400
Albums Rated
3.68
Average Rating
37%
Complete
689 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Britpop
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Cheerleader
Rater Style ?
85
5-Star Albums
12
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Freak Out!
The Mothers Of Invention
|
5 | 2.83 | +2.17 |
|
Blood And Chocolate
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
|
5 | 2.92 | +2.08 |
|
Joan Baez
Joan Baez
|
5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
|
Truth And Soul
Fishbone
|
5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
|
Os Mutantes
Os Mutantes
|
5 | 2.98 | +2.02 |
|
All That You Can't Leave Behind
U2
|
5 | 2.98 | +2.02 |
|
Os Mutantes
Os Mutantes
|
5 | 2.98 | +2.02 |
|
The Coral
The Coral
|
5 | 3 | +2 |
|
The Coral
The Coral
|
5 | 3 | +2 |
|
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
|
5 | 3.06 | +1.94 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
50 Cent
|
1 | 3.04 | -2.04 |
|
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
Ice Cube
|
1 | 2.93 | -1.93 |
|
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
|
2 | 3.83 | -1.83 |
|
Vulnicura
Björk
|
1 | 2.79 | -1.79 |
|
A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
|
1 | 2.77 | -1.77 |
|
A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
|
1 | 2.77 | -1.77 |
|
Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
|
1 | 2.75 | -1.75 |
|
Next
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
|
1 | 2.71 | -1.71 |
|
Next
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
|
1 | 2.71 | -1.71 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 5 | 5 |
| Talking Heads | 4 | 5 |
| The Who | 4 | 4.75 |
| The White Stripes | 3 | 5 |
| Blur | 4 | 4.5 |
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 4.5 |
| Bob Dylan | 4 | 4.5 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 3 | 4.67 |
| Neil Young & Crazy Horse | 3 | 4.67 |
| Os Mutantes | 2 | 5 |
| U2 | 2 | 5 |
| Sufjan Stevens | 2 | 5 |
| Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young | 2 | 5 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 2 | 5 |
| The Velvet Underground | 2 | 5 |
| Sly & The Family Stone | 2 | 5 |
| The Coral | 2 | 5 |
| Van Morrison | 2 | 5 |
| Various Artists | 2 | 5 |
| Elliott Smith | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| The Divine Comedy | 2 | 1 |
| The Sensational Alex Harvey Band | 2 | 1 |
| Eminem | 2 | 1.5 |
| Rufus Wainwright | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Radiohead | 2, 5 |
5-Star Albums (85)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Justin Timberlake
2/5
It was pretty clear from the beginning that I could die a happy man without hearing this album.
Dying happy sounded good to me, so I acted accordingly.
4 likes
The Young Rascals
3/5
The Sound of the Mid-Sixties.
But do they want to sound like The Beach Boys or the Byrds? The Mamas and Papas or Otis Redding? In the end, they remind me most of the Monkees — some fine, but derivative songs. A band without their own true identity.
If you want to listen to an album from 1967… well, let’s just say that there are options.
2 likes
The Kinks
4/5
The Kinks were pioneers. In 1964 they gave us early rock/punk classics “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night.” Banned from touring the US, they didn’t get to enjoy all the advantages of their fellow British Invaders but have a solid discography.
This is a good album that would be more impressive if it had been released 2 years earlier. By 1968, the Beatles were offering the white album and the Stones, Beggar’s Banquet. This may be intentionally a throwback but it’s a throwback nevertheless.
The Kinks and this album deserve more attention. Wish I could give it 5/5 but I think this is a strong 3 or a 4.
2 likes
Ramones
5/5
I never got around to the Ramones back in my can-I-afford-another-REM-or-Talking-Heads-album days. And it looks like this came out same year as the Clash’s first album which is more compelling to me. But, they inspired some of my favorite bands, U2 and as Sleater-Kinney to name just two… so I will round up to make sure they get the credit they deserve.
2 likes
1-Star Albums (12)
All Ratings
Morrissey
3/5
Was pleasantly surprised as this album kicked off. It retained a good sound but, at least first time through, didn’t give me much reason to return. Better than expected overall but can’t get it past three stars.
Muddy Waters
5/5
You can’t not listen. It pulls you in and insists you enjoy the remarkable musicianship.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
The eightiest poppiest of 80s pop, but some pretty interesting things going on below the surface. Really is a lot of fun.
Ray Charles
3/5
Aimee Mann
4/5
Listened twice. Great sound, consistent, and pleasant. I would return to it.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
DJ Shadow
3/5
Beatles
5/5
just in case you didn’t know, this was recorded after the Let it Be (or “Get Back”) sessions. It shows that they stayed at the top of their game till the end. Literally till The End (one of my favorite songs on this album.) George Harrison was clearly coming into his own, as he contributes Something and Here Comes the Sun.
Michael Jackson
3/5
The Avalanches
3/5
Tears For Fears
4/5
Intelligent progressive pop. It doesn’t always excite but it’s a quality production.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
Very unclear why this must be listened to before one’s demise. Some will enjoy it nevertheless. But for me it does not invite another, closer listen.
The Only Ones
3/5
Some great noise and guitar work on this rock’n’punk album but something was missing. The second track was covered by REM, I’m told, and that was a highlight.
The Fall
3/5
Great song titles. Interesting and somewhat engaging music. Apparently making a statement. Probably an acquired taste…
Eagles
2/5
Wild Beasts
4/5
Everything about this is intriguing. And sounds pretty good. I’m rounding up to 4 stars.
4/5
Iron Butterfly
3/5
A couple strong tracks and I don’t really think the title track quite gets there. There is some great music going on behind the lyrics and way-too-serious vocal delivery. This came out in 1969… go back two years and find the Doors first album doing everything this was trying to do, so much more successfully. But hey, getting a classic from 1969 is welcome nevertheless.
Os Mutantes
5/5
Here’s a deep cut I’d never heard from an amazing year in music. Genre bending, psychedelic, and experimental. It’s not flawless but it gets 5 stars from me - because it’s just the kind of treasure I hope to find among in the 1001. Enjoyed it and will return to it!
The Divine Comedy
1/5
The joke is on us.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
Blondie
4/5
50 Cent
1/5
The White Stripes
5/5
Great band. This is first time hearing this album in its entirety and while it has some down moments I’m rounding up to 5. Best to listen through while reading the lyrics…
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
This one was disappointing - just didn’t live up to its potential. The opening song “Kicks” will be recognizable and “Not Your Stepping Stone,” but even these don’t have much staying power for me. It’s OK.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
The Youngbloods
4/5
Love the cover, with the band dwarfed by nature. Standout songs included Darkness, Darkness and Besutiful.
Meat Loaf
2/5
I don’t get the hype.
Drive Like Jehu
4/5
The Bible itself gives the best review… from 2 Kings 9:20. “And the watchman told, saying, “He came even unto them and cometh not back; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he driveth furiously.””
Traffic
4/5
As albums, What LA Woman is to the Doors, John Barleycorn is to Traffic.
King Crimson
3/5
Three stars kinda feels like too many but it’s not a bad album. It has its moments but they are just…moments. Not sure how it earned a place on this list.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Not bad… consistent… reminiscent of U2 without the edge.
The Who
5/5
It will take you a while to get to the songs you most recognize - Pinball Wizard, I’m Free, and We’re Not Gonna Take It. Enjoy the journey. This entire (double) album sounds so good, and Keith Moon on drums keeps each song interesting and engaging.
Big Star
4/5
There are about five stand out songs here with my favorites being Jesus Christ and For You. Both appear to be worship songs not sure they worship the same person. I like their sound but mainly the more energetic songs… although their cover of Femme Fatale certainly hits the mark. Would it grow on me further? TBD. But I’m rounding up to 4 stars because the songs I like I will definitely return to.
The Undertones
3/5
Public Enemy
5/5
This album was a forceful expression of where rap could go creatively. It converted me from a rap skeptic in the 80s, although other trends in the genre keep trying to push me back.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
James Brown
3/5
I’m sure this is an important album that deserves better, but I didn’t latch onto anything here.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Ananda Shankar
2/5
I cannot judge this genre intelligently - this 2 star review just represents my level of enthusiasm.
Fairport Convention
4/5
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Madonna
4/5
There are albums that stylistically I think I’ll like, but they prove shallow and unmemorabke. Then there is an album like this that I wouldn’t seem to match my tastes as well but it draws me in. Truthfully I need to give the latter half more time, it didn’t feel as strong, but the first half is strong.
Also, randomly… I could picture mashing this up with Talking Heads’ “Remain in Light.”
CHVRCHES
4/5
A synth-pop album that surprised me with its ability to draw me in. Emotionally, lyrically, and musically interesting. Made me want to discover more from this band.
U2 have several members who profess the Christian faith. On this album you see how Faith, uncertainty, and companionship are intertwined in a weary world. The highlight for me lyrically and emotionally is Peace on Earth, a lament that is resolved by Grace, the final track.
This album is musically and lyrically excellent with only a minor misstep here and there. If you only know the single Besutiful Day… well, I tend to forget that is part of this album.
Elliott Smith
4/5
A quite-good indie album. I was “rounding up to 4” until the last three songs when I was tempted to round up to 5. Was it just my mood? In any case, don’t miss those… and enjoy. I’ll be returning to this one for sure.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Obviously, some really excellent music on here! I think that Stevie Wonder was building on the sound of Sly & the Family Stone’s “There’s a Riot Going On” but with a much sunnier vibe. I’m only giving it four stars because, for me, some of the ballads don’t hold my attention as well.
I'm still little upset that they platformed Rod Stewart. But I'm rounding up to 3 stars because the music is listenable enough, although I will never listen to this album again.
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
Picture the classic Mothers of Invention albums such as “Absolutely Free” or “We’re Only In It for the Money” or maybe even “Apostrophe.” Now adjust it to something more serious, more epic, and more poetic.
That’s what this album is like, maybe.
This surely isn’t for everyone but it displays tremendous talent. If you’re prone to skip, at least slow down and take in “Casimir Pulaski Day,” which is not very much about Casimir Pulaski Day.
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
While I don't share John Lydon's disdain for religion, I can appreciate the anger at bad religion. (Jesus was known for this as well, see for example Matthew 23.)
But this album gets 4 stars for the other statement it makes. Fresh off the Sex Pistols' musical coup, John Lydon (formerly Johnny Rotten) goes into full deconstruction mode - not just about religion but about celebrity, fame, and (you guessed it) image.
There are some great sounds here. I love the vibe of Annalisa, based on a sad story of religious malpractice. This sound would be reproduced and deepened on Metal Box, aka Second Edition. Meanwhile, Fodderstompf apparently draws inspiration from Monty Python, the Beatles, and maybe the Mothers of Invention.
If you don't like a song, wait till the next one. There's quite a bit of variety here. That alone is interesting coming off of "Never Mind the Bullocks." And besides, if you literally hate some of the tracks on this record, that's probably what John Lydon was going for.
The Bees
3/5
This is album that has its moments. "A Minha Menina" is a cover of a song by Os Mutantes, an impressive 60's Brazilian experimental psychedelic band (!) whose 1968 album is part of the 1001. Most of the album doesn't sound quite like this but, again, there are moments. I liked the sound and feel of "Angryman" and "Sweet Like a Champion."
Mostly I'm intrigued by the story: two friends create an album in the shed of their parents' garden, which sounds like a British version of the tech company started in a parents' garage. I'm told the duo went on to tour with a "real" band, and that real band made some more good albums... curious to check them out! But I can only give 3 stars because I don't picture coming back to this one, promising as it is.
Neil Young
4/5
Great album with well known “Heart of Gold” and “Old Man,” but don’t miss “The Needle and the Damage Done.” First track and “Alabama” also strong.
Then, go listen to “Tonight’s the Night.”
Fishbone
5/5
I actually first heard this album in 1988 and it has followed me around since then. An album like this gives this 1001 list credibility, it is an album not everyone has heard but really should.
To fully appreciate it, put yourself in the musical landscape of 1988 and consider what a tour de force this was. This is a band in the zone and doing something unique.
Other 5 star reviews can describe the musical accomplishment better than I can, so at this point I turn it over to them….
Jurassic 5
3/5
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
This is the most accessible Captain Beefheart album, with some quite remarkable moments. It dips a little here and there, especially with the maybe comical (?) “I’m Glad.” But the first two tracks should be enough to draw you in and keep you on the lookout for more weird greatness.
The Residents
2/5
My thought process:
What is this?
Oh…
Not as bad as I thought.
But, maybe another time.
That time never came.
De La Soul
3/5
Prince
4/5
I give 4 stars to the songs I extract from this double album and forge into my own playlist. They are:
Sign o’ the Times
Play in the Sunshine
Starfish and Coffee
Forever in My Life
U Got the Look
Strange Relationship
I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
The Cross
The other songs display Prince’s versatile talents but these are the songs that resonate with me at this point!
Eminem
2/5
This guy is incredibly talented, but I don’t ultimately need this in my life. I can and suppose I will, in fact, die without it.
2 for the talent, minus 3 for making the world so much less beautiful
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
Jacques Brel
3/5
Can’t do this. And have no business rating it.
Cream
5/5
Fantastic offering from the Class of 67.
A friend encouraged me to focus on the drums / percussion and I pass that advice along to you as well.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Bert Jansch
3/5
My 3 stars simply reflect the fact that I’m unlikely to return to this album. I’m sure it deserves more respect, but nothing is putting hooks into me personally…
Queen
5/5
I was introduced to this album in the early 80s, which I consider fortuitous given that the entire album is a deep cut. But do what I did then… drop the needle on “Side Black” which begins with Ogre Battle. What an amazing set of fantastical songs. And every member of the band in full stride.
And hey, Side White is cool too.
Fugazi
4/5
Mudhoney
4/5
Rock becomes punk becomes post-punk becomes Mudhoney becomes Nirvana. I wish I had been more aware of this band in my teenage years. Lyrically, there is not a whole lot to offer my grown adult, self, but musically… well, you had me at fuzz.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
4/5
Garage rock meets blues. Reminiscent of the White Stripes but less lyrical depth. But, strong sound.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
Fantastic album that still reveals the optimistic side of the 60s and hope for a better future, before the cynicism of the 70s set in. Intelligent lyrics, harmony, and some nice electric flourishes throughout.
The biggest problem on the album is the jarring movement from the opening song, Carry On, to the second track, which is full on country. In fact, the album does have a little bit of unevenness that way, but the highs are so high. It’s still rounds up to a five star rating.
R.E.M.
5/5
There are four albums by R.E.M. on this list if I’m not mistaken. I would gladly see this one swapped out for Life’s Rich Pageant or Out of Time. It’s hard when a band is so dominant that most of their albums deserve to be on the list. So by REM standards, this album is probably a four star by the standards of anything else that came out that year… Easy five star.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Of course 5! It would be strange indeed if you joined this 1001 community and didn’t want to hear albums like this (again) (and again). Enjoy!
Happy Mondays
4/5
This has hooks to draw you in. Really good stuff, and had never heard this album before. So... thanks!
The Black Keys
5/5
It just sounds fantastic.
Ute Lemper
4/5
I am not sure the editors of 1001 know much about Cabaret or Broadway, and I’m not sure many of us do either. So here’s 4 stars from someone who has no business judging this album, because it had the air of quality and some stand out lyrics and some high class contributors.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Gary Numan
3/5
A little better than expected with a 70s Eno & Talking Heads vibe… I don’t think it’s just familiarity that makes “Cars” stand out though.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Bob Marley is an important artist, I just don’t know if I would return to this album much. For reggae please drop the needle on “The Harder They Come” (soundtrack) and Pato Barton’s “Never Give In.” Thank you, and sorry.
Gang Of Four
5/5
Post-punk at its earliest and finest! So minimalistic so energetic so good. If you like this, leapfrog to 1997’s “Dig Me Out” by Sleater-Kinney.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Apparently thee are mostly cover songs, woven together and his own testament. There are a few that are poorly done, but it’s clear he doesn’t care what you think about that.
Tough empathy. Sentiment breaking up from the hard ground.
Most powerful song for me: “I Hung My Head.” (Written by…Sting?!)
Ice Cube
1/5
I love good rap / hip hop that has a story to tell and something to say… but… not willing to dig through the profanity, violence, and misogyny to find it.
Flamin' Groovies
4/5
You will hear this described as power pop, retro, blues rock, and proto-punk. There's a lot of different sounds going on here but it fits together. My favorite songs were Yesterday's Numbers and Whiskey Woman. I didn't love the title track but its lyrics were something Billie Joe Armstrong would have written if he grew up in the 60s:
When you see me
Better turn your tail and run
'Cause I'm angry
And I'll mess you up for fun
I'm a child of atom bombs
And rotten air and Vietnams, I'm you
You are me
FYI - the original album went up to Track 9 (Whiskey Woman) and everything that follows are bonus tracks from the CD release years later. The bonus tracks are covers of early 60s songs like "That'll Be the Day" and Walking the Dog... they sound GOOD.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
This is beyond reasonable dispute one of the greatest albums of all time, so I will only add these thoughts to those who only hearing it now, 50-60 years after its release.
1) you have to think in terms of chronology. This album is from 1967, and it is the headwaters of so much that would later be dubbed “alternative.” Basically, most of my favorite music starts here. (The rest begins with the Beatles.)
