660
Albums Rated
3.39
Average Rating
61%
Complete
429 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950
Favorite Decade
Folk
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
105
5-Star Albums
44
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The New Tango
Astor Piazzolla
|
5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
|
Beach Samba
Astrud Gilberto
|
5 | 2.92 | +2.08 |
|
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry
Billy Bragg
|
5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
|
Joan Baez
Joan Baez
|
5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
|
Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
|
5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
|
Sister
Sonic Youth
|
5 | 3.02 | +1.98 |
|
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
|
5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
|
Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
|
5 | 3.08 | +1.92 |
|
Traffic
Traffic
|
5 | 3.08 | +1.92 |
|
Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
|
5 | 3.08 | +1.92 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
|
1 | 3.62 | -2.62 |
|
The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
|
1 | 3.58 | -2.58 |
|
Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
|
1 | 3.55 | -2.55 |
|
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
|
1 | 3.48 | -2.48 |
|
Paul's Boutique
Beastie Boys
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg
|
1 | 3.37 | -2.37 |
|
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
|
1 | 3.32 | -2.32 |
|
Ace of Spades
Motörhead
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
Phrenology
The Roots
|
1 | 3.25 | -2.25 |
|
Rust In Peace
Megadeth
|
1 | 3.24 | -2.24 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 5 | 5 |
| Bob Dylan | 5 | 5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 4 | 4.75 |
| Leonard Cohen | 4 | 4.75 |
| Talking Heads | 4 | 4.75 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 4 | 4.5 |
| The Who | 4 | 4.5 |
| Ray Charles | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Velvet Underground | 3 | 4.67 |
| The White Stripes | 3 | 4.67 |
| Television | 2 | 5 |
| The Doors | 2 | 5 |
| Johnny Cash | 2 | 5 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 2 | 5 |
| The Smiths | 2 | 5 |
| Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young | 2 | 5 |
| Stan Getz | 2 | 5 |
| Neil Young | 2 | 5 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 3 | 4.33 |
| Stevie Wonder | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Cure | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Rolling Stones | 3 | 4.33 |
| Steely Dan | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Kinks | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beastie Boys | 3 | 1.33 |
| Marilyn Manson | 2 | 1 |
| Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart | 2 | 1 |
| Motörhead | 2 | 1 |
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Birthday Party | 2 | 1.5 |
| Eminem | 2 | 1.5 |
| Megadeth | 2 | 1.5 |
| Iron Maiden | 4 | 2.25 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| King Crimson | 4, 1 |
| Deep Purple | 1, 3, 4 |
5-Star Albums (105)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Iggy Pop · 2 likes
3/5
This just wasn't that compelling for me. Iggy Pop comes with a strong reputation, but it seems like vague experimentation. The single bright spot was hearing/discovering China Girl on this album. Looking into it, it was co-written with Bowie. In fact, Bowie recorded a version for Let's Dance to help Iggy Pop financially. I actually really like the version on this album. A bright spot, for sure.
Dirty Projectors · 2 likes
3/5
I’d like to rate this higher due to degree of difficulty, but I believe the complexity and overwrought construction of the songs is self-inflected and affected. At times there are great moments, but they feel accidental.
Tom Waits · 2 likes
5/5
Tom Waits as a quirky jazz lounge singer. What more could you ask for? The band is super tight, and Tom is at his gregarious best.
Prince · 1 likes
5/5
Started slowly, but really really grew on me. An amazing album in a lot of ways that I don’t quite know how to explain. There is no single. The album feels stronger as a whole rather than on the weight of its best singles.
Talk Talk · 1 likes
3/5
I tried to like this album. I had gone on and read some of the reviews before listening, and I really thought some of the negative reviews were too glib and too harsh. While the positive reviews seemed to consist mostly of fans and people familiar with the work, I was really leaning in their direction. After listening, however, all of the possible advancements and growth by the band didn't translate musically to me. There is certainly quality here, but more like a well made bookend rather than something to get excited about.
4-Star Albums (193)
1-Star Albums (44)
All Ratings
Nas
3/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
How did I miss this in 2004? Not my thing usually, but Nick Cave sounds and feels like a mix between Frank Zappa, Funk, and Lounge Singer. The most fun I have had listening to an unheard album in a long time.
Prince
5/5
Started slowly, but really really grew on me. An amazing album in a lot of ways that I don’t quite know how to explain. There is no single. The album feels stronger as a whole rather than on the weight of its best singles.
Soundgarden
3/5
Clearly a tight, quality band. Still haven’t caught on them… even after 20 plus years.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Rush
4/5
Amazing production value and timeless sound.
R.E.M.
4/5
[previously heard] Solid album by the boys from Athens, GA. Not sure I would have included this in the 1001 albums as they have much better Albums in their catalog, but World Leader Pretend is probably the most worthy song from this album to revisit.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
I enjoyed this album immensely. I am not an expert on Jazz, Funk, etc., but It is impossible not respect the craftsmanship and craft on every musician involved on this album.
The Band
4/5
Julian Cope
4/5
Paul Simon
4/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Moby
3/5
ABBA
3/5
Supergrass
3/5
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
David Bowie
3/5
Lou Reed
4/5
Roxy Music
2/5
Mudhoney
3/5
Sex Pistols
4/5
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
White Denim
5/5
Black Sabbath
3/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Television
5/5
Shivkumar Sharma
1/5
Cocteau Twins
2/5
Merle Haggard
3/5
Deep Purple
1/5
DJ Shadow
2/5
Depeche Mode
4/5
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
Billy Bragg
5/5
5/5
Duran Duran
4/5
Gram Parsons
2/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Eagles
3/5
Crowded House
3/5
Pixies
3/5
David Bowie
3/5
Nanci Griffith
2/5
The Specials
3/5
Public Enemy
2/5
Ramones
5/5
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
New York Dolls
3/5
Jack White
4/5
Morrissey
4/5
2Pac
3/5
Muddy Waters
5/5
The Monks
3/5
The Libertines
3/5
Jane Weaver
2/5
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
Hugh Masekela
3/5
David Holmes
2/5
Common
2/5
MGMT
2/5
Rush
4/5
The Beta Band
4/5
Supertramp
3/5
Ray Charles
5/5
Little Richard
3/5
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Nirvana
4/5
Fiona Apple
4/5
Giant Sand
4/5
David Bowie
5/5
Muddy Waters
4/5
2/5
I rated this album lower because I am not a fan of the genre. As such, I lack the competency and the vocabulary to speak to its importance or greatness. The musicality is undeniable, but I struggled to maintain interest while listening. I also couldn't distinguish well between tracks. If this is your genre, I am confident you will enjoy it as it is pleasant enough, but I didn't get it. Perhaps I will revisit this album as I develop a greater ear for the electronic side of the musical house.
Nick Drake
3/5
I am guessing that this is an album that would really grow on you if you listened to it several times. After my first listen, my impression is that the lyrics must carry it. Musically, it is very basic and similar (to my untrained ear), but the sound is great, but I probably need to pay more attention to understand better why it is on the list.
Blur
3/5
I was really close to giving this album 4/5 stars, and I suppose that in its context, it does deserve better. In the end, however, I just felt like everything slightly underwhelmed. In other words, I was closer to asking why this album is on the list rather than getting the sense that it clearly belonging here. The sound is good, and the overall vibe is engaging, but I likely won't return to it. Hopefully, I am wrong, and it will just grow on me.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
This album didn't resonate well with me. I had been on sort of an Elvis Costello and the Attractions streak having received three albums prior to this one. They were all better than I expected. This one, however, was a bit of a disappointment. My guess is that if you are a fan of EC&TA you will enjoy this album. If you're still trying to determine your level of fandom or appreciation, this one will take more time for you. I can only give it three stars.
4/5
This album is an experience. Musically, it is a playground of immense size and scope that I want to play in but lack the confidence and skill. There are moments and flourishes that are amazing, and moments that are beyond me. If you are patient, you’ll be rewarded for sure.
The Verve
3/5
I have mixed feelings about this album. There is a lot to like, but I keep coming back to the idea that this seems like what an AI bot would create as an album. The vocalist has the right sound, there are musical elements that are catchy, the single is very memorable and actually sounds important, etc., but after listening to the album, I don't have a connection with the album at all. Could I spend time and listen to this album more and gain a greater appreciation for its significance? Sure. Will I? Probably not.
3/5
This album was a pleasant surprise for me. I am pretty familiar with the 1980s, but I had missed this one. As such, I enjoyed it with keen interest. Really nice, tight, sound. And the punk-vibe was refreshing to hear.
Astor Piazzolla
5/5
Santana
4/5
Queen Latifah
3/5
Despite claims that the album is dated (I believe it is), it was still enjoyable and a great effort. This isn’t my favorite genre, but it has multiple solid tracks! I won’t likely return to this a lot, but I am glad I listened
Richard Thompson
4/5
I really enjoyed listening to this album. I hadn’t heard it previously, and I was pleased and rewarded with almost every song. And when the song was a little more of a grind musically, the lyrics would sustain it. While it may not become a go to album for me, I am glad I was able to hear and enjoy it!
Peter Gabriel
4/5
I was very impressed with this album. While I haven't listened to a lot of Peter Gabriel prior to So, I was surprised by this album. It didn't sound like 1980. It is moody and assertive, and the percussion and bass drive it all. I will definitely put this in rotation!
Beatles
5/5
The middle album of the Beatle greatest three album stretch of the fab four’s career. Note for note pitch perfect! There is a ton of debate between Sgt. Pepper and Revolver and which is greater, but why? This album is fantastic and that is all that matters!
Talk Talk
3/5
I tried to like this album. I had gone on and read some of the reviews before listening, and I really thought some of the negative reviews were too glib and too harsh. While the positive reviews seemed to consist mostly of fans and people familiar with the work, I was really leaning in their direction. After listening, however, all of the possible advancements and growth by the band didn't translate musically to me. There is certainly quality here, but more like a well made bookend rather than something to get excited about.
Gang Of Four
4/5
Keith Jarrett
3/5
John Prine
2/5
Doves
3/5
Lauryn Hill
3/5
Yes
4/5
Dr. Octagon
1/5
The Black Keys
4/5
Beatles
5/5
The Beatles at their best pre Rubber Soul. These guys are perfection.
Hot Chip
4/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
Mott The Hoople
4/5
The Temptations
5/5
Raekwon
1/5
Drive-By Truckers
4/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Air
3/5
3/5
Suicide
1/5
The left too many notes
Joy Division
4/5
Prince
3/5
Aerosmith
3/5
Foo Fighters
5/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Cornershop
3/5
Neneh Cherry
1/5
Pass.
The Doors
5/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Loved the album. Jams and covers actually made them come across as a more mature band. Great stuff!
M.I.A.
2/5
5/5
Sonic Youth
5/5
The Zombies
5/5
Radiohead
5/5
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
3/5
Count Basie & His Orchestra
5/5
Boston
5/5
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Bee Gees
2/5
This album is an enigma to me. It fits squarely within the pre-disco canon, but it feels like this is a band aspiring to greatness and being completely unable to attain it. They were just waiting for disco for their mediocrity to save them. If I needed to hear this before I die, it seems like it had to be done just so I would better appreciate their contribution to disco. John Travolta should be the most grateful man in the world.
The Birthday Party
2/5
The greatness of this album isn’t at all audible. Tracked with everything around/about the band. Stars dropped when I pressed play!
The Cure
4/5
Patti Smith
4/5
Girls Against Boys
3/5
Funkadelic
4/5
Ice Cube
4/5
I never feel comfortable rating rap albums. I am a 50+ year old white guy that doesn't get it. Totally on me. Having said that, I really admire the production value, passion, righteous (legitimately so) anger Ice Cube brings here. At the same time, it is just hard to listen to for me. Not because of white guilt, but because it is just a relentless album.
The Cure
5/5
I was not tracking with everyone’s general take that this album was depressing until the last song. It tipped me over the edge, but on the whole, I would say dark and heavy more than depressing. I’d throw in impressive as well.
Elvis Presley
4/5
This is a nice album for Elvis… moving from Hollywood back to his musical roots. It is just hard to picture this being released in 1969. It’s almost more retro than fresh.
Dire Straits
4/5
JAY Z
1/5
Another rap album that just escapes me. Lots of recognizable samples and such, but ultimately not that compelling to me. Of course, rap just isn't my thing.
Pixies
5/5
David Bowie
3/5
I have listened to a lot of Bowie from the 1001 algorithm, and I was reluctant to listen to this one. Bowie is an amazing artist, but his albums are very hit and miss for me. I expected this to be a miss, but there are a few surprises here. Definitely a late career surprise. Fans will be pleased, but I am not sure there is enough here to be on this list.
Tom Waits
5/5
Tom Waits as a quirky jazz lounge singer. What more could you ask for? The band is super tight, and Tom is at his gregarious best.
Radiohead
4/5
I would rate this album higher, if only I could remember it.
In all seriousness, this is a fine album. But like most Radiohead, it is good the way a balance diet is supposed to be good for you. In fact, it is good for you. You may even be surprised at how tasty and satisfying it can be. However, you may find yourself craving junk food not long after.
Tricky
2/5
Wikipedia quoted someone suggesting that this album is the equivalent of the Sistine Chapel of electronica, and if so, let's put this genre to bed. While there is a nice vide going on, very little stands out as unique. If you left this album on repeat, you would quickly lose track of where you are. Bland.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
Start here. This album is amazing. I can't believe this was released in 1969. Critics have said that it isn't as good as their previous work, but to me, it is their definitive, most accessible, and timeless masterpiece. Bravo... relistening.
Beastie Boys
1/5
I just couldn't listen.
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Joe Ely
2/5
This is a masquerade alright! I tried to keep an open mind, but I don’t see at all why this album is on the list.
Two stars because it might be the best honky tonk out there.
Ray Charles
5/5
This confirms for me that with the exception of Johnny Cash and a small number of others, country music is best done by others. Though it is strange to call Ray Charles modern, his take on some old standards all sound brilliant, nostalgic, and modern all at the same time.
Van Morrison
5/5
That voice is just peerless. There is something about Van Morrison that demands your attention. I am not sure how to describe it in terms of genre, but the album exudes soul. After listening, I was exhausted in the best sense of the word. Great album!
The Rolling Stones
5/5
The question of whether the Beatles or the Stones are better is indisputable with the Beatles clearly being better. Song for Song, they are stronger. But when the Stones are on, they can't be touched. And this album, more than their collective hits, showcase how much joy there is in good old rock and roll. And it is the album that always make you question the Beatles comparison.
Alanis Morissette
5/5
I have always been a little sad that Alanis's career didn't unfold better. This is such a good and strong album. It is pop, but it also has a lot of depth to it, and Alanis unflinchingly faces demons that so many women face at the hands of abusers. Despite all of that, she has a hopeful tone that finds it way out in song. Brave Alanis. Great album.
Buck Owens
3/5
I have respect for this album, just very little interest. Hence, the 3.
The White Stripes
4/5
The Roots
1/5
Eels
4/5
This is a very intriguing album. It feels like it wants to be a serious grunge album but the band just doesn't have the chops for it. This doesn't make the album bad, but puts it in a unique place. The sound is accessible, interesting, and compelling despite the lack of strong lyrics. Still, it have a great vibe.
Mike Ladd
3/5
Elton John
3/5
I don't understand Elton John. Clearly, he is a very talented songwriter and performer, but I don't get the hype. The singles shine here, and the other songs are just what you'd expect... well composed filler.
Marilyn Manson
1/5
Iron Maiden
1/5
The Velvet Underground
4/5
it is so interesting to listen to the Velvet Underground. They are provocative and engaging, and their music is groovy. I am not sure about Nico. She certainly adds to this album in a wonderful way, but it isn't the most natural fit. Despite it all, this album shines!
Lenny Kravitz
4/5
I don't know a whole lot about Lenny Kravitz's background, but this album is super fun, energetic, and soulful in many ways. It feels like a kid in a music production candy store on a bender.
Q-Tip
3/5
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
One joy of this site is that you encounter bands and albums that you are familiar with but you haven't fully explored their catalog. I didn't think I would enjoy this album as much as most of my experience with it is from the radio hits. Listening to this album with fresh ears was a delight. While I don't think it is strong as Deja Vu, it is a real treat.
The Waterboys
3/5
This album is tight, enjoyable, and pleasant enough, but after the first few tracks it lost its magic and felt more mediocre. I am sure that this has more to do with me that with the Waterboys, but regardless,I probably won't revisit often if art all.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
I really wanted to like this album. I remember hearing about them, but I never real had or took the chance to explore their discography. Listening now, I was underwhelmed. I felt like most tracks started strong but became less enjoyable as I listened. The high reviews suggest I should give them multiple listens, but I am not excited about it. Maybe I am missing something.
Iron Maiden
2/5
Apart from the occasional baseline and interesting riff, there is just nothing I like about this band.
Gang Starr
3/5
I was surprised. I actually liked this album. Not my normal lane, for sure, but I’d come back to this.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
1/5
Alice In Chains
2/5
Dirt so thoroughly wallows in the the dark elements of grunge that it feels more like exploitation than exploration of the truth or the reality of hard topics. I am sure the quality of the musicianship is exceptional, but it isn’t enough to compel further listening.
