gonna getcha" to "I'm gonna lose ya". This is a band that doesn't take themselves too seriously :) But then! Oh, they follow up with Picture This, a sweet nostalgic longing, with a hint of desperation. Heart of Glass is wonderfully polished, with a trip hazard in the first half of the bridge where the tempo loses a beat (7/8 time not standard 4/4): a reminder that life isn't smooth & predictable, so take care not to drop & shatter the heart. To follow this up with I'm Gonna Love You Too and its wild, unrestrained, loose energy is just lovely. My favourite of the Blondie albums, and when my vinyl wears out from overuse I'll be replacing it for sure :)

I find this album really polarising. I like the energy of the music, the precise guitar riffs, the occasionally playful drumming (the little trips in Back in Black, for instance). The opening tolling of Hells Bells is wonderfully dramatic. Unfortunately the majority of the album lyrics don't sit well with me in 2024. Was it really ok to talk about women this way in 1980? "You're always pushing, shoving, satisfied with nothing / You bitch, you must be getting old" (What Do You Do For Money, Honey). The eye-rolling entendres in Givin' The Dog A Bone. Or, even worse, "Don't you struggle / Don't you fight / Don't you worry / 'Cause it's your turn tonight" (Let Me Put My Love Into You). Consent? Nah. It's exactly this misogynistic imagery that Spinal Tap was caricaturing when they wrote Big Bottom, Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You, and half the scenes in the movie. The thing is, Spinal Tap deliberately pushed to the edge to point out how awful they are. AC/DC seemed to truly believe that it was ok to promote this hypermasculine strutting. In 2011 Kitty Empire called the album "a crass celebration of the unthinking macho hedonism that killed the band's original singer". It's not just me, apparently...

Yes! I'm not sure why I've never properly listened to Muse before, because this album is exactly the stuff I'm liking lately. Energy, high drama, soaring vocal: it's like Queen and Radiohead had a child and sent them to Eurovision. The opening track Take A Bow has a gorgeous suspenseful build. Intense synth arpeggios contrast with slow thoughtful vocals. Apparently the key rolls and changes around the Circle of Fifths (instead of being based in one key like most Western songs), which is what gives it a slightly unsettling never-ending feel as it doesn't have a nice chord to resolve to (yeah, I've been listening to a lot of the Strong Songs podcast for the last year or two...see Kirk's ep on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road). And the lyrics... brutal. More like this please!

Fine for background music while concentrating on something else.

The band's deep dive into their signature sound. Nothing wrong with it (esp if you like boogie blues), but not an album I'll seek out.

Worth listening to through good headphones to appreciate the layers of sound provided. Alternatively, great for having on in the background when concentrating on something else (I mean that in a good way)

An ambitious exploration of sound with strong Bowie influences. Not one for background while focussing! Will listen again sometime to pull apart some layers, but not in a rush to do so.

Well that was unexpected! Highly enjoyable and energetic. "Dull Life" hooked me with its sparse, dark opening, transforming to a thumper with sting. More listening to happen.

I haven't actually made it all the way through this album yet, despite starting it about 5 times. The opening track hooks me in and I want to keep teasing it apart, so I start back at track 1 after every interruption. I'm enjoying Rufus's voice, and the contrasts between vocal and instrumentation on various tracks. Some of the harmonies are wonderfully unexpected. An album to return to, and an artist to explore.

A particular style of music that I don't really get into. Soft rock, some country hints, white bloke vocals: my brain has heard too much of this on commercial radio. Some nice bass guitar work but I couldn't get through the album this time. It might have been an important album for Peter, but not for me. Sorry, Pete.

Lots of anger/frustration that needed to be expressed. I recognised my privilege when I noticed my shock at the constant N word drops (I guess Ice Cube had heard it many times, and not always in great contexts). So yeah, not a word that comes up often in my white girl world. An important album in response to rampant racism in the USA in 1992 (and every other year before/since I guess). I acknowledge its place in this 1001 list (seems more deserving than the Peter Framptom album I just (mostly) listened to) but it's not a genre I usually choose as it doesn't speak to my lived experience. This album was hard work for me but I wanted to give it my best go.

I forgot how much I enjoy Elvis's early stuff. Blue Suede Shoes is such a great opener, and would have been thrilling to hear back in 1956. At various times during this album I felt like he and I were riding across the prairie, or sitting around a campfire with some buddies, or hanging out in a jam shed with other musicians pulling out some cracking blues progressions. There's a little bit of filler, but Elvis has such energy and sincerity that he kinda gets away with it. Very fun, I'll revisit this a bit more.

Strong opening with Sunday Bloody Sunday: a marching beat that could send someone to war or unite people in protest. Overall an album of clear sound and vision, driving drums & bass. Some songs are less attention-grabbing but it's generally quite a satisfying album for this U2 dabbler.