2) again, 1967! What a year! It’s unbelievable the albums released this year which included the Doors first album, the first two Jimi Hendrix albums, Sgt Pepper, and more.
3) don’t try this at home… well, try the music but not the lifestyle choices being described. For example, Heroin… please just don’t. This album transports you to the New York underside circa 1967, but also to its art scene - which is why you get Andy Warhol involved in the mix as well. There is deconstruction, some self-destruction, and beauty.
Wow, I said too much…
make sure to also listen to their second album (self titled) and to Loaded.
Nick Drake
3/5
Haircut 100
3/5
These are tight pop songs that aren’t quite memorable but so pleasant - especially when the rhythm guitars and percussion create a bright little “pop jam.” In the best moments I’m reminded of early Talking Heads, or live Talking Heads, or if the horns kick in…end game Talking Heads.
I wish I could round up to 4 but it’s not quite there - best 3 you could ask for.
U2
5/5
Strong album. I listened a couple times because it grew on me the more I relaxed into its sound and the more familiar it became. I really like some of the deeper cuts too.
The 1 star reviews by some on this site seem completely unserious and childish. Just had to say that.
Pink Floyd
4/5
This album had mixed reviews upon release but its acclamation has steadily grown. I’m still with those early reviewers, and not sure what the big fuss is about.
But… a little fuss is warranted! So I’m rounding up to 4 for the musicality and the strength of its best songs (which are also the most familiar).
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
These early Elvis Costello albums are great fun, lots of energy, love the sound.
Cat Stevens
5/5
This album and I go way back and I can only give it 5 stars, even if there are two songs weaker than the others. But I agree it’s CS’s best, though for a complete experience step back one album and make sure to listen to Maybe You’re Right, I Think I See the Light, and Trouble - all songs included on the soundtrack to Harold & Maude along with some from Tillerman. An inspired soundtrack for sure.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Janis Joplin
5/5
The cover says it all. Joyful flamboyance with a smoldering cigarette in the center.
Pixies
4/5
OK, I will rate this 4 Stars if you would be willing to go back one year to Fishbone’s “Truth & Soul.” The Pixies are attempting what Fishbone accomplished perfectly with their album a year earlier: a cutting edge suite of songs weaving multiple genres together into a hard edged, hard rock tapestry. Love that album. And I like this one.
This album is well crafted and you just may love it.
Blur
5/5
This album has a fantastic and diversified sound. I really enjoyed it. The first song or two might be familiar to you. A couple favorites on first listen were "You're So Great" and "Death of a Party," but that could change on the next well-deserved listen.
The Everly Brothers
4/5
I know it seems like splitting hairs, but I don’t take a great interest in rock ‘n’ roll before 1964. (Blues, yes.) But I must admit, this sounds pretty good. Not sure if it is the magic of remastering, but the music was strong and the half hour was enjoyable.
White Denim
4/5
Tom Waits
5/5
If you read about Tom Waits - say, on Spotify - you will notice they mention:
— many genres
— many instruments
— garage lids
You’ll also see lots of adjectives and commas — all in pursuit of some way to describe what this eclectic blues, jazz, cabaret, story-telling artist is all about.
My favorite album is the one that precedes this (Swordfishtrombones) - that is a 5/5 and this one rounds up to 5.
Blue Cheer
3/5
Some great musical ability on display. But. I think the problem is a vocal performance and lyrics that lack emotion depth. Like a 70s metal band…if you like those you will like this.
The Band
5/5
The Band came up from the Basement, and from behind Bob Dylan, to record their own album. It is fantastic. So is their self-titled second album. This was recorded in two weeks, live and without overdubbing, per Wikipedia - its strength is the chemistry the band enjoys.
Don’t miss the great story song “Long Black Veil,” the strong penultimate “This Wheel’s on Fire,” the jam “Chest Fever,” or the beautiful closer “I Shall Be Released.”
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
Not a big fan of ELO and was unenthused about listening to a double album (who told them they could do that?). As it turned out… still not a big fan. BUT, if more of this album sounded like side 4 (the last four songs) I would be more interested.
Rounding up to 3 stars and a math teacher would probably tell me I should be rounding down…
Killing Joke
4/5
Who knew that in 1980, Public Image Ltd and U2 had a child and named it Klling Joke?
As a result, I love the music. I appreciate the political and philosophical overtones. But, the vocal presentation has too much of something or too little of something...can't quite tell.
In any case, this is a worthy addition to anyone's collection of early post-punk.
Pink Floyd
3/5
What can you say about an album that spent 962 weeks on the Billboard Charts, is 14x Platinum, and has one of the highest ratings I've seen yet on this 1001 site?
How about... it's kinda boring?
On the other hand, it's a philosophical work - with its message conveyed through a mixture of music and lyrics. (Every other song on the album is instrumental or ambient, till the last track breaks the pattern.)
"Time," the best song in my opinion, has excellent lyrics, perspective, and emotional range. You just have to wait 2.5 minutes for the song to kick in. I guess that's making a point, now that I think about it.
I do not disparage others for loving this album even though it doesn't do a whole lot for me. It has vision, some degree of depth...it's saying something.
But it leaves me wondering why 1000 other albums didn't stay on the charts that long??
5/5
At first I thought, "This is just OK." And I didn't want to deal with an entire album of Liam Gallagher's voice. (One person said "Liam Gallagher makes whining work.)
So I turned it off and went on with life after "Wonderwall."
Over coffee this morning, started in again, just to be fair. "Hey Now" hooked me in. From there it was pure enjoyment. Even looping back around to the earlier songs.
Maybe it's the coffee.
Maybe it's the morning (I mean, right?).
Maybe the album is really good after all.
The Mothers Of Invention
5/5
From 1966, something truly impressive.
This album builds a bridge between the culture and the counter-culture of its day. It includes plenty of doo-wop sounds and sentiments, but always with satire. The message: the times they have a-changed and if you're still living in the (then, not so distant) past, that's...cute.
Other songs on the album are in-your-face cultural and political statements. That includes the opening track, "Hungry Freaks, Daddy," and also my favorite on the album "Trouble Every Day." As another review noted, that latter song is "sadly, always relevant." It truly is. That song may easily have been written yesterday, and yet this was nearly 60 years ago, the Beatles hadn't released Sgt Pepper, and (as another review mentioned) Americans hadn't landed on the moon yet.
That bridge from the culture to the counter-culture is one-way, by the way. And it lands you in a swamp of psychedelic and experimental expression as the album wraps up. (You may get impatient.)
This album forms, at least in my mind, a trilogy along with Absolutely Free and We're Only In It For the Money. That third album made fun of both the establishment (and decried its dangers) and also the (now trendy) counter-culture. Zappa was the Jon Stewart of the late 60s music scene: observant, talented, even-handed, satirical.
Björk
1/5
Please feel free to trust the critics and not me on this one. They all seem to love this.
I couldn’t get past three tracks. I’m told the lyrics to this breakup album are “devastating” but I’m met with lyrics like this:
“Show me emotional respect, oh respect, oh respect / And I have emotional needs, oh needs, oh ooh / I wish to synchronize our feelings, our feelings, oh ooh”
Not so subtle… not so artful. Neither is “I remember every single f*ck” (track three).
And I don’t like the sound at all.
So there’s a lot I apparently don’t get, and I usually don’t rate an album if I didn’t hear all (or at least most) of it. But this was a non-starter. Needle off, record back in its sleeve, and ready to move on.
Madness
4/5
I didn't expect much from the band that gave us "Our House," a catchy one hit wonder type song I remember from early 80's teen-dom. But this has an enjoyable, intelligent pop sound, and the album is very even. Too bad it's not on Spotify, I had to listen to this one via YouTube. Another reason to give the band a break and round 'em up to 4.
ABBA
2/5
I enjoy ABBA’s hits so I was willing to have them pay a visit. It wasn’t long, however, before I just wanted some peace and quiet again.
Elton John
3/5
It isn’t love it isn’t hate it’s just indifference.
Ramones
5/5
I never got around to the Ramones back in my can-I-afford-another-REM-or-Talking-Heads-album days. And it looks like this came out same year as the Clash’s first album which is more compelling to me. But, they inspired some of my favorite bands, U2 and as Sleater-Kinney to name just two… so I will round up to make sure they get the credit they deserve.
Talking Heads
5/5
1. If you can’t groove to this rhythm, I fear your groover is broken.
2. If you have only heard “Take Me to the River” you haven’t heard this album. You have heard one of the lesser tracks. It’s great, but it’s part of the tempo change that helps you cool down after all that’s come before.
3. The last song, “The Big Country,” is satire at its wittiest, catchiest, and quirkiest.
4. Jerry Harrison was in Modern Lovers before Talking Heads. I highly recommend checking out their self-titled, ahead of its time album if you want another window into early alternative/punk inspired (of course) by The Velvet Underground.
5. Each of the first five Talking Heads studio albums should be on this list, not to mention Stop Making Sense. And the film SMS - oh the joy!
Five out of five stars, fully deserving each one.
Nina Simone
5/5
This is one sophisticated lady. Glad to learn about this album.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I’ve always thought Bruce Springsteen, for me, was just OK. So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that, for me, this album was just OK.
For whatever reason the song that landed for me emotionally was “Racing in the Street.”
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
I for one love to be reminded of hip hop’s younger days before its misogynyistic and violent growth spurt.
May be hard to stick with the entire album but there are key songs to hear (quick! before you die!) - Hard Times, Rock Box, Jam Master Jay, and It’s Like That. There are other good songs as well, but I find myself surprised they are only half over when I think they are about to “rap up.”
The Kinks
4/5
The Kinks were pioneers. In 1964 they gave us early rock/punk classics “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night.” Banned from touring the US, they didn’t get to enjoy all the advantages of their fellow British Invaders but have a solid discography.
This is a good album that would be more impressive if it had been released 2 years earlier. By 1968, the Beatles were offering the white album and the Stones, Beggar’s Banquet. This may be intentionally a throwback but it’s a throwback nevertheless.
The Kinks and this album deserve more attention. Wish I could give it 5/5 but I think this is a strong 3 or a 4.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Bob Dylan, revisited.
Gene Clark
4/5
Apparently it took folks about 30 years to warm up to this album. I am in a bit of a hurry so I decided to save myself the time and like it right away. It’s solid, meaningful, and pleasant. Gene Clark was originally with the Byrds, I’m told.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
“Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away” will lead me back to this album. But this is the least familiar, for me, of Stevie Wonder’s magisterial period that includes Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness, and Songs in the Key of Life. Great stretch.
The Boo Radleys
4/5
Would love to hear a pared down version of this album. I love what I’m hearing, it’s just that they keep interrupting their own songs. Nevertheless, I’m rounding up to 4 because it’s more than just a middler, and it started out strong.
Stereolab
4/5
Grunge? Indie? Gangsta Rap? Or how about this other sound of the 90s that builds upon the electronic and rhythmic pop of the 80s? I’m not even sure this is my style, so why do I keep listening? Why is it so good? I guess I’m a fan.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
If you loved Brian Eno’s work in the 70s and his work as a producer for Talking Heads and U2… well, you will probably enjoy the opening song of this album.
And if you are a fan of Bob Dylan, you might appreciate the homage “Blues in Bob Minor.”
Each of those songs deserves a star. The rest, not that I can tell.
Small Faces
3/5
Am I being generous by giving 3 stars? Or do they deserve better and I’m just biased against them for later recruiting Rod Stewart? I can’t tell but I’m ready to move on. Next!
Eurythmics
4/5
Yes. This was good.
Richard Thompson
4/5
60s British folk meets 70s singer/songwriter meets an occasional energy drink.
Opening track and title track were two favorites.
The The
4/5
Where the the vocals end the real enjoyment begins. It took a few songs to get past the 80s tropes, but when “Uncertain Smile” turned into a piano jam session, I was drawn in.
Beatles
5/5
The White Album! What more can be said? How about this:
The Beatles defined a decade one album at a time. With the White Album, they went the opposite direction of the previous year’s revolutionary Sgt Pepper. The fact that the album cover contained NOTHING (besides the band's name) is the first clue that this is something very different from their previous year's musical revolution. They moved from the optimism (and "pop"-timism) of the Summer of Love to something more individualistic, varied, and untamed, and at times more overtly political. There is a wider emotional range as well, more deeply emotional and raw.
So this album - like all Beatles albums - is best heard in the context of the band's history and the history of the counterculture.
Also, this album - like all Beatles albums - is ridiculously amazing and still holds up nearly sixty (!!!) decades later.
John Grant
3/5
Alternating wit and anger and heartbreak. I was sometimes interested, sometimes impatient, sometimes checked out.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
I've lived decades thinking Elvis Costello was either overrated or I was missing something.
I was missing something.
His first two albums (My Aim & This Year's Model): energetic, fun, rocking new wave.
His third album (Armed Forces): Stylistic change, not so excited about it.
Don't know about the lay of the land from there to here, but this 1986 album has the same energy as those first albums. It's different; he's expanded his lyrical scope, the songs are longer. Kind of like a garage band that's had a very, very long time to practice and develop their craft. These are songs I want to return to.
Reminds me of an album like Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, but more direct, more rock/garage and (for me) more musically arresting. Or a collection of songs like you'd get from The White Stripes, but less blues.
I get it, some people are still feeling Elvis Costello is overrated. I just encourage you to consider that maybe, just maybe, you're missing something.
This is great stuff.
David Bowie
3/5
Three stars for a good album that is just not a favorite artist for me, and after reading the full Wikipedia article - just, yikes. It’s a good thing Mr. Bowie received the help he needed.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Someone quipped that Bookends is like the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” played out over an entire album. That seems right. I can feel the influence and vibe of Sgt Pepper here, even though the acoustic presentation provides misdirection.
Along with Mrs Robinson, there are some great counter culture gems here (Save the Life of My Child, Fakin’ It, Hazy Shade of Winter). “America” is a Simon and Garfunkel classic.
Yet there are low points. Overs, Voices of Old People, and Old Friends is a skippable trilogy. A song about Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and another about the Zoo probably contain profound insight…somewhere…but feel like filler.
I think the Beatles had the right idea in keeping it to one song. But — man, the great songs here are really deserving. Put the best songs on a playlist and that playlist should indeed be heard (a few times) before you die.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5/5
Fun, usually-quite-energetic album, with some staying power. Based on just one listen, I’d say either my favorite songs were in the second half…or maybe it just grew on me. Either way, “Runaway” stands out, as well as “Dull Life” and the “Dragon Queen” for very different reasons.
Let’s call it 4.6 so I can round up to a full 5.
The Smiths
4/5
I like the Smiths without really liking the Smiths all that much. But I listened all the way through and was rewarded. Several quality songs on this one, and by the end I could appreciate it.
Favorite songs:
"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore."
"Well I Wonder"
"Barbarism Begins at Home"
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
This album is a lament.
We need it.
Grant Lee Buffalo
4/5
The 4est of 4 star albums.
A great sound, in fact some of the best sounds the early 90s could offer to lovers of indie and alternative.
Yet it needs something more, probably lyrically, to pull it all the way over the top.
Favorite song - Dixie Drug Store.
Pearl Jam
4/5
This is the sound hard rock makes when it's just started therapy.
"Jeremy" - heartbreaking, powerful, make sure you know the backstory. Skip everything else, love everything else, but this one is a testament for the ages.
Six out of Ten.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
I was introduced to Belle & Sebastian with 2006’s The Life Pursuit. I LOVE that album.
Alas, it’s not on this list.
But on this list is what is supposed to be their finest album, If You’re Feeling Sinister. It’s a good album. But it doesn’t have “Sukie in the Graveyard” or “The Blues are Still Blue.”
So, enjoy this, but for some extra fun meet me over at The Life Pursuit afterward.
Paul Weller
4/5
Rock/indie/just good.
Started out strong. And Whenever it started to lose my interest, it gained it back again.
Strong 4/5.
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
Me: White kid in the 80s, ingesting copious amounts of R.E.M., Talking Heads, and P.I.L.
Also Me: White kid in the 80s listening to copious amounts of Sly & the Family Stone, especially Life!, Stand!, and this masterpiece - There's a Riot Goin' On.
Me, today, 40 years later: White guy in my 50s, and on a REGULAR basis the opening sounds of this album run through my head. The album has never left me.
Sly & the Family Stone changed music at least twice. Their 60s sound was dynamic and revolutionary, performed by a multiethnic band that was quite a rarity in those days (at least in the main). Then with this album, something totally new again.
I also remember seeing Sly Stone on TV in the late 80s. He was such a huge figure to me musically, but by this point he had become a much smaller version of himself. The drugs that no doubt fueled this album had shrunken him. Like one that dies giving birth... we are the recipients of something unforgettable, but it took the life of its maker.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
A easy on-ramp, and then such a smooth ride.
Moby Grape
4/5
What if Blood, Sweat, and Tears was just garage/psychedelic enough to be less popular?
That would be Moby Grape.
And it sounds good!
Only bummer is this is not on Spotify, though easily found on YouTube. 🙄
The Go-Betweens
4/5
The Go-Betweens apparently fell through the cracks in the 80s.