David Bowie
2/5
Bowie is baffling to me. On one album he can conjure up a hit at will to save it. With Low he seems content to meander around a laboratory of incomplete or inarticulate ideas with mild enthusiasm. Nothing really seems to be great or really catch hold of the imagination. It's like he is showing off the worst kind of artistic entitlement imaginable. Bowie is certainly a talented songwriter and musician, but even the best creative minds lose their way.
Beastie Boys
1/5
Many of the reviews have praised the use of sampling on this album, and I heartily agree. Mostly, however, because it is the only thing notable about the album. In the end, it felt more like a rap version of mystery science theater: three guys rapping over other media as if providing commentary. For MST it works. Not so much here.
Elvis Presley
4/5
Elvis is strange to me. It is clear that he is vastly talented, has great presence, strong voice, and an icon. Listening to this album is fascinating because you can see so much of his influence on bands like the Beatles and even more contemporary bands like Green Day. The strange part is that as influential as his music clearly is, it is not as interesting as what he inspired. This album is good and enjoyable to listen to for what it is, but I likely won't spend much time with it. It is good to listen to mostly to put him and his influence in context, but I have heard enough.
Snoop Dogg
1/5
Paul Simon
2/5
This album was largely overlooked when it came out in 1983. but has garnered some critical respect in subsequent years. Other than an interesting take on the death of John Lennon, I am not sure I see the turn.
Koffi Olomide
2/5
While I certainly appreciate the variety that this album provides to this list, it seems unremarkable on its own. Much of this is likely due to the language and lack of cultural context on my end, but still there wasn't enough there musically to compel future listening.
The Auteurs
3/5
Nice album. Sounds really good. I imagine if Elliott Smith had formed a band, this is what it would sound like.
David Bowie
4/5
I can’t quite tell if the is Bowie glow. Just giving him the nod because of who he is. He clearly isn’t just phoning it in, but it also isn’t his most accessible work. That said, it is engaging and compelling
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
Gold.
Public Enemy
3/5
Rap is still not my bag, but I did like this album.
Talking Heads
5/5
Nothing places you squarely in the modern western world and makes you feel comfortable and displaced at the same time like “More Songs about Buildings and Food.” The range of emotions anyone may feel throughout any given day are musically expressed as naturally as work tension and family disruptions with delightfully relevant effect. For every note you ever sang in rage along with Joey Ramone and Sid Vicious, you sing right along with David Byrne except that it seems more personal, probable, and poignant.
Musically, this album features a delightful variety of style without compromising its purpose. In fact, its diversity of sound seems to its purpose. Byrne’s outlook on life and work leave no stone unturned to refreshing effect. Whether belting out and anthem of hope in the form of a hint of supernatural and spiritual figure or waxing eloquently about where one hopes to make a home Byrne and the band connect immediately through voice and music.
The most joyful thing for me, however, is that for the first time in a long time, all of the catharsis I enjoy through listening to music finally feels more tangible. I may not be up for toppling a corrupt government or taking down big corporations or other institutional giants, but I feel like I can tackle cleaning my own house, enjoy my family, and start to build something meaningful… maybe even produce a new TV show, or finally feel good about moving into the city.
This review is for Kenny. He knows far more about Talking Heads than I do, and because of him, I now enjoy their music as well.
Pretenders
4/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Bob Dylan
5/5
What a great album. Listening to it today, I thought, what would it have been like if the full band from the Blonde on Blonde/Highway 61 musicians had joined in on this one... and vice versa. Just a delight.
Nick Drake
4/5
Nick Drake exists in a very specific musical space. I enjoyed this album, but I have no idea how to differentiate from his other works. Thankfully, he’s really talented!
Laibach
3/5
Pulp
3/5
Black Sabbath
3/5
I think this album is on the list for the fact that it feels like someone won a bet. Something like, I bet you can’t produce an album if you consume inhuman amounts of cocaine and still be recognizable and listenable. It is fine musically, but just not in my wheelhouse.
John Cale
3/5
It feels almost like Glenn Campbell went to France. Le passe
Leftfield
2/5
I’m sure the rightism by the right field wouldn’t be any better. Supposedly this is great while taking drugs. That’s fine, but it should also be good when your sober.
Roni Size
3/5
Much better than most electronica I’ve heard, but not enough to make me a believer…
Steely Dan
4/5
Dr. John
1/5
Dr. John... needs a doctor. I don't know what's going on with this album, but this is an inexplicable inclusion one this list. I don't have a problem with him as an artist, but as an album, I don't know what I just heard.
Pere Ubu
3/5
This band is the inverse of Duran Duran. For every smooth, slick, accessible, note Duran Duran produces, Pere Ubu has its counter. It’s not that it’s bad (it isn’t), it is just crazy how consistently challenging it is to find an inroad. They are musically talented, but even more challenging at pushing the boundaries of accessibility.
Eminem
2/5
Ugh
5/5
What a wonderful surprise. I love the Kinks, but I haven’t listened to their entire discography. This album is amazing. Solid themes, tight lyrics with biting commentary, and almost epic poetry. I don’t hear singles. This album should be enjoyed as a whole!
XTC
3/5
Boards of Canada
3/5
Queen
4/5
Not their most accessible album, but you can hear the development of their musical style clearly. The “Black Side” is clearly the better side, but it is all good… especially for Queen fans!
The Icarus Line
1/5
Tedious
Silver Jews
4/5
Quite the surprise. I’m not a big fan of county, but I love alternative, so this really hit a sweet spot for me. I noticed that many reviewers called it boring, and I just don’t get it. Can you really make a comment like that if you’ve been on a string of electronica I wonder?
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
A wonderful expression of Janis at her absolute best.
Adele
3/5
Great voice… ok album.
1/5
Johnny Cash
5/5
Amazing. He transcends his genre with power, presence, and haunting narrative! Amazing album!
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Kendrick Lamar
1/5
The Charlatans
4/5
While these guys really sound like wanna-be Oasis, they are quite good. I enjoyed this album.
Steve Earle
1/5
I don’t like country. I really don’t like commercial country..
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
It seems like I hear more about Siouxsie and The Banshees more than I have ever heard there work. It is raw, edgy, provocative, etc., but gets lost in the transition from Post Punk/New Wave to alternative. I kind of like what's going on here, but I have trouble reconciling the raves.
Elton John
3/5
Elton John is one of those artists whose later works continually detract from the earlier substantial work. He is clearly talented and has a great voice, but I guess he is more a product of his time than an enduring artist.
The Cars
4/5
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
Wilco
5/5
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Coldcut
1/5
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
1/5
Eminem
1/5
There is just so much more wrong about Eminem than there is good. Can't take it.
Depeche Mode
3/5
I don't know what to make of Depeche Mode. I can't tell if they are too cynical or antagonistic. Either way, they are certainly gifted artist and they produce an excellent sound. I just don't connect with them philosophically.
Mylo
1/5
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
It seems to me that this could easily be a greatest hits album. This guy was just in the zone creatively and fun to listen to track to track all the way to the end.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
Don't know much about this band, but they sound like an American band trying to sound like a band from the UK about a year too late. By 1966, however, they are already behind the curve. I wonder if they made it.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
I haven't thought positively about the slasher B movie from the early 80s since I caught it on cable as a kid. After hearing this band, the movie seems even better.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Musically, I found this album interesting and solid. But it seems to me that the lead vocalist is just checking a box. It's as if an imposter is on vocals, and he is trying to be engaging while knowing all along he's a poser.
Radiohead
3/5
I would not be surprised to learn the Radiohead is just early AI. Everything about them says they should be great, but I always walk away feeling like something was missing.
Bob Dylan
5/5
PJ Harvey
3/5
Beck
4/5
Beck is the Dr. Frankenstein of electronica/alt. And not the Hollywood version, but more of the Romantic Anti-hero, creating new life out of the old!
Motörhead
1/5
Öne out of Fĩve
Donovan
4/5
I would have loved to experienced what it must have been like to live when this album was charting!
Janis Joplin
4/5
James Brown
4/5
If you want to understand why James Brown is so highly regarded. Here it is. I am only giving it a four star because I now live in regret of never being able to see him live.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Jimmy Smith
5/5
This is my kind of Jazz
Dusty Springfield
5/5
Wow. Didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. The girl can flat out sing, and musically I found it refreshing. Great find!
Japan
3/5
A broody mix of early Duran Duran and Television. Fortunately, Japan takes the good from both and delivers a solid album of interesting music.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
Laura Nyro
3/5
Lite, refreshing, interesting, but moving on…
The Strokes
3/5
Nice surprise and fun listen. Not sure of the significance, but enjoyable
Sabu
3/5
Wilco
4/5
I really like early Wilco... basically everything before Sky Blue Sky. But after a fresh listen, I am happier with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost is Born than even earlier works. I would have shortened Being There, in retrospect. Still a solid album.
Black Sabbath
3/5
I suppose there is something interesting going on here, but I’m more interested in the fact that enough people got it for them to have a career afterwards. I guess heavy metal isn’t for me.
Big Star
3/5
#1 Record is obviously a fairly pretentious title, and sadly they don't deliver. I am not sure what they have that merits inclusion on the list, but I am sure there are some good arguments. They just didn't leap out at me.
Various Artists
4/5
Well played 1001. Delivering Christmas magic on Christmas… thank you.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Usually “experimental” has me running for the hills, but this was a surprise. It is a sonic experiment, but it had nice resonance, far better than most stuff in 88.
King Crimson
4/5
Yes. This is the origin of progressive rock, an it is very avant guard, experimental, genre fusion, etc. It is also pretty amazing. I admit that I don't understand what is going on, but I also can appreciate what is here in my limited capacity.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
What a time it was…
The Smiths
5/5
Morrissey and Marr match each other perfectly on this album despite their tense divergent relationship. Makes for great songs!
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
I am not sure where to place EW&F in terms of genre and significance, but their talent is evident. Emergent disco at its best!
Dirty Projectors
3/5
I’d like to rate this higher due to degree of difficulty, but I believe the complexity and overwrought construction of the songs is self-inflected and affected. At times there are great moments, but they feel accidental.
Green Day
5/5
Johnny Cash
5/5
Johnny Cash is just flat compelling. His music is storytelling at its finest, and this album shines because of where and how he tells them with his own powerful narration. Enjoy!
AC/DC
2/5
This may be the brochure for sex, drugs, and rock and roll. The presentation may be fine, but most of this is tiresome and uninteresting.
PJ Harvey
4/5
This my 2nd PJ Harvey album, and I think she is growing on me. Great energy and presentation. Brooding and enjoyable. I will likely revisit her work beyond this list.
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
I get it… former punk rock gods realize they actually are musicians. Love it!
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I love Leonard Cohen. He's like Dylan's less sophisticated uncle who may just be holding back to spare you some additional angst. I could listen to him for hours.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
There is a new version of this album which includes more of this epic live 2 1/2 hour concert. The original release is 38 minutes. Thank God almighty I discovered this before choosing the wrong one.
Spacemen 3
2/5
I wanted to like this after reading the wiki article, but just didn’t do it for me.
The Sugarcubes
2/5
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
T. Rex
4/5
T. Rex is really interesting, complex, and fun musically. It just feels to me that the tracks are not songs, but sonic experiments. The sound great, and have a nice groove, but they don't catch on the way singles normally do. Still, fun to listen to and digest.
Astrud Gilberto
5/5
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
The name is better than the music
Leonard Cohen
5/5
80s production style almost killed this for me out of the gate, but Cohen talent kept me listening. In the end, he wins. His writing won me over!
Stan Getz
5/5
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
Feels like Arcade Fire, but good!
Slipknot
1/5
Noise
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Iggy Pop
3/5
This just wasn't that compelling for me. Iggy Pop comes with a strong reputation, but it seems like vague experimentation. The single bright spot was hearing/discovering China Girl on this album. Looking into it, it was co-written with Bowie. In fact, Bowie recorded a version for Let's Dance to help Iggy Pop financially. I actually really like the version on this album. A bright spot, for sure.
The Black Crowes
3/5
Baaba Maal
3/5
The music is pleasant enough, but I do not have enough of a world music vocabulary to really evaluate it. It is in cases like this that I rely on the inclusion on the list and the reviews on wikipedia to shape my view.
Fats Domino
5/5
CHVRCHES
3/5
This could have been pulled out of a time capsule from 1989. I enjoyed it, but I would love to hear them play songs from this on their upcoming MTV Unplugged set. I think this band would benefit from less polish and more heart.
Nick Drake
4/5
The Police
4/5
I really enjoyed this album. Of course, I am familiar the hits/singles, but they bring much of the same character throughout the whole record along with a vibe that is distinctly theirs. I still don't quite know what to make of them. Clearly, they are all very talented, and Sting's vocal range and playfulness kept me interested throughout.
Abdullah Ibrahim
4/5
This album surprised me. Usually, I give Jazz the side-eye. Never know whether I am going to get something I can enjoy or something akin to a sonic colonoscopy. In this case, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Nick Drake
4/5
Like most Nick Drake albums, Five Leaves Left is an enjoyable and interesting album. I have heard multiple albums by Nick Drake, and this doesn't disappoint. On the other hand, it isn't very different from his other work. Artists like this seem to always deliver in their lane, and while that lane is very particular, it is reliable. And it evokes a natural and unforced introspection. I may never be able to differentiate his work within his catalog, but I am always willing to listen.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
The Rolling Stones
5/5
I feel like from the very beginning, you get the DNA of The Rolling Stones. They have a sort of 'bad boy' reputation, and you can see it even in the early songs they are covering on their debut album. This is really tight garage band work, and you can tell they are having fun doing. Like the early Beatles, I don't know if anyone could have predicted their success or influence from this work, but looking back, you see all the signs that they would become something special.
Norah Jones
4/5
Norah Jones is marvelous to listen to. She has a great, smooth and sultry voice, and her music has a nostalgic vibe that draws you in and makes you feel like you've been listening to her for years. I can't name a single song, but I am happy to listen again and again.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
On paper, Derek and the Dominos should have been excellent. And in many ways, excellent music was produced. Though the band is tight and talented, you get the sense that they knew, even in the midst of everything, that they lacked cohesion. In many ways, I think this describes Clapton... a brilliant guitarist that needs help all around him to be truly great. Despite a few really nice cuts, this album underperforms.
R.E.M.
5/5
What I love about Document is that you literally are watching this band grow up before you eyes. Each album of there's is taking bolder steps, but they also expand their musical ambitions. Excellent work from the boys from Athens!
fIREHOSE
4/5
What a surprise! This is like a rock and roll version of Vampire Weekend. The band just seems to be having fun and what they are creating. I am not sure about their greatness level longterm, but they intrigue me enough to make me smile... which means, I will probably listen again. Always a plus.
The xx
4/5
Prince
4/5
I have a lot of respect for Prince, and this album is a very good album. Both the stylistic diversity and the musical strength are immediately impressive and sustained throughout. In many ways, it is like Prince received his 80's toolkit in 1982 and basically used everything on this album and he used it well. Later efforts don't expand on it musically, but are lyrically and narratively stronger, if perhaps even a little more self-indulgent.
Queen
4/5
The Temptations
4/5
The Temptations are a great listen. There is something really fun about how masterfully they vocalize and harmonize with such heart and energy. Another great album from 1972. Love the funk grove right out of the gate, but I love the soulful groove on the closing, "Do your thing!"
The United States Of America
3/5
The Coral
4/5
What a surprise. I had not heard of The Coral until the list, but it is a delightful surprise. The album moves between fresh and new to older and familiar. Some tracks sound like they could have been produced in the late 60s and other feel right out of the 90s, and yet they keep it together throughout.
Suzanne Vega
3/5
Incubus
2/5
I am not a fan of Incubus. The first track had me curious, but before the song was over, I had a feeling that this was going to be a disappointment. All of the signature 90s alt/grunge/rock are there, but they feel generic and unconvincing.
Neil Young
5/5
The Fall
4/5
ZZ Top
3/5
Somehow it seems that at least one of the members of ZZ Top sold his soul for commercial success. The songs have very fun hooks, energy, and presence, but in many ways they are unremarkable or at least not clearly the ZZ Top of earlier years. They went from Rock and Roll to Pop and it basically ended them as a band. You may enjoy this album, but it is more of a stop down than a step forward.
Sex Pistols
5/5
It is like listening to the DNA of so many great bands that follow. This is infectious rebellion that doesn't have to make sense to work. Everything about the Sex Pistols was unsustainable but holds together on the album that defines the genre. It is not perfect, but it makes its stamp perfectly. I never felt so happy about anarchy! Nevermind the Bollocks!
The Who
5/5
I recently listened to the first Rolling Stones album, and I previously have heard the Beatles first album. In my opinion, the Who (perhaps by being the later of the three is really terrific. They have the luxury of having the least amount of covers, and the covers actually are eclipsed by the work of Townsend. Super fun!
Randy Newman
2/5
I don't know much about Randy Newman apart from his big hits (Short People and I Love L.A.) and movie tunes. This album is exactly what I thought it would be, distinctly Randy Newman, and basically a soundtrack for every family drama from 1968 to 1985. It isn't bad music, it just isn't my cup of tea.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Lost in translation. Apart from a few samples of recognizable music and some welcome silence, this was unlistenable to me. Makes sense. I google translated the title… “Songs From My Disturbed Sheet Metal Shop”.
Justin Timberlake
1/5
Nope! Unjustified!
Anthrax
1/5
I felt the same way about receiving this album that I imagine I’d feel if I had contracted Anthrax.