Opens with some strong funk, slides into some late-night satiny soul (shag-pile carpet, & mirrored ceiling strongly recommended), dives into disco. The flute opening on "Africano" gave me Osibisa vibes; the shift into strong funk for the second half was unexpected but very much enjoyed. It's hard to listen to this with 1975 ears and thus properly appreciate the space this album held.

A fun little step back in time with a band I'd not heard of. I'm enjoying the rough edges and some unexpected harmonic and rhythmic shifts. The echo/delay makes me feel like the album is reaching my ears through a cosmic wormhole from the past. Enjoyable, will listen to their other albums sometime.

I've been meaning to listen to a Swift album for a while (vaguely know a few of her songs but haven't deliberately listened to her albums before). Quite enjoyed the 80s pop vibes; good for background and for listening to more closely. Will admit to shimmying to "Shake It Off" while feeding pigs today. Also: FINALLY some more female voices in this list. We're at #78 and there have been 4 bands with female vocals, and 3 solo female artists. Less than 10%... Although, to be thorough, I would also go through this list for other "minority" groups like non-white, non-cis. Also #2: I really respect how Taylor has reclaimed her music from the machine. No wonder she's such an icon for those trying to stand up for their rights and identity. Will keep exploring her catalogue.

Not really my thing, but contentedly had it on in the background while I did other stuff.

Nick Cave has a knack for writing albums that tip me into a different (parallel? complementary? contrasting?) emotional space. I love his songs individually, but I do struggle with listening to a whole album in one go because of this. This album is particularly haunting, knowing that it was part of Nick's processing of his son's death. It's a beautifully produced sparse soundscape that swells and ebbs in an emotional flow. So, while I am giving it 5 stars for its musical ambition (and the fulfilment of), I'm unlikely to listen to it regularly at this point in my life. I hope I never find occasion to need this to speak to my soul 🧡

The soundtrack to a musical that's not yet been written. Interesting gear changes, dramatic build-ups, thematic lyrics. * further research reveals that Gabriel contemplated using "Here Comes The Flood" in a rock opera. I'm genuinely sad that it hasn't happened yet. Is it possible to be nostalgic for something that doesn't exist, that you never even knew was a possibility until five minutes ago?

oh no... it's country... Vocally, lang is smoothly gorgeous. There's just something about country that I can't do (I'll investigate that one day). Strangely, I do like smooth sultry blues, so "Busy Being Blue" was a nice find here.

I quite enjoy this album, lots of diverse sounds. I still haven't done a proper focused listen with my ears on, but definitely want to at some point. I love the dreamy spiralling sound of the title track that never really lands on a resolution harmonically. The rest of the album has a mix of superstar hits, fun bangers, with a hint of pisstake/cliche exploration (I'm looking at you, Social Disease). Much entertainment.

Quite pretty, fine to have on in the background at work, but I found it hard to engage with this album. Every time I started actively listening I kinda.. slid away into other thoughts. Undecided if this is a 2 or a 3... I think a 3 indicates I might hunt it out and listen again sometime, which I probably won't do.

Initial thought: my goodness, the sound production plants this squarely in the early-mid 80s. It's not my favourite Tina era, but then I started thinking... This was her first successful solo release, after emerging from the personal shit-show of her first marriage. This puts many of the songs into a meaningful context (despite not being written by her, or even with her in mind, they ~feel~ like they belong to Tina). "What's Love Got To Do With It" is a reclaiming of sexuality, with a resistance to getting emotionally involved. "Better Be Good To Me" lays out some ground rules in a cautious yet optimistic acceptance of a relationship forming. Overall an important album for Tina personally, and huge in its time. It's not on high rotation for me but I appreciate the significance.

I always enjoy some funky soul. The first 3 songs are a great update to the Temptations sound. "Grapevine" funks so hard. "Runaway Child" is an extended jam that swells and ebbs to let everyone play around with the theme. The next few songs were less compelling for me, but had some great bass lines (both instrumental and vocal).

I enjoyed the pared-back piano-percussion approach in this album. Guitar gets a run in a couple of songs but it's surprisingly absent for a crunchy rock/blues album. "I'm Lonely" is a beautiful melodic/harmonic plaintive piano cry, with a touch of hope. "My Doorbell" was written for the shaker 😎

A wonderful unexpected find. More listening to do. Also: thanks (via internet rabbitholes) to Chris's parents for introducing me to Klaus Nomi. I didn't know I needed avant-garde German electro-pop covers of The Twist and You Don't Own Me.

[Strangely not available on Spotify despite other Funkadelics being there. Managed to hunt out most individual tracks there through search.] Not my favourite album of theirs: 1971's Maggot Brain holds that title. This album feels a little less... fresh? raw? Still, it has some solid grooves & some great synchro guitar/bass on 'Cholly'. I also very much enjoyed the taunting string bends on the opening bars of "Who Says A Funk Band Can't Play Rock?"