The album opens well. Then songs 3 and 3 disappoint, with “Quiet Heart” distractingly derivative of Joshua Tree era U2. But this album got my attention with “You Can’t Say No Forever” and kept going strong from there. 8 out of 10 great songs overall.
It’s already improving for me on my second listen, so…. Definitely deserves attention, despite the early slump, especially if you like the more indie/alternative side of the 80s.
Some would be interested to know the band reformed in 2000 and released the single “Going Blind” which features all three members of Sleater-Kinney. Great song, sadly not on Spotify… had to track it down on YouTube.
Scott Walker
3/5
Hey it’s not every day you hear a song about a man playing chess with Death.
I appreciate the poet/songwriter genre inhabited by others like Leonard Cohen… but unfortunately this album didn’t take me very far.
Tori Amos
4/5
Elvis Costello
5/5
Welcome to 1977 where punk is already becoming post punk and we get a new wave of artists such as Elvis Costello and Talking Heads.
I used to wonder what the fuss was about. This is what the fuss is about.
Elvis Costello’s sound and style would shift and vary and mature, but this debut album is potent. It’s fun, varied, and energetic.
Enjoy!
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Favorite song was the energetic “Darlington County” which (upon investigation) was written six years earlier for “Darkness on the Edge of Town.” It stands out because it has a different feel.
Otherwise… many familiar songs that aren’t bad and are occasionally good, but don’t really take me anywhere.
Buck Owens
3/5
The first thing I did was check my settings: didn’t I rule out country??
Second thing I did was lament the fact that I can’t find those settings.
Third thing I did was play the album on background for about 6 songs.
Fourth thing I did was express surprise at “Wham Bam…”
Fifth and finally, I decided to just give this three stars (down the middle) because this just isn’t my genre and who am I to judge? Especially given the release date, it’s hard for me to know how important and influential this may have been.
Serge Gainsbourg
1/5
No.
And please, don’t do that again.
Tim Buckley
4/5
This is a subtle album, but if give it your patient attention you can hear the musicians get in the zone.
First couple songs were really the best for me but it had quality throughout.
The Cardigans
3/5
This is better than my 3 stars may indicate. Its a “3.49 out of 5” but I just can’t being myself to round up. Why? The sugary vocal presentation guarantees I won’t return to it… BUT, arguing against myself, you need to know this is some fine, energetic pop and that sweet voice masks some darker themes and interesting musical influences. The most intriguing don’t-wanna-miss-it moment is their ironic and groovy cover of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man.”
Herbie Hancock
4/5
I immediately heard the influence of Sly & the Family Stone’s “There’s a Riot Goin’ On.” Then the third track was titled “Sly” so… maybe check out “There’s a Riot” (a 5 star, ground breaking album).
This is an enjoyable, groovy album too.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
1/5
Nope.
Eels
5/5
Eclectic Indie. Pretty remarkable album by one Mark Oliver Everett DBA the Eels, musically diverse, lyrically interesting. Torn between 4 or 5 rating so let’s round up… this is a good one.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Devil’s music.
Burning Spear
4/5
The Coral
5/5
Forward looking retro! Here's an album that builds on the past yet has its own distinct voice.
Listened twice already.
LOVE IT.
Lou Reed
4/5
Lou Reed fronted The Velvet Underground, which represented "the counterculture to the counterculture." With VU, he gave birth to all things later called "punk," "new wave," or "alternative." In other words, SO MUCH GREAT STUFF.
Transformer is his second album after he left VU, and I think I'd say it's an extension of that band's varied vibe in some ways. Yet for me it's not as consistently engaging. The best tracks for me are "Vicious," "Andy's Chest," and "Hangin' 'Round."
"Walk on the Wild Side." Meh. But, OK.
Still, I'll do all I can to round up to 4 stars, since Lou Reed was doing his inconsistent best to bring the stories of the streets to us... and sometimes it sounds so good.
Christina Aguilera
4/5
In a word: QUALITY.
…when I wasn’t expecting it.
I am not the target demographic but that’s what this list is for, at its best. Surprises.
I was struck by the quality of the music, her undeniable talent, and enjoyed the “throwback” concept of the album. Also, I expected pop but got soul, jazz, R&B, and even some gospel.
Most captivating songs: Makes Me Wanna Pray, Slow Down Baby, Oh Mother, Mercy on Me.
Lambchop
2/5
“Chamberpop,” country, and soul fusion may not sound very interesting to you… nor did it to me.
Radiohead
2/5
This is my first Radiohead album so far.
Are they, in fact, the most overrated band?
Julian Cope
4/5
The two most important things I can tell you:
1. Do not listen to the over 2 1/2 hours contained on the Deluxe Edition. That includes a bonus disc from 2009. (Always) use Wikipedia to find the original track listing. When the album first came out the last song was Las Vegas Basement, so stop there (if you get that far).
2. Despite what even Julian Cope himself has said, his previous major release - My Nation Underground - is a much more enjoyable album and ages just fine. The opening track to that album covers two different 60s songs and then infuses them with 80s Cold War angst - amazing.
Yet the music here is strong… favorite songs “If You Loved Me At All” and “Beautiful Love” (don’t miss that one…maybe even spin that first). Many other masterful moments. But even the original release is long, and the whole feels a little less than the parts.
Paul Simon
3/5
Otis Redding
5/5
Great sound and consistency as Soul / R&B entered the album era. For me this is more like a 4 but I’m rounding up to show “Respect”!
Van Morrison
5/5
The movement from pop hits like “Brown Eyed Girl” to a soundscape like this is what the 60s is all about.
This album been called “folk jazz” or folk/blues/classical/jazz. In other words it defies easy categorization.
It’s been called “stream of consciousness” at least in its lyrical presentation, but that seems true of the music as well. It just sounds like musicians finding their groove.
It’s been called a “song cycle” versus a concept album. Either way, you can drop the needle anywhere and have the same experience. It’s going to defy genre and you can love it or hate it. I for one love it.
I think you should give this a listen before you die.
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
When you have trouble choosing between the James Bond soundtrack and that old Killers album.
I respect what they are doing here. “Calm Like You” was my favorite on first listen.
The Adverts
2/5
I see this was ranked the 17th greatest punk album. That seems like a really low ranking for a movement that quickly displaced itself and gave way to post-punk and new wave.
By the time this album came out we had the Ramones, the Clash, and the Sex Pistols. We had Talking Heads releasing their second (amazing) album and the Cars releasing their first. A few days after this Adverts album came out, Public Image Ltd released their first album.
It’s like the bands are all packing up their equipment as the Adverts are jumping onto the stage, a little too late. It’s cute but unnecessary.
Various Artists
5/5
At first I thought it was cute to receive a Christmas album, but I must admit this truly belongs on the list.
Phil Spector’s “wall of sound” production is legendary and makes even Pop Christmas music captivating. But none of that would be possible without Darlene Love’s amazing voice and the other musicians and vocalists that bring down the house. Even a deep cut (one of only few) like “A Marshmallow World” was a jam.
I doubt you’d find an album this consistently strong in 1963.
Merry Christmas!
The Byrds
3/5
If the whole album sounded like “One Hundred Years From Now” I’d be all in.
Alas, it does not.
Other favorite songs for me include the final three, which were not on the original release.
Eminem
1/5
I pass on this despite Marshall M’s extraordinary talent, since that talent is deployed in ways so destructive to his own humanity. And to ours…
Deerhunter
3/5
Some fine music, and I could get into the more up tempo songs in particular.
But, this fits well on a list of “1001 Albums That Are Fine to Hear Before You Die.”
Not “must.”
That’s the problem with trying to add new albums every year.
But that’s not Deerhunter’s fault. Enjoy!
Paul Simon
4/5
I believe this is the best solo album made after 1970 by any 60s icon named Paul.
When it came out, my girlfriend’s dad played the cassette on repeat on a long road trip we took together. The songs are well written and interesting, and also safe for the whole family.
Oasis
3/5
Not sure why this album doesn’t do more for me.
It is widely acclaimed.
The band has another album I rather enjoyed.
The genre(s) and musical influences check a lot of boxes for me.
But, I just can’t make myself love it. This maybe it’s because there is a sameness to the songs. Or, because Liam Gallagher’s exaggerated vocals sound too much like a misplaced John Lydon?
Anyway, enjoy the album (like the rest of the world) and I’ll be over here if you need me….
Kings of Leon
4/5
Southern punk blues rock.
Lyrically it’s ok, not offering much that isn’t tried and true adjacent. Vocally it’s sometimes grating.
But… Musically, this album absolutely delivers. Every song throws in something extra. Totally in the zone.
The Jam
4/5
Hey, they were on the Billy Elliott soundtrack makes track. And this sounds pretty good. I’d like to hear their later albums.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
I’d like to give these stars to Tom Fogerty for some nice blues guitar work. Also thought their version of Good Golly, Miss Molly was strong.
Ash
3/5
Quite good musicianship. On first listen I didn't hear anything lyrically that made me think we'd get out of the shallow end, and that's why I'm not prone to go back to it. But if I do, maybe I'll reconsider and love it... Not sure. This one was a tough call.
Suzanne Vega
4/5
Simple, beautiful, thoughtful songwriting. Happy to learn about Suzanne Vega. I had only known the name and now I’m made curious to hear more of her music.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Quite simply, this sounds fantastic.
Just one trigger warning: If you're squealing about the Beatles' "Run for Your Life," you are really going to have trouble with "Down By The River."
The Beach Boys
4/5
I’m a lifelong Beatles fan, and have never really taken The Beach Boys seriously. It proved quite interesting to investigate the nuances of the Beatles/Beach Boys rivalry and place this album, Today!, in context. It made me want to listen to a lot more early Beatles.
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
1963-1969. The Beatles led the way, defined a decade, innovated, perfected, and left music that still amazes to this day. Paul McCartney, at the end of the Beatles’ career, was at his height and everything he touched was gold. He was in his strength.
Which is what makes his solo career, including Band on the Run, so tragic. (Let me get this out of the way: first two tracks are listenable, then I can’t anymore, but it does close with an energetic “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five” - why couldn’t he have done more of THIS at least?)
Paul was at his best in tandem and friendly competition with his friend John, with the guidance of George Martin, and with George and Ringo. Paul was an amazing talent, but others helped channel that to perfection. He was never the same afterward, so even his best work sounds like it needed John or one of the Georges to come in and lift it to the next level. Or any level really.
There is still some strength coming through on “Ram.” That would be the best I’ve heard from Paul post-Beatles.
Is this a 2 or 3? Some of y’all will enjoy this much more than I am able to. I will be kind and go with 3 but I’m just so distraught over the whole sordid affair.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
The two singles, Tumbling Dice and Happy, truly are two standout songs on this album. Happy has Keith Richards on vocals, a change up I always appreciate. A song called I Just Want to See His Face has another change up: a positive reference to…Jesus? Am I hearing that right?
I’m only at 4 stars because I’m not a huge Stones fan to begin with but it’s a solid album that deserves its reputation as one of, if not their very best.
Blur
5/5
Elliott Smith
5/5
This list introduced me to Elliott Smith through “Either/Or” which, by the end, gained my appreciation. This album had me from the first song and was just… consistent, interesting, enjoyable, even if quite a bit of melancholy was masked behind the pleasant sound.
I give this 5 stars. Not the 5 stars of the “Rubber Soul” sort, not a groundbreaking classic, but the pleasant surprise kind. The kind of album you joined this crazy roller coaster ride to learn about.
Baaba Maal
4/5
Train of thoughts:
Ugh… no doubt this will be too far removed from me culturally to truly appreciate.
“World music.” Just how many countries and cultures are loaded into that one signifier? Too many. Crazy.
“Toro.” Hey… this sounds REAL nice. Think I’ll add it to my liked songs.
Who is Baaba Maal anyway? (Reads over full Wikipedia article.) Oh.
I love fusion.
“Sy Sawande.” Man, this album is pretty.
“Ndelorel.” Love this. What a groove.
So glad I listened.
CHVRCHES
3/5
Picture a world in which the 80s never ended, but some brave souls learned to survive, made the best of it, and even produced some pretty good music. That is Churches, The Bones of What You Believe.
Pretty + Good. Still, I’m glad the 80s didn’t last forever.
The Police
3/5
I have wondered why the Police don’t inspire me, especially as I so love late 70s post punk and (some) new wave. I think for me the dividing line usually comes down to lyrics… in the case of the Police the lyrics aren’t bad, just not at all provocative. It’s very…vanilla. Very… reggatta de blanc.
No hate. I can appreciate that others love ‘em, just something missing for me here.
Nick Drake
4/5
I like the mix of folk and jazz, with melancholy vocals down the middle enlivened by playful piano, bass, and guitar. But the album remains mostly pensive, like walking through an empty city on a rainy night.
I suspect this would reward the listener on multiple, patient listens (which would explain why Drake’s albums appear to be sleeper classics). Going to round up to 4 stars for this evident quality. Favorite songs on first listen were “Time Has Told Me” and especially “Man in a Shed.” I was excited about a third song but it turned the Spotify algorithm had sent me into a different Nick Drake album.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
It’s like, before Keith Richards was in The Rolling Stones and created riffs like “Satisfaction,” he was in a different early 60s band called… The Rolling Stones.
And before Mick Jagger was made famous for songs like “Get Off of My Cloud” or “19th Nervous Breakdown” he got his start in a cover band also called… The Rolling Stones.
It’s just so interesting that THIS is The Rolling Stones and THAT is also The Rolling Stones.
Note: there is just one song by Jagger/Richards on this album, “Tell Me (You’re Coming Back).” The listener can decide if it’s by THIS Rolling Stones or THAT Rolling Stones.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
Harder than usual to rate this album. I don’t care for Clapton’s pursuit of his friend’s wife, which is the emotional backdrop for this album. Plenty of good music, but I’m never really…surprised. Never fully hooked.
I feel guilty giving this three stars but I also feel honest.
fIREHOSE
4/5
Don’t judge an album by its cover, I guess. Expected hardcore and got something more alternative, witty, political, and engaging. You sense the influences of the best post-punk and new wave here, and you can hear the talent.
Short, engaging album.
Favorite songs: In My Mind, What Gets Heard, Understanding, and all the others.
Prince
4/5
The album is musically masterful. The title track is a classic, there are several hits, and such a funky variety that you don’t get bored (musically at least) over the double length album. Also - this 1982 album makes electronic music sound GOOD, not dated or foolish.
Yet I’m not a fan of Prince’s hedonism, with my least favorite lyric being: “Work your body like a whore.” Prince has the occasional spiritual reference, but is most often amoral and occasionally just manipulative in his notorious sensuality.
Favorite songs: “1999,” “All the Critics Love U in New York.”
Other notes: “Delirious” anticipates “Let’s Go Crazy” from Purple Rain and is pretty fun. “Free” is a pleasant break as the album begins its descent.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
The Temptations
3/5
Funk, soul, pop. I like the funk.
I can believe deserves more than 3 stars but it’s all I have right now.
The Coral
5/5
Forward looking retro!
Here's an album that builds on the past yet has its own distinct voice.
Listened multiple times.
LOVE IT.
ZZ Top
2/5
There was something cool, original, and funky about ZZ Top… in 1973.
But in 1983? As popular as these songs were, and I remember them well, they are packaged, shiny, and soulless.
Give me back the Tres Hombres!
Sex Pistols
5/5
In the history of music Jenga set, you cannot remove this one without collapsing the whole.
Therefore: 5/5
Note: that Jenga set has fewer than 1001 pieces, as we are all learning the hard way. Still, this is top 25 as far as pivotal music moments go.
Note Too: Compare “Bodies” with Public Image Ltd’s “The Body.” Within Johnny Rotten Lydon’s Ltd. worldview, abortion was shocking, dehumanizing, and dystopian. Interesting.
The Who
5/5
The album deserves 5/5 for its place in rock history, for Keith Moon bursting onto the scene, for “My Generation,” and for “The Ox.” That’s the last song of the original side two, and if you are wondering what to rate the album, it quickly relieves the doubts.
Randy Newman
3/5
If you ever thought, “I wish every song on Sgt. Pepper was like ‘When I’m 64,’” this album is for you.
It arises from the counter culture but in an old timey facade. You wonder if he’s serious or sarcastic or cynical, and it’s probably all three.
Just don’t expect a transition over to “Lovely Rita,” because it isn’t coming.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Nein.
Justin Timberlake
2/5
It was pretty clear from the beginning that I could die a happy man without hearing this album.
Dying happy sounded good to me, so I acted accordingly.
Madonna
4/5
Madonna really isn’t my type. However, this seventh album is a departure from her earlier style and moves into what I guess is called trip hop. Which might not work for me either, but in its best moments the music shifts and grooves and keeps you engaged.
The first half is stronger than the second, but I’m rounding up to 4 stars, even to my own surprise.
Also, randomly… I could picture mashing this up with Talking Heads’ “Remain in Light.” Compare Ray of Light to Crosseyed and Painless.
Mott The Hoople
3/5
Glam rockers doing glam rockery things. I could listen to T. Rex all day, and some Bowie here and there, but this doesn't add value for me. It feels packaged, which comes with the genre perhaps. There was one song that seemed interesting, turned out they were drawing heavily from Dylan—which proved both interesting and awkward (you'll know it when you hear it). The Cadillac song was a lyrical low point.