Madonna
3/5
The list is a perfect mechanism for me to encounter an album like this one. I’m hater, but I couldn’t tell you the last time I intentionally put on some of Madonna’s music. My reaction is mixed. While the music was solid for the genre, I was surprised at the lack of breakout single(s), and by the end of the album the writing was weak and aimless… which was odd because of the length of the album. I would have cut a few tracks.
Mott The Hoople
3/5
What do you do if you’re a band that catches the attention of David Bowie, given all of the opportunity to take the musical world by storm, and you tour the world as a glam rock super group, but you’re thoroughly unprepared for the role and unwilling and unprepared for fame, fortune, and the trappings of stardom and you flameout writing songs of lament as you go… a cautionary tale of getting everything you want only to find yourself empty and cynical and aimless despite your many gifts and talents… I give you Mott the Hoople… all the not so young dudes anymore!
Hüsker Dü
3/5
Wow. A double album. I tried to get into it, and the music was good. But try as I might, it just didn’t click with me. My friend compared them to R.E.M., but I didn’t believe until very late in the listen. In the end, I just didn’t connect. Probably more me that them.
David Bowie
3/5
Bowie is baffling to me. On one album he can conjure up a hit at will to save it. With Low he seems content to meander around a laboratory of incomplete or inarticulate ideas with mild enthusiasm. Nothing really seems to be great or really catch hold of the imagination. It's like he is showing off the worst kind of artistic entitlement imaginable. Bowie is certainly a talented songwriter and musician, but even the best creative minds lose their way.
Holger Czukay
2/5
I won’t argue that the album is interesting or even innovative, but it more like background music than something I would intentionally sit down to listen to. The music almost begs you to do something other than enjoy simply listening to it. Though titled
Movies, it feels more like a sound effects track than a score
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
You have to have a certain level of commitment to the band to join them in their exploration and exploitation of sound, dissonance, distortion, etc., and I realize that I cannot join Jesus and the Mary Chain as they engage in their work/art. Sadly, I believe there was a time in my life where I certainly would have. Glad I listened, but I cautiously wait for their next album.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
It is immediately apparent that Amy is an incredibly talented artist. She has great range, style, presence, and seems so comfortable as she effortlessly moves through the tracks of the album. At the same time, there is a bleak anxiety to the album. Despite the confidence in Amy's voice, there is a dark undercurrent of a troubled character. Even if you don't consider all of the controversy surrounding the artist herself, the tracks point to an empty, dark, and doomed worldview that leaves you concerned more than entertained.
The Beach Boys
3/5
What a surprise! I really don't know a whole lot about The Beach Boys post Pet Sounds until the 80s, and the later work kind of makes sense to me. This album is full of interesting and diverse tracks that pack a punch I just did not expect. For the first time, I thought, "I need to explore this band further." Good job, Fellas!
Genesis
3/5
I am much more familiar with Genesis and Peter Gabriel as separate entities, and in my opinion, it is much more interesting if you looked at their relationship in reverse. It would likely be considered a super group... Peter Gabriel joins Phil Collins and Genesis to create an ambitious concept album that explores the estranged vision of the self in the melting pot of 1970s New York City.
Still, it is a concept album. While musically, it held my attention, I didn't follow the purported narrative suggested in articles about the album. But I believe them, and I trust Gabriel and the whole gang, so I am guess that it would grow on me. So, today, I give it a three and half, convinced it might eventually move higher in my book.
Rod Stewart
4/5
This album explains Rod Stewart. For years, I didn’t understand the fascination. Now, I get it. This album is a blast. It is raw, has an infectious energy, diversity is style, and solid hits. Under normal circumstances, I find Maggie May cringe-worthy, but somehow, on this album it fits and is tolerable. It doesn’t totally explain Stewart’s success, but I have to give this one to him.
The Flaming Lips
5/5
This album is fantastic. I am not really sure I can explain why it is so good. It is like a soundscape for the soul where everything is explored, questioned, and deliberately left unresolved... but in a good way. It's as if the Flaming Lips pictured themselves in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies, and then produced an album with sweeping orchestration made by devices bought at radio shack. Don't try and understand it, but don't skip it. Listen to it (perhaps more than 2 or 3 times) and enjoy the preface album to Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. You won't be disappointed.
Paul Simon
3/5
I am not sure this album holds up over the years, but it is great to hear Paul Simon when he is creatively flourishing. The tracks are strong, if a little dated, and I found myself smiling a little more than I thought as I revisited them.
The Birthday Party
1/5
And right to the junkyard this album goes, and it is exactly where it where it belongs. This album is the musical equivalent of one of those mechanical car crushers. I would say, burn it, melt it down, and use it to make other albums, but I kind of want to make sure none of the DNA from this album makes it on to other albums.
David Bowie
2/5
I feel like Bowie just gets a pass. He does have some great albums, and he is great - he even can create hits upon demand... none of all that is evident on this album. Yes, Bowie, you are great. This album is the like the unrelated jobs you had that you only keep on your resume to avoid uncomfortable time gaps in your timeline.
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
The New Tango? I was not super familiar with the old one. As musically sophisticated as this album is, it inspires no love for Tango music, or even a slight body movement toward doing the Tango on the dance floor.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
It is undenable that Jefferson Airplane played an important and pivotal role in solidifying psychadelic rock in the 60s. And because of this, I was looking forward to exploring their music a little more. It isn't bad, but this is one of those rare occurrences where the known singles from the album stand out entirely of what's memorable and important for this band. I did enjoy some of the other tracks, but in terms of quality and impact, I didn't find much here. Finally, it is hard to take Grace Slick seriously when you have the Jefferson Starship garbage mingling in your head.
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
This album is like sitting in on the rehearsal for multiple great albums. There are no standout singles or great songs that define the greatness of 1967, but in these songs and this album are the elements of multiple great albums to come. Neil Young, CSN & Y, members of Crazy Horse, and more. And it works. There is just the overwhelming sense that you are witnessing solid artists collaborating and molding into their next expressions. Maybe it isn't most notable album of 1967, but it shares the same signs that there are great things to come.
Django Django
3/5
This album is an interesting mash-up of psychedelic pop sounds with some interesting techno flourishes and call backs to the 60s, but ultimately it lacks what made that time period so vital; a righteous cause. These guys are certainly talented, and the album did get a little better for me as it progressed, but in the end, I just wanted to go back and listen to better music.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Man. 1967. For crying out loud. I can't imagine living in a time with the volume of incredible music being released.
What a fabulous album. There are very few artists who can generate so much power track to track with basically three instruments. I know a lot of technical work was done on the back end to fill things out, but the work of all three musicians in amazing.
This album feels more like a greatest hits album than a debut, and at the same time, even lesser tracks soar. Rumor has it that they wanted to include a cover of "Like A Rolling Stone" on this album as they were performing it live. As much as I would love to hear it, this album does just fine all on its own. A masterpiece.
Sugar
3/5
Try as I might, I just couldn't find anything really special about this album. It certainly sounded like the 90s, but without any resonant nostalgia or identifying hook, statement, or... connection. The music is not bad. At points it is pretty good, however, it is unremarkable. In other words, I can't imagine playing the Copper Blue card in any discussion of 90's music, and that feels odd.
The Clash
4/5
Oh, wow! What a time in history to have rage and rebellion sound so good. I really enjoyed this album. While I have heard it before - multiple listens, it just hit me with fresh delight. It doesn't sustain across the whole album, but because it is so strong in the first half, I am happy to go along. And I feel that if Mick and Joe called and asked me to join in the revolution, I would jump! (this is saying something for a scrawny 50 something guy like me).
SAULT
3/5
I am intrigued by this album. It is not really in my wheelhouse, but I did enjoy listening to it. My greater issue is including an album from 2020 on this list. I will have to check-in on the album here and again to see if it sustains over the years, but I can happily say that that doesn't bother me at all. Maybe it will grow on me.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Peter Gabriel has always been somewhat of an enigma to me. From the early Genesis stuff and early 80s work, I never really got him. But this album is fantastic. Easily his most accessible and commercial albums, he gets the absolute most of out 80s production values while exploring a wide range of subjects. From the bombastic and cautionary "Big Time" to the introspective self doubt in "Hear that Voice Again" and need for love in "Mercy Street" navigates complex topics with grace, power, and care at the same time. Look past the hits and enjoy this Lanois produced gem.
Bauhaus
3/5
These guys feel like the middle child in the family of the Sex Pistols and the Clash. Sure, they are rebellious and angry, but not that angry. They are more technical and to themselves and happy not be front and center among their siblings.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Four tracks clocking it an 45 minutes. Pure soul music and musically complex and groovy at the same time. I have nothing but respect for this album. From the twelve minute re-imagining of Burt Bacharach's "Walk On By" to the anecdotal "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," this album feels like comfort food without being filling. While I enjoyed the listen, I didn't want to get up afterwards. I was happy to continue lying there, wondering if I would ever feel like moving again. I guess that is contemplative.
Pavement
4/5
This album took several turns from the over-the-top grinding rock assault tracks, to alt-rock hit maker, to quirky experiment, and then more and more of the same. Somehow, in the end, it really impressed me more than I expected. I got a very distinctive early Wilco-vibe at its best, and as it progressed, I was kind of sold. I don't know how I missed this in the nineties, but I was glad to get it here. It may be pushing it a little, but listening to this on the 101 on the CA coast on a beautiful day, pushes this to a 4 for me. I guess I'm ready for a range life.
Pixies
3/5
What to do with the Pixies. I always want to like them, but I just don't get them. I recognize that it is me. Many ingredients are there for a great band, intelligent musicianship, strong sound, quirky and poetic lyrics, etc. I can't even say that they are missing something. They just don't resonate well with me. I did find this album more even as a whole than their other albums, but evenness didn't do it for me. Plus, it lacked a strong, breakout track for me. I will always give them a chance, but every time I do, I am surprised at how hard it is for me to connect with this band (despite "Where is my mind" being an amazing song by them).
Supergrass
4/5
It's jangly brit-pop from the 90s that is pretty good. If it suffers, it suffers from its time more than anything else. There is just an empty aimlessness of the 90s that keeps the music from being truly relevant. Still, it rocks musically, and the band is fun enough to make the apathy of the 90s sound a little better that they were. I gave them a 3 on a previous incarnation of the list, but despite everything, I found myself enjoying this album more than I remembered. So, I'm pushing to a 4. Good job, Supergrass.
Hole
3/5
What a curve ball. Hole is generally more assaulting to the ears, so I expected something a little more edgy than this foray into alt-pop. It was enjoyable, but I kept feeling like it was a ploy and at any moment it would go off the rails. I enjoyed it, but unsure of what to make of it. Alt-pop Hole seems a little inauthentic. Walking away cautiouslt
Funkadelic
3/5
I love Funk, and I was looking forward to this one. Bookended by some rather lengthy tracks, the album is more accessible and enjoyable in the middle. I’m guessing I need to spend more time with this one to appreciate it more fully!
Chicago
3/5
I have a great deal of respect for large bands. Whether it be classical orchestra, jazz bands, or even larger rock bands, there is something magical about talented musicians feeding off one another to create vital, transformative, infectious compositions or improvisations performances. I have been looking forward to this album for the express purpose of witnessing greatness (years ago, I had a Chicago greatest hits tape that had me somewhat prepared). And in many ways, the band and the album delivers. The big band sound is beautiful and it works for the most part. But I felt that they had trouble sustaining greatness on the album. It's as if the band itself doesn't believe their work is sustainable. But instead of working to convince me of their value, they give us "Free Form Guitar." an inexplicably lengthy and tedious affair. All in all, I just started losing enthusiasm by the note. Sadly, I am convinced that though this band is super talented and generates the occasional hit, it proves tedious.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
A rare first album that really feels incomplete or in progress with the exception of the two breakout singles; Breakdown and American Girl. Both are great songs, but American Girl closes out the album with a strong indication that there is more to come from this band. If I were hearing this at the time, I think this would be enough to make me want to hear more... although, I don't think he really comes into his own until the 90s.
The Damned
3/5
Who would have thought that The Damned could have so much fun! I am not sure what they bring to the punk genre other than a little bit more of a sense of irony and fun, but they are a tight band that delivers a nice entry into the punk world. I haven't heard them before, but I liked the album.
The Adverts
4/5
These guys could and should be in the conversation with Sex Pistols, The Clash, and any number of more recognized staples of the punk scene in the late 70s. While not as bombastic, their work is every bit as sophisticated and pointed. And it is even a bit more accessible. This is a really fun album and again makes me wish I had been more aware of these artists in the late 70s and early 80s. It would have also helped if I had been flush with cash to buy these albums as well.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
This is a good album, and it is certainly good R&B, but in terms of content and connection it seems a little too personal to me. For fans of his, this might be interesting and helpful, but as a general fan of music, it didn't draw me in as I expected from his peerless reputation.
Common
3/5
This was a very uneven album for me, but when it was on, it was quite good. Probably the most introspective rap album I have heard so far, and the touch of having his dad chime in at the end was a very cool touch (in addition to being a good track). I may be wrong, but this is probably the most mature rap album I've come across on the list. It doesn't pull punches, but softens in good places and ways that don't compromise his experiences.
Ian Dury
2/5
It is really hard to take this guy seriously. His adolescent take on the rock and roll lifestyle borders on parody. He's like a gutter UK version of Randy Newman with a one-note refrain. I suppose the album is on the list because of the funky groove of some of the songs, but the music stands out mostly because Ian's lazy singing (if you can call it that). Honestly, it doesn't do much for me. His few turns of phrase that catch your ear feel lucky rather than clever. Not impressed.
Buzzcocks
3/5
This is excellent punk music that also feels like it would be the perfect soundtrack for a movie that can't afford more well known/established punk rock. The quality is there, but the lyrics and even sound of the lead singer seem like they're not quite ready for prime time.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
It is clear that Janis is the driving force here. She shines, and I think that the rest of the band is happy to come along for the ride.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
I remember hearing about this band in the 90s, and I wish I had heard this album at the time. It doesn't sound like the 90s to me at all, and that is a good thing. It is a weird fusion between early 80s alt rock with a little bit of 60's alt psychedelic rock. At times it charms, but it also drifts a little into the experimental. By the end, I was ready to move on, however, it was a worthwhile venture into something from the 90s that didn't suffer too much from the grunge influences.
Tina Turner
3/5
At one point in her career, Tina Turners’s legs were insured at over a million dollars. I’m not even sure what it means, but it is more interesting than most of this album. Like most 80’s era comebacks, great talent is muddled by 80’s production value. I feel like Tina has a lot to say that is valuable and good, but I wish that the comeback had allowed for more of her talent to be highlighted.
Air
2/5
I haven't seen the movie. For better or worse, this means I can only truly evaluate this in terms of the music alone... which is basically ambient electronica. Of course, this is likely perfect for the film. There is so much to say about the problems of this album being on the list, but I will simply say, if this album deserves to be on this list, it should at least inspire me to see the movie. It didn't. Out of respect, I normally rate music that I don't get a 3. In protest to this soundtrack being on the list, I am giving it a 2.
Screaming Trees
3/5
I was surprised to learn of the grunge roots of this band. To me, they were sound more straight rock and roll to me with a toe or two in the alt category. Musically fun and even complex at times, the album sounds really good. However, there was something about the vocals/vocalist that just didn't seem to match the music. It felt almost like the Connells lead singer had joined up with a harder rock band. Worth the listen, for sure, but this album didn't make me want to hear more.
This is a real rocket. Sound wise, this album is a loot of fun. However, I struggled maintaining interest as the album progressed. Stewart has energy, but couldn’t maintain my interest lyrically. For me, it was like going to a loud party where you don’t get the people there. So, I left wondering what it would take to go back. Still wondering.
Musically, I’d give this a 3 easily, but I reviewed it earlier and gave a 2. Based on the 2nd listen, nothing compelled me to change.
Tom Waits
4/5
Tom Waits as a quirky jazz lounge singer. What more could you ask for? The band is super tight, and Tom is at his gregarious and saucy best. I am not sure how much I'll put it in the rotation, as it does seem a little like a stand alone episode in a great series. Still, Tom is always engaging and an interesting listen.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
This is the first album I've listened to in a long time where the members of the band (whatever the manifestion) are completely comfortable with themselves and the music they are creating. There is no pretense. The composition, songwriting, performance all seem completely organic. Image the Beatles without the weight and pressure of expectation. And the music is fantastic. It is not filled with singles with hooks and riffs, it is just artistry on display. They're not playing for the record company, the charts, or even their fans. They are just in the artistic zone, playing music for the joy of it. I highly recommend this album. First five in too long.
The Triffids
3/5
80s rock also occurred in New Zealand, and this album proves it. I am wondering if it occurred in Iceland as well. Time will tell.
The Sonics
4/5
This is a really fun, energetic, and joyful album. It arrives at the right time, and you wonder if they had been from the UK, could they have kept it together and made that transition to solid rock band. But don't let their lack of future development keep you from enjoying this little gem. Like its peers, it has its share of familiar tunes, however, there are some great lesser known tracks that delight. Boss Hoss and Walking the Dog are still ringing in my ears. Great stuff.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
Listening to this album put me on edge. It is great music, but I almost am side-eyed the entire time. It's like someone told Captain Beefheart in advanced music composition class that he didn't understand Rock and Roll, and he made an album as a counter argument. While it isn't great rock and roll, it is a fabulous approximation by someone who clearly knows his craft well. Kind of like Mozart being asked to play something for the king, and Mozart playing down to him. It isn't arrogant or patronizing. Quite the opposite. It's like you're listening to a musical craftsman who you get the feeling could do so much more, if the occasion called for it. In so many ways it is refreshing and inspiring. Even if it feels a bit self aware, Captain delivers a tight, fun, provocative album of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Not mired in excess but with the discipline of someone very much in control and in touch with their craft!
