1001 Albums Summary

Inventive, lush, weird. The only flaw for me was that 2-3 tracks were just a little too long.

The vocals, delivered in what I believe is Portuguese, bring the music to a higher, lighter level. This wasn't a lean-back-and-chill album for me, it kept my attention all the way through. The music bounces joyfully from anxious to manic to euphoric and moods I know but can't describe at the moment. Some of these tracks are their own ecosystems.

I had heard a few SAULT songs and wasn't really into it but I did my best to go in with an open mind. And I listened. Five times. Elements of it have hallmarks of artistic genius, but overall I found it to be too cold with too many consistency issues to be something I would want to return to. The drums sound organic and retain their prominence without eating the rhythm. And the rhythm section itself has some killer moments, but I found myself bored at some moments. The rhythmic palette of this album is typically bass, guitar, synths, keys, and a few other elements that come and go. The album feels to me like it lacks a core, an internal propelling force despite its strong rhythm section. The drums, while sounding good, suffer from stagnation and off-putting, redundant beats. The vocals seem like they're never fully present, like a character in a play that has dialogue but never appears on stage. Both times the album ended, I had the impression that I didn't listen to a contemporary soul album, but a 55-minute soundtrack for a soul-influenced piece of performance art. I certainly won't begrudge people liking this album more, it's very evidently the product of massive talent and artistic refinement. It's just not my thing.

I mean. Classic for a reason. But some of the Beatles' tendencies that don't resonate with me pop up a little too often for me to give this five, although it comes close.

When it works it's endearingly weird, yet familiar. But there are a few jarring turns that absolutely kill the flow.

This was better with every listen.

Soothing

Lots of cool shit. Also a lot of space.

Classic but slow for me at times.

This album teeters on the line between being able to date it, i.e. know its era, and sounding dated. A few elements are too stereotypically 90s for four stars. It must have sounded hyper modern when it came out.

My appreciation for its influence gets this album four.

Has an energy that doesn’t let up but changes its color.

The influence is undeniable. It's of its era but transcends it.

This album is a little too slow for me at times. The percussion pounds, too, creating a tension that reflects the spirit of the album. It’s the first album I would give any “X.5” if the ratings allowed it. It would be 3.5.

I love TVOTR but this album just doesn’t see them at their peak. This is a solid, somewhat experimental album from a promising Brooklyn band with some unique influences.

Every single second of this album is a gem. Every beat, scratch, sample, hook, whatever is perfect. Iconic and deserving of that adjective.

It’s just so good.

Pretty traditional ingredients for indie singer-songwriters circa 2011, but everything works. The sounds are rich and alive. Kinda mad I didn’t give her a good try back when this came out.

Not the most compelling listen, but it’s plain that this record influenced a lot of 90s pop.

In addition to the electronic innovations and boundary-pushing sound, it’s remarkably well-paced for its era.

Just a perfect debut. It might be a 4 objectively but ultimately none of this is supposed to be objective. So nostalgia and sentiment make it perfect.

Swings between tedious and annoying, usually some combination of both.

Good but mostly makes me want to listen to Darklands and the Happy When It Rains EP. It’s like an appetizer.