It's not horrible. Hey, you may even like it. And while I won't be returning to it, I'll round up (hesitantly) to 3 stars for being a reasonably produced artifact the early 70s and for NOT containing "All the Young Dudes."
Hüsker Dü
4/5
I need to get a message to teenage me, to get hold of a few Hüsker Dü records. Like most smart teens I was busy with R.E.M. and PiL. From the vantage point of Now, it may seem like H.D. didn’t add much to the mix. But I think they did… this was a punkier, grungier band that clearly influenced many breakout bands of the 90s.
But as for Now, I’d say the album still sounds good and is worth some time. Emphasis on “some” because it’s too long (a common complaint for double albums). But there were enough songs I want to hear again to rate it 4/5, such as:
“Back From Somewhere”
“Too Much Spice”
“She Floated Away” (retro yet not)
“Tell You Why Tomorrow” (a top pick)
“You’re a Soldier” (admittedly *so* R.E.M.)
Holger Czukay
2/5
I’m told by Spotify that this was critically acclaimed when it was released. But… did anyone listen to it since?
Wikipedia tells me it’s a cult classic that paved the way for Eno and Byrne’s “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts.” Okay… as a huge Talking Heads fan and pretty fond of Brian Eno, that’s another album I’ve never bothered with. (Has anyone else?)
I guess the takeaway here is that you have to have an uncommon appreciation for some very obscure music to appreciate this. That sounds like a rare individual but apparently he ended up as an editor of 1001 Albums to Hear Before You Die.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
They say that few people bought Velvet Underground records when they were first released (1967-70) but everyone who did buy one started a band.
I think this is one of those bands. Nearly every song is traceable to the VU influence.
Not bad, but mostly makes me want to listen to White Light/White Heat. (In fact, I just did that…splendid.)
Amy Winehouse
3/5
If you love R&B, soul, and jazz there is a lot for you here. This didn’t quite hit my tiny bullseye for these genres but I recognize the talent and performance quality here.
The Beach Boys
3/5
I used to know The Beach Boys as “that nostalgia band over THERE,” which had no connection to the real arc of great music. But I’ve come to respect them as innovators who couldn’t keep up with the Beatles, but dang it they tried, before throwing in the towel.
This album is both post-towel and post-Beatles. The fight is over, no more competition. And like the solo albums by Paul and John around this time, there’s an unevenness and occasionally something cringe (“Student Demonstration Time”—no). But also like John and Paul at this time, and the very last few Beatles albums, there’s a “throw everything at the wall” approach to songwriting and style that I appreciate.
Interesting that they keep up the ocean theme, but this time to lament the pollution and—in “Til I Die” and “Surf’s Up”—as a metaphor for personal lostness. Brian Wilson was struggling.
When the album ended on Spotify, it took me over to early 70s George Harrison: “All Things Must Pass.” I didn’t mention George earlier because unlike Paul, John, and Brian Wilson he was in his stride at this time. Yet there is still a similarity between where all of these songwriters landed after music’s most innovative decade. Interesting times.
Rod Stewart
3/5
I grew up in a dystopian society where “Maggie Mae” was played on my classic rock station until it turned you into a lifelong enemy of Rod Stewart. I’m not sure what they had against Rod Stewart, but it worked. I can’t tolerate Faces, and I can’t fully enjoy this album despite some obvious merits.
On this album, Stewart is joined by Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones) and a host of other apparently really talented musicians. Who is that drummer? The album leans heavily into blues rock and gritty folk. Could have been a Stones album from this period or, better yet, a Janis Joplin record.
But, it’s a Rod Stewart album, and as I said at the beginning I’ve been permanently scarred.
The Flaming Lips
5/5
This was a really enjoyable album that I will fail to be able to describe. I kept thinking about side two of Abbey Road, with all of its musical variety, mood changes, playfulness, and moments of dreaminess. It’s kind of like that, but from another planet.
Maybe it’s more helpful to compare the sound to Coldplay, it is probably on that spectrum — but this is more eccentric and curious and fun.
Favorite songs on first listen: “The Spark That Bled.” On second listen, I add “What is the Light” and “Waiting for Superman” and all the other songs.
Best unfamiliar album I’ve received in a while, and it’s growing stronger as I sit with it. Either a very solid 4/5 or a 5/5, so I’m choosing the latter.
Paul Simon
4/5
I believe this is the best solo album made after 1970 by any 60s icon named Paul.
When it came out, my girlfriend’s dad played the cassette on repeat on a long road trip we took together. The songs are well written and interesting, and also safe for the whole family.
The Birthday Party
1/5
This is EXACTLY what you would expect if Captain Beefheart formed a magic punk band. Captain Beefheart had some pretty interesting music. You might want to go listen to it instead.
I can only imagine this is on the list solely for those who are going straight to hell when they die. I don't know how it prepares you for any other afterlife. Which reminds me: please skip over the song about murdering the girl, and also the other songs, except maybe "Several Sins” which helps boost this album to 1.3 stars.
David Bowie
2/5
Somebody, please make it stop.
It’s just too much Bowie.
There are NINE David Bowie albums on this list, more than any other artist, but good news! You can trade out FIVE of them for albums of your choice. Think of it like taking a mental health day at school, or a personal day at work. Enjoy some of your favorite music today - whatever you choose - since this is not among the four Bowie albums you actually need to hear before you die. It has a couple hits, and “Young Americans” is a good one, but this is not an essential album.
No, it is not.
Astor Piazzolla
2/5
After complaining about the number of Bowie albums on the list, I stayed up late to get my next album and was punished with this. I will henceforth be less outspoken with my concerns. That doesn’t mean this is a bad album, just that it’s jazz from 1987 and who can evaluate that? Not me, and I’m skeptical that the editors of 1001 can either. Even the guys on the album cover look confused.
The moral of my story is, don’t complain about too much David Bowie (the artist with the most! albums on the list, nine??!!). And if you already complained, well, I guess that’s why got this album too.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
The first half of 1967 saw the release of the first album by the Doors, the Velvet Underground, and Jimi Hendrix. It saw the revolutionary releases of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields/Penny Lane" and Sgt Pepper. Love and Traffic made their debuts in '67, and there were also sophomore releases by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and Cream.
1967 was the greatest year in rock 'n' roll history.
Surrealistic Pillow by Jefferson Airplane appeared in February of '67, showing what a deep bench this year boasted. And while it didn't charm me as much as I'd hoped, the primary Grace Slick contributions were remarkable. "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit" do not grow old, and carry such power. They also represent their times well. The only other song that really grabbed me was "Plastic Fantastic Lover" (a song about TV, add it to a playlist with "Trouble Every Day" and "I'm the Slime" from the Mothers.)
This is only a 3/5 for me, but it's a strong 3 with some 5/5 moments in a 5/5 year.
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
It seems that Buffalo Springfield knew 1967 was a consequential year for music. Determined to do their part, they came off the bench in November with their second album and made sure it was GOOD.
Neil Young, Stephen Stills, and Richie Furay share songwriting honors; Young and/or Stills produce seven of the songs. It is varied in strength and style but fits together. My favorite songs have a sound that’s familiar from Stills/Young’s later collaboration as CSN&Y on Deja Vu. The closing song, “Broken Arrow,” sounds like it was inspired by (dare I say) Sgt Pepper - translated into counter culture Americana.
Great band, strong album.
Django Django
3/5
This is a well-produced album with a promising sound. In its best moments, there is vocal and acoustic guitar over a rhythmic and groovy electronic layer underneath.
But... the promise is never quite fulfilled. I think it's because I don't find the lyrics compelling. That's mainly a statement of content, but perhaps delivery as well. It's not that the lyrics aren't creative; they're not overly simplistic. There's just nothing to lay hold of. Nothing that moves this from style to substance, for me at least.
So, I can see why someone might love this, but for me it didn’t quite satisfy.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
How did this even happen? There were huge changes taking place in in music at this time (case studies: Beatles, Dylan) but Hendrix’s first album still seems so unexpected, sounds so good, and feels so impactful. The other two members of the Experience support Jimi well; I love the drum work, which has the relentless Keith Moon sound. And the (few) deep cuts never disappoint.
You don’t need this list to tell you to hear this before you die, but it’s always good to hear albums like this again. And again.
Sugar
3/5
Bob Mould deserves credit for being grunge before grunge was grunge. That was Husker Du. His next band, Sugar, this one, was grunge during grunge.
I realize that my problem is that I’m just not much of a fan of grunge. I actually liked this album best when it lightened up, on songs like “Hoover Dam” and “…If I Can’t Change Your Mind.” That latter song sounds like it could’ve been a hit, and oh, I guess maybe it was? It sounds quite a bit like Hootie and the Blowfish, or rather, Hootie sounds like Sugar. But again, I never resonated much with Hootie and the Blowfish either.
I guess all of this amounts to a 3/5 for an album that isn’t bad, isn’t great, but is respectable enough. If grunge can be described as “respectable”?
Anyway… moving right along….
The Clash
4/5
I was envisioning my 5 star rating as I listened with delight to the joyful rebellion of side one. The only downer was “Deny,” which was promptly rescued by “London Calling.”
It turns out “Deny” was a bit of a harbinger as side two waned a bit. A little less joy here, a little less rebellion there. And interestingly enough, for the US version released a full TWO years later, “Deny” and other weaker songs were replaced with songs like “Clash City Rockers” and “I Fought the Law.” A stronger album…but not the original.
Ironically, the US version is less “boring.” But still 4 stars for the UK and for a great band whose talent would expand in the years that followed.
SAULT
4/5
This album came out in 2020, when Americans came out of denial for a quick moment about racism. I'm writing this review in 2025, lamenting how quickly that moment dissipated. One of the propped up negative reviews on this site gave a low rating to this album, complaining that America loves black people too much. Well, I don't think that reviewer needs to worry... we have elected and propped up just the people who can take care of that (alleged) problem.
Anyway, back to this album. It's good. It's a sensitive, restrained testament to Black experiences of all kinds: the challenges, the fears, the pride, the power, and the longing. Favorite song was "Monsters," and also "Wildfires" which others have noted. If it's not your style, at least listen. Like..."listen."
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Man, this album gets a lot of love. But the 80s synthesized production turns me off to each track immediately. When the album ended, Spotify moved me over to a nice Peter Gabriel song from 1977 (“Solsbury Hill”). THAT song, and THAT sound, grabbed me. The contrast made clear to me that So, despite Gabriel’s excellent vocals, just feels inauthentic and plastic with the synthesized, mechanistic backdrop.
3/5 rounding up and well aware that I may be missing something here!
Bauhaus
3/5
This album sounds so much like early Public Image Ltd, it’s hard to believe there wasn’t a very direct influence. Musically, Bauhaus rivals that edgy, post-punk, somewhat experimental sound of PIL and others (like, say, Gang of Four). Which is to say, it’s a good sound. But I couldn’t get into any particular song, which I think is more of an issue with the lead vocalist and the general arrogance these songs exude.
I didn’t listen to later CD and bonus tracks, just the original track list, and give it 3/5.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
I think a friend said it best.
“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
Pavement checks all my style and influence boxes. I've learned that sometimes the "box checking" bands can disappoint however, when the style is there without the substance. But in this case, I heard something on the first listen that made me want to go back again. On second listen, I enjoyed it even more than the first time through. Specifically, from "Cut My Hair" (the big hit in its day) through the end. I'm going to keep some of these songs in the rotation.
RANDOM STUFF: If you ever wanted to know what could have been, had Neil Young joined up with the Velvet Underground, you can find out by listening to "Range Life." And what's up with "5-4=Unity" borrowing from the Beatles' "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"? So curious, but enjoyed that little interlude....
Pixies
3/5
I want to say to the Pixies, “It’s not you, it’s me.”
I appreciated your profile on the 1001 dating app, I feel like we have a lot in common, but something feels off.
But really. It’s not you. It’s me.
Supergrass
4/5
Eclectic 90s alternative music BUT with a Britpop sensibility that makes it more fun. Oh, and apparently the fun is age appropriate play - I found out these bandmates were YOUNG when this album landed.
I hear many influences here, from the Beatles to Glam Rock to just about everything else. Lots of variety, lots of talent, and some great sounds.
Hole
3/5
Brilliant opening song (and a big hit).
Then… it’s fine. It’s consistent. But it keeps me at arm’s length, not sure why. I don’t want to fight too hard to get closer, and move on.
Funkadelic
3/5
I don’t have much patience for the opening and closing tracks. But: Sandwiched between these two tedious 10 minutes tracks are 5 five songs that evoke the spirit and sounds of the city, that make an excellent EP.
Meanwhile, I really hate the cover of this album. If they wanted to disturb me, they did. I’ll be glad when it’s not showing up all over my phone.
Chicago
4/5
What gave Chicago the courage to release a somewhat meandering double album as their FIRST? My theory is that they were inspired the White Album. And perhaps this album should be viewed in that light, although in many ways it's more like George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass," with its more consistent song style combined with some long jam sessions.
This album surprised me. It wasn't the soft rock that I expected, and it also didn't stay anchored to the jazz pop/rock sound that started the album. You have to get past the first few (long) songs to hear the variety, and it was around the song "Listen" that I began to actually WANT to listen. Now I'll have to listen again.
So surprised. Which is the best experience you can have when listening to these 1001 albums.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
I heard several different bands on this album, and one of them won the contest
to become Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
The Adverts
2/5
I see this was ranked the 17th greatest punk album. That actually seems like a rather LOW ranking for a movement that quickly displaced itself and gave way to post-punk and new wave.
By the time this album came out we had the Ramones, the Clash, and the Sex Pistols. We had Talking Heads releasing their second (amazing) album and the Cars releasing their first. A few days after this Adverts album came out, Public Image Ltd released their first album.
It’s like all the punk bands are packing up their equipment as the Adverts are jumping onto the stage, a little too late. It’s cute but unnecessary.
Common
2/5
Buzzcocks
3/5
Musically, this sounds just like 1978 should: punk blending into new wave. I really, really like the sound.
Unfortunately, there are lyrics. And someone sings those lyrics. And that drags the experience down. Way down. Because really, the band sounded fantastic otherwise.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
With Janis Joplin, I expected the blues. What I didn’t expect was psychedelic blues with such electrifying guitar work. This was so much stronger than I expected, it deserves our attention…and demands it!
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
I guess "shoegaze" is the term you use for shooting yourself in the foot.
I was enjoying the first half of this album. It had a heavy alternative sound but with a sense of humor maybe, then for fun they channeled Duran Duran (on "Every Day Should Be A Holiday"). But from "Good Morning" onward each song made me either sigh or press skip. The quality was there, but my interest wasn't.
Tina Turner
2/5
Rating system:
5 - transformative or ground breaking. Maybe a lifelong favorite.
4 - compelling enough that I want to return to it.
3 - has some quality but maybe just not for me. Or maybe it’s uneven. Or maybe it’s not that good but I’m in a generous mood.
2 - 80s mainstream pop
1 - that album where it sounds like Hitler is screaming at you, and anything else musically or ethically unlistenable.
Air
2/5
It seems the 1001 list doesn’t allow soundtracks on the list. You won’t find very significant soundtracks like The Harder They Come, The Graduate, Saturday Night Fever, Stop Making Sense, or Hamilton for that matter. Or a cult classic like the Repo Man soundtrack.
If you are not a fan of electronica divorced from its cinematic context, take today as an opportunity to listen to one of those.
I'm still little upset that they platformed Rod Stewart. But I'm rounding up to 3 stars because the music is listenable enough, although I will never listen to this album again.
UPDATE: I joined a group and was given this album again. To keep my word, I didn't listen again, and cut and pasted my earlier review.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
This is the third album by The Velvet Underground, a storied band with a delayed but significant influence. This is the beginning of the best the following decades had to offer in (what would later be called) the alternative stream.
It’s a gentler album than their first two, and more minimalist than their fourth (Loaded). It’s wonderful.
There is a bit of a religious arc with the three songs Jesus, Beginning to See the Light, and I’m Set Free, which I find interesting. In the late 60s you had a movement away from traditional American religion but still a searching spirit.
The long song - The Murder Mystery - is an experimental piece that fits the times. But it’s listenable and has energy. You could choose to skip it on future listens if it’s not your style. For me, it just makes me envision this 60s New York art scene that was the birthplace of this band… and, through them, other great artists to follow. Think R.E..M. for example.
As a teen in the 80s I was suffocating in synthesizers but also maturing past the hair metal bands that were effectively marketed to me up to about age 13. Thanks, VU, for carving out an alternative lane.
The Triffids
3/5
Generously speaking, there are probably 300 albums you must hear before you die. Whether you like them or not, they are vital, and you probably should learn to appreciate them if you don't. (That's category one.)
Next, I'd venture that there are about 450 albums that you don't HAVE to hear, but you might like some of them based on your taste. They're fine. Some are better than fine. (That's category two.)
Then there are about 250 albums that you absolutely don't have to hear before you die, and it's offensive that they've been added to this list. Almost all the electronica goes here BTW. (That's category three.)
That leaves one album. And while I can't remember the name of the band, it's the noisy one where Nazis are screaming at you. (That's category four.)