The Soft Boys
3/5
This is one clear examples of why there was a lot of excitement for music at the dawn of the 80s. Not quite punk or new wave, this album feels like one of the signs pointing to the alternative rock genre. Twangy, fun, and not over produced. A pleasant surprise!
Motörhead
1/5
My head hurts. I’m sure this is fabulous head-banging material, but I just find it annoying. If the lyrics happen to be compelling, I couldn’t enjoy them because of the tone. Couldn’t wait for this to end. I don’t know a thing about Hammersmith, but if you can sleep there it means Motörhead has stopped playing. It must be a lovely place.
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
Bonnie Raitt has a difficult story, but a great voice. I am glad this record did so well for her and helped establish herself as an artist. But between the genre and the 80’s horrid production sound toolkit, I couldn’t buy in.
The Cure
4/5
I was never a Cure fan back in the day, but I really enjoyed this album. I love these early 80s albums that weren’t driven by hit singles or awash with that 80s sound. This album creates and follows a vibe that methodically moves to its crescendo with 17 Seconds closing it out. I feel like I just witnessed a band in the early stages of finding its voice. And it was a cool if brooding experience!
The Modern Lovers
5/5
The Modern Lovers. What a fabulous Album. Even the most cursory of historical dives on this band tells the story of there inevitable disbanding before they even had a chance to explode. However, no amount of troubled history can overshadow the amazing work that is this album. Track to track, it is a tour-de-force of Pre-Punk proclamations for those not yet ready to rebel. The vide is full of energy and attitude that invites you into all the familiar struggles of youth and reminds even those of us that are older, that we should have taken them all more seriously than we did. Yet, even the album arrives after its own time. Do yourself a favor and stop what you're doing, clear the room that has the best sound system you own, and listen to this album! You'll be glad you did, and you'll lament that this is all we really get from the Modern Lovers.
The Young Rascals
3/5
1967 seems a little early for a nostalgia album, but that is what this feels like. I don't really see the Young Rascals as R&B, but more like a band trying it on for size. They do a good job, and all the singles are serviceable, but they are hardly groundbreaking standards. And for 1967, this seems like a band capturing lightning in a bottle rather than breaking new ground.
Judas Priest
2/5
I am sure that there are people out there who can make a compelling argument for this album. I am also sure that it, like this album will fall on my deaf ears. There is just no appeal for this kind of sonic and philosophical assault. Moving right along.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
This one hurts. It sounded great at the outset, and I really liked their next album. This album suffers from not really having much good to say. As a result, the latter part of the album kind of feels like they are a one trick pony, where the trick isn't so compelling. I think they got some things figured out by 2009, but I just couldn't keep up my interest in this one.
Gorillaz
3/5
This is a fun and uneven album. It feels like an art project by your gifted friend. Technically, it is very good and fun, but you're not quite sure your friend is really committed to it. It is almost like an affectation or distraction rather than a logical progressive step by an accomplished artist.
Nina Simone
5/5
This is my 356th (one year) album! Happy Anniversary to me.
Also, Nina Simone is fantastic. Her voice is compelling, the content is poignant and relevant even today, and the music is very strong. It is a little too old for my taste, but at the same time, the quality is undeniable. I'm stuck at 4.5 or 5, but just on vocal presence, I am leaning high!
Hugh Masekela
4/5
I don't know much about jazz, but I really enjoyed this album. I could easily be argued into a higher score, but my lack of expertise here, is keeping me grounded. If you're a jazz fan, you already know of the album and probably could school me on the finer points. As a novice, I did enjoy it, though!
5/5
This is where it all comes together for me and Bowie. I have had a lot of his albums on 1001 that have left me scratching my head, but this is a fantastic album! Here you have the culmination of Bowie, his personas, themes, sound, and even his grappling with his own view of art, and it just works. Hunky Dory is more singles, but this album demands you take it as the whole. If you do, you won't be disappointed.
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
I can feel the Illinoise! And it is still resonating in my soul after listening to it for the first time in years. There are few artists and albums that immediately feel like they are both engaging and beyond you at the same time. Stevens' songs are compelling, moving, and will challenge your thinking, philosophy, and faith. And he does this with gentleness and big symphonic intimacy that allows you to accept the challenge in a way that is more contemplative than off-putting. There is no sermon, but there is an altar call of sorts... the kind that compels you to respond!
Jeff Beck
3/5
Jeff Beck, like many members of the Yarbirds, is insanely talented. And the band he assembles for his solo effort is also fantastic. Even Rod Stewart shines at times. Still, despite all the positives, it doesn't sustain.
This is a good album, and I am glad it is on the list, but even listening to it, you know it won't hold. I think even Jeff Beck knows it won't hold up. It is almost like these songs are just excuses for Jeff Beck's guitar solos.
Roxy Music
3/5
This album feels like the out/alt takes of mythical greater album. It isn't that the album isn't good. It is. It is masterfully produced by Brian Eno. It has some solid tracks, but it is just quirky enough to make you feel like there is something better out there that built upon this album.
Joy Division
4/5
Is it wrong to call Joy Division mature punk. This is a great album that has all the signs of defiance and anti-establishment rebellion but tempers the delivery and creates a really interesting sound. The 80s might not have the best reputation as a musical decade, but the early 80s has some real gems! This is one of them.
Orange Juice
3/5
Orange Juice is an interesting band with an interesting sound but pretty pedestrian in terms of real contribution to the genre and era. If there is a good reason to include them on the list it isn’t readily apparent to me.
Minor Threat
2/5
As a 50+ year old, I just can’t take someone yelling at me for 22 minutes.
Willie Nelson
3/5
This album makes me feel like I'm five years old, riding in the center of the bench seat of an old car without seatbelts. All I can think about is how to change the station without getting in trouble. It's not bad music, but the feeling that I need to move as quickly as possible to better music is palpable.
3/5
One of the few cases where later music from the band is just plain better. This is a good album, although thematically it feels like a forced 2nd draft full of good ideas not quite tied together completely. I didn’t mind, though. There is wry, suburban commentary that is witty rather than preachy, and the songs are fun and interesting.
Steely Dan
5/5
This doesn't seem like a first album. The music is so clean, tight, and captivating in a such a melodramatic way, it just seems impossible that this is a first effort. Each track is instrumentally dense, yet almost everyone has their chance to shine from track to track. The lyrics are sometimes haunting, contemplative, or even witty, but they are always poetic and pushing you beyond a casual listen. This is the first album in a while where I looked up in shock when there were no more tracks to enjoy. Really fun album!
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Neil Young and Crazy Horse are amazing. In seven songs they break out rock standards, anthems, ballads, laments, and country. And they make it seem effortless. If you think about it too much, you may start to wonder how it fits together. So, don't. Just hit repeat and enjoy another play through. It moved my rating from a 4 to a 5, and my respect for Neil continues to grow and grow!
The Offspring
2/5
More yelling, but more importantly, Offspring feels like a band created by a marketing department trying to capitalize on the popularity of grunge rather than being a band born out of it. Interesting hooks at times, but ultimately unconvincing.
Kacey Musgraves
1/5
I don't believe this album should be on the list. First, because 2018 is too recent to determine appropriate significance. Second, because even without enough time, it has no staying power. So pleasant, it is offensive.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
I will easily grant that the vibe and overall sound of this album is very well done, and that it has great production value for the 80s. However, it feels more like an ambient track than something I would be drawn to listen to in any kind of regular rotation.
George Jones
3/5
I would say this is a grand 'ol' tour that feels more like a nostalgia piece. I am not a big fan of country, but somehow it seems more palatable as a slice of history. Still can't embrace it wholeheartedly.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
I had heard of Emmylou Harris, but flinched when I saw "country" as the genre. However, I was pleasantly surprised. If all country were more like this, I probably would be more of a fan. She's an engaging storyteller and songwriter, and while the music suffers at time to some dated production value, I didn't mind. Really solid album with some standout tracks.
Julian Cope
4/5
This is a vast and ambitious album that features Julian Cope as a Willy Wonka of composition taking you through his musical factory. There are lots of treats, but you have a quirky guide that sometimes gets lost and distracted by his own vision. There are vibes of Elvis Costello and even Leonard Cohen, and when the tracks are good, they are really good and translate well. But even when the tracks aren't quite as accessible, you get the feeling that Cope bought in 100%. This makes it all very listenable and memorable.
Willie Nelson
3/5
This album is the soundtrack for every soul-sick cowboy haunted by the past and his own poor choices. And you're unsure at the end whether he's found redemption or an empty church. There are no heroes, only villains and victims in the old south/west.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
This album is intriguing. Listening to it, I felt like I was in the middle of New Orleans Neo Noir film trying to solve a crime nobody wanted to take the time to solve. And I am working extra hard because I don't know French, Cajun, or any blend enough to be helpful. I am enjoying listening for clues I'll never get. Music and production value are amazing. Bottom line, is this is exactly the kind of unique album that makes this list and process so valuable.
Kid Rock
1/5
Tedious! More like Kid Schlock!
Soundgarden
3/5
Clearly a tight, quality band. They are a more mature voice in the grunge movement, and that is a good thing. They have traded a little angst with some more focused commentary, and it works for the most part. The singles stand out as good signature tracks, but the rest lacks the punch of its peers' grumpier tracks. They seem to have it to together in life to be so angry.
Def Leppard
3/5
This is glorious 80's hair band rock and roll. Catchy and fun while not afraid to belt out some over the top exhortations to the brighter side of sex, drugs, and glam rock. It is hard to navigate between nostalgia and concrete critique, so I'll just say, give it a listen. It is a fun and wild ride you won't regret, but probably won't revisit very often.
Van Morrison
4/5
I have a tremendous amount of respect for Van Morrison. He has great presence and demands your attention. This album doesn't have any real stand out singles or signature tracks, it is like one of those Saturday afternoon movies where no matter where you are in the story, when you see it, you stop and watch all the way to the end.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Even with their first album, you probably need a recreational drug to make sense of it all. At this point in their career, even OTC Benadryl might do the trick. All the signs and sounds of greatness are there. Yet, even without putting it all together, the album is strong. I would love to have tracked their progress linearly. They clearly have broken ground for a new wall!
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
1/5
This is totally unfair, but my immediate reaction to this was that I didn't realize AI was around in 1991. World Electronica is a gateway phrase to mediocrity. It sounds fine, if you're into it, but it could have been generic library music, and I wouldn't have known the difference.
Queen
3/5
This is like the bonus Queen disc you would get if you bought one of their greater albums. All really good material, but not on the same level as A Night at the Opera or Queen II. This is an example of an album being on the list because of one great song "Killer Queen" and no bad songs to take it back off the list. As good as it is, it feels standard Queen to me.
Elbow
3/5
A more brooding, contemplative Coldplay without the star power.
Soul II Soul
2/5
The challenge with this album is that it doesn't make a convincing case for its own genre. Musically, its fine, but as I develop a stronger appreciation for R&B, I don't get why it is special.
Dennis Wilson
2/5
Great... easy listening. Pass for me.
Bee Gees
3/5
I just don't understand The Bee Gees. The family glee club graduated with history degrees floundered around and kept getting lucky with an occasional hit and then flourished with... disco??!?! This album is very well produced, and lyrically intriguing, but it is hard to imagine how they remained in the music business with this model.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
This album is great in that it covers such a wide range of Neil Young's iterations. You have the solo acoustic Neil, the electric Neil, the earthy Neil and the cosmic Neil all in one gutsy performance. I still like his studio albums better, but it is a great view of the artist in action.
The Youngbloods
4/5
This might be the most sophisticated, jazz-infused, pop album I have heard. I loved the vocals, production value, instrumentation... it simply has a tight, fun vide to it. Quite a surprise since I only know them from their hit, "Get Together." Every track on this album is better than that one.
King Crimson
1/5
Ironically, this album is also on the 1001 albums you must unlisted to before you die (unless you work for the now defunct Radio Shack, and you are just testing audio gear).
Air
3/5
Better than the Virgin Suicides soundtrack, and I think this rightly reflects what is good and strong about the band. Nice vibe and groove for its genre. I hate to admit it, but “Sexy Boy” (single) is a fun track.
Dion
2/5
This album walks a fine line between easy listening and muzak. It is wholly unremarkable. Nothing bad, nothing offensive, and nothing memorable (not that those are the things needed to make something memorable).
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
I am a big fan of Latin/Salsa, but I don’t know how this stands out. Tito Puente is more traditional and a lot more fun. This had a little bit of cringy disco on a couple of tracks, but was great at times.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
This album is delight from the first notes of Suite: Judy Blue Eyes all the way to the end. And even though the album is a little uneven, it feels right, with the peaks hitting throughout at just the right moments. And, oh, the harmonies!
Leonard Cohen
5/5
80s production style almost killed this for me out of the gate, but Cohen's pure talent kept me listening. The storytelling, the writing, and the command of his literal and musical voice transcends the limits of this era. So, so good. Be patient and be amazed!
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
It is hard not to love The Mamas & The Papas! There is just a certain charm to their combined voices that makes you smile at the much more innocent side of the sixties.
5/5
This album is mystifying in the best way. The tracks are all strong and catchy and at the same time indistinguishable. The Davies make this album seem casual, as if they aren't even trying, while they capture your soul and have you singing right along with them. I don't know half of the people referenced in "Mr. Churchill says," but I bought in thoroughly. Absolutely brilliant album.
Aerosmith
1/5
This album needs a pump. This is paint by numbers pop metal by a band that should be better. To be fair, I am not a fan of Aerosmith, but this album will not win an on the fence listener at all. Pass.
The Replacements
3/5
These guys feel like Replacements. The music, sound, and overall vibe are really good, but they don't inspire great investment. Still, you kind of think that if they grew up a little, polished up their writing, they might be great.
Soft Machine
2/5
Take rock band, add jazz, and watch your enjoyment slowly rot away to boredom. The third track was tolerable for two minutes, and then I realized that there were 15 more minutes. I am completely confident that there are good reasons for this album to be on the list, but I can't see them because I fall asleep before I can form a coherent argument against it.
Sabu
3/5
Traditional, world jazz, that evokes a happier festive time. It gets even better if I imagine myself sitting in plaza square in Cuba circa 1957, on a very flexible tourist visa while flush with cash.
John Cale
4/5
A meandering album that has a lot of charm. I expected so much more based on Cale's connection with the Velvet Underground, and though the album was much different than I expected, it didn't disappointing at all. The full orchestral pop-ness of the album actually caught me off guard and drew me in quickly. Lyrically it was quirky and poetic. I really enjoyed this.
Fairport Convention
4/5
In my imagination, Fairport ceased operation after Dylan went electric. So, it is awesome to hear this album and hear and feel the strength of Liege and Lief's performance. It is a super solid folk performance, and I will certainly give this multiple listens.
The Divine Comedy
1/5
Chamber Pop? Really? I mean, I can appreciate a good sub-genre now and again, but this just isn't one of those times. It is an inexplicable combination of The Smiths/Morrissey (brilliant) and 70's mediocre singer/songwriter constructs (Harry Nilsson et al - not brilliant) to greater negative effect. It's not that it is bad or unlistenable, it is just wrong. It reminds me of a great quote from Jurassic Park when talking about the irresponsible science around growing dinosaur... "you were too busy asking whether on not you could instead of asking wether you should."
Beatles
5/5
It is hard to talk about how good the Beatles are and feel like any kind of justice has been done. I personally have argued that this is their best, but I am never sure. All I can say is that this album is a 5/5 with unflinching confidence. Right alongside almost every single Beatle album ever produced (Magical Mystery Tour and Let it Be slightly faltering only because they weren't official albums but pieces of different projects). Great Great Great album! I had been on a Beatles run through lately so I have had a recent listen. Still shaken by Tomorrow Never Knows, Eleanor Rigby, For No One, She Said, She Said... and every song on the album. If you're inclined, go ahead and add Paperback Writer and Rain to the album. You won't be sad about it.
Solange
4/5
This is an engaging, compelling, and interesting album. I am an almost 60 year old white guy, but this album really worked for me. At times, I didn't feel like I was the intended audience, but at other times, I felt that it was speaking directly to me. Musically, it was very well done. I don't have the vocabulary to explain it all, but its empirical value is evident. Well done.
Marianne Faithfull
4/5
This is a very interesting albums with solid tracks and some misses. I'm rounding up from three (3) to four (4) based on a degree of difficulty. I always thought of her more as an actor/model/character over a musical artist, and in the wake of a pretty crazy lifestyle emerges with a very solid album. I was crazy about her take on Working Class Hero (Lennon), but it's better than most Beatle/former Beatle covers. I don't usually single out tracks in album discussion, but Guilt was my favorite. This was a surprise for me.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
So, you can create disco in 2005! Bravo, I guess. The music is enjoyable, but I didn't rally behind this too much. The intrigue of their take on the genre sent me back rather than propel me forward. Still, it was enjoyable to listen to.
Prefab Sprout
4/5
This album was a delightful surprise. The production value and sound hit a real sweet spot that reminded me of Crowded House, albeit a little less pop oriented. Though the album doesn't end as strongly as it begins, it maintains the overall vibe and interest. I wish I had discovered this back in the day.