Oof. "Pyramid Song". The creative concept behind "Pull/Pull" intrigued me and made me want to experiment with spoken word+ tech. Haunting lyrics and delivery, soaring vocals, experimental instrumentation, balanced production. I love this, but recognise that the moods evoked are not for every person/every moment. Radiohead does beautiful dark chaos very well.

Enjoyable, distinctive sound. Take Me To The River is one of those songs that feels like it rolls along, with a little build-up suppressed energy. I like that vibe; feels like the song is about to get away from the band but they hold it back (barely). There's a freshness to the album's sound somehow, possibly due to Byrne's vocal style. He often sounds like he's experimenting, riffing on the fly, seeing what happens when he changes his breath and resonance.

An interesting exploration of moods and drama.

An unexpected journey. The inclusion of band members' voices at the beginning of several tracks is a lovely addition, making me feel like I'm in the studio with them. "Smug" is a short fun bop that's lyrically quite cutting. Thoroughly enjoyable psychedelic folk-rock.

A fun wholesome journey of love and hope. I enjoy the playful tumbling use of rhythm that occasionally crops up in swing at the end of a line.

Such a sweet pretty style, delivering lyrics that open a window to the darkness beneath. "Oh Poor Boy" is particularly poignant after reading about Nick's short life. Some interesting jazzy arrangements and chord juxtapositions. I'm not sure when I'd be in the mood to listen to this again but I'm glad it exists.

I just... don't know what to do with this. I tried, but maybe my mistake was in trying to make sense of the lyrics. I either found them incomprehensible, or somehow troubling (and not in a way that made me feel empathy for Kendrick). I think I could have enjoyed an instrumental version of this album, or at least made it more than halfway through a song before feeling an overwhelming urge to skip to the next song. He's exploring themes that seem intensely important to him, but I feel confused and bounced out instead of understanding the issues more deeply. My stars are going to the musicians and producers who layered up the jazz/funk/experimental arrangements. Sorry, K-dot, I don't seem to be your target audience for this one, and I'm having trouble seeing through the window into your world.

Smooth, yet somehow a little hollow. Nice to have in the background but I couldn't really engage with it very deeply.

A funk staple. It's a shame the lyrics for "Handcuffs" are so off. "Unfunky UFO" and "Give Up The Funk" are solid tho.

A little dark and over-polished for my tastes. Set The World On Fire got my attention; felt more spontaneous and raw. But otherwise probably not an album I'll return to (which I'm disappointed by).

Mm. What to do here... This is an interesting album, with lots of sound layers and acoustic gems. The descriptions of childhood are often evocative and heart breaking. Unfortunately I struggle with some of the other lyrics, particularly in Guilty Conscience. I'm not sure if the driving intention was to point attention at a stark reality, or bring a dark humour, or act as a warning, but for me it just seems to be promoting violence, particularly to women. It's just not something I can get behind, knowing that some people would hear it at face value and miss the moral intention.

I always enjoy chilling out to this album, teasing apart the subtle conversations the instruments are having. Kirk Hamilton has a great deep dive at https://strongsongspodcast.com/episode/so-what-by-miles-davis Absolutely worth listening to for a deeper appreciation of this album!

Cyberfunk epic 🤖 genre-blending delight 🫧

Well that was an unexpected find! I enjoyed the experimental sounds, uncommon rhythms, and random meanderings. King Gizzard influencers?

20 seconds in to the first song and I've added this album to my library. A great antidote to the 2000s American rock I also had on my list today. I do adore bands that sound both tight and loose 🙃 Perfect for cooking dinner on a rainy day!

I wanted to like this album, but I kept getting distracted and didn't listen to it properly. Some great bass lines going on but I kinda missed the rest as it didn't capture my attention. Stars because I like Somebody Told Me :)

Meh, not my thing today apparently.

Today I'm definitely in a jazz mood, not a rock mood.

I always enjoy listening to this album, with the early experiments with different sounds, refusal to be categorised as a single genre, and poetic and evocative lyrics. I hear something new to me each time. I somehow also like the creepy jolly jangliness of the closing song 😳

Like a sunshine ski through mountains of lush velvet. Gorgeous.

Not quite sure what to make of this... usually I like some genre-wandering but this just felt really disjointed. Individually the tracks are mostly fine I guess. "Strength of Your Nature" a funky highlight. "Council Meeting" a happy noodle. I've never been a fan of the slick smooth sleazy r'n'b sound in "You're the Best Thing".

oof those opening notes. Yass. Smooth & funky.

I think I'm in this 1001 thing so I can listen to albums from outside the 80s commercial radio catalogue. Really enjoying the afrobeat here 🧡