I'm pleased to report that this is category TWO, not three, and fortunately not four. It is not offensive or harmful. It follows the principle “first, do no harm.” You may not be inspired but you’ll be ok.
The Sonics
5/5
Loved getting an unfamiliar album from 1965. And it sounded great. Some songs you would know from the period, and some originals, but all with that proto-punk energy you hear only occasionally from this time period. (I’m thinking of songs like the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” or the Who’s “My Generation.”)
Great guitar work, too.
The reviews indicate that others know of this band and their influence on the next decade’s punk movement. I guess I’m glad to finally get on board.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
This is the most accessible Captain Beefheart album, with some quite remarkable moments. It dips a little here and there, especially with the maybe comical (?) “I’m Glad.” But the first two tracks should be enough to draw you in and keep you on the lookout for more weird greatness.
The Soft Boys
4/5
If you look at the musical yearbook from 1980, you’ll smile as you remember an incoming, “freshman” band named U2, and you’ll also see older, cool kids like the Clash and Talking Heads.
But wait, who were…the Soft Boys?
This band might not have received much attention, and didn’t last long. But they carved out a unique lane. They weren’t as angry as the Clash, they weren’t as witty as Talking Heads—though they were a little of both. They also weren’t as serious-minded as U2, or as minimalist as some other bands in the post-punk world. But they combine all these elements into a rich, full sound and interesting songwriting.
As it turns out, this was Robyn Hitchcock’s band… hmm, I've heard of that guy. Another band member formed Katrina and the Waves. It’s also said they were a big influence on R.E.M., which is believable based on those opening tracks.
So a 4/5 for this pleasant surprise. It dips in the middle or I would have rounded up to 5.
The Cure
4/5
This is some great mood music for making a transition from the 70s into the 80s. It's like, "I know you're about to hear a lot of smiley synthesizers and drum machines, but things are really not...quite...OK."
The Modern Lovers
5/5
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of The Velvet Underground and Talking Heads is the Modern Lovers: chronologically, musically, and lyrically.
SO FUN. Jonathan Richman apparently loved great music, influenced by the New York music scene of the late 60s, but he was more optimistic than rebellious. He sings about his love for the old world, and for that matter his love for the modern world. On "Old World" he sings:
I had a New York girlfriend
And she couldn't understand
How I could still love my parents
And still love the old world
All this is taken up another notch on "She Cracked." What a song. Spoiler alert: she cracked but he won’t.
Enjoying life is its own kind of rebellion.
Five stars for one of the greatest “unknown” albums of all time.
***
Best songs: Roadrunner, Pablo Picasso, Old World, Modern World, She Cracked
Best cameo: “Pablo Picasso" on the "Repo Man" soundtrack
Best memory: Finding my own copy of this rare and collectible, out-of-print record in an Ann Arbor record store circa 1988
Best opportunity: the one you have if you received this album today.
The Young Rascals
3/5
The Sound of the Mid-Sixties.
But do they want to sound like The Beach Boys or the Byrds? The Mamas and Papas or Otis Redding? In the end, they remind me most of the Monkees — some fine, but derivative songs. A band without their own true identity.
If you want to listen to an album from 1967… well, let’s just say that there are options.
Judas Priest
2/5
Cosplay.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
The sound checks a lot of boxes for me, I love the energy and would describe it as “garage pop.”
However, I did grow weary of the subject matter. I would describe that as “aggressive sensuality,” and while that might sound awesome to some… I wasn’t that interested in being told about the fever, or being a bystander to the toxicity.
I very much enjoyed the YYY’s other album on this list, 2009’s “It’s Blitz.” I think by that time their sound and subject matter had both expanded. I’ll return to that one again.
Nina Simone
4/5
This is one sophisticated lady. Glad to learn about this album.
4/5
The 1001 list editor wrote a biography of David Bowie and in his enthusiasm allowed far too many Bowie albums on the list. This one definitely belongs however: Bowie is at the top of his game with "Starman," "Ziggy Stardust," and "Suffragette City." These are well known, stand-out tracks, and a few others are immediately accessible including "Soul Love," "Five Years," and "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide."
On the first go-round at least, I found some tracks were weak and forgettable. "Ziggy Stardust" is so tight and self-contained, it makes most of the other songs that make up this glam rock story arc feel superfluous.
Not a Bowie fan boy, but some great songs are stored here.
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
Picture the classic Mothers of Invention albums such as “Absolutely Free” or “We’re Only In It for the Money” or maybe even “Apostrophe.”
Now adjust it to something more serious, more epic, and more poetic. That’s what this album is like, maybe.
This surely isn’t for everyone but it displays tremendous talent. If you’re prone to skip, at least slow down and take in “Casimir Pulaski Day,” which is not very much about Casimir Pulaski Day.
Jeff Beck
3/5
Rock history keeps slipping Rod Stewart into my drinks. I had to skip the first track because I just couldn’t do it. From there, the music is amazing - I can fully appreciate why Jeff Beck is a legend. But whenever Rod Stewart’s voice is introduced I’m pulled out of the music…I am not saying his voice is bad, it’s not that. But I just have him associated with inauthenticity and a lack of depth that doesn’t pair well with the music for me. Sigh. I want to fully enjoy this but can’t.
Joy Division
4/5
Melancholy post-punk that sounds so familiar, but dates early. You can hear 80s alternative music of several kinds here.
It could have gone either way for me. But it started strong, gained my respect early, and remained solid throughout. I would return to it for sure.
Orange Juice
3/5
Hmmm. It certainly evokes the times, where some post punk / alternative was coming from and where it was going. A couple songs were intriguing. Some songs from their earlier album sound interesting as well. Not sure if I can move past 3/5 anytime soon but maybe there’s something here. In fact, the word “maybe” describes my response pretty well.
Willie Nelson
3/5
I cannot imagine a future in which I go to listen to the White Album, or to Sly & the Family Stone, or to R.E.M., and then I change my mind and listen to Stardust by Willie Nelson instead.
So I guess this hello and goodbye.
None of this is Willie Nelson’s fault. It’s just that I did all I could to keep out Country, and they slipped it in by calling it Singer/Songwriter.
4/5
This album is not immediately accessible lyrically, at least for a non-Brit like me. But you can drop the needle anywhere on this album and it sounds great. The band is working with a breadth of possibilities.
One warning: You may be sent over to a deluxe edition that is hours long. You may find the original, hourlong edition has enough to explore!
Steely Dan
4/5
Seventies Rock / Modern Jazz fusion may not be my “go to” genre, but it’s hard not to enjoy this: good songs, and great musicianship. They find the zone in each song. Favorite deep cuts are “Kings” and “Change of the Guard.”
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Quite simply, this sounds fantastic. I love the cutting guitar work that electrifies these songs, which a year or two later would add so much to friends Crosby, Stills, and Nash.
The site lists this as Rock, Psychedelic Rock, and Singer Songwriter. The sum is so much greater than the parts.
Just one trigger warning: If you're squeamish about the Beatles' "Run for Your Life," you are really going to have trouble with "Down By The River." Because apparently, she did…
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
Interest level: 2/5
Rating: 3/5, just to be fair
Note to self: check back in five years to see if this album is still on the list.
George Jones
2/5
Nothing against Country fans but how many of them are trying to hear these 1001 albums before they die? Just curious!
Anyway, sentimental Country just isn’t my thing. It’s not George Jones’ fault that he’s not Johnny Cash but I can’t find anything much here to move me.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
Pleasantly, this is less Country and more like “modern folk” and ocassionally something like…pop? The opening tracks are strong: “The Pearl” and “Michaelangelo.” The third track leans heavily into modern production—sounds good if maybe a little much. Title track “Red Dirt Girl” is another strong one.
One critical review said the album is gimmicky - maybe, but it shines in many places and works for me. For good songwriting and giving me something that is not just plain Country (thank you!) I am rounding up to 4.
Julian Cope
4/5
The two most important things I can tell you:
1. Do not listen to the over 2 1/2 hours contained on the Deluxe Edition. That includes a bonus disc from 2009. When the album first came out the last song was Las Vegas Basement, so aim for that stopping point (if you get that far).
2. Despite what even Julian Cope himself has said, a previous major release - My Nation Underground - is a much more enjoyable album to me and ages just fine. The opening track to that album merges two different 60s songs and then infuses them with 80s Cold War angst - amazing. One of the most interesting and ambitious covers I’ve ever heard. I know you don’t have time to listen today but keep that in mind for the next time you are stuck with electronica.
Back to the album at hand… The music here is strong… favorite songs are “If You Loved Me At All” and “Beautiful Love” (don’t miss that one…maybe even spin that first).
But it does feel too long, and the whole feels a little less than the parts.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Minimalist Country that weaves a story together about a cheatin’ wife, a gun, a horse, a bar, and a vengeful husband. It’s not bad but someone please help me understand what the fuss is about. I’m grading it 3/5 with hopes that someone can tell me why it deserves that rating, or a higher one.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Def Leppard
4/5
I pride myself on my musical opinions and reviews, but not on this one. I *have* to give this pop metal album a 4/5 as much as I want to dismiss it.
I loved this SO much as a 13 year old. The scope you see on the cover of the album actually had me in its sights: the “target” audience. I bought the album, the concert tickets, and the shirt. By the time Hysteria came out my musical tastes had changed considerably — but these songs still sound SO good to me.
So for what it’s worth here is my very nostalgic, non-objective 4 Star rating.
Van Morrison
5/5
Van Morrison’s movement from “Brown Eyed Girl” to a soundscape like this is what made the 60s so musically revolutionary.
This album been called “folk jazz” or folk/blues/classical/jazz. In other words it defies easy categorization.
It’s been called “stream of consciousness” at least in its lyrical presentation, and that seems true of the music as well. It just sounds like musicians finding their groove.
You can drop the needle anywhere and have the same, immersive experience.
Astral Weeks defies easy categorization. It’s really good. Before you die, you should hear it.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Class of ‘67 - Voted “Mostly Likely to Grow Up and Make ‘Dark Side of the Moon.’”
Or maybe not! This is an interesting specimen from the Summer of Love, released on the heels of Sgt Pepper and surrounded by so many giant releases from that year. It has a familiar psychedelic sound but also its own brand of whimsy. Plenty to enjoy, if not always thoroughly captivating for me
Queen
4/5
You have heard "Killer Queen," but the deep cuts on this album to enjoy include "Tenement Funster" and "Now I'm Here."
Although Freddie Mercury is a standout vocalist and was a huge personality, Queen is more than Freddie. There is a healthy range of songwriting credits and contributions. Roger Taylor (drummer) who would later write "I'm In Love With My Car" contributes "Tenement Funster" to this album which I think is actually the highlight. John Deacon who would later contribute notable songs such as "You're My Best Friend" and "Another One Bites the Dust" contributes "Misfire" (unfortunately, that song is indeed a misfire in my opinion...just silly).
Now. I'd rather have a deep cut album by Queen than a host of other possibilities but I'm a bit confused about this album's placement on this list. Their previous album Queen II is a tour de force, as is their following album - the classic A Night At The Opera. Both those are on the list too, so that's good. But this album is weaker than either of those (though it's still good) and seems transitional. Meanwhile, consulting an online guide, it seems that News of the World and The Game are NOT on the list? That seems unconscionable. And just plain weird. Hope it's not true.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Hey Hey + My My. Acoustic and electric. The acoustic side carries you along by the strength of its lyrics and imagery. Really well done. The electric side...well, it electrifies the way Neil Young and Crazy Horse tend to do. Great stuff but hampered by "Welfare Mothers," which may be ironic but I'm not in on the joke yet.
As much as I expected the opposite, I'd say the acoustic side may actually be stronger, but you really don't have to decide. Just listen all the way through, enjoy, and then listen again to try to make sense of it all.
The Youngbloods
4/5
There was an awful lot of transformative music being created in the late 60s. I don’t know this band but, on my second listen to this album, I would say they were drawing from some of the best sounds and possibilities while still maintaining their own voice.
Love the cover, with the band dwarfed by nature. And that matches the earthy yet psychedelic sound. Standout songs include “Darkness, Darkness” and “Beautiful.”
Dion
3/5
Sometimes you get an album on this list with the explanation, "No one thought much of it at the time [in this case not even the artist himself], but later there were some people who liked it and, well, now you must hear it before you die."
I've learned that's not a good sign.
Nevertheless, this album is... well, it's OK. But to get to 3/5 I have to round up and be in a pretty good mood. And today was a good day.
Moving on...
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
This is a classic album from a classic era, with flashes of brilliance and flashes of "aww, that's a nice song." It's a testimony to the 60s, and to the talents of these three guys, that the counterculture could lie down so peacefully with more traditional sounds and sentiments. Still, as great as these guys are together I can't help but wonder what it would be like if Stephen drafted his former bandmate Neil Young to join the group. I think Neil would add just the edge needed to put them over the top.
***
For brilliance, see: "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" and "Wooden Ships." For nice, check out "Helplessly Hoping." For a head-scratching "huh?" check out "Marrakesh Express" - why was this a single, exactly?
Also, for purists OR those in a hurry... Note that the original track listing ended after 10 songs. The remaining 4 are bonus tracks.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Music so dark that even the love songs are disturbing. I suspect the album color was originally canary yellow but the darkness bled through.
You must hear “First We Take Manhattan” and “Everybody Knows” before you die. But don’t listen too close to your final breath or you’ll end with very little hope in humanity. But hmm, maybe that hope was misplaced anyway.
The Mamas & The Papas
5/5
The Mamas & the Papas are a pleasant part of the 60s landscape. They were groovy and countercultural, combining folk, pop, and (some) soul into a delightful mix.
Rounding to 5 despite a couple songs (not written by a Mama or a Papa) that interrupt the groove.
5/5
One of my favorite discoveries yet from this 1001 process. The Kinks are probably best known for being underrated and this album may be Exhibit A: a musically delightful album from top to bottom.
It’s a concept album looking at life in post-war Britain, with big picture themes considered through the lens of everyday people. The opening song title fittingly refers to the empire (Queen Victoria) whereas the last song title is one man, our everyday hero, Arthur.
If you listen to this back to back with Sgt Pepper it would not feel derivative, but rather like a wonderful progression. And if you listen to it back to back with itself…you will enjoy it more each time. At least that’s my experience.
Fairport Convention
4/5
Folk music with Celtic overtones. There is a pleasant spirit and a pleasant energy throughout. Only “Tam Lin” draws on a late 60s rock vibe; it stands out, but it fits.
I enjoy this more on each listen.
The Divine Comedy
1/5
The joke’s on us.
Beatles
5/5
Forget 1001 Albums, this is in the Top 3 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It is probably THE top album.
First: We wouldn’t have a list of “albums” apart from the Beatles. One of the myriad of ways they shaped music was to produce albums versus singles, and to make them monumental.
Second: The Beatles were light years ahead of their contemporaries musically, conceptually, philosophically, experimentally, and technically.
Third: Perhaps burying the lead here, this album just sounds GREAT through and through. And it still sounds great and has tremendous impact almost 60 years later.
There are likely those who want to be contrarian and dismiss the Beatles. They do so to their own diminishment.
By the way: Three songs by George on this album (versus the typical one or two). All fantastic. Taxman, Love You To, and I Want to Tell You.
5/5 doesn’t tell the whole story…
Marianne Faithfull
4/5
A 1979 new wave backdrop with a singer/songwriter overlay that largely succeeds.
“Guilt” and “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” were the strongest songs. Opening song (title track) was dull and the angry closing track was vile, leaving a total of 4 other songs that largely succeed.
A pleasant surprise. I’m rounding up to 4.
The Byrds
4/5
When I think of the Byrds I think of psychedelic rock, but “rock” is a misnomer as they are so much more rooted in folk and blues. Clear Dylan influence as the album kicks off, which reminds me that his fingerprints are all over my favorite music from the decade.
Overall, a good album with flashes of greatness. But kind of like Karl Malone who kept facing Michael Jordan in the playoffs—the Byrds have to take their place in the 60s pantheon alongside giants like Bobby, John, and Paul, and can’t quite rise that high.
The White Stripes
5/5
With only two band members and a few instruments between them, The White Stripes make minimalism look easy and sound amazing.
On this third album, their major breakthrough as the story is told, you get such a range of style, sound, and energy. "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" engages right away, and I love the lyric "Every breath that is in your lungs is a tiny little gift to me."
After some other romping songs you get to the delicate "We're Going to be Friends." This song once made me weep.
If this were a 10 song album it would be an easy 5 stars. But the last 6 songs sound more like bonus tracks, not quite as engaging. But once I did the math I still put the album at 4.65 stars so I'm pleased that I can round up and give this great band another 5/5.
Living Colour
3/5
I love what they’re trying to do. Trying, in my opinion, a little too hard. The production seems to wash away the real heart within these songs. Nevertheless, there are a few standouts: “Cult of Personality” and “Which Way to America,” both of which remain relevant this long after the Reagan Years.
Their cover of Talking Heads’ “Memories Can’t Wait” made me want the original back. Same with their cover of the Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” although I believe that is a bonus track.