The Byrds
4/5
The Byrds are such an interesting band. They are synonymous with the psychedelic music scene, have well known singles (original and Dylan covers alike), and furthered artists careers for decades to come. Their sound on this album is completely recognizable and has all of the signatures that they are known for, and yet, it still feels a little enigmatic to me. Perhaps, they aren't an "album" band. The music is great, but hard to place in their overall canon. 8 Miles High still sounds fantastic, and that alone is enough secure the album's place on the list!
Ministry
3/5
This album reminded me of how much I don't lie Metal (speed metal, psychobilly, or industrial metal, or any of the other shades of metal).
That said, I do appreciate the production value and the creative approach to blending media. It is elaborately executed and sounds great, and it is interesting to compare this the emergent grunge bands.
I just wish I enjoyed the genre more.
The White Stripes
5/5
The White Stripes are amazing. I would have loved to have attended a live performance back in the day, and I am still amazed at the amount of sound and power they generate with the two of them. The range of this album is also impressive from hard, driving rock to folk ballad, they impress and command your attention. Go ahead and dial in, you will hear new things every time you listen.
Living Colour
4/5
Heavy Metal is not my thing... generally. This album, however, is such a bright spot for metal in the 1980s. It harkens back to Rock's origins in the late 60s and early 70s with the big sound of the 80s. It's witty and accessible without compromise. The songs go beyond hooks without losing a sense of playfulness and fun. This was a surprise as I missed this one back in the 80s when it arrived. Shame on me.
Bad Brains
3/5
Wow. There is a lot going on with this album. Apple calls it Alternative, but is more of a hardcore mashup of genres (Ska, Punk, Metal, etc.) I actually appreciate the punk side, and not all of the tracks are so overt. There are some more subtle tracks that are very interesting like Secret 77, that feel more traditionally alternative rock. I don't know much about the band, but you can feel them pushing themselves and blending genres in compelling ways. Interesting.
Gillian Welch
4/5
I really love the haunting nature of Welch's voice, and the tone and storytelling on this album is captivating. The scaled down production actually makes the songs bigger. This album could be the soundtrack for any great Southern Gothic Novel adapted for film. In fact, after listening to it straight through, I felt like I had just read a novel - the kind of novel that won't easily let you put it down even when you've finished it.
The xx
3/5
This is a solid contemplative pop album. I like the vocal duo, but their strength is in the strong, deep, brooding vibe they create. Not a lot of hooks or clever lines, but they hold your attention with their sound. At times it feels borderline ambient, but you still get the impression that even in those moments, they are intentional.
Bee Gees
2/5
This album is an enigma to me. It fits squarely within The Bee Gees pre-disco canon, and while they aspire to greatness, they are unable to attain it. They had to wait for disco where their mediocrity could save them. It does give me a better appreciation for disco, and on that note, John Travolta should be the most grateful man in the world.
Brian Wilson
3/5
I would call this album anachronistically good. Hats off to Brian and crew to produce music that sounds like The Beach Boys and only really misses the mark because it isn't The Beach Boys. It is a good alternative, but in reality, it Is more alt Beach Boys than an example of unrealized Beach Boy material/vision. To me, it delivered in the same way a Beatles reunion with Julian Lennon filling in for John would have delivered. (this was actually floated for a few minutes when Julian had his 15 minutes in the 80s). In the case of the latter, I am glad it didn't happen. I am glad Smile happened, if only to give Brian Wilson some resolution.
Simply Red
3/5
I remember the name Simply Red more than I remember the actual music, so I was surprised to hear these soulful, jazzy tracks. The album avoids many of the typical 80's production sound traps, but at the same time, I am not sure how much it really stands out. Lyrically, the album is strong, and I get the impression that putting together this album was more of an art project. That said, it comes across solid enough with strong exhortations and lessons stronger than the average pop mantras.
Khaled
3/5
This is the grooviest world music I have heard so far on the 1001 list. I am not sure what specific aspects of the album make it great, but I enjoyed the overall vibe. It seemed like a late 70's soundtrack in a good way. Quite fun.
Paul Weller
4/5
This is a really good album. I love how Paul Weller breaks into 92, in the middle of Grunge, with a folk album that is more alt than pop, and has a nice psychedelic rock underpinning. I love how he moves between solid folk/rock tracks and near anthems with control. He is strong lyrically, and dares you to engage with the narrators of his songs. I don't know a whole lot about his career, but he sticks the landing with Wild Wood and has fun doing it.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
I am not sure that what Jon Spencer explodes is Blues. This is a raw, garage band style, album but it doesn't really sound like the blues to me. It is a classic case of energy and power without soul, and if blues lacks soul, what is the point.
New Order
4/5
I love the albums on this list that remind me of the good of the 1980s, and while I am not sure this is the best New Order album, it sounds great! It has depth, heart, and scope. Most of all, it captures the rebelliousness of the 80s without whining or feeling over the top. The first half is stronger than the second, but it all sounds good. Hats off to the boys from Manchester!
David Gray
4/5
I didn't remember David Gray at all, and I was kind of on the fence about the album as it started, but it really came around for me. I recognized Babylon, and dialed in quickly. This is a good, strong album and worthy of your attention. Apple Music calls it "Rock" but it really is almost Alternative folk. No matter where it falls in terms of genre, David is an excellent songwriter and musician. Don't pass this one by!
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
This is another one of those early 80's albums that I can't believe I missed. I loved the wit and bombastic energy on this album, and while I am not sure what they are really about, it is hard to argue against their raucous vibe. This is kind of like the funny cousin of Def Leopard that doesn't take itself too seriously, but also dives into the music with overt intensity.
k.d. lang
3/5
This album confirms my number 1 musical truth: the only way country music is tolerable is when it is written and performed by non country artists. Lang does an amazing job of capturing the heart of good old country music. It isn't as bold at Nashville Skyline, but it is a treat. I don't believe I'll return much to this (mostly due to my feelings toward the genre), but I would rank this up there with the greats of the genre.
Cee Lo Green
3/5
For the most part, I really enjoyed this album. For me, the explicit nature of the music grows weary on me, and I am grateful that the album sort of moves between the graphic and the celebratory. Mostly, I find Cee-Lo and many of his guests extremely talented and the music is creative, witty, and charming in a way. Cee-Lo sometimes seems like he has a bit of a messianic complex, but I am not sure he buys it.
a-ha
5/5
I owned this album in 1985... and played the grooves off of it. I stand behind the fact that the album is well written, thematically strong, and musically interesting, but I also hold it up as an example of solid 80s pop. While I can't easily separate my nostalgic enthusiasm for the album, I also don't want to. I would rather just salute the members of a-ha and celebrate this album for what it is, great music. I will grant that the production value of the album is dated, but their acoustic version of Take on Me a few years back reminded me that at their core, a-ha was really making good music in spite of its era's constraints. Give it a listen!
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
The only thing negative to say about this album is that the boy making this album is not at all badly drawn.
This is a strong album. I was immediately intrigued by the sound and tone. It is dramatic and quirky, and as I listened, I felt that I was hearing the soundtrack of a movie or a series of short films that need to be made.
Imagine a much less pretentious Sufjan Stevens and enjoy the music!
Megadeth
2/5
And who's buying this album... not me!
I am not entirely against heavy metal as a genre, but is just something empty about the fews years between hair bands and grunge that feels more like the death rattle of metal than a step forward. Pass.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
In many ways, this is the perfect follow up to What's Going On. It is like Marvin was out tackling the social issues all day and now longs for intimacy and love.
The music and vibe are great, but it is hard to know whether he is really looking for, talking about, and pursing true love or just release. And if It is latter, then both relationship and social justice are marginalized.
It sounds good either way, and that brings up other questions.
Al Green
3/5
It doesn't get any better than the title track for Al Green's "Let's Stay Together." The rest of the album is good, but nothing like the single. And it's enough to put this album on the list. the song is that perfection!
Blondie
4/5
It is hard to figure why I like this album so much. It is certainly more new wave, punk, alternative and that is a big plus for me. However, the writing is less convincing. I feel like Harry is playing the part of a rock star rather than being a rock star. She is good at it, though, and so she has my respect. Band is solid, too!
American Music Club
4/5
This was a musical time capsule for me. The only think missing was me tuning my radio to find the signal as the first song starts to play. The music is good, and it transports me to a late 70's classic rock band kind of place. I don't think this band was going for nostalgia, I just think that this take on the genre is in their bones. While I can't really tease out hits (not sure they had any), the whole album rings true. I wish they had garnered more recognition when they hit the scene.
Barry Adamson
3/5
This feels like outtakes and demos that Beck would use as background to actual songs with lyrics. Adamson's talent is undeniable. He is creative and innovative, but this feels more like a sample of musical ideas than songs. The ideas are good and worth exploring, but I don't know how often I'd sit down to listen to them.
Sisters Of Mercy
3/5
Significant brooding Bowie vibe, run through the 80's music production toolkit. It isn't bad. In fact, it grew on me... a little. It just doesn't ever really take off. As a result, the commentary comes off as just grumpy.
Television
5/5
This is quite the rocker! Post Glam Rock with a dash of New Wave and Punk, and you get this over the top and melodramatic epic. Most of the time, these would be criticisms, but this band pours their heart and soul into every note, and I bought it. Even though I cringed at times during Torn Curtain, these guys were all in. It works. Love it.
Marty Robbins
3/5
I'd rather get a red rider BB gun and risk shooting my eye out than listening to this album. It's not my genre. In fact, I am not sure it still is a genre. Regardless, I got through it. It is fine, but it feels out of another time. I am sure that in its day, it was fine. Now, not so much.
Sebadoh
4/5
I missed this band in the early 90s, and it is a shame because I enjoyed this album. They sound like a garage band that through maturity and discipline graduated to a living room band. And when they stay in that restrained groove they are at their best. The vocals and instrumentation are sharp, crisp, and groovy. I like that they dip back into a more raw garage band style, but when they settle down, they really shine.
Randy Newman
2/5
In my opinion, Randy Newman is a musical one trick pony. Musically, it is a delightful, pleasant, and sometimes silly pony. Not a pony, you saddle up and take to engage in protests about social injustice and racism. It is hard to distinguish this album from the Toy Story soundtrack, and sadly, it made me want to go watch Toy Story again rather than think seriously about issues.
Sister Sledge
3/5
Ah, disco. What a wild time! In all honesty, this is superb disco. Not all dance tracks, but a good mix of singles that are just pure fun and others that tackle bigger issues of race, art, and the record industry. It is well done, and it works for the most part within the constraints of the genre. But it is disco. And as much as I get nostalgic and even tap my feet, I feel those limitations. A catchy and honorable effort from a troubled genre. I'll take it... today.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
I had no idea who Michael Kiwanuka was when I started listening, and I have to say I was intrigued right away. In the same way Beck put an industrial, techno spin on 60's psychedelic rock with Odelay, Kiwanuka's take on 70s music is also super refreshing. He even brings in some jazz elements and creates a sound and album that develops as it goes along. Harder still to believe is this came out in 2019. So glad to come across this one.
Bob Dylan
5/5
I love this album. For all the fanfare over his electric performance months after this album is released, the work started here. A brilliant musical step forward for Dylan without disregarding or abandoning his early work. Though the newer style tracks come first, the album ends with really strong, spare folk tracks. I mean, he gives you absolutely everything on this album. Except for Maggie's Farm, the transition is almost appears technical or only on paper, yet it is real.
The title is spot on. Even among the varied and progressive (for folk fans) style, Bob Dylan seems absolutely at home in the space. He confronts and reflects with ease and with grand musical effect. He is the perfect troubadour and band headliner. Amazingly, this is an appetizer. The big meal is just around the corner out on Highway 61.
Iggy Pop
3/5
This just wasn't that compelling for me. Iggy Pop comes with a strong reputation, but it seems like vague experimentation. The single bright spot was hearing/discovering China Girl on this album. Looking into it, it was co-written with Bowie. In fact, Bowie recorded a version for Let's Dance to help Iggy Pop financially. I actually really like the version on this album. A bright spot, for sure.
Hole
3/5
This is a really good album.
The production value and overall sound and feel of the record - the best manifestation of Hole so far. And Love is in the groove. She also mostly strikes a good balance between over the top angerfests and softer rants.
This is also the problem with the album. Toward the end, the yelling seemed repetitive to the point that I began to care less about all the things she was singing about.
It is hard to take so much yelling when it takes so little to understand the trappings of fame, fortune, exploitation, drugs, abuse, egoism, sexism, etc. Granted, she is experiencing all these things with much higher definition, but such is the challenge with art.
Donald Fagen
3/5
Listening to this album is liking going through a museum for something you're not quite interested in. Everything that you see and learn is curiously intriguing, but you wonder at times whether it matters to you. I enjoy Fagen's lyrical playfulness and distinct vocals, but the real strength of the album is the music. It's way more jazz that rock and roll, which hurts it for me in the long run. Beyond the familiar singles, I am happy to return to good ol Steely Dan.
The United States Of America
3/5
It is very strange to listen to an incredibly experimental album from a band that regularly experimented with mind-altering, recreational chemicals - or at least the genre named for the general result of those chemicals. Regardless, this album navigates the fine line of experiment and good art deftly. While it is not as accessible or groovy as the more popular psychedelic rock bands, it is quite good. In fact, it got better and better as it went along. This is a good listen!
Kings of Leon
4/5
Musically, I found this album interesting and solid. But it seems to me that the lead vocalist is just checking a box. It's as if an imposter is on vocals, and he is trying to be engaging while knowing all along he's a poser. 3/5 mostly because the music is solid.
Guided By Voices
4/5
Fantastic. Short, strong, hooky, alternative rock tracks that sound great! 28 songs in 41 minutes, and I want more. I had not heard of them prior to the list, and if you haven't either, be prepared to go on a tour of great tracks. I'm tempted to think that they end the songs so quickly based on showmanship. However, they sound solid and could go on with acclaim.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Brilliant. This is the devastated, gaunt, hobbled, and grizzled counterpart to Dylan's earlier work. It really feels like the inevitable conclusion to Bringing All Back Home, Highway 61, Blonde on Blonde trilogy. After the world has beaten all of the youthful exuberance and enthusiasm out of you, you get Time Out of Mind, and the older I get, the more it makes sense to me.
Eagles
4/5
Though I am not a fan of the Eagles, I respect their work. This album, in particular, builds on earlier success and adds the masterful guitar work and overall vibe of Joe Walsh. And while it is uneven, the strength of Hotel California, Life in the Fast Lane, and Victim of Love elevate the overall work from a 3 to a 4. It hurts to do it because I am not a fan of most of their earlier work. However, listening again, I am compelled to give them the extra nod of approval.
The Cardigans
4/5
With a name like "The Cardigans" and a brilliantly catchy single with "Lovefool," it is an expected risky roll of the dice on the album.
And it came up sevens. While it isn't a five-star album for me, it surprises on a bunch of levels. There are lo-fi anthems, jazz, a surprising cover... all pristinely produced, tight, and diverse tracks.
They may not literally be the first band on the moon, but if I lived on the moon, I would be happy to spin this one every once and while!
Eric Clapton
3/5
I don't understand the career of Eric Clapton. Undoubtedly a brilliant guitarist, but after his string of groups in the 60's (and earning the title of "god"), I don't get the fascination. This album is a good listen, and the tracks are solid, but in the end it is unremarkable in the face of Clapton's vaunted reputation.
I don't mind giving this a 3 out of 5, because most people will likely rate it better based on Layla, or some his classic Cream tracks. That's ok by me.
Solomon Burke
4/5
It is really hard to judge these early rock and roll albums because we are so much more familiar with all that follows. But this is a gem. It might be even better because I didn't know all of the songs, but regardless "Rock 'N Soul" is an apt title as Mr. Burke delivers gutsy vocals. And the production value (though naturally spare) comes through marvelously. This was a real treat!
Magazine
4/5
Wow. The late 70s had some real surprises for me. First, Television blew me away with Marquee Moon earlier on the list. And I have to say, Magazine didn't disappoint. I was wondering as I listened about what an amazing concert it would have been if they had toured together.
I'll give Television the technical artistic nod, but I found Magazine more accessible and relatable.
Both are now in rotation for me. I hope you'll give them both a spin!
Lucinda Williams
3/5
Lucinda Williams has an excellent reputation as a songwriter, and I remember lots of buzz when this album came out. I think the deeper cuts on the album are a bit better than the singles, but on the whole I was disappointed. Apple Music calls this "Rock" but it feels to me like country in denial. The lyrics were often compelling, but the compositions were just ok. Appropriate album title.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
I feel like the Coen Brothers heard this album and decided to make "O Brother, Where Art Thou!" This is a very interesting collection of the dream team of Bluegrass (can't believe I just wrote that) working through and spinning the "best of" catalog. It is well done, and it sounds great. But it also feels like going through an antique store when you come across some interesting pieces, contemplate the purchase, but inevitably decide to move on. Great experience, but I am not sure I'm buying.
Doves
4/5
This album sounds great, and it immediately draws you in. Moody, atmospheric, and yet compelling, the Doves sound and feel like a more risky and experimental version of Coldplay - less hook driven with a less distinct vocal. While they aren't quite as catchy, they are every bit as compelling.