It only goes to show that Fishbone’s “Truth & Soul” is a monumental achievement. That funk/rock/soul fusion is untouchable…. Check it out next and see if you can’t help but agree.
Not a bad album but reminds me of some
Gillian Welch
3/5
It’s not often I’m in a mood for a low key album like this. I thought today might be that day, but it wasn’t. No questioning Gillian Welch’s talent or heart but, like her, I wish she would “sing that Rock and Roll.”
Brian Wilson
3/5
RIP Brian Wilson (1942-2025).
The story of this album is tied up with the 60's rivalry felt between the Beach Boys and the Beatles. The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" pushed in a new direction that inspired the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper." At which point, Brian Wilson threw in the towel and apparently sunk into a depression.
It's too bad Brian Wilson broke down and didn't keep those good vibrations a-happenin' because he apparently had more to offer. As for how this album sounds, re-produced a few decades later, it sounds...OK.
Simply Red
3/5
Judging by the cover (yeah, I know) I expected something a little more gritty, maybe along the lines of a Dexy’s Midnight Runners. I didn’t expect jazz and soul, reminiscent at times of Sade. It gave me some 80s nostalgia but not my favorite sounds. And with this being the second album in a week that covered a song from Talking Heads’ “Fear of Music” (both artists did not make any improvements), I know my assignment.
Paul Weller
4/5
Not so much breaking new ground as breaking old ground. Paul Weller seems to be inspired by the best of 60s blues and folk rock, and maybe psychedelic rock as well. He pulls it off so well and it sounds wonderful, like a world in which 70s soft rock and 80s hair metal never happened.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
4/5
Garage rock meets the blues. Reminiscent of the White Stripes but less wit or lyrical depth. The edgy, energetic sound makes me rank this 3.5 and hesitantly round up to 4…
David Gray
4/5
This is one of the best Bob Dylan albums of the 90s, and it's by a man named David Gray. The songs proceed simply yet carry a depth of emotion. Perhaps that slow burn is why it was a "sleeper" hit in its day, almost overlooked and then ended up on some charts for years to come. Not sure if it will do the same or not for me, but I admire its quiet strength.
k.d. lang
3/5
a-ha
3/5
To my friends who love this album, whether due to nostalgia, emotional resonance, or a love for all things 80s —
Forgive me.
I really tried to like it. And at the second track, I had SO much hope. But the drum machines, synthesizers, and melodrama were too much to overcome.
Can we still be friends?
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
Gentle, but vibrant. Colorful, quiet, groovy.
So good.
First listen favorites:
Another Pearl, Cause a Rockslide
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Can someone help me out here, I’m not sure what he is singing about. And is that lady going to be ok?
Al Green
3/5
This is some well produced, smooth soul. My 3/5 is quite subjective. If I were feeling lovelorn I just might resonate stronger and would be rate this album higher.
Blondie
4/5
The two hits from this album are quite different from each other: “One Way Or Another” is energetic pop punk…pretty much the definition of new wave now that I think about it. “Heart Of Glass” is dreamy disco, a stylistic stand out on the album.
There is plenty of variety here but Debbie Harry holds it all together. She, and the music as a whole, is somehow charming and edgy all at once. And the band seems to be having fun.
Definitely a must-listen from one of the most representative new wave bands that dominated the radio in the late 79s and early 80s. Good times!
American Music Club
4/5
Passing along the Bandcamp link to hear the album (may not be on other platforms):
https://americanmusicclub1.bandcamp.com/album/california-digi-only-release
I was greeted warmly by the opening track (“Firefly”), a pleasant surprise of a song. Ended up enjoying the album overall; just a few weaker tracks on first listen. For 1988, quite good…
Sisters Of Mercy
3/5
There’s a certain 80s vocal style that aims to sound aloof, yet authoritative.
I guess I have a problem with authority.
I’d be lying if I said I listened to the whole album. Sorry!
Television
4/5
First song: “Clearly this band was a major influence on Slester-Kinney” (one of my favorite more contemporary bands, start with “Dig Me Out”).
Second song: Plus, the similarities to the first album by Talking Heads which arrived the same year (1977). Man, I love what was going on in this time frame.
And from there, a solid album that might be termed “post-Glam.”
Sebadoh
4/5
This album has a lot to offer. It also interrupts is offerings to scream at me on occasion.
Three songwriters and different stylings create, for me, an uneven album. I happily settle into the lo-fi groove but then get pulled out of that groove by some juvenile outbursts that remind me of, say, the Suicidal Tendencies.
Nevertheless, I really like this album most of the time. I want to listen again for sure, and that means 4/5.
Randy Newman
3/5
This album begins with a provocative song about Southern racism and Northern hypocrisy, and then completes its 30 minutes or so with short songs that are fine, just fine snippets of Southern characters and history. Not an uninteresting theme necessarily. But this kind of parlor music just leaves me wondering: who would buy this record in 1974 and play it more than once? Which was all that was asked of me, I guess, and now I’m good.
Sister Sledge
3/5
The song “We Are Family” definitely brings back memories! I have no ill will toward Sister Sledge or even toward disco… but I think as a genre it is too polished for me and, truthfully, I simply cannot dance. It’s good to be exposed to the best of each genre through this list but since I won’t return to this it’s a respectful 3/5 for me.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
This sounds good from beginning to end yet it’s not something you listen to carelessly. It an extended lament. It is beautiful, thoughtful, and heartfelt. Make space for this one.
Bob Dylan
5/5
I read what seemed to be an offhand comment in another review: “Bob Dylan basically invented lyrics.”
Yes, an exaggeration. But it seems to me this is the key idea. Dylan’s influence was enormous — the Beatles, Byrds, Simon & Garfunkel, even Hendrix for goodness sake, so many others — yet it wasn’t because artists imitated his music or style. Some did. But mainly it was the inspiration of lyrics that told stories, protested, painted pictures, revealed, concealed, and were always ABOUT something. An entire generation followed his lead.
This album contains classic tracks alongside lighter fare, which is also alongside heavier fare. It’s transitional for Dylan, who was often in transition. But it’s all wonderful and part of a classic, hugely influential arc.
Donald Fagen
4/5
This was actually pretty good. It has the familiar Steely Dan sound: intelligent, modern, tight, soulful, groovy, jazz, pop.
I could picture some of these songs sounding REALLY nice live. "New Frontiers" for example, which is my initial favorite. "Green Flower Street" would be another. Both songs have a nice groove, with percussion I'd love to see set free from the machine.
I honestly thought this was going to be a 3/5 for me but the more I sit with it, the more deserving it feels... and sounds... so I'm edging it up to 4/5, and interested to hear more. (Some 1993 tracks the Algorithm sent my way sounded great.)
Sit with it and see what you think!
The United States Of America
4/5
Consider this along the lines of 1960’s Mothers of Invention, but less humor. It’s experimental, culturally conscious, experimental again, and psychedelic.
If your platform contains all the bonus tracks, listen to the alternate version of “I Won’t Leave My Wooden Wife for You, Sugar.” That is worth the foray into this material. Also enjoyed “You Can Never Come Down.”
Anyway, 4/5 because there’s plenty of room left in my heart for more experimental, psychedelic 60s rock.
Guided By Voices
3/5
These are some great demos. I definitely think Matador Records should sign these guys and work this into an album.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Bob Dylan, Revisited.
And not revisited for the first time… Dylan visited and revisited himself over the decades, always after something deeper and different than mere acclaim.
Dylan’s 30th studio album shows that he ages well, still crafting quality music without trying to grasp at former glory. It’s raw, bluesy, atmospheric, and occasionally arrests you with a particular lyric or reflection.
“Tryin’ to Get to Heaven” and “Not Dark Yet” are mature reflections on life’s end game. And yet, Dylan was just beginning…again.
Eagles
3/5
The Eagles should find a church, get on their knees, and offer solemn thanks to God for sending them Joe Walsh. On the way there they may run into David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash arriving to give thanks for Neil Young.
The Cardigans
4/5
Why would a band turn Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” into a sultry lounge song?
BECAUSE THEY CAN.
This album grew on me with multiple listens. Nina Persson’s vocals, combined with certain retro flourishes, sound like they are right out of an early 60s jazz room, only transformed into something completely fresh, and layered with fine musicianship and crisp production.
Almost a 5 but I’m sensitive to lyrical content that objectifies women. Even if it’s con/sensual.
Eric Clapton
3/5
I don’t get the godlike status given to Eric Clapton. I have always been bored to tears by the hits. That includes Cocaine, his version of I Shot the Sheriff, Tears in Heaven (though I sympathize), and even Layla. Cream is a different story. Aaaand, ok, I can appreciate Bell Bottom Blues.
This album only confirms to me that this is an artist who has great talent to service a band well, yet does not have a personal message or vision that moves me whatsoever.
Some day someone will have to explain what I’m missing. Or not. I just don’t care… which is the whole problem I guess.
3/5 - neither objectionable nor captivating
Lucinda Williams
3/5
If Sheryl Crow is rock/country, this is country/rock. With country being one of the genres that disappoints me most profoundly, I will say that at first this album was a delightful surprise. However, I eventually grew weary of it, and I wasn’t sure whether my mood or the music had changed. I went back to the earlier part of the album, and it had lost its shine. Not that it isn’t a fine enough album, but I just can’t buy into it fully. And I really don’t need the ever present references to other country artist and Southern towns, as if she really really wants you to know that she is a country artist, seriously. Feels Too polished and self-conscious.
Instead of rounding up to 4, I have to round down to 3.
Doves
4/5
Solid album. Begins strong, takes a dip for a couple songs on the flip side, but comes to a nice close.
For those complaining about the British albums, - do you realize over half the great bands played on your classic rock stations are British? Do you realize there are some really terrible American bands? Very strange complaint.
Enjoy this!
Black Sabbath
4/5
The dawn of heavy metal, and it is indeed heavy. This isn't the shiny hairband metal of the 80s but the deep, dark, and *somewhat* bluesy metal of the late 60s (released early 1970). The songs provide riffs that invite you right into the darkness, the original Hotel California trap.
There is remarkable musicianship all around. As someone who thought he outgrew heavy metal, I have to give credit where it's due: there's enduring quality here. And they invented a whole new genre while they were at it. A lot more respect than I expected to feel.
Liz Phair
4/5
I was kinda busy in 1993, and missed this. But I do remember the wave of new female artists in the 90s, with an edge in their voice, taking over airwaves and CD sales. Liz Phair was at the front of this pack.
It's a great album. If you were to hear just one song, perhaps a hit such as "Never Again," it sounds GOOD. But the real strength is in how her lo-fi-yet-energetic sound is carried over an entire album with a variety of moods. The sum is greater than the parts.
There are enough songs to make it a bit uneven. Whether by sound or subject matter, I can't buy into everything. But having missed this 30 some years ago, songs like "Never Said," "Explain it To Me," "Mesmerizing," and many more are worth the return. "F** and Run," with its provocative (and even misdirecting) title, is really a heartfelt song lamenting the "state of affairs" in her life. Songs like "Johnny Sunshine" and "Gunshy" are experimental and hypnotic, pulled off well, as the album closes.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
1/5
In which a woman is objectified, debased, and abused, and “smiles through the tears.”
Take this album off the list.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Simon & Garfunkel were the high brow counter culture of the 60s. Even as they engage the folk rock vibe with songs like “Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine,” they exhibit their discomfort with it as they satirize Bob Dylan (then in his prime) in “A Simple Desultory Philippic.” Most of the album, however, is classic Simon & Garfunkel: gentle, poetic, telling stories and developing characters. Always worthwhile, even if not always stunning.
Sheryl Crow
4/5
Sheryl Crow's introduction to the world showcased her ability to craft party songs, ballads, bluesy and folk rock, and even some jazz. That this eclectic range somehow works together is quintessential 90s.
In retrospect you can see how promising this album was. At the time, there were skeptics. She answered them powerfully with her second, purposely self-titled album. And of course she's now had a strong, successful, respectable career.
Favorite deep cuts from first listen: "Can't Cry Anymore" (actually a minor hit in the US), "We Do What We Can," and "I Shall Believe." Add to that "No One Said It Would Be Easy." These songs keep growing on me...
Os Mutantes
5/5
Here’s a deep cut I’d never heard from an amazing year in music. Genre bending, psychedelic, and experimental. It’s not flawless but it gets 5 stars from me - because it’s just the kind of treasure I hope to find among in the 1001. Enjoyed it and will return to it!
Kate Bush
3/5
For the early 80s, a pretty interesting, intriguing sound. Better than expected. But I think this is an album you need to grow up with, or it needs time to grow on you. I don’t doubt its value but my 3/5 is where it sits for me for the foreseeable future.
Scott Walker
3/5
Hey it’s not every day you hear a song about a man playing chess with Death.
I appreciate the poet/songwriter genre inhabited by others like Leonard Cohen… but unfortunately this album didn’t take me very far.
TV On The Radio
4/5
Received this album and checked out Wikipedia.
OK… seemed to leave a pretty small footprint on the world. I wasn’t very hopeful at this point. (1001 and I don’t always agree on deep cuts.)
However…. I really enjoyed the sound and the groove of this album. It was a pleasant surprise.
Not sure what else to say.
Steely Dan
4/5
Tight. Jazz. Rock.
…which I prefer over country rock.
Plus, a shout out to Virginia’s own William & Mary University, in “My Old School.” 👍🏻
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
As if Tom Waits and Jack White formed a supergroup, and found out they were booked for a Sunday morning church service.
That was my thought, at first.
Then I read other reviews:
“Frank Zappa and Tom Waits.”
“David Bowie and Tom Waits.” (That one is pretty spot on, I must admit.)
Anyway, it’s an enjoyable album that is one part Tom Waits and one part Someone Else. Maybe David Bowie, maybe Julian Cope, maybe Bruce Springsteen. Maybe even…Nick Cave?
Forgive me, I got carried away. Good music - 4/5 and on first listen I enjoyed the first disk better.
Bob Dylan
5/5
In August of 65 the Beatles released “Help!” A great album by the (early) Beatles, full of hits such as its title track, “Yesterday,” and “Ticket to Ride.”
As you listen to Highway 61, think about how it must have sounded in August 65, even when held up against the greatest of Dylan’s contemporaries. Its songs are sprawling, textured, and provocative. The musicianship is tight, delightful, and improvisational: everyone is in THEIR zone and THE zone. Every song, EVERY song has depths to explore. Even a full 60 years later.
Easily one of the greatest albums of all time.
Arcade Fire
5/5
What just happened?
I had every intention of NOT respecting this album. AF’s others on this list felt to me like they, umm, tried too hard. I described one of them as “U2 without the Edge,” pun intended.
But this. This album was so enjoyable. Loved the sound. Enjoyed it all the way through. Every single song.
Dang it.
5/5
Richard Thompson
4/5
60s British folk meets 70s singer/songwriter meets an occasional energy drink.
Opening track and title track were two favorites.
They tried at the end to get me to dock them a star, but I skipped past those slower tracks so I could still give them…
4/5
2/5
Going in I thought: It would be great to experience another great album from the 60’s that I somehow missed!
Afterward: On second thought, I think my 60s collection is fine just as it is.
Talking Heads
5/5
More thoughts about More Songs About Building and Food:
1. If you can’t groove to this rhythm, I fear your groover is broken.
2. If you have only heard “Take Me to the River” you haven’t heard this album. You have heard one of the lesser tracks. It’s great, but it’s part of the tempo change that helps you cool down after all that’s come before.
3. The last song, “The Big Country,” is satire at its wittiest, catchiest, and quirkiest.
4. Jerry Harrison was in Modern Lovers before Talking Heads. I highly recommend checking out their self-titled, ahead of its time album if you want another window into early alternative/punk inspired (of course) by The Velvet Underground.
5. Each of the first five Talking Heads studio albums should be on this list, not to mention Stop Making Sense. And the film SMS - oh the joy!
Five out of five stars, fully deserving each one
Beatles
5/5
“Abbey Road” was released **only** 6 1/2 years after the Beatles’ first album “Please Please Me.” Listen to these two bookends to quickly confirm the greatness that was - and IS - the Beatles. How did they get from there to here? How did they invent, reinvent, and reinvent themselves and the culture of music so dramatically and so successfully over such a short span of time?? Their nine studio albums are all remarkable achievements, and for so many different reasons.
Abbey Road is not their most innovative: that would arguably be “Revolver” or “Sgt Pepper.” But Abbey Road probably ties with “Revolver,” and maybe the White Album, as the album that best showcases the INDIVIDUAL talents of each Beatle. George has 2-3 excellent offerings on each album. And of course Paul, John.
What about Ringo? Arguably his best. I’m basing that on the percussion in “Come Together,””Something,” and his contributions to “The End.”
And. If this album just feels too familiar, let your ears focus on something new. Pay attention, for example, to the percussion or bass line. There is always something hidden to enjoy. How did they do it? Even the playful guitar work in the left speaker of “Octopus’s Garden” makes a kids’ song or a drug song (hard to tell them apart in the 60s) into something newly engaging.
Oh, and what about “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.” Well, where would Warren Zevon’s “Excitable Boy” be without this song? Truthfully, I don’t know how to judge the song fairly since I’ve listened to this album with growing enjoyment for 45 years of my life…. but if nothing else, it showcases how the Beatles can pull off even something goofy and creepy and troublesome all at once.
500/5
The Lemonheads
3/5
Nice 90s album.
Which is both a compliment and a warning.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Led Zeppelin is a band to outgrow. They have amazing riffs, and "catchy" songs which is admittedly quite an achievement for a hard rock/metal band. Meanwhile, the lyrics stimulate the teenage brain.
But as Hayley Williams (Paramore) sang:
"Some of us have to grow up sometimes
If so, if I have to, I'm gonna leave you behind"
And that's what I did when I came of age.
The White Stripes
5/5
“The Hardest Button to Button” is one of my all-time favorite White Stripes songs. “Seven Nation Army” is one of their most memorable riffs.
But other than the occasional stand-out favorite, to be honest I have trouble telling their albums apart. I just know that when I listen through an entire album I’m continually surprised and impressed.
Five stars to the White Stripes catalog, and yes, to Elephant in particular.
The Sugarcubes
4/5
This list has been trying to get Björk into me like some terrible tasting medicine and I’ve resisted at every turn. Finally, THIS worked - take Björk with Sugar Cubes. A great groove, a sense of humor, some sarcasm.
I wish that more 80s music sounded like this.
Original track list is just the first 11 tracks FWIW.
Bert Jansch
4/5
A respectful 4. I hear the talent and can appreciate Jansch’s influence in the folk/rock world. But I may not return much to this “simple folk” album as I, well, I really liked it when Dylan went electric.
Iron Maiden
3/5
So far, this is the album that most reminds me of Spinal Tap.
Almost (ALMOST) every strong starts out strong. The musicianship is there. But as soon as the vocals kick in... it sounds like a parody. How did this get an average rating over 3.5?? Maybe because people like me will have a soft spot for that drummer and guitarist (who are doing some good work).
Also, the cover art. I don't think it ages well. Just plain black - none more black - might have served them better.
The exception to my various complaints might be the closing track "Hallowed Be Thy Name." Another reason to round up instead of down, I suppose, so I'll give this 2.51 and it will get logged as 3...
Morrissey
2/5
This album was later removed from the 1001 List, which should make you ask yourself — what the hell?
Do I have to listen to these albums before I die or not?
This one, I don’t think so.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
There were rumours this album was “experimental” so I expected something…well, experimental. But I now realize what they really mean is “experimental by Fleetwood Mac standards.”
So, what does experimental by Fleetwood Mac standards mean? In this case, it means it’s a departure from Rumours, mostly, and also…kinda drab. I think the problem is more of a lyrical and content issue, not so much a musical one. Sometimes the music is joyful and playful, and it’s almost promising at least. But in the end, the songs as a whole don’t compel me to return.
If you are going to follow up a massive success with a massive double album, make it the White Album. Make it “The Wall.” Make it “Songs in the Key of Life.” They may have tried to do that, but unfortunately didn’t hit the mark (not for me at least).
Elton John
3/5
It isn’t love it isn’t hate it’s just indifference.
Stan Getz
4/5
Full disclosure: there is no reason you should care about my opinion concerning this album!
So, like a kid who grew up eating Cap’n Crunch and now has trouble eating his veggies…. I have tried to understand and enjoy jazz, but it doesn’t come easy. This album comes close for me… but… it will take more time to develop appreciation for even the best that Jazz has to offer me.
If you read this far… first, why? And second, thanks for bearing with me.
Mudhoney
4/5
I agree with the reviewer who said “the best 90s music was in the 80s,” at least as far as grunge goes. This was hidden from my view when I was busy with R.E.M. and Fishbone and Julian Cope and Siouxie and the Banshees… but I would’ve loved it. Can’t be a teen again but I can recognize that this album deserves its place on the list.
One warning: Spotify (at least) doesn’t offer the original version of this album (actually an EP) or the normal length rerelease that appeared a couple years later. I am stuck with 2+ hours of music and you have to build your own playlist to get the right order. Big flaw in the system.
David Bowie
3/5
There are 9 albums by David Bowie on this (extended) 1001 list, tracking his career from dawn till dusk. That is about six too many, and the editor(s) really should be forced to choose which THREE really deserve to be here..
Bowie has style. My challenge is that below the styles, I’m never compelled by the substance. He has good stuff, I just wouldn’t return to much of it apart from this list… a list which works overtime to insure that I return to Bowie again and again and again and again and…
Well anyway. All that said, I enjoyed this one more than a some of his other, later releases. It is a solid follow-up to Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust. I enjoy the energy and musicianship enough to recommend it for the Bowie Three.
Here’s looking at you, Mr. Dimeron. 3 Stars.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
MASTERFUL. That's the word that best describes this album, and in fact, the stretch of albums leading up to this climactic double LP.
"I Wish" is my favorite song on the album, it's an energetic, emotional, riveting remembrance of childhood in which joy is baked into every good and bad moment. That represents the album as a whole: the "wonder" is how Stevie can extend goodness, and extract goodness, from all of life's experiences. The most positive, and even the more painful experiences.
You will have favorite tracks, but if you just let the music in...something beautiful comes through on each track.
An album you TRULY must hear before you die.
Saint Etienne
4/5
Pretty impressed with the talented grooviness of this album, especially as I place it in its 1991 context. (Release year in the UK.)
Not quite my type but you don’t choose all your friends. Sometimes they choose you. Sometimes, they rescue you from the algorithm’s other cruel offerings - like that scene in the movie where the hand reaches down to pull our hero out of certain doom.
Ok, that got melodramatic. Which is exactly what this album isn’t. It’s nice. Enjoy.
Dolly Parton
3/5
At heavens gate.
Saint Peter: Just one more item to check on, Mr. Ken. Did you hear all 1001 Albums before you died?
Ken: I’ll be honest. No.
Peter: Really? Well, how about Marilyn Manson? That was on the list. Did you listen?
Ken: Heavens no.
Peter: That’s the correct answer!
Ken: Oh… great.
Peter: Let’s just spot check a few others. How about Trio?
Ken’s brow furrows, thinking.
Ken: I… I don’t recall.
Peter: It’s a country album. Was Country one of your chosen genres?
Ken: Not at first, but then I got into a group and it reset all the preferences. Look, I honestly just don’t remember. Could you tell me the artist?
Peter: I’m afraid not. Policy. Try to remember.
Ken: Country… Country… Like Johnny Cash?
Peter’s head goes back as he gives a big belly laugh.
Peter: Ha ha ha!! No, no, it’s nothing like Johnny Cash.
Ken: I’m sure I heard it but… I mean, SHOULD I remember it?
Peter: Honestly…no. But it’s policy that we spot check your completion of the list. How about this — why don’t you sit over there and try to recall the album?
Ken: Where? Over with all these… sad looking people?
Peter: We call it Limbo. NEXT!
The Who
5/5
It will take you a while to get to the songs you most recognize - Pinball Wizard, I’m Free, and We’re Not Gonna Take It. Enjoy the journey This entire (double) album sounds so good, is filled with intriguing characters, and some childhood trauma. Keith Moon on drums keeps each song interesting, energetic, and engaging.
Favorite deep cut: Christmas
Fiona Apple
3/5
I never heard Fiona Apple’s music before, though I knew the name, so I came into this record with no preconceived notions. What I heard was, like, lots of metal percussion, pop and jazz combined I think, and some interesting storytelling. I somewhat enjoyed it for a while, but didn’t find it highly relatable, so I am not sure I’ll return to it. So that’s a 3, but a strong 3.
Elliott Smith
4/5
This list introduced me to Elliott Smith through “Either/Or” which, by the end, gained my appreciation. This album had me from the first song and was just… consistent, interesting, enjoyable, even if quite a bit of melancholy was masked behind the pleasant sound.
Very solid 4 star album.
Napalm Death
1/5
You can't judge a book by its cover. I would have thought this was a 1 Star album that was completely unlistenable. But actually, it's a 1.5 Star album that is ALMOST completely unlistenable. There is actually some impressive speed metal skill, if only you could remove the vocals — garbled mutterings intended to be heavy or dark but are actually just silly and gimmicky. Still, I can’t bring myself to round up to 2. So maybe you really CAN judge a book by its cover…
Aretha Franklin
5/5
“Respect” is among the greatest cover songs of all time. These words written by Otis Redding mean something new and revolutionary when sung by a woman, but not just any woman….
The theme is revisited more quietly but no less forcefully late in the album: “They say it’s a man’s world, but you can’t prove that by me / and as long as we’re together baby, show some respect for me.”
I prefer the more energetic songs such as Respect, Good Times, and Save Me, but she IS the Queen of Soul and each song proves it.
Ray Charles
3/5
The 50s might not have known it, but they were the waiting room for the 60s.
The Dictators
4/5
The reviews that deemed this as proto-punk threw me off. To me, this has a straight ahead rock vibe. The most punk thing about it is its sense of humor, an unwillingness to be taken seriously — by themselves or anyone else. Also…is the closing track a parody of The Beach Boys?? I actually hope so.
4/5 for a fun rock album, even though I will not remember this band’s name and by year’s end will forget this entire album exists.
Traffic
5/5
“Mr Fantasy” was Traffic’s first album, and is a classic psychedelic pop/rock album that really belongs on this list. It’s totally unfair that people are entering eternity without hearing it, apparently due to some sort of Traffic quota.
But this, their self-titled second album, is equally deserving. By just their second album, the band had expanded their sound — I hear rock, soul, blues, and maybe-even-jazz fusion here. It sounds like a certain strand of 70s rock, but full of life and heart and oh so good.
Stevie Winwood made great music with several bands in this era. But it’s clear he’s not the only talent; the whole band contributes wonderfully. This is an excellent artifact from a great year in music, 1968. Enjoy!
Prince
4/5
I give 4 stars to the songs I extract from this double album and forge into my own playlist. They are:
Sign o’ the Times
Play in the Sunshine
Starfish and Coffee
Forever in My Life
U Got the Look
Strange Relationship
I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man The Cross
The other songs display Prince’s versatile talents but these are the songs that resonate with me at this point!
John Lennon
4/5
The song to really pay attention to is “Jealous Guy,” written originally in 1968. It is a statement of John Lennon’s deep challenges with relationships and fears of inadequacy. Probably written with Paul (not Yoko) in view.
On the other hand, “How Do You Sleep at Night” is a rebuke to Paul and a response to Paul’s song “Too Many People.” (Which is, I think, the better song. But it’s all such a sad breakup / breakdown.)
The title track is John at his Johniest, claiming to have found The Answer and to be The Teacher. He didn’t push so hard in this direction until after the Beatles.
And then there’s “Gimme Some Truth,” another holdover from the last days of the Beatles…
An uneven album filled with psychology, history, and one man trying to find himself anew.
Radiohead
5/5
OK, so I gave this album a little extra attention because of its notoriety. My questions: Is Radiohead overrated? Is this album overrated? Am I missing something?
So after that extra attention, I’m rounding up to 5. Here’s why.
It landed as a 4/5 right away because it was musically interesting and engaging. But I wasn’t sure what was the narrative, and was left a bit empty as a result.
So with that extra time, I explored the themes and lyrics: societal alienation, the emotional toll of modern life, the toxicity of fear, approached from different angles. I found the lyrics more relevant now, dare I say, than they might have been in 1997. “No Surprises” could have been written from my living room TODAY.
I’m not at 5/5 yet because I need more time to live with this album, but I’m heading there.
The Byrds
4/5
1967 was quite a year for music, and this album was released in February 1967 directly between The Doors (January) and the Velvet Underground (March). A week after this album was released a 45 hit the shelves: Strawberry Fields / Penny Lane. Sgt Pepper arrived soon. Jimi Hendrix too.
So in the midst of the greatest revolution of all times comes this fourth album by the Byrds. And it sounds…so 1966. It’s the Byrds’ signature psychedelic folk rock sound, with maybe a splash of Pet Sounds and Revolver influence.
But it’s good stuff because, hey, 1966 was a good year for music too.
The Residents
2/5
This reminds me of the exchange between the TV exec and George Costanza, with the latter argues for a show in which nothing interesting happens:
Exec: “Why would anyone watch that?”
George: “Because it’s on TV!”
Exec: “Not yet…”
George: “O.K... uh... look. If you wanna just keep doing the same old thing, then maybe this idea is not for you. I, for one, am not going to compromise my artistic integrity, and I'll tell you something else. This is the show, and we're not gonna change it.”
Why would anyone listen to this album?
Because it’s on this list.
Enjoy the artistic vision. Sucka.
The Who
4/5
The original 1970 album is unavailable on Spotify. Ugh. I had to build a playlist to recreate the original track list. Why, why, why? And does anyone else care about these things??
Anyway, I gladly give The Who Live at Leeds (1970) 4/5 as an energetic live album featuring the never boring, ever engaging, timeless Keith Moon on drums… plus some other guys. This is also a great lead up to Who’s Next with classic, late 60s blues rock undertones. The only reason it’s not 5/5 for me is that it takes a lot to get me to return to a live album unless it’s called Stop Making Sense.
T. Rex
5/5
I didn't discover T. Rex until I was dating the girl who became my wife. On one of our earliest dates we saw Billy Elliott, which opens with "Cosmic Dancer" and includes other T.Rex cuts (deep?) such as "Ride the White Swan" and "Children of the Revolution."
This album just sounds "cool" - laid back, smooth, effortlessly groovy rock. Distinct. In the U.S. "Get It On" makes them seem like a one hit wonder, and maybe they are, but wonder is key word here. [Sidebar: I hear the later Beatles embedded here, in the guitar work/production, in the playfulness, in some of the background vocal style - I'll take it!]
No choice for me… the music is too good, the memories are too good… 5/5.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
This album is no doubt greater than my ability to appreciate it.
Minutemen
5/5
My approach to this album was, “You are going to have to give me something in the first three songs to make me listen to 40 more.”
They did. And so down the road I went…
Next thought: wouldn’t the 80s have been cool if more music was like THIS? I once heard that said about Was (Not Was), and in a way this band is similar - combining so many eclectic elements into one funky album.
Still further down the road: Not only does this sound great, these guys are saying something (instead of nothing). “Maybe Partying Will Help” is a short, great commentary on avoiding real questions. “Themselves” is one example, a great one, of the social consciousness that laces the album. And who doesn't love a song about a band's musical influences and development with call outs to Bob Dylan and Joe Strummer ("History Lesson, Part 2")?
Rounding up to 5 on this one because: 1) in an alternate history, teenage 80s me has this on repeat. 2) The cover. I really dig that cover and its subtle messaging. The story behind it is interesting and the meaning is basically: "You have to choose your battles. Choose better ones." But most important, 3) Interesting, varied music that doesn’t get boring. Really enjoyed this!
Gary Numan
4/5
Gary Numan shifted from punk rock to electronic music, right when the (new) wave was ready to break. I originally thought this entire album was simply a vehicle for “Cars,” but actually there is more here to appreciate - songs like “Metal,” “Films,” and “M.E.” share with “Cars” the edgy and ominous tones of a future that’s about to hit you head on. It makes me nostalgic for the days when this was merely imagined…and not yet realized…
Hat tip to Brian Eno…not involved that I know of but his influence seems pervasive!
Harry Nilsson
3/5
I was trying to figure out why this “okay” album is on the list, and finally realized that it is EXACTLY mediocre. You need to hear it before you die because it isn’t good enough for heaven or bad enough for hell.
Exactly 3/5 but not a smidge more!
Talking Heads
5/5
Talking Heads did what few bands do: release a string of fantastic albums, each one successfully building on and expanding on their sound and vision. In their case, the first five studio albums fit that bill and then the climax is the great live production Stop Making Sense.
This album is the beginning of that sequence. Punk was still in its infancy when Talking Heads introduced us to new wave, but more importantly to their unique style. It is groovy, airy, rhythmic, witty, and edgy. It is great stuff.
And if you only know “Psycho Killer,” make sure to lean into “No Compassion.” And on the other hand, you can find a more conformist psychosis in “Don’t Worry About the Government.”
5/5 and play this one again.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
The Smiths
4/5
I like the Smiths without really liking the Smiths all that much. But I listened all the way through and was rewarded. Several quality songs on this one, and by the end I could appreciate it.
Favorite songs:
"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore."
"Well I Wonder"
"Barbarism Begins at Home"
The Saints
4/5
An early departure from pure punk, which was a smart move in 1978. Purity in that genre could get you running around in circles for a long time. In fact, the Saints seem determined to poke at that part of the punk subculture they found both Down Under and in the UK - the conformity found within the alleged nonconformity. But “you don’t need your brain more” and ultimately “we are watching the same movies.”
The critique reminds of the Mothers of Invention, whose parody album “We’re Only In It for the Money” saw through the conformity of the nonconformists a decade earlier. And the overall musical direction reminds me of Green Day, a band that two decades later started out punk but didn’t want to be caged in.
Don’t get me wrong, I like punk - but I love those who take its energy and attitude in fresh directions. This album does just that.
PJ Harvey
4/5
From the first song, I loved the sound and the vibe. It was at the third song, Dress, that I thought, “There’s no way PJ Harvey didn’t influence Sleater-Kinney,” and that’s a big compliment.