Black Sabbath
4/5
R.I.P. Ozzy! Although it feels odd to say it based on his commercial and artistic relationship with the occult. Still, considering all of his contributions to music, I do hope he finds real peace and eternal rest.
Liz Phair
4/5
This album surprised me. I had heard of Liz Phair, but back in the 90s access was still a big issue. As a result, I don't believe I ever heard this album.
The sound and production value are great, and Liz's songwriting is tight, playful, and confrontational in a very accessible way. Obviously, she was taking on big issues, but the music doesn't come across as a string of complaints. Really good writing and execution.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
1/5
How did this guy get an album released? This just feels trashy.
Kate Bush
3/5
I was looking forward to get passed "Running Up that Hill" to see what all the fuss was about Kate Bush. I still don't get the fascination.
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
I enjoyed this album, but I can see why the Psychedelic Furs never broke through and became a major success. When they're on, they sound great and hit all the right marks, but it just isn't often enough. As a result, this feels more like an enjoyable nostalgia than a nod to timeless music.
The Undertones
3/5
It is hard not to enjoy the upbeat, garage playfulness of The Undertones' Hypnotizsed album. I was really enjoying it and then wondered if I had been actually hypnotized by this band. I hadn't. The music is solid with quick hooky tracks that remind you of a more innocent time.
The National
4/5
An American version of Arcade Fire.
I have tried to like Arcade Fire over the years, but I have never been drawn in. The National is better. I actually enjoyed the album. Musically, it moves around technically and keeps you interested while the lyrics slowly draw you in. One listen, and I will definitely return. The singer reminds me of someone, but I can't quite put a finger on it. Worth your attention.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
It is easy to see why Paul Simon was so take with the world sounds of African music. This album sounds amazing and draws you in even if you don't understand the lyrics. Captivating!
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Nope. Just not that interesting.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Simon & Garfunkel are great, but I just don't consider them an album duo. They have great singles and great greatest hits collections. Their albums don't stay with me like other great albums from other bands... That said, I enjoyed this album, though it feels more like a nostalgic enjoyment. I can't really figure out where to place them in my own catalog of greatness - though they are there somewhere.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
More like My Bloody Eardrums!
Ok, it wasn't that bad... but it was close.
Though I am sure that there is some real intentional musical craftsmanship here, I don't get it. It sounds interesting at times, and it isn't always unpleasant, I just couldn't embrace it.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
I love this time in the early 80s... dark, moody, and completely unsure of where to go with punk rock. They almost have no filter, but they sound good. Maybe this is the bane of 80s music.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
I have a soft spot in my heart for this album. I saw the trailer for the documentary (never saw it), but I went out and bought the album right away. The opening song is by far the best track, but it is all good - recorded and produced by great artist!
G. Love & Special Sauce
3/5
In my imagination, I don't think I would have ever conceived of a garage hip hop band that uses actual instruments and sounds great. It is a weird cross between gimmickry and serendipity. And they do impress.
Sheryl Crow
4/5
Between her rambling storytelling and infectious vocals, Sheryl Crow delights in her debut album. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of singles I recognized, and the rest of the album didn't disappoint either. Underneath the commercial pop wizardry, a real songwriter emerges with surprising strength. And she makes it seem effortless when you know it isn't. A welcome trip down memory lane!
Os Mutantes
4/5
Welcome to an alternate universe where the Hollies emerge out of Brazil instead of Manchester, UK. They are bit more psychedelic, and I would say more sophisticated, but that might just be because I can't understand all the lyrics. It doesn't matter in the end, because empirically, this is just good, fun, psychedelic rock.
Culture Club
3/5
Standard 80s pop that fails to have their meaningful songs resonate up to and beyond the fascination in their public personas.
Kate Bush
3/5
I wonder how many 80s bands would explode if they just rerecord or remixed their albums without the 80's synth toolkit. This is definitely true for me with Kate Bush. While it still bears some 80s sound influences, it is early. And I just enjoyed it better than her commercially successful follow-up.
The Isley Brothers
5/5
Take a few standard hits from the 70s and add soul, vitality, and a nice groove and you have this album. The original stuff is fantastic, but their alt takes on rock and roll standards or their day will blow your mind. A perfect example of a soul album no matter how you mix it up. I could listen to this all day!
Scott Walker
2/5
Listening to this album made me feel like I was trapped in the car with my dad doing mundane errands on an otherwise glorious afternoon. Not horrible, but my mind kept drifting off to better things.
TV On The Radio
3/5
This is one of the niche albums that is very interesting to listen to, but not sure where the go next. There is a fine line between art and ambience. They walk the tightrope well, but if they fell, I am not sure I would notice.
Steely Dan
4/5
Steely Dan always reminds me that I should and could know more about jazz, and if I did, I would probably enjoy life and music more fully. Then "Reelin In the Years" hits and I completely give up on jazz all over again. Really solid album.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
If Frank Zappa was a lounge singer with a knack for spiritual transcendence, he would be Nick Cave. I am not exactly sure how to explain this sincere, mystic, musical genius, but his double album is the strangest and most delightful mix of dark and joyful I have come across in quite some time. Rough and righteous I am left wondering where I go to be baptized.
Peter Tosh
3/5
For the most part, "it" is legalized. But you don't get a sense that Peter Tosh had anything to do with it. I don't know if it because his cause is not all that righteous, or that Peter Tosh never lived as if it were illegal, or any number of other reasons. All that aside, I enjoyed the album.
Doves
4/5
If you want to make being a lost soul as comfortable as possible, put on this album. Not as pretentious or commercial as Coldplay, they evoke a sort of sophisticated nuanced gloominess that puts you at ease rather than depress.
As I listened, I wanted to find a typewriter, open a pack of cigarettes and smoke my way through a darkly ironic short story. I wanted to but didn't, and I was ok with it. And THAT sums up this album for me.
James Taylor
3/5
JT lures you in with simplicity and clarity... and charms you. It is quite disarming. I don't think I have listened to JT for the last 30 years, but the album still sound good, and even if nostalgia gives it a push, it is good listening, for sure. It may not push any boundaries, but again, simplicity can have great value.
Bob Dylan
5/5
It is hard to fully grasp the massive creative shift in Bob Dylan's career before "going electric" and recording music with a full band. He is still very much the troubadour with a guitar and harmonica, but add the amazing supporting band, and he goes interstellar in scope. There are stories, blues masterworks, prophetic books, and smokey exhortations, effortlessly presented as normal by one of music's greatest lyricists. All before the Beatles get to Rubber Soul.
Finally, Bob, tips his hat at the end and gives you a final sermon of a song severing ties with his folk origins walking down "Desolation Row."
This may be one of the greatest albums and love note to your soul that has ever been recorded.
Arcade Fire
4/5
This is really an alternative rock opera for people in suburbia who are unlikely to attend opera (or rock operas for that matter). Of course, I may be completely off base, but the important thing to realize is that the music and ideas are compelling enough to bring me back again and again to consider the deeper narrative driving this album. It is a wonderful surprise. I had listened to this album years ago, and it is a joy to listen to it afresh and be drawn in.
Richard Thompson
4/5
I want to see the bright lights, but listening to them is also a treat! I don't know what it is, but when good folks from the UK dabble in music, they find a way to make it better. I would never say that America owned folk music, but I love that in the wake of the great music created in USA we get this duo from the UK that just knocks it out of the park. I kept thinking it would get too sentimental, but it walked the line with sublime tact. It is an honest, unpretentious take that sounds fantastic.
2/5
I love a good rebel song by a rebel band, but when you rebel against listenability, I just can't do it. Not an inspiring noise.
Santana
3/5
Carlos Santana is a fabulous guitar player with a tight and proficient band, but I feel like can imagine all of his music without even hearing it. He has lots of covers and takes on other music which are quite good, but I am not sure who he really is artistically.
Talking Heads
5/5
Nothing places you squarely in the modern western world and makes you feel comfortable and displaced at the same time like “More Songs about Buildings and Food.” The range of emotions anyone may feel throughout any given day are musically expressed as naturally as work tension and family disruptions with delightfully relevant effect. For every note you ever sang in rage along with Joey Ramone and Sid Vicious, you sing right along with David Byrne except that it seems more personal, probable, and poignant.
Musically, this album features a delightful variety of style without compromising its purpose. In fact, its diversity of sound seems to its purpose. Byrne’s outlook on life and work leave no stone unturned to refreshing effect. Whether belting out an anthem of hope or waxing eloquently about where one needs to make a home, Byrne and the band connect immediately through voice and music.
The most joyful thing for me, however, is that for the first time in a long time, all of the catharsis I enjoy through listening to music finally feels more tangible. I may not be up for toppling a corrupt government or taking down big corporations or other institutional giants, but I feel like I can tackle cleaning my own house, enjoy my family, and start to build something meaningful… maybe even produce a new TV show, or finally feel good about moving into the city.
This review is for Kenny. He knows far more about Talking Heads than I do, and because of him, I enjoy their music as well.
The Stooges
4/5
Iggy Pop! I love the energy and edge to this album. It makes perfect sense that one of the strongest influences for punk, glam, and alternative music would be called Fun House. There is, however, a weird discontinuity between the garage performance and the tightness of the recording. I read somewhere that the outtakes of this album have almost no variation. Still, a fun listen.
Roxy Music
3/5
This is exactly what'd you expect of a Bryan Ferry album titled "Country Life." Not exactly sure what shade of irony he was contemplating, but while the album is moderately fun and interesting, I am not sure it is fun enough to listen to or think about in the future... unless your a fan of Roxy Music or Bryan Ferry's brand of wit.
Beatles
5/5
In the final moments of their existence, as it was ending, The Beatles find a way to move the bar forward. In the wake of the monumental implosion during the Get Back sessions, the Beatles return to Abbey Road with George Martin to truly get back to what the Beatles do best, make great albums. George turns out two fantastic songs, and John and Paul battle it out with an amazing tour de force 2nd side culminating in the easily prophetic and appropriate guitar solo battle royal that punctuates the end of the most accomplished run in rock & roll history. Each member’s prominent gifts on glorious display as the curtain comes down. It is a remarkable achievement. To miss it, or to rate this less than a five star album is a reflection of one’s lack of comprehension of the meteoric trajectory of the Beatles and how they were brilliant from beginning to end.
Bravo lads! The best 6 and half years of music ever!
The Lemonheads
3/5
“It’s a Shame About Ray” is an excellent single and example of middle of the road 90’s alternative pop. Sure, they tackle tough or dramatic content, but they do it in a safe way. They meandered through five albums only to have their most significant single come through covering Simon and Garfunkel’s Mrs. Robinson - added to the album later the same year of the release. They sound pretty good, but not good enough tor rise about the slightly better 90s bands and albums.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Jimmy Page's pet project turned super group crank out more than serviceable rock standards on their fourth album, but I don't believe they age well. It isn't that their music doesn't sound great and relevant, there just isn't much to the band beyond the sensational introductory listens. For example, Misty Mountain Hop (my favorite track) is a tight jam of a song about protests. Not only was Led Zeppelin not known for their protest posture, but the song suggests retreating to the Misty Mountains which doesn't make sense in reality or in Tolkien. If they had a great writer in the band, this album would be even more popular... and rated higher for me.
Björk
3/5
Icelandic Sufjan! Incredible talent with niche artistic flair. A fun album to listen to, but not fun enough to put in rotation.
Sonic Youth
3/5
This album is dirty. It's raw. It's grungy grunge, and it is really sounds good. Sadly, for all its matured grunge sound, it has an adolescent attitude toward the dirty and perverse. I am no prude, but it is hard to take them seriously.
The White Stripes
5/5
From the opening notes of the first track, through Burt Bacharach to the last note on the album, Jack White and the White Stripes (basically Jack White) deliver a masterpiece.
He's like Dr. Frankenstein in his workshop breathing life into these songs that don't always connect. But you want them to, and you keep listening wondering if and when you'll get another glimpse of Jack's genius.
Just one more listen...
George Michael
3/5
Pop greatness. It seems oxymoronic, and it probably is music's great paradoxes. Critics praised this album on its release, but it seemed more like an apology because they thought George Michael was no better than Wham. He's slightly better, but that doesn't make this album great. it's just greater than anyone thought it would be.
Aerosmith
3/5
When you open your album with a track called "Back in the Saddle," you really need to deliver a solid rock album. In this case, the album just sort of diminishes from the first track on. There are a few decent songs in the first half of the album, but this album missed the mark for me.
The Sugarcubes
3/5
Early Pop Bjork! Life's Too Good moves between nuance pop, Icelandic tradition, and ambient sound. Great for an innovative debut album, though it doesn't feel like they're fully committed to the work. Bjork's vocal playfulness and style are there immediately, and it is no surprise that the Sugarcubes are really a launching point for her.
Bert Jansch
4/5
This is a very good folk album and it should be judged on its own merit, however, if you do, wait a couple of years before you listen to Bob Dylan again. The moment you do Bert fades.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Norse mythology, apocalyptic literature, unjust imprisonment, and the slaughter of the Cree, Iron Maiden feels like the soundtrack to a alternative medieval theme park where all the snacks are served from spits, the carnival games involve torture devices, and the roller coasters are made of rotting wood. Musically, it is well done, but content-wise it is a hodgepodge of adolescent inquiry.
Morrissey
2/5
Yes, we are the quarry, and Morrissey doesn't mind hating his fans and bemoaning the fact that they keep spending money for his music and merchandising. The real scandal is that the longer he makes this grumpy music, the more anachronistic and irrelevant he becomes. I never felt this way with the Smiths or even his early albums. I think his lack of growth undermines his appeal.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
Iron Maiden
3/5
I like the music well enough, but even the original vocalist doesn't move this into a regular listening rotation.
Fela Kuti
5/5
Listening to this album is like watching Jordon in the 90s. Every musician is in the zone and executing to perfection their craft and showing their soul.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Again, this is a group from the 80s/early 90s that I might enjoy more if they departed from the overly electronic music production. If they were electronica, I might perceive them differently, but there are some interesting things going on here, but the musical package gets in the way for me.
Elton John
3/5
I don't understand Elton John. Clearly, he is a very talented songwriter and performer, but I don't get the hype. The singles shine here, but the other songs are just well composed filler.
Stan Getz
5/5
As a matter of course, I don't listen to Jazz. And then I listen to Stan Getz, and I am amazed all over again. Why can't I embrace this fabulous music?
Mudhoney
4/5
Garunge at its best. Love the raw, edgy, feel of this album, and from my perspective does more to define the genre than some of the more polished bands.
David Bowie
3/5
David Bowie is a little bit of a mystery. When he is brilliant, he is amazing, innovative, and relevant. There are times, however, where he is enigmatic, niche, and almost contrarian. This album lands somewhere in between. Aladdin Sane is full of strong performance, big sound, and even some strong themes, but they just don't quite hit the mark. In the end, you just wondered he's convinced by his own conceit.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
I love how Stevie Wonder navigates both the big and the small, the anthem and the love note. And he does so with such skill that it seems simple when it clearly isn't. The wild thing, this isn't even the best album in his big stretch. But it is oh so good.
Gotan Project
2/5
IF AI took a stab at trying to create Tito Puente as an employee of Radio Shack. Love the latin flavor of this, but at the end of the day it feels more like a "project" that only reminds me of how much I dislike electronica.
Marilyn Manson
1/5
This album is painful to listen to. No, I am not a fan of Marilyn Manson (or Charles, for that matter), and it is hard to accept that there are audience cheers incorporated into the opening song; a song that inspires nothing close to cheers - unless played in the underworld. Horrible, painful, and excruciatingly gratuitous, I couldn't listen to the whole thing. Criticize me if you want to, but being unlistenable is at least partly the fault of the artist at some point.
The Auteurs
3/5
This is an interesting album that sounds like Elliot Smith's slightly less poetic (and as a result, less dark) brother formed an alternative rock band. Good listen.
3/5
A weird thing happened when I listened to this album. from the 2nd song on, I envisioned this being a Paul McCartney album. It has lots of similarity to Sir Paul, and interestingly, I feel that if this album had actually been made by Paul, it would have been an amazing turn in his late career. Even XTC benefits.
Saint Etienne
3/5
Like most electronica, this sounds good, fine, with grooves, and interesting beats. I think one critic labeled them soft rave? Anyway, it is fine for what it is, but if it has to be amazing in a club to be amazing, I probably won't return to it.
Björk
3/5
I can't help but feel like I am being sucked into a nordic worship ritual where the high priestess beautifully sings about her problems and dilemmas until I don't feel like worshipping any more. Great voice, though. Great voice.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Great band name, but the music is just ok. This album is just a good snapshot of the psychedelic culture in the lates 60s among many other better examples.
Dolly Parton
3/5
This album sounds great! If it wasn't country, or if it was an attempt by these country greats to advance the genre, I would rate it higher. These artists should have worked their craft a little more, if they wanted it to be great!
The Who
5/5
Tommy is an ambitious album, and it is fabulous to see how the entire band leans into Townshend's personal epic to produce this opus. I am not quite sure how well it holds together as a narrative, but I was in on every track! The familiar tracks are awesome, but all of the surrounding tracks work well. I must remember to revisit this album during Christmas because that track is so great. It doesn't sound like the traditional holiday, but it rings true in so many interesting ways. And the backing vocals are indecipherably delightful! And for Christmas, I am asking for a analogue pinball machine... wizard or not.
Fiona Apple
3/5
This album started with some promise but quickly devolved into the ramblings of a shut in. Fiona finished the album in the midst of the quarantine and could have used reconnection with the world to add polish thematically and production wise. Still, her talent is evident throughout.
Elliott Smith
5/5
I discovered Elliott Smith through Good Will Hunting, and though his tracks are not always recognizable with hooks, riffs, and enjoining choruses, I am brought in. There is something about his music that draws me in. I was wavering between 4 & 5 mostly because of my lack of familiarity with this album. I rounded up because I tend to like him more and more upon each listen.
Napalm Death
1/5
"Scum is the debut studio album by English grind core band Napalm Death, released on 1 July by Earache Records."
This is the opening sentence describing this album from Wikipedia. I have to say that between "Scum," "grindcore," and "Earache," I felt that this was more of a warning label than straight information. I listened to this album like a prospector sifts through silt and debris hoping to find something to enjoy, and like many of them, I ended up artistically discouraged and broke.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
What a voice! And Aretha Franklin sings with authority that commands your attention. There are great and recognizable tracks on this album, but in the end it is about the shear talent and presence of a profoundly strong voice. Brilliant!
Fela Kuti
3/5
I am sure this is better than I am rating it. The deficiencies are all mine.
Ray Charles
4/5
Part of the genius of Ray Charles is the way he navigates these songs in a way that feels effortless. So good!
The Flying Burrito Brothers
4/5
As a rock album this is a three, but as a country album, it is a five. I prefer it being a better country album than a rock standard. So, I give it a...
The Dictators
3/5
Standard post punk fare. I am sure it was vital at the time, but the whole genre resonates less to me now.
Traffic
5/5
I just merged into Traffic... and I don't mind being tied up for almost an hour of solid rock and roll. There are only a couple of tracks I recognized, and it didn't matter at all. This is a great album of classic rock and roll that is creative, fun, energetic and true. No sophomore slump for this near supergroup.
Prince
4/5
This album tarted slowly, but really really grew on me. An amazing album in a lot of ways that I don't quite know how to explain. The tone, mood, and vibe command your attention. And while there is no single that stands out, the album just feels stronger as a whole rather than on the weight of its tracks.
Nick Drake
4/5
In his lane, Nick Drake is excellent. He occupies an interesting space between folk and psychedelic alternative rock. Where Donovan seems a little too on the nose, Drake lands perfectly. A precursor to Elliott Smith. Good stuff.
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
The greatest obstacle to getting or enjoying this album is history. This is a fantastic album in a very interesting year (1991), and if they had gone on to further success, this album would be celebrated more. I have heard it twice and enjoyed it more the second time. But I am also hearing things that are interesting that want me to listen more. Bravo, Teenage Fanclub!
John Lennon
4/5
Both John and Paul had early success as solo artists, but the rift in their relationship leaves an indelible mark on their music. Imagine, an excellent solo effort, is more uneven than The Plastic Ono Band, and some of its best tracks are carry overs from the Beatle days. The back and forth attacks between John and Paul seem more like cries for help rather than true artistic differences. Still, John delivers some excellent material. Even "Oh, Yoko" plays better to me (thanks to Wes Anderson for using this track to great effect in Rushmore).
Radiohead
5/5
This is a great album that really works as an album. No singles stand out as great single releases, but they do work in concert with one another to create a mood and theme that builds to a phenomenal finish. Lyrically, it is creative and mysterious without compromising its honest assessment of the loss of life through technology, consumerism, and good old fashioned dystopia. It is musical 1984.
The Byrds
4/5
This album is sort of a "Rubber Soul" for the Byrds. While they still have a big cover single in "My Back Pages," they seem to have moved in a more sophisticated direction both lyrically and technically. It has all the earmarks of a transition (they go on to work on their hybrid country album after this), but to me, this is their best work from he original lineup.
Primal Scream
3/5
Not really a primal scream or a screamadelica, but more like a strong suburban suggestion. And that is a good thing. I dreaded this album because I thought it would be an unintelligible scream session. Hit sounds like a softer, funkier Soup Dragons (not on the list but good). In any case, I did enjoy the album, and I was delighted at them playing against type in band name and album title.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Again, this is one of those bands that I missed in the late 80s, and it is a bit of a shame because despite what it actually is and where it sits in musical history, it is a rock and roll statement against the synthy shine of most late 80s production value. Even now, it is strong and rooted in rock - less of a forerunner for grunge and more of a demand for more raw rock sound.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
This album is like a soundtrack of a quirky movie that you can only hope makes the music better than its raw musical form. This feels like someone else's project, and failed to keep me interested. It's well produced, and that moves it into the three (3) arena.
XTC
3/5
I can't figure out XTC. They are talented and interesting songwriters, but they lack overall punch. I can't decide if it is their overt cynicism or the lack of quality to their artists claims. They are at least interesting to listen to, even if they don't quite connect.
The Residents
1/5
What dirt do the Residents have on the algorithm that this is on the list. Tedious
The Verve
4/5
A less or non A-hole version of Oasis. I really enjoyed the sound of this album, and it grew on me as I listened. I am not a huge fan of Oasis, but I am not sure why these guys didn't have better staying power against them. Oasis's singles were better, but they flame out quickly. Maybe the Verve's just weren't good enough. It's a shame. This is a really good album.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I will give it to the Pet Shop Boys. They take an almost unlistenable genre (electronica), commercialize it, and make it endurable.
Radiohead
3/5
This is the less interesting counterpart to Ok, Computer. I do appreciate and respect Radiohead and their insightful work, however, this one is harder to get into and appreciate.
Beyoncé
3/5
Beyoncé is a gifted and talented artist working in a genre that doesn't resonate well with me. The album sounds great, it is exceptionally produced, and it is musically enjoyable. I know I am repeating myself, but I don't think I am the audience for this album and it doesn't transcend its target audience into the world of empirical greatness.
Metallica
3/5
According to some critics, this album represents Metallica's move from their earlier thrash metal brilliance to mainstream commercial rock. I agree, and I am thankful.
That said, the move isn't significant enough to make me a fan. I can easily respect and appreciate the work and move toward maturity. It sounds great and has a few memorable standards.
They just won't be standards in my listening history.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Nick Cave is not everyone's cup of tea, but he is undeniably compelling. He makes even clunky lyrics seem desperate and vital. This guy sings his heart out with every note. I am not sure how to evaluate the work, but I was captivated on the bumpy ride. On passion alone, he gets a one-star bump.
The Who
4/5
The Who gives a remarkable performance at Leeds. Their energy is tangible, the recording is solid, and even their song selection is a nice balance of singles and defining works. But to me, the most memorable thing about the album is the intimacy of the venue. Townsend and Daltrey project intimacy with the audience and connect in a way that all fans hope to have the chance to experience with their favorite bands.
T. Rex
4/5
T. Rex is really interesting, complex, and fun musically. It just feels to me that the tracks, in most cases, are not songs but sonic experiments. They sound great, and have a nice groove, but they don't catch on the way singles normally do. Kind of like extended hooks. Still, they are good hooks and they keep you listening.
Joanna Newsom
3/5
Sister Sufjan!
Ys (no matter how you pronounce it) is an artists' album. And Joanna Newsom is a very talented artist with a clear jazzy voice. I am not at all sure what's going on with this album, but her lyrical and vocal playfulness keep you there through some dense and long tracks. Also, she plays the harp. It is nice to see such a unique instrumentalist make the list.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Uma versão inicial em português de Vampire Weekend!
I'd say more, but I don't speak Portuguese (thank you, google translate). It is hard to totally evaluate this artist without knowing the language, but he did remind me of Vampire Weekend. That alone is enough to give it a respectable rating.
Minutemen
4/5
The tightest and most efficient punk band I have ever heard. The lyrics are more local, philosophical, existential, and enjoyable than their predecessors, and the anger is mostly replaced with sharper wit. To me, they are almost jazz punk, if there can be such a thing. I totally enjoyed this album.
Gary Numan
3/5
99% of the time, the synthesizer totally gives me analytical pause. And Gary Numan's most notable track features the synthesizer. This album did not change my mind about the use of the instrument, but Gary leans into and owns it. While I am giving it a three out of five, it is kind of a huge victory because I went into it thinking this one hit wonder probably shouldn't be on the list. It is a solid album.
Well played, Mr. Numan
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Editor's Note: This album was accidentally placed here.
It is supposed to be on the 1001 Albums you'll be dubiously convinced to listen to based on someone's curious fascination with mediocrity before you die or you slowly decline in discernment until this album seems beautiful... otherwise known as death.
Talking Heads
5/5
The Talking Head's debut album is a brilliant work of punk/new wave posturing. It's the perfect album to listen to after you've gone out to a Sex Pistols concert, got amped up on anarchy, went on a bender, woke up late, and needed musical recovery on your way back to the office. They allow you to retain all of the angst and frustration with the authority, but know that the answer is more than simple ascent or full rebellion. Byrne vocals feel like they could be anyone - not rock star, but relevant. This is a great, great album. Don't miss it.
Dwight Yoakam
3/5
The good thing about this list is that it doesn't really celebrate pop country music. This is more like a modern take on traditional country, and it is tolerable.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
We have many artists that tend to be more theatrical in their music, but they typically come to it by development or paying their dues in good old rock and roll. I am intrigued by the scope of Rufus Wainwright's musical talent and execution, but I think this album suffers from him standing on the shoulders of giants.
Jamiroquai
3/5
The trouble with making music that sounds like Stevie Wonder, is that if it doesn't have soul it is nothing more than mimicry. For me, Jamiraquai doesn't have soul. So the album sounds great, but in many ways it is simply unremarkable.
The Only Ones
3/5
Riding the crest of the punk/new wave wave, the Only Ones deliver a safe and satisfying album with their pop smoothing of their more raw, confrontational, and sophisticated peers. One of Steve Lillywhite's earliest project, you can see similarities with his later works. The band didn't prove to have staying power, but this entry is one of the main reasons 1978 is such a great year for music, despite disco*.
*I am not anti disco. It just seems to be more of a fad than an actual genre.
The Smiths
5/5
A gem of angsty, witty, and even farcical tunes by the most melodiously cynical crooner Manchester has ever produced. Morrissey is at his best with the Smiths, as they masterfully surround his rants with tight and memorable hooks and rhythms. I love this album, but the Smiths are mostly a singles band with their best album being their last in Strangeways, Here we Come. Still, I can't help but give them the five star nod.
The Saints
4/5
Another strong punk entry from 1978 that seems to have a little more sophistication, polish, and lyrical bite than its fellow rebels. I don't normally call out singles, but A Minor Aversion contains all the DNA of REM and some of their fellow alternative rock bands of the early 80s. Kind of like Television without such a dramatic lead singer and voice. Solid album for sure.
PJ Harvey
4/5
I really enjoyed this album. PJ Harvey gets a lot out of good old fashion rock and roll instrumentation. The heavy percussion, driving guitar, and garage feel, bring energy. Most of Harvey's vocals are subdued all things considered. But she brings a poetic punch to her rebellion with staccato like efficiency and angst. She's the kind of poet that could break up with you and afterwards, you're not sure when, why, or how it happened, but you just know she's right.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
I still have the vinyl version of Echo and the Bunnymen's eponymous album from 1987 (feature the Door's Ray Manzerek on keyboard), and I have always been a fan of their music. There are many bands from the 80s with a similar style, but the Bunnymen have consistent high production value, hooks, and tone without any trace of the negative 80's over synth style.
Porcupine stands up well over time. And while it is clearly an 80s band, they do come across more as an alternative band than just another 80s band.
Great stuff.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
I am the most reluctant Elvis Costello (with or without the Attractions) fan. For an inexplicable reason, I seem to doubt him at every turn. Yet, his albums are fantastic. This album is no exception. Every track is a surprise with EC&TA delivering a real diversity of tunes. Costello's lyrics are sharp and piercing, and it is easy to pass them by when following the melody and vibe. But every replay is a reward. I will have to listen to this a few more times to fully appreciate it, which is why I am going ahead with a five. I will get there, I am sure.
Sam Cooke
4/5
What a performance. I don't know where Sam Cooke's songs really stand in my overall catalog of greats, but this recording is special. All of the interaction, the soul that Sam naturally evokes through his performance, and even the mistakes, all come together as a great reminder of what these early artists brought to the stage beyond any studio recording technique.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Jerry Lee Lewis is a performer. It is special to have some of his great moments captured live, but I almost feel like the songs, tunes, and lyrics are incidental to his monumental ego and stage presence.
Big Star
4/5
If you can get beyond the over-the-top bold pretension of the band and album names, you'll be rewarded with a tightly constructed precursor to alternative rock. Released in 1972, it feels like it is even older. At the same time, it provides enough character and production value to be ahead of its time. This turns out to be yet another reason 1972 remains a banner year for music releases.
Giant Sand
3/5
I am not sure what to make of this band. It started strong for me, and it had enough quirkiness and subdued vibe to actually bring some enthusiasm to hear more. Sadly, the album doesn't sustain for me. It isn't bad, but for whatever reason, I didn't stay as engaged throughout the 2nd half of the album.
Janet Jackson
3/5
Ok, but considering the pedigree, it should be better. Also, it doesn't hold up all that well over time. I can still drop the needle on Off the Wall, Thriller, and even Bad and enjoy them. I struggled getting through this one.
Deep Purple
3/5
This is the second change for this album for me, and while I have greater respect for it on multiple levels like real genre development, strong musical composition, great percussion, etc., it is still a hard turn on the vocals and the lyrics. I love a good scream and heartfelt yell as the next fan of rock and roll, but it has to mean something. The depth of the songs don't match well what's going on. To be fair, this happens a lot in this genre (I see you Led Zeppelin), and ultimately, while the music is good and enjoyable at times, it is out of balance for me. To be fair, it doesn't ruin it, or make it unlistenable. I am speaking to its enduring quality (which this list is all about). You could twist my arm up to a four, and I wouldn't be mad. But I could be argued right down to a two (way less likely). So, I am going with a three... and the hope that future listens (if they happen) will prove me wrong.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Arcade is life the French food of alternative music (ok, maybe French Canadian food). All the critics like them, they sound good, they have a good message, and if there are musical food groups, this band would probably have a healthy amount of everything that is good. But like French food, even after eating it, I just never seem to crave it or feel like I need it. The sad part is that I want to like them for all the obvious reasons (and they are good reasons), but I can't get into them. The first album was better to me, and this one started strong, but before the first track was over, I felt the old not caring creeping right in. Help me understand this band.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
There is something joyful inside when you can listen to music that you don't know or understand, there are no lyrics, the songs are long, and you just keep listening. I do not understand Jazz, but it is really impossible to feel the joy and craftwork going on in this album. It is simply groovy
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Not the strongest album from Stevie, but still great. Both highlight tracks from the two distinct styles on the album are fantastic. "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" and "Superstition" are the best here, while the others simply delight on a more subdued level.
Neil Young
5/5
Brilliant album. From the opening and methodical strums to more punctual fade out of the final track, Young has explored almost every possible human emotion without flinching. It is raw, polished, space and orchestral, and it just works. Every time I drive from L.A. to Central California (Lompoc), I either listen or play this in my head. The strangest part is that I can't listen to Harvest (the track) without getting emotional. No reason that I understand. It is simply the combination of beautiful storytelling with the right twists and tones. Thank's Neil!
Nirvana
4/5
This was the only Nirvana CD I ever owned. I am/was a big fan of the unplugged sessions MTV produced back in the day, and I remember that many people were uncertain that Pearl Jam or Nirvana would make any sense in this setting. There is no getting around the tour-de-force nature of Kurt's performance. He does a great job, and the rest of the band just joins flawlessly into the moment. Good stuff.
Garbage
3/5
I am always nervous when I come across bands, albums, movies, books, etc. whose titles invite instant and obvious harsh criticism. Sadly, with Garbage, you get a mixed bag. If they were relevant, important and interesting in their day, time has not done them any favors. If they aren't garbage, they are at least relegated to the yard sale where perhaps someone might find them interesting.
Def Leppard
3/5
Def Leppard perfects the commercial pop strain of heavy metal, and with that, all joy of what the genre should be is gone. The only Hysteria here is in lamenting the death or a genre.
10cc
3/5
Fairly standard pre-alternative rock offering. The music is good, but not particularly unique from my perspective. The lyrics are witty (kinda like dad joke witty), but I likely won't return to this one.
Talking Heads
4/5
This is an experience album. And while "Once in a Lifetime" is an incredible song and standout hit, most of this album is just worth the experience. There are groves, jams, and sometimes unintelligible lyrics, but the brilliance of the band is that it just works. I am not sure how much I remember of the album, I just know that when you listen, it all comes together thematically, sonically, tonally, etc. "You may find yourself listening to another talking heads album, and you may ask yourself..."
The Byrds
5/5
This is the album that explains everything. They may have relied heavily on covers, but they weren't performing by numbers or just spitting out straight covers. They developed and brought their own sound which helped shape music for multiple decades. This is a straight masterclass in songwriting (and covering other songwriters), and it is fun to listen through. Of the Byrd's entries on the list, this is the most important.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Deep Purple
4/5
Gone are the over the top shrieks (musical ones) and broodish jams of At Rock. They are replaced with tighter and mine anthemic work. The trouble is that I can’t tell whether the move is an improvement because this bad does interesting things with each. Lyrically, I am still struggling with them, but the entire genre struggles, so I’m a little more tolerant this time around. Additionally, always keep an ear tuned to drums and bass. The guitar work is solid, but the support work with bass and drums is exceptional.