This is a great, heavy, emotionally rich sound for 1992. The album is no less than a 4/5. I only held back from rounding up to 5 because I would have loved more variety, an expansion of some sort. Maybe on later albums? Or maybe even on my next listen?
In any case, the album begins and ends so strong. I’m in.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
“So, tell me, how is it that a man like you, so bald, so quirky and funny, how is it you're not taken?"
— Marisa Tomei to George Costanza in “Seinfeld”
That’s this album. How is it that this album isn’t a sure thing? Why aren’t the reviews stronger? Why don’t I like it better since I so greatly enjoy Elvis Costello’s first two albums?
It’s not you it’s us, Elvis! This is good stuff but just not as immediately arresting as some of your other work. Still, it’s great to see you expand your sound and deepen your lyrics—a foretaste of the rich and varied career ahead of you.
Favorites, probably: “Accidents Will Happen,” “Goon Squad,” “What’s So Funny…”
3.75/5
Big Star
4/5
I’ve always enjoyed my touch points with Big Star, the so-called “forgotten band” of the early 70s. They are a friendly voice, the kind of band prophesied by George Harrison when he sang “Here Comes the Sun.” It’s the sound of respite after the tumult.
Deep Purple
5/5
What a powerful example of Album Oriented (Hard, Progressive) Rock.
I grew up on hard rock and thought I grew out of it. But this album had so much energy and drive, I felt like I was in the front row of an explosive concert performance. And after moving over to more alternative music 40 years ago, I am pleasantly surprised to discover how much I enjoy the musicianship here - that organ! those drums! that guitar work! (Lyrics… ehh, tbd.)
Ok, I am placing this at 4.5/5… maybe it’s the surprise, maybe it’s some nostalgia (full disclosure: I saw this band live in ‘84), but I don’t think so. This is good stuff.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
I immediately heard the influence of Sly & the Family Stone’s “There’s a Riot Goin’ On.” Then the third track was titled “Sly” so… maybe check out “There’s a Riot” (a 5 star, ground breaking album).
This is an enjoyable, groovy album too.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Stevie Wonder is masterful. He can make you smile along to “You Are the Sunshine of my Life,” sing along to “I Believe When I Fall in Love With You it Will be Forever,” and groove to “Superstition.” But before the album ends he also hits you with lyrics like this (from “Big Brother”):
You've killed all our leaders
I don't even have to do nothin' to you
You'll cause your own country to fall
Stevie Wonder has such musical, lyrical, and emotional breadth, and yet on his 15th album (?!) he was just getting started.
Neil Young
4/5
This is a “great album, but.”
In terms of greatness: the opening song, “Out on the Weekend,” if you’re lonely, you can feel right into it. “Old Man,” the platonic ideal of a country rock song - perfect in every way. “Alabama” - ouch.
(Side note: just got done with a Stevie Wonder album from this same year, which also had a blistering song about racism tucked away near the album’s close.)
In terms of “great, BUT.” Whatever deeper meaning there might be to “A Man Needs a Maid,” and I can believe there is one, it’s lost in this overly dramatic orchestral production. Like, really? And I feel just about the same way with “There’s a World.”
Having said that, this is a good album… listen to it all but next time you might skip a track or two. Around this same time he recorded my favorite of his albums, Tonight’s the Night. Released a couple years later, and flawless!
10cc
2/5
How many stars do I have to give to make this go away?
Is two enough?
Talking Heads
5/5
You may ask yourself, “What other band sounded like this in 1980?”
For a band that was already expanding their sound on each new album, Talking Heads’ fourth studio album was still a huge leap forward. They added many new layers here, both philosophically, lyrically, and musically. While I most enjoy the sheer energy and punchiness of other albums, this is a great achievement.
Favorite songs: The Great Curve because it’s such a great groove; and Listening Wind, because it’s such a great story.
Song Credits Where Credits Due:
Chris Franz and Tina Weymouth write in their autobiography that the band nearly broke up over David Byrne’s waywardness / solo projects, but they coaxed him back into the studio by the jams that laid the foundation of this album. Don’t undervalue the rhythm section here!
The Byrds
5/5
The Byrds are over-represented on this list, but this album deserves the honor. It sounds great and apparently spearheaded folk rock — or folk psychedelic rock?
The album arrived in 1965, in between Dylan’s two transformative albums: Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61. It also arrived after Beatles For Sale but before Help! Given that context, it’s all the more remarkable that the Byrds offer a distinct sound and such a strong album top to bottom.
Of course, they cover Dylan like crazy - that was how it worked then. It was actually Dylan and Lennon/McCartney who changed those norms by writing their own original songs and crafting albums as an art form. But hey, the Byrds’ sound influenced George Harrison and maybe even the overall vibe of Rubber Soul, so props to them as well.
5/5 for the best album I’ve heard yet by The Byrds at a time when they were laying foundations with the greats.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
With Led Zeppelin, the whole is LESS than the sum of the parts. There are many great riffs and musically interesting moments - my favorite might be when the music explodes halfway through “Babe” - but the end result often feels less than authentic.
I think a lot is explained by the fact that Robert Plant was only 20 when this album was released. (Jimmy Page 25, John Bonham 20 and JPJ 23.) This renders the lyrics and the blues presentation less credible, even as each individual musician shines.
Still, it is an impressive debut album with great musicianship.
Deep Purple
4/5
Deep Purple is a perfectly named band. The guitar, bass, and organ combine for a deep, even ominous sound, but just as often provide colorful, soaring solos and jams. The drum fills add even more energy to an already hard driving sound.
I just really enjoy this music.
I recently listened (and re-listened) to “In Rock,” the other studio album on the 1001 list. Each features a band that is in the zone. This album is only slightly more controlled and able to produce a single (“Smoke”) or three.
Each of these albums hovers around 4.5/5 for me. Since I rounded up to 5 on “In Rock,” I’ll round down to 4 on this one, with its only deficit being its lack of lyrical depth. But that’s not to say it isn’t a great joy ride.
John Prine
3/5
John Prine sounds like Bob Dylan. But I already have a Bob Dylan, and I like the one I have. What to do? How about 3/5 for good songwriting and the interesting Jesus references.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
5/5
Exploring the only album released in Buddy Holly’s short lifetime, I’m most attracted to the brief guitar solos and flourishes. And I’m intrigued to hear some of popular music that led up to the revolutionary sounds of the following decade.
I pay my respects with a 5/5.
X-Ray Spex
4/5
I can only imagine how great this must have sounded in 1978, in context, and on vinyl. But hey, it still stands out from the crowd — a unique, interesting, enjoyable punk-to-new-wave experience. Riot grrrl before Riot grrrl, a bid to be your Joey Ramone before Sleater-Kinney made the ask two decades later.
Dire Straits
4/5
Mark Knolfler’s guitar work is elegant and engaging. “Sultans of Swing” is indeed the best example, including the masterful solo, so there’s no deep cut to offer in its place.
That said, the album as a whole is not in my sweet spot. And I’m unsure how to categorize it: Is it rock and roll but without the bite, or soft rock with teeth? It seems to be an elusive mix of lighter rock, country, folk, and a dash of blues, hey maybe even jazz? But the key word is “lighter.” Stated more positively, it’s smooth.
I’m rounding a 3.5 up to 4 because I could see spending more time here…
Everything But The Girl
3/5
This music is out of my wheelhouse and the fairest rating I can give is down the middle with a 3/5. My experience is more of a 2/5 rounding up, which is what I rated their earlier album contained on this list. But I was probably more grumpy after hearing that one because I listened to the whole thing.
Next!
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Tracy Chapman offered a quiet lament, and requested that the promises of America be fulfilled (or at least that the police might show up on time), and told the stories of those who still felt stuck, trapped, forgotten.
Not the only socially conscious music of its era, but distinct in its style and gentleness. At the Grammys in 1989, this album would be honored and, for the first time, the rap performance category was added. It was awarded to DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince for their suburban protest that “Parents Just Don’t Understand” while bands like Public Enemy sat out of the untelevised affair.
Back to Tracy Chapman. This is a very good album with songs that bid you to listen. Not only to the music but to the voices behind the songs. On the second side the lyrics and story telling aren’t quite as strong, but this talented artist was in her young 20s when these songs were released.
A worthy album for sure.
The Byrds
3/5
WARNING: Albums that were not well received in their day but later were "reconsidered by critics who now consider it their best" is often the kiss of death on this list. Consider yourself kissed.
I really don't think we need 5 out of the first 6 Byrds albums to be on the list. Specifically, we didn't need this one. "But they are being more experimental!" is not a justification for its inclusion when every band after Sgt Pepper had figured that out. The Byrds were an important band. There are some nice sounds on this album but their first album is the most deserving and most interesting in my opinion.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
Fantastic album that still reveals the optimistic side of the 60s and hope for a better future, before the cynicism of the 70s set in. Intelligent lyrics, harmony, and some nice electric flourishes throughout.
The biggest problem on the album is the jarring movement from the opening song, Carry On, to the second track, which is full on country. In fact, the album does have a little bit of unevenness that way, but the highs are so high. It’s still rounds up to a five star rating.
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
Sly & the Family Stone changed music at least twice. Their 60s sound was dynamic and revolutionary, performed by a multiethnic band that was quite a rarity in those days (at least in the main). Then with this album, something totally new again.
I also remember seeing Sly Stone on TV in the late 80s. He was such a huge figure to me musically, but by this point he had become a much smaller version of himself. The drugs that no doubt fueled this album had shrunken him. Like one that dies giving birth... we are the recipients of something unforgettable, but it took the life of its maker.
Lou Reed
4/5
Transformer is Lou Reed’s second album after he left The Velvet Underground, and it's an extension of that band's varied vibe and street sensibility. The best tracks for me are "Vicious," "Andy's Chest," and "Hangin' 'Round."
“Walk on the Wild Side." This is an unusual and even unfortunate song to be Lou Reed’s most recognizable, as it’s a stylistic outlier. Not my favorite, actually. But, it does capture the commitment Reed had in VU and as a solo artist to tell stories of the underground.
This is a 4/5 album from a noteworthy artist. He probably peaked when he was in The Velvet Underground, meaning before anybody knew who he was! But we do now. Good album.
Big Star
4/5
This is a cult classic and legendary. And like any good legend, there are multiple versions… Third/Sister Lovers is not one album but a sprawling legend to explore.
My favorite songs are “Jesus Christ” and “For You.” Both appear to be worship songs not sure they worship the same person. “Jesus Christ” appears on one version of 3rd but not another…although “Thank You Friends” is the same basic tune - maybe Jesus was a good friend?
“Femme Fatale” is a nice cover of the song by The Velvet Underground and Nico. But you still must prioritize Nico’s icy, teeth-clenched vocals.
I like the sound and see why it’s a classic, if a messy and undefined one.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
An interesting benefit of this 1001 list is that it leads me to give a fresh listen to all-too-familiar bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd. I heard their hits so often that I stopped truly listening decades ago. Now, with some distance and with the assignment to hear an entire album, I can appreciate the talent again. Great guitar riffs, energizing piano, some bravado, some humor… really good stuff. Definitely deserving, 4/5, and I can understand if others go higher.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
I was one of maybe three or four teenagers who listened to an inordinate amount of Captain Beefheart in the 1980s. That was strange I admit, but the music is stranger still. I wouldn’t be surprised if this album single-handedly led many to jump off the 1001 bandwagon altogether.
That would be an understandable response to this surreal, dissonant, experimental tour de craziness. And I almost downgraded the album myself. But then, it draws me back in again… I surrender to the surreal, I ride along, and I’m captivated the way you get captivated by a strange yet provocative piece of artwork.
Joan Baez
5/5
I am rounding the legendary Joan Baez up to 5/5 despite those coupla times her sustained high notes had me scrambling for the volume control. And I’m doing so because Joan Baez, along with Bob Dylan and maybe others in the early 60s folk pantheon, formed one of the tributaries into much of my favorite music: the revolutionary music of that decade and its descendants. I would like to think that if I were a young man in 1960 this would have been on my turntable.
Beatles
5/5
I grew up in the 70s and remember a worn copy of this classic album among my siblings’ records. It was the American version, in which Capitol Records removed songs like… “Drive My Car” (??!!). To this day I have to wrap my mind around the original British offering, and remember that it’s not merely an album of acoustic gems. By the way, during these recording sessions (which lasted just one month in 1965!) also included “Day Tripper” and “We Can Work it Out.”
Capitol Records was squeezing every penny out of this band and their revolutionary run. But the Beatles were just giving us so much.
Anyway, the American version rates 9/5 and the actual album with the original track listing rates 10/5.
Meat Loaf
2/5
After applying the extra credit for NOT being electronica or country, that brings the score up to 2/5.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Someone quipped that Bookends is like the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” played out over an entire album. That seems right. I can feel the influence and vibe of Sgt Pepper here, even though the acoustic presentation provides misdirection.
Along with Mrs Robinson, there are some great counter culture gems here ("Save the Life of My Child," "Fakin’ It," "Hazy Shade of Winter"). And “America” is a Simon and Garfunkel classic.
Yet there are low points. "Overs," "Voices of Old People," and "Old Friends" form a skippable trilogy. A song about Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and another about the Zoo probably contain profound insight…somewhere…but feel like filler.
I think the Beatles had the right idea in keeping it to one song. But man, the great songs here are really deserving. Put the best songs on a playlist and that playlist should indeed be heard (a few times) before you die.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
A couple strong tracks and I don’t really think the title track quite gets there. There is some great music going on behind the lyrics and way-too-serious vocal delivery. This came out in 1969… go back two years and find the Doors first album doing everything this was trying to do, so much more successfully. But hey, getting a classic from 1969 is welcome nevertheless.
Stephen Stills
3/5
How can an album be this bland when Stephen Stills was producing such great music, this very same year no less, with Crosby, Nash, and Young? Jimi Hendrix is on track four (IKR!!) and yet... even this falls flat. How does that even happen?? I don't blame Stills or Hendrix, I blame the Seventies. Clearly the Seventies were determined to smooth the edges of the Sixties, emboldened by what they were able to do to Paul McCartney. There were forces at work here we may never fully understand.
Various Artists
5/5
At first I thought it was cute to receive a Christmas album, but I must admit this belongs on the list. Phil Spector’s “wall of sound” production is legendary and makes even Pop Christmas music captivating. But none of that would be possible without Darlene Love’s amazing voice and the other musicians and vocalists that bring down the house. Even a deep cut (one of only a few) like “A Marshmallow World” was a jam. A consistently strong album from 1963.
Merry Christmas!
Paul Revere & The Raiders
4/5
Here is a band that got the memo: It’s 1966. If you’re going to make albums in the age of Dylan and the Beatles, no more child’s play. While not every album can be Rubber Soul or Revolver, you can still make a full album of quality tracks and show you at least TRIED. Among the best tracks are “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone,” which always sounded too good to be a Monkees original, the hit “Kicks,” and “Get it On.” Good stuff from the era just before the Doors, Hendrix, and Sgt Pepper.
James Brown
3/5
I’m sure this is an important album that deserves better, but I didn’t latch onto anything here.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
There is an Ick Factor to the Stones that is particularly pronounced on this album, classic as it may be. Just when you think there may be a noble sentiment it turns gross. Basically it seems like Mick Jagger & Co. enjoyed using women, and they have trouble rising above the most sensual and selfish desires. Sometimes it’s overt and sometimes it’s just barely hidden, but it’s always just a kiss away. Practiced at the art of deception indeed.
Moby Grape
4/5
This is a great sounding 60s album, of the sort that verges on pop (I found myself thinking of Blood Sweat & Tears) but instead remains grounded in a blend of folk, country, and psychedelic rock.
I don’t recognize a single song. The Wikipedia entry tells the tragic story of a string of missed opportunities and mismanagement. Consistent with that, I’ll probably never hear them again since they aren’t available to stream on Spotify.
But, it’s good stuff if you can navigate the YouTube interface and commercial interruptions.
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
1963-1969. The Beatles defined a decade, innovated, perfected, and left music that still amazes to this day. Paul McCartney, at the end of the Beatles’ career, was at his height and everything he touched was gold. He was in his strength.
Which is what makes his solo career, including Band on the Run, so tragic. (Let me get this out of the way: first two tracks are listenable, then I can’t anymore, but it does close with an energetic “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five” - why couldn’t he have done more of THIS at least?)
Paul’s songs work best when there is a complete process:
1) Draft the song.
2) Share song with John. Rework.
3) Bring song to George and Ringo. Perfect.
4) Record song with George Martin. Transform.
Apart from this complete process, and probably dealing with a somewhat traumatized Paul McCartney, the songs were never quite the same. There was still strength coming through on “Ram.” That would be the best I’ve heard from Paul post-Beatles.
Some of y’all will enjoy this much more than I am able to. I will be kind and go with 3 but I really can’t engage this album since steps 2-4 are missing. But I’ll remain grateful nevertheless for Paul, John, George, Ringo, and George.
Taylor Swift
5/5
Red is Taylor Swift’s Revolver.
1989 is her Sgt Pepper.
5/5 for a pop masterpiece, from a male Swiftie who (like so many) heard her talent on Folklore and worked back from there. Much more of her catalog should be on this 1001 list, and it’s actually funny that the best they could come up with was this obvious choice and Evermore…