John Prine
3/5
A solid storyteller in my least favorite genre. Still, unlike many country artists, he is engaging, tells great stories, and just draws you in to his work.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
5/5
I love Buddy Holly. In single album is the DNA of so much of what is good of early Rock and Roll, and it sounds great in its simplicity. So, so good!
X-Ray Spex
4/5
This was a delightful surprise! Punk s still a little bit of a hard genre to embrace, but bands like this with a fresh, interesting voice are just fun to discover. I love the blend of other genres and sounds, and the message packs punch without being too over the top. I mean, this is punk which by definitions is over the top, but there is some fun cleverness here that makes it stand out.
Dire Straits
4/5
Dire Straits commands your attention. The hooks are subtle, but the dramatic mood of the songs and the storytelling just draws you in. I am not sure what makes them so compelling, but they are. A very strong entry and long before the days of playing the guitar on the MTV.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
I feel like the Walking Wounded after this album. I feel like I was gunned down with mediocrity.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
I remember discovering Tracy Chapman on a huge benefit concert for Nelson Mandela in 1988. I was blown away by its simplicity and arresting narrative. I bought the album a few weeks later and l have been a fan of it ever since.
The Byrds
3/5
The most notorious part of this album is that it is on this list. the Byrds had basically already gone their separate ways by the time this album was released. It is fine as far as it goes, but it is the first album where you can hear their obsolescence.
Joe Ely
3/5
I now have a better understanding of what Honky Tonk is, and it is clearly masquerading as a genre. Ok, that might be a little over the top, but only a little.
Bobby Womack
3/5
Ok, this is a clear three for me. But I can't really review this in good faith. If you title your album the Poet, you need to deliver. Bobby didn't.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
The Deja Vu for me is hearing all of these songs that I have indeed heard before, but the context of the album vs radio play really punctuates. This is a really good album, and though the tracks that weren’t released as singles for radio play compliment them well. They differ in style and tone sometimes, but the whole works. It is also nice to have Neil Young’s soft and driving presence. Excellent album.
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
Yes, there certainly was a riot going on in 1971! And what I love most about this album is that Sly leans fully into his artistry and musicianship to express it. This isn’t Ohio or A Change is Gonna Come. This is a full blown jam session of revolt! Lyrically tight and succinct, the album isn’t without clarity, it just isn’t easily anthemic. Instead, Sly uses every tool in his toolkit and invites others to join in speaking out in word and song. Vastly underrated despite being on this list, I love “Africa Talks to You and “Luv N’ Haight.” You won’t catch many vigils singing this songs at a protest march or gathering, but you also won’t find many people who have known injustice that don’t get what’s goin on!
Lou Reed
4/5
I am not sure what I expected from a Lou Reed solo effort (his 2nd, I think), but I didn’t expect the theatrical side to be so strong. Still, this is a fabulous album. It is very recognizable, but at the same time there is a lot of experimentation that is quirky, playful, odd, and some almost clamoring for stage production. While some of the content is a little saucy for me, we find Reed at his experimental best. For me, side one is most enjoyable and most accessible. I imagine that if you can embrace side two, you’ll rate this a five.
Big Star
4/5
This album feels like something you pull out of a time capsule only to discover that pieces and parts are missing. Your brain kind of fills in the gaps and there is something vague and nostalgic asking you to hang on to it. Seriously, I have never listed to an album that feels complete and unfinished at the same time. And you're never quite sure whether the lead singer is about the emerge or call it quits. Even singing "Jesus Christ is born today, Jesus Christ is born" is worshipful and questionable at the same time. That is the mastery of this album. And this band doesn't run from it or mask it, it just is. In the same way, I should be able to give it a 1 or a 5, but a 3 is not right. So, 4 of 5 will have to do. It will have to do.
The Stooges
3/5
This is a very appropriately named album. Another one of Bowie's pet projects that has a lot of talent and raw emotion, but lacks real resonance for me. I love a good raw, rocking, jam, but try as I might, I couldn't get into it. I do not understand the fascination with Iggy Pop. I get all of the raw punk vibes, but his protégées seem to producer much better material. I am sure that there is more here than I am getting, but I am moving on.
Baaba Maal
4/5
I enjoyed listening to this, but I have no capacity to speak to it. It could be great or lousy by Senegalese standards, but I trust that it is great.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
Full disclosure: I have never been a big fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
That said, the album was well produced, the songs were tight and solid rock and roll, and I did smile a little when Free Bird played. It is good stuff, just not exactly what I am looking for. Neil Young has stated that he regrets some of the digs he took at them, and I think that's where I am. I respect them because they are solid musicians and performers even though I don't connect with them.
Anita Baker
3/5
Not at all my wheelhouse. I recognized and sang along with "Sweet Love," but the rest just made me nostalgic for easy listening radio from my childhood (which I never liked). I am sure it is great, but not my cup of tea,
The Mars Volta
3/5
This should be better and more interesting than it is. The album feels over produced and polished with only moments of resonance. It feels kind of like a film that critics mistake confusion for art.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
Ordinarily this kind of album would test my patience. It is very experimental, indulgent sounding, and brutal to get through. However, it is Captain Beefheart - which is like a degree of difficulty indicator. I can only say that if you commit to listening to it, you will be rewarded (no, the end isn't full of commercial singles), but is like ready James Joyce. To appreciated it, you have to get really familiar with the dialogue and rhythm of it to appreciate it. Still it is hard. I am giving it a four because I am not strong enough to give it a five.
Joan Baez
5/5
For everyone who hates Bob Dylan's voice, I give you Joan Baez! Her voice is arrestingly beautiful, the arrangements are folk gems, and her content selection is a call to action. Right away, she is mature beyond her years, and you can see why she and Dylan got along so well early on in their careers. Worth your time any time.
Beatles
5/5
1/5
Let's just file this under music to be used in psychological warfare. And by the way, I don't believe in using music as psychological warfare.
T. Rex
4/5
David Bowie might have opened the door for glam rock, but T. Rex moved in and established permanent residency. It is self-indulgence at its best. Whether the songs were fully fleshed out or weave in and out of coherence there is an underlying commitment to the sound and sensationalism that brings it all home. In terms of endurance over time, maybe this wasn’t the best direction for the band, but in terms of defining, shaping, and owning the genre, the band delivers a drop the mic moment for glam!
Meat Loaf
3/5
The marriage between Broadway and rock and roll has never been better. This album surprised me. It isn’t profoundly great, but the piano work and unapologetic enthusiasm of this album makes it a joy to listen to. If Elton John had not gone pop later in his career, this is the kind of epic rock show tune catalog we might get. I don’t know how much I’ll go back to this, but if I ever want to hear someone play their heart out on piano, I’ll have this in the queue.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
What a great album! A complete and joyous departure from the angst of late 70s punk rock. The entire band sounds like they are having fun, and I was immediately caught up. It is sad that ultimately they will be remembered for “Come on, Eileen.” Still, I am really glad to get this album to help shape and form my idea of the band.
For the record, I do like “Come on, Eileen,” as a song. The lead singer’s voice is rock solid, and it captures some of the joy and playfulness found on this earlier and much better album.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Time it was
And what a time it was
It was a time of innocence
A time of confidences.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
What started as fairly pedestrian psychedelic rock ended in a defining and self-indulgent sinister sounding track from which the album derives its title. Apparently, they have other songs and albums. I have no interest in hearing them.
Talk Talk
3/5
I tried to like this album. I had gone on the internet and read some of the reviews before listening, and I really thought some of the negative reviews were too glib and too harsh. While the positive reviews seemed to consist mostly of fans and people familiar with the work, I was really leaning in their direction. After listening, however, all of the possible advancements and growth by the band didn't translate musically to me. There is certainly quality here, but more like a well made bookend rather than something to get excited about.
Carpenters
3/5
Easy listening. I mean, this is safe music for old people in the 60s that couldn’t handle the protests and revolution. That’s fine. But leave the Beatles, Tim Harden, and even the Shirelles alone. Please.
I mean, they didn't just ruin Help. They didn't understand it. Which is ironic, because Karen needed help!
Stephen Stills
3/5
It is good to hear an album like this. It really helps contextualize the contributions that Stephen Stills makes when partnering up with David Crosby, Graham Nash, and whenever possible, Neil Young. I love the range of music on this album, and while it doesn’t measure up to his work with Buffalo Springfield and CSN & Young, it is worth a listen… despite the emotionally dubious “Love the One You’re With.”
Various Artists
4/5
1001 has regifted this album to me. Glad the music is good.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
Don't know much about this band, but they sound like an American band trying to sound like a band from the UK about a year too late. By 1966, however, they are already behind the curve. I wonder if they made it.
Megadeth
1/5
Should be Rest In Peace. Please no more albums by Megadeth.
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
No matter how great a live performance is, even the best recording is an attempt to recover the unrecoverable - even for those fortunate enough to have been in attendance. In many ways live albums feel like social situations where someone keeps asking you to watch their latest favorite YouTube video. 100% interesting for them by very difficult for you to enjoy in that moment.
I listened to this album, and it is really good. I recognize it for the work that it is, but I really need to hear it again when, for whatever reason, I need to hear the blues or I am at a place where a solid blues performance will resonate. Call this a future four.
James Brown
4/5
If you want to understand why James Brown is so highly regarded, here it is. I am giving it a four because of my previous thoughts on live albums. Note to self: Is there a single live album that is better than a recorded album - even among bands known for their live performances?
The Rolling Stones
3/5
The Rolling Stones have nothing to prove to me. They have produced some great music in their day. When they are on, they are on. And like most of their other albums, they usually create solid single tracks with some fairly forgettable tracks. For me, Gimme Shelter and Monkey Man make the album. I will give honorable mention to You Can’t Always Get What You Want, but even that track has worn out to me over the years. And it didn’t rebound to me listening to the album straight through.
k.d. lang
3/5
eautiful voice. It is a shame to see it wasted on such bland music.
Bon Jovi
3/5
Hair band sound, bad poetry, and songs that you can’t help but sing along too. Fun, but ultimately a waste of time.
Moby Grape
3/5
This is a fun and very serviceable psychedelic rock album that is as tedious as the members of the band. Despite feeling very recognizable, nothing really jumps out, and this makes sense considering how fractured history, lineups, and contract woes for this band.
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
This album has become less interesting to me over the years, and it is evident that despite McCartney's genius, he needed the Beatles as much as they needed him.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Not being a Taylor Swift fan, this album surprised me with its lack of uniqueness. It is very good pop music, but it is hard to understand the fascination with Swift based on this album. I am guessing it is the same way someone who has little exposure to David Bowie feels when they get Young Americans as their first exposure to his work on the list. You know he should be there, but you're not sold by the particular work.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
Took my right back to the mid 90s, and surprised me how well it holds up. I really wish her career had continued on the trajectory set by this album, but happy to return to such a solid pop entry.
The Kinks
3/5
Yes, this is something else. It is easy to recognize the greatness and playfulness of the Kinks, but this album feels like is a bunch of b-sides and almost great songs. Maybe it was, and they just released it anyway. Glad to listen, but I was immediately drawn in. Maybe as my love of the Kinks grows, the album will open up.
The Beta Band
3/5
A strange title from one of the most aptly named bands on the list. This felt like it could have been created by an algorithm. It is quirky, enjoyable, and interesting. However, it doesn't have a soul. After the first few songs, it all sort of blanded together. Again, not horrible, just only remarkable in its generic tone.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
The musical imposter in me always makes me nervous on albums like this. It has quality and weight, but I don't know where to put it. There are more enjoyable and recognizable elements to this album than other world music entries, but I feel like I am missing the bigger story.
Janis Joplin
4/5
I love Janis, and the album is very good. I just feel like I need to consume a bag of lozenges for some reason!
Robert Wyatt
4/5
Somehow, Robert Wyatt must be related to Ray Davies of the Kinks. I feel like they are tapping the same muse. Nothing rises to the level of classic Kinks, but there are some enjoyable tracks here. This was kind of a surprise.
Violent Femmes
3/5
Much more enjoyable and disturbing than I originally thought. The upside is that you can hear this album and feel as if you are right back in your friend's garage with friends while the band just kicks out these tight jams. The downside is that you're convinced that many of the band members will be on a very bad list and hopefully not living in your neighborhood 20 years down the line.
Korn
1/5
A horrible and unredeemable trip through the gutter. It is a shame that some musical ability was wasted to produce this.
Nick Drake
4/5
I believe this album that would really grow on you if you listened to it several times. After my first listen, my impression is that it is more of a tone poem. The lyrics are interesting, but the sound governs everything.
Overall, Nick Drake feels timeless. It can folk driven work from the 60s or a alt experiment in the 80s, even contemporary if not for some datable mix issues.
Black Sabbath
4/5
The origins of Heavy Metal are much more compelling and interesting than most of what follows. Fortunately, those better ideas come through in Paranoid. War Pigs, Iron Man, Paranoid are all strong, interesting tracks. They fit the ideal of heavy metal. While there is a lot of space to explore ideas of war, death, good, evil, etc., musically, there doesn't seem to be a lot of room to explore. I'll take these early albums as they are... good (albeit heavier) rock and roll.
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
The soundtrack of a movie from the 60s that didn't get made.
There are elements of this album that are fun, familiar, and forgettable. I enjoyed the entire album, but I think it was because it reminded me of an old Bond movie... something you would see on a rainy Saturday afternoon and thoroughly enjoy... while hoping that the weather breaks next week and you'll be able to do something better.
But you have fond memories, and if the movie came on again in similar circumstances, you'd settle right in for a nostalgic viewing.
Radiohead
3/5
Appropriately named. Listened, liked, and can't remember a bit of what I heard.
Pretenders
5/5
I wonder what the 80s thought the 80s were going to be like after hearing this album. There is so much energy and vitality to this album, and Chrissie effortlessly moves across her vocal range with saucy confidence. I mean, if she'd ask, I'd join the movement... before waiting to hear what it's all about. I was shocked when I finally got to "Brass in Pocket," which is great, but not super representative of the rock joy in this album.
The Clash
5/5
Goldfrapp
3/5
If I had insomnia, this would have been a better album. However, I didn't have insomnia. As a result, my imagination felt like it was driving home at 2am and had another 80 miles to go. Nothing to hate, but a grind to get through with enthusiasm.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Another one of Danger Mouse's art projects with very talented artists. It is a very good listen, but never quite leaves the experimental or "interesting" category to end up in a regular rotation. Respect the artists and their work, but not a transformative album.
The Gun Club
3/5
At first, I couldn't decide. As the album went on, it became tedious. I wanted to like them because they have the kind of sound I really connect with. They are the exact opposite of the Modern Lovers. Same kind of sound, but no resonance.
Circle Jerks
2/5
They wanted their 15 minutes of fame, and they got it. And we all feel shortchanged.
The Doors
5/5
The Doors don't disappoint. Thanks to their commitment to the music, we get a wide variety of styles, a couple of solid hits, and more experimental poetry from the master himself. Considering the number of albums they produced in a short period of time, this is more of a look into the heart of the artistic drive of the band. LA Woman is still the pinnacle, but I love this stop along the way.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Smooth blend of pristine vocals and electronica without compromise on lyrics or punch. I love the sound of this album, and I like the overall vibe. Very enjoyable.
John Martyn
4/5
More an atonal version of Nick Drake. Not a bad thing, but a different blend of a great musical drink. While the tracks are not distinctive enough on first listen, I could easily get used to this as background music.
Beastie Boys
2/5
Note: I’m neither an expert or fan of rap.
It seems like a bad idea to add lots of echo and static to rap vocals. Granted, what I could discern, though well rhymed, was better unheard.
Mercifully, there were a few instrumentals. They were quite good. Everything else…
Not so much.
The Fall
4/5
This album has so much going for it. It is very tight for a band with a garage feel (think Mudhoney), and the tracks pulse with energy throughout. The only real problem for me is the vocals. In this space and genre, it is crucial to not come off as whiney, and for the most part the lead holds it together. However, the range doesn't allow him to distinguish himself well, and by the end of the album, I was tiring of his voice. Despite all of this, it is a really fun album.
The Beach Boys
4/5
I enjoy the Beach Boys, but at this point, they evoke feelings of nostalgia and romantic sentimentalism rather than brilliant musicianship. The music is well composed and produced, and the lyrics speak of a more innocent time. It is a testament to the music that it doesn't come across as irrelevant, however, I do think they struggled to grow at the incredible pace of many of their musical peers.
Frank Zappa
3/5
If someone was curious about Frank Zappa's musical talents, I would submit this album. It certainly showcases his gifts. However, it is missing his incredible wit and sharp take on things usually present in his lyrics. Though there are a few songs on here with lyrics, they are not compelling, interesting, or as fun as typical Zappa. The music, while it does have its Zappa vibe, is more jazz and session driven. Jazz isn't a bad thing, and it is not surprise that he can pull it off.
Suzanne Vega
3/5
Suzanne Vega almost registers more as spoken word poet rather than musician. There are some interesting and through provoking tracks, and I can easily see why she stood out in the 80s. Don't get me wrong, her music holds up pretty well (despite some obvious 80's production vibes), but there are just more interesting options these days.
The Who
4/5
This is fantastic album. It is weird and quirky and anything but a sell out album. I loved the inclusion of ad bits, and enjoyed the sharp and distinct non-rock elements on some of the tracks.